Patent Publication Number: US-4582002-A

Title: Furniture assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to furniture and more particularly to a kit for the assembly, disassembly, and reassembly of an article of furniture in a variety of configurations, all without the use of tools. 
     In many families with children, the occasion arises for the children to visit with parents to homes where amusement for children is not readily available. The present invention is intended to provide a kit, containing a relatively few pieces which can be easily stored and transported in its disassembled state. This kit is designed such that the pieces can be assembled into a variety of configurations, can be assembled and reassembled by the child for self-amusement, all without the use of tools. 
     Although the primary intended use of the present invention is as an article of furniture and plaything for a child, other uses are envisioned. The same pieces as disclosed herein can be made in a small scale for use as doll furniture. Likewise, the pieces can be made to a large scale for adults. 
     The pieces of the present kit can be made out of any convenient material which has the required strength and safety. Thus, wood and plastic are likely construction materials but cardboard, metal or other relatively rigid materials are not excluded. 
     SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a kit consisting of several relatively flat pieces. Said pieces can be assembled, disassembled and reassembled in a variety of configurations without the use of tools and at a location remote from the factory in which the kit is produced. The several pieces are relatively compact, allowing easy storage and transport of the kit in its disassembled state. The kit may be assembled in a variety of cofigurations allowing several forms of furniture to be constructed as well as a variety of children&#39;s furniture, toys and playthings. The assembly is sufficiently simple to be carried out by the child and the kit is sufficiently flexible to permit the child to experiment and build several different configurations as the child&#39;s imagination may suggest. 
     Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a piece of furniture which can be assembled without tools. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a piece of furniture which can be easily disassembled and reassembled into a variety of different configurations. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a piece of furniture which is easily stored and transported when in its disassembled state. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an article of furniture which can be reassembled in a variety of configurations by a child exercising his or her creativity and self-guided play. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1: A perspective view of the invention as assembled for use as a child&#39;s desk, seat or T.V. tray. 
     FIG. 2: A top view of the invention as assembled by a child for use as a maze for toy autos. 
     FIGS. 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10: Planar views of the eight separate pieces, respectively, comprising the disassembled invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention comprises, in the preferred embodiment, eight planar pieces, typically wood or plastic, which can be assembled in numerous configurations and yet, in the disassembled configuration, can be easily transported. For purposes of illustration, we describe in detail the method for assembly for one typical configuration. Other configurations are possible, and a prime object of the present invention is to permit, in one kit of relatively few pieces, numerous possible methods of assembly, limited only by the inventiveness of the assembler, typically a child. The invention is intended to provide a device which can be stored in relatively small space and can be easily transported. However, because of the numerous ways the pieces can be assembled, the present invention allows a child considerable freedom in designing his or her own methods of use. Thus, a primary use for the present invention is envisioned to be a portable piece of furniture or toy that can be constructed in a variety of ways by a child. It is envisioned that the present invention would be especially useful for children to amuse themselves while accompanying adults on a visit. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention envisions use as an article of children&#39;s furniture and toy, the invention is not limited to just these uses. The basic configuration of pieces can be assembled in a variety of sizes to encompass doll furniture, adult furniture as well as childs furniture. The description which follows is illustrative of just one way the basic pieces can be assembled to construct a useful article. Many other configurations are possible, limited only by the ingenuity of the assembler. 
     FIG. 1 shows in perspective view the present invention in one of its possible configurations. When constructed in the appropriate size, it could serve as a child&#39;s T.V. seat and tray. To be used as a seat and tray, surface 1 is used as a seat and surface 2 is used as the tray for snacks, etc. The same configuration can also be used as a desk in which the child kneels or sits by surface 1, using surface 1 as the desktop, and the area encompassing surface 2 and the region below surface 2 can be used as shelves. FIG. 1 also can serve as a play house, fort, castle, etc., limited only by the imagination of the child. Therefore, we describe in detail how the eight pieces, FIGS. 3-10 inclusive, easily fit together to form the article of FIG. 1. 
     The assembly of the article shown in FIG. 1 most easily begins by using the piece shown in FIG. 3. The piece shown in FIG. 3 is oriented such that slots 4 and 5 are in the upper rear portion of the assembly shown in the perspective of FIG. 1. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 8 is typically engaged with the piece of FIG. 3 such that FIG. 8 forms the surface labeled 1 in FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is engaged with FIG. 3 such that slot 7 and slot 5 are intermeshed and the longer section of FIG. 8 extends to the right of FIG. 3 when these two pieces are configured as shown in FIG. 1. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 4 is then typically assembled to become piece 8 as shown in FIG. 1. Slot 9 of FIG. 4 is intermeshed with slot 13 of FIG. 8, the piece shown in FIG. 4 being configured such that slot 10 is in the upper rear of the assembly in the perspective of FIG. 1. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 7 is then typically added to form the surface labeled 15 in FIG. 1. Slot 16 of FIG. 7 intermeshes with slot 6 of FIG. 3. Slot 17 of FIG. 7 intermeshes with slot 11 of FIG. 4. The open area between slots 16 and 17 forms the knee-space when the article shown in FIG. 1 is used as a child&#39;s desk. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 6 is then typically added to form the surface labeled 19 in FIG. 1. Slot 20 in FIG. 6 intermeshes with slot 18 of FIG. 7. Slot 22 opens upward and slot 21 is in the rear of the assembly when the piece shown in FIG. 6 in inserted into the assembly in the perspective shown in FIG. 1. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 9 is then typically added to form the surface labeled 23 in FIG. 1. Slot 27 in FIG. 9 intermeshes with slot 4 in FIG. 1. Slot 26 in FIG. 9 intermeshes with slot 10 in FIG. 4. Slot 25 in FIG. 9 intermeshes with slot 21 in FIG. 6. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 10 is then typically added to the assembly to form the surface labeled 28 in FIG. 1. Slot 29 in FIG. 10 intermeshes with slot 14 in FIG. 8. Slot 29 is intentionally positioned slightly off-center in FIG. 10. The longer portion of the piece shown in FIG. 10 extends downward from slot 14, in the perspective shown in FIG. 1, with the end of FIG. 10 resting in slot 22. 
     The piece shown in FIG. 5 is then typically added to the structure in FIG. 1 to form the surface labeled 2 in FIG. 1. Slot 30 in FIG. 5 intermeshes with slot 24 in FIG. 9. The half-slot 31 in FIG. 5 intermeshes with the slot 12 in FIG. 4 and resting for support on the upper, shorter end of the piece shown in FIG. 10, comprising surface 28 in FIG. 1. 
     This procedure describes in detail just one of many possible ways to assemble the structure shown in FIG. 1 from the pieces shown in FIGS. 3-10 inclusive. Also, the structure shown in FIG. 1 is just one possible structure which can be assembled from these eight pieces. One other example of a possible configuration is shown in top view in FIG. 2. The components labeled 32-39 inclusive, correspond in order to the pieces shown in FIGS. 3-10 respectively. FIG. 2 does not form a flat structure, but rather has tunnels and raised portions. FIG. 2 was constructed by a child following his own imagination and used by the child as a course for toy automobiles. FIG. 2 is included here to illustrate that the present invention permits assembly in a variety of configurations. It should also be noted that producing different structures is a source of amusement of the child and an exercise of his or her creativity.