Why Sugatsune Folding Brackets Have a Longer Shelf Life Than Most
Extendable workbenches . Counter flaps . Collapsible shelves . Folding tables and chairs . Adjustable wall-mounted TV and speaker stands . What ’ s the one component you can find in them all ? Folding brackets .
Pick a setting - commercial , industrial , domestic , not to mention furniture manufacture - and you will find a use for folding brackets . Combining the motion of a hinge system with support for horizontal loads , folding brackets add flexibility in how you utilise space . Across furniture and wall-mounted storage , they give you extra options to save space , improve access or add capacity .
They are one of the great multi-purpose components . Which is why at Sugatsune we have gone to great lengths to extend our folding bracket range so we can offer solutions for every need and for every situation .
Let the story unfold . One became three
For us , it all started with the EB303 , our original flagship folding bracket . A stainless steel hinged bracket with automatic position lock and a press release lever , the EB303 was designed as a heavy duty option capable ( in pairs ) of holding loads up to 150kg . That made it the most robust folding bracket available on the market , ideal for heavyweight counters or pop-up shelves in any setting that you need to bear heavy loads .
In more recent years , we have extended the options available with two variations on the original EB303 design . The shorter EB200 has a lower load capacity but is suitable for shallower shelves in more compact spaces . The ultra heavy duty EB317 , meanwhile , is a longer bracket that can bear loads of up to 200kg , answering
demand for extra strength in industrial settings in particular .
As well as size and load variations , we also now sell all three folding bracket types in matt black as well as polished stainless steel finishes . Perfect for domestic and commercial interiors , you know what they say about black - it goes with anything . Because we know that great functionality doesn ’ t have to be at the expense of great looks .
Special features
As well as adding to the range to accommodate different depths of unit and different load capacities , we ’ ve also pushed back the boundaries of folding bracket design with innovative solutions to solve a range of issues .
Take this one , for example . Apart from the smallest , lightest loads , folding brackets are usually deployed in pairs . To fold a shelf or counter flap or table extension or whatever the bracket might be supporting , you have to press the lever on both brackets individually to unlock the hinge .
But imagine a situation where the shelf or unit is very wide , and the brackets are not within easy reach of one another . You would have to press one lever first and then move across to the other . With heavy units or counters or loads , this is dangerous . Unlocking one hinge but not the other could cause the whole thing to tilt , putting undue strain on the remaining locked bracket . If that gave way suddenly , the consequences for the person underneath could be terrifying .
That ’ s why , traditionally , installation instructions for lever release brackets have set limits on how wide apart they can go . To get round this and allow folding brackets to be installed further apart on wider units , we developed the EB-90 - an interlock lever that connects two brackets . Adding an EB-90 to a pair of EB brackets means the lock on both can be released by pressing the lever on just one .
The risks of releasing a bracket holding up a heavy counter flap or shelving unit are not just restricted to wide installations . Even when you can reach both levers , it ’ s easy to be caught unawares by the speed at which a heavy shelf would fall . That raises the risk of injury and the risk of damage .
For this reason , the EBD soft close damper has become one of the most popular accessories we sell for our folding brackets . Like the EB-90 , it ’ s an add-on you install between the brackets . When the lock levers are released , the EBD controls the downwards motion of the shelf or flap in a smooth , safe manner using our patented LAPCON damper technology .
We also offer the EB-DA , a complete hinged bracket with a soft close mechanism incorporated . This avoids the need to install an extra damper . But because of design limitations , it uses a different kind of damper mechanism , namely a gas piston which audibly releases air when activated and may therefore not be suitable for all situations .
Finally , we also have the EB-F , an innovation in folding brackets that locks in four different ‘ up ’ positions - at 90 degrees as standard , but also at 60 , 70 and 80 degrees . This concept was developed for wall displays , for example for books , magazines or comics . Not only does it give the flexibility to adjust the angle for optimum visibility , like all of our other EB brackets , it means the display shelf can be folded down out of the way when not in use .