EP1950371A1

EP1950371A1 - Improved closure device for furniture doors

Info

Publication number: EP1950371A1
Application number: EP06841697A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Garcia Fabian A. Martinez; Garcia Francisco J. Martinez
Original assignee: Famar Muebles SL
Current assignee: Famar Muebles SL
Priority date: 2005-11-18
Filing date: 2006-11-15
Publication date: 2008-07-30
Also published as: WO2007057488A8; ES1061579U; EP1950371A4; ES1061579Y; WO2007057488A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an improved closure device for furniture doors, consisting of two L-shaped parts (1 and 2). According to the invention, one of the sides of the aforementioned parts is equipped with means (3) for fixing same to the surfaces of the leaf or wall of the piece of furniture, while the other side of each part is equipped with means for coupling the two parts to one another, said means consisting of a clamp or housing (4) on part 2 and a support (5) for rollers (6) on part 1, whereby said roller (6) can be inserted into the housing (4).

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention, an improved closure device for furniture doors, relates to a novel and original closure structure which can be applied in furniture in general, such as doors of cupboards, kitchen furniture, bathroom furniture, etc... formed by a mechanism with two supports that are inserted into one another under pressure.
The present invention therefore facilitates assembling pieces of furniture with folding leaves as it simplifies the installation process, while at the same time due to its special features it involves a highly durable device with magnificent functional features at a highly competitive cost.

Background of the Invention

Different closure systems for folding leaves used in furniture elements are currently known. Magnetic closures, which are very popular, should be mentioned among them, in which the closure element is carried out by means of a support integrating a magnetic magnet, whereas a metallic element is located in the folding leaf. Upon closing, both elements are joined together by magnetic attraction.
A drawback of these systems is their progressive wear over time, losing functional capacities, while at the same they involve a considerable cost.
In addition, other systems are known in which the closure is integrated in the hinge itself, as is the case of cup hinges which are commonly used in kitchen furniture. In addition to involving a complex and expensive element, these hinges have a complex installation, the use of milling machines and other specialized tools being required.
Likewise, in the case of corner doors, the wear occurring in the closure systems is high, as they undergo greater mechanical wear. The present invention precisely forms a system which is mainly created for the closure of combined corner doors, where it is possible to rub against the contiguous door in the closing action, creating the need for the design of the closure part with a roller which it would touch before anything else, preventing said rubbing.

Description of the Invention

The present invention therefore represents a technical solution which, in addition to being novel, is easy to manufacture and implement in the furniture assembly, giving high performance, greater than that of the other existing alternatives in the state of the art.
Due to the foregoing, the improved closure device for furniture doors described below is formed by a structure of two parts or supports which can be inserted into another with an L-shaped profile, with one of their sides provided with means for fixing same to the smooth surface of the inner leaf or wall of the piece of furniture in which it is to be placed and the other surface finished in each support in a system for the coupling between both. In this device, the mentioned means for fixing same to the leaf or wall surfaces of the pieces of furniture are formed by a set of holes provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile, whereas the mentioned system for the coupling between both supports is formed by a clamp or housing and roller support, the latter being able to be inserted-into the former when one is placed over the other.
In addition, in the described device, respective rollers are located in both supports, the first roller at the end of the mentioned housing by means of a slot provided for that purpose and the second roller supported by its fixing base, both rollers being free to rotate about their respective axes. The existence of such rollers considerably increases the functional durability and the performance of the closure, device, as rubbing and the subsequent wear between the parts are prevented.
Furthermore, the mentioned support structures are made of plastic or sufficiently flexible material, the structure, due to its actual design, being able to functionally absorb slight placement deviations of both supports. Likewise, this feature allows ensuring a gentle and effective pressure between the two supports, such that a suitable closure pressure is formed which is enough to keep the leaf closed and which, however, is easy to overcome in order to open it. The strength of the clamp will furthermore be greater the more material it has and the more rigid said material is.
Likewise, at least some of the holes provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile are provided with certain clearance to adjust their position in the assembly tasks, allowing a fine adjustment so that the suitable gap may exist between the leaves of the doors:

Finally, a version of this device has been provided in which there is a pressure regulator formed by a clamp provided with an inner spring in one of the supports. With this regulator the closure pressure is more evenly regulated in a simple and effective manner. This system is mainly created for the closure of combined corner doors, where it is possible to rub against the contiguous door in the closing action, creating the need for the design of the closure part with a roller which it would touch before anything else, preventing said rubbing.
A detailed description of the improved closure device for furniture doors object of the present invention will be made below with reference to the attached drawings, depicting merely by way of a non-limiting example a preferred embodiment which can undergo all those detail variations that do not involve a fundamental alteration of the essential features of said improvements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In said drawings:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the improved closure device for furniture doors in a functional position.
Figure 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the improved closure device for furniture doors.
Figure 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the improved closure device for furniture doors in the version with a pressure regulator.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

According to the implementation example shown, the present improved closure device for furniture doors is formed by a structure of two parts or supports which can be inserted into one another with an L-shaped profile, with one of their sides provided with means for fixing same to the smooth surface of the inner leaf or wall of the piece of furniture in which it is to be placed and the other surface finished in each support in a system for the coupling between both. In this device, the mentioned means for fixing same to the leaf or wall surfaces of the pieces of furniture are formed by a set of holes (3) provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile, whereas the mentioned system for the coupling between both supports (1, 2) is formed by a clamp or housing (4) and roller support (5), the latter being able to be inserted into the former when one is placed over the other.
In addition, in the described device, respective rollers (7, 6) are located in both supports (1, 2), the first roller (7) at the end of the mentioned housing (4) by means of a slot provided for that purpose and the second roller (6) supported by its fixing base (5), both rollers being free to rotate about their respective axes. The existence of such rollers considerably increases the functional durability and the performance of the closure device, as rubbing and the subsequent wear between the parts are prevented.
Furthermore, the mentioned support structures are made of plastic or sufficiently flexible material, the structure, due to its actual design, being able to functionally absorb slight placement deviations of both supports (1, 2), it being enough to that end to observe Figure 1, right-hand drawing, upper view. Likewise, this feature allows ensuring a gentle and effective pressure between the two supports, such that a suitable closure pressure is formed which is enough to keep the leaf closed and which, however, is easy to overcome in order to open it. The strength of the clamp will furthermore be greater the more material it has and the more rigid said material is.
Likewise, at least some of the holes (3) provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile are provided with certain clearance to adjust their position in the assembly tasks, allowing a fine adjustment so that the suitable gap may exist between the leaves of the doors.
Finally, a version of this device has been provided in which there is a pressure regulator (8) formed by a clamp provided with an inner spring in one of the supports. With this regulator (8) the closure pressure is more evenly regulated in a simple and effective manner. In this case, part (8) substitutes part (2). This system is mainly created for the closure of combined corner doors, where it is possible to rub against the contiguous door in the closing action, creating the need for the design of the closure part (1) with a roller (6) which it would touch before anything else, preventing said rubbing.
Finally, the shape, materials and dimensions and generally anything which is accessorial and secondary can vary, provided that its does not change or modify the essential features of the improvements which have been described.

Claims

An improved closure device for furniture doors, formed by a structure with two parts or supports which can be inserted into one another with an L-shaped profile, with one of their sides provided with means for fixing same to the smooth surface of the inner leaf or wall of the piece of furniture in which it is to be placed and the other surface finished in each support in a system for the coupling between both, being characterized in that the mentioned means for fixing same to the leaf or wall surfaces of the pieces of furniture are formed by a set of holes (3) provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile, whereas the mentioned system for the coupling between both supports (1, 2) is formed by a clamp or housing (4) and roller support (5), the latter being able to be inserted into the former when one is placed over the other.
An improved closure device for furniture doors according to claim 1, characterized in that respective rollers (7, 6) are located in both supports (1, 2), the first roller (7) at the end of the mentioned housing (4) by means of a slot provided for that purpose and the second roller (6) supported by its fixing base (5), both rollers being free to rotate about their respective axes.
An improved closure device for furniture doors according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that the mentioned support structures are made of material provided with certain flexibility.
An improved closure device for furniture doors according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that at least some of the holes (3) provided on the surface of each mentioned L-shaped profile are provided with certain clearance to adjust their position in the assembly tasks.
An improved closure device for furniture doors according to at least one of the previous claims, characterized in that there is a pressure regulator (8) formed by a clamp provided with an inner spring in one of the supports.