A top board for tables, shelves or the like and a connector for board sections forming the top board or the like

Abstract: The invention provides a top board for a table, shelves or the like comprising a plurality of board sections (2) to be connected laterally with one another by use of at least one connector (4), the board section having an engaging part (3) on the laterial sides, into which the connector is inserted to connect the plural board sections. The invention also provides a connector which is mounted to an end of the board section to connect a plurality of board sections in users discretion.

Description: The present invention relates to a top board or slab for tables, shelves, etc., comprising a connector for board sections forming the table top boards, etc. On the market in recent years various types of sectional or knockdown furniture have appeared for which users may freely make arrangement in their discretion, or tables or the like which may be used particularly for outdoor recreation such as camping and which can be freely set up and taken apart. Conventionally, the top board or slab is hinged to be folded or legs or base frames may be detached from the top board for users arrangement and facilitated portability without bulkiness. The sectional or knockdown furniture is usually installed inside the houses. In case that the top board has a specific or limited shape and size, the extent of users free arrangement of furniture is limited extremely. Also, tables for outdoor use, in case the top board is not adapted to be taken apart, do not fully achieve the task of avoiding bulkiness in carriage. FR 2 409 412 discloses a system for connecting different boards to shelves. The boards are provided with a lateral recess into which a flat connector piece is inserted. The connector piece is fixed in each board by a screw extending through the board and the connector. DE 1 912 120 discloses a table with a plurality of table plates which can be connected. The table plates comprise a lateral bore for a connecting pin. Perpendicular to the connecting tube a recess for fixing means is provided. In the recess spring-biased fixing means are provided engaging the locking pin. In the connected position the fixing means engage a recess in the locking pin. In order to release the locking pin the fixing means are pressed into the recess. An object of the present invention is to provide a top board or slab for use in sectional or knockdown furniture, folding furniture, or the like, without the foregoing problems in the prior art. The object is achieved by a top board according to claim 1. The present invention provides a top board for tables, shelves or the like comprising a plurality of board sections, the board sections each having on lateral sides an engaging part for receiving a connector, so that the connector is inserted into the engaging part to cause a fixing means formed on the board section to fit in a fit part on the connector, thereby fixing the plural board sections assembled. The present invention also provides for a plurality of board sections comprising a mounting member to be set on the board section laterally having an engaging part and a connector to be engaged with and retained by the engaging part, the mounting member having a spring biased fixing means, the connector having a fit part, so that the connector is inserted into the engaging part to cause the fixing means to fit in the fit part on the connector, thereby enabling users to freely make arrangement of the top board, shelves or the like in size and shape by use of the mounting members and connectors on a plurality of board sections. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of board sections for forming a top board according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the rear surface of the board sections. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of a fixing means. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing another example of fixing means not according to the invention. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a further example of fixing means not according to the invention. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the structure of a connector. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a mounting member installed on the board section. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing another example of installation of the mounting member fit in the board section. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing another example of fixing means on the connector not according to the invention. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing a completed table using the board sections connected by means of the connectors. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing shelves using the board sections. Examples Figs. 4, 5 and 9 do not use spring-biased fixing means and are, therefor, only exemplary for different types of connectors not according to the invention. Examples of the present invention will be explained with referring to the attached drawings. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 a top board or slab comprises a plurality of board sections 2 each having on lateral sides an engaging part 3 in the form of recess for receiving a longitudinal half part of a connector 4. The connector 4 is inserted into the engaging part 3 on the board section 2, so that a fixing means 5 formed on the board section 2 is brought into engagement with a fit part or point 11 on the connector 4, thereby allowing a plurality of assembled board sections 2 to be fixed in their connecting state for forming a single top board. The board section 2 has on lateral sides the engaging part 3 with which a longitudinal half part of the connector 4 engages with the other half part projecting outwards from the board section 2 as seen in Figs. 1 to 3. The board section 2 has on the rear surface the fixing means 5 which does, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, pivot around an axis 6 and is always biased by a spring 7 to cause a hook 8 to extend in the engaging part 3, so that when a rear end 9 of the fixing means 5 is pressed, the hook 8 turns upwards. The connector 4 is formed in a shape that a first longitudinal half part of the connector 4 is inserted into the engaging part 3 on the lateral side of one plate section 2. The connector 4 has two fit parts (or points) 11. When the connector 4 is inserted into the engaging part 3, the hook 8 engages the fit part 11 to fix the coupled board section 2 and connector 4. In this instance, when the rear end 9 is pressed, the hook 8 is released from the fit part 11 to allow the connector 4 to be separated from the board section 2. The fixing means 5 for which the previous example employs the pivotable metal fitment 5 biased by the spring 7 may otherwise and not accordingly to the invention be constructed as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The board section 2 is provided on the rear surface with holes 10 into which a fixing means 5 is inserted to extend through the engaging part 3 in the board section 2. The connector 4 has a fit part or point 11 through which the fixing means 5 extends. The connector 4 is engaged into the engaging part 3 on the board section 2 and the fixing means 5 is inserted into the hole 10 and the fit part 11 to fix the coupled connector(s) 4 and board section(s) 2. The fixing means 5 is removed to disconnect the coupled board section 2 and connector 4. The connector may be otherwise so constructed as shown in Figs. 6 to 8 that a connector body 14 comprises a mounting member 16, which is mounted to a board section 15 forming a table, shelves, etc., and a connector 17 engageable with the mounting member 16. The mounting member 16 has an engaging part 18 for retaining the connector 17 and a fixing means 20 for engaging with a fit part 19 on the connector 17. The connector 17 is adapted to engage at its specific longitudinal half parts with separate or specific mounting members 16. The connector 17 is inserted into and engaged with the mounting member 16 before engaging the fixing means 20 with the fit part 19, whereby fixing the coupled mouting member 16 and connector 17. In brief, the mounting member 16 has on the opposite lateral sides the engaging parts 18 with which the laterial sides of the connector 17 when inserted engage to be retained. The fixing means 20 on the mounting member 16 fixes the connector 17 when engaged with the mounting member 16. In detail, the fixing means 20 comprises an engaging member having at a free end 23 a hook 21 and freely swingably pivoted at a root end around an axis, the engaging member being always biased by a spring 22 to urge the hook 21 downwards, so that the free end 23 may be lifted up by a finger to move the hook 21 upwards. The mounting member 16 which is of the above construction and to be installed on the board section 15 for constituting a top board, shelves or the like are placed at the edge on the rear surface of the board section 15, as seen in Fig. 7, to be tightened by screws 25 inserted through mounting bores 24. Fig. 8 illustrates another manner of installation of the mounting member 16 on the board section 15. The board section 15 has at an end on the rear surface a recessed part 26 preliminarily provided correspondingly to the shape of the mounting member 16 which may be fit wholly in the recessed part 26. The connector 17 is formed in a shape that the longitudinal half parts may be each engaged with and retained by specific or separate mounting members 16. The connector 17 has fit parts (or points) 19 into which the hooks 21 on the fixing means 20 may be fit. When the connector 17 is engaged with the mounting member 16, the hook 21 enters the fit part 19 to fix the coupled mounting member 16 and connector 17. The end portion 23 of the fixing means 20 may be lifted up by a finger to release the connection between the mounting member and connector , thereby allowing them to be separated from each other. The fixing means 20 for which the example uses a swingable metal fitment biased by a spring may otherwise and not accordingly to the invention be constructed as shown in Fig. 9 wherein the mounting member 16 to be installed on the board section 15 may have bores 26 into which a fixing means 20 is inserted and extends at a free end to a fit part or point 19 formed on the connector 17. The connector 17 is engaged with the mounting member 16 and the fixing means 20 is then inserted into the fit part 19, thereby fixing the coupled connector and mounting member (in turn, the board section). By removing the fixing means 20 the coupled and fixed connector and mounting member may be disconnected. The table top board comprising the connector for the board sections according to the present invention are constructed as above and enable users to make free arrangement of the top boards, shelves, etc., correspondingly to available space and in their discretion, easily enlarge the extent or size of the top board, shelves, etc., by using an increased number of board sections as required, and simply take apart the top board by operating the fixing means. Thus, the table top board and connector can be conveniently used for a table for outdoor recreation, such as camping, with an excellent portability and improved packing without bulkiness. Also, the board sections may be applied to shelves for household use and also for display in various shops or stores by arranging the shelves boards in size and shape. Figs. 10 and 11 illustrate examples of the free arrangement and use of the top board by means of a plurality of board sections for a table in Fig. 10 and shelves in Fig. 11 comprising a plurality of top boards with legs forming the steps-like shelves along the walls of the room.

Claims: A top board comprising a plurality of sections each having at least one engaging part on a lateral side for connection to at least one lateral side of another section, a connector (4; 17) with two fit parts (11; 19) for connecting two adjacent sections of the top board, the connector being separately engageable to adjacent sections, and a spring-biased fixing means with a hook (8; 21) engaging one of the fit parts when the connector is inserted into the engaging part, characterized in that the fixing means (5) being pivotally mounted on each adjacent section such that the hook can release the fit part of the connector to allow the connector to be separated from the board section (2) when the fixing means is pressed at a rear end (9) spaced apart from the hook (8; 21) or lifted at the free end (23) located proximate to the hook. The top board according to claim 1, characterized in that the section has a recess for receiving a connector, formed in the at least one lateral side of each adjacent section being connected. The top board according to claim 2, characterized in that the fixing means having a flat side exposed on the bottom of each adjacent section and a side opposite the flat side having the hook (8; 21) extending into the recess. The top board according to claim 1 comprising a mounting member, having a recess for receiving the connector, wherein the spring-biased fixing means being mounted on the mounting member such that the hook extends into the fit parts (11; 19) for the connector in the connected position. The top board according to claim 4, wherein the mounting member being mounted on the at least one side of each adjacent section being connected. The top board according to claim 5, wherein on the surface a recessed part (26) is provided, the recessed part being deep enough to accommodate one half of the connector so adjacent sections abut when the adjacent sections are connected.

Inventors: KANKI MOTOYUKI, KANKI, MOTOYUKI
Applicants: YOSHIMI TRADING COMPANY LTD, YOSHIMI TRADING COMPANY LIMITED
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A47B87
IPC codes: A47B96, A47B87, F16B12