Systems and methods are provided for tool-free dismountable furniture. An exemplary system (100) includes a plurality of primary connectors and a plurality of secondary connectors which connect parts of an armchair. The system (100) includes a backrest (104) with a first pair of primary connectors on a top portion and a second pair of primary connectors on a bottom portion. These primary connectors connect to secondary connectors on a rear end of a set of handrails (112,114). The handrails (112,114) also have primary connectors on a front end which connect to secondary connectors on a seat board (102).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No. 201721711344.9, filed Dec. 11, 2017 and entitled “Tool-free Dismountable Furniture.” The contents of this application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to furniture fixings, and more specifically to systems and methods for tool-free dismountable furniture.

BACKGROUND

Furniture can either be assembled before transportation to its destination of after transportation. In instances where the destination is a consumer's residence, there can be several challenges with either option. If furniture is assembled before transportation to the consumer's residence, careful packaging is needed to ensure the assembled furniture will not be damaged during its transportation route. Assembled furniture is generally large, and the packaging needed to protect the assembled furniture is larger still. This increases the cost of transportation to the destination and increases the cost of any storage needed along the way.

Alternatively, furniture can be assembled after arrival at its destination. Furniture assembled after its destination either require professional installation or many parts that the consumer must assemble. Requiring professional installation to install furniture can be costly, require additional tools, and take up valuable consumer time. On the other hand, if the consumer is required to assemble the furniture based on many parts and pieces, it is easy for the pieces to become mixed up and the consumer to incorrectly assemble the furniture. This can lead to damage to the furniture or to inoperability of the furniture. Additionally, the consumer might discover that there are missing or damaged connecting pieces during the consumer's attempt to assemble the furniture. This also can lead to inoperability of the furniture because the consumer will not be able to assemble the furniture due to the missing parts.

Therefore, what is needed is a new system and method for assembling furniture which does not require tools and can be constructed with a minimum of additional parts. The additional parts should be standardized so that the consumer does not accidentally use an incorrect tool.

SUMMARY

The various examples of the present disclosure are directed towards a system for tool-free dismountable furniture. The system includes a plurality of primary connectors and a plurality of secondary connectors which can be used to connect parts of an armchair. The armchair can include a backrest, wherein a first pair of primary connectors are on opposite ends of a top portion of the backrest and a second pair of primary connectors can be on the opposite ends of a bottom portion of the backrest. The armchair can also include a seat board wherein two of the plurality of secondary connectors are affixed to the seat board. A pair of handrails can connect the seat board and the backrest. Each of the pair of handrails can have two of the plurality of the secondary connectors affixed to the rear portion of the handrail and configured to connect to two of the primary connectors on the backrest. Each handrail can also have a primary connector affixed to a front portion of each handrail and configured to connect to the secondary connectors affixed to the seat board.

In one embodiment, the primary connectors can comprise a plurality of buckles, wherein each buckle comprises a buckle latch connected to a buckle stand. The corresponding secondary connectors can comprise hooks, wherein each hook is a trapezoidal connector made of an incurved plate, configured to receive the latch of one of the plurality of buckles.

In a second embodiment, the primary connectors can comprise fixed adapters, wherein each fixed adapter is a rectangular shape with a cutout portion, wherein a length of the cutout portion is a fixed distance. The corresponding secondary connectors can comprise supporting adapters configured as a rectangular shape with a cutout portion configured to receive a fixed adapter. The width of the cutout portion can be slightly larger then the length of the cutout portion in the fixed adapters.

In some examples, the secondary connectors on the seat boards can be hooks and the primary connectors on the front portion of the handrails are buckles. The first pair of primary connectors on the backrest can be fixed adapters and the second pair of primary connectors on the backrest can be buckles. The secondary connectors on the handrails which connect to the first pair of primary connectors on the backrest can be supporting adapters and the secondary connectors on the handrails which connect to the second pair of primary connectors on the backrest can be hooks.

In some examples, all of the primary connectors in the armchair system can be buckles and all of the secondary connectors in the armchair system can be hooks.

In some examples, all of the primary connectors in the armchair system can be fixed adapters and all of the secondary connectors in the armchair system can be supporting adapters.

In other examples, the primary connectors in the armchair system can be any combination of buckles and fixed adapters, where the secondary connectors in the armchair system correspond to the combination of buckles and fixed adapters.

Additional pairs of primary and secondary connectors beyond those listed can provide structural support for the armchair system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure provides for a plurality of primary connectors and a plurality of secondary connectors to connect parts of an armchair. For example, a backrest can have a first pair of primary connectors on a top portion and a second pair of primary connectors on a bottom portion. These primary connectors connect to secondary connectors on the rear end of a set of handrails. The handrails can also have primary connectors on a front end which connect to secondary connectors on a seat board. Primary connectors can be buckles comprised of buckle latches connected to buckle stands. Corresponding secondary connectors can be hooks configured to connect to the buckles. A second embodiment of the primary connectors can be fixed adapters configured as a rectangular shape with a cutout portion to receive supporting adapters as secondary connectors which have similar shapes. Any combination of primary connectors and their corresponding secondary connectors can connect parts of the armchair.

The present disclosure allows for simplicity of assembly because the consumer does not need to procure extra tools in order to assemble the furniture. The connectors as provided for in the present disclosure rectify the absence of hardware parts when the consumer receives the furniture. Additionally, human error during installation is reduced because there is a much lower likelihood that the consumer could use the wrong parts for installation. Installation time for the furniture is reduced. With the present disclosure, one person can easily install the full set of furniture without any extra tools. A single person installation can assemble the armchair in less than five minutes whereas contemporary systems might take more than thirty minutes to assemble. Assembly is therefore faster and easier than in previous systems. All of these factors reduce inconvenience to the customers and provide a corresponding better customer service from the manufacturer who has a higher ability to help the consumer with installation.

Additionally, this system lowers the costs of transportation and storage because the furniture can be easily disassembled and stored compactly.

FIG. 1shows an exemplary tool-free dismountable chair system100according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The chair system100includes a seat board102; a backrest104; adapter assembly106; buckle and latch assembly108; left handrail112; and right handrail114. The seat board102is connected to the left handrail112and the right handrail114and is configured to support the weight of a user. The left handrail112and right handrail114are also connected to the backrest104and provide additional structural support for the armchair as well as a place where the user can place their arms. The backrest104provides a location for the user to lean against when sitting in the armchair.

The seat board102, the backrest104, the left handrail112, and the right handrail114can all be connected to each other in a variety of methods. In the embodiment depicted, these elements are connected to each other via primary and secondary connectors. One example is the buckle and latch assembly108which connects a lower portion of the left handrail112and right handrail114to the backrest104. The buckle and latch assembly is discussed further with regards toFIGS. 2-3. Referring back toFIG. 1, another example of primary and secondary connectors is the adapter assembly106which connects an upper portion of the left handrail112and right handrail114to the backrest104. The adapter assembly is discussed further with regards toFIGS. 4-5.

Although a particular ratio of buckle and latch assemblies to adapter assemblies is shown inFIG. 1, any ratio of buckle and latch assemblies to adapter assemblies can be used to stabilize and assemble the armchair system100.

Although only six pairs of primary and secondary connectors are shown inFIG. 1, any number of primary and secondary connectors can be used to stabilize and assemble the armchair system100.

Although particular locations of primary and secondary connectors are shown inFIG. 1, the primary and secondary connectors can be placed anywhere on the armchair system100so long as the backrest104is connected to the left handrail112and right handrail114and the seat board102is connected to the left handrail112, and the right handrail114.

FIG. 2shows an exemplary buckle and latch assembly200according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The buckle and latch assembly200includes a buckle stand260; a buckle latch262; a buckle hook264; a stand opening266; a stand protrusion268; a protrusion opening270; and a carabineer272. The buckle stand260is the part of the buckle and latch assembly200which secures the assembly200to a chair component. For example, the buckle stand260can be fixed onto the seat board102, the backrest104, the left handrail112, or the right handrail114. The buckle latch262can be configured to receive the buckle hook264and provide a secure attachment. The buckle latch262can be a circular or rectangular shape which is open in the center to receive the buckle hook264. The buckle latch262can also be any closed polygonal shape with an open middle to receive the buckle hook264. The buckle hook264can be a trapezoidal connector made of an incurved steel plate, configured to receive the latch of a buckle.

The buckle and latch assembly200functions to lock two separate components into place. The assembly200will lock into place whatever the buckle hook264is attached to and whatever the buckle latch262is attached to. For example, the buckle hook264can be attached to a seat board102and the buckle latch262can be attached to a backrest104. When the buckle latch262has received the buckle hook264, a secure attachment will be formed between the buckle latch262and the buckle hook264such that the seat board102and the backrest104are securely connected to each other.

The buckle latch262can additionally have an opening through which a stand protrusion268can extend. The stand protrusion268can be configured with a protrusion opening270. The protrusion opening270can receive another element; for example, the protrusion opening270can receive a carabineer272. The carabineer272can prevent lock the assembly200in place so that the buckle latch262cannot move to release the buckle hook264unless the carabineer272is removed.

The buckle and latch assembly200can be made of steel, a metal, plastic, or another durable material.

FIG. 3shows an exemplary buckle and latch assembly chair system300according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The buckle and latch assembly chair system300includes a backrest304; a left handrail312; a buckle latch360; and a buckle hook362.FIG. 3shows an exemplary connection between a backrest304and a left handrail312according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the buckle latch360is connected to a buckle stand (not pictured) on the backrest304. The buckle hook362is connected to the left handrail312. The buckle latch360is further connected to the buckle hook362which secures the left handrail312to the backrest304. Therefore,FIG. 3shows an exemplary connector system using a buckle and latch assembly as shown inFIG. 2.

FIG. 4shows an exemplary adapter assembly400according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The adapter assembly system400includes a fixed adapter440; supporting adapter442; and cutout portion444. The fixed adapter440comprises a rectangular shape with a cutout portion444. The cutout portion444has a length of a set distance. The supporting adapter442also comprises a rectangular shape with a cutout portion444. The width of the cutout portion444of the supporting adapter442can slightly larger than the length of the cutout portion444of the fixed adapter440. This allows the cutout portions of the fixed adapter440and the supporting adapter442to receive each other and form a secure attachment. Additionally, the depth of the cutout portion444can be properly aligned so that the fixed adapter440and the supporting adapter442can lie flush with each other when receiving each other.

In some embodiments, the fixed adapter and the supporting adapter can be identically shaped. The fixed adapter and the supporting adapter can be made from wood, plastic, metal, or any other durable material.

FIG. 5shows an exemplary adapter accessory chair system500according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The adapter accessory chair system500includes a backrest504; a left handrail512; a fixed adapter540; and a supporting adapter542.FIG. 5shows an exemplary connection between a backrest504and a left handrail512according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the fixed adapter540is connected to the supporting adapter542but placing the cutout portions (not pictured) of the connectors directly on top of each other. The fixed adapter540is connected to the left handrail512and the supporting adapter542is connected to the backrest504. Therefore, by the connection of the fixed adapter540and the supporting adapter542, the backrest504is securely connected to the left handrail512.

While various examples of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Numerous changes to the disclosed examples can be made in accordance with the disclosure herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described examples. Rather, the scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.