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US 8,757,738 B2Granted
Mechanism for closing sliding doors
AssigneeUnifor S.p.A.
InventorBruno Fiori
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism for closing sliding doors of furniture. The mechanism includes at least two rotatable closing elements, each associated with a respective door. A locking body is associated with the closing element for rotating and locking the closing element in either an open position or a closed position. The closing element also includes a locking portion that, through the rotation of the closing element, can pass from a first position in which the locking portion prevents the translation of the sliding doors of the furniture, to a second position which allows the translation of the sliding doors. The closing mechanism also includes a synchronization bar that makes the closing elements rotate as a unit, ensuring the simultaneous locking of the sliding doors in the closed or open position.
Claims2
Furniture comprising:
- a furniture structure having at least one interior space, a front, a left side, and a right side, the front being located between the left side and the right side;
- at least two sliding doors configured to slide along a translation direction, and wherein the translation direction is from the left side to the right side, to provide access to the interior space, and wherein a first one of the sliding doors is horizontally slidable in the translation direction within a sliding plane, and wherein the first one of the slidable doors has a vertical side edge that is located within the sliding plane, and wherein a second one of the sliding doors is horizontally slidable in the translation direction within the sliding plane, and wherein the second one of the sliding doors is located beneath the first one of the sliding doors, such that the first one of the sliding doors is located above the second one of the sliding doors;
- and
- a closing mechanism for simultaneously locking the sliding doors in closed positions, and for permitting sliding movement of the sliding doors to open positions;
- and
- wherein the closing mechanism includes:
- at least two closing elements, each associated to a respective one of the first and second ones of the sliding doors, such that a first one of the closing elements is associated with the first one of the sliding doors, and the second one of the closing elements is associated with the second one of the sliding doors, the first one of the closing elements being located above the second one of the closing elements, and wherein each of the first and second ones of the closing elements is fixedly connected to the furniture structure and with respect to the furniture structure rotatable about a rotation axis;
- and
- a locking body fixedly connected to the furniture structure, said locking body being associated to the first one of the closing elements so as to make the first one of the closing elements rotate by a predetermined amount about a rotation axis from a first to a second angular position and vice-versa and so as to be able to lock the first one of the closing elements in any one of said angular positions;
- and
- said first one of the closing elements including a locking portion that through the rotation of the first one of the closing elements, can pass from a first position in which such locking portion is suitable for preventing the translation of the first one of the sliding doors of the furniture to a second position suitable for allowing the translation of the first one of the sliding doors;
- wherein the first one of the sliding doors and the closing mechanism are configured such that the locking portion of the first one of the closing elements is located within the sliding plane, and engages the vertical side edge of the first one of the sliding doors to prevent sliding of the first one of the sliding doors, when the first one of the closing elements is in the first position, and the locking portion of the first one of the closing elements is not located within the sliding plane, and does not engage the vertical side edge of the first one of the sliding doors, and thereby permits sliding of the first one of the sliding doors, when the first one of the closing elements is in the second position, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first one of the closing elements is parallel to the sliding plane;
- wherein the closing mechanism includes a vertically-aligned synchronization bar that makes said at least two closing elements rotate as a unit so that the rotation through the locking body of any one of said closing elements determines the simultaneous rotation of all the other closing elements connected through the synchronization bar ensuring the simultaneous locking in said first closing position or in said second open position of the first and the second sliding doors of the furniture;
- wherein the second one of the sliding doors has a vertical side edge, and the second one of the closing elements engages the vertical side edge of the second one of the sliding doors to prevent sliding of the second one of the sliding doors, and wherein the at least two sliding doors includes a third sliding door that is horizontally slidable in the translation direction to be located behind the first one of the sliding doors, and wherein the third door is located between the interior space and the first one of the sliding doors when the third door is located behind the first one of the sliding doors, and wherein the first one of the sliding doors is located between (1) the front of the furniture structure and (2) the third door when the third door is located behind the first one of the sliding doors;
- wherein the synchronization bar is located within the interior space of the furniture structure;
- and
- wherein each of said at least two closing elements includes a hooking pin that projects from a surface of said elements so as to fixedly connect said elements to the synchronization bar.
14 more elements
Furniture comprising:
- a furniture structure having at least one interior space, a front, a left side, and a right side, the front being located between the left side and the right side;
- at least two sliding doors configured to slide along a translation direction, and wherein the translation direction is from the left side to the right side, to provide access to the interior space, and wherein a first one of the sliding doors is horizontally slidable in the translation direction within a sliding plane, and wherein the first one of the slidable doors has a vertical side edge that is located within the sliding plane, and wherein a second one of the sliding doors is horizontally slidable in the translation direction within the sliding plane, and wherein the second one of the sliding doors is located beneath the first one of the sliding doors, such that the first one of the sliding doors is located above the second one of the sliding doors;
- and
- a closing mechanism for simultaneously locking the sliding doors in closed positions, and for permitting sliding movement of the sliding doors to open positions;
- and
- wherein the closing mechanism includes:
- at least two closing elements, each associated to a respective one of the first and second ones of the sliding doors, such that a first one of the closing elements is associated with the first one of the sliding doors, and the second one of the closing elements is associated with the second one of the sliding doors, the first one of the closing elements being located above the second one of the closing elements, and wherein each of the first and second ones of the closing elements is fixedly connected to the furniture structure and with respect to the furniture structure rotatable about a rotation axis;
- and
- a locking body fixedly connected to the furniture structure, said locking body being associated to the first one of the closing elements so as to make the first one of the closing elements rotate by a predetermined amount about a rotation axis from a first to a second angular position and vice-versa and so as to be able to lock the first one of the closing elements in any one of said angular positions;
- and
- said first one of the closing elements including a locking portion that through the rotation of the first one of the closing elements, can pass from a first position in which such locking portion is suitable for preventing the translation of the first one of the sliding doors of the furniture to a second position suitable for allowing the translation of the first one of the sliding doors;
- wherein the first one of the sliding doors and the closing mechanism are configured such that the locking portion of the first one of the closing elements is located within the sliding plane, and engages the vertical side edge of the first one of the sliding doors to prevent sliding of the first one of the sliding doors, when the first one of the closing elements is in the first position, and the locking portion of the first one of the closing elements is not located within the sliding plane, and does not engage the vertical side edge of the first one of the sliding doors, and thereby permits sliding of the first one of the sliding doors, when the first one of the closing elements is in the second position, and wherein the axis of rotation of the first one of the closing elements is parallel to the sliding plane;
- wherein the closing mechanism includes a vertically-aligned synchronization bar that makes said at least two closing elements rotate as a unit so that the rotation through the locking body of any one of said closing elements determines the simultaneous rotation of all the other closing elements connected through the synchronization bar ensuring the simultaneous locking in said first closing position or in said second open position of the first and the second sliding doors of the furniture;
- wherein the second one of the sliding doors has a vertical side edge, and the second one of the closing elements engages the vertical side edge of the second one of the sliding doors to prevent sliding of the second one of the sliding doors, and wherein the at least two sliding doors includes a third sliding door that is horizontally slidable in the translation direction to be located behind the first one of the sliding doors, and wherein the third door is located between the interior space and the first one of the sliding doors when the third door is located behind the first one of the sliding doors, and wherein the first one of the sliding doors is located between (1) the front of the furniture structure and (2) the third door when the third door is located behind the first one of the sliding doors;
- wherein the synchronization bar is located within the interior space of the furniture structure;
- wherein the furniture structure includes an interior dividing panel, and wherein said at least two closing elements are fixedly connected to the dividing panel, and wherein the dividing panel is suitable for dividing at least one space in the furniture structure into sub-spaces;
- and
- wherein the dividing panel of the furniture includes a bar seat that receives the synchronization bar and allows the synchronization bar to translate.
15 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.