Patent Description:
More in particular, the present invention relates to a device suitable to slow down and brake during closing sliding doors separating rooms or adjoining rooms and the sliding doors of cabinets or wardrobes to prevent uncontrolled and overly rapid strokes with possible kickbacks at the end stop.

It is known that in buildings intended for private homes or used for other purposes, such as offices or premises open to the public, some environments are separated from each other and made independent using sliding doors, which replace the traditional swing doors. In the manufacture of cabinets and wardrobes too, sliding doors are currently widely used, especially give the reduced occupation of space when opened. Both for doors and cabinet and wardrobe doors, sliding is achieved by means of carriages with wheels which slide along specially designed and sized guides, typically attached to the top of the opening containing the door or on the top side of the wardrobe. The carriages are combined with specific devices facilitating the closure of the door or furniture door, creating a pulling effect to accompany them to the end-stop, which is reached gradually and smoothly. It is important in fact that during closing the stroke of the door or wardrobe door is gradual and even braked in the case that it has unintentionally been subjected to an excessive push. In the absence of an accompaniment to the end stop, which slows down the sliding and cushions the abutment with the stop element, said door or furniture door would impact said end stop violently, rebounding off it, with the consequence of creating not just a loud noise, but also the danger of damaging parts of the sliding carriage or related components and requiring subsequent manual intervention to achieve effective closing.

Devices designed to cushion the stroke when closing doors are known of for example from <CIT>, where a bumper comprises a body suitable to be mounted in a guide, a cushioning and restraint element and a spring with one end shaped to hold a sliding mechanism; the latter may disengage from the holding spring under high impact. In this case, the solution is not suitable for doors and furniture doors of significant size and weight, which can rebound and disengage if pushed with considerable force.

A soft closing device is described in <CIT> in order to prevent a closable component such as a sliding door, a movable shelf or a drawer, can forcefully slam against a frame wall of the storage unit. The soft closing device includes at least one guiding member with two sections having opposite slopes that create a top part in order to force the closing of the closing component and therefore slow down its movement; the device can optionally include a shock absorber to further attenuate the end-of-stroke impact of the closing component.

<CIT> discloses a guide and stop mechanism of a sliding door, especially a side door of a car, which comprises a carriage with wheels cooperating with an element that defines an articulated ramp, superposing an elastomer body. When the door is opened, the rotation of the ramp and compression of the elastomer body slows down the stroke of the carriage attached to the sliding door. This solution too does not guarantee a secure attachment if the door is opened brusquely, there being no dampers to gradually accompany the carriage to the end stop.

A further solution is known from the European Patent No <CIT> by the same applicant, which refers specifically to a device for the cushioned stopping and stabilization of sliding doors and furniture doors. Such device comprises a carriage which slides in a section and abuts a cam; the latter can partially rotate to couple said carriage, which at the same time abuts a cushioning device, in the form of an oil, silicone or air piston. This solution, though able to ensure effective cushioning of the stroke, even violent, of sliding doors and furniture doors, has drawbacks both as regards noise, especially at the time of engaging and disengaging with the cam, and as regards movement; in the opening phase in fact the resistance of the contrast spring which extends to subsequently recall the carriage when closing the door or wardrobe door, must be overcome.

The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks complained of above.

More specifically, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a rocker arm braking device for doors and sliding doors of cabinets and wardrobes which gradually accompanies the closing of the door or furniture door, braking the excessive speed without however causing noise.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a braking device as defined above that permits the user to close the door or the sliding furniture door smoothly without any effort or difficulty in relation to the initial thrust to be exercised.

A further aim of the invention is to make available to users a rocker arm braking device for doors and sliding furniture doors suitable to ensure a high level of resistance and reliability over time, and also such as to be easily and inexpensively made.

These and yet other purposes are achieved by the rocker arm braking device for doors and sliding furniture doors of the present invention, according to claim <NUM>.

Specific embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

The construction and functional characteristics of the rocker arm braking device of the present invention will be more clearly comprehensible from the detailed description below in which reference is made to the appended drawings which show a preferred and non-limiting embodiment and wherein:.

With initial reference to <FIG>, the rocker arm braking device for doors and sliding furniture doors of the present invention, globally denoted by reference numeral <NUM> in <FIG>, comprises a containment unit <NUM>, in metal, plastic or other suitable material, in which a pivoting rocker arm is placed; the latter globally denoted by reference numeral <NUM> in <FIG>. The containment unit <NUM> consists of two opposite and complementary half-shells <NUM> and <NUM>, each of which substantially defines an "L" section; the half-shells <NUM> and <NUM> are connected transversely by means of a pin <NUM>. At one end the half-shells <NUM>, <NUM> define an extension consisting of a wing <NUM> with holes <NUM> , suitable to form the attachment seat of a carriage <NUM>, in itself known, shown in detail in <FIG> and provided with pairs of wheels <NUM>'. Said carriage comprises a head <NUM> on which holes <NUM> are made. Using two pins <NUM> or equivalent means, inserted in the holes <NUM> of the wings <NUM> and in the holes <NUM> holes of the head <NUM>, the known carriage <NUM> is connected to said end of the rocker arm braking device <NUM> as shown in particular in <FIG>. Said rocker arm braking device, at the end opposite the one connected to the aforementioned carriage <NUM>, bears an integral appendage <NUM>, extending from half-shells <NUM>, <NUM> and forming the attachment seat for an opposite pair of wheels <NUM>, similar to the wheels <NUM>' of the carriage <NUM>; the wheels <NUM> are paired with a bearing <NUM> ' and are rotatably coupled to the braking device <NUM> by means of the same pin <NUM> that transversely connects the half-shells <NUM> and <NUM>.

The latter are further connected transversally by a rivet <NUM> inserted in the appendages <NUM>; a pin <NUM>, extending transversely near the same appendages <NUM>, constitutes the coupling element of one end of a coil spring <NUM>.

In the area between said pin <NUM> and the wings <NUM>, the half-shells <NUM>, <NUM> interconnected transversely define, in the containment unit <NUM>, a cavity <NUM>, which the pivoting rocker arm <NUM> is placed in. Said rocker arm, shown in detail in <FIG>, consists of a pair of matched shaped arms <NUM>, basically "C" shaped, wherein the convex part is facing downwards; the two shaped arms <NUM> are provided at opposite ends with a hole <NUM>' for inserting the connection pins <NUM>. Said pins simultaneously connect two needle rollers <NUM>, <NUM>' placed between said arms. Each of the needle rollers <NUM>, <NUM> ' placed at one end of said arms, has a circumferential notching in which an O-ring <NUM> is housed which forms the rolling surface of said needle rollers. From one of the shaped arms <NUM> a pin <NUM> protrudes outwards, matched with a spacer <NUM> placed between said arms; the pin <NUM> constitutes the coupling element of one end of the coil spring <NUM>, which at the other end is connected to the pin <NUM>. The assembly formed of the shaped arms <NUM> and needle rollers <NUM>, <NUM> ' with O-ring <NUM> form the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>, intended to be placed in the cavity <NUM> of the containment unit <NUM> in order to present said arms facing upward at an angle, with the needle rollers <NUM> and <NUM> ' suitable to project in part and alternately from the containment unit <NUM> according to the pivoting. Said shaped arms <NUM> have, at their central convex zone, facing down, a hole <NUM> suitable to accommodate a pin <NUM> making the longitudinal oscillation of the rocker arm <NUM> in the cavity of the containment unit <NUM> possible; said pin <NUM> visible in particular in <FIG>, is supported by the half-shells <NUM> and <NUM> between which it extends.

The rocker arm braking device for doors and sliding furniture doors of the present invention further comprises a shaped support <NUM>, illustrated in detail in <FIG>, defined by a plate-shaped body with a substantially rectangular cross section which on one side has a housing and stabilization seat <NUM> of the cylindrical body of a cushioning means, typically of a known cushioning means <NUM> , in itself known, of the gas, air or silicone type. Laterally to said seat <NUM>, from which the stem <NUM> of the cushioning device <NUM> protrudes at least in part, the shaped support <NUM> extends on one side in the shape of an appendage with an inverted "U" shape cross-section, in which the vertical branch adjacent to the seat <NUM> defines a triangular profile forming a cam <NUM>; the latter comprises a descending portion <NUM> and an adjoining portion with the opposite inclination <NUM>, at the end of which an arched fold <NUM> is formed. The cam <NUM> is facing downwards, in the direction of the needle rollers <NUM> and <NUM> ', being intended to cooperate with them and with the pivoting rocker arm <NUM> as a whole, as further described below in connection with the operation of the braking device of the invention.

<FIG> clearly indicate the arrangement of the pivoting rocker arm and of the shaped support with the cam <NUM> and with the seat for the cushioning means <NUM>, together with the positioning of the known carriage <NUM>. All the components referred to are housed in a sliding guide of the known type, indicated by reference numeral <NUM> and formed of a basically rectangular section aluminium profile in which the lower base has a longitudinally extending central opening which defines a slot <NUM>; protruding outwards from the latter is the conventional pin <NUM> of the carriage <NUM> connected in the known manner to the plate <NUM> which is fixed, with screws or other appropriate means of restraint, to the upper edge of the sliding door, schematically shown as number <NUM> in <FIG>. The head <NUM> of the carriage <NUM>, as specified above, is connected to the wings <NUM> of the containment unit <NUM>, while the shaped support <NUM> is stabilized in the guide <NUM> by means of two or more dowel screws <NUM> (<FIG>) which protrude upwards from the rear side, opposite the stem <NUM> of said shaped support. The guide <NUM> is instead fixed in a known manner to the ceiling or to a counter-ceiling (not shown) arranged at the opening housing the sliding door <NUM>.

The rocker arm braking device of the invention intervenes when the door <NUM> is pushed by the user in the direction suitable to achieve closure; in this phase in fact the door needs to be slowed down, since if not properly braked, it could impact the end stop and rebound violently, partly opening. The reference is to <FIG>, which depict the phases of such slowing down, thanks to both the pivoting rocker arm <NUM> in cooperation with the cam <NUM> and to the cushioning means <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the condition in which the needle roller <NUM> is in a position next to the appendage <NUM> of the half-shells <NUM>, <NUM>, and approaching the cam <NUM> and about to abut with it travelling along the first inclined portion, in descent; the door <NUM> hanging from the carriage <NUM> is about to start slowing down. The stem <NUM>, which at the free end is fitted with a rubber bumper <NUM>, is in fact about to abut with the appendage <NUM>, which will push it, causing the initial braking phase. The spring <NUM>, which acts as a traction member of the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>, keeps said rocker arm in a basically lowered position and such as to facilitate the abutment between the needle roller <NUM>' and the descending portion of the cam <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the next condition in which the pivoting rocker arm <NUM> is almost horizontal, given that the needle roller <NUM> has covered the entire descent portion of the cam <NUM> and has already begun to travel along the adjacent upward portion, while the needle roller <NUM> ' has begun to travel along said descent portion. The stem <NUM> of the cushioning means <NUM> is compressed, starting from the rubber bumper <NUM>, by the appendage <NUM> and realizes the progressive braking of the sliding door <NUM> connected to the carriage <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the condition in which the needle roller <NUM> has reached the end of its stroke by the pulling effect of the spring <NUM>; the sliding door <NUM> is now in the fully closed position. The end stop of the needle roller <NUM> is defined by the folded arch <NUM>, made adjacent to the upward portion of the cam <NUM>. The spring <NUM> is calibrated so as to exert sufficient force to pull the door, bringing it into the closed position, as later described in relation to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, and to fully compress the stem <NUM> of the cushioning device <NUM>.

During the sliding of the needle rollers <NUM> and <NUM> ' along the portions <NUM> and <NUM> of the cam <NUM>, the O-ring <NUM> applied to said needle rollers prevents appreciable noise phenomena.

<FIG> relate to the application of the rocker arm braking device of the present invention to the sliding doors of cabinets and wardrobes, i.e. furniture components, rather than sliding doors in rooms.

In the following description the same references as the previous solution will be used, referred to the sliding door, to identify common components or parts.

<FIG> illustrates the rocker arm device paired with a carriage <NUM> of a known type which comprises a support plate <NUM> from the front side of which a bearing <NUM> with a grooved profile and plastic-coating protrudes. Said carriage <NUM> is constrained, through the support plate <NUM> to the top of the rear side of a door <NUM> of a cabinet or wardrobe <NUM>, part of the horizontal panel forming the top shelf constituting the top <NUM> is schematically shown. The pivoting rocker arm <NUM> formed of the shaped arms <NUM> and of the needle, rollers <NUM>, <NUM> ' is rotatably connected with a screw or pin <NUM> (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) or equivalent means to the hub of the bearing <NUM> of the carriage <NUM> projecting from said plate <NUM>. The connection of said device to the plate <NUM> is made starting from the holes <NUM> which the shaped arms <NUM> forming said rocker arm device <NUM> have at their central convex zone. The pin or screw <NUM> allows the longitudinal oscillation of said pivoting rocker arm which, compared to the solution described above, has shaped arms <NUM> oriented at a downward angle. Laterally to each of the needle rollers <NUM>, <NUM>' of the rocker arm device opposite blocks <NUM>, <NUM> are provided attached to the plate <NUM> and bearing cantilevered, respective appendages <NUM>, <NUM> which constitute abutments suitable to limit the stroke of the needle rollers <NUM> and <NUM>'; from the block <NUM>, which is placed next to the needle roller <NUM>', a pin <NUM> protrudes which is hooked to one end of the coil spring <NUM>, the opposite end of said spring is hooked to a pin <NUM> (<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>) coming out of the shaped arms <NUM> of the rocker arm device. Below the appendage <NUM> of the block <NUM> an integral protruding element <NUM> is made, suitable to abut with the rubber <NUM> placed at the free end of the stem <NUM> of the cushioning means <NUM> to brake the door <NUM>. The blocks <NUM>, <NUM> can be made in one piece.

The cushioning means <NUM> are placed in this case too in the seat <NUM> made in the shaped support <NUM>, which is housed in a linear guide <NUM>, fixed at the front edge of the upper shelf or top <NUM> of the cabinet or wardrobe <NUM>; the guide <NUM> is of the known type and comprise a rail <NUM> with a substantially semi-circular profile, complementary to that of the bearing <NUM> which slides on it. The shaped support <NUM> is constrained with the dowel nuts <NUM> to said top shelf or top <NUM> so as to present the cam <NUM> of said support oriented upwards, contrary to the solution described above and referring to the sliding door where the cam is facing downwards.

<FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> show that the guide <NUM> comprises two paired seats extending longitudinally, only one of which is occupied by the shaped support <NUM>. The second seat is advantageously used to accommodate a second support <NUM> in the case of a cabinet or wardrobe with double doors, i.e. also provided with an outer door. In this hypothesis too, referring to the doors of cabinets and wardrobes, the rocker arm braking device of the invention is activated when the door <NUM> is pushed by the user; in this phase in fact the door needs to be slowed down, since if not properly braked, it could violently impact the end stop and rebound, partly opening.

<FIG> and <FIG> show that the carriage <NUM> fixed to the door <NUM> is next to the cam <NUM>; the needle roller <NUM> ' is about to travel along the portion <NUM> of said cam which in this case extends upwards, given the inverted position of the shaped support, <NUM>; the needle roller <NUM> is in the forward most position, overlooks said portion <NUM> and abuts from the bottom the appendage <NUM> which prevents any further upward movement. As may be seen in particular in <FIG>, the "X" axis of the spring <NUM> is placed above the centre of rotation of the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>, which consequently moves clockwise (as indicated by the arrow) so that the spring tends to pull the needle roller <NUM>' upwards, determining the movement along the upward portion of the cam <NUM>. <FIG> and <FIG> show the next moment where, leaving out some intermediate stages, the needle roller <NUM> of the rocker arm braking device starts to travel along the portion now descending <NUM> of the cam <NUM>, while the needle roller <NUM>' is located about half-way along the upward portion <NUM> of said cam. In this phase, the spring <NUM> has already started to pull the door <NUM> closed, towards the end stop, defined by the arched fold <NUM> of the shaped support <NUM>, and the element <NUM> protruding from the appendage <NUM> has abutted and begun to compress, starting from the rubber bumper <NUM>, the stem <NUM> of the cushioning element <NUM>, causing the start of deceleration of the carriage <NUM> and thus of the door <NUM> attached to it. In <FIG>, in particular, it may be seen how the "X" axis of the spring <NUM> is aligned with the centre of rotation of the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>, so that said spring finds itself in a neutral or stall condition with respect to the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG>, lastly, illustrate the situation in which the needle roller <NUM> of the pivoting rocker arm has covered the entire descending portion <NUM> and abutted with the limit stop defined by the arched fold <NUM> of the shaped support <NUM>, pulling the door <NUM> and bringing it into the closed position as a result of the action of the spring <NUM>; the other needle roller <NUM> ' is near the top of the cam <NUM> and cannot in any case go any higher since it would abut the appendage <NUM> of the block <NUM> from below. During this phase, which brings the needle roller <NUM> to the end stop, the stem <NUM> of the cushioning means <NUM> has moved back completely under the thrust of the element <NUM> protruding from the appendage <NUM>, causing the completion of the gradual braking of the door <NUM> of the cabinet or wardrobe <NUM>. As may be seen in particular from <FIG>, the "X" axis of the spring <NUM> is placed below the centre of rotation of the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>, which consequently moves anti-clockwise (as indicated by the arrow) so that the spring tends to pull the needle roller <NUM>' downwards, determining the movement along the downward portion of the cam <NUM> as far as the end stop <NUM> and the complete closure of the door or furniture door.

As may be seen from the above, the advantages which the invention achieves are evident.

The rocker arm braking device of the present invention makes it possible to bring into the closed position both sliding doors and the sliding doors of cabinets and wardrobes gradually, effortlessly and appropriately slowing down the door or furniture door if pushed too hard initially, at the same time avoiding unwanted noise given the use of O-rings on the needle rollers <NUM>, <NUM>' of the pivoting rocker arm <NUM>. Depending on the inclination of the portions <NUM> and <NUM> of the cam <NUM> and the force exerted by the spring <NUM>, it is possible to calibrate the closing of the sliding door <NUM> or sliding furniture door <NUM> considering the variable weight.

Claim 1:
A rocker arm braking device (<NUM>) for doors and sliding doors of furniture comprising a carriage (<NUM>, <NUM>), sliding on wheels or bearings (<NUM>', <NUM>) along a guide (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the device and fixed to the top edge of a sliding door (<NUM>) or to the top of the inner side of a sliding door (<NUM>) of a cabinet or wardrobe (<NUM>); a shaped support (<NUM>), having a substantially rectangular cross-section, constrained by dowel screws (<NUM>) to said guide (<NUM>, <NUM>), which has a housing and stabilization seat (<NUM>) of a cushioning means (<NUM>) of the device on one side laterally to which a cam (<NUM>) is made on the same shaped support (<NUM>), characterised in that the braking device (<NUM>) comprises a pair of matching shaped arms (<NUM>), basically "C" shaped, provided with a respective hole (<NUM>') at the opposite ends for inserting connection pins (<NUM>) which simultaneously stabilize between said arms two needle rollers (<NUM>, <NUM>') to form a pivoting rocker arm (<NUM>) associated with the carriage (<NUM>, <NUM>) so they move together along the guide (<NUM>, <NUM>), said needle rollers (<NUM>, <NUM>') being guided by the cam (<NUM>) during the movement of the carriage (<NUM>, <NUM>) along the guide (<NUM>, <NUM>).