# US 11,297,945 B2 · Telescopic foot for furniture and/or furnishing items with simplified assembly and system using said foot

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- Number: US 11,297,945 B2
- Document ID: US11297945B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/275,400
- Filed: 2019-09-17
- Published: 2022-02-17
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-19
- Applicants: Leonardo S.r.l.
- Inventors: Carlo Cattaneo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11297945B2

## CPC

- A47B 91/028: {Means for rotational adjustment on a non-rotational foot}
- A47B 91/005: {Support bases}
- A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B)

## Abstract

A telescopic foot for furniture and/or furnishing items includes a hollow body housing a supporting foot designed for telescopically sliding therein using an internal control or kinematic mechanism, which is actuated by a control transmission bevel gear positioned between a first actuation opening of the bevel gear and a second telescopically sliding opening of the supporting foot, both defined in the body of the foot, one laterally and the other one axially and in orthogonal positions to each other, so as to each receive an element of the bevel gear. Sliding elements enable the sliding of the supporting foot with respect to the body of the foot, and engagement and retention elements engage the supporting foot and the hollow body of the foot.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A telescopic foot for furniture and furnishing items comprising:
a hollow body of the telescopic foot; and
a supporting foot housed in the hollow body and designed for a telescopic sliding in a lowering or lifting position with respect to said hollow body by way of an internal control mechanism or kinematic mechanism;
a control transmission bevel gear actuating said internal control mechanism or kinematic mechanism, said bevel gear being positioned between a first actuation opening of said bevel gear and a second telescopically sliding opening of said supporting foot, said first actuation opening and second telescopically sliding opening being formed in said hollow body, one in lateral and the other one in axial position in the hollow body and orthogonally to each other to each receive an element of said bevel gear; and
sliding elements which allow the telescopic sliding of the supporting foot with respect to the hollow body, said telescopic foot further comprising an inner cylindrical body interposed between said hollow body of the foot and said supporting foot, said bevel gear comprising a bevel toothed crown integral with a free end of said inner cylindrical body, said bevel gear further comprising a flange which engages against yielding flaps protruding inwardly into the body of the telescopic foot, said yielding flaps forming engagement and retention elements configured to retain said supporting foot to said hollow body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, characterized in that said engagement and retention elements are elastic.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein said first actuation opening and said second telescopically sliding opening provide the engagement and retention elements, which are elastic, of a respective element of said bevel gear.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein the telescopic foot is adapted to be fixed beneath a bottom or to a shoulder of a piece of furniture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein the sliding elements simultaneously prevent a mutual rotation of the supporting foot with respect to the hollow body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein said bevel gear comprises said bevel toothed crown integral with the free end of the inner cylindrical body and a complementary bevel toothing of a pinion, and wherein said pinion is arranged free to rotate in said hollow body and provides a seat configured to receive a tip of a tool for actuating the bevel gear.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The telescopic foot according to claim 6, wherein said pinion is arranged free to rotate in said hollow body through snap-engagement elements between said pinion and said body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The telescopic foot according to claim 7, wherein said snap-engagement are yielding flaps, which extend into a housing formed in the body of the telescopic foot.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The telescopic foot according to claim 6, wherein said pinion is arranged free to rotate in said hollow body through a swaging or riveting obtained at a free cylindrical end of the pinion, after said free cylindrical end has been inserted in a hole defined by a tubular portion arranged in an upper part of the hollow body.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The telescopic foot according to claim 6, wherein said pinion is arranged free to rotate in said body of the hollow foot with a groove or recess formed in a free cylindrical end of the pinion, after said free cylindrical end has been inserted in a hole defined by a tabular portion arranged in an upper part of the hollow body, to be coupled with a rounded protrusion formed inside the hole.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The telescopic foot according to claim 6, wherein said pinion is arranged free to rotate in said hollow body and provides a cylindrical end, with which a cap element, provided with a rounded dome-shaped head, is made integral, so as to favor a centering of said pinion coupled with said cap element in a cavity formed in said hollow body.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The telescopic foot according to claim 11, wherein said cavity provides, on one side, a closing wall in which a hole is formed configured for passage of said tip of the tool of the pinion of the bevel gear and, on another side, an opening facing the closing wall and formed laterally in the hollow body.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The telescopic foot according to claim 11, wherein said cap element is provided with a shank configured for being inserted in a hole inside said cylindrical end of the pinion.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The telescopic foot according to claim 11, wherein said cap element provides a flat annular crown, which is abutted against flat facets of the bevel crown, which can be moved in engagement with said flat annular crown.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein said internal control mechanism or kinematic mechanism comprises an internal threading formed in said supporting foot and configured to receive in coupling an external threading provided on said inner cylindrical body.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The telescopic foot according to claim 15, wherein said supporting foot comprises a lower supporting enlarged disc-shaped end, from which a hollow cylindrical portion extends, where said internal threading is formed.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The telescopic foot according claim 15, wherein said flange is formed between a final end of said external threading and the bevel toothed crown of said bevel gear.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The telescopic foot according to claim 17, wherein said yielding flaps are arranged within seats formed laterally with respect to the hollow body.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The telescopic foot according to claim 1, wherein said hollow body externally provides engagement grooves with a housing adapted to receive a connection body to a piece of furniture.

### Claim 20 (depends on 4)

The telescopic foot according to claim 4, wherein said hollow body is integrated with a connection body adapted to be fixed beneath a bottom or a shoulder of a piece of furniture.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The telescopic foot according to claim 20, wherein said connection body is defined by an enlarged disc-shaped element in which said first actuation opening is formed, through which a pinion of said control transmission bevel gear can be positioned and housed.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The telescopic foot according to claim 21, wherein said enlarged disc-shaped element extends as an upper part of the hollow body and a housing for said pinion is formed therein, which is free to rotate, said disc-shaped element having in an upper part, on one side, which is configured to face a lower surface of the bottom of the piece of furniture, a dowel or expansion pin, which is adapted to press into an unthreaded hole formed in said lower surface of the piece of furniture.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

A system adapted to be positioned beneath a bottom or a shoulder of a piece of furniture comprising:
at least one front foot, and
at least one telescopic foot according to claim 1 adapted to be affixed beneath said bottom or to said shoulder.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system according to claim 23, wherein said at least one front foot is of a manual adjustment type by rotation of a supporting foot.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system according to claim 23, further comprising at least a first connection for the at least one front foot and at least a second connection for the telescopic foot disposed rearwardly, the at least one first and the at least one second connections being adapted to be disposed beneath the bottom of the piece of furniture, the at least one second connection being adjustable from a front through a tip of a tool.
