The present invention relates to a guide device for sliding doors for shelves, comprising at least one guide rail, wherein each guide rail has a guide region for guiding sliding doors and at least one fastening region connected to the guide region for fastening the guide device to shelves, wherein all the guide regions in their cooperation form a guide arrangement and all the fastening regions in their cooperation form a fastening arrangement, and an arrangement of at least two guide devices for sliding doors for shelves.
Guide devices for sliding doors for cupboards are generally known. Since cupboards are usually intended to provide a storage space which is closed with respect to the surroundings, which nevertheless is accessible from outside, these items of furniture are fitted with doors, in particular sliding doors, ex works. The guide rails used for the guidance of the sliding doors are usually let into supporting components of the cupboards or placed on such components.
The Unexamined Laid-Open Patent Application CH 700 980 A1 describes a guide rail for sliding doors which is inserted in a pre-fabricated groove in the ceiling of the cupboard. The guide rail has a groove which is open towards the bottom, which is suitable for receiving running gear on which the sliding doors are arranged. The guide rail is glued into the groove in the ceiling of the cupboard or non-detachably fastened therein in some other way. In order to be able to fasten this guide rail subsequently to any cupboard, appreciable structural measures were required, for example, milling a groove in the ceiling of the cupboard. A subsequent fastening of the guide rail to a shelf is therefore out of the question.
The Unexamined Laid-Open Patent Application EP 0 179 993 A2 discloses a cabinet with at least one sliding door, wherein the sliding door is mounted slidingly in a bottom rail and in a top rail. These rails are configured as profiles having at least one groove, wherein the profiles are absolutely essential components of the cabinet. Retrofitting of the rails is impossible. The groove of the top rail is only accessible for the sliding rail from below, that of the bottom rail is only accessible from the top. Consequently, any exchangeability of the rails in their function as top rail or bottom rail is not achieved.
The Utility Model DE 203 03 045 U1 describes a structural unit for guiding sliding doors, which is fitted with an upper and a lower positionally fixed guide rail. The upper guide rail has two grooves which are arranged parallel to one another and open towards the bottom, in which the upper ends of the sliding doors are directly slidingly mounted. The lower guide rail has two elongate elevations arranged parallel to one another, on which the lower ends of the sliding doors stand indirectly displaceably, i.e. through interposed rollers. As a result of the design-dependent difference of the guide rails, it is not possible to use the upper guide rails as lower guide rail and vice versa so that their universal use is out of the question.
The Unexamined Laid-Open Patent Application DE 102 20 286 A1 discloses a running rail arrangement for sliding doors, where a fastening region for fastening the running rail arrangement to the front side of a cupboard is disposed laterally adjacent to a guide region configured as grooves for guiding the sliding doors, so that the running rail arrangement is suitable in principle for subsequent fastening to a cupboard. The guide region comprises an upper running rail, which has only grooves open towards the bottom and a lower running rail which only has grooves open towards the top. A universal use of the running rails is therefore out of the question.
The problem of a subsequent fitting with sliding doors arises rarely with cupboards but very frequently with shelves. Shelves offer an open storage space with respect to the surroundings where a requirement for subsequent delimitation of the storage space with respect to the surroundings can arise, for example, in order to protect the objects located in the storage space from negative environmental influences such as, for example, dust or ultraviolet radiation.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a guide device for sliding doors for shelves which can be used universally and can be fastened subsequently to shelves.
In order to solve this object, the invention proposes a guide device of the type mentioned initially where the fastening arrangement is disposed relative to the guide arrangement in the installed position in such a manner that the guide arrangement is accessible from below and above for sliding doors and at least partially covers vertical surfaces of shelves. Accessibility in the sense of the invention comprises direct or indirect accessibility. Direct accessibility can, for example, mean a direct guidance of the sliding door frame or leaf, indirect accessibility can mean a guidance of rollers or running gear which are disposed operatively between the sliding door and the guide arrangement. The guide arrangement according to the invention comprises a multiple guide arrangement oriented in at least two different, preferably opposite directions and can therefore be used very advantageously for guidance of both upper and lower ends of sliding doors. Furthermore, the guide arrangement according to the invention with its arrangement between sliding doors spaced apart vertically with respect to one another allows a simultaneous guidance of the upper ends of lower sliding doors and the lower ends of upper sliding doors arranged thereabove. The guide arrangement according to the invention is consequently universally applicable. In the installed position the fastening arrangement according to the invention is disposed laterally adjacent to the guide arrangement. Consequently it does not restrict the accessibility to the guide arrangement for sliding doors from below and above and is oriented in the direction of the front side of shelves. The front side of shelves is always accessible, even in the already constructed state. Consequently, the guide device according to the invention can also be fastened subsequently to shelves. In general, the guide device can comprise a plurality of, in particular, two guide rails wherein one guide rail is disposed at an upper edge of the vertical surface and the other is disposed at a lower edge of the same vertical surface. In their interplay the two guide rails form a common guide arrangement and a common fastening arrangement.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the guide device comprises only one single guide rail, whose guide region and fastening region are each identical to the guide arrangement or fastening arrangement of the guide device. A single component very advantageously provides a guide arrangement which is accessible for sliding doors both from below and from above and thus fulfils a double function which is reflected in a reduced number of components required overall for a subsequent cladding of a shelf.
In one embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the guide arrangement in the installed position has at least one groove which is open towards the bottom for receiving upper ends of sliding doors and at least one groove which is open towards the top for receiving lower ends of sliding doors. This constructively simple but very efficient and successfully used geometry for guiding sliding doors enables the guide device according to the invention to be manufactured inexpensively, for example, of aluminium, steel or plastic by means of extrusion moulding, cold roll forming or extrusion, without requiring further mechanical or even electrical components. The said methods of manufacture allow a dimensioning of the guide device as required.
It has proved particularly advantageous that the groove which is open towards the bottom is deeper than the groove which is open towards the top. An arrangement of two guide devices according to the invention which guide at least one sliding door at the bottom and top satisfies the condition which is easy to achieve in practice: total of the clear distance of the guide rails and depth of the groove which is open towards the top less than or equal to the height of the sliding door less than or equal to the total of clear distance of the guide rails and depth of the groove which is open towards the bottom. All arrangements which satisfy this condition allow a subsequent insertion and removal of the sliding door over the longitudinal sides of the guide devices. This possibility according to the invention for the insertion and removal of the sliding door always exists whereas a standard insertion of the sliding door over the front sides of the guide devices is only possible when these are not yet installed or clad. For insertion into the arrangement of the guide devices, the sliding door is initially inserted on the longitudinal side of the lower guide device along upwards into the groove of the upper guide device which is open towards the bottom. After the sliding door rests on the base of the groove which is open towards the bottom, the sliding door is pivoted about its upper edge in such a manner that with its lower edge it is directly opposite the groove of the lower guide device which is open towards the top. The sliding door is finally lowered into the groove of the lower guide device which is open towards the top. In this lowered state, which forms the final installed state, the sliding door is guided by both guide devices and cannot come out unintentionally. For removal of the sliding door the aforesaid steps should be carried out in reverse order. It is also very advantageous that all the steps can be carried out without the assistance of a tool.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the groove which is open towards the top has at least one elevation which tapers towards the top on its base. This elevation reduces the friction between the base of the groove and the sliding door so that the latter can be displaced with a reduced expenditure of force. According to the invention, the elevation can, for example, be half-oval or polygonal shaped in cross-section, in particular semicircular or triangular. With regard to the longitudinal elevation it is feasible that the elevation extends continuously, in discrete sections or point by point along the base of the groove of the guide device which is open towards the top. In the former case, a linear abutment of the sliding door on the elevation exists. The invention naturally also covers the case that the groove which is open towards the bottom has at least one elevation which tapers towards the bottom.
In order to provide a guide device which enables a complete cladding of a shelf with sliding doors and does not project over the lateral boundaries of the shelf for opening the sliding doors, it is very advantageously provided according to the invention that the guide region in the installed position has at least two grooves which are arranged parallel to one another and which are open towards the bottom, for receiving upper ends of sliding doors and at least two grooves which are arranged parallel to one another and which are open towards the top for receiving lower ends of sliding doors, since at least one sliding door can thus be arranged in each case in the groove near the shelf and the groove remote from the shelf, which merely covers a fraction of the total width of the shelf indirectly proportional to the number of all the sliding doors.
In one embodiment of the invention it further proves to be advantageous that the grooves which are open towards the bottom are disposed directly adjacent to one another and/or the grooves which are open towards the top are disposed directly adjacent to one another. It is best if adjacent grooves divide the wall located between them. As a result, a particularly close position of one sliding door near the shelf and one sliding door remote from the shelf can be achieved so that the sliding doors approximately seamlessly cover the shelf at its front side without leaving any noticeable through gap between them.
In order to preserve this advantage over a shelf having a plurality of sliding door stages, it is provided according to the invention that the grooves which are open towards the bottom and the grooves which are open towards the top are each disposed directly adjacent to one another and the grooves which are open towards the bottom and the grooves which are open towards the top are disposed directly opposite one another. In extreme cases the opposite grooves divide the base arranged between them. In addition, this arrangement of the grooves results in a particularly compact design of the guide devices, whereby these spread out less on the otherwise exposed front face of the shelf.
In an advantageous further development of the invention, it is provided that at least one of the grooves which is open towards the bottom has two contact surfaces parallel to the groove base. By providing such contact surfaces, a groove block or a carriage can be guided in the groove, on which for its part, for example, a textile or laminate curtain can be fastened. As a result, the type of door which can be used with the invention is extended from stable sliding doors to flexible materials.
It proves to be particularly advantageous that the fastening arrangement comprises form elements for subsequent fastening of the guide device to shelves. The guide devices and therefore sliding doors can thus be attached to already existing shelves and the shelves subsequently closed. Some particularly practical embodiments of form elements are described hereinafter, which ensure the highest possible compatibility between the guide arrangement according to the invention and the manifold-shaped components for shelves. The invention is naturally not restricted to the following form elements but comprises all form elements which are equivalent to the embodiments actually described. A first embodiment is very advantageously characterised in that the form elements are configured as C-shaped clips for clipping around components for shelves ending in a T-shape or adapter parts ending in a T-shape. The guide device can thus be clipped on subsequently by hand without requiring the use of tools. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the form elements are configured as T-shaped fitting pieces for engaging in components for shelves ending in a C-shape or in adapter parts ending in a C-shape. This inverted embodiment of the invention with respect to the previously described embodiment can, for example, very advantageously be arranged on a universally applicable construction profile of the applicant, which is described for example, in DE 10 2008 006 439 A1 and with said construction profile forms a functional group of components for shelves, scaffolds or trade fair stands. A further embodiment is very advantageously characterised in that the form elements are configured as L-shaped stops for fastening to plate-like components for shelves. The connection between the L-shaped stops and the plate-like components can be configured to be positive, non-positive or seamless depending on the material of the plate-like components. Screwing and gluing are types of connection particularly relevant in practice. In another advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that the form elements are configured as through holes for front-side fastening to plate-like components for shelves. This embodiment is constructively the simplest to execute and is very flat so that the space requirement for the arrangement of the guide device on the exposed front side of shelves is reduced to a minimum. In a further embodiment of the invention it is very advantageously provided that the form elements are configured as U-shaped receiving pockets with two substantially parallel legs for fastening to plate-like components for shelves. Through advantageous choice of the clear width of the parallel legs relative to a thickness of the plate-like components, this embodiment enables a firm clamping of the form elements to the plate-like components. Optionally other, in particular positive or seamless types of connection can be used for securing the non-positive connection. The U-shaped receiving pockets largely enclose the ends of the plate-like components so that the guide device contributes to an appreciable stabilisation of the plate-like components. In other words, due to the subsequent application of the guide devices, the actual load-bearing capacity of the shelves of the shelving systems is increased significantly. Alternatively to this, larger clear widths can be achieved between two adjacent support elements of the shelves. By enclosing the frequently delicate and not very resistant plate-like components by means of the U-shaped receiving pockets, the front-side edges of the plate-like components are best protected from mechanical wear. The U-shaped receiving pockets therefore provide excellent edge protection. This also applies to the L-shaped stops.
In order to further increase the compatibility of the guide device according to the invention with most diverse components for shelves, it is provided that depending on the predefined geometry of the components for shelves, the legs are configured as one long leg and one short leg, wherein the short leg at its free end is configured to be bent at right angles in the direction of the long leg.
In addition, it proves to be particularly advantageous according to the invention if the at least one leg is configured to be sloping at an outwardly pointing edge of its free end. In the event that the leg in question is disposed on an upper side of a shelf of a shelving system, its slope makes it considerably easier to pull out objects stored in the shelf without lifting. Furthermore a sloped edge provides less room for the collection of dirt and dust.
In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is very advantageously provided that the guide device comprises adapter parts, in particular adapter parts ending in a T shape or C shape, as can be required for the universal fastening to the components for shelves discussed above.
It proves to be particularly advantageous according to the invention that the form elements and/or the adapter parts are disposed continuously or in discrete sections along the guide device depending on the required strength of the connection between the guide device and the components for shelves or the required load-bearing capacity of the shelf boards.
An arrangement of at least two guide rails for sliding doors for shelves has proved to be very advantageous where the guide rails are vertically spaced apart from one another in pairs and configured according to the present invention. In addition, the arrangement allows a modular and therefore basically infinitely extendable structure for subsequent cladding of shelves with sliding doors.
The guide device according to the invention can be disposed on horizontal and vertical components for shelves both horizontally and vertically. Along with its main function, the guidance of sliding doors and stabilization of shelves, it is provided that the guide rail serves as a panel or for edging rear walls for shelves.
The invention is described in a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings as an example, where further advantageous details can be deduced from the figures of the drawings.
The figures in the drawings show in detail:
This is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/652,044, filed Oct. 15, 2012, and which is incorporated here by reference, and which claimed priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2011 054 800.9, filed Oct. 25, 2011. That priority claim, and the German priority document, are also fully incorporated here.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13652044 | Oct 2012 | US |
Child | 14469157 | US |