Patent ID: 8356954
Filing Date: 2013-01-22
Classification: A47C,F16B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An item of furniture suitable for field assembly, comprising: a first furniture component including a first furniture frame member adjacent one end of the first furniture component, the first furniture frame member having at least one keyhole slot formed therein; a second furniture component including a second furniture frame member disposable in opposed relationship to the first furniture frame member when the first furniture component is positioned for assembly to the second furniture component, the second furniture frame member including a female fastener disposable opposite the at least one keyhole slot when the first furniture component is positioned for assembly to the second furniture component; and a connector for assembling the first furniture component to the second furniture component, the connector including a male fastener attachable to the female fastener and a sleeve through which the male fastener is insertable, the sleeve including a radially projecting conical section extending from a cylindrical shank section, the sleeve being symmetrical about the male fastener member, the sleeve extending beyond the second furniture component and being insertable into the keyhole slot in the first furniture component without reference to orientation of the sleeve relative to the male fastener member so that the first furniture component can be assembled to the second furniture component in the field by first attaching the connector to the second furniture component and then positioning the second furniture component relative to the first furniture component so that the sleeve is insertable into an alignment section of the keyhole slot, subsequent relative movement of the first and second furniture components moving the sleeve laterally of its axis into a portion of the keyhole slot narrower than the alignment section to secure the first and second furniture components together during field assembly of the item of furniture, wherein the narrower portion of the keyhole slot extending from the alignment section has opposed slot bearing surfaces with beveled edge surfaces extending outwardly away from the bearing surfaces, and wherein the beveled edge surfaces are also inclined toward a closed end of the narrower portion spaced from the alignment section so that the slot bearing surfaces are thicker adjacent the closed end of the narrower portion than adjacent the alignment section so that insertion of the conical section into engagement with the beveled and inclined edge surfaces of the keyhole slot will further tighten the first furniture component relative to the second furniture component and the sleeve cylindrical shank section will be positioned between the slot bearing surfaces.