Abstract:
A modular furniture assembly includes at least one first component and a second component. The second component includes a cavity. The at least one first component and the second component are adaptable to be stowed in a compact stowed position such that the modular furniture assembly forms a geometric shape when in the stowed position. A method for forming a furniture assembly is also disclosed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Description:
CLAIM TO PRIORITY  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/327,452, filed Oct. 5, 2001, the entire contents are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to furniture, and in particular to a modular furniture assembly that forms a compact, geometric shape when in a stowed position.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to a modular furniture assembly comprising at least one first component and a second component. The second component includes a cavity. The at least one first component and the second component are adaptable to be stowed in a compact position such that the modular furniture assembly forms a geometric shape when in the compact position.  
           [0004]    Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method for forming a modular furniture assembly. The method comprises the steps of locking one or more first components in a stowed position, and nesting a second component within the one or more first components, whereby the furniture assembly forms a geometric shape.  
           [0005]    Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a modular furniture assembly including at least one chair and a table. The modular furniture assembly comprises at least one chair, and a table including a cavity, wherein the at least one chair and the table are adaptable to be stowed in a compact position such that the modular furniture assembly forms a geometric shape when in the compact position.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    In the drawings:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a modular furniture assembly in a stowed position;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 1 when a table is in a partially removed position;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 1 when the table is in a fully removed position and two chairs are shown attached together in the stowed position;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 1 illustrating the two chairs in a separated, stowed position;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 4 showing one of the chairs in a first, partially deployed position and the other chair in the stowed position;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 5 showing one of the chairs in a fully deployed position and the other chair in a first, partially deployed position;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 6 showing both of the chairs are in a fully deployed position;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 7 showing the table in an upward position, exposing a cavity and both chairs in an upright, fully deployed position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the modular furniture assembly according to FIG. 8 showing the table in an upside-down position, exposing a solid surface and both chairs in an upright, fully deployed position;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 10 is another embodiment of the modular furniture assembly showing a perspective view of a chair in an upright position; and  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a seat and front leg of the chair according to FIG. 10. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018]    FIGS.  1 - 9  illustrate a furniture assembly according to one embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the modular furniture assembly, which is shown generally at  10 , forms a geometric shape, such as a cube, when a table  12  and chairs  14   a,    14   b  are locked together by locking means, such as surface bolts  16   a - 16   e.  Although only five surface bolts  16   a - 16   e  are shown in the illustrated view according to FIG. 1, any desirable amount of surface bolts may be included in the design of the furniture assembly  10 .  
         [0019]    As seen in FIG. 2, to begin forming the furniture assembly  10 , the table  12  is shown in a nested position and pulled outward, as illustrated by the arrow M, from the pair of attached chairs  14   a,    14   b.  A knob  18  or other pull means may be included on the table  12  to facilitate removing of the table  12  from the pair of attached chairs  14   a,    14   b.  Once the table  12  is completely removed from the pair of attached chairs  14   a,    14   b  (FIG. 3), the chairs  14   a,    14   b,  may be separated from each other by detaching the surface bolts  16   a,    16   c,  and  16   e  (FIG. 4). The table  12  may comprise a plurality of solid surfaces  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 , and a cavity  20  as a means for storing articles, such as toys, and art supplies, such as a smock, a tarp, paints, brushes, stencils, markers, sponges, stickers, and the like (not shown).  
         [0020]    Next, as shown in FIGS.  5 - 7 , the pair of chairs  14   a,    14   b,  can be deployed in an “open” position by detaching the surface bolts  16   b,    16   d,  respectively. The detaching of surface bolt  16   b  facilitates deployment of the chair  14   b,  and the detaching of surface bolt  16   d  facilitates deployment of the chair  14   a.  Upon detaching the surface bolts  16   b  and  16   d,  a back  22  of each chair  14   a,    14   b  can be unfolded by pivoting the back  22  about a seat  28 . In similar fashion, a front leg  24  may be unfolded and pivoted about the seat  28  once the chairs  14   a,    14   b,  are separated from each other by the detaching of the surface bolts  16   a,    16   c,  and  16   e  as described above. Essentially, the back  22  and front leg  24  are pivoted about respective pivoting means, such as hinges  26 . Each hinge  26  is located about each side of the seat  28 .  
         [0021]    As also shown in FIGS.  5 - 7 , a rear leg  30  having a lip portion  31  is illustrated in a fixed relationship with the seat  28 . The lip portion  31  is defined to include the portion of the rear leg  30  that extends past a plane, P (FIG. 7), defined by the top surface of the seat  28  when the chairs  14   a,    14   b  are situated in an upright position. When the back  22  is deployed, the lip portion  31  of the rear leg  30  prevents the back from pivoting past a 90° pivot angle with respect to the seat  28 . However, the lip portion  31  may also include a bezel (not shown) having a desirable angle that is referenced from the plane, P, of the top surface of the seat  28 . The bezel may be desirably positioned in adjacent relationship to the back  22  so as to permit the back  22  to pivot and recline about the hinge  26  at an angle great than 90° with respect to the seat  28 .  
         [0022]    As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, after fully pivoting the front leg  24  and back  22  in a deployed position, the surface bolts  16   a - 16   d  are orientated in a locking relationship so that each chair  14   a,    14   b  is rigidly secured for positioning in an upright seating arrangement. As shown in FIG. 9, the table  12  can be turned such that the solid surface  32  is facing upward, and the furniture assembly  10  can be used by children for various playtime activities, such as a tea party.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the modular furniture assembly  10  may include another embodiment of the locking means that comprises a plurality of holes  16   f - 16   l  (FIG. 10) formed in a chair  14  for cooperation with a plurality of dowels  17  (FIG. 11). The deployment of the chair  14  with the holes  16   f - 16   l  from a “closed position” to an “open position” functions in a similar manner as described above in FIGS.  1 - 9  for the chairs  14   a,    14   b.  Although only seven holes  16   f - 16   l  are shown in the illustrated view according to FIG. 10, any desirable amount of holes may be included in the design of the chair  14 . The holes  16   f - 16   l  may be formed in the chair  14  with any desirable technique, such as for example, drilling, laser scoring, or with another similar forming method. Each hole  16   f - 16   l  is further defined to include a passage  17   a  and a receiving portion  17   b  (FIG. 11) that is adaptable to receive the dowels  17 .  
         [0024]    According to the illustrated view in FIG. 11, the passage  17   a  and receiving portion  17   b  described above is shown in greater detail for the hole  16   k.  As illustrated, the passage  17   a  extends through the seat  28  and the receiving portion  17   b  extending through a portion of the front leg  24 . In this example, once the dowel  17  is fully passed through the passage  17   a  and received at the receiving portion  17   b,  the seat  28  and the front leg  24  are fixed in a locked relationship, and the pivotal movement of the front leg  24  about the seat  28  is prevented. In order to supplement the locking arrangement of the front leg  24  about the seat  28  at the hole  16   k,  another dowel is passed through the opposing hole  16   l,  which is located in the seat  28  and front leg  24 .  
         [0025]    In a similar fashion described above for the holes  16   k  and  16   l,  the back  22  is fixed in a locked relationship with the rear leg  30  at the holes  16   h - 16   j.  Passages  17   a  extend through the back  22  and receiving portions  17   b  extend through a portion of the rear leg  30 . The holes  16   f  and  16   g,  which are shown near the top of the back  22 , are provided so that dowels may lock the chair  14  in a stowed position, as seen in a similar fashion in FIGS.  1 - 4 . Additional holes may also be included in the design of the chair  14  so that a pair of chairs  14  may be locked together, as shown in FIGS.  1 - 3  above.  
         [0026]    During the various stages of deployment of the chair  14 , some of the dowels  17  may not be used and stowed accordingly in the cavity  20  or at a remote location from the modular furniture assembly  10 . Essentially, the use of the holes  16   f - 16   l  and the dowels  17  reduces costs and eliminates the need for extra materials for other locking means, such as the surface bolts  16   a - 16   e.  Even further, when the holes  16   f - 16   l  and dowels  17  are employed, the design of the modular furniture assembly  10  results in a less structural, visually pleasing appearance of the chair  14 .  
         [0027]    As described above, the modular furniture assembly  10  having an appearance of a geometric shape in a stowed, closed position may be transformed into a table  12  and chairs  14   a,    14   b  when unlocked in a deployed, open position. This is accomplished by nesting the table  12  within the chairs  14   a,    14   b  to give the appearance of the geometric shape, such as a cube. It should be noted that the seat  28 , the back  22 , and the front and rear legs  24 ,  30  of the chairs  14   a,    14   b  have approximately the same height and width dimensions as the height and width dimensions, X, Y (FIG. 5), of the table  12  so that the table  12  can be nested within the chairs  14   a,    14   b.  However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited by the “nesting” of the table  12  within the chairs  14   a,    14   b  to form a geometric shape, but rather, the chairs  14   a,    14   b  may be dimensioned such that the chairs  14   a,    14   b  themselves may be “nested” within the cavity  20  of the table  12 . It will also be appreciated that the invention is not limited by the number of chairs  14   a,    14   b,  and that the invention can be practiced with any desired number of chairs  14   a,    14   b  to form the assembly. Even further, although the invention is illustrated in a geometric shape comprising a cube, the invention can be practiced with any desired three-dimensional geometric shape, such as a pyramid, a faceted diamond, and the like.  
         [0028]    While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.