EP2245961A1

EP2245961A1 - Table assembly

Info

Publication number: EP2245961A1
Application number: EP10161266A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianluca Orlandini Ridini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-04-28
Filing date: 2010-04-28
Publication date: 2010-11-03
Also published as: ITBS20090076A1

Abstract

A table assembly (1), comprising a table (2) having a rest panel (3) provided with a substantially flat upper rest surface (4), a lower surface (5) and a lateral edge surface (6) having a predetermined shape, the rest panel (3) being further provided with at least a seating (7) which is cut-away and recessed with respect to the upper surface (4) and also cut-away and recessed with respect to the lateral edge surface (6) the table further having at least a support element (8) connected with the panel (3) for supporting the panel (3); and further comprising: at least a completion element (9) having at least a first portion (10) which is complementarily shaped with respect to the seating (7) and destined to fill the seating (7) and to complete the substantially flat shape of the upper surface (4) of the panel (3), the completion element (9) being insertable in the seating (7) and assemblable to the panel (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a table assembly comprising a table and at least a completion element. A realisation of the invention relates to a table assembly in which the completion element is designed to interconnect at least an additional table. Further, the invention relates to a method for realising the table assembly.
In general, a variety of tables are known, for example for use by several persons, for eating or for performing work activities or other uses besides, which tables are made up by a rest panel having a determined thickness and a flat upper surface and one or more support legs for supporting and stabilising the panel with respect to the floor.
Also known are assembled structures in which tables are present which have projections solidly joined on one side and cut-aways fashioned on the other side, such as to be able to arrange a plurality of tables having various shapes by flanking them to one another.
The applicant has noted that the above-cited known table assembly structures, when assembled, exhibit some drawbacks, in particular in relation to the flexibility of mounting or demounting thereof, and in relation to the possibility of performing modifications or additions to the assembly. Further, they impose a constraint on the shapes of the tables that can be connected to created the assembly, which have necessarily to follow the progression of projections and cut-aways of the adjacent tables. Also, the tables can be combined and added adjacently only in very limited configurations.
A further drawback of the known assembled structures is the impossibility of providing a high level of solidity of assembly, which leads to the consequence of the tables' separating, the creation of gaps and spaces between then and the reduced level of overall assembly stability.
A further drawback of the known assembled structures is the presence of projections and cut-aways which are not used in the coupling with other tables, which generate a discontinuity in the upper and lateral surfaces of the table assembly, thus interfering with the activities for which the table is being used.
A further drawback of known tables is the need during assembly to have additional fastening means which can ruin the surfaces of the table and are also laborious to use.
A drawback of known tables is the lack of flexibility of the surface characteristics thereof, as should it be required to be different surface characteristics (in terms, for example, of materials, coverings, colours) from those of the table available (for example in order to perform certain operations on the table), the table itself has to be substituted. In other words it is not possible to define operating postions on tables having different characteristics.
In this context, the technical objective underlying the present invention is to make available a table assembly which obviates, among other things, one or more of the drawbacks in the prior art as cited above.
In the ambit of the technical objective, one of the aims of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly which can provide high flexibility in the realisation of tables and can also enable addition as required of new components and the removal of elements later, in order for the table assembly to be adaptable to the space available.
A further aim of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly which is adaptable to the various use needs, including in terms of the technical characteristics of its rest surface.
A further aim of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly which enables simply and effectively combining, arranging and fixing a plurality of tables such as to prevent their separation and the formation of gaps between the contact surfaces.
A further aim of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly which enables using the space efficiently, as the number, dimensions and shape of the panels used is flexible and adaptable.
One of the aims of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly which is provided with a flat continuous work surface which is substantially free of projections, protrusions, cut-aways or grooves.
A further aim of the present invention in one or more of its various aspects is to make available a table assembly provided with various different working positions, which are easily modifiable and identifiable, and which also have different technical characteristics. A further aim of the present invention is to provide a table assembly which can considerably speed up and simplify the mounting/demounting operations.
A further aim of the present invention is to make available a table assembly which is simple and economical to make.
A further aim of the present invention is to realise a table assembly which can be applied in any type of use, either for adults or children and animals, such as for example house tables, office desks, shop or commercial desks, work tables, nursery school tables, school desks, social club and recreation club tables, public offices in general, etc.
These aims and others besides, which will more fully emerge during the course of the following description, are substantially attained by a table assembly according to one or more of the accompanying claims, each of which can be taken on its own, without the relative dependent claims, or in any combination with the other claims.
In a further aspect, the invention relates to an assembly of any one of the claims in which a completion element is fixable to a rest panel and/or in which a completion element is removably fixable to a panel and/or in which the completion element is fixable to the panel directly or indirectly, for example by means of the support element.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims in which the completion element is couplable or associable to the rest panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims in which a completion element is assemblable or couplable to the rest panel by means of insertion of the completion element in the rest seating of the completion element on the rest panel or on the support element.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any of the claims, characterised in that it comprises a plurality of seatings fashioned on the panel and a plurality of completion elements that are insertable in the respective seatings and fixable to the panel and/or in which the completion elements are interchangeable.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly of any one of the claims in which the completion element exhibits a thickness that is substantially equal to the depth of a seating with respect to an upper surface of the panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims in which the seating is a through-seating from the upper surface of the panel to the lower surface of the panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims in which the rest panel and the completion panel are of a same thickness.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in claim 3, in which the completion element is further destined to complete the substantially rectilinear shape of a straight portion of the lateral edge surface of the panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly in any one of the claims in which the completion element defines a work position of the panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims, characterised in that the completion element is made of a different material to the rest panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly of any one of the claims, characterised in that the completion element is made of the same material as the rest panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims, characterised in that the completion element exhibits an upper surface having a different colour to the colour of the upper surface of the rest panel.
In a further aspect, the invention relates to an assembly as in claim 8, characterised in that an undercut exhibits a continuous shape and/or is provided with a rounded part.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in claim 8, characterised in that the undercut is recessed with respect to the lateral edge surface of the panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of the claims, further comprising a bearing structure mounted to the panel and mounted to the support element.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly in which the completion element is fixable to the bearing structure when inserted in the seating.
In a further aspect the invention relates to an assembly as in any one of claims from 4 to 9, characterised in that the first portion of the completion element is realised in a single piece with the rest panel and in that a second portion of the completion element is insertable in the complementarily-shaped seating of an additional rest panel.
In a further aspect the invention relates to a method for interconnecting at least two tables as in claim 10, where the assembly is as in any one of claims from 4 to 9, and where, during the stage of inserting the completion element, the first portion of the completion element is inserted in the seating of the panel, further comprising stages of predisposing an additional table having an additional rest panel with a complementarily-shaped seating and inserting the second portion of the completion element into the complementarily-shaped seating of the additional rest panel of the additional table such as to be flanked to and couple to the additional rest panel of the table.
Further characteristics and advantages will more fully emerge from the detailed description of some embodiments, among which there is also a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a table assembly of the present invention. The description will be made herein below with reference to the accompanying figures of the drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, and in which:

figure 1 is a partly-exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the table assembly of the present invention;
figure 2 is a partly-exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the table assembly of the present invention;
figure 3 is a perspective view of an alternative arrangement of a table assembly of the present invention;
figure 4 is a perspective view of a further alternative arrangement of a table assembly of the present invention;
figure 5 is a detail of a third embodiment of a table assemble of the invention;
figure 6 illustrates a detail of a fourth embodiment of a table assembly of the invention.

With reference to the figures of the drawings, a table assembly of the present invention is denoted in its entirety by reference number 1. In a first embodiment, illustrated in figure 1, the table assembly 1 comprises a table 2 having a rest panel 3 provided with an upper rest surface 4 that is substantially flat, a lower surface 5 and a lateral edge surface 6 having a predetermined substantially polygonal shape.
The rest panel 3 is further provided with at least a seating 7 that is recessed and cut-away with respect to the upper surface 4 and further recessed and cut-away with respect to the lateral edge surface 6. The table 2 is further provided with a support element 8 connected with the lower surface 5 of the panel 3 in order to support the panel 3.
The table 2 can comprise a plurality of the support elements 8, for example support legs. The legs can be mounted to the panel 3 directly or indirectly, by means of intermediate support structures. In the present description the term "table" may comprise various types of rest structures, including a rest panel of a determined thickness having an upper rest surface, for example substantially flat, and one or more support elements destined to support and stabilise the panel with respect to the floor or another surface, including a vertical surface. The definition of table herein can comprise structures conventionally known as, for example, counters, projectable rest planes fixable to other element (such as other tables or lateral walls), etc. Also included in the present definition of table are shelves having a rest plane and a support element which supports them and which is connected to a wall. The table assembly 1 further comprises at least a completion element 9 having at least a first portion 10 which is complementarily shaped to the seating 7 and destined to fill it and complete the substantially flat shape of the upper surface 4 of the panel 3.
In more detail, the completion element 9 is insertable in the seating 7 and assemblable to the panel 3. The completion element 9 can be assemblable to the panel in the sense that it is fixable to the panel 3 and/or can be couplable and/or associable and/or removably fixable to the panel 3 and/or can be fixable to the panel 3 directly or indirectly.
The completion element 9 can be assemblable to the panel 3 by means of simple insertion in the seating 7, for example by means of resting on the panel 3 or the support element 8. The completion element 9 can exhibit a thickness which is substantially equal to the depth of the seating 7 with respect to the upper surface 4.
In the illustrated embodiments, the seating 7 is a through-seating, passing from the upper surface 4 of the panel 3 to the lower surface 5 of the panel 3, and the rest panel 3 and the completion element 9 preferably has the same thickness.
As illustrated in figure 1, the completion element 9 can be further destined to complete the lateral edge surface 6 of the panel 3. The lateral edge surface 6 can advantageously exhibit at least a straight portion 11 and the seating 7 is realised in the straight portion 11.
The completion element 9 is preferably further destined to complete the substantially straight shape of the straight portion 11 of the lateral edge surface 6 of the panel 3. The completion element 9 can advantageously define an operating position 12 of the panel 3. The shape of the completion element 9 and the seating 7 can be any according to the aim, for example square, rectangular, circular, elliptical, triangular, polygonal, rounded, with corners, etc.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in figure 2, the completion element 9 can further comprise a second portion 13 solidly connected to the first portion 10 and extending beyond the lateral edge surface 6 of the rest panel 3 with the completion element 9 inserted in the seating 7.
The completion element 9 thus-formed is destined to interconnect the rest panel 3 with an additional rest panel 14 of an additional table 15. Further, the additional rest panel 14 has an edge 16 which is provided with a complementarily-shaped seating 17 with respect to the second portion 13.
The assembly 1 is preferably characterised in that the second portion 13 of the completion element 9 is coplanar with respect to the first portion 10. The edge 16 of the additional rest panel 14 can advantageously exhibit, in proximity of the complementarily-shaped seating 17, a complementary shape to the shape of the lateral edge surface 6 of the rest panel 3. The completion element 9 preferably has a symmetrical and/or specular shape with respect to a join line 18 between the first portion 10 and the second portion 13.
The shape of the completion element 9 and the seating 7 is such as to maintain the panel 3 and the additional rest panel 14 joined to one another with the completion element 9 inserted in the seating 7.
The assembly 1 can advantageously further comprise an additional table 15 interconnected with the table 2 by means of the completion element 9. The completion element 9 can preferably be made of a different material from the material of the rest panel 3. Alternatively it can be made of the same material. Further, the completion element 9 can exhibit at least an upper surface of a different colour to the colour of the upper surface 4 of the rest panel 3.
For example, the completion element 9 can be made of wood, plexiglass, polycarbonate, stone, marble, granite, glass or metal, according to the use to be made of the operating position defined by the completion element 9 itself. The completion element 9 can be made of more than one material, for example comprising a core which is made of a different material to the rest of the completion element 9.
The assembly 1 is preferably characterised by the fact that the seating 7 exhibits at least an undercut 19 with respect to the lateral edge surface 6. The undercut 19 is destined to keep the complementarily-shaped completion element 9 in the seating 7 and prevent its extraction from the seating 7 in all directions parallel to a lie plane of the upper surface 4 of the panel 3, and in particular its exiting from the lateral edge surface 6.
The undercut 19 preferably exhibits a continous shape and/or is provided with a rounded part and/or is cut away with respect to the lateral edge surface 6 of the panel 3. In a variant embodiment, the panel 3 can be supported and mounted directly to one or more support elements 8. The assembly 1 preferably further comprises a bearing structure (not illustrated in detail as of known type) mounted to the lower surface 5 of the panel 3 and mounted to the support element 8.
The bearing structure 20 can take on any configuration which is suitable for the aim and the type of the table. The completion element 9 can be removably or unremovably fixed to the bearing structure 20 when inserted in the seating 7.
The assembly 1 can further comprise fixing means for coupling the completion element 9 to the panel 3 and/or to the bearing structure 20. The fixing means are not illustrated in detail as they are of known type and can be of any type suitable for the aim.
In a further alternative embodiment (not illustrated in the figures) the first portion 10 of the completion element 9 can be realised in a single piece with the rest panel 3 while the second portion 13 of the completion element 9 is insertable in the complementary seating 17 of the additional rest panel 14.
In a variant, in the case of coupling a plurality of tables one or more of the tables can be without support legs and can be directly supported by another table provided with legs, to which it can be directly connected to the other table by usual fixing means.
In a third embodiment, illustrated in figure 5, the completion element 9 is provided at least at a portion of a lateral wall thereof with at least a recess defining a rest portion 21 of the completion element. The panel 3 is provided at least at a portion of the lateral wall of the seating 7 with a corresponding recess, preferably complementarily-shaped to the recess of the completion element, defining a rest portion 22 of the panel which is couplable with the rest portion 21 of the completion element 9.
The recesses can respectively comprise a first step extending along the lateral wall of the completion element and an opposite second step extending along the lateral wall of the seating. The recesses do not extend on the lateral wall of the completion element, which remains external of the panel and which does not enter into contact with the lateral wall of the seating 7 of the panel 3. The completion element 9 can be assemblable to the panel 3 simply by contact and resting, exploiting the force of gravity, of the completion element 9 on the rest portion 22 of the panel 3. Any downwards force on the completion element 9 tends to maintain the completion element coupled to the panel 3.
The correspondence of the shape of the completion element 9 with the shape of the seating 7 can keep the completion element 9 in position without there being any need for further retaining needs. The completion element 9 can be extractable from the seating 7 and separable from the panel 3 by pushing the completion element 9 upwards in order to overcome the force of gravity.
The assembly 1 can further comprise at least a regulator 23 of the position of the completion element with respect to the rest panel 3 or a plurality of regulators 23. The regulators 23 are designed to adjust the position of the completion element 9 in order to align and make the upper surface of the completion element coplanar with the upper surface of the rest panel 3.
The regulators 23 can comprise adjusting screws inserted in the panel or the completion element, for example in the rest portion 22 of the panel 3, in order to enable a distance between the rest portion 21 of the completion element 9 and a corresponding rest portion 22 of the panel to be regulated.
In a third embodiment of the invention, illustrated in figure 6, the panel 3 can comprise at least an insert 24 realised in a different material from the remaining part of the panel 3, the seating 7 for the completion element 9 being afforded in the insert 24. The insert 24 can be substantially parallelepiped, with a square or rectangular plan as illustrated in figure 6, or polygonal, or can exhibit any shape. The insert can exhibit a shape corresponding to the shape of the completion element 9 and the seating 7, with greater dimensions, and thus following the profile of the seating 7 at a predetermined distance.
The completion element 9 can be realised in the same material as the insert 24, and preferably the completion element 9 can be realised directly by the insertion 24. The different material of the insert 24 and/or the completion element 9 can exhibit greater waterproof properties with respect to the material the remaining part of the panel 3 is made of. For example, the insert 24 can be made of solid wood, or another material exhibiting adequate waterproof qualities, while the remaining part of the panel 3 can be made of wood-fibre, for example MDF. In a variant, an internal part of the completion element 9 can however be made of a different material to the rest of the completion element, for example MDF.
As can be seen in figure 6, the inserts 24 can be applied to the panel 3 and thereafter can be covered together with the panel with a surface cladding, for example a laminate, in order to guarantee a visual continuity to the supper surface of the panel 3. The lateral surface of the insert 24 can on the other hand be uncovered by laminate, in order to give a visual continuity with the completion element 9.
The invention further relates to a method for realising the above-described table assembly 1, comprising the stages of predisposing the table 2 by mounting the panel 3 on the support element 8 and inserting the completion element 9 internally of the seating 7.
The invention further relates to a method for interconnecting at least two tables comprising the stags of predisposing the table 2 by mounting the rest panel 3 on the support element 8, inserting the first portion 10 of the completion element 9 in the seating 7 of the panel 3, predisposing an additional table 15 having an additional rest panel 14 with a complementarily-shaped seating 17, inserting the second portion 13 of the completion element 9 in the complementarily-shaped seating 17 of the additional rest panel 14 of the additional table 15 such as to flank the additional rest panel 14 to the panel 3 of the table 2.
In the table assembly described above the completion elements 9 can be added or removed as required, by inserting them in the seating the rest panel is provided with and removing them, without any limiting constraints in terms of number and/or position. This enables various operating posts to be defined on the rest surface, all having different technical characteristics according to the various requirements of use and being easily identifiable and modifiable.
With the completion elements it is also possible to flexible change over a period of time the dimensions and the shape of the table assembly, by adding and/or removing the additional tables.
The assembly or disassembly operations are also simple and rapid, and the assembly is structurally simple and/or has contained realisation costs. The invention enables connection of a potentially infinite number of tables. The present invention attains the set aims and obviates the drawbacks in the prior art.

Claims

A table assembly (1), comprising:
a table (2) having a rest panel (3) provided with a substantially flat upper rest surface (4), a lower surface (5) and a lateral edge surface (6) having a predetermined shape, the rest panel (3) being further provided with at least a seating (3) which is cut-away and recessed with respect to the upper surface (4) and

also cut-away and recessed with respect to the lateral edge surface (6) and further has at least a support element (8) connected with the panel (3) for supporting the panel (3); and further comprising:
at least a completion element (9) having at least a first portion (10) which is complementarily shaped with respect to the seating (7) and destined to fill the seating (7) and to complete the substantially flat shape of the upper surface (4) of the panel (3), the completion element (9) being insertable in the seating (7) and assemblable to the panel (3).
The table assembly of the preceding claim, wherein the completion element (9) is further destined to complete the lateral edge surface (6) of the panel (3).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lateral edge surface (6) has a predetermined substantially polygonal shape and/or exhibits at least a straight portion (11) and the seating (7) is realised at the straight portion (11).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the completion element (9) further comprises a second portion (13) that is solidly constrained to the first portion (10) and extends beyond the lateral edge surface (6) of the rest panel (3) with the completion element (9) inserted in the seating (7), the completion element (9) being destined to interconnect the rest panel (3) with an additional rest panel (14) of an additional table (15), the additional rest panel (14) having an edge (16) which is provided with a seating (17) which is complementarily shaped with respect to the second portion (13).
The table assembly of the preceding claim, characterised in that the second portion (13) of the completion element (9) is coplanar with respect to the first portion (10).
The table assembly of claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the edge (16) of the additional rest panel (14) exhibits, in proximity of the complementarily-shaped seating (17), a shape which is complementary to a shape of the lateral edge surface (6) of the rest panel (3).
The table assembly of claims 4, 5 or 6, wherein the completion element (9) exhibits a symmetrical and/or a specular shape with respect to a join line (18) between the portion (10) and the second portion (13).
The table assembly of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the seating (7) exhibits at least an undercut (19) with respect to the lateral edge surface (6) destined to keep the complementarily-shaped element (9) in the seating (7) and to prevent extraction thereof from the seating (7) in a parallel direction to a lie plane of the upper surface (4) of the rest panel (3).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, further comprising fixing means for coupling the completion element (9) to the rest panel (3).
The table assembly of any of claims from 4 to 7, further comprising an additional table (15) interconnected with the table (1) by means of the completion element (9).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the completion element (9) is provided at least at a portion of the lateral wall thereof with at least a recess defining a rest portion (21) of the completion element (9), and wherein the rest panel (3) is provided at least at a portion of the lateral wall of the seating (7) with a corresponding recess defining a rest portion (22) of the rest panel (3) which recess is couplable with the rest portion (21) of the completion element (9) and/or wherein the recesses comprise a first step extending along the lateral wall of the completion element (9) and an oppositely-positioned second step extending along the lateral wall of the seating (7).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least a regulator (23) of a position of the completion element (9) with respect to the rest panel (3) or a plurality of the regulators (23).
The table assembly of the preceding claim, wherein the regulator (23) or the regulators (23) are destined to adjust a position of the completion element (9) in order to align and make the upper surface of the completion element (9) coplanar with the upper surface of the rest panel (3) and/or wherein the regulator (23) or the regulators (23) comprise regulating screws inserted in the panel (3) or in the completion element (9) in order to enable adjusting a distance between a rest portion (21) of the completion element (9) and a corresponding rest portion (22) of the panel (3).
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the panel (3) comprises at least an insert (24) made of a different material with respect to a remaining part of the panel (3), the seating (7) for the completion element (9) being afforded in the insert (24) and/or wherein the completion element (9) is made of a same material as the insert (24) and/or wherein the different material of the insert (24) and/or of the completion element (9) exhibit a greater waterproof property than the material of which the remaining part of the panel (3) is made.
The table assembly of any one of the preceding claims, comprising stages of:
predisposing the table (2) by mounting the rest panel (3) on the at least a support element (8), and

inserting the completion element (9) internally of the seating (7).