[001 ] The present invention relates to a profile for forming an article of furniture. More specifically, it relates to a profile which structural configuration provides at least one new finish model to the article of furniture.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

[002] When it comes to articles of furniture, the outer finish plays an important role in their commercial value and appeal. More specially, the outer finish of a structural component of the article of furniture (a door, cover, glass or any other component) must hold a special visual appeal that captures consumer attention and pleases him.

[003] When only one profile is utilized to form the article of furniture, actuating as a structural and finish profile, outer finish possibilities of the article get restricted. Basically, the finish option depends upon the positioning of the structural component of the article of furniture itself, thus changing its position in relation to the frame in order to enable the user to visualize a bigger or smaller portion of the profile.

[004] In a nutshell, such alteration does not result in substantial changes in the appearance of the article of furniture; therefore, utilizing the same profile as finish and structure restricts the finish possibilities.

[005] The present invention aims at overcoming the restrictions known in the art with a profile for article of furniture which configuration provides new types of outer finishes to the article, said finishes imparting a new visual appeal to the product and giving the consumer new options.

[006] More specifically, differently from the profiles currently known in the art that provide a single flat finish (smooth) between the article of furniture and the profile, the invention herein proposed defines new types of finishes, such as the definition of a gap between the structural component of the article of furniture and the profile.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION

[007] The first objective of the present invention is to provide a profile for forming an article of furniture in which said profile comprises a finish end defining at least one of a first finish and a second finish of the article of furniture.

[008] The present invention aims at providing a profile for an article of furniture in which said profile comprises a finish end, said finish end defining a gap (space) between the structural component of the article of furniture and the profile, said gap being visually perceptible to the user of the article of furniture.

[009] In a construction variant of the present invention, the finish end defines a step between the structural component and the profile for article of furniture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The objectives of the present invention are achieved with a profile for forming an article of furniture. Said profile comprises a base portion provided with a free face for association with a structural component of the article of furniture, the profile for forming an article of furniture further comprising a finish and structure portion associated with the base portion, wherein the finish and structure portion comprises at least one contact point for association with the structural component of the article of furniture, and the finish and structure portion further comprises a finish end defining at least one of a first finish and a second finish of the article of furniture.

[001 1 ] In the first finish, the finish end (7) extends beyond the contact point (6) thus defining a gap (8) between the structural component (4) and the finish end (7).

In the second finish, the finish end is defined by the contact point thus defining a step between the structural component and the finish end.

[0012]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0013] The present invention will be thoroughly described based on an embodiment example displayed in the figures. The figures show:

[0014] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a profile currently known in the art;

[0015] Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the finish applied to an article of furniture from a profile known in the art;

[0016] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the profile for forming an article of furniture as proposed in this invention;

[0017] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the profile for forming an article of furniture as proposed in this invention associated with a structural component of said article;

[0018] Figure 5 is a front perspective view of a first finish defined by the profile proposed in this invention and displayed in figures 3 and 4;

[0019] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a construction variant of the profile for forming an article of furniture as proposed in this invention; and

[0020] Figure 7 is a front perspective view of a second finish defined by the construction variant of the profile displayed in figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021 ] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a profile 1 ' currently known in the art, actuating both as a structural part and a finish part.

[0022] Said profile 1 ' comprises a free face 3 for association with a structural component 4 of the article of furniture, preferably, by means of an adhesive fixing element 10. [0023] Due to structure issues, the portion of the profile 1 ' adjacent to the structural component 4, known as a first portion 15, has to be provided with a curved end, like a hook, thus being directly associated with the structural component 4 and providing due support to the latter.

[0024] Besides its structural function and since it is directly associated with the structural component 4, the first portion 15 provides the article of furniture with aesthetic features in such a way that, in the configuration that utilizes the profile known in the art 1 ', a flat configuration (smooth, uniform) is utilized between the structural component 4 and the profile 1 ' (more specifically its first portion 15).

[0025] Thus, figure 2 shows a front perspective view (from the point of view indicated by an eye) of an article of furniture comprising the profile 1 ' known in the art, with a totally flat finish 16, also known in the art, formed by the structural component 4 and the profile 1 '.

[0026] The configuration of the profile 1 ' imposes certain restrictions on the finish known in the art 16 displayed by figure 2. For example, one can just alter the position of the structural component 4 in relation to the first portion 15, by having the component 4 overlap the portion 15, thus enabling the user to visualize a smaller portion of the profile and, more specifically, its first portion 15.

[0027] Moreover, it is possible to reduce the thickness of the structural component 4, but that will result in reduction in the resistance of the article of furniture, thereby decreasing its stiffness and compromising its correct disposition.

[0028] Basically, the aesthetic modification possibilities from the profile 1 ' depend only upon observing a bigger or smaller portion of the profile 1 ', thus imposing a significant restriction on the user of said article of furniture.

[0029] Thus, the present invention provides a profile for forming an article of furniture 1 which aims to overcome such restrictions known in the art.

[0030] Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the profile for forming an article of furniture 1 (also known only as profile 1 ) as proposed in this invention.

[0031 ] Preferably made of aluminum, said profile 1 can be utilized to form (assemble) a plurality of articles of furniture. For the purpose of clarity, article of furniture is any component comprising a fixed structure, such as a frame or a wall, with which the profile 1 is associated.

[0032] Moreover, such article of furniture comprises a structural component 4, whether mobile or not, such as a door cover or an ornamental glass. In general terms, one should bear in mind that the profile 1 of the present invention is employed in the formation (assembly) of doors and drawers for furniture.

[0033] According to figures 3 and 4, the profile 1 of the present invention comprises basically two main structures, known as a base portion 2 and a finish and structure portion 5.

[0034] As it will be thoroughly described below, the base portion 2 must be understood as the portion apt to receive a structural component 4 of the article of furniture. On the other hand, the finish and structure portion 5 relates to the portion which, in addition to providing structural support to the article of furniture, enables advancements relative to its outer finish obtained by means of the profile 1 proposed by the present invention.

[0035] Still according to figures 3 and 4, the base portion 2 comprises a free face 3 for association with the structural component 4 of the article of furniture. Preferably, said association between the base portion 2 and the structural component 4 is made by employing any fixing means as currently known in the art, like a fixing adhesive 10.

[0036] As to the finish and structure portion 5, it comprises at least one contact point 6 for association with the structural component 4 of the article of furniture and a finish end 7.

[0037] As can be seen from figures 4 and 6, the contact point is disposed in a first projection 18 of the finish and structure portion 5, said first projection 18 projecting from the finish and structure portion 5 towards the structural component 4 of the article of furniture.

[0038] Unlike the association of the structural component 4 with the free face 3, a fixing means to associate the structural component 4 with the contact point 6 is not necessary.

[0039] Concerning the finish end 7, it can be understood as one of the sides of the finish and structure portion 5 which, as thoroughly described below, provides the profile 1 with the advantages relative to the finish options over those of the prior art.

[0040] More specifically - and according to figures 5 and 7 - the structural configuration of the finish end 7 enables the definition of at least one of a first finish 12 and a second finish 13 of the article of furniture.

[0041 ] The side opposite the finish end 7, in turn, is known as a structural end 1 1 , as displayed by figures 3 and 4. Preferably, the formation of the structural end 1 1 begins perpendicularly from the finish and structure portion 5 and ends with a diagonal end slightly projecting toward the base portion 2 till it reaches a point in the rail 14, as shown by figures 3 and 4.

[0042] In such preferred configuration of the profile 1 proposed by the present invention, one can notice in figures 3 and 4 that the finish end 7 projects beyond the contact point 6, thus forming a gap 8 between the structural component 4 and the finish end 7. Specifically, it can be seen from figure 4 that the gap 8 is further defined by the first projection 18 of the finish and structure portion 5.

[0043] The disposition of said gap 8 defines a first finish option, or a first finish 12 for the article of furniture, as displayed by figure 5.

[0044] Hence, the user visualizing the article of furniture from the observation point of figures 4 and 5 (featuring an eye and an arrow indicating the vision direction) will see the gap 8 and subsequently a new outer finish option, known as "GAP" or first finish 12, reachable from the profile 1 .

[0045] Said first finish 12 provides the article of furniture with a new design option in comparison with the flat (smooth) one of figures 1 and 2 and obtained from the profiles known in the art 1 '.

[0046] The user seeing the article of furniture provided with the first finish 12 will have the feeling that the structural component 4 floats in the area delimited by the profile 1 , and also that a technique commonly employed in pool building - and popularly known as "infinity edge" - was utilized.

[0047] In a construction variant of the proposed invention, the structural configuration of the finish end 7 was altered, but without altering the technical-functional aspect of the profile, i.e., the formation of an article of furniture.

[0048] Thus, and according to figures 6 and 7, one can notice that the finish end 7 is defined by the contact point 6, i.e., contrary to what figures 3 and 4 show, in this construction variant of the present invention the finish end 7 does not project beyond the contact point 6.

[0049] In other words, in the construction variant displayed by figures 6 and 7 the finish end 7 does not reach the vertical plan delimited by the surface of the structural component 4 (as shown in figures 4 and 5).

[0050] A second finish 13 is then reached, defined by a step 9 between the structural component 4 and the finish end 7, as shown in figures 6 and 7.

[0051 ] Hence, the user visualizing the article of furniture from the observation point of figures 6 and 7 will have the feeling that a step 9 was formed from the high relief formed by the surface of the structural component 4 with the low relief of the finish end 7.

[0052] Thus, the present invention proposes a new profile form and disposition for forming an article of furniture 1 through the structural configuration of the finish end 7, the contact point 6 and, subsequently, the disposition of the gap 8 and the step 9 between the structural component 4 and the profile 1 .

[0053] Thus, a profile 1 having functional improvements in relation to those known in the art is reached; more specifically, said functional improvement is related to the use relative to the profile 1 as well as the new finish possibilities it provides the article of furniture with and its operation both as structural profile and finish.

[0054] Plus, the profile for forming an article of furniture 1 shown in figures 3 to 7, and more specifically in its transversal sections (figures 3, 4 and 6), reveals elements that should be utilized to provide the appropriate association of the profiles 1 for subsequent formation of the article of furniture.

[0055] Preferably, the use of four profiles 1 , each of them having their ends cut at 45° for forming the article of fu rniture, is proposed. The association of the profiles 1 is preferably made by placing fixing elements on the rail 14 of the profile 1 .

[0056] Such fixing elements do not represent the main characteristic of the present invention, in such a way that any element apt to make that association between two profiles can be utilized.

[0057] Furthermore, the disposition of the limits that form the rail 14 is proposed at different heights, as shown in figures 3, 4 and 6, or even at the same height. Moreover, it can be understood from figures 3, 4 and 6 that the rail 14 (and more specifically its region that is the closest to the finish and contact portion 5) delimits the region defined by the base portion 2 and by the finish and contact portion 5, wherein said portions 2 and 5 are joined perpendicularly by means of the joint 30.

[0058] Additionally, the disposition of the contact point 6 at an angle (inclined), as shown in figures 3, 4 and 6, must be understood as a preferred representation of the proposed invention, in a construction variant, said contact point 6 could be perpendicular to the finish and structure portion 5 or at an angle that is the mirror reflection of that of the preferred illustration.

[0059] Whereas a preferred example of embodiment was herein described, it must be understood that the scope of the present invention encompasses other possible variations, being limited only by the content of the appended claims, including the possible equivalents.