AU2016101696A4

AU2016101696A4 - Article of Furniture

Info

Publication number: AU2016101696A4
Application number: AU2016101696A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Teresa Margaret Ingram
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-09-20
Filing date: 2016-09-20
Publication date: 2016-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2024-09-20

Abstract

An article of furniture comprising: a base supporting two upstanding vertical side panels; an upstanding back panel supported upon the base, the back panel being positioned substantially in between said vertical side panels for enclosing a storage space; a top panel being supported upon an upper portion of each of said vertical panels wherein the top panel comprises a slot for receiving a removable panel member, the top panel being arranged to define a gap in between an underside portion of the top panel and a top portion of the back panel; wherein the removable panel member is adapted for being removably received into the slot and being positioned in the gap, said removable member, upon being positioned in the slot, extending generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel.

Description

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an article of furniture. More particularly, the invention relates to ready to assemble furniture.

BACKGROUND

Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge.

Inter-fitted furniture has been popular for many years. Previously known designs have required complicated assembly operations. To reduce part count, relatively thick part sections (with attendant heavy part weights) commonly have been employed. Additionally, to achieve a stable structure (e.g., a structure that resists wobbling when loaded), fasteners or complicated geometric structures have been necessary. Further, because of one or more of the foregoing, assembled articles of furniture are prone to remaining assembled and often lack ready transportability.

Despite the above efforts there has remained a need in the art for improved inter-fitted furniture that meets one or more of the following needs: it is relatively easy to assemble, it is relatively easy to transport, it packages in a relatively flat and low-profile structure, it is relatively stable (e.g., it resists wobbling when loaded), it is relatively easy to disassemble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the invention provides an article of furniture comprising: a base supporting two upstanding vertical side panels; an upstanding back panel supported upon the base, the back panel being positioned substantially in between said vertical side panels for enclosing a storage space; a top panel being supported upon an upper portion of each of said vertical panels wherein the top panel comprises a slot for receiving a removable panel member, the top panel being arranged to define a gap in between an underside portion of the top panel and a top portion of the back panel; wherein the removable panel member is adapted for being removably received into the slot and being positioned in the gap, said removable member, upon being positioned in the slot, extending generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel.

In an embodiment, a lower portion of the removable panel member abuts and/or engages with an upper portion of the back panel.

In an embodiment, a lower portion of the removable panel member is supported by an upper portion of the back panel.

In an embodiment, the vertical panels and the back panel are inter-fitted with the base via an interference fit.

In an embodiment, the base comprises one or more grooves arranged along a supporting surface of the base, said channels being positioned for engaging and supporting the vertical panels and the back panel. Preferably, said one or more grooves in the base are adapted for receiving a respective outwardly extending tongue portion provided along a connecting edge of the vertical panels and the back panel.

In an embodiment, an underside portion of the top panel is inter-fitted with each of the vertical panels by an interference fit.

In an embodiment, the article of furniture further comprises a plurality of storage drawers arranged in between the vertical panels. Preferably, the article of furniture also comprises a plurality of sliding assemblies for arranging said drawers in between the vertical panels, each of sliding assembly comprising a load bearing portion adapted for engagement with a drawer panel and an attachment portion adapted for attachment to said vertical panels.

In an embodiment, one or more fasteners such as screws may be utilized for fastening the top panel to said vertical panels. In another embodiment, fasteners such as screws may also be utilized for fastening the vertical panels to the base.

In another aspect, the invention provides a modular furniture system comprising: a base panel adapted for supporting two in use upstanding vertical side panels in a spaced relationship; an upstanding back panel adapted for being supported upon the base panel, a top panel adapted for being supported upon an upper portion of said vertical panels without contacting the back panel, the top panel being adapted for being arranged during use to define a gap in between an underside portion of the top panel and a top portion of the back panel in an installed configuration; a removable panel member adapted for being removably received into a slot located in the top panel for being positioned in the gap, said removable member, upon being positioned in the slot, extending generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel.

In another aspect, the invention also provides a furniture kit comprising the modular furniture system as described herein in combination with instructions for installing the article of furniture as described herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dresser 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the dresser 100.

Figures 3 to 8 illustrate perspective views of the dresser 100 in several stages of assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to Figures 1 to 8, an article of furniture in the form of a dresser 100 is illustrated. The article comprises a base 110 supporting two upstanding vertical side panels 120 and 140 that are spaced apart from each other. The dresser 100 also includes an upstanding back panel 160 supported upon the base 110. The back panel 160 is positioned in between the vertical side panels 120 and 140 for enclosing a storage space there-between. The dresser 100 also includes a top panel 150 supported upon an upper portion of each of the vertical panels 120 and 140.

It is important to note that upon being assembled, the top panel 150 is positioned to provide a gap 165 (shown in Figure 7) in between an underside portion of the top panel 150 and a top portion 162 of the back panel 160. The top panel 150 also includes an elongate slot 155 extending generally in between two lateral sides of the top panel 150. The elongate slot 155 is provided for receiving a removable panel member 180 (shown in Figure 8) that may be inserted into the elongate slot 155 , received in the gap 165 and be supported along an upper portion 162 of the back panel 160 in order to position the removable panel member 180 within the slot 155. Upon being positioned in the slot 155 and the gap 165, the inserted panel member 180 extends generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel 150. A lower portion of the removable member 180 abuts the upper portion 162 of the back panel 160 thereby providing a supporting arrangement for supporting the removable panel member 180. Providing the removable panel member 180 in a substantially upright configuration as shown in Figure 1 allows the removable panel member to be utilized as a peg board or a display board.

The dresser 100 is easy to assemble and comprises several panels with a generally flat configuration that allows the dresser to be unassembled easily for transportation. Specifically, the base panel 110, the vertical panels 120, 140, the back panel 160 and the top panel 150 are inter-fitted with each other via an interference fit mechanism.

The base panel 110 comprises grooves 112A and 112B, shown in Figure 2 that extend generally along opposed lateral edges of the base panel 110. The grooves 112A and 112B are provided for receiving connecting tongue portions of the vertical panels 120 and 140 respectively. The tongue portions of the vertical panels 120 and 140 extend outwardly along an edge portion of the respective vertical panels 120 and 140. Each of the tongue portions, upon being received into the grooves 112A and 112B, allow the vertical panels 120, 140 to be supported and remain positioned in an upstanding configuration as shown in the accompanying figures. Similarly, a groove 114 on the supporting surface of the base panel 110 is provided for receiving a connecting tongue portion of the back panel 160 in order to support the back panel 160 in an erect and upstanding configuration.

The top panel 150 is also provided with grooves along an underside face of the top panel 150 to receive connecting tongue portions of the vertical panels 120 and 140 to maintain the vertical panels 120, 140 in a spaced relationship. As previously described, the top panel 150 is positioned to provide the gap 165 in between an underside portion of the top panel 150 and a top portion 162 of the back panel 160 in order to allow the removable panel member 180 to be inserted and positioned in the gap. A plurality of storage drawers (not shown) may be arranged in between the vertical panels 120 and 140. Sliding assemblies 190, shown in Figure 4, are also provided for arranging the drawers in between the vertical panels 120 and 140.

Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

Any embodiment of the invention is meant to be illustrative only and is not meant to be limiting to the invention. Therefore, it should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. An article of furniture comprising: a base supporting two upstanding vertical side panels; an upstanding back panel supported upon the base, the back panel being positioned substantially in between said vertical side panels for enclosing a storage space; a top panel being supported upon an upper portion of each of said vertical panels wherein the top panel comprises a slot for receiving a removable panel member, the top panel being arranged to define a gap in between an underside portion of the top panel and a top portion of the back panel; wherein the removable panel member is adapted for being removably received into the slot and being positioned in the gap, said removable member, upon being positioned in the slot, extending generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel.
2. An article of furniture in accordance with claim 1 wherein a lower portion of the removable panel member abuts and/or engages with an upper portion of the back panel.
3. An article of furniture in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a lower portion of the removable panel is supported by an upper portion of the back panel.
4. An article of furniture in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein the vertical panels and the back panel are inter-fitted with the base via an interference fit.
5. An article of furniture in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein the base comprises one or more grooves arranged along a supporting surface of the base, said channels being positioned for engaging and supporting the vertical panels and the back panel.
6. An article of furniture in accordance with claim 5 wherein said one or more grooves in the base are adapted for receiving a respective outwardly extending tongue portion provided along a connecting edge of the vertical panels and the back panel.
7. An article of furniture in accordance with any one of claims 5 or 6 wherein one or more of the grooves are adapted for engaging with the removable panel member.
8. An article of furniture in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein an underside portion of the top panel is inter-fitted with each of the vertical panels by an interference fit.
9. An article of furniture in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a plurality of storage drawers arranged in between the vertical panels.
10. An article of furniture in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a plurality of sliding assemblies for arranging said drawers in between the vertical panels, each of sliding assembly comprising a load bearing portion adapted for engagement with a drawer panel and an attachment portion adapted for attachment to said vertical panels.
11. Modular furniture system comprising: a base panel adapted for supporting two in use upstanding vertical side panels in a spaced relationship; an upstanding back panel adapted for being supported upon the base panel, a top panel adapted for being supported upon an upper portion of said vertical panels without contacting the back panel, the top panel being adapted for being arranged during use to define a gap in between an underside portion of the top panel and a top portion of the back panel in an installed configuration; a removable panel member adapted for being removably received into a slot located in the top panel for being positioned in the gap, said removable member, upon being positioned in the slot, extending generally in an upward direction relative to the top panel.
12. A furniture kit comprising the modular furniture system in accordance with claim 10 and instructions for installing an article of furniture in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 9.