DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to an adjustable supporting device for furniture, such as in particular a support foot adapted to be associated with a panel forming the side of the piece of furniture to adjust the vertical position thereof with respect to an essentially horizontal support surface, such as the floor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] Support feet adapted to adjust the vertical position of a piece of furniture arranged on a support surface with the aim of compensating possible unevenness of the latter are well known in the industry. In particular, they generally comprise two members, inserted one into the other which, due to an adjustment mechanism which can be actuated using an appropriate operating tool, can slide axially with respect to each other; the mutual movement between these two members allows to adjust the piece of furniture height-wise. [003] Usually, one of said members is integrally joined to the support surface, while the other is adapted to be engaged with a part of the piece of furniture, generally a side and/or a bottom panel, to which it is constrained through appropriate fixing means.

[004] Constraining a supporting device of the type described above to the side of a piece of furniture, usually requires approaching the device to the internal surface of the side, in proximity of the lower edge, and subsequently reaching the desired assembly position by using reference pins or by pressure-fitting appropriate reference teeth in the thickness of the panel, inserting them at the lower edge surface thereof.

[005] This operation is then completed by using one or more fixing screws, which are inserted into appropriate openings made in the body of the device, arranging them along a direction essentially transversal to the internal surface of the side, and subsequently screwed directly into the panel forming the side so as to ensure the stability of the foot, in particular when the piece of furniture is loaded.

[006] However, in this manner, the choice of the type and the size of the screws to be used for fixing the support foot to the side of the piece of furniture is left to the assembler technician. Furthermore, it may happen that the assembler technician inserts the screws into the panel according to an incorrect direction.

[007] The main task of the subject matter of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, by providing an adjustable supporting device for furniture that is practical and functional, allowing it to be easily and quickly constrained to the side of the piece of furniture in the desired position.

[008] Within the scope of the task outlined above, an object of the present invention lies in obtaining an adjustable supporting device for furniture that is extremely simple to be assembled.

[009] Lastly but not least, an object is to provide an adjustable supporting device for furniture that attains the task and objects mentioned above by using standard and known installations, machines and equipment.

[0010] The task and the objects outlined above, as well as others which will be more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by means of a supporting device according to claim 1 . The subsequent claims define further characteristics of a supporting device according to the present invention which will be better illustrated in the description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment and illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached drawings, wherein:

- figures 1 A and 1 B show, according to respectively front and rear exploded views, an adjustable supporting device according to the present invention;

- figures 2A e 2B show, in a respectively front and rear view, an adjustable supporting device according to the present invention when assembled;

- figure 3A shows, with plan view, an adjustable supporting device assembled according to the present invention;

- figure 3B shows the supporting device according to the present invention cut along the plane A-A of figure 3A; and

- figure 4 shows, with a perspective view, an adjustable supporting device according to the present invention fitted on a piece of furniture, that is in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0011] With reference to the figures mentioned above, shown therein is an adjustable supporting device 1 according to the present invention, adapted to be associated with a panel forming a side F of a piece of furniture for supporting it on a substantially flat and horizontal support surface, such as for example the floor, allowing to adjust the vertical position thereof, that is along an adjusting axis Y-Y substantially perpendicular with respect to said support surface.

[0012] Expressions such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “high”, “low”, “horizontal”, “vertical” or the like will be used in the description below; the person skilled in the art will have no difficulty understanding that these expressions relate to the orientation of the supporting device 1 in the normal operative configuration thereof, that is in use, as shown in the attached figures.

[0013] As shown in the figures 1A, 1 B, 2A and 2B, said device 1 comprises a mounting element 2 that can be fixed to the internal surface F1 of the side F of the piece of furniture by means of fixing means 13, provided with a central body 20 defining a through seat 20A extending along said adjusting axis Y-Y, essentially vertical in use, and advantageously provided with an internal thread 20B adapted to be engaged by an adjusting means 3 provided with a threaded rod 31 which rests with an end on said support surface and to be axially rotatably operated to adjust the position of said side F with respect to the support surface.

[0014] Advantageously, said adjusting means 3 has, at a first end of said threaded rod 31 , substantially facing - in use - toward the support surface, a head 32 which is preferably flat and enlarged, which can be possibly associated - in a snap-coupling fashion - with a support base 4 configured so as to expand the surface area of the supporting device 1 on the support surface as much as possible and therefore optimally discharge the weight of the piece of furniture.

[0015] At the opposite end 33 of the rod 31 , said adjusting means 3 preferably comprises a shaped seat 33A, which can be engaged by the tip of an appropriate tool adapted to impart an axial rotation of the rod 31 in the screwing/unscrewing direction for adjusting the position of the side F in the direction defined by said axis Y-Y.

[0016] Alternatively, advantageously, an engagement element 5, configured to receive the tip of the adjustment tool and transfer the rotation imparted by the latter to the rod 31 of the adjusting means 3 may be housed inside said shaped seat 33A.

[0017] Said internal thread 20B, suitably counter-shaped with respect to the threading of said rod 31 , may be directly obtained in the through seat 20A, so that when the device 1 is in use, rotations imparted to the adjusting means 3 cause a sliding of the mounting element 2 along the threading of said rod 31 and therefore adjusting the position of the side F of the piece of furniture integrally joined therewith along said adjusting axis Y-Y. [0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, said device 1 comprises a connection means 6 adapted to operatively connect said adjusting means 3 and said mounting element 2.

[0019] Advantageously, said connection means 6 defines a through cavity 60A, extending in use along said axis Y-Y, on which said internal thread 20B, forming a nut screw for said adjustment screw 3, is advantageously obtained.

[0020] Said connection means 6 is therefore adapted to be previously fitted on the rod 31 of the adjusting means 3 and housed in the through seat 20A of the mounting element 2, being adapted to be constrained therein integrally joined with the latter through first coupling means 61 , for example formed by a pair of elastically deformable fins, protruding from said connection means 6 and each provided, at the respective free end, with an engagement tooth adapted to be snap-inserted into an appropriate engagement hole 26 provided for on said mounting element 2.

[0021] Advantageously, said connection means 6 is formed by a pair of half-shells 6A, 6B, each carrying a respective portion of said internal thread 20B, which can be mutually coupled when assembling the device 1 along a direction orthogonal to the axis Y-Y through second coupling means 62, for example formed by a pair of fins protruding from one of the two half-shells and adapted to snap-cooperate with opposite engagement seats 63 obtained on the other half-shell to form a closed and compact casing, defining said through cavity 60A therein.

[0022] In this manner, advantageously, said connection means 6 may be associated with the threaded rod 31 of the adjusting means 3 without having to screw it, but simply positioning a first half-shell along the rod 31 and subsequently snap-coupling the other half-shell.

[0023] Advantageously, the internal thread 20B of the through cavity 60A has an interruption at the upper terminal part, therefore creating an end-stroke which prevents said adjusting means 3 from being fully unscrewed by the mounting element 2.

[0024] In this manner, rotations in the screwing/unscrewing direction applied to the adjusting means 3 by engaging - using an appropriate tool - the shaped seat 33A, or the engagement element 5, cause a sliding of the connection means 6 along the threaded rod 31 of the adjusting means 3 and - as a result - the mounting element 2, which is - in use - mounted integrally joined with the side F, therefore obtaining the desired adjustment thereof along the axis Y-Y with respect to the support surface of the piece of furniture. [0025] Advantageously, said supporting device 1 can be fixed to the internal surface F1 of the side F of a piece of furniture, preferably in proximity of a lower edge thereof, adjacent to the floor in use. To this end, said mounting element 2 is advantageously provided with a coupling flange 21 , lying on a first plane P1 and adapted to be disposed, in use, resting against said internal surface F1 of said side F.

[0026] Preferably, said coupling flange 21 is formed by a pair of separated flat portions, advantageously obtained as a single piece with said central body 20, which depart from opposite sides of the latter and they are configured so that they both lie on said essentially vertical first plane P1 in use, so that they can rest against the internal surface F1 of said side F.

[0027] Furthermore, said coupling flange 21 is advantageously provided with suitable through fixing holes 21 A into which fixing means 13, such as screws, can be inserted so as to allow the stable fixing of the device 1 to the side F of the piece of furniture. Preferably, said pairs of portions forming said coupling flange 21 each have at least one fixing hole 21 A.

[0028] According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, said device further comprises a support insert 7, preferably made of polymeric material, which can be associated with said mounting element 2 and configured to define at least one pair of housing seats 70 having, in use, an essentially orthogonal extension with respect to the first plane P1 on which the portions forming said coupling flange 21 lie, and therefore to the internal surface F1 of said side F, each adapted to previously house and support a respective fixing screw 13 in an assembly position.

[0029] In other words, said support insert 7 allows to provide the supporting device 1 with the fixing screws 13 more appropriate for the specific use, advantageously previously arranged in the suitable pre-mounting position, so as to facilitate and quicken the fixing thereof to the side F of the piece of furniture.

[0030] Preferably, said housing seats 70 are essentially each formed by a channel open at one end 72 so as to allow the insertion of the respective screw 13 and closed at the opposite end with a bottom wall 71 lying on an essentially vertical plane, on which a pre mounting through hole 71 A is obtained.

[0031] Said insert 7 further comprises a connecting portion 73 adapted to connect said pair of housing seats 70 and guiding and holding means 74, such as for example a pair of preferably slightly inclined surfaces, arranged and configured to cooperate with counter-inclined surfaces obtained on said mounting element 2 to guide the coupling along a direction essentially orthogonal to said first plane P1 and retain the achieved coupling position by interference.

[0032] Advantageously, when said insert 7 is associated with said mounting element 2, said connecting portion 73 extends around the central body 20 of the mounting element 2, so that said seats 70 are arranged parallel and at opposite sides thereof, with said bottom walls 71 essentially abutting against said coupling flange 21 and said pre mounting holes 71 A essentially aligned with said fixing holes 21 A.

[0033] Advantageously, said supporting device 1 further comprises reference means 8, adapted to allow the correct positioning and orientation of the mounting element 2, holding it temporarily in such position before fixing it to the side F. [0034] Preferably, said reference means 8 comprise a support flange 22, preferably formed by a pair of flat portions protruding from the lower edges of said pair of portions forming said coupling flange 21 , and lying on the same second essentially horizontal plane P2.

[0035] Said support flange 22 is adapted to be inserted beneath the panel forming the side F of the piece of furniture, and cooperate abutting against the lower edge surface F2 thereof to create an assembly reference, and advantageously improving the capacity of the device 1 .

[0036] According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, each of said portions forming said support flange 22 has, at an end vacant edge, at least one reference tooth 23, and preferably a pair, protruding essentially orthogonally with respect to the relative portion and adapted to be pressure-fitted into the thickness of the panel forming the side of the piece of furniture, inserting it from the lower edge surface F2 thereof, so as to retain said mounting element 2 firmly in position before stably fixing it to the side F by using said screws 13.

[0037] Preferably, as better observable in figures 3A and 3B, said reference teeth 23 are arranged essentially in a mirror-like fashion with respect to a symmetry plane essentially orthogonal to said first plane P1 and lie on third planes P3 advantageously inclined with respect to said first plane P1 by an angle a preferably comprised between 30 and 60°. [0038] In this manner, advantageously, when said reference teeth 23 are pressure-fitted into the thickness of the side F, inserting them from the lower edge surface F2 thereof, they are oriented along inclined planes with respect to the inner and outer surfaces of the side F, therefore preventing them from diverging, in particular when the piece of furniture is loaded, therefore limiting the risk of breaking the panel.

[0039] In an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, said reference means 8 may comprise at least one pin protruding from said mounting element 2, and preferably a pair of pins protruding from said coupling flange 21 , which can be inserted into corresponding engagement seats suitably arranged on the internal surface F1 of the side F so as to define the correct positioning of the mounting element 2 before fixing it.

[0040] The supporting device 1 is therefore provided to the user already assembled, in particular with the insert 7 stably coupled to the mounting element 2 and with the fixing screws 13 previously housed inside the respective housing seats 70 and preferably already partially screwed into the pre-mounting holes 71 A so as to arrange them and keep them in a correct pre-mounting position.

[0041] The supporting device 1 can be fixed to the side F of a piece of furniture by using said reference means 8, in particular by approaching said coupling flange 21 to the internal surface F1 thereof, in proximity of the lower edge thereof, and positioning said support flange 22 at the lower edge surface F2.

[0042] Subsequently, said reference teeth 23 are pressure-fitted into the thickness of the side F, by introducing them from the lower edge surface F2, until said support flange 22 essentially abuts against it, therefore obtaining the pre-mounting of the device 1 on the side F.

[0043] At this point, said device 1 may be stably constrained to the side F by inserting screws 13 passing therethrough, advantageously previously arranged in the pre mounting position inside the respective housing seats 70 of said insert 7, in the corresponding fixing holes 21 A provided for on said coupling flange 21 , until they are fully screwed into the side F, therefore fixing the supporting device 1 to the side.

[0044] As shown in figure 4, once said supporting device 1 has been stably fixed to the side F of the piece of furniture, a horizontal panel B - forming the bottom of the piece of furniture, preferably provided with a hole suitably obtained passing through into the thickness of the latter to allow access to the adjusting means 3 with a tool so as to be able to carry out the desired adjustments - is arranged above it.

[0045] In conclusion, in the light of the above it is clear that a supporting device 1 according to the present invention attains the objects and advantages initially set forth. In particular, there has been obtained an Adjustable supporting device for furniture resting on the ground which allows the height-wise adjustments of the position of the piece of furniture provided with several solutions that make it absolutely practical and functional.

[0046] In particular, the presence of the insert 7 allows to provide the supporting device 1 together with the fixing means most appropriate for the specific application, advantageously already pre-assembled in the appropriate position, so as to facilitate and quicken the fixing thereof to the side F of the piece of furniture.

[0047] Furthermore, in this manner the assembler technician is encouraged to use the provided fixing means, therefore avoiding assembly errors which could damage the side of the piece of furniture and jeopardise the durability of the supporting device.

[0048] Furthermore, the presence of the connection means 6 advantageously obtained in two separate half-shells, each provided with a relative threading, allows it to be adapted to be fitted on the rod 31 not by screwing but by simply positioning a first half-shell along the rod 31 and subsequently the other half-shell thereto. This allows to create an interruption of the threading 20B in the upper terminal part of the connection means 6, so as to define an end-stroke adapted to prevent said adjusting means 3 from being fully unscrewed from the mounting element 2.

[0049] Obviously, the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications or variants without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention, as defined by any one of the attached claims. [0050] Furthermore, the materials used to implement the present invention, as well as the shapes and dimensions of the individual components, may be the most appropriate depending on the specific requirements.