AU2020101777A4 - A Tip Inhibiting Device for Use with Furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

A tip inhibiting device 2 for use with furniture 1, and a piece of furniture 1 including a tip inhibiting device 2. The tip inhibiting device 2 including an upstand 9 and base 8. The base 8 having a rearward portion 15 and a forward portion 19, with the upstand 9 positioned between the rearward portion 15 and the forward portion 19. The rearward portion 15 for engagement with a side panel 3 of the furniture 1 so that the tip inhibiting device 2 acts as if it is an integral part of the side panel 3. 1/2 0o (ND In ((0 c~C) (Y) I (N 10: ZD (Y)

Description

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Title of Invention

A TIP INHIBITING DEVICE FOR USE WITH FURNITURE

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a tip inhibiting device for use with furniture, and a piece of furniture including a tip inhibiting device. The tip inhibiting device has a particular application in relation to furniture of the kind including at least one panel having a bottom edge on which the furniture sits, and it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this particular application. It ought to be appreciated however that the invention may have other applications and the invention in its broadest sense is not limited to this application.

Background of Invention

[0002] The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgement or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of the application.

[0003] Furniture may generally be defined as movable articles that facilitate making a space suitable for living or working in, and it is the movable nature of furniture that can cause injury. Freestanding bookshelves and chest of draws are two types of furniture that can be formed by a combination of panels, often including side panels having a bottom edge that sits directly on the floor. They have been known to cause injury when they tip over.

[0004] Tipping can occur when the centre of gravity is sufficiently in front of a tipping point, which is often the front edge of the side panel. The primary test that is used to determine stability is described in sec on 5.1 of AS/NZS4395:2009, and this test simulates a small child using an open drawer to climb up on a chest of drawers. Any forward tipping of the furniture is deemed as unstable and the furniture is not considered safe for retail within Australia.

[0005] Book shelves and chests of draws are sold in "flat packs", where the panels are pre-cut, supplied with connectors, and packaged for assembly on site. The panels used in book shelves and chests of draws are generally rectangular, in that they include right angled corners. The corners in such panels are more exposed to impacts than the adjacent edges and therefor more susceptible to damage. When a corner gets damaged in transit prior to sale, it can result in the furniture being rendered unsuitable for sale or at least its value written down. When a corner gets damaged in use it can render the furniture unsightly to the eye, and create a perception that the brand of furniture is of inferior quality regardless of how the corner might have been damaged.

[0006] While there is a general appreciation that packaging will be discarded, and therefore considered waste, the function of packaging to protect the panels during transit until assembly occurs. The packaging is often enhanced to protect the corners which often adds to the waste. Further in the event that the purchaser wants to disassemble the furniture, say to move house, a damaged corner may be sufficiently unsightly to make the difference between the furniture being included in the move or being discarded as waste. The applicant has appreciated that providing a rounded corner on the side panels, reduces that corner's exposure to being damaged and therefore reducing the potential for waste. Furthermore, customer feedback suggest that providing a rounded corner on the side panels is aesthetically appealing. However placing a rounded corner at the bottom edge of the panel can result in the tipping point being behind the front edge of the panel, therefore making the furniture more susceptible to tipping.

[0007] One solution offered by furniture manufactures is to sell a wall anchor kit with the furniture. The kit generally includes a bracket, one end of which is screwed to a back panel of the furniture, and an opposed end is fastened to an adjacent wall. This requires the use of tools which may not be readily available, or the operation of the tools may beyond the skill set of the purchaser. The fastening to the wall will involve drilling a hole in the wall which may be problematic for the purchaser. Drilling of a hole in rental accommodation may contravene the rental terms, or at best require repairing when the rental term expires.

[0008] The applicant has appreciated that it would be desirable to provide an alternate tip inhibiting solution that eliminated, or at least reduced the need for tools when fitting to furniture.

[0009] Before turning to a summary of the invention, it will be useful to provide an explanation of some of the terms that will be used to define the spatial relationship of various parts thereof. In this respect, spatial references throughout this specification will generally be based upon a tip inhibiting device installed on furniture when supported by a surface such as a floor or ground surface.

Summary of Invention

[0010] According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a tip inhibiting device for use with furniture including a panel having a front edge and a bottom edge that is substantially perpendicular to the front edge, and a recess formed in the panel which extends from the bottom edge and spaced from the front edge, the tip inhibiting device including a upstand and base, the base having a rearward portion and a forward portion with the upstand positioned between the rearward portion and the forward portion, the rearward portion having a base surface for engagement by the bottom edge of the panel, and a protrusion proximate the rearward portion and spaced from the upstand for location in the recess in the panel to limit longitudinal movement of the panel relative to the upstand.

[0011] The tip inhibiting device is preferably adapted for use with a panel having a rounded corner between the bottom edge and the front edge. It is preferred that the tip inhibiting device be formed as a unit, by casting or moulding, and to that end that the base is preferably formed integrally with the upstand. The tip inhibiting device is preferably formed with a curved surface extending from the base surface to engage, or at least accommodate, the rounded corner. The curved surface may form part of the base, or part of the upstand, or a combination of the base and upstand. However, for ease of defining the tip inhibiting device it preferably includes a transition portion between the base and the upstand that includes the curved surface. The transition portion is further preferably shaped to facilitate resisting movement of the upstand relative to the base. The transition portion may include a fillet of material between the rearward portion and the upstand. The transition portion may also include a fillet, or other shape of material between the forward portion and the upstand.

[0012] The recess may take any suitable form and be located where appropriate in the panel, having regard to the projection being located proximate the rearward portion of the base. The recess is preferably in the form of a channel formed in an inner surface of the panel, however it may take other forms. One other form may be a bore, cylindrical or otherwise extending within the panel from the bottom edge. The recess preferable extends perpendicularly to the bottom edge, however it may also extend at an angle to the bottom edge. One advantage of having the recess at an angle would be to produce a wedging action on the panel between the protrusion and the upright. It is preferred that the recess extend into the panel, however it could extend through the panel. One advantage of extending into the panel only, is that the panel can resist forces and moments particularly adjacent the corner where at least some of the thickness of the panel is maintained.

[0013] The protrusion may take any suitable form. The protrusion may extend from the base surface having a free distal end, however it is preferred that the tip inhibiting device include a first wall extending from the rearward portion towards the upstand, with the protrusion protruding from the first wall. The protrusion is also preferably configured so as to resist pivoting of the tip inhibiting device relative to the panel about the protrusion which can otherwise occur if the rounded corner is free to slide over the curved surface. The preferred configuration is to provide the protrusion with a length that is in a direction generally perpendicular to an axis that the tip inhibiting device would otherwise rotate were it not for the protrusion.. However, the protrusion may be formed as a different shape depending upon the shape of the recess in the panel. The protrusion may, for example be formed as a cross shape. It is preferred that the protrusion and the recess in the panel are adapted to interact in a friction fit so as to inhibit detachment of the tip inhibiting device from the panel under the weight of the tip inhibiting device.

[0014] It is preferred that the first wall is shaped to limit lateral movement of the panel relative to the base surface. It is further preferred to include a second wall for limiting lateral movement of the panel relative to the base surface, the second wall extending from the rearward portion towards the upstand being substantially parallel with the first wall and spaced from the first wall by the base surface. This arrangement of the first wall and second wall spaced by the base surface creates a zone of capturing the panel therebetween, preferably in a snug fit. The first wall may extend to the upstand so as to resist movement of the upstand relative to the rearward portion. The second wall may also extend to the upstand and to a height up the upstand greater than the first wall so as to resist separation of the tip inhibiting device from the side panel.

[0015] The upstand may also include an upstand surface that engages, or at least is positionable adjacent, the front edge of the panel. The degree of interaction of the upstand surface with the front edge will depend in part on the spacing between the upstand surface and the protrusion relative to the spacing between the recess and the front edge of the panel

[0016] According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a piece of furniture including a panel having a front edge and a bottom edge that is substantially perpendicular to the front edge, a recess formed in the panel which extends from the bottom edge and a tip inhibiting device as herein before defined, wherein the recess in the panel and the protrusion are configured to interact in a friction fit so as to inhibit detachment of the tip inhibiting device from the panel under the weight of the tip inhibiting device.

[0017] It is preferred that the upstand surface and the protrusion interact with the front edge and the recess in the panel so that the panel and the tip inhibiting device act as if one was integral with the other.

[0018] A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was, in Australia, known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0019] It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to the attached illustrations showing a preferred embodiment of a tip inhibiting device.

The particularity of the following description and attached illustrations is not intended to limit the broad definition of the invention as provided by the previous paragraphs.

[0020] Figure 1 is an isometric view of a piece of furniture including a tip inhibiting device according to one aspect of the invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is an isometric view of a tip inhibiting device according to another aspect of the invention.

[0022] Figure 3 is a long sectional view through a side panel of the furniture from Figure 1.

[0023] Figure 4A is a detailed view of detail 4 from Figure 3.

[0024] Figure 4B is the detailed view from Figure 4A with the tip inhibiting device spaced from the side panel.

[0025] Figure 5 is a cross sectional view through the furniture from Figure 1.

[0026] Figure 6 is a detailed view of detail 6 from Figure 5.

Detailed Description

[0027] Figure 1 illustrates a piece of furniture 1 with a pair of tip inhibiting devices 2A, 2B fitted thereto. The specific type of furniture 1 illustrated is a chest of drawers having a pair of side panels 3A, 3B, a rear panel 4 and a top 5. The side panels 3A, 3B, rear panel 4 and top 5 provide a structure or to support a plurality of drawers 6 which are shown in a closed position. Each draw 6 is independently movable between the closed position and an open position. While the draws 6 remain in the closed position the center of gravity for the chest of draws remains behind a front edge 7A, 7B of each side panel 3A, 3B and as such absent any other external forces the chest of drawers is unlikely to tip over. The tip inhibiting devices 2A, 2B when seated on bottom edges 11A, 11B (see also figure 5) of the side panels 3A, 3B accommodate movement of the center of gravity towards the front edges 7A, 7B without the chest of draws tipping over.

[0028] Referring now to Figure 2 which illustrates one of the tip inhibiting devices 2A from figure 1. The second tip inhibiting device 2B (see figure 1) is a mirror image of the tip inhibiting device 2A, and for brevity the invention will be described with reference to the tip inhibiting device 2A and its interaction with the side panel 3A only. Furthermore the A,B reference will be dropped in order simplify the explanation of the invention.

[0029] The tip inhibiting device 2 illustrated in figure 2 is an integrally formed unit generally including a base 8 having a rearward portion 15 and a forward portion 19, with an upstand 9 between the rearward portion 15 and the forward portion 19. The rearward portion includes a base surface 10 which is substantially planar so as to accommodate the respective bottom edge 11 of the side panel 3. The upstand 9 includes an upstand surface 12 which is also planar so as to accommodate the front edge 7 of the side panel 3.

[0030] Figure 2 also illustrates the tip inhibiting device 2 including a first wall 13, and a second wall 14, each extending between the rearward portion 15 and the upstand 9. The first wall 13 includes a protrusion 16 extending off an inner surface thereof towards the second wall 14, which is illustrated in the form of a boss.

[0031] Figure 2 also illustrates a curved surface 17 between the base surface 10 and the upstand surface 12. The curved surface 17 preferably forms part of a transition portion 18 between the base 8 and the upstand 9. It can be noted from Figure 2 that the transition portion is thicker between the forward portion 19 and the upstand 9 than between the rearward portion 15 and the upstand 9, so as to resist movement of the upstand 9 towards the forward portion 19 when under load in use.

[0032] Referring now collectively to Figures 3, 4A and 4B which illustrate the interaction of the tip inhibiting device 2 with the side panel 3. It can be noted that the side panel 3 is formed with a corner between the front edge 7 and the bottom edge 11 having a radius. The Applicant has appreciated that a radius within the range of 15mm to 25mm is preferred for addressing the issues of the prior furniture associated with having a right-angle corner.

[0033] It can also be appreciated from Figure 3, 4A and 4B that the protrusion 16 extends from the base surface 10 so as to facilitate the protrusion 16 resisting movement relative to the base surface when in use. Furthermore, the Applicant has appreciated that forming the protrusion to a height within the range of 25mm to mm is most desirable for increasing the likelihood that the protrusion 16 will remain within the recess 21. Whilst the illustrations show the protrusion and recess extending vertically, the protrusion 16 and recess 21 may extend at an angle to the base surface 10 and bottom edge 11 respectively.

[0034] Referring still to Figures 3, 4A and 4B, it can be appreciated that the protrusion 16 has a width dimension and the Applicant has appreciated that having a width of no less than 8mm provides serviceable rigidity of the protrusion 16 relative to the first wall 13. It can also be noted that the recess 21 in the side panel 3 is spaced from the front edge 7 by a distance of no less than 25mm. Further it can be appreciated from Figures 5 and 6 that the recess 21 has a depth into the panel 3 of no greater than 60% of the total depth of the panel 3. The Applicant has appreciated that this spacing and depth is suitable for a side panel 3 formed from Class A grade furniture plywood of about 18mm thick, and the spacing and depth may vary if materials having other properties are chosen.

[0035] It can be appreciated from Figures 5 and 6 that the height of the second wall 14 is much less than the height of the first wall 13. The Applicant has appreciated that having a height of the second wall 14 of no less than 3mm is adequate for capturing the side panel 3 between the second wall 14 and the first wall 13. Further it can be appreciated that the first wall 13 extends beyond the protrusion 16, as part of the function of the first wall 13 is to resist movement of the upstand 9 relative to the rearward portion 15. However, a side wall 13 having a height the same as that as the protrusion 16 may also be suitable.

[0036] It ought to be appreciated that with the drawers 6 in the closed position as illustrated a center of gravity of the chest of drawers is positioned behind a front edge 7A, 7B of the side panels 3A, 3B. However, if one or more of the drawers 6 is moved to an open position, and an infant climbs up on the drawer a combined load may be sufficient to move the center of gravity to a position in front of the front edge 7A, 7B. The tip inhibiting device 2 is designed to address this issue.

[0037] It ought to be appreciated from the foregoing description and illustrations that the Applicant has designed the side panel 3 and tip inhibiting device 2 to interact in a snug fit. The snug fit is considered sufficient to reduce the likelihood that the tip inhibiting device 2 will detach from the side panel 3 under its own weight due to say, rocking back of the furniture. Furthermore, the snug fit is less likely to shave off material from the side panel 3 particularly in the area of the recess 21 when the tip inhibiting device 2 is intentionally detached from the furniture in the event of the furniture being disassembled. This will increase the likelihood that the furniture 1 and tip inhibiting device 2 will continue to operate when reassembled, thereby potentially increasing its serviceable lifespan.

[0038] It ought to be appreciated from the foregoing that the tip inhibiting device can be fitted to the side walls 3 without the need for any specialist tools and very basic assembly skills. Furthermore, the ability for the tip inhibiting device to accommodate a panel having rounded corners provides a useful outcome which has the potential to reduce waste from the furniture industry

[0039] Future patent applications may be filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of or claiming priority from the present application. It is to be understood that the following provisional claims are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future application. Features may be added to or omitted from the provisional claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention or inventions.

Claims (6)

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A tip inhibiting device for use with furniture including a panel having a front edge and a bottom edge that is substantially perpendicular to the front edge, and a recess formed in the panel which extends from the bottom edge and spaced from the front edge, the tip inhibiting device including a upstand and base, the base having a rearward portion and a forward portion with the upstand positioned between the rearward portion and the forward portion, the rearward portion having a base surface for engagement by the bottom edge of the panel, and a protrusion proximate the rearward portion and spaced from the upstand for location in the recess in the panel to limit longitudinal movement of the panel relative to the upstand.

2. A tip inhibiting device according to claim 1 including a first wall extending from the rearward portion towards the upstand for limiting lateral movement of the panel relative to the base surface.

3. A tip inhibiting device according to claim 2 wherein the first wall extends to the upstand and is adapted to resist movement of the upstand relative to the rearward portion.

4. A tip inhibiting device according to any one of the preceding claims including a second wall for limiting lateral movement of the panel relative to the base surface, the second wall extending from the rearward portion towards the upstand being substantially parallel with the first wall and spaced from the first wall by the base surface.

5. A tip inhibiting device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the protrusion extends from the first wall towards the second wall.

6. A piece of furniture including a panel having a front edge and a bottom edge that is substantially perpendicular to the front edge, a recess formed in the panel which extends from the bottom edge and a tip inhibiting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the recess in the panel and the protrusion are configured to interact in a friction fit so as to inhibit detachment of the tip inhibiting device from the panel under the weight of the tip inhibiting device.

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