EP1826343B1

EP1826343B1 - A blocking mechanism for drawers

Info

Publication number: EP1826343B1
Application number: EP07075124A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giancarlo Camellini
Original assignee: FAMI Srl
Current assignee: FAMI Srl
Priority date: 2006-02-24
Filing date: 2007-02-13
Publication date: 2009-07-15
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-13
Also published as: ITMO20060070A1; PL1826343T3; EP1826343A3; EP1826343A2; DE602007001544D1; ES2328972T3

Description

The present invention relates to a blocking mechanism for drawers fitted on-board vehicles, such as commercial vehicles. However it could be used very advantageously on vehicles of any kind, and also marine vessels could be fitted out in such a way. It is further predisposed for use in fixed installations having drawers and shelves for the broadest range of uses.
More in general, the invention refers to blocking sliding drawers in a closed or open position, which drawers are subjected to continuous external soliciting forces.
It is a well-known fact that drawers installed on-board vehicles are subjected to forces of acceleration and braking and more in general, to generically oriented forces dependent on the vehicle's motion and position. According to how the drawers are arranged, such forces can cause the accidental opening of the various sliding compartments, or in any case the uncontrolled movement thereof, with the risk that the objects or material contained therein might fall out.
It therefore becomes necessary to block the drawers securely, at least when they are in the closed configuration, or alternatively, also in the open configuration. This second option is useful when for example it is necessary to have access to the contents of a drawer while forces that tend to close it are in action, for example when the vehicle in which the drawer is fitted is parked on a sloping surface, or is accelerating or decelerating.
It equally becomes necessary to provide the drawers with a sufficiently practical and intuitive system for activating such a blocking action.
In this regard devices of varying complexity are known, designed to block the sliding compartment of each drawer so as to prevent undesired sliding. Document DE 4307911 , for instance, discloses a drawer cabinet wherein the drawers, mounted on telescopic rails, are lockable in a retracted and in an extended configuration by means of rotating terminal elements which can be turned by means of a common lever. Document DE 19746825 teaches the locking of a drawer by means of an attached notch lever forced into closing position by spring force; on each drawer side a catch lever is provided, both of which are joined by an operating bar.
Disadvantageously, such known devices are rather complex and on account of this are made using a large number of different components. This has negative repercussions regarding component stocking as well as the actual assembly of the device, with a consequently increase in management and assembly costs.
Given this situation, the technical task underlying this invention is to provide a blocking mechanism for drawers which obviates the above-mentioned drawbacks.
In the ambit of this objective, the main aim of this invention is to design a blocking mechanism for drawers which enables effective blocking of the drawer in a closed configuration, or further also in an open configuration thereof.
A further aim of the invention is to design a blocking mechanism for drawers which requires a small number of components, thus limiting the materials to be held in stock and speeding the assembly process.
A further aim of the invention is to design a blocking mechanism for drawers which is provided with a simple and intuitive activation device.
The technical objective described and the aims specified are substantially achieved by a blocking mechanism for drawers, characterised in that it comprises one or more of the technical solutions claimed in the appended claims.
There follows a non-exclusive and non-limiting description of a preferred embodiment of a blocking mechanism for drawers, with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a section view of the blocking mechanism for drawers of the invention, in a blocked closed configuration;
Figure 2 is a section view of the mechanism of figure 1, in an unblocked configuration starting from the closed condition;
Figure 3 is a section view of the mechanism of figure 1 in a blocked open configuration;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the mechanism of figure 1 in a blocked closed configuration.

With reference to the figures of the drawings, 1 denotes a blocking mechanism for drawers in accordance with the invention.
The section view in figure 1 is a partial view of a drawer, which slides within a fixed structure, not illustrated as of known type: in particular a side portion 2 and a front portion 3 of the drawer are visible. In figure 1, the mechanism 1 comprises a rocker arm 4 rotatably hinged to the side portion 2 by means of a pivot 5. The rocker arm 4 has an elongate form and extends substantially along the side portion 2 of the drawer. The rocker arm 4 is further specially shaped to perform the desired blocking function. In particular, the rocker arm 4 has at least first means for blocking 6, engageable with a respective first portion 7 of the fixed structure. The first means for blocking 6 are preferably obtained in a seating 8 afforded in the rocker arm 4. The seating 8 is couplable with a respective projecting pin 9, rigidly constrained to the fixed structure and defining the abovementioned first portion 7 of the fixed structure. Preferably, the pin 9 is complementarily shaped with respect to the respective seating 8 with which it engages.
The function of the first means for blocking 6 is to achieve a blocked configuration of the drawer in a closed position in which the drawer is retractedly located within the fixed structure.
The rocker arm 4 also preferably has second means for blocking 10, couplable with a respective second portion 11 of the fixed structure. These second means for blocking 10 are preferably constituted by a protuberance 12 obtained on the rocker arm. The second portion 11 of the fixed structure is constituted by a tang 13, preferably obtained on a plate 14 rigidly constrained to the fixed structure. The tang 13 extends towards the inside of the drawer and is so conformed that it intercepts the protuberance 12 of the rocker arm 4 according to a principle of functioning that will be illustrated below.
The function of the second means for blocking 10 is to achieve a blocked configuration of the drawer in an open position thereof, in which the drawer projects at least partially from the fixed structure.
Thus the rocker arm 4 can, by means of oscillations of modest entity, move between a blocked position, in which it blocks the drawer in an open or closed position, and an unblocked position, in which it is rotated relative to the blocked position, to allow the drawer to be moved.
According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings, and in relation to the special shape of the rocker arm 4, the seating 8 is obtained on the rocker arm 4 near a first end 15 of the rocker arm 4. This first end 15 is the end nearer the front portion 3 of the drawer. The protuberance 12 is instead obtained near the second end 16 of the rocker arm 4, opposite the first end 15.
The mechanism 1 further comprises a handle 17, rotatably fixed to the front portion 3 of the drawer, for implementing commands to unblock the drawer starting from the closed or open configuration. In detail, as clearly shown in figure 4, the handle 17 is elongate and can rotate around an axis 18 thereof. The axis 18 is substantially parallel to the front portion 3 of the drawer and, in cases where the drawer is predisposed horizontally, the axis 18 is horizontal, as shown in the figures.
The handle 17 moves between a non-operational position, in which it achieves a blocked configuration of the drawer, and an operational position in which it is rotated about the axis 18 thereof in order to unblock the drawer, starting from the blocked configuration.
The handle 17 comprises means for activating 19, preferably rigidly fixed to the handle 17 and suitable for transmitting a blocking action to the rocker arm 4 following a rotation of the handle 17. In detail, in accordance with figures 1-3, the means for activating 19 are constituted by a cam 20, which transmits an oscillatory movement to the rocker arm 4. In this connection, near its first end 15, the rocker arm 4 has a cavity 21 for housing the cam 20, and a contact surface 22 engageable with the cam 20.
It must further be specified that in accordance with figure 2, coupling between the cam 20 and the contact surface 22 of the rocker arm 4 causes the first end 15 of the rocker arm 4 to rise following a clockwise rotation of the handle 17. It must be added that a return action becomes necessary to bring the handle 17 back into a non-rotated configuration, illustrated in figure 1, when the unblocking command has been implemented. This return action is achieved using gravitational pull, in particular by locating the centre of gravity of the rocker arm 4, relative to the pivot 5, in a position close to the first end 15 of the rocker arm 4. This means that in the configuration illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the rocker arm 4 is in a condition of stable equilibrium.
The position of the centre of gravity of the rocker arm 4 can be adjusted by appropriately locating the position of the pivot 5, or alternatively, by distributing the mass of the rocker arm 4 prevalently in the direction of the first end 15.
The functioning principle of the mechanism according to the invention is illustrated below, starting from a blocked closed configuration (Figure 1). Firstly, the blocked closed condition is determined by the coupling of the seating 8 with the pin 9, while the protuberance 12 is disengaged from the tang 13.
When the handle 17 is rotated clockwise, the rocker arm 4 undergoes a slight clockwise oscillation that is however sufficient to cause the seating 8 and the pin 9 to disengage. At this point the drawer can be pulled out, extracting it from the fixed structure, also because following rotation of the handle 17 the second end 16 of the rocker arm 4 descends sufficiently to allow the protuberance 12 to pass below the tang 13 without being intercepted thereby, and to move beyond it. The handle 17 can then be released; due to the action of gravitational pull on the rocker arm 4 the handle 17 tends to return to the original non-rotated configuration, while the rocker arm 4, having returned into the horizontal position, raises the second end 16 thereof to a same level as the initial level, thus causing the protuberance 12 to be intercepted, should the drawer tend to close again, by its respective tang 13. In this way the blocked open configuration, illustrated in figure 3, has been obtained.
Starting from the blocked open configuration, the drawer can be returned to the blocked closed configuration simply by rotating the handle 17 clockwise and pushing the drawer back into the fixed structure and then releasing the handle 17, reinstating the coupling between the seating 8 and the pin 9.
In order further to simplify the process of moving and blocking the drawer, the rocker arm 4 is provided with at least a first bevel 23, obtained in proximity of the seating 8 and facing in the direction of the pivot 5. During the drawer closing phase, the first bevel 23 allows the blocked closed configuration to be reached even when the handle 17 is not operated by a user. In fact, as illustrated in figure 3 and considering the drawer to be pushed towards the closed configuration, it can be observed how with a certain advancement this first bevel 23 is intercepted by the pin 9 and, for this reason, the first end 15 of the rocker arm 4 rises progressively, which substantially compensates for the rotation which would have had to be generated by turning the handle 17, until the seating 8 and its respective pin 9 latch together automatically.
In an entirely similar way, the rocker arm 4 is provided with a second bevel 24, obtained near the protuberance 12 in the direction of the pivot 5. In particular, starting from the blocked closed configuration (figure 1), after a rotation of the handle 17 required to unblock the drawer, the handle 17 can be released. After the drawer has been advanced to a certain degree, the second bevel 24 intercepts the tang 13 and, because of the inclination of the bevel, an automatic clockwise rotation of the rocker arm is generated which tends to allow the protuberance 12 to pass under the tang 13, and go beyond it. At this point the rocker arm 4 tends to return to the initial horizontal position, generating the blocked open configuration.
From the above explanation it is clear that, because of the oscillating motion of the rocker arm 4, the first means for blocking 6 and the second means for blocking 10 are never engaged at the same time with the first portion 7 and second portion 11 respectively of the fixed structure. On the contrary, when the first means for blocking 6 and the respective first portion of the fixed structure 7 are engaged, there is a corresponding condition of disengagement between the second means for blocking 10 and the respective second portion 11 of the fixed structure. The foregoing explanation is supported by the fact that the first 6 and second 10 means for blocking achieve two different blocked configurations, respectively closed and open, which cannot both be effective at the same time.
In a further embodiment, not illustrated, the mechanism 1 comprises two rocker arms 4 of the type described above. These rocker arms 4 are rotatably engaged, in the same way as in the embodiment described above, to two opposite side portions 2 of the drawer. In this way they achieve the abovementioned blocked open and blocked closed configurations engaging, each of them, with a respective pin 9 or a respective tang 13.
This invention provides important advantages.
Firstly, the mechanism described reduces the number of components required to make it to a minimum, thus simplifying storage and assembly operations, and consequently reducing production times and costs.
A further advantage is linked to the practicality and intuitiveness the mechanism, which delegates the moving and the operations of blocking and unblocking exclusively to a handle, without any need for direct intervention from the outside on other blocking devices.
A further advantage is the possibility of commanding a blocked condition with the drawer either open or closed, thus increasing the range of use for this mechanism.
Finally, the special geometry of the rocker arm makes it possible to block the drawer automatically in the open or closed positions, with a simple pushing action after the unblocking operation, without any need to check whether the drawer has in its motion reached the correct position for being blocked correctly.

Claims

A blocking mechanism for drawers, a drawer being slidably housed in a fixed structure, comprising at least a rocker arm (4), rotatably hinged to the drawer and exhibiting at least first means for blocking (6) which can engage with a respective first portion (7) of the fixed structure in order to block the drawer in a closed configuration in which the drawer is fully contained within the fixed structure, the mechanism (1) further comprising a handle (17) constrained to a front portion (3) of the drawer, the handle (17) being associated to the at least a rocker arm (4) and implementing an unblocking command of the drawer starting from the closed configuration;
the at least one rocker arm (4) also having second means for blocking (10) which can engage with a respective second portion (11) of the fixed structure in order to block the drawer in an open configuration thereof in which the drawer at least partially projects externally of the fixed structure;
characterised in that the first means for blocking (6) are constituted by a seating (8) afforded in the at least one rocker arm (4) and the second means for blocking (10) are constituted by a protuberance (12), said protuberance (12) being intercepted by the second portion (11) of the fixed structure to block the drawer in the open configuration.
The mechanism of claim 1, characterised in that the rocker arm (4) can move between a blocking position, in which the drawer is blocked, and a non-blocking position, in which the rocker arm (4) is rotated with respect to a position thereof when in the blocking position, in order to enable the drawer to be moved.
The mechanism of any of the previous claims, characterised in that the handle (17) can move between a non-operational position, in which the drawer is in a blocked configuration thereof, and an operational position in which the handle (17) is rotated around an axis (18) thereof in order to command an unblocking operation, starting from the blocked configuration.
The mechanism of claim 3, characterised in that the axis (18) of rotation of the handle (17) is parallel to the front portion (3) of the drawer.
The mechanism of claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the handle (17) comprises means for activating (19), rigidly connected to the handle (17), for generating an oscillation of the at least one rocker arm (4) upon rotation of the handle (17) and then allowing unblocking of the drawer starting from the closed or open configuration.
The mechanism according to claim 5, characterised in that the means for activating (19) comprise a cam (20).
The mechanism according to claim 1, characterised in that the seating (8) is obtained on a first end (15) of the rocker arm (4), located in proximity of the front portion (3) of the drawer.
The mechanism of claim 1 or 7, characterised in that the first portion (7) of the fixed structure is a projecting pin (9), constrained to the fixed structure and complementarily shaped to the respective seating (8) of the at least one rocker arm (4) with which the pin (9) engages.
The mechanism of claim 1, characterised in that the protuberance (12) is fashioned in a second end (16) of the rocker arm (4), which second end (16) is located in a position opposite the front portion (3) of the drawer.
The mechanism according to claim 1 or 9, characterised in that the second portion (11) of the fixed structure is a tang (13), constrained to the fixed structure and extending towards the inside of the drawer, for intercepting the protuberance (12) of the rocker arm (4) in the blocked open configuration.
The mechanism according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that at least one rocker arm (4) is rotatably hinged to a side portion (2) of the drawer.
The mechanism according to any of the previous claims, characterised in that it comprises two rocker arms (4), rotatably fixed to opposite side portions (2) of the drawer, each rocker arm (4) being able to engage with a respective first (7) and second (11) portion of the fixed structure.