EP3387948A1

EP3387948A1 - Modular component for sectional furniture

Info

Publication number: EP3387948A1
Application number: EP18166899.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ugo Panini; Ivano DE SANTI
Original assignee: Modulo Semplice Soc
Current assignee: Modulo Semplice Soc
Priority date: 2017-04-11
Filing date: 2018-04-11
Publication date: 2018-10-17
Also published as: IT201700039729A1

Abstract

A modular component (1) for sectional furniture is provided with a supporting structure (2) and a drawer (10), coupled to the supporting structure (2) so as to slide along a horizontal axis (12) between a retracted position and a pulled-out position; the drawer (10) has a horizontal support wall (13), which defines from below a front compartment (16) and at least one rear compartment (19) distinct from each other; the rear compartment is accessible only when the drawer (10) is in the pulled-out position and is axially defined by a first and by a second vertical wall (14, 15), which are arranged on the support wall (13) transverse to the longitudinal axis (12); a third vertical wall (17) is arranged on the support wall (13) between the first and the second vertical wall (14, 15), while coupling elements (5) are provided for fastening the supporting structure (2) to adjacent modular components during the construction of the piece of furniture.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102017000039729 , filed on 11/04/2017.
The present invention relates to a modular component for sectional furniture.
In the furniture field, the furniture generally consists of a plurality of modules that are assembled side by side and at different heights according to the needs and tastes of the customers. As modules, it is known the use of shelf elements, drawer elements, and coffer elements, having respective niches or compartments where objects can be stored.
Especially for bookcases, there is a need to provide at least one additional niche or compartment that is of the "hidden" type, namely not immediately visible and accessible by users facing the bookcase. In this regard, Figure 6 of document US2644588A shows a drawer sliding on guides, provided with a front compartment, which is frontally accessible, and with a rear compartment, which is accessible only when the drawer is pulled out along the guides. However, the solution shown in US2644588A relates to a shelf, and not to a sectional furniture unit.
It is felt the need of a modular component that has a hidden rear compartment and can be used in a sectional furniture unit to give different solutions and therefore guarantee a high flexibility in the configuration of the piece of furniture to be assembled according to the customer requests. In particular, the modular component is preferably relatively robust and ensures effective support for the objects to be stored in its compartments.
The object of the present invention is to provide a modular component for sectional furniture, which allows meeting the abovementioned requirements in a simple and inexpensive manner.
According to the present invention, a modular component for sectional furniture is provided, as defined in claim 1.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings showing a non-limiting embodiment, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views showing, in an open configuration and, respectively, in a closed configuration, a preferred embodiment of the modular component for sectional furniture unit according to the present invention;
Figure 3 shows, in perspective and with parts removed for sake of clarity, a variant of Figures 1 and 2.

In Figure 1, the reference number 1 indicates a modular component for a sectional furniture unit, e.g. for a bookcase (not shown). The modular component 1 comprises a supporting structure 2, which has a parallelepiped shape, defines an inner seat 3 provided with a front opening 4 and can be stacked with and/or flanked by other modular components, different or equal to the component 1, thus forming the whole piece of furniture. The component 1 comprises coupling elements 5, schematically shown and configured to fasten the structure 2 to the adjacent modular components during the construction of the piece of furniture. The coupling elements 5 may be of a known type, already available on the market, or may be designed in a dedicated manner. Advantageously, the coupling elements 5 are configured to ensure a manual interlocking coupling or snap coupling of the structure 2 to the adjacent (laterally and/or above and/or below) modular components, without the need to use tools.
In the shown example, the structure 2 comprises two opposite vertical side walls 7 and a vertical rear wall 8 opposite the opening 4. The structure 2 comprises at the top and at the bottom crosspieces connecting the walls 7. However, the structure 2 can have constructive features that are different from what is shown.
The component 1 further comprises a single drawer 10, which is coupled to the structure 2 by guides 11 to slide along a horizontal axis 12 through the opening 4 between a closed or retracted position, in which it is arranged inside the seat 3 (Fig. 2), and an open or pulled-out position, in which it is at least partially outside the seat 3 (Fig. 1). Not considering the space occupied by the guides 11, the height and the width of the drawer 10 are the same as those of the seat 3, so that the drawer 10 completely engages the opening 4 and the seat 3 when it is in the retracted position.
The drawer 10 comprises a horizontal flat wall 13 and two vertical walls 14 and 15, which are transverse to the axis 12, are stationary with respect to the wall 13 and protrude upwards from this latter. In particular, the walls 14 and 15 have the same width as the wall 13, are flat, parallel to each other and orthogonal to the axis 12. The wall 15 is arranged along a rear edge of the wall 13, while the wall 14 is arranged at an intermediate area of the wall 13 to axially separate a front niche or compartment 16 from a rear space.
This rear space is, in turn, divided by a vertical wall 17 into two rear niches or compartments 18, which have respective side openings 19 at the side edges of the wall 13 to be accessible independently of each other. In particular, the wall 17 is parallel to the axis 12 and joins the walls 14, 15 to each other. In the shown example, the compartments 18 are open at the top, but could possibly be closed and therefore only accessible horizontally through the respective openings 19.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the compartments 18 are accessible only when the drawer 10 is in the pulled-out position. Advantageously, the upper edge of the wall 14 is horizontally flush with the upper end of the seat 3 and of the opening 4, so that it completely hides the compartments 18 when the drawer 10 is closed. In particular, the three walls 14, 15 and 17 define together a frame, which, in plan, is H-shaped. Specifically, the walls 14, 15 and 17 have the same height with respect to the wall 13.
The guides 11 are configured to cause at least one front part of the openings 19 to protrude out of the structure 2 when the drawer 10 is completely pulled out, thus allowing an easy access to the compartments 18.
In the shown examples, the wall 17 is arranged on an intermediate zone of the wall 13, in a central or laterally offset position. According to variants not shown, the wall 17 could be arranged along a side edge of the walls 13, 14, 15: in this case, the drawer 10 has a single compartment 18 closed on one side and open on the opposite side.
In the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the compartment 16 has an access opening 21, frontally arranged along the axis 12. The space 16 is also closed on the two sides by respective vertical walls 22 (arranged along the side edges of the walls 13 and 14) and is closed at the top by a wall 23, which is arranged along the upper edge of the wall 14 and vertically faces a front end portion of the wall 13.
As shown in the variant of Figure 3, one of the walls 22 and/or the wall 23 could be missing; and/or the compartment 16 could be frontally closed by a panel 25, instead of being accessible through the opening 21. The panel 25 is stationary with respect to the wall 13, so that the compartment 16 can be accessed from above and/or laterally only after that the drawer 10 has been pulled out along the guides 11. According to a variant not shown, the panel 25 is movable with respect to the wall 13, so that the compartment 16 can be opened frontally and therefore can be accessed even without pulling out the drawer 10.
In the example of Figures 1 and 2, the component 1 further comprises a rectangular frame 26, which defines the perimeter of the opening 21, is fastened to the walls 13, 22, 23 and is defined by an additional element, distinct from these walls. The frame 26 has colour, thickness, material, contour, etc... that can be selected to customize the appearance of the component 1. Analogously, in the variant of Figure 3, the colour, the material, the external surface appearance, etc... of the panel 25 can be selected to customize its appearance.
From the aforesaid it is clear how the structure 2 can be coupled to other modular components to form a sectional furniture unit thanks to the coupling elements 5. Moreover, the wall 17 helps defining at least one rear compartment 18. In particular, the compartments 18 are easily accessible from the respective openings 19 and, as mentioned above, are not visible from the outside if a user frontally looks at the component 1 when the drawer 10 is closed. The wall 17 defines a bottom support for the objects that are arranged in the compartments 18 through the respective openings 19. In particular, the walls 14, 15, 17 define a rigid unit, which stiffens the drawer 10 and can be quite simply mounted on the wall 13.
Moreover, the drawer 10 is configurable in various ways to provide different and alternative solutions. For example, the compartment 16 can be open or closed at the top; open or closed sideways. In particular, the solution of Figures 1 and 2 can suitably be part of a bookcase, whereas the solution of Figure 3 could define a drawer of a kitchen or a cabinet.
Finally, it is clear from the foregoing that the component 1 described with reference to the attached figures can undergo modifications and variations, which do not fall out of the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
In particular, as previously stated, the structure 2 could have constructive features different from those indicated by way of example.

Claims

A modular component (1) for sectional furniture, the component comprising:
- a supporting structure (2) having a front opening (4);

- a drawer (10) coupled to said supporting structure (2) so as to slide through said front opening (4) along a horizontal axis (12) between a retracted position inside the supporting structure (2) and a pulled-out position, at least partially outside the supporting structure (2);
said drawer (10) comprising:
- a support wall (13) defining from below:
a) a front compartment (16), and

b) at least a rear compartment (19) distinct from said front compartment (16) and only accessible when the drawer (10) is in the pulled-out position;

- a first and a second vertical wall (14, 15), which are arranged on said support wall (13), transverse to said longitudinal axis (12), and axially define the rear compartment (18) between them;
characterised by comprising coupling means (5) configured so that said supporting structure (2) can be fastened to adjacent modular components during the construction of the furniture; and characterised in that said drawer further comprises a third vertical wall (17) that is arranged on said support wall (13) between said first and second vertical walls (14, 15); and characterised in that said rear compartment (18) has a side opening (19) along a side edge of said support wall (13) and in a position opposite to said third vertical wall (17).
The component according to claim 1, characterised in that said third vertical wall (17) is arranged on an intermediate area of said support wall (13) so as to separate two rear compartments (18), which are only accessible when the drawer (10) is in the pulled-out position and are accessible independently of each other.
The component according to claim 2, characterised in that said third vertical wall joins said first and second vertical wall (14, 15) and forms, together with said first and second vertical wall (14, 15), a H-shaped frame.
The component according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said first vertical wall (14) has an upper edge that is horizontally flush with an upper end of said front opening (4).
The component according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said front compartment (16) is laterally defined by at least one wall (22) arranged along a side edge of said first vertical wall (14) and of said support wall (13).
The component according to claim 5, characterised in that said front compartment (16) is closed at the top and has a front opening (21) that is permanently accessible when the drawer (10) is in the retracted position.
The component according to claim 6, characterised in that said front compartment (16) is closed at the front and has an upper opening that is accessible when the drawer (10) is at least partially pulled out.