AU2018100740A4 - Tool-less assembly table structure - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A kit of parts formed from flat stock material for tool-less assembly into a table structure, comprising first and second support members, each of the support members having a pair of spaced leg struts interconnected by upper and lower spars with a central void defined between the leg struts and spars, the upper and lower spars having straight upper edges that extend parallel to one another, the first and second support members having complementary slots centrally formed in their respective upper and lower spars to enable the first and second support members to interfit in a transverse cross-wise manner with their upper and lower spar upper edges flush, the kit of parts further including upper and lower platform members adapted to be horizontally supported by the upper and lower spar edges of the support members when fitted together, and to stabilise the assembled table structure. 19 1/9 12 19 tl 7 15 -16- 1 15 13 18 14 10 29 27 22 29 21 -26 25 23 (24 *220 42g4 - 40 42en Fiqure 1

Description

TOOL-LESS ASSEMBLY TABLE STRUCTURE

This invention relates to furniture structures, particularly tables, which may be assembled and disassembled without the use of tools.

The inventor has developed a novel and innovative table assembly that comprises a minimal number of parts, yet assembles without the use of tools to form a stable structure. The components are made from flat stock material, such as timber ply-board or the like, whereby the disassembled components may be readily transported and assembled on location.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a kit of parts formed from flat stock material for tool-less assembly into a table structure, comprising first and second support members, each of the support members having a pair of spaced leg stmts interconnected by upper and lower spars with a central void defined between the leg stmts and spars, the upper and lower spars having straight upper edges that extend parallel to one another, the first and second support members having complementary slots centrally formed in their respective upper and lower spars to enable the first and second support members to interfit in a transverse cross-wise manner with their upper and lower spar upper edges flush, the kit of parts further including upper and lower platform members adapted to be horizontally supported by the upper and lower spar edges of the support members when fitted together, and to stabilise the assembled table stmcture.

In one form of the invention the first and second support members are formed with upstanding corner formations defining the outer extents of the upper edges of the respective upper spars. The upper platform member may have four circumferentially spaced notches around the outer periphery thereof that are adapted to, in use, engage with corresponding corner formations.

Preferably the upper and lower platform members are of corresponding shape but the upper platform member is of larger extent than the lower platform member. The platform members may be square or circular, for example, which enables the first and second support members to be constructed to have the same profile and arranged, when assembled, perpendicular to one another. Other platform shapes may alternatively be used, requiring the support members to be of differing breadth and/or having a non-orthogonal arrangement.

The present invention also encompasses a table constructed from a kit of parts as defined above.

Further disclosure, objects, advantages and aspects of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the relevant art by reference to the following description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus not limitative of the present invention, and in which:

Figure 1 shows the individual components of a table assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2-4 are perspective views illustrating assembly of table leg components;

Figure 5 is a side view illustrating assembly of table leg components;

Figure 6 is a perspective view illustrating table leg components as assembled;

Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating assembled table leg components with shelf and table-top components ready to be fitted;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the assembled table legs with shelf component fitted and table-top component ready to be fitted;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the assembled table according to the first embodiment;

Figure 10 shows the individual components of a table assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 11 & 12 are perspective views illustrating assembly of table leg components;

Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating table leg components as assembled;

Figure 14 is a perspective view illustrating assembled table leg components with shelf and table-top components ready to be fitted;

Figure 15 is a perspective view of the assembled table legs with shelf component fitted and table-top component ready to be fitted; and

Figure 16 is a perspective view of the assembled table according to the second embodiment.

In the following description, where directional terms are used such as 'top', 'bottom', 'above', 'below' and the like, these are understood to be with reference to the table when assembled and oriented for normal use. A collection 50 of individual components for constructing a table according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The components include first and second uprights 10, 20, a table top 30, and a shelf 40.

The components 10, 20, 30, 40 are formed from sheet stock material, preferably timber or processed wood such as ply board, chip board or particle board, fibre board or the like. The surface may be finished with a laminate covering or otherwise finished in a manner befitting an intended application of the table. Other types of sheet material may alternatively be used to form the components, if desired.

The first upright 10 has a generally quadrilateral form of trapezoidal outline with a central void. Specifically, the upright 10 has an upper horizontal spar 11 with a flat upper edge surface 12, and a lower horizontal spar 13 with a flat upper edge surface 14. The upper and lower spars 11, 13 are interconnected at their ends by respective leg struts 15. The leg struts 15 each slant outwardly from lower to upper, whereby the upper spar 11 is somewhat longer than the lower spar 13. The central void 16 comprises a generally trapezoidal open space between the upper and lower spars 11,13 and the leg struts 15.

The second upright 20 has substantially the same shape as the first upright 10, with upper and lower spars 21, 23 and leg spars 25. The upper and lower spars have respective upper edge surfaces 22, 24. The upper and lower spars 21, 23 and leg struts 25 also define a central void 26.

The primary difference between the first and second uprights 10,20 lies in slots formed in the respective upper and lower spars of each. In particular, the first upright 10 has upper and lower slots centrally located in the upper and lower spars, respectively, extending vertically and opening to the void 16. The slots 17, 18 traverse approximately one-half of the width of the upper and lower spars respectively. On the other hand the second upright 20 has upper and lower slots 27, 28 with openings toward the top and bottom, respectively as opposed to the central void 26. The slots 27,28 may traverse slightly greater than one-half of the spar widths for the purposes of assembly as explained hereinbelow. Also for assembly purposes, one of the slots 17, 18 in the first upright is provided with a bevelled comer (in this case slot 18 is shown with bevelled comer). The widths of the slots 17,18,27,28 are otherwise created to be approximately the same as the thickness of the material from which the uprights are formed.

The first upright 10 has an upstanding corner formation 19 at each end of the upper spar 11, at the top of the respective leg stmts 15. The second upright 20 has similar formations 29.

The table top 30 has a square shape with a notch 32 formed at each corner. The diagonal extent of the table top 30 corresponds to the length of the upper spar surface 12 between the corner formations 19, which in this case is also the same as the length of the upper spar surface 22 between the corner formations 29. The notches 32 are created to have a width approximately the same as the thickness of the material from which the uprights 10, 20 are formed.

The shelf 40 has a similar form to the table top 30, although slightly smaller in size. Specifically, the diagonal extent of the shelf 40 corresponds to the length of the lower spar 13 upper surface 14 of the first upright 10, which in this case is the same as the lower spar upper surface 24 of the second upright 20. The shelf 40 has corner notches 42, similar to the comer notches 32 of the table top 30.

Referring to Figures 2 to 5, the assembly of the first and second uprights 10,20 into a support structure will be explained. To assemble the first and second upright together, initially the first upright 10 is held upright and the second upright 20 laid flat and transverse thereto, as shown in Figure 2. The second upright is then moved longitudinally in the direction of arrow A' so as to project through the central void 16 of the first upright, until the slots 27, 28 of the second upright are generally aligned with the first upright 10. The second upright 20 is then pivoted in the direction of arrow 'B' whilst maintaining alignment of the slots 27, 28 with the first upright. Whilst pivoting, the lower slot 28 of the second upright is guided into the lower slot 18 of the first upright from the side thereof having the bevelled comer, allowing the slots 18, 28 of the two uprights to engage one another. At the same time the top of the second upright 20 is pivoted further until the upper slot 27 engages with the corresponding slot 17 of the first upright. The slots 27,28 in the second upright extend slightly beyond midway across their respective spars, which allows the first and second uprights to be manoeuvred into a configuration in which the slots 17,27 and slots 18, 28 are respectively aligned, cross-wise. Then, the first and second uprights are adjusted so that their upper and lower spars surfaces 12,22 and 14,24 are respectively flush with one another. Once in this configuration, as seen in Figure 6, the first and second uprights are both upright and perpendicular to one another, and stably held together by mutual engagement at the slots 17, 27, 18, 28.

The next stage of assembly involves fitting the shelf 40 and table top 30 to the support structure formed by the assembled uprights 10,20 (Figure 7). The shelf and table top can be fitted in either order, although it is generally easiest to install the shelf before the top. The shelf is installed by manoeuvring it into the space defined by the voids 16,26 of the assembled uprights, with the diagonals of the shelf aligned with the lower spars. This allows the notches 42 at the corners of the shelf 40 to engage with the first and second uprights where the lower spars meet the respective leg stmts, which holds the shelf in place. The shelf 40 thus rests on and is supported by the upper edge surfaces 14,24 of the upright lower spars 13,23. Meanwhile the engagement between the upright leg stmts and the notches in the comers of the shelf holds the uprights in position and stabilises the entire structure. The upper surface 41 of the shelf provides a usable horizontal surface on which to place items, in use.

The table top 30 is fitted in similar fashion to the shelf 40, although it can simply be lowered from above (Figure 8). Once again, the diagonals of the table top are aligned with the upright upper spars 11, 21. Then, when the table top 30 is lowered to rest on the upper edge surfaces 12, 22 of the upper spars, the comer notches 32 engage with the comer formations 19,29 which secures the table top in place under its own weight and also assists in stabilising the table assembly. The completed table assembly 60 is shown in Figure 9, having a horizontal upper table top surface 31.

The system used for the table assembly as described above is also applicable to other table shapes and configurations. For example, a table having a circular table top is shown in components and in the process of assembly to final product in Figures 10 to 16. The table assembly shown in these Figures is generally similar to that previously described, comprising four components that assemble without the use of tools into a stable structure. The components are designated by similar reference numerals as the previous embodiment, preceded by the numeral '1'

In this case both the shelf 140 and table top 130 are circular, and the outward facing edges of the leg struts are also rounded in shape for aesthetic consistency. Although not discernible in Figures 14 and 15, each of the shelf 140 and table top 130 preferably have notches (142,132) formed at ninety-degree intervals around their circumference to, in use, form an interference fit with the respective corners of the uprights 110,120 when assembled, as seen in Figure 16. Also, in this embodiment it is the upper slot of the first upright that has a chamfered corner to facilitate assembly of the uprights together. The steps comprising the overall mode of assembly of the table 160 is shown in Figures 11 to 16, which is generally the same as previously described.

The table structures described hereinabove have the uprights extending perpendicular to one another, however it is also possible for them to be arranged at different transverse angles which allows for various different table top shapes, such as rectangular. Moreover, the first and second uprights may have different lengths which would allow for an oval shaped or diamond shaped table top, for example. Where the uprights are to be arranged at an angle other than perpendicular to one another, the respective complementary slots may be formed at the desired angle, or may be simply enlarged slightly in width.

The structure and implementation of embodiments of the invention has been described by way of non-limiting example only, and many additional modifications and variations may be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (5)

1. A kit of parts formed from flat stock material for tool-less assembly into a table structure, comprising first and second support members, each of the support members having a pair of spaced leg struts interconnected by upper and lower spars with a central void defined between the leg struts and spars, the upper and lower spars having straight upper edges that extend parallel to one another, the first and second support members having complementary slots centrally formed in their respective upper and lower spars to enable the first and second support members to interfit in a transverse cross-wise manner with their upper and lower spar upper edges flush, the kit of parts further including upper and lower platform members adapted to be horizontally supported by the upper and lower spar edges of the support members when fitted together, and to stabilise the assembled table structure.

2. A kit of parts according to claim 1 wherein the first and second support members are formed with upstanding comer formations defining the outer extents of the upper edges of the respective upper spars, and wherein the upper platform member has four circumferentially spaced notches around the outer periphery thereof and adapted to, in use, engage with corresponding corner formations.

3. A kit of parts according to claim 2 wherein the upper platform member is square or rectangular and the notches are formed at the comers thereof.

4. A kit of parts according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the upper and lower platform members are of corresponding shape but the upper platform member is of larger extent than the lower platform member.

5. A table constructed from a kit of parts as defined in and one of the preceding claims.