The present invention relates to a supporting device for a cantilevered tubular structure.

Supporting devices called "hanging brackets" are used in the field of furnishing items or structures for furniture or parts thereof. In this way, the arrangement is determined of an element or structure which extends cantilevered from a wall at a certain height from the floor.

There are a wide variety of these hanging brackets for numerous applications and they are generally positioned between the shoulders and shelves or bases of the furniture or similar furnishing item.

The general problem has been faced in these devices for their encumbrance in thickness and depth in addition to their positioning in the parts where they must be inserted.

It is in fact extremely important to first of all keep the rear part of what is to be hung in perfect alignment with the wall to which it is attached.

It is also important to position the device so as to have a stable and secure attachment of the device itself to what is be hung, at the same time allowing the position to be adjusted in height and depth, if an adjustment of its position is to be effected. This is necessary in the case of not perfectly plumb walls or when what is to be hung is not perfectly square with the wall. All of this naturally minimizing its encumbrance that undesirably limits a stable and close positioning to the supporting wall.

Another possible drawback of these devices is that they have a configuration that protrudes with a certain thickness from what is to be hung, which creates an aesthetic problem: their visibility may not be desired and is difficult to hide with aesthetically valid and economical means.

All of these problems can become more serious when what is to be hung is a tubular structure, generally having any section of its elements.

The general objective of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks by providing a supporting device for a cantilevered tubular structure.

A further objective of the invention is to provide a supporting device for a cantilevered tubular structure which is constructed so as not to protrude from the surface of the structure to which the device itself is fixed.

In this way, the supporting device can be used completely, for example for containing objects or auxiliary items.

Furthermore, a supporting device whose configuration is not protruding from the surface of the cantilevered tubular structure can be easily and economically hidden.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a supporting device which, thanks to its assembly arrangement, is capable of supporting considerable loads.

The above objectives are achieved by a supporting device having the characteristics specified in the enclosed claim 1 and subordinate claims.

The structural and functional characteristics of the invention, and its advantages with respect to the known art, can be clearly understood from the following description, referring to the attached drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention itself.

In the drawings :

figure 1 is a perspective view of a tubular structure provided with a supporting device produced according to an embodiment of the present invention, associated with a wall;

- figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a part of the supporting device exploded from an edge of the tubular structure of figure 1;

- figure 3 is view similar to that of figure 2 in which the part of the device has been inserted in the edge of the partially split structure, ;

- figures 4 and 4b show a first example for fixing the part of the supporting device of figure 3 inserted in the edge of the structure, partially split, fixed in a first mode;

- figures 5 and 5b show a second example for fixing the part of the supporting device of figure 3 inserted in the edge of the structure, partially split, fixed in a second mode; - figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of both parts of the supporting device, one fixed and the other exploded from an edge of the tubular structure of figure 1;

- figure 7 is a perspective view completely analogous to that of figure 6 with both parts of the supporting device inserted in the edge of the tubular structure which collaborate with each other in an operational position;

- figure 8 illustrates a perspective view similar to that of figure 7 indicating how an actuation tool of a vertical adjustment on the tubular structure acts on the supporting device ;

figure 9 is a raised vertical section of the supporting device of figure 8 in one of its operational positions;

figure 10 is a perspective view of the whole tubular structure showing the action direction of the adjustment actuated in figures 8 and 9;

- figure 11 illustrates a perspective view similar to that of figure 7 indicating how an actuation tool of an adjustment in depth on the tubular structure acts on the supporting device; figure 12 is a raised vertical section of the supporting device of figure 11 in one of its operational positions;

figure 13 is a perspective view of the whole tubular structure showing the action direction of the adjustment actuated in figures 11 and 12.

With reference to the figures in general, these show a supporting device for a cantilevered tubular structure according to the invention suitable for fixing a cantilevered tubular structure 11 with respect to a wall 12, in various positions and arrangements.

The cantilevered tubular structure 11 comprises a series of tubular elements, having various lengths, stably and firmly connected to each other in various ways, for creating shoulders, uprights, crossbars, supporting planes, etc. of a furnishing element, support or the like.

The supporting device is arranged in correspondence with a tubular element 13, forming part of a series of tubular elements 13, 13', 13", etc., of the cantilevered tubular structure 11, for facing the panel 12, for example in the form of a wall or a wooden plank.

In the example, the tubular structure 11 comprises at least one tubular element 13 facing the supporting wall 12. Said at least one tubular element 13 provides an opening 14 or window, which faces the supporting wall 12.

The supporting device comprises in combination:

a first hook portion 15 and a second supporting portion 16.

The first hook portion 15 is fixed to the at least one tubular element 13 by introducing it according to the present invention into its interior from the above opening 14 or window .

The second supporting portion 16 can be positioned and fixed to the supporting wall 12, for example by means of dowels 17 inserted in the supporting wall 12.

The first hook portion 15 in the example is composed of a block 18 and adjustment mechanisms of the positions in depth (horizontal) and height (vertical) of said first hook portion 15 with respect to said second supporting portion 16, are associated therewith.

In particular, on examining the figures of the example, a first adjustment mechanism of the vertical position or position in height provides an adjustment screw 19 which is screwed into a vertical threaded hole 20 passing into the block 18. A free end 21 of the adjustment screw 19 according to the present invention is engaged on an abutment plane or upper surface 22 formed in the second supporting portion 16.

A second adjustment mechanism of the horizontal position or position in depth provides a second adjustment screw 23 which is screwed into a vertical threaded hole 24 also passing into the block 18. A free end 25 of the second adjustment screw 23 according to the present invention is engaged on a tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26 formed in the second supporting portion 16.

In particular, the tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26 is formed in a tooth extension 27 which extends upwards from the upper surface 22 of the second supporting portion 16.

The second supporting portion 16 in the example is also composed of a second block 28, in the example prismatic, the same as the first block 18, but not limited to this form. Like the second block 28, it provides an upper surface 22 from which the tooth extension 27 extends upwards bearing the tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26. The tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26 of the tooth extension 27 facing upwards is arranged in a direction complementary to that defined by a tooth extension 15' facing downwards of the first hook portion 15 of the block 18.

For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the first hook portion 15 of the block 18 provides the tooth extension 15' facing downwards which collaborates with the tooth extension 27 facing upwards of the second supporting portion 16.

The figures show in examples, how the first hook portion 15, when positioned inside the at least one tubular element 13, is stably constrained in correspondence with the opening 14 to the same tubular element 13.

In particular, in a first example of figures 4 and 4b, it can be seen how the first hook portion 15, when positioned inside the at least one tubular element 13, is stably constrained in correspondence with the opening 14 by means of a welding 29.

Said welding 29 also helps to keep the block 18 of the first hook portion 15 in position also with the collaboration of a lowering or extension 30 formed outside the tooth extension 15' . Said lowering or extension 30 is in fact arranged in contact with an upper end 31 of the opening or window 14 of the tubular element 13. The lowering 30 can, in general, also be formed at the side of the block 18 of the first hook portion 15 to improve its stability and positioning inside the opening 14 and inside the tubular element 13.

A second example of figures 5 and 5b shows how the first hook portion 15, when positioned inside the at least one tubular element 13, is stably constrained in correspondence with the opening by means of at least one plug 38. The plug 38 is inserted in a hole 32 of the tubular element 13 and then in an aligned hole (not shown) of the block 18.

On also examining figures 9 and 12 of two different adjustment steps, an anti-disengagement action can also be observed while effecting the vertical adjustment (figures 8 and 9) .

The distance between a lower surface 33 of the block 28 of the second supporting portion 16 and a lower end 34 of the window 14 (figure 9) is in fact indicated with A. A possible relative movement between a lower free end 25 of the adjustment screw 23 and an upper free end of the tilted surface 26 of the second supporting portion 16 is also indicated with B (not shown in the drawings) .

Therefore, by verifying that A < B is maintained, an anti- disengagement arrangement is obtained.

The functioning of a supporting device for a cantilevered tubular structure according to the invention is simple and evident .

Figure 1 shows the general arrangement that must be acquired between the tubular structure and elements of the supporting device of the invention before obtaining the correct positioning. The following figures illustrate the implementation steps.

In a first step, the first hook portion 15 formed (figure 2) in the tubular element 13 is inserted, by introducing it into its interior from the above-mentioned opening 14 or window according to the present invention until the arrangement shown in figure 3 is reached.

In a second step, closely linked to the first step, the first hook portion 15 is secured inside the tubular element 13.

This allows the first hook portion 15 to be stably constrained in correspondence with the opening 14, for example by means of a welding 29 (figures 4 and 4b) or by means of a plug 38 (figures 5 and 5b) .

At this point, as the tubular structure 11 is provided with the first hook portion 15, the supporting device must be completed in the operational position by engaging the second supporting portion 16 already previously fixed to the panel or wall 14. This takes place by approaching the parts 15, 16 according to the arrow K shown in figure 6.

In a further step, the collaboration is effected between the tooth extension 15' of the first hook portion 15 of the block 18 with the tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26 of the tooth extension 27 which are hooked together as shown in figure 7.

Having therefore arranged the tubular structure 11 positioned on the wall 12, it is now possible to carry out adjustment steps of the reciprocal position.

Figures 8 to 10 show how the first vertical adjustment or adjustment in height takes place. This is effected by acting with a tip 37 of a tool on the first adjustment screw 19 by rotating it according to the arrow H.

The free end 21 of the adjustment screw 19 engages on the abutment plane 22 formed by the second supporting portion 16.

This causes a movement according to the arrow V shown in figure 8 of the tubular structure with adjustment upwards or downwards .

Thanks to the supporting device of the present invention, the tubular structure 11 is therefore adjusted as shown by the arrow V of figure 10.

Figures 11 to 13 show how the horizontal adjustment or adjustment in depth takes place.

This is effected by acting with a tip 37 of a tool on the second adjustment screw 23 by rotating it according to the arrow H.

This involves screwing the second adjustment screw 23 into the vertical threaded hole 24 which also passes into the block 18. The free end 25 of the second adjustment screw 23 according to the invention engages on the tilted abutment plane or tilted surface 26 of the second supporting portion 16.

This therefore causes a movement of the tubular structure 11 according to the arrow 0 which effects a horizontal adj ustment .

Thanks to the supporting device of the present invention, the tubular structure 11 is therefore adjusted as shown by the arrow 0 of figure 13.

These last two steps illustrated and described allow the necessary adjustments to be effected with the device of the present invention. It has been seen in fact that mechanisms for adjusting the positions in depth (horizontal) and height (vertical) of the first hook portion 15 with respect to the second supporting portion 16 of the supporting device are associated with the first hook portion 15.

It should also be pointed out that, in the example, a tubular structure is shown with tubular elements having a rectangular section, but it is clear that the section can alternatively have other forms such as triangular, rectangular, circular, etc. Furthermore, the blocks 18 and 28 of the first hook portion 15 and of the second supporting portion 16 of the supporting device, preferably, also have a section complementary to that of the tubular elements of the tubular structure .

In the example it is shown how the first hook portion 15 is inserted in correspondence with a tubular element acting as an upright, but it could also be inserted in a tubular element having the function of a crossbar.

As already pointed out, the tubular structure 11 can be a framework for a wall cupboard or a structure capable of receiving various kinds of planes or closing walls, etc.

The objectives mentioned in the preamble of the description have therefore been achieved.

The protection scope of the invention is defined by the enclosed claims.