Anti-release wall unit support device

Abstract

A wall unit support device (1) designed to be applied in the structure of a piece of furniture (2) and to engage by removable attachment the upper end (3b) of a supporting rail (3) with an inner seat (11). Advantageously, said attachment means (7) comprise a locking element (12) positioned below the lower opening of said inner seat (11) to partially obstruct the lower opening (11), said locking element being driven by a pushing member (14) inserted from the outside into the supporting structure (4) of the wall unit support device (1) through a special passage.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A wall unit support designed to be applied to or integrated in the structure of a piece of furniture and to engage by removable attachment a supporting rail projecting out of a wall to maintain said piece of furniture fixed to said wall, comprising:
 a supporting structure;   fixing means for fixing said wall unit support device to the structure of a piece of furniture to be supported by a wall;   attachment means comprising a free attachment end projecting out of a first side of said supporting structure in a predetermined longitudinal direction for reversibly engaging a supporting rail projecting out of a wall, when said wall unit support device is used to fix a piece of furniture to a wall, said first side of said supporting structure being the side that faces said wall;   coupling means interposed between said attachment means and said supporting structure to allow said free attachment end of said attachment means to be adjustably moved in said longitudinal direction toward or away from said first side of said supporting structure from a more retracted projecting position with respect to said supporting structure to a more pulled out projecting position from said supporting structure, and vice versa,   adjustment means for adjusting the distance of said free attachment end of said attachment means toward and away from said first side of said supporting structure;   an inner seat vertically extending in said free attachment end of said attachment means from a lower opening to allow said inner seat to engage from above an attachment portion of a supporting rail projecting out of the wall when said wall unit support device is used to fix a piece of furniture to said wall and   a locking element comprising a body having a front end located proximate to said lower opening of said inner seat, said body of the locking element being associated with and guided by said attachment means to be longitudinally displaceable with respect to the free attachment end of said attachment means and to reversibly move between:
 a forward position toward the free attachment end of said attachment means for partially obstructing said lower opening of the inner seat of said attachment means with said front end, so as to prevent vertical pull-off of an attachment portion of a supporting rail inserted in said retaining seat when said wall unit support device is in use and 
 a retracted position away from the free attachment end of said attachment means in which the front end of said locking element does not obstruct said lower opening of the inner seat of said attachment means allowing vertical insertion and/or pull-off of an attachment portion of a supporting rail into and out of said inner seat, 
   wherein said wall unit support device comprises actuating means operable to move said locking element toward and away from said forward position with respect to the free attachment end of said attachment means when said wall unit support device is in use,   wherein said actuation means comprise a pushing member comprising a head from which an actuating rod projects, wherein:
 said head of said pushing member is positioned and operable from outside said supporting structure and 
 said actuating rod of said pushing member has a portion inserted in said supporting structure through a passage until it engages said locking element and causes reversible displacement of said locking element from said retracted position away from the free attachment end of said attachment means toward said forward position toward the free attachment end of said attachment means. 
   
     
     
         13 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said actuating rod comprises a portion inserted in said supporting structure through a passage formed in a rear side of said supporting structure opposite to said first side. 
     
     
         14 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said portion of said actuating rod inserted in said supporting structure is aligned in a substantially extending relationship to said body of said locking element. 
     
     
         15 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said actuating rod of said pushing member engages said body of said locking element by coupling parts to:
 to make said actuating rod of said pushing member and said body of said locking element integral with each other in translation until a predetermined maximum force is exceeded   allow said actuating rod of said pushing member to slide relative to said body of said locking element when a predetermined maximum force is exceeded, wherein said predetermined maximum force has a value that is greater than the force required to move said locking element from said retracted position to said forward position, and vice versa.   
     
     
         16 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said actuating rod of said pushing member engages a rear portion of said body opposite to said front end. 
     
     
         17 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein said actuating rod of said pushing member engages said body of said locking element by means of coupling:
 between complementary parts made of a friction material;   between complementary parts made of a high friction material and/or   between parts with mating textured contact profiles, having at least one indentation, indentations and/or indentations and cavities.   
     
     
         18 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 15 , comprising releasable stop means for limiting the maximum sliding movement of said pushing member away from said front end of said locking element. 
     
     
         19 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the releasable stop means comprise:
 opposed indentations projecting outwards from a free end portion of the actuating rod and   corresponding abutment walls carried by said body against which said opposite indentations abut.   
     
     
         20 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said actuating rod of said pushing member is a flexible element allowing adaptation to the position assumed by said attachment means and by said locking element inside said structure. 
     
     
         21 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said actuating rod consists of a flexible strap. 
     
     
         22 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said locking element projects with said front end from said first side of said supporting structure parallel to said attachment means;   said wall unit support device comprises stop means for limiting the maximum forward limit stop position that can be reached by said locking element away from said first side of said supporting structure and   said lower opening of the inner seat of said attachment means is not obstructed by said locking element when positioned in said retracted limit stop position.   
     
     
         23 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said adjustment means for adjusting the distance of said free attachment end of said attachment means toward and away from said first side of said supporting structure comprise a longitudinal adjustment screw longitudinally extending in said supporting structure, said longitudinal adjustment screw acting between said supporting structure and said attachment means to cause relative displacement of the free end of said attachment means toward or away from the first side of the supporting structure and   said wall unit support device comprises a vertical adjustment screw vertically extending in said supporting structure, said vertical adjustment screw acting between said supporting structure and said attachment means to vertically adjust the height of the relative position of said attachment means with respect to said supporting structure.   
     
     
         24 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said actuating rod of the pushing member comprises a free end portion which is formed with an elastically deformable structure, to allow full removal of the pushing member when an adequate pulling force is applied. 
     
     
         25 . The wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein said free end being preferably shaped like an open fork with its opening facing away from the head of the pushing member. 
     
     
         26 . A kit for fixing a piece of furniture to a wall, comprising:
 a wall unit support device as claimed in  claim 12  and   a supporting rail comprising a fixing portion for wall fixation and an attachment portion projecting out of said fixing portion,   wherein said attachment portion of said supporting rail is reversibly engaged in said retaining seat formed in said free end of said attachment means of said wall unit support device to support said wall unit support device on the wall.   
     
     
         27 . The kit according to  claim 26 , wherein said attachment portion of said supporting rail is an end portion thereof which is shaped like a hook or folded away from said fastening portion.