DE20002649U1 - Handle element and furniture part with one handle element (I) - Google Patents

Description

Handle element and furniture part with a handle element

The present invention relates to a handle element and a furniture part with such a handle element.

There are numerous known handle elements that can be used to open and close a component such as a door, drawer, gate or similar. In addition to this handle or holding function, it is often desirable to improve the visibility of such handle elements in the dark in order to make them easier to use or to be easier to find in emergency situations. In public buildings as well as in bars, nightclubs and cinemas, emergency exits, escape routes and escape corridors must be clearly marked. An illuminated sign above the escape door is usually used for marking, whereas the door opening mechanism is not separately marked. The visibility of handle elements in the dark is also an advantage in other areas, for example on front doors or commercial buildings. Furthermore, the keyhole below a handle element is often difficult to see.

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LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SPECHT · DANTZ- PATENT WRITERS- EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 22.12.1999 Page

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide better recognizability of handle elements or of areas around the handle elements without impairing the functionality of the handle elements.

This object is achieved by a handle element with the features of claim 1. If the handle element has a cavity in which a switchable light source is provided, which at least partially illuminates the handle element, the visibility of the handle element or the illuminated area in the dark is significantly improved. The handles can be used as furniture handles to create an attractive aesthetic effect. In addition to this effect, the lighting can also provide a functional benefit, for example to identify drawer handles in poorly lit houses. Such handle elements can also preferably be used in kitchens in which electrical connections and terminals are already provided in the furniture. This eliminates the need to lay additional power supply cables.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the handle element is made of colored plastic. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly beautiful aesthetic effect, whereby the body of the handle element can be illuminated. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the handle element has a reflective surface that ensures that the light rays are distributed in the body of the handle element. The surface of the handle element can be at least partially matte to create a reflective effect. Furthermore, information such as company logos, operating instructions or similar can be made visible by matting certain areas.

According to the invention, a piece of furniture, in particular a chest of drawers, is also provided, in which a handle element according to the invention is provided. Such a chest of drawers can be used, for example, in poorly lit bars in order to make it easier to operate the drawers. Preferably

LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SPECHT · DANTZ - PATENT ATTORNEYS - EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 22.12.1999 Page

The light is switched off when the drawer is pulled out, so that only the drawers that are pushed in have an illuminated handle. This makes operation easier and also creates an original aesthetic effect.
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The invention is explained in more detail below using several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. They show:

Fig. IA, IB two perspective views of two embodiments of a furniture part according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the furniture part of Fig. IA;

Fig. 3 is a sectional side view of an inventive

handle element;

Fig. 4A, 4B two doors with a handle element according to the invention;

Fig. 5 shows a handle element according to the invention as a door handle;

Fig. 6, 7 two embodiments of a handle element on a

facade front;

Fig. 8A, 8B an embodiment of a handle according to the invention; 25

Fig. 9A - 9E different forms of handle elements;

Fig. 1OA - IOC several railing handles according to the invention;

Fig. 11 is a sectional side view of an inventive

handle element;

LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SPECHT · DANTZ- PATENT WRITERS-EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 22.12.1999 Page

Fig. 12A, 12B two views of another handle element; and

Fig. 13A, 13B two views of another handle element. 5

In Fig. IA and IB, a chest of drawers 1 and a display cabinet 2 are shown, each of which has a plurality of drawers 5 and 6, each of which is provided with a handle element 3 and 4 according to the invention. The display cabinet 2 is equipped with two doors 7 in the upper area, on each of which a handle element 4 is also provided.

The functioning of the handle elements is explained with reference to Fig. 2 and 3. The four drawers 5 of the chest of drawers 1 are each supplied with electricity via a mains plug 8, which is connected to a transformer 3 on the rear wall of the chest of drawers 1. The transformer 9 is connected to a voltage regulator 10 in order to provide the desired voltage for illuminating the handle elements. This voltage is distributed by means of contact tracks 11 glued to the rear wall. A contact spring button 12 arranged on a drawer 5 presses on the contact tracks 11, so that the drawer 5 is electrically connected to the contact track 11 when pushed in. A further contact track 14 leads from the contact spring button 12 to the front of the drawer 5. A handle element 13 is provided on the front of the drawer 5, in which a lighting means is built in, which illuminates the handle element 13 made of plastic when the drawer is pushed in.

A handle element 23 with a slightly modified shape is shown in Fig. 3. This handle element 23 made of colored plastic has a hole in which a light-emitting diode 17 is mounted. The light-emitting diode 17 is supplied with power via lines 15 that are connected to the contact tracks 14 of the drawer. In order to protect the light-emitting diode 17 from environmental influences, a housing 16 is at least partially built into the handle element 23. The handle element 23 has a smooth

LOESENBECK. · STRACKE · SPECHT · DANTZ - PATENT ATTORNEYS - EUROPEAN PATE*NT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 22.12.1999 Page 5

Surface 19 and a matt surface 18. The matt surface 18 ensures that light rays are partially reflected and thus illuminate the body (at 22), but also partially leave the handle element 23 (at 21). The light rays 20 pass through the smooth surface 19 to the outside without major reflections. This allows markings to be applied to the surface of the handle element 23. It is also possible to completely illuminate the body of the handle element 23 by providing a matt surface everywhere.

A handle element according to the invention can also be used on doors 24 and 27 according to Fig. 4A and 4B, whereby the handle element 25 generates a cone of light 26 to make it easier to unlock the door. The cone of light 26 can be triggered, for example, by a distance sensor, so that lighting only occurs when the door is unlocked. Alternatively, for safety reasons, it can be useful to permanently illuminate a handle element 28 or a keyhole 29 in order to make the operation of the handle element 28 safer in the event of an emergency.

In Fig. 5, the handle element 25 is shown enlarged. A window 30 is cut out in the rotating shaft of the handle element 25, through which a light source built into the handle element 25 can shine in order to produce a cone of illumination 26 in which a keyhole 31 is arranged.

A further possible application is shown in Fig. 6 and 7. Here, a handle element 33 or 34 according to the invention is to be attached to a facade 32 of a house in order to make the entrance area more attractive and to mark it sensibly with house numbers or company logos.

It is also possible to design a handle element according to the invention as a handle 35 (Fig. 8A and 8B). The handle 35 has an illumination slot 36 through which a light source 37 can illuminate the surface on a furniture wall 38.

LOESENBECK · STRACKE · SPECHT · DANTZ - PATENT ATTORNEYS - EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Registration text dated 22.12.1999 Page 6

This creates an approximately rectangular light field on the handle 35 so that it can be easily seen. Instead of using it as a handle 35, it is also possible to design lighting for a hallway or a piece of furniture in this way.
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Various embodiments of handle elements according to the invention are shown in Figs. 9A to 9E. A square handle element 39, a handle element 40 with a face shape or a handle element 41 with a button shape are particularly suitable for the furniture sector. In the commercial sector, it is desirable for the handle element 42 or 43 to be provided with a company logo, which leaves a prominent aesthetic impression due to the lighting in the handle element 42 or 43.

In addition to the small-volume handle elements, a railing handle 44 can also be provided according to Fig. 10A to 10C, on which light elements 45 are provided. This design also allows two handle elements 44 to be connected at an angle, whereby an illuminated corner element 46 can be used.

In Fig. 11, a handle element 47 is mounted on a drawer front 5 and provided with a light source 50. For this purpose, a hole 49 is cut out in the handle element 47, which is provided with a thread in the front area. A holder 48 is screwed into the thread so that the drawer front 5 is clamped between the holder 48 and the handle element 47. The light source 50 is connected to an electrical power source as in Fig. 2. 25

In Fig. 12A and 12B a handle element 51 is shown that can be used as an illuminated furniture knob. For this purpose only one hole is provided in the handle element 51. In Fig. 13A and 13B a handle element 52 is shown on which two bases 53 are provided, each with a hole for lighting means. 30

Claims (7)

1. Handle element, in particular made of plastic, with a cavity in which a switchable light source ( 17 , 50 ) is provided, which at least partially illuminates the handle element ( 3 , 4 , 13 , 23 , 25 , 33 , 47 , 51 , 52 ). 2. Handle element according to claim 1, characterized in that the handle element ( 3 , 4 , 13 , 23 , 25 , 33 , 47 , 51 , 52 ) consists of colored plastic. 3. Handle element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the handle element ( 3 , 4 , 13 , 23 , 25 , 33 , 47 , 51 , 52 ) has a reflective surface ( 18 ). 4. Handle element according to claim 3, characterized in that the surface ( 18 ) of the handle element is at least partially matt. 5. Handle element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a light-emitting diode ( 17 , 50 ) is installed in the cavity of the handle element. 6. Furniture part, in particular a chest of drawers, characterized in that a handle element according to one of the preceding claims is provided on a drawer. 7. Furniture part according to claim 6, characterized in that the furniture part has a drawer with a handle element ( 3 , 4 , 13 , 23 ), wherein the lighting means ( 17 , 50 ) can be switched by a displacement of the drawer ( 5 , 6 ).