Patent Description:
Support feet adapted to adjust the vertical position of a piece of furniture arranged on a support surface with the aim of compensating possible unevenness of the latter are well known on the market. In particular, they generally comprise two members, inserted one into the other, which - due to an adjustment mechanism - which can be actuated using an appropriate operating tool, can slide axially with respect to each other; the mutual movement between these two members allows to adjust the piece of furniture height-wise.

Usually, one of said members is integrally joined to the support surface, while the other is adapted to be engaged with a part of the piece of furniture, generally a side and/or a bottom panel, to which it is constrained through appropriate fixing means.

Constraining a supporting device of the type described above to the side of a piece of furniture usually requires approaching the device to the internal surface of the side, in proximity of the lower edge, then reaching the desired mounting position possibly by using reference means.

The fixing operation is then completed using one or more fixing screws, which are inserted into appropriate openings made in the body of the device, arranging them along a direction essentially transversal to the internal surface of the side, and subsequently screwed directly into the panel forming the side so as to ensure the stability of the foot, in particular when the piece of furniture is loaded.

Generally, the reference means are formed by pins protruding from the supporting device and adapted to be inserted into appropriate housing seats provided on the side of the piece of furniture. However, such solution envisages previously providing said housing seats on the panel, an operation which further requires particular precision.

Alternatively, supporting devices for furniture in which said reference means are formed by reference teeth, protruding from one or more support flanges adapted to be inserted beneath the side to improve the capacity thereof, are known.

In particular, the known reference teeth lie on a plane essentially vertical and parallel to the internal surface of the side and they are configured to be pressure-fitted into the thickness of the panel, by introducing them at the lower head edge thereof. An example of a supporting device of this type is disclosed in <CIT>.

Although such devices operate satisfactorily, a drawback thereof lies in the fact that when said reference teeth are introduced into the thickness of the panel, they generate stresses that cause the internal surface to move away from the external one, diverging them, especially when the panel is made of a material essentially formed by a sandwich made of glued fibres, such as for example MDF, which has poor resistance in the direction of detachment of the layers of the sandwich.

Furthermore, this effect is further emphasized should the fixing of the supporting device be completed with a fixing screw positioned between said reference teeth and also acting on the thickness of the panel.

The main task of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, providing a supporting device for furniture which can be pre-mounted on the panel forming the side of the piece of furniture before possibly stably fixing, but without damaging it and without requiring additional operations on the panel.

Within the scope of the task outlined above, an object of the present invention is to obtain a supporting device for furniture that is robust and functional, further allowing to adjust the vertical position of the furniture in a simple and immediate manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable supporting device for pieces of furniture that is simple and cost-effective to produce, using the usual known machines and processes.

The task and the objects outlined above, as well as others which will be more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by means of a supporting device according to claim <NUM>.

The subsequent claims define further characteristics of a supporting device according to the present invention which will be better illustrated in the description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment and illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, wherein:.

With reference to the figures mentioned above, a supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention is shown, said device <NUM> being adapted to be associated with a panel forming a side F of a piece of furniture to support it on a substantially flat and horizontal support surface, such as for example the floor.

Advantageously, said supporting device <NUM> is of the adjustable type, that is it allows to adjust the position of the side F, and therefore of the piece of furniture, along an adjusting axis Y-Y substantially perpendicular with respect to said support surface.

Expressions such as "above", "below", "upper", "lower", "high", "low", "horizontal", "vertical" or the like will be used in the description below; the person skilled in the art will have no difficulty understanding that these expressions relate to the orientation of the supporting device <NUM> in the normal operative configuration thereof, that is in use, as shown in the attached figures.

As shown in <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, said device <NUM> comprises a mounting element <NUM> which can be constrained to an internal surface F1 of the side F of the piece of furniture, preferably in proximity of a lower edge thereof in use adjacent to the floor, using fixing means <NUM>.

Said mounting element <NUM> is provided with a central body <NUM> defining a through seat that is internally threaded and extending along said adjusting axis Y-Y, essentially vertical in use, adapted to be engaged by an adjusting means <NUM> provided with a threaded rod <NUM> which rests with an end on said support surface and it is adapted to be axially rotatably operated to adjust the position of said side F with respect to the support surface.

Advantageously, said adjusting means <NUM> has, at the first end of said threaded rod <NUM>, substantially facing - in use - toward the support surface, a support base <NUM> configured so as to expand the surface area of the supporting device <NUM> on the support surface as much as possible and therefore optimally discharge the weight of the piece of furniture.

At the opposite end of the rod <NUM>, said adjusting means <NUM> preferably comprises a shaped seat <NUM> which can be engaged - for example - by the tip of an appropriate tool adapted to impart an axial rotation of the rod <NUM> in the screwing/unscrewing direction for adjusting the position of the side F in the direction defined by said axis Y-Y.

Basically, advantageously, when the device <NUM> is in use, rotations imparted to the adjusting means <NUM> cause the mounting element <NUM> to slide along the threading of said rod <NUM> and therefore adjusting the position of the side F of the piece of furniture integrally joined therewith along said adjusting axis Y-Y.

Said mounting element <NUM> is advantageously provided with at least one coupling portion <NUM> obtained as a single piece with said central body <NUM> and lying on a first plane P1, essentially vertical in use, so that it can rest against the internal surface F1 of said side F, and provided with at least one pair of through fixing holes 21A, wherein fixing means <NUM> can be inserted, said fixing means <NUM> being in particular preferably formed by a corresponding pair of screws, to allow the stable fixing of the device <NUM> to the side F of the piece of furniture.

Preferably, as shown in the <FIG>, <FIG> e <FIG>, said mounting element <NUM> comprises a pair of coupling portions <NUM> which depart from opposite sides of the latter and they are configured so as to lie on the same first plane P1, each provided with at least one fixing hole 21A.

Advantageously, said supporting device <NUM> further comprises reference means <NUM> having the purpose of allowing pre-mounting to the side F of the mounting element <NUM>, holding it in position with the correct orientation before possibly stably fixing it by using said fixing screws <NUM>.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, said reference means <NUM> comprise at least one pair of reference teeth <NUM> adapted to be pressure-fitted into the thickness of said side F, introducing them from a lower head edge F2 thereof, said reference teeth <NUM> lying each on an essentially vertical respective plane P3, inclined with respect to said first plane P1 and therefore, in use, with respect to the internal surface F1 of said side F.

As better observable in <FIG>, said third planes P3 are inclined with respect to said first plane P1 by an angle α preferably comprised between <NUM> and <NUM>°.

Advantageously, said reference means <NUM> further comprise a support flange <NUM>, essentially formed by at least one flat plate protruding from the lower edge of said central body <NUM>, and preferably from the lower edge of said coupling portion <NUM>, so as to lie on a second plane P2, essentially horizontal in use, as shown in <FIG>.

Possibly, said support flange <NUM> may be formed by a pair of flat plates, each preferably protruding from the lower edge of a respective coupling portion <NUM>.

Said support flange <NUM> is adapted to be inserted beneath the panel forming the side F of the piece of furniture, and cooperate abutting against the lower head edge F2 thereof to create a reference for mounting the mounting element <NUM> and advantageously improve the capacity of the device <NUM>.

Advantageously, said reference teeth <NUM> protrude vertically from the upper surface of said support flange <NUM>, lying on a plane essentially orthogonal to the second plane P2, and they are arranged preferably at a free end edge thereof.

Said support flange <NUM> preferably has an extension smaller than the thickness of the side F and it is configured so that said reference teeth <NUM> fit into an essentially central area of the thickness of the side F, that is at an intermediate distance between the inner surface F1 and the outer surface F2 of the latter.

Furthermore, said reference teeth <NUM> are preferably arranged in an essentially mirror-like fashion with respect to a symmetry plane X substantially orthogonal to said first plane P1, vertical in use, and oriented in a manner such to converge towards the outer surface F3 of the side F.

In this manner, advantageously, when said reference teeth <NUM> are pressure-fitted into the thickness of the side F, penetrating from the lower head edge F2 thereof, they are oriented along inclined planes with respect to the internal F1 and external F3 surfaces thereof, therefore preventing them from diverging, in particular when the piece of furniture is loaded and therefore limiting the risk of breaking the panel.

As a matter of fact, as clear to a person skilled in the art, such solution advantageously moves the main line of the force generated by the reference teeth <NUM> when they enter into the side F: advantageously, the main line is oriented in a direction orthogonal to said teeth <NUM>, thus affecting not only the thickness of the side F but also partly the depth thereof.

Furthermore, as better observable in <FIG> and <FIG>, said reference teeth <NUM> preferably have a shape essentially tapered towards the free end 23A so as to facilitate the insertion thereof into the thickness of the side F and they have a protruding portion 23B, also advantageously tapered towards the free end 23A, preferably obtained on the surface of each tooth <NUM> facing towards the respective coupling portion <NUM>, adapted to prevent it from coming out once introduced into the side F, therefore ensuring that the device <NUM> is held in the correct position by interference and preventing said support flange <NUM> from being inadvertently detached from the lower edge F2 of the side F, for example during the subsequent step of fixing the device <NUM> using said fixing screws <NUM>.

In order to fix the support device <NUM> to the side F of a piece of furniture, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, said coupling portions <NUM> are initially approached to the internal surface F1, at the lower edge thereof, positioning said support flange <NUM> in proximity of the lower head edge F2.

Subsequently, said reference teeth <NUM> are pressure-fitted into the thickness of the side F, introducing them from the lower head edge F2, until said support flange <NUM> essentially abuts thereagainst.

At this point, said reference teeth <NUM> are essentially fully received in the thickness of the panel forming the side F, inclined with respect to the internal F1 and external F3 surfaces of the latter, and the protruding portions 23B prevent the removal thereof by interference.

Thanks to said reference means <NUM> the device <NUM> is therefore advantageously pre-mounted in the correct position to the side F of the piece of furniture and it may be stably constrained to the side F by inserting the fixing screws <NUM> into the corresponding fixing holes 21A provided for on said coupling portions <NUM>, until they are fully screwed into the panel.

Once said supporting device <NUM> has been stably fixed to the side F of the piece of furniture, a horizontal panel B, forming the bottom of the piece of furniture, preferably provided with a through hole suitably obtained in the thickness of the latter to allow access - using a tool - to the adjusting means <NUM> of the supporting device <NUM> so as to be able to carry out the desired adjustments, may be arranged above it.

In conclusion, in the light of the above it is clear that a supporting device <NUM> according to the present invention attains the objects and advantages initially set forth. In particular, there has been obtained an adjustable supporting device for pieces of furniture resting against the ground, thanks to the particular reference means <NUM> comprising suitably arranged and configured reference teeth <NUM>, can be easily pre-mounted on the panel forming the side of the piece of furniture but without damaging it in any manner whatsoever and without requiring to carry out additional operations on the panel.

A supporting device for furniture according to the invention is also robust and functional, and it allows to be able to adjust the vertical position of the piece of furniture in a simple and immediate manner.

Claim 1:
Supporting device (<NUM>) for furniture, adapted to be associated with a panel forming a side (F) of a piece of furniture for adjusting the position thereof along an adjusting axis (Y-Y) essentially vertical with respect to a support surface, said device (<NUM>) comprising a mounting element (<NUM>) adapted to be associated to an internal surface (F1) of said side (F) and defining an internally threaded through seat, extending along said adjusting axis (Y-Y) and adapted to be engaged by threaded rod (<NUM>) of an adjusting means (<NUM>) adapted to lie with a first end on said support surface and to be axially rotatably operated to adjust, in use, the position of said side (F) with respect to said support surface, said mounting element (<NUM>) further comprising at least one coupling portion (<NUM>) lying on a first plane (P1), vertical in use, adapted to be arranged against said internal surface (F1) of said side (F) and reference means (<NUM>) adapted to allow the pre-mounting of said mounting element (<NUM>) to the side (F), wherein said reference means (<NUM>) comprise at least one pair of reference teeth (<NUM>) adapted to be pressure-fitted into the thickness of said side (F) by introducing them from a lower head edge (F2) thereof, characterised by said reference teeth (<NUM>) lying each on a respective plane (P3) inclined with respect to said first plane (P1).