Patent Application
20130293079
The invention concerns a railing for a movable furniture part, comprising a railing strut and a panel fixing device at one end of the railing strut for fixing the railing to a front panel of the movable furniture part, wherein a mounting portion of the panel fixing device can be fixedly connected to the front panel.
The invention further concerns a movable furniture part with at least one railing of the kind to be described. The invention also concerns an article of furniture comprising a railing of the specified kind.
There are already a large number of railings of that kind, belonging to the state of the art. Thus for example DE 295 07 834 U1 of Aug. 24, 1995, discloses a railing which at one end of the railing bar has a fixing fitment screwed into the railing bar. That fixing fitment has a conically narrowing fixing head having radially projecting projections which are sharpened in the manner of a cutting edge. Then mounting of the railing bar to the front panel is effected in such a way that the fixing head which is pre-mounted to the railing bar but which has not yet been entirely screwed as far as the end surface is introduced into the fixing base, more specifically in an inclined position such that the lower inclined surface line of the fixing head bears against the wall of the fixing bore in the front panel. In that position the fixing head can be pushed completely into the fixing bore as the radially upwardly projecting projection which is sharpened in a knife edge-like configuration is moved downwardly to such an extent that it does not engage the oppositely disposed wall region of the fixing bore. As soon as the fixing head is pushed completely into the fixing bore the railing bar is then pivoted into the horizontal position, in which case the free end of the fixing head is raised and the sharpened projection penetrates into the wall of the fixing bore and thus provides a positively locking fixing action in the fixing bore. By rotating the railing bar in the screwing-on direction on to the threaded shank of the fixing head the end of the railing bar is screwed on until it bears against the inside flat side of the front panel and a gap which possibly still exists there is caused to disappear (from the preamble to the description of DE 295 07 834 U1).
A further railing is disclosed in AT 506 783 A4 of Dec. 15, 2009. That railing has an incorporated inclination adjustment for the front panel of a drawer. In that arrangement the railing has a displaceable cover cap to cover over the adjustment and fixing mechanism of the railing strut.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved railing.
According to the invention that object is attained in that the railing strut is at least partially hollow and is adapted to be displaceable relative to the mounting portion, wherein the railing strut which is displaced in the direction of the mounting portion receives and covers the panel fixing device. In that way it is possible to achieve an esthetically attractive railing as in that way only the railing strut in itself is visible and all other mounting portions—like for example the panel fixing device—are no longer visible after mounting of the railing has been effected.
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the appendant claims.
It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the mounting portion of the panel fixing device can be fixedly connected to the front panel by a spreading connection. A firm hold for the railing in the front panel can be achieved by a spreading connection.
In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the spreading connection can be activated by a movement of the railing strut relative to the mounting portion of the panel fixing device. That can provide that no tool is needed to produce the spreading connection between the railing strut and the front panel.
It can further preferably be provided that the panel fixing device has at least one joint, wherein spreading of the spreading connection can be actuated by pivotal movement of a pivot lever of the joint. That makes it possible to achieve a particularly simple and fast method of fixing the railing to the front panel.
It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the railing has a sleeve for partially receiving the panel fixing device, wherein the sleeve is provided substantially completely in the interior of the railing strut. The use of a sleeve makes it possible to achieve stable contact between the panel fixing device and the railing strut.
It can particularly preferably be provided that the sleeve has an abutment surface for abutment of the sleeve against the front panel. In that way it is possible to prevent damage to the front panel when fitting the railing.
In that respect it is proven to be particularly advantageous if the sleeve and the panel fixing device have mutually corresponding latching portions for fixing the sleeve to the panel fixing device. The use of latching portions affords a particularly fast and simple way of mounting the sleeve to the panel fixing device.
In a preferred embodiment it can be provided that the railing strut and the sleeve have mutually corresponding latching portions for fixing the railing strut to the sleeve. In that way the railing strut can be easily fixed to the sleeve.
It has further proven to be advantageous if the mutually corresponding latching portions of the railing strut and the sleeve can be coupled together and uncoupled from each other. That can provide that the railing strut can be released from the sleeve again. That therefore permits easy replacement of possibly damaged parts of the railing in a simple procedure.
It has proven to be advantageous if the railing strut is in one piece. The use of a one-piece railing strut makes it possible to avoid long mounting times for the railing strut itself.
It can further preferably be provided that the railing has a rear wall fixing device at the other end of the railing strut for fixing the railing to a rear wall of the movable furniture part, wherein the rear wall fixing device is provided substantially completely at the side of the railing, that is towards the internal space of the movable furniture part, and corresponds to an end face portion of the rear wall.
In specific terms protection is also claimed for a movable furniture part having at least one railing as set forth in one of claims 1 through 11. Advantageously the movable furniture part has two railings.
Protection is also claimed for an article of furniture comprising a furniture carcass and at least one movable furniture part as set forth in claim 12. Preferably in that case the movable furniture part is in the form of a drawer.
Further details and advantages of the present invention are described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing in which:
a shows a perspective view of a railing,
b shows a detail view of
a shows a perspective view of a drawer without railing,
b shows a detail view of
In the assembled condition the joint lever 34 of the panel fixing device is inserted in the guide portion 5. The guide portion 5 in turn has a latching portion 52 corresponding to a latching portion 42 of the sleeve 4. The sleeve 4 in turn also has a further latching portion 43 corresponding to a latching portion 23 of the railing strut 2—in this case in the form of a through opening—.
In this preferred embodiment the railing strut 2 is substantially completely hollow at 22 and can thus accommodate in its interior the sleeve 4, the guide portion 5 and the joint lever 34 and also in part the mounting portion 31 (see in this respect
At one end the sleeve 4 has an abutment surface 41 provided for abutment against the front panel 103 to prevent damage to the railing strut 2 or the front panel 103 in the assembly procedure.
In this case the corresponding latching portions 43 and 23 of the railing strut 2 and the sleeve 4 are adapted to be coupled together and uncoupled from each other. Thus the railing strut 2 can also be subsequently removed again from the sleeve 4 or the panel fixing device 3 accommodated in the sleeve 4.
It will be appreciated that the railing 1 could also be fixed to a front panel 103 in a different way, like for example by screwing in, pressing in, insertion or for example by means of an expander dowel or the like.
As is clearly visible from
Spreading of the spreading connection 32 was achieved by pivotal movement of the pivot lever 34 of the joint 33 of the panel fixing device 3. It will be appreciated that it is also possible to envisage that a spreading connection 32 can also be implemented in a different way, like for example by rotation of the railing strut 2 about its longitudinal axis, as is also already known from the state of the art.
Disposed at the end 24 of the railing 1, that is towards the rear wall 104, is a rear wall fixing device 6 as shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/2011 | Jan 2011 | AT | national |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/AT2011/000493 | Dec 2011 | US |
| Child | 13933602 | US |
