DEVICE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH A''SOFT'' OPENING AND LATER A ''SOFT CLOSING OF A DRAWER IN A FURNITURE BODY

Abstract

A device for use in connection with a “soft” opening and later “soft” closing of a drawer in a furniture body. One or more rails (2, 3, 4) are mounted between the drawer and the furniture body. The device comprises a single, oblong, partly open housing (1) delimited by a first end member (7a) and a second end member (7b). The housing (1) is mounted on a furniture body or on a rail (2) secured thereon. A longitudinally displaceable damper cylinder (9) is mounted in said housing (1), said damper cylinder comprising a piston (8) with a piston rod (10), said piston (8) being provided with an auxiliary valve (37, 38). A first end part (9b) of the damper cylinder (9), and which is free of the piston rod (10), has an outer abutment face against which a first offsetable pin member (15), which is mounted substantially at the rear end of the drawer or on a longitudinally displaceable rail, abuts when the drawer is opened, while a second offsetable pin member (13), which is mounted substantially at the front end of the drawer, abuts a third end part (12) mounted on the outermost end of the piston rod (10), when the drawer is displaced towards the closed position thereof; the first end member (7a) and the second end member (7b) of the housing optionally being provided with a slot-like opening, (7a′) and (7b′), respectively, through which the first pin member (15) and the second pin member (13), respectively, optionally can pass in and out of the housing (1). In this way, a structurally very simple device is obtained, which can provide both a soft opening and a soft closing of the drawer in the furniture body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a device for use in connection with a “soft” opening and later a “soft” closing of a drawer in a furniture body, and where one or more rails are mounted between the drawer and the furniture body and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drawer, said rails optionally being mounted with ball bearings in between said rails.

BACKGROUND

In connection with furniture bodies, it is known to use separate units for a soft opening and soft closing, respectively, of a drawer in the furniture body. The fact that several separate units are provided in order to open and close the respective drawer results in the assembled structure being rather complicated.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The aspect of the invention is to provide a device of the above type, and which is very simple, and which can be used for both opening and closing the respective drawer.

The device according to the invention is characterised in that it comprises a single, oblong housing provided with a longitudinal open slot and a first end member and a second end member, said housing being mounted in connection with the furniture body or on a rail secured thereon, and where a longitudinally displaceable damper cylinder is mounted in said housing, said damper cylinder comprising a piston with a piston rod, said piston being provided with at least one auxiliary valve, and where a first end part of the damper cylinder—and which is free of the piston rod—has an abutment face against which a first offsetable pin member—which is mounted substantially at the rear end of the drawer or on a longitudinally displaceable rail—is adapted to directly or indirectly abut during the opening of the drawer, while a second offsetable pin member, which is mounted substantially at the front end of the drawer—is adapted to directly or indirectly abut a third end part mounted on the outermost end of the piston rod, when the drawer is displaced towards the closed position thereof, the end member and/or the second end member of the housing optionally being provided with a slot opening, through which the first pin member and the second pin member, respectively, optionally may pass in and out of the longitudinal open slot of the housing. When the drawer is to be opened, the user pulls it. At first, he will feel as if the drawer slides smoothly. Then, when the first pin member abuts the first end part of the damper cylinder—due to the fluid in the damper cylinder—he will feel an increasing resistance to the pulling. The resistance ends as the pressure fluid oozes through the mentioned auxiliary valve(s) and into the other side of the piston in the damper cylinder. When the drawer then is to be closed, and the user therefore starts pushing the drawer in, the latter slides smoothly at first, as the damper cylinder with piston now (i.e. a short period) is left to itself. The piston is then moved so that the piston rod is pushed at least slightly out of the damper cylinder. However, the second pin member of the drawer reaches and abuts the third end part (the outmost end) of the piston rod during the inward movement of the drawer (i.e. when the drawer subsequently is to be closed). When the drawer is pushed further inwards, the above third end part and the piston rod and the damper cylinder as a whole are displaced in the longitudinal direction of the housing until the first end part of the damper cylinder abuts the first end member of the housing. When the user then pushes the drawer further into the furniture body, the third end part of the piston rod is pushed further into abutment against the second end part of the damper cylinder. Fluid, which is present on the other side of the piston, then flows through the auxiliary valve(s) back to the first side of the piston. The user feels this as an increasing, temporary resistance to pushing the drawer completely into the furniture body. This temporary resistance feels as a “dampening” (a certain “softness”) and prevents the user from quickly being able to pushing the drawer completely into the furniture body and causing a little slam. By means of the invention, this little slam is avoided, thereby providing a suitable sound reduction. It is noted that the device is structurally very simple—and particularly more simple than the prior art, where separate devices are used for opening and closing the drawer, respectively.

According to the invention, the housing provided with the longitudinal open slot may have a substantially U-shaped cross-section, where the upper ends of the free sections of the U are led a little towards each other in order to render said slot relatively narrow, and the damper cylinder may be displaced axially in the housing by means of the pin members, via the upper slot in the housing and a slot-opening in each of the above end members, abutting the above end parts on the damper cylinder and moving the latter. In this way, the damper cylinder complete with piston and piston rod may be moved in the housing in a particularly reliable way.

In addition, according to the invention, each of the free sections in the U may be double sections corresponding to the side walls of the housing being double. In this way, a particularly advantageous structure of the housing is obtained.

In addition, according to the invention, the bottom wall in the U-shaped cross-section of the housing may be curved and have the cavity facing upwards, and a plurality of small ribs may be provided between the bottom wall and the outermost wall in each of the mentioned double walls in order to stiffen the housing. In this way, a particularly simple and strong structure of the housing is obtained.

According to the invention, the damper cylinder and the mentioned third end part may have a total length constituting at least 75% of the length of the housing. In this way, a particularly advantageous structure of the device is obtained.

Furthermore, a first pressure spring may be mounted in the damper cylinder between the piston and the mentioned first end part. As a result, the piston rod on the piston may be pushed relatively far out of the damper cylinder in the relatively short period where, the damper cylinder (in connection with the closing of the drawer) is without contact to the first pin member and the second pin member.

In addition, a second pressure spring or tension spring may be mounted in the damper cylinder according to the invention between the piston and the mentioned second end part. This has proven to be particularly advantageous in practice.

Furthermore, according to the invention, at least two channels may be arranged in the piston of the damper cylinder, said channels being provided with auxiliary valves, for instance in the form of flap valves, for dampening the fluid flow through the respective channels. In this way, a particularly good opportunity is obtained for controlling the rate whereby the fluid in the damper cylinder—through the mentioned channels—may pass from one end of the damper cylinder to the other end of said damper cylinder.

In addition, a radial stop member extending through the longitudinal slot may be provided on or at the first end part or the third end part of the damper cylinder or on or at both positions against which stop member the first pin member and/or the second pin member may abut so as to provide an axial movement of the damper cylinder and optionally the third end part thereof. As a result, a certain structural simplicity is obtained.

Finally, according to the invention a device may be mounted in connection to the drawer and the furniture body for automatically ending the closing movement of the drawer, a third pin member mounted on the drawer—or on the rail of the drawer—engaging a second tilt-able rocker during the inward movement of the drawer, said rocker being connected either directly or indirectly by means of a tension spring secured on the housing. When the third pin member of the drawer during the last part of the closing movement of the drawer (pushing) is engaged in the second tilt-able rocker, it results in a particularly fast and precise closing of the drawer; the closing force applied is neither so great that the drawer makes noise during closing (cf. the above-mentioned slam), nor so weak that that closing fails.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which

FIG. 1 is a perspective and schematic view of an embodiment of a device according to the invention, and which is mounted on rails in connection with a non-depicted drawer, which can be pulled out from and pushed into a non-depicted furniture body; the device is shown in a position corresponding to the drawer being in a closed position,

FIG. 2 is the same in connection with the drawer being pulled out, and the damper cylinder is not in contact with any pin member;

FIG. 3 is the same, the front pin member (arranged at the rear end of the drawer) abutting the damper cylinder and having pushed the latter to the left in the figure;

FIG. 4 is the same, the rear pin member (arranged at the outermost end of the drawer) having pushed the damper cylinder and its end part positioned at the end of the piston rod all the way to the right end of the figure; the drawer being closed in this position,

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the housing used according to the invention,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the damper cylinder provided with a coil spring, and

FIG. 7 is a housing in which a damper cylinder provided with abutting members for the pin members is mounted axially displaceably

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device 14 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a housing 1 connected to rail 2 mounted on a non-depicted furniture body. Said rail 2 is mounted inside in the furniture body by means of fittings 40 as well as fittings of a similar kind mounted on the rail 2 and arranged further to the right but not visible in the figure. In connection with the rail 2, one or more extra rails 3 and 4 are mounted in a parallel manner. The rails 2, 3 and 4 can slide in relation to each other, and optionally ball bearings are provided between the rails to advance the mentioned smooth movement of the rails.

The housing 1 shown in FIG. 1 is partly open, said housing being provided with an oblong slot extending from one side of the housing to the other. An end member is arranged at each of the ends of the housing 1 in such a manner that a first end member 7a is mounted at the right end of the housing and an end member 7b is mounted at the left end of the housing.

In the housing 1, a longitudinally displaceable damper cylinder 9 is mounted which comprises a piston 8 provided with one or more adjustment valves 37, 38—cf. FIG. 6. The piston 8 is provided with a piston rod 10, which—cf. FIG. 1—extends through a left end part 11 in the damper cylinder 9. On the outermost left end, of the piston rod 10, a third end part 12 is mounted (FIG. 1), which has an end surface also arranged within the housing 1. The damper cylinder is thus enclosed in the housing, but can together with its piston rod 10 and the third end part 12 be longitudinally displaced in the housing.

As it appears, the displacement of the damper cylinder 9 towards the left end of the housing 1 can be provided by—cf. FIG. 3—a first pin member 15 abutting the right end part 9b of the damper cylinder 9 by means of the displacement of a rail 3. In a corresponding manner, the damper cylinder 9 and the third end part 12 thereof can be displaced towards the right (i.e. when the drawer is closed) by means of the first pin member 15, cf. FIG. 1 (the first pin member 15 can then as shown abut the third end part 12 of the damper cylinder 1).

As shown in FIG. 5, each of the free sections of the substantially U-shaped cross-section of the housing 1 can be shaped as double sections corresponding to the side walls of the housing 1 being double, cf. the walls 23a′ and 23b′ as well as 24a′ and 24b′. A bottom wall 26 in the cross-sectional U-shaped housing is curved and the cavity thereof is facing upwards. With a view to maintaining the bottom wall 26 and the outermost wall 23b′ and 24b′ in the double walls in the correct position in relation to each other—small stiffening ribs 27 can be provided in the housing 1 between the mentioned parts, cf. FIG. 5.

The damper cylinder 9 and the mentioned end part 12 can have a total length of at least 75% the length of the housing 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, a pressure spring 29 can be mounted in the damper cylinder 9—between the piston 8 and the first end part 9b; however it is also possible to mount a pressure spring 39 in the damper cylinder 9 between the piston 8 and an opposite second end part 9a in the cylinder 9.

As shown in FIG. 6, at least two channels 31, 32 can be provided the in piston 8 in the damper cylinder 9, one or more adjustment valves, for instance in the form of flap valves 37 and 38, being mounted in said channels. The flap valves serve to dampen the fluid flow through the channels 31 and 32, a fluid being present in the space on each side of the piston, said fluid being preferably in the form of liquid, particularly water.

In short, the device according to the invention works in the following manner:

When a user is to open the drawer, he pulls out the drawer from the non-depicted furniture body, cf. the arrow A in FIG. 1. In this way, the second pin member 15—cf. FIG. 3—will pass in through a slot 7a′ in the first end member 7a of the housing (cf. FIG. 1) and will abut the right end part 9b of the damper cylinder 9. The damper cylinder 9 and the third end part 12 thereof—compare FIG. 3—are then pushed to the left. As the third end part 12—positioned on the left end of the piston rod 10—is not pushed completely in to the damper cylinder at this point—some time will pass (may be 3-4 sec.) from the time when the third end part 12 hits the end part 7b of the housing and to said end part 12 and the damper cylinder are pressed completely together in the left end of the housing 1. This means that the last part of the opening movement of the drawer feels “soft”.

When the user then is to close the drawer, he pushes the drawer—and thereby the first pin member 15—towards the right, however in this way the damper cylinder 9 and the third end part 12 are released. As the latter is arranged on the piston rod 10, it is pushed a little away from the damper cylinder 9. However, when the user continues to push in the drawer, the second pin member 13 of the drawer then abuts the mentioned third end part 12—and the latter, the piston rod 10 and the damper cylinder 9 are then pushed to the right by the mentioned second pin member 13 until the right end of the damper cylinder 9 abuts the first end member 7a of the housing (compare FIG. 1). In the moment when the damper cylinder 9 makes contact with the end member 7a, the third end member 12 is positioned in a certain, relatively short distance from the damper cylinder; It will take a user approx. 3-4 seconds to push the third end part 12 into abutment against the damper cylinder 9—through the second pin member 13 on the drawer. The user will experience this process as a “soft” closing of the drawer.

As shown in FIG. 7, the one end part 7a or 7b (possibly both end parts) in the housing 1 can be free of the slot-like opening 7a′ and 7b′, respectively. In this case, the one end or the third end part 12 (or both) of the damper cylinder can be provided with a radial stop member 41 extending out through the longitudinal slot 28 against which member 41 the mentioned first pin member 15 and the mentioned second pin member 13 can abut and displace the damper cylinder and the parts thereof. This embodiment is particularly simple.

As regards FIG. 6, it is noted that the piston rod 10 in certain cases can be led through the piston 8 and extend into the space between the piston 8 and the end part 9b.

As shown in FIG. 3, a device 43 can be mounted in connection with the drawer and the furniture body, for instance on the rail 2, for automatically ending the closing movement of the drawer. When a separate, but non-depicted, third pin member arranged on rails 4 reaches the device 43 during the closing of the drawer, said pin member engages a second tilt-able rocker 46 arranged in the device 43. Said rocker 46 is affected by a non-visible tension spring secured on a second housing 47. When the third pin member during the last part of the closing movement of a drawer is engaged in a recess 48 in the second auxiliary member 46, the closing will make no noise, but the third pin member—and thus the rail 4 and the drawer, are, however, drawn in with a certain force.

The invention can be varied in many ways without deviating from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for use in connection with a “soft” opening and later “soft” closing of a drawer in a furniture body, and where one or more cooperating rails are mounted be-tween the drawer and the furniture body and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the drawer, optionally ball bearings being provided between said rails characterised in that it comprises a single oblong housing (1) provided with a longitudinal open slot (28) and a first end member (7a) and a second end member (7b), said housing (1) being mounted in connection with the furniture body or on a rail (2) secured thereon, and where a longitudinally displaceable damper cylinder (9) is mounted in said housing (1), said damper cylinder comprising a piston (8) with a piston rod (10), said piston (8) being provided with at least one auxiliary valve (37, 38), and where a first end part (9b) in the damper cylinder (9), and which is free of the piston rod (10), has an abutment face against which a first offsetable pin member (15)—which is mounted substantially at the rear end of the drawer or on a longitudinally displaceable rail (3)—is adapted to directly or indirectly abut during the opening of the drawer, while a second offsetable pin member (13)—which is mounted substantially at the front end of the drawer—is adapted to directly or indirectly abut a third end part (12) mounted on the outermost end of the piston rod (10), when the drawer is displaced towards the closed position thereof, the first end member (7a) and/or the second end member (7b) of the housing (1) optionally being provided with a slot-like opening, (7a<1>) and (7b<1>), respectively, through which the first pin member (15) and the second pin member (13), respectively, optionally can pass in and out of the longitudinal open slot (28) of the housing (1).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the housing (1) provided with the longitudinal open slot has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, where the upper ends of the free sections of the U are led a little towards each other in order to render said upper slot (28) relatively narrow, and that the damper cylinder (9) can be displaced axially in the housing by means of the pin members (13, 15) via the upper slot (28) in the housing and the slot-opening (7a<1>, 7b′) in each of said end members (7a, 7b) extending into the housing (1) and abutting said end parts (9a, 9b) on the damper cylinder (9) and moving the latter.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that each of the free sections in the U are double sections (23a<1>, 23b<1>) and (24a<1>, 24b<1>) corresponding to the side walls of the housing (1) being double.

4. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the bottom wall (26) in the U-shaped cross-section of the housing (1) is curved and has the cavity facing upwards, and that a plurality of small ribs (27) are provided between the bottom wall (26) and the outermost wall (23b<1>, 24b′) in each of said double walls in order to stiffen the housing (1).

5. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the damper cylinder (9) and the third end part (12) has a total length constituting at least 75% of the length of the housing.

6. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a first pressure spring (29) is mounted in the damper cylinder (9) between the piston (8) and the mentioned first end part (9b).

7. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a second pressure spring or the tension spring (39) is mounted in the damper cylinder (9) between the piston (8) and the mentioned second end part (9a).

8. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that at least two channels (31, 32) are arranged in the piston (8) in the damper cylinder (9), said channels (31, 32) being provided with auxiliary valves, for instance in the form of flap valves (37, 38), for dampening the fluid flow through said channels.

9. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a radial stop member (41) extending through the longitudinal slot (28) is provided on or at the first end part (9b) or the third end part (12) of the damper cylinder (9) or on or at both positions against which member (41) the first pin member (15) and/or the second pin member (13) abut so as to provide an axial movement of the damper cylinder (9) and optionally the third end part (12) thereof.

10. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that a device is mounted in connection to the drawer and the furniture body for automatically ending the closing movement of the drawer, a third pin member mounted on the drawer—or on the rail of the drawer—engaging a second tilt-able rocker (46) during the inward movement of the drawer, said rocker (46) being connected either directly or indirectly by means of a tension spring secured on a second housing (47).

11. (canceled)