AU706300B3 - A joint for use in furniture manufacture and assembly - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Karl Villy JORGENSEN As above CULLEN

CO.,

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

A JOINT FOR USE IN FURNITURE MANUFACTURE AND ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: A JOINT FOR USE IN FURNITURE MANUFACTURE AND ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a joint which can be used in furniture manufacture and assembly and which makes it possible to assemble furniture without the use of fasteners, nails, screws, dowels, staples and glue.

The assembly joint can be used on a wide range of furniture goods and it is envisaged that the assembly joint can be used to join other types of assembly pieces together where there is an advantage in omitting fasteners from the assembly process (for instance for aesthetic reasons).

In the furniture manufacture industry, there is a trend to produce furniture articles in a knock-down state which allows better storage and transportation. A customer purchases the furniture in the knock-down state and needs to assemble the furniture at home. To date, the assembly has required the use of screws, nails, dowels, staples and/or glue, all of which are time consuming and can be difficult for the average consumer.

Another disadvantage with the use of fasteners is that it increases manufacturing cost and assembly time, and many fasteners are external fasteners which need to be covered up by decorative strips, caps, inserts and the like to provide a pleasing appearance.

Many types of fasteners, and especially nails, can become loose over time causing loss of structural integrity to the furniture piece.

Many fasteners are also subject to corrosion over time which also results in loss of structural integrity of the furniture piece. Many types of glues and adhesives loose their strength over time and when exposed to temperature variations, humidity and the like.

Furniture joints are known which allow two assembly pieces to be joined together without the use of separate fasteners. A dovetail joint is one example as is the more general mortise and tenon joint.

These current joints however suffer from a number of disadvantages. For instance, the dovetail joint is complicated to make and because of its flared shape, is quite easy to damage prior to assembly. The mortise and tenon joint, in practice, requires the use of adhesive to maintain a tight fit between the assembly pieces. In the absence of adhesive, wood shrinkage will result in loosening of the joints. The dovetail joints can be assembled without any type of separate fastener, but a disadvantage with the dovetail joint is that it can be pulled apart in one direction in a linear manner.

That is, a sharp blow on a dovetail joint can cause it to separate and therefore adhesive is often still used.

The present invention is directed to a new type of assembly joint which is formed from two parts both of which can be machined or otherwise formed into the assembly pieces (typically wood or a wood-based product).

The joint, when formed, is designed to prevent the pieces from being pulled apart except by initially rotating or pivoting one of the assembly pieces relative to the other piece. The two pieces can be held or locked against such rotation or pivoting movement which results in the joint being impossible or very difficult to pull apart. However, as the joint does not require separate fasteners, the joint can be readily separated once the two pieces are able to rotate or pivot relative to each other. In this manner, furniture items can be made in a knock-down or flat stack manner and can be assembled more simply than has been hitherto possible.

It is an object of the invention to provide an assembly joint which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the public with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in an assembly joint to allow two assembly pieces to be joined without the need for separate fasteners, one said assembly piece having an elongate recess, the other assembly piece having an elongate head which is insertable into the recess, the head having a top portion, a front portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the front portion being joined along a curved surface, the bottom portion having an elongate channel extending along the head portion and spaced from the front portion, the elongate recess having a configuration which complements the configuration of the head, the construction and arrangement being such that the elongate head can be pivotally inserted in the elongate recess, and when inserted cannot be removed from the recess except by pivotal movement in the opposite direction.

In another form, the invention resides in a method for joining two assembly pieces together without the need for separate fasteners, one said assembly piece having an elongate recess, the other assembly piece having an elongate head which is insertable into the recess, the head having a top portion, a front portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the front portion being joined along a curved surface, the bottom portion having an elongate channel extending along the head portion and spaced from the front portion, the elongate recess having a configuration which complements the configuration of the head, the method including pivotally inserting the head in the elongate recess, and locking the assembly pieces such that the head cannot be pivotally removed from the recess.

The assembly pieces can be formed from wood or wood-based products such as hardwood, softwood, particle board, custom wood, laminated wood, and other types of wood composites. The assembly pieces may also be formed from plastics, foamed material, reinforced material, the above being exemplary only of the type of assembly pieces.

The joint can form of furniture such as cabinets, chairs, stools, beds, cupboards, drawers and the like, and it is envisaged that the joint can be formed for non-furniture goods as well.

The joint is formed from two parts with each assembly piece having one of the parts. The part can be machined or otherwise formed into the assembly piece and this can be achieved by cutters (typically routers), press formers, and other types of cutting or shaping tools. It is possible for the joint to be moulded into the assembly piece if convenient to do so.

One of the assembly pieces is formed with an elongate recess and the other of the assembly pieces is formed with an elongate head which is insertable into the recess. The assembly piece may have a continuous elongate recess or a number of discrete or separated recesses. For extra strength, two or more recesses can be provided to form a "double joint" should this be considered desirable.

The head and the recess are joined together through a rotative or pivoting insertion action. This is different to a dovetail joint where the two pieces are joined by a sliding action. It is preferred that the head and the recess mate fairly tightly together and this can be achieved by suitable sizing of the head and the recess. Once joined, the two pieces can only be separated by a rotative action but cannot be otherwise pulled apart.

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which Figures 1A and 1B illustrate an assembly joint according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figures 2A 2C show a method of assembling a furniture piece where the assembly joint of the invention is locked in place.

Referring initially to Figures 1A and 1B, there is shown an assembly joint 10 to allow two assembly pieces 11, 12 to be joined together without the need for separate fasteners. One of the assembly piece 11 has an elongate recess 13 (see also Figure 2A) while the other assembly piece has a longitudinal edge formed with an elongate head 14 which is insertable into the recess.

Head 14 has a top portion 15 which, in use, inserts into recess 13, a front portion 16 and a bottom portion 17. Top portion 15 and front portion 16 are joined along a curved surface 18. Bottom portion 17 has an elongate channel 19 extending therealong and which is spaced from front portion 16 to result in the formation of a hooking lip Recess 13 in assembly piece 11 has a configuration which compliments the configuration of head 14.

In use, (and better illustrated in Figure 2A), assembly piece 12 is angled relative to assembly piece 11 such that hooking lip 20 passes over the corresponding hooking lip 21 in recess 13. Once hooking lip 20 has passed over hooking lip 21, assembly piece 12 can be rotated upwardly in the direction of arrow shown in Figure 2A to form the assembly joint.

Once this joint has been formed, the other end of assembly piece 12 (which is also formed with a elongate head 14), is attached to assembly piece 1 1A again by a rotative or pivoting insertion and locking movement illustrated in Figure 2B.

Once assembly pieces, 12, 11 and 11A have been joined together, pieces 11 and 11A are locked against rotative movements relative to assembly piece 12 by a locking member 22 (see Figure 2C) which can be formed with a dovetail joint which is known in the art.

At this stage, the furniture piece is assembled and locked together and assembly pieces 11 and 11A are unable to pivot relative to assembly piece 12 and therefore cannot decouple from assembly piece 12.

The assembly joint is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Furniture incorporating the assembly joint is easy to pack because separate fasteners are not required.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to the embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

1. An assembly joint to allow two assembly pieces to be joined without the need for separate fasteners, one said assembly piece having an elongate recess and a longitudinal curved edge, the other assembly piece having an elongate head which is of the same size and proportion as the longitudinal curved edge and is insertable into the recess, the head having a top portion, a front portion and a bottom portion, the top portion and the front portion being joined along a curved surface, the bottom portion having an elongate channel extending along the head portion and spaced from the front portion, the elongate recess having a configuration which complements the configuration of the head so that when the assembly pieces are joined there are no spaces between them, the construction and arrangement being such that the elongate head can be pivotally inserted in the elongate recess, and when inserted cannot be removed from the recess except by pivotal movement in the opposite direction.

2. The joint of claim 1, wherein, once formed, the two assembly pieces are locked in place to prevent opening of the joint.

3. The joint of claim 1 or claim 2 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 22n day of March 1999 Karl Villy JORGENSEN By his Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.