BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drawer arrangement including a drawer sidewall having a locking device, the locking device of the drawer sidewall including a locking lever pre-stressed by at least one spring. A wall element is transversely connected to the drawer sidewall, and the wall element, in a connected condition with the drawer sidewall, includes a fastening surface facing towards the drawer sidewall, and a bearing surface facing away from the fastening surface. The drawer arrangement further includes at least one furniture fitting separate from the wall element for connecting the wall element to the drawer sidewall, wherein the at least one furniture fitting is configured to be releasably locked to the locking lever of the locking device of the drawer sidewall.
Furthermore, the invention concerns a drawer wall comprising at least one of such a drawer arrangement, and further a drawer comprising such a drawer arrangement or at least one drawer wall of the aforementioned type.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for connecting a wall element to a drawer sidewall of a drawer arrangement of the described type.
Drawers with wall elements configured to be transversely connected to one another are disclosed in WO 2013/067551 A1, U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,520 A and in DE 20 2010 007 427 U1.
Such drawer arrangements are widely known (for example from EP 0 740 917 B1 to the present applicant) and serve for fixing a front panel to drawer sidewalls. For this purpose, bores are firstly drilled into the rear side of the front panel. Subsequently, the furniture fittings are fixed to the front panel by tightening screws into the pre-drilled holes. Alternatively, the furniture fittings can be fixed to the front panel by dowels, and the dowels are configured to be expandable within the bores of the front panel. Each of the drawer sidewalls includes a locking device having a movably mounted locking lever which is pre-stressed by a spring.
When the front panel is mounted, the furniture fittings pre-mounted to the front panel are introduced into the front faces of the two drawer sidewalls, and each of the furniture fittings are moved into a notch of the locking lever. In that way, the locking levers of the drawer sidewalls can be released, so that the furniture fittings are retracted into the drawer sidewalls by a force of the springs, and the front panel can be pressed against the front face of the drawer sidewalls. A drawback is the fact that the mounting of the furniture fitting to the front panels is relatively elaborate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to propose a drawer arrangement of the type mentioned in the introductory part, in which a secure fixing of the wall element to the drawer sidewall is guaranteed and the installation effort can be reduced.
According to the invention, the at least one furniture fitting, in a connected condition of the wall element with the drawer sidewall, bears at least partially against the bearing surface of the wall element, so that the wall element is held on the drawer sidewall by the locking of the furniture fitting with the locking device of the drawer sidewall.
In other words, a screwing of a furniture fitting or a fixing of the furniture fitting with the aid of dowels on the front panel can be omitted, because the furniture fitting, in a connected condition of the wall element, bears against a bearing surface of the wall element (preferably an outer side) facing away from the drawer sidewall. As a result, the wall element is held, preferably exclusively, in position due to the locking of the furniture fitting with the drawer sidewall.
Thereby, the furniture fitting, at least partially, laterally embraces the wall element. Alternatively, the wall element includes at least one recess for receiving the furniture fitting, and the furniture fitting, in a mounted condition, bears at least partially against a peripheral region of the recess and protrudes through the recess of the wall element.
With a constructive simple embodiment, the bearing surface of the wall element is spaced from the fastening surface of the wall element by a material thickness of the wall element.
According to an embodiment, the drawer arrangement includes at least one cover element for covering the wall element, and the at least one cover element is configured to be releasably connected to the wall element. This can be implemented, for example, by at least one snap-connection device such that the cover element, in the connected condition with the wall element, is held by a material elasticity of the cover element.
According to a preferred embodiment, the wall element is a front panel of the drawer or a portion of a front panel of the drawer.
The method for connecting a wall element to a drawer sidewall of a drawer arrangement of the described type is characterized by the following steps:
- providing the furniture fitting separate from the wall element,
- connecting the furniture fitting to the wall element, wherein the furniture fitting, in the connected condition with the wall element, is at least partially supported on the bearing surface of the wall element,
- connecting the furniture fitting to the locking device of the drawer sidewall, the fastening surface of the wall element, in the connected condition with the drawer sidewall, facing towards the drawer sidewall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details and advantages of the present invention will be explained with the aid of the following description of figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an item of furniture with drawers which are displaceably supported relative to a furniture carcass,
FIG. 2 shows a drawer in a perspective view,
FIG. 3a, 3b show the drawer in a slightly modified embodiment, and the front drawer wall in an exploded view,
FIG. 4a-4c show the wall element with the furniture fitting and the cover in different perspective views,
FIG. 5a-5c show the wall element with the furniture fitting in a cross-sectional view, and two further possible embodiments of drawers in schematic views from the top.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cupboard-shaped item of furniture 1 with a furniture carcass 2, in which drawers 3a, 3b, 4 are displaceably supported relative to the furniture carcass 2 by drawer pull-out guides (not shown). The front panels of the two drawers 3a, 3b, in the closed position of the drawers 3a, 3b, bear against a front face 2a of the furniture carcass 2. On the contrary, the drawer 4 can be configured as a so-called inner extension guide, in which the front drawer wall 11 (formed by the two wall elements 5, 6 and a wall profile 7 connecting the wall elements 5, 6) does not abut against the front face 2a, but is rather arranged between the two sidewalls of the furniture carcass 2. The drawer 4 includes a drawer bottom 8 and drawer sidewalls 9, 10, and the drawer 4, in the closed position, can be covered by a large front panel of the lower drawer 3b.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the drawer 4, the drawer 4 including a first drawer sidewall 9, a second drawer sidewall 10, a drawer bottom 8 and a rear wall 12. Each of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10 are configured as hollow-chamber profiles, in which—as commonly known—a locking device 13 for releasably locking the drawer wall 11 is arranged. The locking device 13 includes a locking lever 13a pre-stressed by at least one spring 13b, and the locking lever 13a is configured to be releasably locked to a furniture fitting 14 of the drawer wall 11. In order for the drawer wall 11 to be mounted, the furniture fittings 14 are each introduced into the front end region of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10, whereby the locking lever 13a of the locking device 13 can be released and the drawer wall 11 is pulled against the front faces 9a, 10a of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10 by a force of the springs 13b. Such locking devices are widely known according to the prior art (for example from the EP 0 740 917 B1 mentioned in the introductory part) and need not to be further described in greater detail here. Each of the wall elements 5, 6 can be covered by a cover element 5a, 5b (for example made of plastic or metal). Each of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10 includes a receiving space 29a, 29b for receiving a drawer pull-out guide, so that each of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10 are configured to be connected to an extendable guide rail of the drawer pull-out guide.
FIG. 3a shows a perspective partial view of a drawer 4 in a slightly modified embodiment. The front drawer wall 11 includes the first wall element 5 and the second wall element 6, the first wall element 5 and the second wall element 6 being configured so as to project above the intermediate wall profile 7 and forming, together with the intermediate wall profile 7, a frame for receiving a decorative plate 15. In a mounted condition, the decorative plate 15 is at least partially received within the frame. The drawer sidewall 9 further includes a front holding device 19a and a rear holding device 19b, and a plate-shaped insert 17 is accommodated between the front holding device 19a and the rear holding device 19b. The decorative plate 15 and/or the plate-shaped insert 17 can be formed of glass, wood, plastic, metal, ceramic and/or stone or can have a textile layer at least over a region. Above the plate-shaped insert 17, a railing strut 16 is arranged, the railing strut 16 extending between the front drawer wall 11 and the rear wall 12.
FIG. 3b shows the drawer wall 11 in an exploded view. Each of the first wall element 5 and the second wall element 6 projects above the wall profile 7 and includes at least one holder 20 for receiving an end portion of the decorative plate 15. In the shown embodiment, the holders 20 are configured as insertion openings configured to embrace, preferably entirely, a peripheral surface of an end portion of the decorative plate 15 in a mounted condition of the decorative plate 15. The wall elements 5, 6 are configured so as to be mirror-symmetrical to one another, so that the explanations provided here also apply to both wall elements 5, 6. Each of the wall elements 5, 6 includes transversely protruding tabs 27 with bores for allowing the passage of screws 22 by which the wall elements 5, 6 can be screwed to the wall profile 7. The wall elements 5, 6 have a fastening surface 24 facing towards the drawer sidewall 9, 10, and a bearing surface 25 facing away from the fastening surface 24. The furniture fitting 14, in the connected condition of the wall element 5, 6 with the drawer sidewalls 9, 10, at least partially bears against the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5, 6, so that the wall element 5, 6 is held on the drawer sidewall 9, 10 by the locking of the furniture fitting 14 with the locking device 13 of the drawer sidewall 9, 10. In the shown embodiment, each of the wall elements 5, 6 includes a recess 23 for receiving the furniture fitting 14, and the furniture fitting 14, in a mounted condition, bears at least partially, for example also loosely, against a peripheral region 23a (FIG. 4a) of the recess 23 and projects through the recess 23 of the wall elements 5, 6. In that way, the wall element 5, 6 is pulled against the front face 10a, 10b of the drawer sidewall 9, 10 due to the locking of the furniture fitting 14 with the locking device 13 of the drawer sidewall 9, 10 and is thereby fixed relative to the drawer sidewall 9, 10. By a connecting pin 21 arranged on the wall element 5, the front end portion of the railing strut 16 can be fixed.
FIG. 4a shows the wall element 5 with the bearing surface 25 facing away from the drawer sidewall 9, and the furniture fitting 14 bears against the bearing surface 25 in the connected condition. The wall element 5 includes a recess 23 having a peripheral region 23a, and the furniture fitting 14 bears at least partially against the peripheral region 23a. The furniture fitting 14 can include at least one laterally projecting wing 28a, 28b which is supported on the peripheral region 23a of the recess 23 in the connected condition. The furniture fitting 14 can be additionally secured to the wall element 5 by a locking device in order for an unintentional release between the furniture fitting 14 and the wall element 5 to be prevented. The at least one furniture fitting 14 can be at least partially guided, starting from the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5, through the at least one recess 23 of the wall element 5.
FIG. 4b shows the furniture fitting 14 introduced into the wall element 5, and the wings 28a, 28b are supported on the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5. The peripheral region 23a of the recess 23 can be configured as a depression in the form of an embossment, so that the wings 28a, 28b of the furniture fitting 14 are aligned substantially flush with the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5. By a cover element 5a (FIG. 4c) configured to be releasably fixed to the wall element 5 by at least one snap-connection device 26, the recess 23 of the wall element 5 can be covered. The at least one wing 28a, 28b of the furniture fitting 14, in the connected condition of the furniture fitting 14, can be configured so as to extend substantially parallel to the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5, whereby a very compact construction can be obtained and the furniture fitting 14 can be simply covered by a planar-shaped cover element 5a.
FIG. 5a shows a cross-sectional view of the wall element 5 with the furniture fitting 14 bearing thereon. The wall element 5 has a fastening surface 24 facing towards the drawer sidewall 9, 10 in a mounted position, and a bearing surface 25 facing away from the fastening surface 24. The furniture fitting 14, preferably with the at least one wing 28b, bears against the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5. It is visible that the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5 and the wing 28b of the furniture fitting 14 are aligned flush to one another, so that no disturbing abutting edge is formed between the bearing surface 25 and the furniture fitting 14.
FIG. 5b shows a schematically depicted drawer 4 with the wall element 5, the drawer sidewalls 9, 10 and the rear wall 12 in a top view. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5b, the furniture fitting 14 embraces an end portion of the wall element 5, and the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5 is formed by a front visible surface of the wall element 5. In the shown embodiment, the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5 is spaced from the fastening surface 24 of the wall element 5 by a material thickness of the wall element 5. Each of the furniture fittings 14 are configured to be releasably locked to the locking device 13 of the drawer sidewalls 9, 10.
FIG. 5c shows a further embodiment, in which the furniture fitting 14 engages into a lateral recess of the wall element 5, and the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5 is formed by an inner side of the recess of the wall element 5.
With all embodiments, it can be provided that the bearing surface 25 of the wall element 5, in the connected condition with the drawer sidewall 9, 10, is spaced from the fastening surface 24 of the wall element 5 in a direction of a longitudinal extension of the drawer sidewall 9, 10.
Patent Grant
11202505
