WO2019025048A1

WO2019025048A1 - Connection pin for at least two components

Info

Publication number: WO2019025048A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/063011
Authority: WO
Inventors: Moreno Furlan
Original assignee: Media Profili S.R.L.
Priority date: 2017-08-01
Filing date: 2018-05-17
Publication date: 2019-02-07
Also published as: EP3661393A1

Abstract

Connection pin for components (11, 12) with an elongated shape, and having a first end zone (15), a second end zone (16), opposite the first end zone (15), and a central zone (17) located between the first end zone (15), and the second end zone (16). Between the central zone (17) and at least one of either the first end zone (15) or the second end zone (16), a zone with reduced thickness (18) is made.

Description

"CONNECTION PIN FOR AT LEAST TWO COMPONENTS"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a connection pin configured to connect to each other at least two components, defining for example parts of furnishing elements, such as pieces of furniture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Within the field of furnishing elements, various connection devices are known, provided to connect two or more components to each other, such as, by way of example, two panels of a furnishing element, such as a wardrobe, table, coffee table or furniture in general.

By way of example only, connection devices are known, consisting of an elongated cylindrical pin, usually made of wood or plastic, and provided on its periphery with a plurality of axial knurls, that is, that extend parallel to the axis of the pin.

In the components to be connected, such as two panels, holes are made, usually blind holes with a shape and size mating with those of the cylindrical pin that they have to accommodate.

The cylindrical pin is inserted, with mechanical interference, into the hole made in one of the panels, keeping it with one of its parts protruding toward the outside of the hole.

Subsequently, the other panel is coupled with the one in which the pin is present, inserting the latter into the hole made in the panel.

The use of glues can also be provided to guarantee the seal between the panels and the cylindrical pin.

One disadvantage of this solution is that it is particularly time-consuming and therefore expensive in terms of the costs of assembling the components.

It has also been noted that very often an excess of glue inserted in the holes can result in incorrect insertion of the pins in the desired position. Most of the time, the excess glue in fact defines a plug impeding the in-depth insertion of the pin.

Other types of connection devices are also known, which provide to use pins having suitably shaped ends and installable in a hole of a component, and connection bushings installable on a second component. The connection bushing is suitably shaped so that its rotation around an axis determines the coupling, for example bayonet-type coupling, with the shaped end of the pin.

However, this solution is particularly costly and sometimes makes the assembly operations complex.

One purpose of the present invention is therefore to obtain a connection pin which is extremely simple and economical to make.

Another purpose of the invention is to obtain a connection pin that makes the operations to assemble the components extremely simple and quick.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

According to the above purposes, a connection pin for components according to the present invention has a first end zone, a second end zone, opposite the first end zone, and a central zone located between the first end zone and the second end zone. Moreover, between the central zone and at least one of either the first end zone or the second end zone, a zone with reduced thickness is made, that is, with a reduced thickness with respect to the thickness located upstream and downstream.

The connection pin thus configured can be inserted in a hole made in a first of said components, leaving its zone with reduced thickness and the end zone, adjacent to the zone with reduced thickness, protruding externally to the hole.

The zone with reduced thickness and the end zone, protruding from the hole, are coupled during use by mechanical interference in a corresponding shaped seating made in a second of said components. In this way it is possible to determine, simply and quickly, the reciprocal connection of the components.

According to some solutions, the connection pin is a single body, making the operations to produce and connect the components extremely simple.

The present invention also concerns a furnishing element comprising at least two components and a connection pin, as described above, provided to connect the components to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a lateral view of a connection pin according to the present invention;

- fig. 2a is a plan view of fig. 1 ;

- fig. 2b is a plan view of fig. 1 , according to a variant embodiment;

- fig. 3 is a view that shows a possible application mode of the connection pin according to the present invention;

- fig. 4 is a section view along the section line IV-IV of fig. 3.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

A connection pin according to the present invention is identified in the drawings by the reference number 10 and can be used for connecting at least two components 11 and 12 (fig. 3) of a furnishing element 13.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the connection pin 10 has an elongated shape and extends along a longitudinal axis Z.

According to a possible solution of the invention (figs. 1 and 2a), the connection pin 10 has a substantially axial-symmetric shape with respect to its longitudinal axis Z.

It is not excluded that, in possible variant embodiments (fig. 2b), the connection pin 10 can have a cross-section shape, at least in some of its zones, that is polygonal, rectangular, square, hexagonal or octagonal.

According to a possible solution of the invention, the connection pin 10 can have a symmetrical conformation with respect to a median plane, orthogonal to the longitudinal axis Z and passing through the center line of the length of the connection pin 10. This makes the handling of the connection pin 10 extremely versatile, also by automatic assembling machines provided to install the connection pin 10 in the components 1 1 and 12.

According to possible solutions, the connection pin 10 is made of a polymer material selected, for example, from a group comprising polyethylene, polycarbonate, polyamide, ABS or similar polymer materials.

According to this embodiment, it can be provided that the connection pin 10 is obtained by molding the polymer material.

According to variant embodiments, the connection pin 10 can be made of wood or wood substitutes.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the connection pin 10 has at least one first end zone 15, a second end zone 16 and a central zone 17 which is located between the first end zone 15 and the second end zone 16.

Between the central zone 17 and at least one of either the first end zone 15 or the second end zone 16 a zone with reduced thickness 18 is made. Therefore, the zone with reduced thickness 18 defines the separation between the central zone 17 and at least one of either the first end zone 15 or the second end zone 16. The zone with a reduced thickness 18 has a thickness lower than the thickness of the central zone 17 and the first end zone 15 and / or the second end zone 16.

According to the embodiment shown in figs. 1 and 3, the connection pin 10 has a first zone with reduced thickness 18 comprised between the first end zone 15 and the central area 17, and a second zone with reduced thickness 18 comprised between the second end zone 16 and the central zone 17.

In this way, the connection pin 10 can be coupled to the components 1 1, 12 by inserting indifferently into a hole of the latter, or the first end zone 15 or the second end zone 16.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the first end zone 15, in the second end zone 16 and in the central zone 17, the connection pin 10 has a cross-section shape that is substantially circular (fig. 2a).

According to variant embodiments, at least in the first end zone 15, in the second end zone 16 and in the central zone 17, the connection pin 10 has a polygonal cross-section shape, in this specific case rectangular (fig. 2b).

According to possible solutions, the size of the cross section of the first end zone 15, the second end zone 16, and the central zone 17 can be equal to each other. According to one embodiment of the invention, the zone with reduced thickness 18 is defined by at least a first portion 19 having a cross-section size smaller than that of the central zone 17 and constant along the longitudinal axis Z.

According to a possible solution, the first portion 19 can have a substantially cylindrical shape.

According to a variant embodiment, the first portion 19 can have a parallelepiped shape with a square or rectangular base.

The first portion 19 can have a cross-section size that is comprised between 0.5 and 0.85 times the cross-section size of the central zone 17.

Between the central zone 17 and the first portion 19 of the zone with reduced thickness 18, a shoulder 20 can be made, defining a surface orthogonal to said longitudinal axis Z.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the zone with reduced thickness 18 can also comprise a second portion 21, located between the first portion 19 and the respective end zone 15, 16 and having a cross-section size that widens from the first portion 19 to the respective end zone 15, or 16.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the second portion 21 can have a substantially truncated cone shape.

According to a possible solution, the second portion 21 can be defined by an inclined wall 22 having an angle of inclination a, with respect to the longitudinal axis Z, comprised between 25° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°, even more preferably about 45°.

According to further solutions of the present invention, at least the first end zone 15 and the second end zone 16, in this case also the central zone 17, are provided on their outer surface with a plurality of grooves 23. The grooves 23 define surface irregularities suitable to increase the grip that the connection pin 10 exerts in the connection zones between the first component 11 and the second component 12.

The grooves 23 can have a development substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis Z, to define passage zones for glues, as better described hereafter in the description.

The grooves 23 can have a depth comprised between 0.5mm and 2.5mm. The grooves 23 can be made angularly and uniformly distanced from each other by a predefined angular pitch.

According to other solutions, the grooves 23 are made through towards, that is, also communicating with, the zone with reduced thickness 18.

Some embodiments of the present invention (figs. 3 and 4) also concern a furnishing element 13 which comprises the above components, that is, a first component 1 1 and at least one second component 12, and at least one connection pin 10 as described above and provided to connect the first component 11 and the at least one second component 12 to each other.

The first component 1 1 and the at least one second component 12 can be in the form of panels, able to be reciprocally coupled, for example head-wise, with each other.

The first component 1 1 is provided with a hole 24 in which the connection pin 10 is inserted with its central zone 17, leaving the at least one zone with reduced thickness 18 and the respective end zone, in this specific case the second end zone 16, protruding from the hole 24.

The hole 24 can be blind and made in the thickness of the first component 11.

According to a possible solution, the hole 24 is made open toward an edge 25 of the first component 11 and the connection pin 10 is positioned so that its shoulder 20, defined by the central zone 17, lies on the same plane as the edge 25 of the first component 11.

Before inserting the connection pin 10 into the hole 24, it can be provided that the glue can be inserted in the latter to allow the connection pin 10 to be subsequently made solid in the hole 24.

The particular combination of the grooves 23, provided in the first end zone 15, with the presence of the zone with reduced thickness 18, allows the excess glue present in the hole 24 to leak from the bottom of the hole 24, through the grooves 23, towards the zone with reduced thickness 18. The zone with reduced thickness 18 therefore functions as a further chamber for receiving excess glue present in the hole 24.

In this way, it is possible to prevent the excess glue present in the hole 24 from exerting a stopper action, which causes the incorrect axial positioning of the connection pin 10 in the hole 24. Furthermore, the excess glue present in the hole 24, thanks to the presence of the zone with reduced thickness 18, does not overflow from the hole 24, and therefore does not dirty the edge 25 of the first component 1 1.

According to a possible embodiment of the invention, the second component 12 is provided with a connection seating 26 configured to allow the insertion and coupling by interference of the zone with reduced thickness 18 and the second end zone 16.

In particular, it can be provided that the second component 12 is provided with a first surface 27 located during use resting on the edge 25 of the first component 1 1 , and a second surface 28, transverse and in this specific case orthogonal to the first surface 27.

The connection seating 26 has a first slit 29 made open toward the first surface 27 and a second slit 30 open toward the second surface 28.

The first slit 29 has sizes suitable to allow the passage and positioning through it of the first portion 19 of the zone with reduced thickness 18. In particular, it is provided that the first slit 29 has a width substantially equal to the width of the first portion 19 of the zone with reduced thickness 18 of the connection pin 10, and less than the width, or the diameter of the second end zone 16 of the connection pin 10.

The second slit 30 is defined instead by a first part 31 in which the first portion 19 of the zone with reduced thickness 18 is positioned during use, by a second portion 32 that extends divergent toward the inside of the connection seating 26 and on which the second portion 21 of the zone with reduced thickness 18 is positioned, and a third part 33, more internal with respect to the second portion 32, and in which the second end zone 16 of the connection pin 10 is positioned.

The second part 32 and the third part 33 of the connection seating 26 have cross section sizes which are bigger than those of the first part 31.

The second part 32 and the third part 33 substantially define an undercut with respect to the first part 31 in which the connection pin 10 can be constrained, determining the reciprocal connection of the components 1 1 and 12.

In particular, it is provided that the connection pin 10 is inserted by interference in the connection seating 26 and that the inclined wall 22 of the second portion 21 of the connection pin 10 is positioned in contact against the second part 32 of the connection seating 26.

The particular inclination of the inclined wall 22, combined with the correlated inclination of the second part 32 of the connection seating 26, generate an interference between the connection pin 10 and the connection seating 26. This interference, moreover, generate a traction between the two components 11 and 12, that allows to solidly hold to each other the latters.

Embodiments of the present invention also concern a method for connecting at least two components 1 1, 12 by means of the connection pin 10 described above. The connection pin 10 is inserted into the hole 24 made in a first of said components 1 1, disposing the first end zone 15 and the central zone 17 in the hole 24 and leaving protruding from the hole 24 the zone with reduced thickness 18 of the connection pin 10, provided between the central zone 17 and the second end zone 16. The second end zone 16 and the zone with reduced thickness 18 are inserted and coupled by interference in a connection seating 26 provided in a second of said components 12.

The insertion of the second end zone 16 and of the zone with reduced thickness 18 in the connection seating 26 takes place in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis Z of the connection pin 10.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the connection pin 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of connection pin 10, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

Claims

1. Connection pin for components (11, 12) with an elongated shape, characterized in that it has a first end zone (15), a second end zone (16), opposite the first end zone (15), and a central zone (17) located between the first end zone (15) and the second end zone (16), and in that between the central zone (17) and at least one of either the first end zone ( 15) or the second end zone (16), a zone with reduced thickness (18) is made.

2. Pin as in claim 1, characterized in that said zone with reduced thickness (18) is defined by at least a first portion (19) with cross section sizes smaller than those of said central zone (17) and constant along a longitudinal axis (Z) of development of said connection pin (10).

3. Pin as in claim 2, characterized in that between said central zone (17) and said first portion (19) of the zone with reduced thickness (18) a shoulder (20) is made defining a surface orthogonal to said longitudinal axis (Z).

4. Pin as in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that said zone with reduced thickness (18) comprises a second portion (21) located between said first portion (19) and the respective end zone (15, 16) and with sizes of its cross section that widen from said first portion (19) toward the respective end zone (15, 16).

5. Pin as in claim 4, characterized in that said first portion (19) has a substantially cylindrical shape, and in that said second portion (21) has a substantially truncated cone shape.

6. Pin as in claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the second portion (21) is defined by an inclined wall (22) having an angle of inclination (a), with respect to the longitudinal axis (Z), comprised between 25° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°, even more preferably about 45°.

7. Pin as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it has a first zone with reduced thickness (18) comprised between said first end zone (15) and said central zone (17), and a second zone with reduced thickness (18) comprised between said second end zone (16) and said central zone (17).

8. Pin as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it has a substantially axial-symmetric shape with respect to its longitudinal axis (Z).

9. Furnishing element comprising at least two components (11, 12) and at least one connection pin (10) as in any claim hereinbefore, provided to connect said components (11, 12) to each other.

10. Furnishing element as in claim 9, characterized in that a first of said components (11) is provided with a hole (24) in which said pin (14) is inserted with its central zone (17) leaving its said at least one zone with reduced thickness (18) and the respective end zone (15, 16) protruding from said hole (24), and in that a second of said components (12) is provided with a connection seating (26) configured to allow the insertion and coupling by interference of the zone with reduced thickness (18) and of the at least one end zone ( 16, 15).

11. Furnishing element as in claim 10, characterized in that the second component (12) is provided with a first surface (27) located during use resting on an edge (25) of the first component (11), and a second surface (28), transverse to the first surface (27), and in that the connection seating (26) has a first slit (29) made open toward the first surface (27) and a second slit (30) open toward the second surface (28).

12. Furnishing element as in claim 1 1, characterized in that the first slit (29) has a width substantially equal to the width of the first portion (19) of the zone with reduced thickness (18) of the connection pin (10), and less than the width, or the diameter of the second end zone (16) of the connection pin (10).

13. Furnishing element as in claim 11 o 12, characterized in that the second slit (30) is defined by a first part (31) in which the first portion (19) of the zone with reduced thickness (18) is positioned during use, by a second portion (32) that extends divergent toward the inside of the connection seating (26) and on which the second portion (21) of the zone with reduced thickness (18) is positioned, and a third part (33), more internal with respect to the second portion (32), and in which the second end zone (16) of the connection pin ( 10) is positioned.

14. Furnishing element as in claim 13, characterized in that the connection pin (10) is inserted by interference in the connection seating (26), and in that the inclined wall (22) of the second portion (21) of the connection pin (10) is positioned in contact against the second part (32) of the connection seating (26).

15. Method to connect at least two components (1 1, 12) by means of a connection pin (10) with an elongated shape, characterized in that said connection pin (10) has a first end zone (15), a second end zone (16), opposite said first end zone (15), and a central zone (17) located between said first end zone (15) and said second end zone (16), and in that said connection pin (10) is inserted into a hole (24) made in a first of said components (11), disposing said first end zone (15) and said central zone (17) in said hole (24) and leaving protruding from said hole (24) a zone with reduced thickness (18) of said connection pin (10), provided between the central zone (17) and the second end zone (16), and in that said second end zone (16) and said zone with reduced thickness (18) is inserted and coupled by interference in a connection seating (26) provided in a second of said components (12).