EP0005799A1 - Joint for variable composition furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

The structural system for furniture has one panel or member (1) connected to another panel or member (3) at right angles to it by pegs and tensioning members (5). These tensioning members are made from metal rod, with each end bent over at right angles, forming a U. The bent over ends are then inserted into holes (3a, 3b) in the edges of the panels. Multiple joints of this type are especially suitable for shelving, but such a right angle joint can be used for a table. When used for shelving, the system gives easy adjustment by provision of a suitable set of fixing holes. The joints combine adequate rigidity and load bearing.

Description

A structure of furniture with variable composition constitutes the object of the present invention, and in particular a structure usable mainly as shelves, but which can also be used as other element of furniture, such as a wardrobe, a table, a bench, a bed, chair or other, such as for example a stand structure.

Furniture structures with variable composition such as shelves are widely known today, in different constructive forms. These are based on the general concept which consists of placing uprights or load-bearing sides, on which come to hang, anchor and / or embed elements of shelves. To obtain a composition of these structures according to the wishes of the user, the anchoring of these shelves to the uprights is carried out by means of simple fastening elements, which must develop the double support function of the tablet and interconnection, and to make the structure rigid.

Very often these fastening means which act at the level of the point where the shelf is embedded on the upright, are not able to achieve sufficient rigidity of the structure, insofar as they must also satisfy the opposite requirement , to consent to easy assembly and disassembly, at the discretion of the user.

The purpose of the present invention is precisely to offer a structure with variable composition, which at the same time offers easy assembly, without the need for special tools, and yet capable of achieving perfect anchoring between uprights and shelves, and finally rigidity stable overall.

This result is obtained by the fact that the structure, according to the present invention comprises for the connection between uprights and shelves, hooking elements by simple dowel, at the point of embedding between the shelf and the upright, and elements of anchoring in the form of rigid tie rods arranged at approximately 45 ° relative to the shelf and the upright, and embedded in the latter.

In more detail, these anchor rods each consist of a round element of rectilinear steel, with the two ends folded at 90 °. These ends being embedded, with a minimum clearance, in holes drilled in the thickness of the shelves and uprights, parallel to the surface of the latter, and distant from the relative attachment point.

• Figure 1: vue en perspective schématique d'un type d'étagères réalisable avec la structure selon la présente invention.
• Figure 2: vue en élévation, partiellement en coupe, représentant le point d'attache d'une tablette à un montant.
• Figure 3: vue analogue à celle de la figure 2, mais qui se réfère au point d'attache d'un montant de table au plateau de celle-ci.
• Figure 4: vue de profil, partiellement en coupe, du même point de attache de la Figure 2.
• Figure 5: vue en plan d'un élément de rond d'acier replié en forme de U.

The other characteristics and advantages of the furniture structure referring to the present invention result in any case evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in particular:

• Figure 1: schematic perspective view of a type of shelves achievable with the structure according to the present invention.
• Figure 2: elevation view, partially in section, showing the point of attachment of a shelf to an upright.
• Figure 3: view similar to that of Figure 2, but which refers to the point of attachment of a table upright to the tray thereof.
• Figure 4: side view, partially in section, of the same attachment point in Figure 2.
• Figure 5: plan view of a round steel element folded into a U shape.

An example of possible furniture to be constructed with the structure of the present invention is represented by the shelves illustrated in FIG. 1. These consist, as usual, of lateral uprights 1, 2, to which the shelves 3 are anchored, which can be positioned at different heights.

• - un élément d'accrochage, constitué d'une simple cheville 4, qui s'encastre d'un coté dans un trou 3' de la tablette 3, et de l'autre coté dans un trou 1' du montant 1. Cette cheville a, en pratique, le role de réaliser le positionnement correct de la tablette.
• - un moyen d'ancrage, constitué au moins par un tirant rigide 5, disposé environ à 45° par rapport à la tablette et au montant, et encastré dans ces éléments. Puisque les positions d'encastrement du tirant 5, sont éloignées du point d'accrochage constitué par la cheville 4, l'on réalise un parfait ancrage réciproque de ces éléments et une structure d'une grande rigidité, qui dérive, comme il va de soi de l'impossibilité absolue d'oscillation de la tablette par rapport au montant.

Such positioning is performed as shown in Figure 2, by means of:

• - A hooking element, consisting of a simple dowel 4, which fits on one side into a hole 3 'of the shelf 3, and on the other side in a hole 1' of the upright 1. This dowel has, in practice, the role of achieving the correct positioning of the tablet.
• - An anchoring means, constituted at least by a rigid tie rod 5, disposed at approximately 45 ° relative to the shelf and to the upright, and embedded in these elements. Since the mounting positions of the tie rod 5 are distant from the attachment point constituted by the dowel 4, a perfect reciprocal anchoring of these elements is achieved and a structure of great rigidity, which derives, as it goes from self of the absolute impossibility of oscillation of the tablet relative to the amount.

As can be seen in Figure 5, the rigid tie rod 5, preferably consists of a rectilinear steel ring, the ends of which are bent at 90 °, and form a U.

As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the embedding of the tie rod 5 on the shelves and the uprights takes place via, with minimum clearance, the folded ends 5 ′ of the tie rod 5, which penetrate respectively into the holes 3a and 3b of the shelf and the holes 1 "of the upright. Figure 1 shows that each shelf is provided (in two places relatively distant from its opposite ends) with pairs of holes 3a and 3b, while the uprights are provided with a series of holes 1 ", distributed at regular intervals over their height. The holes 3a and 3b, as well as the holes 1 ", are drilled in the thickness of the shelves and the uprights, and have their axes parallel to the surface of these elements, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The arrangement of Figure 1 shows how it is possible to connect the shelves and the uprights by means of a pair of tie rods 5 correspondence at its two ends (this is true for 'the higher table and for the lower of shelves of Figure 1. This pair of tie rods being arranged on the part front as well as on the rear of the shelves.

The use of a pair of tie rods 5 in correspondence at each embedding point is essential if it is desired that cetx-realize the function, described above, to make the structure rigid. However, this is not essential on all tablets; therefore some of these, in particular the two intermediate shelves, the flaps of Figure 1 can be supported by a single tie for each of its ends.

In this case, one can completely abandon the use of the anchor pin; this notably facilitates the possible displacement in height of one of the two intermediate shelves described above. The use of one or more tie rods is left to the user's free choice, in addition to the degree of rigidity of the desired structure, and in addition to the point that the shelves must support, as well as for aesthetic reasons.

Figure 3 shows how the structure according to the present invention can be used not only as window frames, but also for example as a table. In this case, the amount 6 of the table (which will preferably be formed by a wall extending over the entire width of the table) is above all embedded under the plate 7 of said table by means of a dowel 3 analogous to the dowel 4 in FIG. 2. Among other things, the necessary rigidity between the upright and the table top is obtained by means of a pair of tie rods 9 absolutely identical to the tie rods 5 of FIG. 2.

No further precision appears here necessary to illustrate the method of embedding the tie rods 9 on the upright and on the table top, since it is the same type of embedding described with reference to FIG. 4.,

As already stated, the structure according to the present invention can be used in addition to shelves or the table, also for other types of furniture, such as for example cupboards in general, beds, benches, seats, structures for exhibition or the like.

Claims (5)

1) Furniture structure with variable configuration, characterized in that for the reciprocal connection of uprights and shelves, it includes hooking means with a single dowel, at the framing point between horizontal plane and upright, and means anchor in the form of rigid tie rods placed at approximately 45 ° to and from the uprights and horizontal planes. 2) Furniture structure according to claim 1 characterized in that these anchoring means in the form of tie rods each consist of a rectilinear element of steel circle, having the two ends folded at right angles, which determines a shape substantially to U; these same ends being embedded, with minimum clearance, in holes drilled in the thickness of the horizontal planes and the uprights. 3) Furniture structure according to claim 2 characterized in that the said mounting holes of the ends of the U-shaped element are parallel to the main surfaces of the uprights and horizontal planes. 4) furniture structure according to claims 2 or 3 characterized in that said amounts and horizontal plane are respectively the sides and shelves of shelves, each side having on its edges, at regular intervals, a plurality of holes embedding of U-shaped or tie-rod elements, and each shelf having on its edges a pair of embedding holes, one superimposed on the other, in correspondence and at a slight distance from its two ends. 5) Furniture structure according to claims 2 or 3 characterized in that said amounts and horizontal planes are respectively the amounts and the table top.

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