EP1380228B1

EP1380228B1 - Fixing member for fixing a body to a supporting frame

Info

Publication number: EP1380228B1
Application number: EP03077088A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Petrus Antonius Lauwrentius Van Bakel; Leonardus Hubertus Geertruda Van Der Steen
Original assignee: Koninklijke Ahrend NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Ahrend NV
Priority date: 2002-07-12
Filing date: 2003-07-03
Publication date: 2010-06-09
Anticipated expiration: 2023-07-03
Also published as: DE60332896D1; ES2346746T3; ATE470369T1; EP1380228A1; NL1021074C2

Abstract

The invention concerns a fixing member for fixing a body to a supporting frame comprising a first and a second part, intended for engaging one another, in which said first and second parts are designed in such a way, that the first part can engage the second part by translation or rotation, said second part is mounted on said body and is part of complementary positioning means for enabling positioning body and supporting frame in relation to one another, and in which the further means of the positioning means have been mounted on the supporting frame. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a fixing member for fixing a desk or table top, to a supporting frame, said fixing member comprising: at least two cams being connected to one of said parts and co-acting with openings in the other part, and a fixing element rotatable in one of said parts and around a connecting shaft from a position in which the cams can be received into said openings, to a position in which a narrowed portion of each of said openings in said other part is received into a groove of said cams, said fixing element being adapted to the shape of one of said parts.
Such a construction is known by US-A-5 232 303 . In case of this a fixing member is attached to the underside of the table plate and contains an end plate for mounting it to said table plate. In such way a room is created above said end plate for taking up the upper part of said cams extending through the openings in said end plate. Said cams are mounted in the upper surface of a leg.
On the upper surface of said end plate a fixing element is present which can be rotated from a position in which the cams can be received into openings in said end plate and through these into openings in said fixing element to a position in which a narrowed portion of each of the openings in said fixing element is received into a groove of said cam. Said fixing element is rotated on a vertical shaft mounted on the upper surface of said leg.
Obviously this is a combrous construction, it further being necessary to form a cavity in the lower surface of the table plate for taking up the parts of said fixing element.
The object of the invention is to provide a similar fixing member having as it most important properties that a connection can be established quickly and that at the same time the reliability of the connection can be guaranteed under all circumstances.
According to the invention it is provided that said supporting frame is formed by at least one, in use, vertical leg and a substantial horizontal supporting part connected to said leg, each of the two outer ends of said supporting part being provided with said openings for receiving said cams mounted to said desk or table top, said fixing element being made as a prolongation to the shape of said supporting frame and being connected to it by a snap connection.
In this way not only a very stable connection is obtained but also that in the final connected position of the parts the shape of said supporting frame achieves a very aesthetic appearance.
According to an embodiment of the invention in said fixing element a spring means is provided which, at least on reaching the outermost position of said fixing element, will exert a force by which said desk or table top is clamped against said supporting part.
According to a further embodiment of the invention it is provided that said connecting shaft and said spring means form an entirety. By this the number of parts is decreased.
Hereinafter, the invention is further explained by way of the example shown in the drawing, in which:

figs. 1A,B: illustrate perspective views of a supporting frame with first parts of the fixing member;
figs. 2A,B: illustrate perspective views of the supporting frame with a cam of the second part of the fixing member;
fig. 2C: illustrates a separate cam of the second part in more detail; and
figs. 3A,B: illustrate perspective views of the first part of a fixing member.

Figs. 1A,B illustrate a part of a supporting frame 1, more particularly a leg 2 for a desk or table to which a desk or table top, not further illustrated in the drawing for the sake of clarity, is to be fixed. The leg 2 comprises a vertical upright 3 and a horizontal or slightly sloping supporting part 4 onto which the top is to be fixed in the end. Facilities for receiving fixing members 5 are provided at the ends of said supporting part 4, see also figs. 2A,B, said facilities comprising through- openings 7, 8, intended for receiving cams 9 of a table top, said openings 7, 8 and cams 9 (see also fig. 2C) being part of positioning means with the help of which the desk or table top can be placed onto the supporting frame 1 in exactly the correct position.
Said openings 7, 8 give out into a circular space 11 defined by an edge 10 and intended for partly receiving the second part 6 of said fixing member 5. In the middle of the space 11, a further opening 12 is provided which is intended for receiving a connecting shaft 13, with which the second part 6 can be fixed to the supporting part 4. To this end, said connecting shaft 13 has its end provided with fixing means 14 which, by a snap connection, can engage a widening not further illustrated in the opening 12 in the supporting part 4 (see figs. 3A, B).
The connecting shaft 13 is at the same time the shaft around which said second part 6 of the fixing member can rotate across a predetermined angle between a position in which the cams 9 can be received and a final fixing position. A circular arc-shaped recess 16 is provided in the support part 15 of supporting part 4, into which recess the second part 6 of the fixing member will be fitted in the final position.
In fig. 2B, only the outside of first part 6 of fixing member 5 is visible, which is designed such, that it will connect exactly to the shape of the leg 2 in the final fixing position. Giving said first part 6 of said fixing member 5 the same finish as said leg yields an extremely attractive appearance which seems to be an entirety.
Fig. 2C illustrates a separate cam 9 comprising a fixing part 28, e.g. a fixing part provided with threading, by which said cam can be fixed to a desk top or other top and the actual cam 22, 29, 30, 31. These further parts are a cylindrical part 29 intended to lie in said supporting part 4, a groove 22 with which said cam can be received in keyholes 19 (see figs. 3A,B) of said second part 6 and an end part 30, which essentially is a continuation of said cylindrical portion 29. Said end part 30 is provided with an opening 31 for receiving a tool with which said cam 9 can be screwed into a desk top. The parts of said cam are rounded-off in such a way, that they can easily be inserted into the openings 7, 8 and the keyholes 19, respectively. The thickness of said supporting part 4 near the openings 7, 8 and the various portions of the cam 9 are further dimensioned such, that when removing a top having cams 9 from a supporting part, it is impossible that the cam will catch behind an edge or can remain stuck in the openings. This prevents the cams and/or the supporting part from getting damaged or that breakage will occur on removing the top from the supporting frame.
Figs. 3A,B illustrate the second part 6 of the fixing member 5 having an upright edge 17 at the top side, which will fall within the edge 10 in the supporting part 4. Edge portions 18 having openings 19 in the shape of keyholes for receiving said cams 9 have been provided along the edge 17, symmetrically in relation to said connecting, rotating shaft 13. Keyholes 19 have a portion 20 having a large diameter into which a cam 9 can be inserted and a narrower portion 21 into which cam 9 can be received near said groove 22 near the free end of cam 9. Edge portions 18 have a reduction, in downward direction in the drawing, from portion 20 towards narrower portion 21 as a result of which said cams 9 and therewith the desk or table top, is pulled against the supporting frame 1.
A depression 23 having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of cam 9 is provided around the outer end of the narrower portion 21 at the top of the edge portion 18. Said depression 23 makes it possible to move the cam 9 beyond the groove 22 in relation to the edge portions 18, so that the second part 6 of the fixing member 5 can be clamped tightly against the supporting part 4.
An assembly 24 formed in one piece comprising the connecting shaft 13 and a preformed strip 25 of a resilient material is mounted in the second part 6 of said fixing member 5. At a first end, said strip 25 is connected to said second part 6 of said fixing member 5 through a snap connection 26 and at the second, free end, said strip has two lips 27 projecting beyond the housing of said second part 6. On reaching the final fixing position, said lips 27 will abut the circular arc-shaped recess 16. There, the lips 27 will be compressed and a clamping force will be exerted on the circular arc-shaped recess 16. The strip 25 is preformed in such a way, that the connecting shaft 13 will at the same time experience a downward force as a result of which said second part 6 of said fixing member 5 will be clamped upward against said supporting part 4.

Claims

Fixing member for fixing a desk or table top to a supporting frame (1), said fixing member comprising: at least two cams (9) being connected to one of said parts and co-acting with openings (7) in the other part, and a fixing element (5) rotatable in one of said parts and around a connecting shaft (13) from a position in which the cams (9) can be received into said openings (7), to a position in which a narrowed portion (21) of each of said openings (7) in said other part (5) is received into a groove (22) of said cams (9), said fixing element being adapted to the shape of one of said parts, said supporting frame (1) is formed by at least one, in use, vertical leg (2,3) and a substantial horizontal supporting part (4) connected to said leg (2), each of the two outer ends of said supporting part (4) being provided with said openings (7) for receiving said cams (9) mounted to said desk or table top, characterized in that said fixing element (5) being made as a prolongation to the shape of said supporting frame (1) and being connected to it by a snap connection (14).
Fixing member according to claim 1, characterized in that in said fixing element (5) a spring means (25) is provided which, at least on reaching the outermost position of said fixing element (5), will exert a force by which said desk or table top is clamped against said supporting part (4).
Fixing member according to claim 2, characterized in that said connecting shaft (13) and said spring means (25) form an entirety (24).