Patent Publication Number: US-2005127801-A1

Title: Furniture system

Description:
The present invention relates to a furniture system which comprises at least one dimensionally stable, plate-shaped element with an opening array, a number of rigid and elongate connecting elements with a fastening element at each of their ends and a separate, threaded fastening means for releasably securing, in cooperation with said fastening element, each connecting element in the opening array of the plate-shaped element.  
      More specifically, the invention relates to a system with a small number of different components, by means of which primarily various pieces of furniture can easily be assembled and later on, if required, easily disassembled. Examples of furniture that can be constructed with the system are cupboards, boxes, book cases and the like, drying racks, tables, benches, etc.  
      A system or a set with a relatively small number of different components for assembling various pieces of furniture, such as tables, chairs and sets of shelves, is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,172. The system consists of elongate connecting elements with a transverse bore at each end and side elements formed with through-openings or through-holes in a row and column pattern. When assembling a piece of furniture by means of this system, the ends of the connecting elements are inserted into selected openings in the side elements and secured in the openings by means of a nail or a screw each, which is inserted into each bore and is nailed or screwed to the side wall of the opening. One disadvantage of this system is that it is difficult to assemble and disassemble the furniture. Moreover, the positions of the connecting elements are restricted to the positions of the openings, which means that these elements can only be moved stepwise in the vertical and the horizontal direction in the side elements and cannot be placed close to each other. The through-openings in the side elements are not aesthetically appealing. Finally, the side elements in this prior-art system can only be placed vertically, resting on a floor or the like, since otherwise the assembled piece of furniture would not be sufficiently stable.  
      The object of the present invention is thus to provide a furniture system, which allows easy assembling and disassembling of a piece of furniture, without requiring any tool.  
      It is a further object of the invention to provide a furniture system which allows stepless positioning of the connecting elements, close to each other if desired, and optional orientation of the plate-shaped elements.  
      Another object is to provide a furniture system, by way of which a number of aesthetically attractive pieces of furniture can be made.  
      These objects are achieved by a furniture system as stated by way of introduction, which is characterised in that the fastening element has a cylindrical, threaded engagement surface, the centre axis of which extends along the longitudinal axis of the connecting element, that at least one substantially duct-shaped section is integrated in the plate-shaped element, which section has a bottom wall, a pair of oppositely arranged and parallel side walls and a top wall opposite the bottom wall with a groove-shaped opening which is parallel to the side walls, and that the fastening means has a cylindrical, threaded engagement surface for threaded engagement with the engagement surface of the fastening element and at least two parallel side edges, the distance between the side edges being somewhat shorter than the distance between the side walls of the section, which fastening means is arranged to be placed inside the section and brought into clamping engagement with the fastening element against the top wall, thereby securing the connecting element to the plate-shaped element with the projecting engagement surface of the fastening element or the fastening means positioned in the groove-shaped opening.  
      Further developments of the invention will appear from the features stated in the dependent claims. 
    
    
      Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated below by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which  
       FIG. 1  is a top plan view illustrating the principle of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a view corresponding to that in  FIG. 1  showing a composite section used in the conference cabinet according to  FIGS. 9 and 10 ;  
       FIGS. 3-5  are the same views as in  FIGS. 1 and 2  but on a smaller scale and illustrate examples of variants of the sections according to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
       FIG. 6  is an end view of a bench/a table constructed with the furniture system according to the invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a side view of a set of storage shelves constructed with the furniture system according to the invention;  
       FIG. 8  is a vertical cross-sectional view illustrating how a drying rack can be constructed with the furniture system;  
       FIG. 9  is a front view illustrating a conference cabinet assembled by the components included in the furniture system according to the invention;  
       FIG. 10  is the same view as in  FIG. 9  showing how to assemble the lower portion of the conference cabinet according to  FIG. 9 , before the mounting of the door leaves;  
       FIG. 11  illustrates on a much smaller scale an alternative embodiment of the section in  FIG. 2 ; and  
       FIG. 12  is a partial perspective view illustrating an example of a hinge for mounting the door leaves on the conference cabinet according to  FIG. 9 .  
    
    
      The invention will primarily be presented in connection with a mountable conference cabinet, but is also applicable to other types of furniture as mentioned above and as illustrated by way of example in some of the accompanying Figures.  
      A conference cabinet is a product containing AV equipment such as a writing board, a flip chart and, in most cases, a film screen for showing films or pictures by means of a projector. The cabinet has doors which can be closed to conceal what has been written for reasons of secrecy and/or for aesthetical reasons. Today&#39;s commercially available conference cabinets are composed of a frame and doors made of wood or a similar material. They all have much the same appearance and are available in an assembled state in fixed sizes.  
      For almost 30 years, conference cabinets have been a solution for easy provision of AV equipment in a meeting room. As a result, there is an increasing downward pressure on the price of traditional construction solutions including a frame of wood, hinges, door leaves and a film screen, which in turn makes the product difficult to sell at a profit if a reasonable quality level is to be offered. But the solution is still attractive on the market. Traditional solutions are also bulky and heavy, which yields high transport costs. In addition, heavy cabinets are unergonomic and may cause occupational injuries. Furthermore, the cabinets available on the market are environmentally unsuitable. If the use of glue, chipboards and chromium-plated hinges can be replaced or reduced, it would mean an important environmental benefit.  
      Reference is first made to  FIG. 1 , which best illustrates the inventive idea. The furniture system according to the invention mainly consists of three kinds of components, of which the first one is a dimensionally stable, plate-shaped elemental which is preferably an extruded section of plastic material, aluminium or a metal alloy known in connection with extrusion. The plate-shaped element  1  comprises at least one integrated, substantially duct-shaped section  2  extending in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped element. In  FIG. 1 , three duct-shaped sections  2  are shown, but the element  1  can have one duct-shaped section only ( FIG. 3 ), two sections ( FIG. 4 ) or more ( FIG. 8 ). Each duct-shaped section  2  has a bottom wall  3 , a pair of oppositely arranged and parallel side walls  4  and  5  and a top wall  6  located opposite the bottom wall  3 . In the top wall  6  and substantially halfway between the side walls  4  and  5 , there is a groove-shaped opening  7 , which thus extends in the longitudinal direction of the plate-shaped element  1 , parallel to the side walls  4 ,  5  (cf.  FIG. 10 ).  
      The second type of component in the furniture system is an elongate and rigid connecting element  8  preferably having a circular circumference, such as a round bar or a tube, although other cross-sectional surfaces are conceivable, e.g. polygonal. At each of the two ends of the connecting element  8 , there is a fastening element  9  having a cylindrical, threaded engagement surface, the centre axis of which extends along the longitudinal axis of the connecting element. The fastening element  9  is, in other words, a threaded pin, as shown in  FIG. 1 , or a nut means fixedly arranged inside the end of the connecting element. It should be noted that the fastening element  9  at the left end of the connecting element  8  in  FIG. 10  is right-hand threaded and that the fastening element  9  at the right end of the connecting element  8  is left-hand threaded for reasons that will be explained below.  
      The third type of component in the system is a fastening means  11 , which has a cylindrical, threaded engagement surface, which is complementary to the engagement surface of the fastening element  9  for threaded engagement therewith. Therefore the fastening means  11  is shown as a nut means in  FIG. 1 , but it is a bolt when the fastening element  9  is a nut means. Naturally, the fastening means  11  which is to engage said left fastening element  9  is right-hand threaded and the other, opposite fastening means is left-hand threaded. The fastening means  11  has dimensions such that it can be positioned in the duct-shaped section  2 , as clearly seen in  FIG. 1 . The fastening means  11  also has at least two parallel side edges  12  and  13 . The distance between the side edges is somewhat shorter than the distance between the side walls  4  and  5  of the section  2 , so as to enable the fastening means  11  to be moved along the section  2 , but not to be turned therein.  
      When assembling a piece of furniture, such as the conference cabinet shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , an adequate number of fastening means  11  are inserted into the associated sections  2  in the two plate-shaped elements  1  and both fastening elements  9  of each connecting element  8  are brought into threaded engagement with a fastening means  11  each in the two elements  1  by the connecting element being rotated in the direction of the arrow  14 , thereby causing the pin of the fastening element  9  or the shank of the fastening means. (not shown) to extend through the associated groove-shaped opening  7 , which is easily understood by a person skilled in the art. Subsequently, the connecting element  8  is moved together with the two fastening means  11  along the groove-shaped opening  7  to a desired position, after which the connecting element  8  is rotated further so as to be locked on the two plate-shaped elements  1 . The rotary motion causes the end of the connecting element  8  to approach the fastening means  11 , and finally they are brought into clamping engagement against the top wall  6 . As the two fastening elements of the connecting element are, respectively, right-hand threaded and left-hand threaded, the clamping engagement is achieved practically simultaneously in the two plate-shaped elements  1 . If desired, an elastic washer or a locking washer may be placed between the end of the connecting element and the plate-shaped element  1  (not shown).  
      By positioning the connecting elements  8  at the same level in all the duct-shaped sections  2 , they will form, respectively, the upper and the lower side walls of the conference cabinet, as illustrated in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . They can also form shelves in a set of storage shelves, as schematically shown in  FIG. 7 . By fastening the respective connecting elements  8  on different levels relative to each other, a drying rack is, for example, provided (see  FIG. 8 ).  
      In the above-mentioned furniture pieces, the plate-shaped elements  1  are vertically oriented. However, in  FIG. 6  the plate-shaped element is horizontally oriented and a connecting element  8  is arranged in each corner, which results in a bench or a table. In that case, the fastening means  11  or a similar “floor protector” is screwed on the fastening element  9  at the free end of the connecting element  8 .  
      When the furniture system according to the invention is intended to be used for the construction of a cabinet or a box, the plate-shaped element  1  has a mounting  15  at one of its ends for fastening a rear element  16  in the form of a chipboard, writing board or the like, which is secured by screws  17 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The mounting  15  is oriented at an angle (preferably perpendicularly) to the plate-shaped element  1  and is integrated therewith. When a rear element is part of the furniture piece which is to be constructed with the system according to the invention, it is sometimes sufficient to provide one duct-shaped section  2  only in each plate-shaped element  1  at its end opposite the mounting  15  to make the furniture piece stable. This is illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , which show different locations of the section  2  and the mounting  15  in relation to the plane of the element  1 .  
      In cases when the furniture system is intended for the construction of cabinets and the like, the plate-shaped element  1  has at its end opposite the above-mentioned mounting  15  a securing device  18  for door leaves  19  (see  FIGS. 2 and 9 ). The securing device is preferably formed as a rail ( FIG. 2 ), which extends along the entire length of the element  1 , parallel to the mounting  15 , and which is integrated with the plate-shaped element. An L-shaped hinge  26  is fastened to the lower end of the duct-shaped securing device  18  (see  FIG. 12 ) by a nut means (not shown), for example, a plate which is formed with threaded holes or a nut, whose width is greater than the width of the through-slit  27  of the securing device extending in the longitudinal direction of the securing device in a manner similar to that of the groove-shaped opening  7  of the duct-shaped section  2  but which slit is narrower than the width of the duct. The nut means is inserted into the securing device  18  and one or more screws  28  is/are inserted into an associated bore (or bores) in the hinge  26  and in the slit  27  to be tightened in the nut means, thereby bringing the hinge into clamping engagement with the area adjacent to the slit  27 . The hinge has in a manner known per se a hinge pin  29 . The door leaf  19  has a blind bore  31  at its two opposite corners with a diameter adapted to the diameter of the pin  29 . When mounting each door leaf  19 , the door leaf is moved from the top downwards along the plate-shaped element  1  until the pin  29  is inserted into the bore  31 . Then the upper hinge  26  is fastened in analogous manner to the securing device, the hinge pin being inserted into the upper blind bore of the door leaf.  
      In the above method of mounting the door leaves, use if made of a special duct-shaped securing device. But this device is not critical. Instead, when using a plate-shaped element formed as in  FIG. 11 , which does not have any securing device  18 , the outermost duct-shaped section  2  can serve as a securing device, as will easily be understood by a person skilled in the art. As a result, the hinge  29  will not be positioned at the short side of the plate-shaped element  1  but at its long side, i.e. perpendicularly to the plane of the plate-shaped element; cf. the orientation of the connecting elements  8  relative to the plate-shaped element  1 . The hinge pin  29  can, however, be positioned at the short side of the plate-shaped element  1 , as in the embodiment according to  FIG. 12 , by the hinge being fitted with an angled portion which projects sideways and in which said bores are made.  
      Finally, the furniture system can also be equipped with means for providing the constructed furniture piece with an aesthetically attractive surface and/or finish. An example of this is shown in  FIG. 2 , in which the plate-shaped element  1  has a hook lip  21  at each of its two opposite ends, in the illustrated example adjacent to the mounting  15  and the securing device  18 , said hook lips extending parallel to the mounting  15  and the securing device  18  and being integrated with the element  1 . The hook lips  21  project from the side of the plate-shaped element  1  opposite the groove-shaped openings  7  and they each have a channel or recess  22 , which channels are facing away from each other and into which the ends of a cover panel  23  with corresponding hook means  24  are to be fitted, as clearly seen in  FIG. 2 .  
      The plate-shaped element can optionally also comprise a reinforcing integrated box structure  25  (cf.  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). A preferred embodiment of the plate-shaped element  1  is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . Furthermore, the plate-shaped element  1  is shown in different embodiments in the Figures, and it is obvious that the individual components of the various embodiments can be combined in a number of ways which are not illustrated, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.  
      A conference cabinet which is constructed by means of a furniture system according to the present invention offers the following advantages over prior-art conference cabinets: 
          1. Shorter manufacturing time results in lower manufacturing costs.     2. Cheaper material results in lower manufacturing costs.     3. A more flexible construction, a knock-down solution, allows the use of better logistics.     4. The knock-down construction allows thinner packing which implies cheaper transport.     5. Lower weight implies cheaper transport.     6. Lower weight results in better working ergonomics/environment.     7. A frame of aluminium is a more environment-friendly material.     8. Since the construction is more flexible it is possible, while keeping the same frame, to mount door leaves made of different kinds of wood, which makes it possible to alter the appearance at will.     9. A multiconstruction makes it possible to easily connect various types of equipment, such as a film screen, according to need.