The invention concerns a pull-out slide for drawers with a cabinet member, a drawer member and in some cases a center member, the pull-out slide is kept closed by a unit and a depth adjustment for the pull-out slide is provided.
In addition, the invention concerns a device for opening and closing a moveable furniture part, especially a drawer, door, flap, or similar.
Pull-out slides for drawers or other furniture parts are, for example, provided with Touch-Latch Systems. These systems are designed to open and/or close drawers, doors, flaps or other moveable furniture parts that do not have a handle because of visual considerations. Touch-Latch Systems with finger push and locking unit are known, where the drawer is pushed inwardly in a certain distance, which causes the locking unit to open and let the drawer run out via an energy storing mechanism of the touch-latch.
It is also known that drawers and their parts, e.g. the pull-out slide, are provided with a depth adjustment of the moveable furniture part. For example, the gap between the drawer front and the front edge of the cabinet should be adjustable, in order to compensate for parts and assembly tolerances.
Known devices are used for opening and/or closing drawers, doors, flaps or other moveable furniture parts which have, for example, a touch-latch fitting, with which the drawer is pushed in a certain distance inwardly and then runs out due to a energy storing mechanism.
The disadvantage of this state-of-the-art is, that these devices require a relatively large release path and specifically cannot be released and locked from any touch point on a drawer front, door, etc. . . . with the same short release paths everywhere and the same strength.
It is the object of the invention to secure the function of the unit that defines the closing position, especially to make possible a better depth adjustment device, whereby a unit that defines the closing position of the pull-out slide is available. The depth adjustment device shall be easily adjustable, i.e. useable for differently equipped drawers.
In addition, the object of the invention is to provide a device for opening and closing a moveable furniture part or the like, which makes a minimal release path possible and also opens and closes the moveable furniture part by touching any place of the furniture part with minimal opening or closing pressure, and where the opening path of the moveable furniture part is relatively large.
The solution shall be cost effective and the furniture manufacturer should be able to easily adapt it to the width of the furniture part.
The invention is based on a pull-out slide for drawers, where the pull-out slide is comprised of cabinet member, a drawer member and possibly a center member, and where a unit is present which defines the closed position of the pull-out slide and the drawer, and which directly or indirectly affects the pull-out slide, and where a depth adjustment for the pull-out slide and the drawer are marked out. A significant aspect of the invention is, that at least one holding device holds the unit intermittently, and where the holding device and/or the unit is adjustable at the depth of the pull-out slide and/or at the height and/or sideways.
According to the invention the function of the unit defining the closing position is advantageously guaranteed.
With the adjustable holding device, i.e. the unit, a functional part is offered which influences the closing position of the drawer through its adjustment in such a way that many known run-in sizes can be considered for secure reaching and letting go of the closing position. For example, the holding device, i.e. the unit may be adjusted without steps or with precision steps, especially at least alongside a spatial axis, or also alongside two or three spatial axes which stand orthogonally to each other.
The closing function may, for example, be optimally adjusted with only one part, because of the adjustable holding device, i.e. the unit. The unit itself does not have to be adjusted when adjusting the holding device. This can be an advantage if the unit has e.g. several parts, i.e. is complex and has several attachment positions. If only the holding device is adjustable, it can be an advantage if the holding device is much smaller than the unit, i.e. simpler built, for example in one piece, e.g. in form of a holding pin. As a rule, both, the holding device and unit may be adjustable.
Secure holding of the holding device in the unit is guaranteed, especially in the closing position, even though the holding device, i.e. the unit may not reach any, i.e. any exactly fitting closing position of the drawer in a cabinet after initial assembly because of assembly of manufacturing tolerances. The recommended holding device itself can almost be adjusted at will, especially on a variety of furniture, i.e. for different positioning situations of the unit, i.e. of the holding device itself in its room positioning and alignment. The holding device can be exactly brought into an ideal position, specifically in different directions, and held steadily. Certain safety features may have to be planned for this. The unit comprises especially a disengageable arresting. i.e. locking unit, which exactly defines the position of the closed drawer. This locking unit may, for example, be part of a so called Touch Latch system. The holding device may be positioned on different parts of the drawer or cabinet, i.e. on parts designed for it.
Per the invention is the holding device at times connected to the unit, i.e. in a closed or engaged position, so that the drawer is held fixed opposite to the cabinet. As a rule, the holding device will be engaged to the unit only in the closed position. Only after a definite disengaging action may the holding device be separated from the unit, through which the drawer may be moved away from the closed position.
With the holding device, various holding mechanisms may be considered with the unit, especially mechanical ones. The holding device may, for example, be arranged on the drawer, which is moved with the drawer into the opening direction after disengagement of the closed drawer. When closing the drawer, the holding device engages the unit again and stays engaged as long as the drawer is not disengaged, i.e. stays closed.
Depth adjustment of the pull-out slide means specifically the adjustment of, i.e. against opening, i.e. pull-out direction of the drawer, i.e. full-opening of the pull-out slide, i.e. one of the members of the pull-out slide.
In one of its construction forms the pull-out slide is planned with a Touch-Latch system, which has at least one touch-latch and one locking unit, which may be built separately or connected.
The Touch-Latch is, for example arranged on the front end of the pull-out slide; it works between two slides. Each drawer may only contain one Touch-Latch, or one per pull-out slide.
The locking unit is preferably arranged on the cabinet, i.e. on the fixed furniture part, where two elements are connected mostly without play, each on one cabinet side, via at least one strength transmission device. At least one element contains a locking mechanism that defines, for example, a somewhat heart-shaped curve when moved.
It also may be conceivable that the locking unit comprises only one element with locking mechanism. For example, it is sufficient for small drawers. Opening of the drawer is guaranteed by touching any one point of the drawer front.
One of the elements works here, i.e. these elements work intermittently, also in the closed position with one holding device each directly or indirectly on the back end of the drawer slide. To make adjustment of the front gap between drawer front and cabinet possible, it is beneficial if the holding device(s) is, i.e. are adjustable in longitudinal direction to the pull-out slide, so that the closed position of the drawer and front may be adjusted.
The holding device is preferably adjustable with a usually known device, like an eccentric device, a snail screw, a screw with screw axis in the adjustment direction, a thread spindle, a gear, etc. This adjustment device, and possibly several devices are formed in a way that depth adjustment and/or height adjustment and/or side adjustment is done without tools or a standard tool using the adjustment device, which is formed accordingly.
In one version, specifically if the holding device is planned on an adjustment part, the adjustment device is placed in a holder on the drawer member and/or the drawer, and moves an adjustable part via a recess that is placed laterally to the adjustment direction, e.g. it is formed like an elongated hole. It is also possible that the adjustment device is placed into the adjustment part and can be moved with it relative to the cabinet member. The holder preferably has a profile like the slide, here in U-form, and forms a slide for the length adjustment of the adjustment part.
The unit is preferably formed as a locking unit.
The unit can also function as closing mechanism, damper, touch-latch, children's safety device, alternating closing system, locking system or as a device for opening both sides of a drawer.
It is planned to provide space for the holding device on the adjustment part, so that when the adjustment part gets adjusted, the same adjustment occurs on the holding device.
The support is rigidly connected to the drawer member and/or the drawer, i.e. welded on. For another version, it could be formed in one piece with the slide.
It is beneficial if the holding device of each pull-out slide can be adjusted independently from the holding device of the other pull-out slide for correction of a slanting drawer front.
It may also be planned that only one holding device is adjustable, or that both holding devices are coupled together and are adjusted simultaneously with only one adjustment device.
It cannot be ruled out that such a depth adjustment may be used for other elements that define the closed position of the pull-out slide, i.e. of the drawer. Such elements are, for example, closing mechanisms, dampers, touch-latches, locking systems, alternating closing systems, children's safety devices, devices for opening a drawer on both sides, etc. . . . .
It is preferred to assemble the holding device to the drawer separately from the slides. The holding device may be positioned at any point on the drawer, separately from the pull-out slide. For example, it is possible to position the holding devices to a front, bottom, side or back wall part of the drawer. This makes positioning of the holding device very flexible. The holding device may also be positioned at the edges, i.e. close to neighboring parts on the drawer, e.g. on a back panel and at the same time on a side or bottom part of the drawer.
It is also an advantage to position the holding device on a back wall of the drawer, i.e. on the back area of the drawer. To place the holding device on the drawer back panel, i.e. on adjoining parts of a back area of the drawer bottom, or a drawer side wall may be helpful for assembly/manufacturing. For example, the drawer can be free of the holding device on the lowest drawer bottom area, if there is no sufficient room for assembly.
It may also be beneficial if the holding device, i.e. the locking unit is positioned farther up, especially in the back area of a drawer, i.e. of a fixed cabinet part. Also, the holding device, i.e. locking unit is very easy to install on the back panel of the drawer, i.e. on the back area of a fixed furniture part. In this case, for example, the holding device works very well together with the corresponding segments of the locking unit which is positioned in the back area of a fixed furniture part.
It is beneficial to position the holding device on the back panel, i.e. on the back part of the drawer, and it to be adjustable in the depth of the pull-out slide and/or the height and/or sideways. This way, the holding device can be fastened exactly into the desired position. This is especially advantageous when placing the holding device on a wood drawer. Especially on wood drawers tolerances may be adhered to, which make adjustment after assembly necessary. A large chain of tolerances may be present specifically if the holding device is not mounted to the slide, but to the drawer. In case of a wood drawer, the position is defined by pre-drilled positioning holes, which may noticeably vary from the ideal position. The adjustment is especially necessary in view of the correct engagement of the holding device into the unit and arrival of the locking position with each other to define the exact locking condition.
In another preferred form of the invention the height and/or side adjustment have a positioning element with an elongated hole through which the positioning element can engage. With this arrangement height and side adjustment is especially easy.
It is much preferred that the depth and/or height and/or side adjustment is done via eccentric screw, snail screw, screw, thread spindle or a gear wheel. The allows smooth height and side adjustment of the holding device in a small space.
In addition, the invention concerns a drawer with at least one pull-out slide, as described above. The unit may, for example, be positioned on a cabinet, i.e. on the back panel, i.e. on the back area of the drawer.
One pull-out slide is positioned per drawer side and each holding device is adjustable independently from each other.
In addition, two units which are fixedly connected to each other via at least one strength transfer device may be positioned on the cabinet and engage one holding device of each pull-out slide intermittently.
The following describes the invention in more detail in various forms, some with schematics, which are, however, only meant as an example, and do not confer any limitations.
Shown is:
Some of the figures show the same reference mark for corresponding parts in different examples.
The front 8 of the drawer 2 has no handle, so that opening of the drawer 2 is achieved with the touch-latch principle. The drawer 2 is pushed inwardly by the operator, the drawer 2 is unlocked by an unlocking unit 14 (shown in
In the upper area of the cabinet 3 is another slide 1, on which another drawer may be positioned.
The locking unit 14 is positioned in the back of the cabinet 3, behind the back panel 9 of the drawer 2, i.e. its back area. The back area of the drawer 2 comprises also the back thin edges of the drawer bottom and drawer sides, which are almost flush against the back panel 9. It would be possible to position the locking unit 14 directly to the cabinet 3, e.g. on the cabinet angle 7 or on the cabinet slide 4.
The locking unit 14 comprises two elements, which are connected without clearance by a connecting rod 16. Each element has a housing 15 that is connected to the cabinet 3. Each housing 15 contains a pivot lever 18 which intermittently engages the drawer member 6. The lever(s) 18 is/are connected by the pivot bearings 22 and 23 to the connecting rod 16.
On one side a lever 18 is being steered on a somewhat heart-shaped curve 17. This is the locking mechanism. To avoid unwanted opening problems, it is beneficial if only side of unit 14 has a locking mechanism. The other side of unit 14 acts only as a catch element with lever 18 and as a trigger, if the front 8 is touched on the opposite side of the locking mechanism.
The depth adjustment element comprises a operating element, here eccentric screw 10, which is positioned in a hole 20 of the support 11 and which via an elongated hole 21 which is placed diagonally to the adjustment direction moves the adjustment part 12, which carries a holding device, here pin 13. Pin 13 is caught by lever 18 of the locking unit 14, in this case by cutout 19 of lever 18. This causes the drawer member 6 and the drawer 2 to be held in the locked position.
Eccentric screw 10 has an adjustment wheel 10a, which may be turned by the operator by hand, i.e. without tools, for depth adjustment, as well as a washer 10b and bolt 10c. The bolt 10c moves because of the adjustment within the elongated hole 21 of the adjustment element 12. The washer 10b holds the bolt 10c with the adjustment wheel 10a.
The support 11 is in this case welded together with the drawer member 6 and has a U profile. It has a similar profile as the drawer member 6, or a part of the drawer member. The support 11 with this profile forms a slide for the length adjustment of adjustment part 12, which has also a U profile.
In
The unlocked position is shown in
If the operating device, in this case eccentric screw 10, is turned, the gap X between the adjustment part 12 and the back edge of the drawer member 6, changes. It is possible to obtain a depth adjustment of approximately +/−3 mm from the theoretically neutral position shown in
The pin 13 is also height adjustable, i.e. adjustable in the vertical direction, with an eccentric arrangement 34, as specifically shown in
The difference in how the holding devices are arranged in
The elongated holes 26 are laid out such that the holding plate 24 and at the same time the holding means, in this case a pin 13, may be positioned in a vertical direction according to arrow P1 (see
If the screws for the height and side adjustment are self-stopping, one elongated hole each may be satisfactory for the height and side adjustments. Otherwise, two elongated holes each may be necessary for each directional adjustment, of which one is made for a fixing screw and one for an adjusting screw, which facilitates adjustment.
The arrangement of
The opposite arrangement for the elongated holes may also be planned, where the holding plate is formed sideways for adjustment and the lip is used for height adjustment.
For better, i.e. parallel glide during height adjustment along edge 2a of the back panel 9, i.e. the back area of the small drawer side part of the drawer 2, an angled edge section 27a of the holding plate 27 grips the edge 2a.
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