GUIDE RAIL OF A GUIDANCE SYSTEM, GUIDANCE SYSTEM, METHOD FOR PRODUCING A GUIDE RAIL AND FURNITURE

Abstract

A guide rail of a guidance system for a push element is proposed, wherein the guide rail is formed as a hollow profile enclosed by wall sections of the guide rail, the wall sections comprising a horizontal wall section and two side wall sections, wherein the horizontal wall section extends parallel and perpendicular to a lengthwise extension of the guide rail, and the side wall section extends parallel and perpendicular to the lengthwise extension of the guide rail, wherein the side wall sections are oriented at an angle to the horizontal wall section. According to the invention, the horizontal wall section and the two side wall sections in a cross section perpendicular to a lengthwise extension of the guide rail form at least for a portion the three side lines of a triangle, wherein the horizontal wall section defines a distal wall of the hollow profile.

Claims

1. A guide rail of a guidance system for a push element, especially for a push element of furniture or a household appliance, wherein the guide rail is formed as a hollow profile enclosed by wall sections of the guide rail, the wall sections comprising a horizontal wall section and two side wall sections, wherein the horizontal wall section extends parallel and perpendicular to a lengthwise extension of the guide rail, and the side wall section extends parallel and perpendicular to the lengthwise extension of the guide rail, wherein the side wall sections are oriented at an angle to the horizontal wall section, wherein the horizontal wall section and the two side wall sections in a cross section perpendicular to a lengthwise extension of the guide rail form at least for a portion the three side lines of a triangle, wherein the horizontal wall section defines a distal wall of the hollow profile.

2. The guide rail of a guidance system for a push element according to claim 1, wherein the wall sections comprise a connection section, wherein the horizontal wall section and the side wall section are joined across the connection section, wherein the connection section comprises a support section and a bend section which is angled on the support section, in particular bent in a curve, and wherein the bend section is angled so much toward the support section that the bend section and the support section subtend a bend angle in a range between 45 angular degrees and 180 angular degrees.

3. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal wall section forms a top side and/or a bottom side of the hollow profile.

4. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the connection section is designed such that one side of the bend section comes to bear against the support section.

5. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail is formed from a formed flat material.

6. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the hollow profile is present in mirror symmetry in two mirror planes in a cross section, the two mirror planes standing perpendicular to each other.

7. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the wall sections comprise a vertical wall section, wherein the vertical wall section joins side wall sections to each other.

8. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the support section is oriented parallel to a side wall section.

9. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the bend section is oriented parallel to a side wall section, in particular parallel to a support section.

10. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the hollow profile comprises an end stop element acting in the lengthwise direction of the hollow profile in the region of the connection section.

11. The guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal wall section and/or the side wall section form a contact surface for portions of a bearing assembly in each case at least for a part length of the guide rail.

12. A guidance system for a push element, especially a linear guidance system for a push element of furniture or a household appliance, wherein the guidance system comprises a structural unit with precisely two guide rails, the guide rails comprising a body rail and a push element rail movably received on the body rail, wherein the push element rail is designed for a connection to the push element, wherein a carriage is provided between segments of the body rail and the push element rail for a relative movement between body rail and push element rail, characterized in that the body rail is designed as a guide rail according to claim 1.

13. A guidance system for a push element, especially a linear guidance system for a push element of furniture or a household appliance, wherein the guidance system comprises a structural unit with precisely three guide rails, the guide rails comprising a body rail, a push element rail and a center rail, wherein the push element rail is designed for a connection to the push element, wherein the center rail is present between the body rail and the push element rail, wherein for a relative movement between the rails there is provided a carriage between segments of the body rail and the center rail and there is provided a carriage between segments of the center rail and the push element rail, wherein the center rail is designed as a guide rail according to claim 1.

14. A method for manufacturing a guide rail according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail is fabricated from a flat material, especially a strip material, wherein the manufacturing of the guide rail is done by a continuous forming process of the flat or strip material.

15. The method for manufacturing a guide rail according to claim 14, wherein the continuous forming process of the flat or strip material is done by a continuous roll forming process.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein a welded connection between segments of the formed flat or strip material is made by a continuous laser welding process in a work step following the continuous forming process of the flat or strip material.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the welding between segments of the formed flat material is done such that the material thickness in the region of the material to be welded is reduced as compared to the remaining regions of the formed flat or strip material.

18. A furniture or household appliance, especially a kitchen appliance, comprising a body and a push element, wherein the push element is received movably on the body with a guidance system, wherein a guidance system for the push element according to claim 1 is present.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0082] Further features and advantages of the present invention are explained more closely with the aid of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention as represented in the figures. Specifically, there are shown:

[0083] FIG. 1 is a schematically represented piece of furniture according to the present invention in perspective view slanting from above with a drawer displaceably received on it;

[0084] FIG. 2 is in cross section, a perspective cutout view of a piece of furniture according to the present invention in the region of a drawer side, adjacent to a furniture body wall and a furniture body bottom;

[0085] FIG. 3 is the cutout of FIG. 2 in a front view;

[0086] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a structural unit of a guidance system according to the present invention;

[0087] FIG. 5 is a perspective representation of an end segment of a center rail of the guidance system of FIG. 4,

[0088] FIG. 6 a front view of the center rail of FIG. 5; and

[0089] FIG. 7 the encircled region A in FIG. 6 in enlarged detail view without an end stop 35.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0090] In part, the same reference numbers are used below for corresponding elements of different exemplary embodiments.

[0091] FIG. 1 shows highly schematized a piece of furniture 1 according to the present invention in a condition of use with a hollow cuboidal furniture body 2 and a push element fashioned as a drawer 3, wherein the drawer 3 is received displaceably on the furniture body 2. The furniture body 2 comprises two opposite vertical side walls 4 and 5, between which the drawer 3 can be pulled out in the horizontal direction from the furniture body 2 per P1 from a condition accommodated in the interior of the furniture body 2 via a guidance system according to the present invention with telescoping guiding means or a first rail full extension 6 and a second rail full extension 7 and pushed into the body in the opposite direction per P2. In FIG. 1, the drawer 3 is shown in the condition moved out to the utmost or entirely from the interior of the furniture body 2. Hence, the storage volume of the drawer 3 is accessible from above with almost no hindrance.

[0092] If the drawer 3 uses a rail partial extension instead of the rail full extensions 6, 7, the drawer 3 in the maximum pulled-out condition cannot be moved so far out from the interior of the furniture body 2 in the direction P1, as is possible with the rail full extensions 6, 7 per the representation in FIG. 1. The front element 12 is then closer to the open front side of the furniture body 2 than is shown in the drawer 3 of FIG. 1.

[0093] The rail full extension 6 screwed to the side wall 4 on the inside is located opposite at the same vertical height as the rail full extension 7 screwed to the side wall 5 and hidden from view in FIG. 1, being indicated by broken lines.

[0094] Further drawers correspondingly guided by rail full extensions 8 and 9 can be accommodated in the furniture body 2 above the drawer 3, not being shown in FIG. 1.

[0095] The drawer 3 comprises oppositely situated drawer side walls 10, 11, each comprising a constructed hollow chamber frame. Furthermore, the drawer 3 comprises a front element 12, a rear wall 13 situated opposite to it in the horizontal direction, and a horizontally extending drawer bottom 14, which reaches as far as the drawer side walls 10, 11, the front element 12 and the rear wall 13 or is joined to them.

[0096] FIGS. 2 and 3 show, in the area of a body side wall 5, a cut-out of a drawer 3 with a drawer bottom 14 and a drawer side wall 11 and a rear wall 13 configured as a hollow chamber frame 15. The drawer 3 is received by two structural units of a guidance system according to the present invention on the furniture body 2 or by a rail full extension 16 according to the present invention on the side wall 5 and in the same manner by a further hollow chamber frame of the drawer 3 on the side wall 4 not visible in FIG. 2. It is received on the side wall 4 by a further structural unit or a further full extension according to the present invention, by which the drawer 3 can move in linear horizontal manner in the directions P1 and P2.

[0097] The hollow chamber frame 15 made preferably from a bent sheet metal material has an external housing 15a and an internal structure 15b, so that the full extension 16 can be recessed into the internal volume of the hollow chamber frame 15. At an inner side of the hollow chamber frame 15, it is configured to receive a lengthwise edge of the drawer bottom 14 in its lower segment.

[0098] The full extension 16 according to the present invention formed as a structural unit of the guidance system comprises three mutually telescopic guide rails or a body rail 17, a center rail 18 and a push element rail 19.

[0099] The center rail 18 is configured as a hollow profile according to the present invention.

[0100] A push element to be moved such as the drawer 3 is coupled or connected to the push element rail 19, for example, it is secured to the hollow chamber frame 15, whereas the body rail is connected to the stationary part of the furniture. If the full extension 16 is being used as a subfloor guide, a bottom side of a push element or its bottom will be braced against a top side 19a of the push element rail 19. A hook element 19b protruding upward at the rear end of the push element rail 19 forms an end stop for a segment of a rear outer side of the push element, wherein for the exact positioning an angled segment of the hook element 19b parallel to the top side 19a engages with a suitably provided recess in the rear outer side of the push element. In this way, the rear region of the full extension 16 in the condition of use is also established in FIG. 4, on the left side in FIG. 4, and a front region of the full extension 16 in the condition of use is established on the right side in FIG. 4.

[0101] Furthermore, the full extension 16 comprises a first or lower carriage 20 with bearing bodies arranged on it, the carriage 20 acting between the body rail 17 and the center rail 18 for a load-transmitting relative movement of the rails 17, 18.

[0102] Moreover, the full extension 16 comprises a second or upper carriage 21 with bearing bodies arranged on it, the carriage 21 acting between the center rail 18 and the push element rail 19 for a load-transmitting relative movement of the rails 18, 19.

[0103] Pins 32 are present on a vertically positioned, inwardly pointing narrow side of a rail body 31 of the body rail 17, by which a movement mechanism 22 of the full extension 16 can be attached, for example, for the ejecting and/or retracting of the drawer 3.

[0104] The body rail 17 includes two L-shaped fastening elements 33 and 34, the fastening elements 33 and 34 serving for the fastening or securing of the full extension to an inner side of the side wall of a body, such as the side wall 5 of the furniture body 2 of the furniture 1.

[0105] The guide rails 17, 18, 19 preferably consist of a sheet metal material, which is formed into the end product of the respective guide rail from the flat sheet metal material, for example, by a stamping and bending process.

[0106] FIG. 5 shows the front end segment of the center rail 18 with respect to the condition of use of the full extension 16. The center rail 18 according to the exemplary embodiment shown comprises an upper flat horizontal wall section 23, a lower flat horizontal wall section 24, two flat upper side wall sections 25, 26, two lower flat side wall sections 27, 28 and intermediate sections 29 and 30.

[0107] The horizontal wall section 23 forms a distal wall or top side of the center rail 18 or the corresponding hollow profile. Accordingly, the horizontal wall section 24 forms a distal wall or bottom side of the center rail 18 or the hollow profile.

[0108] The terms upper and lower pertain to the orientation of the full extension 16 in the condition of use or in the condition mounted on the furniture, especially as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The planes respectively subtended by the mutually parallel horizontal wall sections 23 and 24 and their exterior or distal sides are at least almost horizontally oriented.

[0109] The center rail 18 or the center rail hollow profile is advantageously fashioned in mirror symmetry to the mutually perpendicular planes E1 and E2 (see FIG. 6).

[0110] In FIG. 6, two directions D1 upward and D2 downward are specified parallel to plane E2, indicating a distal direction along a height direction of the center rail 18 in its condition of use or a direction pointing away from the center along the longitudinal axis L. Distal directions likewise exist along the plane E1, running along a width direction of the center rail 18.

[0111] In order to limit a relative movement of the lower carriage 20 and the upper carriage 21 with respect to the center rail 18 in the lengthwise extension of the center rail 18 along a central longitudinal axis L (see FIG. 5), upper end stops 35 and lower end stops 36 are provided on the center rail 18.

[0112] In the assembled full extension 16, the bearing bodies received on the carriages 20, 21 run on the outwardly directed sides of the center rail 18 or on the horizontal wall sections 23, 24 and the side wall sections 25-28. The lower carriage 20 engages by its segments 20a and 20b carrying the bearing bodies on the outside of the horizontal wall section 24 and the side wall sections 27, 28.

[0113] The upper carriage 21 engages by its segments 21a and 21b carrying the bearing bodies on the outside of the horizontal wall section 23 and the side wall sections 25, 26.

[0114] Accordingly, the respective corresponding bearing bodies of the lower carriage 20 roll on the distal side or the outer side 24a of the lower horizontal wall section 24, on the outer side 27a of the side wall section 27 and on the outer side 28a of the side wall section 28.

[0115] The respective corresponding bearing bodies of the upper carriage 21 roll on the distal side or the outer side 23a of the upper horizontal wall section 23, on the outer side 25a of the side wall section 25 and on the outer side 26a of the side wall section 26.

[0116] The bearing bodies of the carriage 20, 21 are preferably outwardly cylindrical bearing bodies or roller bearing bodies such as bearing rollers or bearing needles.

[0117] The center rail 18 formed from an originally flat and level metal sheet is formed as a hollow profile and has a material bond or a welded connection or narrow weld seam 37 over its length along the longitudinal axis L. The weld seam 37 produced preferably with a continuous laser method joins narrow, blunt abutting sides of a lower part region 30a and an upper part region 30b of the intermediate section 30.

[0118] For an advantageously to be produced material bond of the part regions 30a and 30b, their mutually facing edges 38 or the edges 38 of the blunt abutting sides are reduced in the material thickness or in the material strength with respect to the material thickness or the sheet metal thickness s (see FIG. 7) of the remaining material of the center rail 18 and lie, for example, in the range of half the material thickness (see FIG. 6) as compared to the sheet metal thickness s possessed uniformly by the remaining material regions.

[0119] Each time a uniform connection section 39 is formed between a first lengthwise edge of the upper horizontal wall section 23 and the side wall section 25 and between a second lengthwise edge of the upper horizontal wall section 23 and the side wall section 26.

[0120] In corresponding fashion, each time a uniform connection section 40 is formed between a first lengthwise edge of the lower horizontal wall section 24 and the side wall section 27 and between a second lengthwise edge of the lower horizontal wall section 24 and the side wall section 28.

[0121] Preferably or especially for a mirror symmetry about two perpendicular planes E1, E2, all four connection sections 39 and 40 are fashioned identically.

[0122] For a better representation, the end stop 35 is left out in FIG. 7.

[0123] The connection sections 39, 40 are formed by a forming or bending process and extend over the entire length of the center rail 18. The connection sections 39, 40 are loop shaped in the cross section per FIGS. 6 and 7. The connection sections 39 protrude partly beyond the distal side or beyond the top side of the center rail 18 formed by the horizontal wall section 23. The connection sections 40 also protrude partly beyond the distal side or beyond the bottom side of the center rail 18 formed by the horizontal wall section 24.

[0124] With the connection sections 39, 40, on the one hand, advantageously a connection of mutually angled flat segments of the center rail 18, i.e., a horizontal wall section 23, 24 and an adjoining side wall section 25-27, made from a continuous originally flat sheet metal segment, is advantageously achieved, and on the other hand a highly mechanically stable hollow profile is provided. In particular, the center rail 18 has a relatively large bending rigidity to bending along the longitudinal axis L and an elevated stability to twisting or to torsion about the longitudinal axis L.

[0125] On the whole, this helps provide a reinforcing of the center rail 18 as compared to a connection of a horizontal wall section to a side wall section by a simple bend between the horizontal wall section and the side wall section.

[0126] The configuration and stabilization is furthermore enabled in a compact or space-saving and material-saving manner.

[0127] The preferably identical connection sections 39, 40 shall be explained below with the specific connection section 39 shown in FIG. 7.

[0128] As becomes especially clear in detail from the front view of FIG. 7, an outwardly directed flat bend section 42 adjoins the upper horizontal wall section 23 or sideways on the outside along the length of the horizontal wall section 23 across a first bend 41 at a location B1. A further bend 43, opposite the bend 41 by 180 angular degrees, adjoins the bend section 42 and passes into a support section 44. The support section 44 is adjacent and parallel to the bend section 42. The support section 44 is extended with no further bend into the upper side wall section 26 or the support section 44 represents an extension of the side wall section 26. The flat side wall section 26 extends across the segment width a1 downward at a slant to a further bend 45, which passes into the intermediate section 30 with the vertical or perpendicular wall section.

[0129] Advantageously, one inner side of the bend section 42 is in bearing contact with an inner side of the support section 44 for most of its extension.

[0130] For the upper bearing bodies of the upper carriage 21, which roll on the outer side 23a of the horizontal wall section 23 during a displacement movement of the rails 18 and 19, the upwardly bent bend section 42 can act as a side boundary, along the length of the center rail 18 between the front end stops 35 and the rear end stops 35.

[0131] On the other lengthwise side of the horizontal wall section 23, the corresponding bend section of the other connection section 39 acts in corresponding fashion as a further side boundary of the upper bearing bodies of the carriage 21.

[0132] In the height direction, an elevation a2 is produced on the hollow profile with the connection section 39 from the top side 23a of the horizontal wall section 23 to a highest point H1 in the area outside of the bend 43. The values a2 and a3 may also be less than or equal to zero.

[0133] In the width direction or transversely to the height direction, a broadening a3 is produced on the hollow profile with the connection section 39 from the point B1 on the lengthwise edge of the horizontally oriented top side 23a of the horizontal wall section 23 to a maximum outwardly situated point B2 in the area outside of the bend 43.

[0134] An internal angle ? between the plane along the inner side of the horizontal wall section 23 and the plane along the inner side of the side wall section 26 is preferably between 20 and 70 angular degrees, preferably between 35 and 55 angular degrees, preferably around 45 angular degrees, which is realized for the center rail 18.

[0135] Basically, for the same configuration of the connection section 39, the side wall section 26 per FIG. 7 can form a horizontal wall section of an alternative center rail according to the present invention and the horizontal wall section 23 per FIG. 7 can form a side wall section of the alternative center rail.

[0136] In other words, the cut-out per FIG. 7 can be rotated counterclockwise until the side wall section 26 is oriented horizontally and forms the horizontal wall section of the alternative center rail. The connection section 39 then constitutes the transition from the alternative horizontal wall section to the alternative side wall section. Thus, on the alternative horizontal wall section, there is no protrusion beyond its top side.

[0137] Thus, neither is there any side boundary function for the bearing bodies of the upper carriage 21, which roll on the outer side of the horizontal wall section.

[0138] However, then the bend section 42 forms a side upper boundary for the bearing bodies of the upper carriage 21, which roll on the outer side of the alternative side wall section.

[0139] Other departures from the full extension 16 shown in FIGS. 2 to 7, especially from the configuration of the center rail and especially the connection section 39 and 40, likewise lie within the present invention and result in alternative advantageous center rails according to the invention.

[0140] For example, according to an alternative advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the bearing contact between the inner side of the bend section 42 and the inner side of the support section 44 is entirely or partially eliminated, so that a preferably smaller distance or air gap results in the millimeter range between the inner side of the bend section 42 and the inner side of the support section 44.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0141] 1 Furniture [0142] 2 Furniture body [0143] 3 Drawer [0144] 4 Side wall [0145] 5 Side wall [0146] 6 Rail full extension [0147] 7 Rail full extension [0148] 8 Rail full extension [0149] 9 Rail full extension [0150] 10 Drawer side wall [0151] 11 Drawer side wall [0152] 12 Front element [0153] 13 Rear wall [0154] 14 Drawer bottom [0155] 15 Hollow chamber frame [0156] 15a Housing [0157] 15b Internal structure [0158] 16 Full extension [0159] 17 Body rail [0160] 18 Center rail [0161] 19 Push element rail [0162] 19a Top side [0163] 19b Hook element [0164] 20 Carriage [0165] 20a Segment [0166] 20b Segment [0167] 21 Carriage [0168] 21a Segment [0169] 21b Segment [0170] 22 Movement mechanism [0171] 23 Horizontal wall section [0172] 23a Outer side [0173] 24 Horizontal wall section [0174] 24a Outer side [0175] 25 Side wall section [0176] 25a Outer side [0177] 26 Side wall section [0178] 26a Outer side [0179] 27 Side wall section [0180] 27a Outer side [0181] 28 Side wall section [0182] 28a Outer side [0183] 29 Intermediate section [0184] 30 Intermediate section [0185] 30a Part region [0186] 30b Part region [0187] 31 Rail body [0188] 32 Pin [0189] 33 Fastening element [0190] 34 Fastening element [0191] 35 End stop [0192] 36 End stop [0193] 37 Weld seam [0194] 38 Edge [0195] 39 Connection section [0196] 40 Connection section [0197] 41 Bend [0198] 42 Bend section [0199] 43 Bend [0200] 44 Support section [0201] 45 Bend