Abstract:
A modular furniture system and its associated method of assembly. The modular furniture system contains a plurality of panels. The panels can be of any color and/or decorative texture. The panels are held in place by a rigid framework. The rigid framework is custom created by joining together a plurality of framing elements with a plurality of connection brackets. The framing elements are tubular structures with open ends. At least some of said framing elements have flanges extending therefrom that engage and support the panels. The connection brackets each have arms that pass into, and engage, the open ends of the framing elements. By providing several connection brackets of different configurations and a few framing elements of different configurations, a wide variety of furniture can be selectively created.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to modular furniture systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to modular furniture systems that are comprised of a few basic component parts that can be assembled into multiple different configurations of furniture.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art Statement  
           [0004]    The prior art is replete with different types of furniture and furniture systems. Furniture is a broad area of art that comprises a wide variety of different technologies. Fine furniture is typically furniture that is carved from wood and may be upholstered. Fine furniture is bought preassembled. Kit furniture is furniture that is bought unassembled. The pieces of the furniture are preformed and can only be assembled into one configuration. Such furniture is popular in low price furniture retails stores because the furniture need not be delivered. Rather, customers can purchase the furniture unassembled in small boxes. The furniture can then be easily transported to homes or apartments and assembled in place.  
           [0005]    A third class of furniture is modular furniture. Modular furniture is neither preassembled nor sold in designated unassembled kits. Rather, modular furniture systems have a variety of component parts. The component parts can be arranged in a variety of different configurations to create furniture of most any size, shape and purpose. Modular furniture systems are often used to create cubicles in offices because the needs and shapes of most every office differ. As such, a modular furniture system enables a customer to buy component pieces and custom design the furniture to fit the needs of that office. Modular furniture systems are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,617 to Lee, entitled Connecting Assembly For Horizontal Boards And Wall Boards Of A Cabinet.  
           [0006]    However, since modular furniture systems have only a few basic component pieces, the furniture that can be created with such systems is limited in its shape and aesthetic appeal.  
           [0007]    The present invention sets forth an improved modular furniture system that enables different furniture pieces to be created in a wide variety of shapes and styles. The present invention system also enables people to customize color, textures and other details in a manner previously unachievable using prior art modular furniture systems. This new modular furniture system and its associated method of assembly are set forth in the specification and claims presented below.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention is a modular furniture system and its associated method of assembly. The modular furniture system contains a plurality of panels. The panels can be of any color and/or decorative texture. The panels are held in place by a rigid framework. The rigid framework is custom created by joining together a plurality of framing elements with a plurality of connection brackets. The framing elements are tubular structures with open ends. At least some of said framing elements have flanges extending therefrom that engage and support the panels. The connection brackets each have arms that pass into, and engage, the open ends of the framing elements. By providing several connection brackets of different configurations and a few framing elements of different configurations, a wide variety of furniture can be selectively created. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of piece of furniture built using the present invention modular furniture system;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of exemplary embodiments of panels used within the present invention modular furniture system;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of exemplary embodiments of framing elements used within the present invention modular furniture system;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of exemplary embodiments of brackets used within the present invention modular furniture system;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of exemplary embodiments of end terminations used within the present invention modular furniture system; and  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 6 shows the exemplary piece of assembled furniture shown previously in FIG. 1, identified by its component parts. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]    Although the present invention system can be used to create many different types of furniture, such as storage shelves, display cases and the like, the present invention system is particularly useful in creating office workstations and similar furniture having exposed counters. As such, by way of example, the present invention system will be illustrated and described in creating an office workstation. Such an embodiment is merely exemplary and is not intended to be a limitation on the possible applications of the present invention system.  
         [0017]    Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of the modular furniture system  10  is shown configured as a workstation  11 . The workstation  11  is of the style used in many modern offices. As will be explained, the workstation  11  is made from the interconnection of a plurality of different parts. It is these component parts that can be assembled in a countless number of ways to custom create workstations or nearly any other piece of furniture.  
         [0018]    In the shown embodiment, the workstation  11  has desktop space  12 , shelf space  14  and storage space  16 . Each area is created using the same basic component parts. The basic component parts are used to create a metal framework  20 . The metal framework  20  is rigid when assembled and is self-supporting on the floor. The metal framework  20  supports horizontal and vertical panels  22 . It is the horizontal and vertical panels  22  that create the desktop space  12 , shelf space  14  and storage space  16 .  
         [0019]    The present invention modular furniture system  10  is comprised of four major families, or types, of parts. These families of parts are shown in FIGS.  2 - 5 , respectively. The first family of parts are the panels  22 . Referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the panels  22  are planar structures having flat top surfaces  23  and flat bottom surfaces  24  that share the same peripheral edge  26 . The panels  22  are manufactured in a large variety of lengths and widths. As such, a designer can select panels  22  of most any dimension in creating a piece of furniture. The panels  22  can be made from many different materials including natural materials, such as wood, marble or stone. Manmade products, such as mdf, Fin ply (TM), Corian(TM) or glass can also be used. Furthermore, composite materials, such as board reinforced Formica(TM) can be used as well. As such, it will be understood that the panels  22  can be produced in any color or can have any pattern achievable with traditional countertop products.  
         [0020]    Framing elements are the second type of component part used in the modular furniture system. Each framing element is an elongated tubular element that can be manufactured in a variety of different lengths. Each of the framing elements is uniform in its structure along its length. As such, if a framing element does have to be custom cut in length, the cut has no effect of the functionality of the framing element.  
         [0021]    In FIG. 3, ten different types of framing elements  30  are shown. Each of the ten types of framing elements  30  has a tubular shaft  32  of the same dimensions. In the shown embodiment, each tubular shaft  32  has a square profile, however profiles of other shapes can also be used.  
         [0022]    The first type of framing element  30  shown is a plain framing element  34 . The plain framing element  34  is used in the modular furniture system to produce legs and other vertical supports where the plain framing element  34  does not directly engage a panel. The second type of framing element  30  is a single panel framing element  36 . The single panel framing element  36  has at least one flange extension  37  protruding from one side of the tubular shaft  32 . The flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to produce a ledge along the length of the tubular shaft  32  against which the edge of a panel can lay. Since the single panel framing element  36  has a flange extension  37  along only one side, a panel  22  (FIG. 2) will only lay along one side of the single panel framing element  36 .  
         [0023]    The third type of framing element  30  shown is a two-sided framing element  38 . The two-sided framing element  38  is used along countertops where two panels  22  (FIG. 2) are joined together in a common plane. The two-sided framing element  30  has flange extensions  37  protruding from two opposite sides of the tubular shaft  32 . The flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to form ledges on which the peripheral edge of two separate panels  22  (FIG. 2) can lay. Since the two-sided framing element  38  has flange extensions  37  along two opposite sides, two panels  22  (FIG. 2) can be interconnected to opposite sides of the two sided framing element  40 , thereby joining the two panels in a common plane.  
         [0024]    The fourth type of framing element  30  shown is an interior right angle framing element  40 . The interior right angle framing element  40  is used along corner edges where two panels meet at a right angle. The interior right angle framing element  40  has two flange extensions  37  protruding from two adjacent sides of the tubular shaft  32 , near a common corner. The flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to create ledges that support the peripheral edge of two separate panels  22  (FIG. 2). Since the interior right angle framing element  40  has flange extensions  37  along only two adjacent sides, two panels  22  (FIG. 2) can be interconnected to the interior right angle framing element  40  along perpendicular planes that intersect along the length of the interior right angle framing element  40 .  
         [0025]    The fifth type of framing element  30  shown is an exterior right angle framing element  42 . The exterior right angle framing element  42  is used along corner edges where two panels meet at a right angle. The exterior right angle framing element  38  has two flange extensions  37  protruding from two adjacent sides of the tubular shaft  32 . However, the two flange extensions  37  are positioned near opposite corners of the tubular shaft  32 . The flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to create ledges that support the peripheral edge of two separate panels  22  (FIG. 2). Since the exterior right angle framing element  42  has flange extensions  37  along only two adjacent sides, two panels  22  (FIG. 2) can be interconnected to the exterior right angle framing element  42  along perpendicular planes that intersect along the length of the exterior right angle framing element  42 . However, due to the position of the flange extensions  37 , the exterior right angle framing element  42  supports panels in the direction directly opposite that of the interior right angle framing elements  40 , previously described.  
         [0026]    The sixth type of framing element  30  shown is a single-panel double-flanged framing element  44 . The single-panel double-flanged framing element has two flange extensions  37  extending in parallel from the same side of the tubular shaft  32 . A distance Dl exists between the two parallel flange extensions  37 . This distance corresponds to the thickness of one of the panels  22  (FIG. 2). Consequently, the edge of one of the panels can slide in between the two parallel flange extensions  37 . The panel is therefore preventing from moving in two directions. The single-panel double-flanged framing element  44  is used where a panel is held vertically and gravity cannot be relied upon to bias the panel against any single flange extension.  
         [0027]    The seventh type of framing element  30  shown is a double-flanged right angle framing element  46 . The double-flanged right angle framing element  46  is used along corner edges where two panels meet at a right angle. The double-flanged right angle framing element  46  has two sets of parallel flange extensions  37  protruding from two adjacent sides of the tubular shaft  32 . The sets of parallel flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to receive the peripheral edge of two separate panels  22  (FIG. 2). Since the double-flanged right angle framing element  46  has sets of flange extensions  37  along two adjacent sides, two panels  22  (FIG. 2) can be interconnected to the double-flanged right angle framing element  46  along perpendicular planes that intersect along the length of the double-flanged right angle framing element  46 .  
         [0028]    The eighth type of framing element  30  shown is a double-flanged two-panel framing element  48 . The double-flanged two-panel framing element  48  is used along flat surfaces where two panels meet in the same plane. The double-flanged two-panel framing element  48  has two sets of parallel flange extensions  37  protruding from opposite sides of the tubular shaft  32 . The sets of parallel flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to receive the peripheral edge of two separate panels  22  (FIG. 2). Since the double-flanged two-panel framing element  48  has sets of flange extensions  37  along two opposite sides, two panels  22  (FIG. 2) can be interconnected to the double-flanged two-panel framing element  48  in the same plane.  
         [0029]    The ninth type of framing element is a double-flanged, three-panel framing element  50 . The double-flanged, three-panel framing element  42  is used along edges where three panels meet. The double-flanged, three-panel framing element  50  has sets of parallel flange extension  37  protruding from three adjacent sides of the tubular shaft  32 . The parallel sets of flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to receive the peripheral edge of three separate panels  22  (FIG. 2). Since double-flanged, three-panel framing elements  50  have parallel sets of flange extensions along three adjacent sides, three separate panels can be interconnected at 90-degree increments.  
         [0030]    The tenth type of framing element shown is a double-flanged, four-sided framing element  52 . The double-flanged, four-sided framing element  52  is used along edges where four panels meet. The double-flanged, four-sided framing element  52  has sets of parallel flange extensions  37  protruding from all four sides of the tubular shaft  32 . The parallel sets of flange extensions  37  are sized and positioned to receive the peripheral edge of four separate panels  22  (FIG. 2).  
         [0031]    Referring to FIG. 4, it can be seen that there are eight basic types of connection brackets  60  that can be used in the present invention modular furniture system. The connection brackets  60  are used to interconnect the ends of the framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) to create a stable framework construction. Each of the connection brackets  60  has a central hub  52  and at least two extending arms  64 . The central hub  62  has the same cross-sectional profile as does the tubular shaft  32  (FIG. 3) of a framing element  30  (FIG. 3). The extending arms  64  are sized to pass within the tubular shaft  32  (FIG. 3) of the various framing elements  30  (FIG. 3). Once the extending arm  64  of a connection bracket  50  passes into the open end of a framing element  30  (FIG. 3), the extending arm  64  engages the framing element with a friction fit. This interconnection can be reinforced with the use of adhesives or mechanical fasteners, such as screws.  
         [0032]    The connection brackets  60  are the third family of component parts used in the present invention modular furniture system. Eight different connection brackets  60  are available for use. The first connection bracket is a straight bracket  65 . This straight bracket  65  has two extending arms  64  arranged  1800  apart. As such, the straight bracket  65  can join any two framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together in a linear orientation.  
         [0033]    The second connection bracket  60  is a right angle bracket  66 . The right angle bracket  66  has two extending arms  64  arranged  900  apart. As such, the right angle bracket  66  can join any two framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together at a right angle.  
         [0034]    The third connection bracket  60  is a T-shaped bracket  67 . The T-shaped bracket  67  has three extending arms  64  arranged 90° apart in the same plane. As such, the T-shaped bracket  67  can join any three framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together at right angles in the same plane.  
         [0035]    The fourth connection bracket  60  is a cross-shaped bracket  68 . The cross-shaped bracket  68  has four extending arms  64  arranged  900  apart in the same plane. As such, the cross-shaped bracket  68  can join any four framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together at right angles in the same plane.  
         [0036]    The fifth connection bracket  60  is a three-sided bracket  70 . The three sided bracket  70  has three extending arms  64  arranged 90° apart along three separate axes. As such, the three-sided bracket  60  can join any three framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together at right angles in three separate axes.  
         [0037]    The sixth connection bracket  60  is a four-sided bracket  72 . The four sided bracket  72  has four extending arms  74  arranged 90° apart. However, three of the arms  64  are in a common plane and one of the extending arms is in a perpendicular plane. As such, the four-sided bracket  72  can join any four framing elements  60  (FIG. 3) together at right angles in three separate axes.  
         [0038]    The seventh connection bracket  60  is a five-sided bracket  74 . The five sided bracket  74  has five extending arms  64  arranged 90° apart. However, four of the arms  64  are in a common plane and one of the extending arms is in a perpendicular plane. As such, the five-sided bracket can join any five framing elements  30  (FIG. 2) together at right angles in three separate axes.  
         [0039]    The eighth connection bracket  60  is a six-sided bracket  76 . The six sided bracket  76  has six extending arms  64  arranged 90° apart. However, four of the arms  64  are in a common plane and two of the extending arms  64  are linearly aligned in a perpendicular plane. As such, the bracket can join any six framing elements  30  (FIG. 3) together at right angles in three separate axes.  
         [0040]    Referring to FIG. 5, the family of parts herein referred to as end terminations  80  are shown. The end terminations  80  pass into open ends of framing elements  30  (FIG. 3), thereby sealing the framing elements. In FIG. 5, a plain end termination  82  is shown that can seal the open end of an exposed framing element  30  (FIG. 3) in an aesthetically appealing manner. Two other end terminations are also shown. These end terminations are used to terminate support legs at the point where the framing supports  30  (FIG. 5) touch the ground. One leg end termination  84  has a height adjustment screw  86 . The third end termination  88  has a rolling wheel.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIG. 6, it will be understood that to utilize the present invention modular furniture system  10 , the size and function of the furniture to be created is first determined. Once a customer decides on what size and shape the furniture should be, the various component parts needed to construct that furniture design are supplied. The actual piece of modular furniture is then assembled on the customer&#39;s premises. As such, pieces of furniture much too large to be carried into a customer&#39;s premises pre-assembled can be easily constructed in place.  
         [0042]    Once the size and shape of the piece of furniture is selected, and the component pieces delivered to the customer&#39;s premises, the furniture is assembled. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the piece of modular furniture constructed uses many of the component parts previously described. The modular piece of furniture is comprised of a framework  20  and panels  22 . The framework  20  is comprised of different lengths and types of framing elements  30  that are joined together by connection brackets  60 . Any open end of a framing element  30  is covered with an end termination  80 . In FIG. 6, it can be seen that plain framing elements  34  are used as legs and as isolated vertical supports. Single panel framing elements  36  are used along the peripheral edge of the workstation  11 , where the single panel framing elements  36  engage a single horizontal panel  22 . Right angle framing elements  38  are used along edges where two panels  22  meet at right angles. Two sided framing elements  40  are used where two panels  22  abut in the same plane.  
         [0043]    All of the framing elements  30  are joined together by connection brackets  60 . In the shown embodiment, the corners of the workstation  11  are joined together by three sided brackets  70 , because three framing elements  30  meet at these points. The plain framing elements  34  that create the support legs are joined to the framework  20  by four sided connection brackets  72 . All of the connection brackets illustrated in FIG. 4 can be used depending upon the number of framing elements  30  and angles of the framing elements  30  converging at common points in the framework  20 .  
         [0044]    It will be understood that the present invention system and the method of assembly that are described and illustrated are merely exemplary and a person skilled in the art can make many variations to the shown embodiment. For example, the shape and style of the piece of furniture illustrated can be changed into countless different configurations. It is the function of the present invention modular furniture system to provide a system where a few basic component parts can be used to create furniture in many different shapes and styles. All such alternate embodiments and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined below in the claims.