Housing for at least partially accommodating a furniture fitting

• US 8,439,458 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2011
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Julius BLUM GmbH (BLUM Verwaltung GmbH)
• Inventors: Netzer, Emanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hansen, James O
• Assistant Examiner(s): TEFERA, HIWOT E
• Application Number:
  US13/019,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 312/319.5, 312/319.6, 312/319.8, 312/322, 312/323, 312/325, 312/223.1, 312/139.1, 312/205, 312/319.2, 312/327, 162/42, 493/60, 248/298.1
• US Class Current: 312/327
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/262 folding vertically
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/10 Covers; Housings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/11 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/205 forming a unit
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets

Abstract

A housing for at least partially accommodating a furniture fitting is designed such that it can be changed in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing.

Claims

1. A furniture fitting comprising:

a housing which is variable in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a stationary housing portion and a movable housing portion which is displaceable relative to the stationary housing portion or releasably fixed to the stationary housing portion;

a drive device disposed within the housing;

an electric line for supplying power to the drive device; and

an adjusting arm for moving a flap,

wherein the adjusting arm pivots about an axis of rotation and is pivotally driven by the drive device to move the flap, the axis of rotation being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the adjusting arm,

wherein the stationary housing portion and the moving housing portion define a continuous hollow space,

wherein the electric line is disposed in and extends through the continuous hollow space and the stationary housing portion, and

wherein the furniture fitting is a furniture hinge for moving the flap.

2. The furniture fitting of claim 1, wherein the movable housing portion is telescopically mounted to the stationary housing portion.

3. The furniture fitting of claim 1, wherein the movable housing portion is releasably fixed to the stationary housing portion.

4. The furniture fitting of claim 1, wherein the stationary housing portion and the movable housing portion are substantially aligned with each other over their entire longitudinal extent.

5. The furniture fitting of claim 1, wherein the movable housing portion is connected to the stationary housing portion by at least one releasable fixing device.

6. The furniture fitting of claim 5, wherein the at least one releasable fixing device is a mechanical latching connection.

7. An item of furniture comprising:

a furniture body;

a movable furniture part which is movable relative to the furniture body; and

a furniture fitting which includes

(i) a housing which is variable in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a stationary housing portion and a movable housing portion which is displaceable relative to the stationary housing portion or releasable fixed to the stationary housing portion;

(ii) a drive device disposed within the housing;

(iii) an electric line for supplying power to the drive device; and

(iv) an adjusting arm for moving a furniture part,

wherein the adjusting arm pivots about an axis of rotation and is pivotally driven by the drive device to move the furniture part, the axis of rotation being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the adjusting arm,

wherein the stationary housing portion and the moving housing portion define a continuous hollow space,

wherein the electric line is disposed in and extends through the continuous hollow space and the stationary housing portion,

wherein the stationary housing portion is fixed to a side wall of the furniture body,

wherein the adjusting arm is connected to the movable furniture part for displacing the movable furniture part relative to the furniture body, and

wherein the drive device displaces the adjusting arm and the movable furniture part relative to the stationary housing portion and the movable housing portion.

8. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the movable housing portion is adjustable to vary the length of the housing along a longitudinal axis of the housing for concealing the electric line along an entirety of a length of the side wall of the furniture body.

9. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the movable furniture part is a flap, and the furniture fitting is a furniture hinge for moving the flap.

10. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the movable housing portion is telescopically mounted to the stationary housing portion.

11. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the movable housing portion is releasably fixed to the stationary housing portion.

12. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the movable housing portion is connected to the stationary housing portion by at least one releasable fixing device.

13. The item of furniture of claim 12, wherein the at least one releasable fixing device is a mechanical latching connection.

14. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the stationary housing portion and the movable housing portion are substantially aligned with each other over their entire longitudinal extent.

15. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the drive device includes at least one electric motor which moves the movable furniture part.

16. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the housing extends to a rear wall of the furniture body.

17. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the drive device is disposed in the stationary housing portion.

18. The item of furniture of claim 7, wherein the housing is mounted on the side wall of the furniture body and the continuous hollow space is confined between the housing and the side wall of the furniture body over an entire length of the housing, and

wherein the adjusting arm extends outside the housing.

19. An item of furniture comprising:

a furniture body;

a movable furniture part which is movable relative to the furniture body; and

a furniture fitting which includes

(i) a housing which is variable in length along a longitudinal axis of the housing, the housing having a stationary housing portion and a movable housing portion which is displaceable relative to the stationary housing portion or releasably fixed to the stationary housing portion,

(ii) a drive device disposed within the housing,

(iii) an electric line for supplying power to the drive device, and

(iv) an adjusting arm for moving the movable furniture part,

wherein the adjusting arm pivots about an axis of rotation and is pivotally driven by the drive device to move the movable furniture part, the axis of rotation being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the adjusting arm,

wherein the stationary housing portion and the moving housing portion define a continuous hollow space,

wherein the electric line is disposed in and extends through the continuous hollow space and the stationary housing portion,

wherein the stationary housing portion is fixed to a side wall of the furniture body,

wherein the adjusting arm is connected to the movable furniture part for displacing the movable furniture part relative to the furniture body,

wherein the drive device displaces the adjusting arm and the movable furniture part relative to the stationary housing portion and the movable housing portion, and

wherein the movable housing portion extends from the stationary housing toward a rear wall of the furniture body, and the electric line passes through the rear wall of the furniture body and extends through both the movable housing portion and the stationary housing portion.