Damping or return device for sliding door leaves

Abstract

A damping or return device for sliding door leaves, particularly for furniture, which is constituted by a steel pin that slideably and axially interacts within a magnet constituted by a diametrically differently-polarized collar.

Claims

1. A damping or return device for sliding door leaves of furniture, the device comprising: a steel pin which is associated with a door leaf of furniture and slideably and axially interacts within a magnet constituted by a diametrically differently-polarized collar comprising mutually coupled first and second portions having opposing polarities.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the steel pin has a first head which is polygonal in plan view from which a shank protrudes axially, an end tip of which is substantially V-shaped or rounded.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the shank of the steel pin moves in contrast with a damping element.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the damping element comprises at least one spring arranged within the magnet.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the damping element comprises at least one spring which is arranged outside the magnet.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein the shank of the pin can be slideably and axially arranged inside the magnet without sliding friction.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein the magnet is divided into a first half-collar and a second half-collar, which are coupled together and are mutually identical and have opposing polarities.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the first half-collar has a north polarity and the second half-collar has a south polarity.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the length of the damping element is shorter than that of the magnet, at an end of the damping element directed toward the end tip of the pin having an insert which can slide axially within the magnet, the insert having a second head which is shaped complementarily to the end tip of the pin.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the damping element is associated with and protrudes at right angles from a first appendage which is in turn associated with and protrudes radially from the first head, the damping element being arranged substantially parallel to the shank of the pin in the direction of the end tip of the shank, the end of the damping element interacting in abutment with a second appendage which protrudes radially from one of the first or second half-collars which make up the magnet.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the collar is shaped complementarily to the pin, the collar having two ends open or one of the two is closed.

12. A damping or return device for sliding door leaves of furniture, the device comprising: a magnetic collar having first and second portions with opposing polarities arranged diametrically opposite of each other, the magnetic collar associated with a first sliding door leaf; and a steel pin associated with a second sliding door leaf, wherein the pin is adapted to slide axially within the magnetic collar and the pin is thereby retained within the magnetic collar to retain the first and second door leaves in a closed position.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the magnetic collar has an opening to receive the pin, the opening shaped complementarily to a shank of the pin.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the shank of the pin slides axially within the opening of the magnetic collar without sliding friction.

15. The device according to claim 12, further comprising the damping element associated with one of the first sliding door leaf or second sliding door leaf, wherein the pin moves in contrast with a damping element when damping movement of the first door leaf relative to the second door leaf.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the damping element comprises a spring arranged inside the magnet.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the damping element comprises a spring, wherein a length of the spring is shorter than a length of the magnetic collar.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the damping element is associated with and protrudes at a right angle from a first appendage which is associated with and protrudes radially from the pin, the damping element being arranged substantially parallel to a length of the pin, an end of the damping element abutting a second appendage which protrudes radially from the magnetic collar.

19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the damping element comprises a spring arranged outside the magnetic collar.

20. A damping or return device for sliding door leaves of furniture, the device comprising: a magnetic collar having a first half-collar and a second half-collar with opposing polarities coupled together, the magnetic collar associated with a first sliding door leaf; and a steel pin associated with a second sliding door leaf, wherein the pin is adapted to slide axially within the magnetic collar and the pin is thereby retained within the magnetic collar to retain the first and second door leaves in a closed position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a device according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the device coupled to the diametrically differently-polarized collar;

(5) FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the device coupled to the diametrically differently-polarized collar;

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V in FIG. 2;

(7) FIG. 6 is a view of a device which is similar to the view in FIG. 2 in which there is a damping element arranged in the diametrically differently-polarized collar;

(8) FIG. 7 is a view of the device which is similar to the view in FIG. 1 in which there is a damping element;

(9) FIG. 8 is a view of the device in FIG. 7, similar to the view in FIG. 2;

(10) FIG. 9 is a view of the device showing the pin coupled, in the end-of-stroke condition, to the diametrically differently-polarized collar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(11) In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

(12) With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a device that is associated with a slideable door leaf, particularly for furniture and the like (not shown).

(13) The device 1 is constituted by a pin 2, made of steel, with a first head 3 which is polygonal, preferably circular, in plan view with a H-shaped transverse cross-section, from which a polygonal, preferably circular, shank 4 protrudes axially, the end tip 5 of which is substantially V-shaped or rounded.

(14) The device 1 is further made up of a magnet 6 which is constituted by a collar and is shaped complementarily to the shank 4 of the pin 2 and therefore is, in the particular embodiment, circular in plan view.

(15) The collar that constitutes the magnet 6 has its two ends open, or one of the two is closed.

(16) The shank 4 of the pin 2 can be slideably and axially arranged inside the magnet 6.

(17) The magnet 6 is diametrically polarized differently: it is therefore, from the magnetic point of view, divided into a first half-collar 6a and a second half-collar 6b, which are coupled together and are mutually identical, are semicircular and have opposing polarities.

(18) For example the first half-collar 6a has a north polarity N and the second half-collar 6b has a south polarity S.

(19) The magnet 6 is structured so that upon the insertion into it of the shank 4 of the pin 2 the latter is slideable without sliding friction.

(20) The shank 4 of the steel pin 2 moves in contrast with a damping element 7 which is constituted for example by a spring arranged inside the diametrically differently-polarized magnet 6.

(21) In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the damping element 7 is arranged inside the diametrically differently-polarized magnet 6; advantageously the length of the damping element 7 is shorter than that of the diametrically differently-polarized magnet 6.

(22) At the end 8 of the damping element 7 directed toward the end tip 5 of the pin 2, the complementarily-shaped shank 9 of an insert 10 which can slide within the magnet 6 is axially inserted.

(23) The insert 10 advantageously has a second head 11 which is complementarily shaped to the end tip 5 of the pin 2 in order to facilitate the mutual coupling.

(24) FIGS. 7 to 9 show a solution in which the damping element 7 is associated with and protrudes at right angles from a first appendage 12 which is in turn associated with and protrudes radially from the first head 3.

(25) The damping element 7 is arranged substantially parallel to the shank 4 in the direction of the free end 5 of the shank 4.

(26) The free end 8 of the damping element 7 interacts in abutment with a second appendage 13 which protrudes radially from one of the first or second half-collars 6a, 6b which make up the magnet 6; in the embodiment shown, the second appendage 13 protrudes from the second half-collar 6a.

(27) Operation of the device is as follows: after having obtained the diametrically differently-polarized magnet 6, in the final stage of closing a door leaf, with which the pin 2 is associated, the shank 4 penetrates inside the magnet 6 and is kept in axial alignment by it without there being sliding friction.

(28) The end tip 5 of the shank 4 then interacts with the damping element 7, if present, which slows the stroke thereof until it is stopped at the desired point when it reaches its stroke limit, optimally and continuously, and exerting a force that is constant both during closing and during opening.

(29) The presence of the insert 10 makes it possible to improve the sliding of the spring inside the collar and improve the compression and elongation phase of that spring.

(30) In practice it has been found that the invention has fully achieved the intended aim and objects, a device being obtained that can be applied to sliding doors or door leaves, including existing doors or door leaves, and is provided with a simple structure that, partly thanks to the use of the diametrically differently-polarized collar, is free from the presence of sliding friction between components and from sticking, thus making it possible to achieve the optimal guided closing and opening of the door or of the door leaf while preventing the same from slamming on the wall of the item of furniture.

(31) Furthermore, the weight and dimensions and cost of the device are contained, while at the same time making it possible to contain the friction and elements of play in the various movements, so as to optimize the movement and the sliding of the door leaf.

(32) Obviously, the materials used as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the invention may be more relevant according to specific requirements.

(33) The various means of achieving certain different functions certainly need not coexist only in the embodiment shown, but may be present in many embodiments, even if they are not shown.

(34) The characteristics indicated above as advantageous, convenient or the like, may also be missing or be substituted by equivalent characteristics.

(35) The disclosures in Italian Utility Model Application No. MI2014U000344 (202014902308351) from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

(36) Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.