EP0813831A1 - Meuble pliant sans charnières - Google Patents

Meuble pliant sans charnières Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0813831A1
EP0813831A1 EP96201733A EP96201733A EP0813831A1 EP 0813831 A1 EP0813831 A1 EP 0813831A1 EP 96201733 A EP96201733 A EP 96201733A EP 96201733 A EP96201733 A EP 96201733A EP 0813831 A1 EP0813831 A1 EP 0813831A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
piece
back piece
article
orientation
pair
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP96201733A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Jaime Abraham Berdichevsky Goldstein
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to EP96201733A priority Critical patent/EP0813831A1/fr
Publication of EP0813831A1 publication Critical patent/EP0813831A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47B—TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE
    • A47B43/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features enabling folding of the cabinet or the like

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to folding furniture and, in particular, to folding furniture which does not utilize hinges.
  • folding furniture that is, furniture in which the various components are already assembled (i.e., secured together), and merely have to be unfolded or pivoted relative to the other components in order to achieve the desired "unfolded” or “erected” orientation for the final product (without the use of tools).
  • folding furniture typically relies to a large degree on hinges.
  • hinges are frequently unsightly and, when exposed, suggest inexpensive "homemade", “assembled” or “folding” furniture rather than more costly preassembled furniture which is sold in an erect state.
  • hinges can impair the functionality of the "folding" furniture.
  • the side pieces of the bookcase may be secured to the back piece of the bookcase by hinges so that the side pieces can be folded parallel to the back piece (with the pivotable shelves in a raised vertical orientation) for compact shipment and storage, yet pivoted outwardly until perpendicular to the back piece (with the shelves dropped to a horizontal orientation) for normal "erected" use.
  • they are typically situated such that the presence of books in the erected bookcase conceals them from view. However in such positions, they typically bear against and/or otherwise interfere with placement of the first and last books (that is, the leftmost and rightmost books) on a shelf.
  • the hinge arms typically extend into the space designed for occupancy by books and thus reduce the book-storing capacity of the bookcase. Squeezing in a book, either at the rightmost or leftmost end of the shelf, may result in damage to the cover and/or even the pages of the squeezed-in book.
  • an object of the present invention to provide "folding furniture" which does not utilize hinges.
  • Another object is to provide such folding furniture in the form of a storage unit (e.g., a bookcase) wherein in a preferred embodiment the side pieces are pivotable over 90 degrees relative to the back piece without reducing the storage space (e.g., shelf space available for books.)
  • a storage unit e.g., a bookcase
  • the side pieces are pivotable over 90 degrees relative to the back piece without reducing the storage space (e.g., shelf space available for books.)
  • a further object is to provide such folding furniture which in a preferred embodiment appears like preassembled furniture purchased in the erect state.
  • the folding article comprises a vertically extending back piece, at least one vertically extending side piece secured to the back piece, and a vertically spaced plurality of shelves secured to the back piece.
  • Each side piece is pivotable over a 90° angle relative to the back piece between a parallel or collapsed orientation and a perpendicular or use orientation
  • each shelf is pivotable over a 90° angle relative to the back piece between a parallel or collapsed vertical orientation and a perpendicular or use horizontal orientation.
  • the side piece and the back piece are secured together without a hinge.
  • one of the side piece and the back piece defines a vertically spaced plurality of lugs, each lug defining an aperture therethrough.
  • the other of the side piece and the back piece defines a vertically spaced plurality of slits, each of the slits being disposed, configured and dimensioned to receive a respective one of the lugs with the lug aperture in the slit.
  • the article additionally defines at least one pivot member, each pivot member having a body extending vertically through the aperture of a respective one of the lugs and a pair of opposed ends journalled into the other of the side piece and the back piece above and below the respective one lug aperture.
  • the article defines a vertically spaced plurality of the pivot members, each pivot member extending vertically through a respective one of the lug apertures and being journalled into the other of the side piece and the back piece above and below the respective one lug aperture.
  • the back piece comprises a horizontally spaced pair of vertically extending T-shaped side bars and means connecting the side bars.
  • Each side bar defines in cross section a transverse member and an inwardly extending flange forming a pair of internal corners, One of the internal corners is occupied in part by the connecting means, and the other of the internal corners is occupied in part by an edge of the side piece without blocking pivotal movement of the side piece edge over a 90° angle.
  • a front of an uppermost of the shelves is pivotable upwardly such that, when the article is in a collapsed orientation with the uppermost shelf intermediate the back piece and the side piece, the uppermost shelf, the back piece and the side piece define tops at a common level.
  • the back piece has a horizontally spaced pair of lateral ends
  • the article has a pair of side pieces, each side piece being secured to a respective lateral end of the back piece.
  • the article is preferably in the form of a bookcase or other storage unit.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 therein illustrated is an article of folding furniture according to the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10.
  • the article 10 is a bookcase having as its principal components: a back piece generally designated 12, at least one vertically extending side piece generally designated 14, and a vertically spaced plurality of shelves generally designated 16.
  • a pair of side pieces 14 each side piece 14 being secured to a respective lateral end 20 of the back piece 12 such that the side piece 14 is pivotable over a 90° angle (and typically over a 180° angle) relative to the back piece 12 between the parallel or collapsed orientation illustrated in FIG. 1 for the left side piece 14 and the perpendicular or use orientation illustrated in FIG. 2 for both side pieces 14.
  • each shelf 16 being secured to the back piece 12 intermediate the lateral ends thereof such that it is pivotable over at least a 90° angle (and typically over a 180° angle) relative to the back piece between the parallel or collapsed vertical orientation illustrated in FIG. 1 and the perpendicular or use horizontal orientation illustrated in FIG. 2.
  • the back piece 12 and side pieces 14 extend vertically while the shelves 16 extend substantially horizontally.
  • Shelves 16 are preferably vertically spaced when in dither the horizontal orientation or the vertical orientation.
  • the three principal components 12, 14 and 16 are formed of a substantially rigid, inflexible material such as wood, whether natural or synthetic and whether veneered or not.
  • the side pieces 14 define inward projections 22 and the bottom surfaces of the shelves 16 define recesses 24 adjacent the front thereof configured and dimensioned to receive the sidewall projections 22 at least partially therein, so that the shelves 16 are supported in the horizontal use orientation by the side piece projections 22 at the front thereof and the pins 25 (see FIG. 3) pivotally joining each end of the back of each shelf 16 to the back piece 12.
  • the bottom surfaces of the shelves 16 also define recesses 26 adjacent the rear thereof configured and dimensioned to receive the side wall projection 22 at least partially therein, so that the rear recesses 26 receive the forward projections 22 when the shelves 16 are in the vertical storage orientation and the side pieces 14 have been pivoted until they are parallel with the back piece 12.
  • the ability of the forward projections 22 of the side pieces 14 to engage the front recesses 24 to support the pivotable shelves 16 when the bookcase 10 is in the erected or use orientation and to be received within the rear recesses 26 when the bookcase 10 is in the collapsed or storage orientation is conventional and hence need not be described herein in any further detail.
  • the use of pins 25 to pivotally mount the shelves 16 on the back piece 12 is also conventional.
  • the side piece 14 (or side pieces 14 as the case may be) and the back piece 12 are secured together without a hinge. Accordingly, the bookcase 10 appears to be an ordinary article of furniture, purchased in an erected state, since there is no unsightly hinge. Further, as there is no hinge present, the end books on each shelf 16 may be removed or inserted without any damage to the cover or pages thereof, as might occur if the book were being squeezed into an end portion of a shelf adjacent to a hinge.
  • the back piece 12 comprises a horizontally spaced pair of vertically extending T-shaped side bars 30 (hereinafter "T-bars”) and means 32 connecting the T-bars 30.
  • T-bars each T-bar 30 defines in cross section a transverse member 34 (extending between the front and rear of the collapsed bookcase 10) and an inwardly extending flange 36.
  • the flanges 36 of the two T-bars 30 face one another and are separated by the shelves 16 pivotally secured thereto.
  • each transverse member 34 and its inwardly extending flange 36 define a pair of internal corners 38, 40.
  • the back internal corner 38 is occupied in part by one end of the connecting means 32, and the front internal corner 40 is occupied in part by an edge of a side piece 14.
  • each connecting means 32 is secured -- for example, by a screw 42 (see FIG. 3) -- to a back internal corner 38, the end being rectangular in cross section and sitting within an internal right angle corner 38 to form a rigid joint therewith.
  • the number of vertically spaced apart connecting means 32 used to connect the two T-bars 30 will depend, of course, upon the height of the bookcase 10.
  • the connecting means can be of any width.
  • the end of the side piece 14 sitting within the front internal corner 40 must be able to pivot over a 90° angle.
  • the end of the side piece 14 sitting within the front internal corner 40 (and for aesthetic reasons the opposite end as well) is preferably rounded.
  • the T-bar 30 defines a vertically spaced pair of lugs 50, each lug 50 defining an aperture 52 extending vertically therethrough.
  • each slit 54 being disposed, configured and dimensioned to receive a respective one of the lugs 50, with the lug aperture 52 within the slit 54.
  • one of the vertically spaced pair of slits 54 is positioned adjacent the top of the bookcase 10 and the other slit 54 adjacent to the bottom of the bookcase 10, with the lugs 50 being vertically spaced such that the top lug 50 fits into the top slit 54 and the bottom lug 50 fits into the bottom slit 54.
  • Each article 10 additionally defines at least one pivot member 60 having a body 62 and a pair of opposed ends 64 connected by the body 62.
  • Each pivot member body 62 extends vertically through the aperture 52 of a respective one of the lugs 50. While the body 62 may be cylindrical, it is optionally lightly threaded (and one end 64 provided with a screw head) for reasons having to do with a preferred manufacturing process for the article 10.
  • the opposed ends 64 of each pivot member 60 are journalled into the back piece 12 above and below the respective lug aperture 52 occupied by the body 62. As the pivot member 60 joins a back piece lug 50 and a side piece slit 54, there is typically one pivot member 60 for each lug/slit assembly 50/54.
  • each slit 54 is of sufficient depth to enable pivotable movement of the lug 50 relative to the slit 54, and the lug 50 is dimensioned so that the adjacent edge of the side piece 14 is sufficiently spaced from the walls of the front internal corner 40 to enable limited pivotal movement of the side piece 14 relative to the back piece 12 over at least 90° and preferably over 180°.
  • the pivot members 60 and pins 25 are preferably formed of metal for strength and durability.
  • Each T-bar 30 is an assembly of a unitarily formed transverse member 34 and flange 36, on the one hand, and a plurality of separately formed lugs 50, on the other hand.
  • a groove or recess is formed through the flange 36 and partially into the adjacent face of the transverse member 34 so that the lug 50 may be suitably fitted therein and glued thereto, with one end of the lug occupying the back internal corner 38 and the other end of the lug occupying the front internal corner 40.
  • the forces acting on the lug 50 in the erected article 10 are primarily vertical in direction, this typically suffices to maintain the lug 50 in place on the T-bar 30.
  • the lug aperture 52 is, of course, pre-formed in the end of the lug 50 to be situated in the front internal corner 40 and, optionally, also in the end thereof adapted to be situated in the back internal corner 38. While the T-bar 30 has been described as an assembly of a transverse member and a plurality of lugs, it is anticipated that it may be possible to form the T-bar and lugs integrally.
  • the pivot member 60 is preferably in the form of a screw which has been driven from the top or bottom of the side piece 14, through an adjacent slit 54 and into a portion of the side piece 14 on the other side of the slit 54.
  • the body 62 of the pivot member 60 is disposed within a slit 54, while the ends 64 of the pivot member 60 are journalled within the side piece 14 to either side of the slit 54.
  • the "journalling" of the pivot member end 64 in a side piece may or may not leave the pivot member 60 rotatable relative to the side piece 14.
  • an appropriate cavity for pivot member 60 could be created by machining the side piece edge, from the top or bottom of the side piece, through the slit 54 adjacent thereto, and into a portion of the side piece 14 on the other side of the slit 54.
  • a cylindrical pivot member may be inserted into the cavity such that it extends to both sides of the slit 54.
  • the portion of the cavity extending to the top or bottom of the side piece 14 may then be filled in to maintain the pivot member 60 within the cavity.
  • the pivot member may be fixed or rotatable within the cavity.
  • each end of the connecting means 32 may define a pair of slits 54 and the T-bar 30 may define a pair of lugs 50 adapted to be engaged by such slits.
  • the lugs 50 may be formed in the T-bar 30 and that the slits 54 may be formed in the side piece 14 by means which will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art as well as those described herein.
  • the lugs 50 may be formed in the side piece 14 and the slits 54 may be formed in the T-bar 30 without departing from the principles of the present invention.
  • the only screws or nails 42 required for construction of the bookcase 10 are those which secure the connecting means 32 to the T-bars 30 and these are driven in from the back of the bookcase 10 so as not to be visible from the front or sides thereof.
  • the shelves 16 are dimensioned and vertically spaced so that, when each shelf is in the upright storage or collapsed vertical orientation, the top of the topmost shelf 16, the top of the back piece 12 (at least the top of the T-bars 30 thereof) and the top of the side pieces 14 are all at a common level, as shown in FIG. 1.
  • any impact to the top thereof is distributed over the various components, thus minimizing the resultant damage from the impact.
  • the connecting means 32 like the side pieces 14, be pivotally secured to the T-bar 30 such that a side piece 14 is pivotally secured in one internal corner and a connecting means 32 is pivotally secured in the adjacent internal corner.
  • the adjacent edge of the connecting means is preferably rounded and provided with a slit to receive the lug 50 of the internal corner.
  • a pivot member 60 extends through the slit (and hence through the lug aperture), the ends of the Pivot member being journalled in the connecting means.
  • the T-bar 30 of the present invention finds utility in many applications. For example, still in the context of a bookcase, where it is desired that the side pieces 14 not extend more than the width of the bookcase in the collapsed orientation, two half-size side pieces may be employed with a T-bar 30 therebetween to replace each full size side piece 14. The adjacent edges of the two half-size side pieces enter the two internal corners of the T-bar 30 and are pivotally secured to the T-bar therebetween such that the two half-size side pieces are movable between orientations parallel to one another and in a straight line.
  • the present invention provides folding furniture which does not utilize hinges and may be in the form of a bookcase wherein the side pieces are pivotable over a 90° angle relative to the back piece without reducing the shelf space available for the books.
  • the folding furniture appears to have been purchased in the erected state, yet is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and erect and durable in both the folded and the erected orientations.

Landscapes

  • Assembled Shelves (AREA)
EP96201733A 1996-06-21 1996-06-21 Meuble pliant sans charnières Withdrawn EP0813831A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96201733A EP0813831A1 (fr) 1996-06-21 1996-06-21 Meuble pliant sans charnières

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP96201733A EP0813831A1 (fr) 1996-06-21 1996-06-21 Meuble pliant sans charnières

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0813831A1 true EP0813831A1 (fr) 1997-12-29

Family

ID=8224100

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP96201733A Withdrawn EP0813831A1 (fr) 1996-06-21 1996-06-21 Meuble pliant sans charnières

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0813831A1 (fr)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1477744A3 (fr) * 2003-05-14 2005-08-03 EUT Edelstahl Umformtechnik GmbH Armoire de distribution
DE102004054737B4 (de) * 2003-11-15 2006-12-21 Klostermann Küchen GmbH & Co. KG Faltkleiderschrank
DE202009005189U1 (de) * 2009-08-27 2010-10-14 Werkstatt für Behinderte Lippstadt gem. GmbH Metallschrank oder Metallspind

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3829190A (en) * 1972-10-19 1974-08-13 A Jackson Cabinet prefabrication system
BE825645A (fr) * 1975-02-17 1975-06-16 Element pour le jointage et reliage a charnieres de parties de meubles a blocs accoles indenpendants
FR2297588A1 (fr) * 1975-01-17 1976-08-13 Dana Clement Element support standardise
DE3441315A1 (de) * 1984-11-12 1986-05-15 Hans Theodor 7860 Schopfheim Baumann Bauteilsatz zur herstellung verbundener plattenkonstruktionen
GB2242617A (en) * 1990-02-09 1991-10-09 John Mcgregor Marshall Furniture system
US5069144A (en) * 1990-12-19 1991-12-03 Williford Jeffrey M Folding funiture

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3829190A (en) * 1972-10-19 1974-08-13 A Jackson Cabinet prefabrication system
FR2297588A1 (fr) * 1975-01-17 1976-08-13 Dana Clement Element support standardise
BE825645A (fr) * 1975-02-17 1975-06-16 Element pour le jointage et reliage a charnieres de parties de meubles a blocs accoles indenpendants
DE3441315A1 (de) * 1984-11-12 1986-05-15 Hans Theodor 7860 Schopfheim Baumann Bauteilsatz zur herstellung verbundener plattenkonstruktionen
GB2242617A (en) * 1990-02-09 1991-10-09 John Mcgregor Marshall Furniture system
US5069144A (en) * 1990-12-19 1991-12-03 Williford Jeffrey M Folding funiture

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1477744A3 (fr) * 2003-05-14 2005-08-03 EUT Edelstahl Umformtechnik GmbH Armoire de distribution
EP1477744B1 (fr) 2003-05-14 2016-08-31 EUT Edelstahl Umformtechnik GmbH Armoire de distribution
DE102004054737B4 (de) * 2003-11-15 2006-12-21 Klostermann Küchen GmbH & Co. KG Faltkleiderschrank
DE202009005189U1 (de) * 2009-08-27 2010-10-14 Werkstatt für Behinderte Lippstadt gem. GmbH Metallschrank oder Metallspind

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5738230A (en) Folding furniture with hidden internal hinge
EP0153429B1 (fr) Unités modulaires d'emmagasinage combinables et extractibles
US6185878B1 (en) Modular panel construction system
US5505142A (en) Lightweight stacking table with folding legs
US4408812A (en) Dismountable furniture
US3687091A (en) Display rack
US5344004A (en) Fold-up display container
US3675981A (en) Collapsible storage unit
US5069144A (en) Folding funiture
US5562050A (en) Collapsible article of furniture
US4265501A (en) Modular Shelving
WO1996014777A2 (fr) Structure de support pliable
US5826955A (en) Modular cabinetry
US5255798A (en) Adjustable suspension system for hanging folders and package therefor
US3271914A (en) Collapsible mantel
EP0813831A1 (fr) Meuble pliant sans charnières
US9554645B2 (en) Modular ease-of-use shelving system
US3740109A (en) Fiberboard file cabinet and drawer glide structure
US4593825A (en) Adjustable knockdown tray assembly
CA2171889A1 (fr) Meuble pliant sans charniere
GB2064944A (en) Drawings cabinets
GB2297063A (en) File
US3028016A (en) Foldable shelf structure
WO1998036663A1 (fr) Mobilier modulaire
US5618092A (en) Furniture drawer construction

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): BE CH DE DK FR GB IT LI NL SE

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19980615

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19991007

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN

18D Application deemed to be withdrawn

Effective date: 20020103