DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FIXING PROFILE ELEMENTS OF WALK-IN CLOSETS AND FURNITURE IN GENERAL TO A SUPPORT WALL

Abstract

A fixing device for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, comprises a base body fixable to a support wall, a connecting member engagable with a profile element of a walk-in closets, and an intermediate body interposed between the base body and the connecting member. The intermediate body is releasably engagable with the base body and the connecting member is adjustably connected to the intermediate body.

Description

The invention concerns a device for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, in particular for walk-in closets of the kind without paneling between the profile elements; the invention also concerns a method for fixing a profile element of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall by means of said fixing device.

In the furniture sector, walk-in closets or more generally furniture structures are variously proposed, comprising a plurality of profile elements that are fixed vertically on support walls or structures inside homes or shops; support brackets are then fixed to the profile elements for the assembly of shelves, drawers and other furniture elements, thus allowing to build a walk-in closet or a highly customized piece of furniture according to the needs of containment and support of objects and/or clothes.

There are two types of these walk-in closets and furniture structures, in particular, a first type having panels arranged between the profile elements to cover the support wall or structure for aesthetic purposes, and a second type without paneling in which the support wall or structure remains visible together with the profile elements, which therefore must have a more accurate design.

The profile elements are generally attached to the support wall by means of fixing devices which conventionally comprise a base body and a connecting member adjustably connected to said base body, for example by means of screws; the base body can be fixed to the support wall by means of screws while the connecting member is slidingly engagable in a groove provided longitudinally on a rear side of the profile element in such a way that each fixing device can be properly placed along the profile element.

In the second type of walk-in closet mentioned above, for design needs, fixing devices conventionally have a narrow and elongated shape in such a way that, in the condition of final assembly of the walk-in closet, they are inserted into a cavity provided at the back of the profile elements to be concealed from view.

However, this arrangement of the fixing devices inside the profile elements entails considerable complexity in the assembly of said fixing devices, mainly due to the difficulties of access to the screws for fixing the base body to the support wall.

In particular, in order to access to the screws with a screwdriver or a tool, it is preliminarily necessary to correctly arrange the base body along the profile element in order to position the screws in correspondence with the front holes provided in the profile elements in such a way as to allow the screws to be fastened.

In addition, the correct vertical positioning of the profile elements with the already connected fixing devices is difficult.

There is therefore a need to have a fixing device that allows the profile elements to be fixed to a support wall in a simple and rapid way, with immediate and easy-to-execute operations.

The main object of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, that allows a simple and quick fixing of the profile elements on the support wall, and at the same time also allows a simple disassembly of said profile elements from the wall itself.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, which provides simple and immediate fixing operations.

The above can be achieved by means of a device for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, the fixing device comprising:

• • a base body fixable to a support wall, and
  • a connecting member engagable with a profile element of a walk-in closet,
  • characterized by comprising an intermediate body interposed between said base body and said connecting member,
  • said intermediate body being releasably engagable with said base body,
  • said connecting member being adjustably connected to said intermediate body.

The above is also achievable through a method for fixing a profile element of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall by means of at least one fixing device according to the invention, characterized by the steps of:

• • fixing the base body of the fixing device to a support wall.
  • engaging the connecting member of the fixing device with a profile element of a walk-in closet, and
  • engaging the intermediate body of the fixing device with the base body.

Further characteristics of the present invention are also defined in the subsequent claims.

The characteristics and advantages of this invention will be more evident from the subsequent description of a preferential but not exclusive embodiment of the fixing device and its method, with reference to the attached figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a walk-in closet assembled with the fixing devices according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a frontal perspective view of the fixing device according to the invention, in which the intermediate body is engaged with the base body of the device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the fixing device of FIG. 2, in which the intermediate body is disengaged from the base body of the device;

FIGS. 4 to 7 are longitudinal sectional views of a profile element according to line 4-4 illustrated in FIG. 1, in which the preferential steps of fixing the profile element to a support wall by means of the fixing device according to the invention are illustrated;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a profile element according to line 4-4 shown in FIG. 1, in which a disassembly step of the profile element from the support wall is illustrated; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a profile element according to line 9-9 of FIG. 1, with the fixing device mounted according to the invention.

The figures show the fixing device according to this invention, which allows the fixing of profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall.

The fixing device according to the invention is in particular suitable for the assembly of walk-in closets without paneling between the profile elements, as shown in FIG. 1, where the support wall remains visible together with said profile elements; however, it is not excluded that the fixing device can also be used for other types of walk-in closets or furniture.

This type of walk-in closet, overall indicated with the reference number 10, in general includes a plurality of profile elements 11 that are fixed vertically on a support wall or structure 12 inside homes or shops by means of fixing devices according to the invention, as explained below, where each profile element 11 is fixed to the support wall 12 by means of at least two fixing devices; support brackets 13, 14 are then fixed to the profile elements 11 for the assembly of shelves 15, drawers 16 and other furniture elements, in such a way as to create a highly customized walk-in closet according to the needs of containment and support of objects and/or clothes.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixing device according to the invention, overall indicated by the reference number 17, comprises a base body 18 that can be fixed to a support wall 12 and a connecting member 19 engagable with a profile element 11 of the walk-in closet 10.

According to the present invention, the fixing device 17 comprises an intermediate body 20 interposed between the base body 18 and the connecting member 19, in which the intermediate body 20 is releasably engagable with the base body 18 and the connecting member 19 is adjustably connected to the intermediate body 20.

The base body 18, the intermediate body 20 and more generally the fixing device 17 as a whole, in order to be used in walk-in closets 10 of the kind without paneling, preferentially have a narrow and elongated shape and they extend according to a longitudinal axis that in mounting conditions is vertical; thanks to the narrow and elongated shape they can be inserted at least partially into a longitudinal seat or cavity 11′ provided at the back of the profile elements 11, so that, in the condition of final assembly of the walk-in closet, they are concealed from view, thus obtaining a cleaner and more pleasant design.

Preferentially the base body 18 and the intermediate body 20 are slidingly engagable with each other and for this purpose the base body 18 and/or the intermediate body 20 have guide and/or bevel means for the reciprocal sliding engagement.

For example, in the preferential embodiment illustrated, the base body 18 has guide means including side guide walls 21 having opposing restraint edges 22 which extend longitudinally along at least one lower portion of the base body 18 to slidingly retain corresponding lateral guide edges 23 of the intermediate body 20; in this way the intermediate body 20 fits at least partially into the base body 18, in particular between the side walls 21 of the base body 18.

In addition, in order to facilitate the engagement between the base body 18 and the intermediate body 20, for example, bevelled surfaces 24 are provided at the upper ends of the side walls of guide 21 and the opposing restraint edges 22.

An inverse arrangement of the guide and bevel means on the base body 18 and on the intermediate body 20 or a different configuration of the same is not excluded.

At a lower end of the base body 18 a stop wall or element 25 is also provided to define an end-of-stroke support for the intermediate body 20 when this is inserted into the base body 18.

For the purposes of the engagement of the connecting member 19 with a profile element 11, preferentially the connecting member 19 has an enlarged head 19′ slidingly engagable between two opposing grooves 26 provided in the side walls 27 of the profile element 11 on a rear side of said profile element 11; 30 in particular the head 19′ is engagable between the opposing grooves 26 starting from one end of the profile element 11 and then it is slid along said profile element 11 until the head 19′ is positioned in the desired longitudinal position.

Preferentially, the connecting member 19 is adjustably connected to the intermediate body 20 by respective threaded means.

For example, the connecting member 19 preferentially comprises a threaded shank 19″ that extends from the head 19′ and is adjustably engagable in a threaded hole 28 provided in the intermediate body 20.

To control the rotation and therefore the adjustment of the connecting member 19, the head 19′ has a shaped hole 29 in which a tool can be inserted to rotate said connecting member 19; in assembly condition, for the purpose of inserting the tool, it is possible to access to the head 19′ through a front slit 30 of the profile element 11 and further through a series of holes 31 arranged longitudinally spaced apart with each other in profile element 11 between the front slit 30 and the opposing grooves 26 provided in the side walls 27 on a rear side of the profile element 11.

In order to prevent unwanted disengagement between the base body 18 and the intermediate body 20, the fixing device 17 preferentially comprises a hooking member 32 between the base body 18 and the intermediate body 20, whose member 32 is movable between a hooking position and a release position.

Preferentially the hooking member 32 is in the form of a tooth movably supported by one of the base body 18 and the intermediate body 20: for example, the tooth 32 can be swingably supported by the intermediate body 20 through a swinging axis 33 so as to be engagable with an engagement element or crosspiece 34 provided in the base body 18.

A different arrangement of the hooking member is not excluded, for example on the base body 18, or a different movement of said hooking member, for example a sliding movement.

Preferentially, the fixing device 17 comprises biasing means, preferably elastic or magnetic means, for biasing the hooking member 32 towards the hooking position; in the illustrated solution, a permanent magnet 35 is provided housed in a seat of the intermediate body 20 in such a way as to attract a portion of the hooking member 32 to bias it towards the hooking position.

In order to allow a disengagement of the intermediate body 20 from the base body 18 preferentially the fixing device 17 comprises a release element 36 to move the hooking member 32 from the hooking position to the release position.

In the preferential embodiment, the release element 36 is integral with the connecting member 19, for example in the form of a washer placed at the end of the threaded shank 19″ of the connecting member 19; in this way by rotating, in particular by unscrewing the connecting member 19 it is possible to move the hooking member 32 from the hooking position to the release position.

Thanks to the fixing device 17 according to the invention, the fixing of a profile element 11 of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall 12 can be done by means of a fixing method comprising simple assembly steps.

In particular, it is necessary to fix the base body 11 of the fixing device 17 to a support wall 12, preferably by means of screws 37.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, it is necessary to engage the connecting member 19, which is connected to the intermediate body 20, with a profile element 11 of a walk-in closet; this phase preferentially takes place by engaging the head 19′ of the connecting member 19 between the opposing grooves 26 provided in the profile element 11.

The order of these first two steps can also be reversed.

Where appropriate, in order to make the connecting member 19 and therefore the intermediate body 20 integral to the profile element 11 to prevent its longitudinal sliding to said profile element, it is possible to screw the connecting member 19 until the intermediate body 20 is brought against the profile element 11, as shown in FIG. 5.

Finally, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is necessary to engage the intermediate body 20 of the fixing device 17 with the base body 18; during this phase of engagement, the hooking member 32, preferably provided on one of the bodies 18, 20, rotates to allow the insertion of the intermediate body 20 into the base body 18 and after insertion it is hooked with an engagement element placed on the other body 18, 20.

Once the intermediate body 20 has been inserted into the base body 18, it is possible to adjust the position of the profile element 11 in the frontal direction by rotating the connecting member 19 until it reaches the desired position and/or inclination.

In the event that the profile element 11 should be removed from the support wall 12 it is possible to perform a simple disassembly phase; in particular, by unscrewing the connecting device 19, the release element 36 integral to the connecting device 19 itself moves the hooking member 32 from the hooking position to the release position, allowing the disengagement of the intermediate body 20 from the base body 18.

For the correct positioning and fixing of the base 18 body to the support wall 12 it is possible to provide preliminary operations of measurement of the position of said base body 18; in particular, in a first phase, two or more complete and assembled fixing devices 17, thus including base body 18, intermediate body 20 and connecting member 19, are connected to a profile element 11 by inserting the respective heads 19″ of the connecting members 19 between the grooves 26 of the profile element 11.

Once the fixing devices 17 are placed in the desired positions along the profile element 11, said profile element 11 is taken and arranged against the support wall 12 in order to mark the fixing positions of the base bodies 18 and the drilling positions for the screws 37.

Subsequently, the base bodies 18 are separated from the respective intermediate bodies 20 by pressing the tooth 32 from a back side of said base bodies 18, so as to allow a disengagement between the bodies 18, 20.

At this point, having marked the fixing positions on the support wall 12, it is possible to proceed to fix the base bodies 18 to said wall 12 by means of the screws 37.

From the above it is clear that the fixing device according to the invention achieves the mentioned purposes, as it allows a simple and quick fixing of the profile elements on the support wall, and at the same time it also allows a simple disassembly of said profile elements from the wall itself; moreover, the method for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, according to this invention provides simple and immediate fixing operations.

The fixing device according to the invention and the related fixing method are in any case susceptible to modifications and variations falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover, the construction details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A fixing device for fixing profile elements of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall, the fixing device comprising: a base body fixable to a support wall;a connecting member engagable with a profile element of a walk-in closets; andan intermediate body interposed between said base body and said connecting member;wherein said intermediate body is releasably engagable with said base body; andwherein said connecting member is adjustably connected to said intermediate body.

12. The fixing device of claim 11, wherein said base body and said intermediate body are slidingly engagable with each other, said base body and/or said intermediate body having guide and/or bevel means for the reciprocal sliding engagement.

13. The fixing device of claim 11, wherein said base body and said intermediate body have elongated shape and extend according to a longitudinal axis to be insertable in a longitudinal seat provided at the back in said profile element.

14. The fixing device of claim 11, wherein said connecting member is adjustably connected to said intermediate body by respective screw means.

15. The fixing device of claim 11, further comprising a hooking member between said base body and said intermediate body, said hooking member being movable between a hooking position and a releasing position.

16. The fixing device of claim 15, wherein said hooking member is conformed as a tooth movably supported by one of said base body and said intermediate body.

17. The fixing device of claim 16, further comprising biasing means for biasing said hooking member towards said hooking position.

18. The fixing device of claim 17, wherein said biasing means is elastic.

19. The fixing device of claim 17, wherein said biasing means is magnetic.

20. The fixing device of claim 15, further comprising biasing means for biasing said hooking member towards said hooking position.

21. The fixing device of claim 15, further comprising a release element for moving said hooking member from the hooking position to the releasing position.

22. The fixing device of claim 21, wherein said release element is integral with said adjustable connecting member.

23. A method for fixing a profile element of walk-in closets and furniture in general to a support wall by at least one fixing device, the method comprising: fixing a base body of a fixing device to a support wall;engaging a connecting member of the fixing device with a profile element of a walk-in closet; andengaging an intermediate body of the fixing device with the base body.