EP0847715B1 - Improved coupling for forming loadbearing systems for work stations - Google Patents

Improved coupling for forming loadbearing systems for work stations Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0847715B1
EP0847715B1 EP97203544A EP97203544A EP0847715B1 EP 0847715 B1 EP0847715 B1 EP 0847715B1 EP 97203544 A EP97203544 A EP 97203544A EP 97203544 A EP97203544 A EP 97203544A EP 0847715 B1 EP0847715 B1 EP 0847715B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
coupling
connectors
connector
expandable
cylindrical socket
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP97203544A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0847715A1 (en
Inventor
Carlo Cattaneo
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.)
Leonardo SRL
Original Assignee
Leonardo SRL
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 Leonardo SRL filed Critical Leonardo SRL
Publication of EP0847715A1 publication Critical patent/EP0847715A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0847715B1 publication Critical patent/EP0847715B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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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
    • A47B47/00—Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features related to dismountability or building-up from elements
    • A47B47/0008—Three-dimensional corner connectors, the legs thereof being received within hollow, elongated frame members
    • 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
    • A47B13/00—Details of tables or desks
    • A47B13/02—Underframes
    • 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
    • A47B2230/00—Furniture jointing; Furniture with such jointing
    • A47B2230/03—Nodal three-dimensional corner pieces for desks

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an improved coupling for forming load-bearing systems for work stations, particularly but not exclusively for offices.
  • a coupling according to the preamble of the independent claim is known from US-A- 3 638 803.
  • the resultant structure should remain as solid as possible with time, without risk of deterioration due to the materials used.
  • the work station should be able to be formed without having to use special tools, and be adjustable in terms of layout at any moment by adding or removing components or changing the component combination.
  • the structures achieved should be able to be dismantled and separated into their individual components in the absence of welds, and be able to be rebuilt into different arrangements or recycled as raw material.
  • the load-bearing structure forming the work station should also be able to easily receive, at various points, service cable housing systems, partitioning systems (panels) and auxiliary worktops, if necessary of different height from the main worktop.
  • the general object of the present invention is to propose a coupling for forming load-bearing systems for work stations which adequately satisfies the aforelisted requirements.
  • a first embodiment of a coupling according to the invention is indicated overall by 10 and is structurally in the form of a central body 11 from which there extend, at 90°, two elastically expandable connectors 12, 13 intended for securely fixing a table leg 14 and, respectively, a section bar 15 for supporting and fixing a worktop 16 ( Figure 2).
  • the connector 12 comprises an expandable body of cylindrical socket shape comprising a plurality of slits 17 along generating lines of the skirt (three in number in the illustrated example), which extend into respective radial slits 18 provided in that endpiece 19 of said cylindrical socket distant from the central body 11.
  • the slits 17, 18 are suitably spaced apart, their purpose being to make the connector 12 relatively elastically yieldable.
  • a connector 12 of this type is described for example in EP-0467460, to which reference should be made if further clarification is required.
  • a second connector 13 consisting of an expandable body of generally parallelepiped form.
  • Said body 13 consists of a plurality of prismatic sectors 24 (three in number in the illustrated example) defined by three slits 25 converging substantially towards the axis of symmetry of the parallelepiped body.
  • the three prismatic sectors 24 are therefore relatively yieldable elastically and, similar to the connector 12, are expandable by means-of a setscrew 26 with a polygonal head and tapering expansion point 27, which is screwed into a threaded hole 28 in one of the prismatic sectors 24 of the connector 13.
  • the setscrew 26 is bored axially to enable a screw 29 to pass for fixing the worktop 16.
  • the leg 14 and the section bar 15 comprise respective apertures 30, 31 through which, by means of a polygonal key 32 ( Figures 4, 5), the setscrews 21, 26 can be screwed into their respective threaded seats 20, 28, to cause the connectors 12, 13 to expand in all directions as shown by the arrows 33, 34 ( Figures 4, 5).
  • Figures 6-8 show a further possible embodiment of the invention in which two connectors 13 are combined with the connector 12, all arranged rigidly at 90° to each other.
  • Figures 9-11 show a third possible embodiment of a coupling according to the invention in which with the connector 12 there are combined two connectors 13 the angular positions of which can be adjusted one relative to the other.
  • a flange 35 on which, in the desired angular position, there are fixed a pair of counter-flanges 36 extending rigidly from one end of the respective connectors 13.
  • This fixing is achieved by a bolt 37 passing through holes 38, 39 in the flanges 36, 35.
  • Said bolt 37 is bored axially for the passage of a screw 40 used for fixing the worktop 16.
  • Figures 12-21 illustrate various embodiments of connection nodes into which a number of section bars 15 for supporting and fixing a worktop 16 converge.
  • connection node can comprise a central body 41 from which there radially extend a plurality (for example 2, 3 or 4) of expandable connectors 13 arranged in fixed angular positions.
  • Figures 19-21 show a connection node in which three connectors 13 can be mutually arranged in variable angular positions by using the system comprising a flange 35 and counter-flanges 36 previously described with reference to Figures 9-11 of the drawings.
  • section bars 15 can be supplied in the various commercially available lengths and cut by the work station manufacturer according to requirements.
  • Said section bars 15 can be used both for supporting service cables and for fixing partitioning panels and other accessories provided for the worktop.

Landscapes

  • Furniture Connections (AREA)
  • Coating With Molten Metal (AREA)
  • Rolling Contact Bearings (AREA)
  • Mutual Connection Of Rods And Tubes (AREA)
EP97203544A 1996-11-26 1997-11-14 Improved coupling for forming loadbearing systems for work stations Expired - Lifetime EP0847715B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT96MI002460A IT1285997B1 (it) 1996-11-26 1996-11-26 Giunto perfezionato per la realizzazione di sistemi portanti per posti di lavoro
ITMI962460 1996-11-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0847715A1 EP0847715A1 (en) 1998-06-17
EP0847715B1 true EP0847715B1 (en) 2002-01-16

Family

ID=11375278

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97203544A Expired - Lifetime EP0847715B1 (en) 1996-11-26 1997-11-14 Improved coupling for forming loadbearing systems for work stations

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0847715B1 (it)
DE (1) DE69709615T2 (it)
ES (1) ES2171829T3 (it)
IT (1) IT1285997B1 (it)

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT1301959B1 (it) 1998-07-29 2000-07-20 Leonardo Srl Dispositivo di giunzione per la realizzazione di sistemi portantiper posti di lavoro
NL1014445C2 (nl) * 2000-02-21 2001-08-22 Konink Ahrend N V Losneembaar onderstel voor een tafelblad.
GB0021462D0 (en) * 2000-09-01 2000-10-18 Fray Design Ltd Improvements in and relating to furniture
ITMI20010354A1 (it) 2001-02-22 2002-08-22 Leonardo Srl Struttura a telaio tubolare per piani di appoggio
ITMI20010355A1 (it) 2001-02-22 2002-08-22 Leonardo Srl Dispositivo di giunzione per la realizzazione di una struttura a telaio tubolare per piani di appoggio
ITMI20011601A1 (it) * 2001-07-25 2003-01-25 Leonardo Srl Connettore espandibile per gamba con attaco adattabile ad un piano diappoggio
GB2441966B (en) * 2006-09-20 2011-06-15 Nelson Cho Detachable supporting framework
ITUD20100043A1 (it) * 2010-03-08 2011-09-09 Effezeta S P A Dispositivo di bloccaggio per un telaio di un elemento di arredamento, e telaio provvisto di tale dispositivo di bloccaggio
DE102010042976A1 (de) * 2010-10-26 2012-04-26 Sedus Stoll Ag Knotenbauteil für ein Gestell für einen Tisch, Gestell für einen Tisch sowie Tisch
ITMI20120072A1 (it) * 2012-01-24 2013-07-25 Leonardo Srl Dispositivo nascosto per fissare una gamba ad un piano di un mobile
ITMI20131515A1 (it) * 2013-09-13 2015-03-14 Leonardo Srl Sistema di giunzione per la realizzazione di una struttura a telaio tubolare con gambe per piani di appoggio
ITUB20152990A1 (it) * 2015-08-07 2017-02-07 Nardi S P A Tavolo componibile
AT517331B1 (de) 2015-09-28 2017-01-15 Blaha Friedrich Winkelvariables Tischgestell
RU187439U1 (ru) * 2018-11-19 2019-03-06 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью "СтилМ" Каркас стола
EP4353126A1 (en) * 2022-10-10 2024-04-17 Ballingslöv AB A multifunctional module intended for interior use

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3638803A (en) * 1969-06-20 1972-02-01 Daniel C Macmillan Modular construction frame
GB2290955B (en) * 1994-07-02 1997-05-28 John Bollen Folding frame for flat top furniture
ES2106650T3 (es) * 1996-01-23 1997-11-01 Steelcase Strafor Dispositivo de union multidireccional.

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69709615T2 (de) 2002-09-05
ITMI962460A1 (it) 1998-05-26
ES2171829T3 (es) 2002-09-16
IT1285997B1 (it) 1998-06-26
DE69709615D1 (de) 2002-02-21
EP0847715A1 (en) 1998-06-17
ITMI962460A0 (it) 1996-11-26

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