Wall for a piece of furniture, method for producing such a wall, and furniture body or piece of furniture having such a wall

Abstract

A method for producing a wall for a piece of furniture involves providing two panel-form core halves, of which at least one has at least one aperture extending only along a portion of a side surface of the core half. A fitting or fitting housing is inserted into the at least one aperture and the two core halves are joining together to form a composite element enclosing the fitting or fitting housing. Side surfaces of the two core halves are located one upon the other. A narrow-surface coating is applied to at least one end surface of the composite element, the end surface being oriented transversely to the side surface. An opening is formed in a portion of the at least one end surface. The opening extends as far as the fitting, or the fitting housing.

Claims

1. A method for producing a wall for a piece of furniture, the method comprising: providing two core halves, wherein at least one of the two core halves has at least one recess extending only along a portion of a side surface of the at least one of the two core halves, wherein the two core halves are panels; inserting a fitting or a fitting housing into the at least one recess and joining the two core halves together to form a composite element enclosing the fitting or the fitting housing, wherein side surface of the at least one of the two core halves rests on a side surface of the other one of the at least two core halves; applying a narrow-surface coating to at least one end surface of the composite element, wherein the end surface of the composite element is oriented transversely to the side surfaces of the two core halves; and inserting an opening in a portion of the at least one end surface of the composite element, wherein the opening extends into the composite element up to the fitting or the fitting housing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recess projects, except for a material web, up to the at least one end surface of the composite element before the step of inserting the opening.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the material web and the narrow-surface coating applied to the material web are removed prior to inserting the opening.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the opening is milled out, lasered out, cut out, or punched out.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one recess is milled out of the at least one core half.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one recess is milled out with a milling tool from the side surface of the at least one core half.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one core half having the at least one recess is produced with the recess in a master molding process.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the two core halves are glued together.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitting or the fitting housing is bonded to at least one of the two core halves within the at least one recess.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitting or the fitting housing engages in the two core halves with staples or claws for its attachment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting elements are formed from the two core halves adjacent to the at least one recess, and wherein the connecting elements engage in the fitting or the fitting housing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the fitting or the fitting housing has side panels with recesses and the fitting or fitting housing is inserted into the two core halves in such a way that the connecting elements engage in the recesses.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, prior to the applying of the narrow-surface coating, the at least one end surface of the composite element oriented transversely to the side surface is formatted to obtain a flat end surface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the end surface is formatted by sawing or milling.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein a flat coating is applied to an outer side surface, opposite of the at least one recess, of the two core halves before or after joining the two core halves.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the narrow-surface coating is also applied to further end surfaces of the composite element into which no opening is inserted.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitting has a lever mechanism that guides a movable furniture part of the piece of furniture.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the lever mechanism is located between outer side surfaces of the wall when the movable furniture part is closed.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the wall is a side wall or a partition wall of the piece of furniture.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitting is a flap fitting or a door fitting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) The invention is explained in more detail in the following by means of exemplary embodiments by reference to the figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an example of a piece of furniture with a wall according to the application; and

(3) FIGS. 2 to 6 each show an isometric representation of a wall in accordance with the application at different stages of its production process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows an isometric representation of a wall unit, e.g., of a kitchen, as the first exemplary embodiment of a piece of furniture with a (side) wall according to the application.

(5) The wall unit comprises a furniture body 10 with bottom panel 11 and top panel 12 as well as two side walls 13. A rear panel is preferably provided for reasons of stability, among others, but is not shown in this exemplary embodiment.

(6) The furniture body 10 is open to the front to gain access to the interior of the furniture body 10. In the context of the application, “front” is understood to be the direction of the furniture body pointing into the room. A flap arrangement 20 with an integral flap 21 is provided to be able to close the opening of the furniture body 10. The integral flap 21 is pivoted around an (imaginary) horizontal axis. Fittings 30 are provided for this purpose, which are connected to the integral flap 21 with a lever mechanism 31 in the upper area of the integral flap 21.

(7) In this case, the fittings 30 are arranged within the respective side wall 13 (except for the lever mechanism 31, which is extended in the opening position shown). When the flap 21 is closed, the lever mechanism 31 is completely retracted into the side wall 13, except optionally for mounting elements for connection to the flap 21. The area inside the side wall 13 where the fitting 30 is located is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 1.

(8) The side wall 13 is characterized by side surfaces 131, which are ideally integral and can have the same surface finish over the entire surface. The surface of the integral side walls 131 can create design effects through different patterns, surface finishes, or different colors. This preferably applies to an outer of the side walls 131 as well as to an inner of the side walls 131 facing the interior of the furniture body 10. The side walls 13 also have an end surface 132 (also called narrow surface), which has an opening 133 in the area of fitting 30, into which the lever mechanism 31 of the fitting 30 enters or from which the lever mechanism 31 exits. In the closed state of the flap arrangement 20, the lever mechanism 31 is completely immersed in the opening 133, except for possible fastening means with which it is connected to the integral flap 21.

(9) According to the application, the side walls are 13 composite elements 40, which are explained in more detail in connection with FIGS. 2 to 6.

(10) In the exemplary embodiment of a piece of furniture shown in FIG. 1, the composite elements 40, which form the side walls 13, are characterized by continuous side surfaces with a uniform surface appearance and haptics over the entire surface. In addition, the end surfaces are provided with a narrow-surface coating, which is also uniform and continuous. In particular, the front end surface, which has the opening 133 from which the lever mechanism 31 of the fitting 30 pivots out, is also provided with a continuous narrow-surface coating except for the opening 133.

(11) An exemplary embodiment of a composite element 40, with which this is achieved, is shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 at various stages of its production.

(12) As FIG. 2 shows in an isometric diagram, in a first production step two core halves 41a, 41b are provided, which later together form the basic element of the composite element 40. In the example shown, the two core halves 41a. 41b are mirror images of each other.

(13) The core halves 41a, 41b, for example, are made of a chipboard or a medium or high density fiberboard (MDF—Medium Density Fiberboard or HDF—High Density Fiberboard). The core halves 41a, 41b each have a rectangular allowance of the size that will later have the side or partition wall in the furniture body to be produced (cf., e.g., side wall 13 of the furniture body 10 according to the example in FIG. 1). A respective outer side surface (also called wide surface) 411 of each core half 41a, 41b in the joined composite element 40 can already be provided with a coating which will later form the surface of the composite element 40. The coating may comprise a thin layer of wood, paper, plastic or paint. For example, the coating can already be applied to a large area of panel material from which the core halves 41a, 41b are sawn. Preferably, this coating is already provided with a decorative surface. Its thickness ranges from a few tenths of a millimeter to around 1 or 2 millimeters (mm).

(14) An inner side surface 412 of the core halves 41a, 41b, i.e., the surface with which the core halves 41a, 41b lie on top of each other in the composite element 40, can be uncoated. However, there may also be a coating, e.g., with melamine resin paper, which prevents the core half from warping. In addition, the core halves 41a, 41b each have a front end surface 413 and (in the figures only partially visible) further end surfaces 414. The other end surfaces 414 face up, down and back. The end surfaces 413, 414 are preferably not coated at this stage of the method.

(15) Both core halves 41a, 41b are each provided with a recess 42, which are as symbolically indicated, milled out of the panel material of the core halves 41a, 41b, for example, with the aid of a milling tool 1. The contours of the recess 42 of core half 41a, which is not visible in FIG. 2, are shown as dashed lines for clarity.

(16) After later joining the two core halves 41a, 41b, the two recesses 42 form a continuous cavity into which a fitting not yet shown in FIG. 2 is inserted. The recesses 42 have the same geometry in the example shown. They can also be designed differently and in particular have different depths. The shape of the recesses 42 depends on the fitting to be inserted and its outer geometry. For example, the contour of the recesses 42 corresponds to the outer contour of a fitting to be inserted, in this case an approximately rectangular contour. In a special case it is also conceivable that a recess 42 is only inserted into one of the two core halves 41a, 41b, while the other of the two core halves 41a, 41b does not have a recess 42.

(17) Even if the core halves 41a, 41b are of the same thickness in the example shown, the term “core halves” in the context of the application also includes core halves 41a, 41b of different thicknesses.

(18) The recesses 42 can, for example, each be milled into the core halves 41a, 41b with the symbolically displayed milling tool 1. Other machining techniques can also be used to create the recesses 42. As an alternative to the machining or ablative process for producing the recess 42, a master molding process (e.g., according to the DIN 8580 standard) can also be used to produce the core halves 41a, 41b, by means of which the respective core half 41a, 41b at least partially already obtains its finished shape including the recess 42. With an appropriate forming tool, the recess 42 can also be pressed during the production of the panel.

(19) It needs to be noted that machining can be performed from the inner side surface 412 of the respective core half 41a, 41b. Thus, the recess can easily assume any depth (as seen from the front end surface 413) and is suitable to accommodate also fittings with a large installation depth. In addition, shapes such as undercuts can be created which are not possible when machining a panel from the end surface.

(20) The recesses 42 are each inserted in such a way that they are disposed completely inside the composite element 40 when the composite element 40 is joined and do not reach the outer surface at any point after the core halves 41a, 41b have been joined.

(21) This applies to the outer side surfaces 411 opposite the recess 42, of which only the outer side surface 411 of the core half 41a is visible in FIG. 2. The recesses 42 thus each have a bottom 421, which may be flat or stepped, adapted to the fitting to be used. In this case, the remaining material thickness of the core halves 41a, 41b in the area of the bottom can be in the range of several millimeters.

(22) Furthermore, this also applies to all end surfaces 413, 414 of the core halves 41a, 41b and in particular to the front end surface 413. The lever mechanism 31 of the fitting visible in FIG. 1 will later extend from this front end surface 413. In the first production step of the composite element 40, material respectively remains in the area of the recess 42 along the entire front end surface 413.

(23) A corresponding remaining material web 415 is visible in FIG. 2. The recess 42 adjoins the material web 415 with a front side edge 422. To the rear, top and bottom, the recess is limited by further side edges 423.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a next processing step, in which a fitting 30 is inserted into the recess 42 and the two core halves 41a, 41b are joined together with the accommodated fitting 30. For this purpose, the fitting 30 can, for example, be inserted between the two core halves 41a, 41b in one step, and both core halves 41a, 41b can be closed and joined together in a next step in the manner of a shell around the fitting 30.

(25) Alternatively, the fitting 30 can first be inserted into one of the recesses 42. Then the second core half 41a, 41b with its recess 42 is placed over the fitting 30 and the two core halves 41a, 41b are joined together and connected to each other. To connect fitting 30 to the core halves 41a, 41b and also to connect the core halves 41a, 41b to each other, different connecting techniques can be used individually or in combination. For example, it is possible to glue the fitting 30 to the core halves 41a, 41b over as large an area as possible. In addition, tabs or claws can be formed on the fitting 30 which engage in the material of one or both core halves 41a, 41b. For example, tabs can be provided all around the center of fitting 30 (with the exception of the front side where the lever mechanism 31 is arranged), which in principle protrude beyond the recess and are located between the two core halves 41a, 41b. At the edge of the recess 42, corresponding depressions are made in the remaining material of the core halves 41a, 41b, in particular also milled in, in which the tabs are inserted.

(26) It is also conceivable that along the edge of the recess 42, the extending further side edges 423 are not exclusively formed by angularly adjoining straight sections, but instead, preferably at several points, undercut connecting elements are formed, wherein side panels of the fitting 30 have corresponding mating contours.

(27) A particularly flat gluing of side surfaces of the fitting 30 with the bottom 421 of the recesses 42 has the advantage that in the area of the recess 42, the core halves 41a, 41b can be recessed except for a particularly thin layer of material, for example only a few millimeters thick, since this thin layer of material of the core halves 41a, 41b is stabilized by the fitting 30. In this way, a composite element 40 can be created that is only slightly thicker than the installation height of the fitting 30. In the example shown, the fitting 30 has side panels 32 on which the lever mechanism 31 is mounted and between which the lever mechanism 31 enters. These side panels 32 can be used in whole or in part as adhesive surfaces.

(28) FIG. 4 shows the joined composite element 40, which contains the fitting 30 without being accessible from one of the side surfaces 411 or the end surfaces 413, 414.

(29) In a following processing step, the result of which is shown in FIG. 5, a narrow-surface coating 43 is applied to preferably all end surfaces 413, 414 of the core halves 41a, 41b. Due to this narrow-surface coating 43, which respectively covers the width of the end surfaces 413 and 414 of both core halves 41a, 41b, it is no longer visible that the composite element 40 is composed of two separate core halves 41a, 41b. Rather, it has the appearance of a single panel, the side surfaces or end surfaces of which are each coated continuously and uniformly.

(30) Plastic, for example, is used as the material for the narrow-surface coating 43. This narrow-surface coating 43 is also preferably already provided with a decorative surface or is painted after application. Its thickness ranges from a few tenths of a millimeter to about 1 or 2 millimeters (mm). Standard industry methods can be used to apply the narrow-surface coating 43. For example, the narrow-surface coating 43 can be formed by an edge band that is fixed, for example, with hot-melt adhesive or by means of an adhesive activated by laser radiation, wherein a lateral projection is removed and trimmed after application by milling and/or peeling with a peeler blade.

(31) Due to tolerances in the dimensions of the core halves 41a, b and/or due to processing tolerances, a step may occur between the end surfaces 413, 414 when the core halves 41a, 41b are joined together. In order to achieve a high-quality narrow-surface coating 43, end surfaces 413, 414 lying on top of each other are advantageously formatted before the narrow-surface coating 43 is applied, wherein the step is removed and a common, flat surface is created, to which the narrow-surface coating 43 is applied. This can be done e.g., by a saw cut performed perpendicularly to the outer side surface 411 or by milling off the end of the end surfaces 413, 414, for example.

(32) In a last processing step, shown in FIG. 6, a further milling tool 2 is used to mill the composite element 40 on the end surface in the area of fitting 30. In this way, an opening 44 is created through which the lever mechanism 31 of the fitting 30 is accessible. The height of the resulting opening 44 extends over an area of the fitting 30 where the lever mechanism 31 extends. Accordingly, the material webs 415 that delimit the recesses 42 to the front, including the sections of the narrow-surface coating 43 located on them, are essentially removed in this step. The narrow-surface coating 43 remains above and below the opening 44, but optionally also laterally from the opening 44, thus achieving the uniform surface finish of the composite element 40 also on the front end surface.

(33) In order to prevent damage to the fitting 30 and in particular to the lever mechanism 31 during the milling step, the fitting 30 is preferably inserted into the recesses 42 in such a way that a small gap remains between the fitting 30 and the front side edges 422 of the recesses 42, i.e., the material webs 415.

(34) The opening 44 can also be created by alternative methods to milling. The material webs 415 delimiting the recesses 42 to the front, including the sections of the narrow-surface coating 43 located on them, can also be removed by a laser process or another cutting/punching process, for example.

(35) In the example described, the fitting 30 is directly integrated into the composite element 40. However, it can also be provided that during the production of the composite element 40, instead of the complete fitting 30, initially only a fitting housing is inserted into the composite element 40. After production of the opening 44, the actual movement fitting can be inserted into the fitting housing through the opening 44. Preferably, the fitting housing and the then inserted fitting have interacting, e.g., latching, mounting elements, so that the fitting can be mounted easily. It is advantageous in this case that the actual movement fitting is not yet included in the composite element when creating the opening 44 and therefore there is basically no risk of damage or direct contamination of the fitting (e.g., by chips) during the insertion of the opening 44. Another advantage of the two-part design is that different fittings can be inserted into a composite element prepared with the fitting housing and that the fitting can be removed again for repair or replacement if necessary.

(36) Alternatively or additionally, as additional protection for the integrated fitting 30, a cover can be inserted on the side of the opening 44 to be cut out, between the fitting 30 or the fitting housing and the remaining web 415, which cover can be removed after the production of the opening 44 on the end surface. In case of an already inserted fitting 30, this cover is preferably thin. In the case of a fitting housing inserted in the composite element, this cover can also be more solid so that it supports the material webs 415 during the insertion of the opening 44.

(37) Although the invention has been illustrated and described in detail by way of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the examples disclosed, and other variations can be derived from these by the person skilled in the art without leaving the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that there is a plurality of possible variations. It is also clear that embodiments stated by way of example are only really examples that are not to be seen as limiting the scope, application possibilities or configuration of the invention in any way. In fact, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete manner, wherein, with the knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, the person skilled in the art is able to undertake various changes, for example, with regard to the functioning or arrangement of individual elements stated in an exemplary embodiment without leaving the scope of the invention, which is defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(38) 1 Milling tool 2 Further milling tool 10 Furniture body 11 Bottom panel 12 Top panel 13 Side wall 131 Side surface 132 End surface 133 Opening in end surface 20 Flap arrangement 21 Flap 30 Fitting 31 Lever mechanism 32 Side panel 40 Composite element 41a, 41b Core half 411 Outer side surface 412 Inner side surface 413 Front end surface 414 Further end surface 415 Remaining web 42 Recess 421 Bottom 422 Front side edge 423 Further side edge 43 Narrow-surface coating 44 Opening in end surface