Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B27—WORKING OR PRESERVING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; NAILING OR STAPLING MACHINES IN GENERAL
  • B27H—BENDING WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL; COOPERAGE; MAKING WHEELS FROM WOOD OR SIMILAR MATERIAL
  • B27H1/00—Bending wood stock, e.g. boards
• • 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
  • A47B96/00—Details of cabinets, racks or shelf units not covered by a single one of groups A47B43/00 - A47B95/00; General details of furniture
  • A47B96/20—Furniture panels or like furniture elements
  • A47B96/202—Furniture panels or like furniture elements with a continuous layer allowing folding

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a rectangular plate for forming a hollow furniture structure as well as a furniture part comprising a rectangular plate.
• a piece of furniture both in homes and in public, is exposed to large loads and wear. It needs to be well constructed and robust. Additionally, it should be easy to assemble at a factory. Further, the furniture should be aesthetically pleasing and comfortable. This can e.g. be accomplished by rounded shapes.
• a method of producing curved wood surfaces by grooves or notches in the face of a wooden plate is also described in FR2553023. Also this structure requires reinforcement in the form of a stiffening framework which holds the curvature in its desired state.
• a strengthening framework or core material adds to the costs of the product, as well as the weight. It would therefore be desirable to produce a curved shape of furniture that does not need a supportive backing.
• An object of the present invention is to provide a new type of furniture part which is improved over prior art and which eliminates or at least mitigates the drawbacks discussed above. More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a furniture part that is lightweight, robust and easy to assemble. These objects are achieved by the technique set forth in the appended independent claims with preferred embodiments defined in the dependent claims related thereto.
• a rectangular plate for forming a hollow furniture structure is provided.
• the plate comprises a first surface, a second surface, and a first and a second edge portion provided at a first and a second end portion of the plate respectively.
• the first surface is provided with at least two parallel elongate slots by which the plate is arranged to be folded to form the hollow furniture structure.
• This furniture structure is advantageous since it is made out of one piece of material. It is also light weight since it is a hollow structure.
• the hollow furniture structure is provided with at least one curved portion.
• a curved portion is aesthetically appealing, and a vault like construction is also robust.
• the second surface comprises a recess configured to receive the second edge portion.
• the recess is rectangular. This is advantageous since the second edge portion in most embodiments is rectangular. Thus, the second end portion fits well into the recess.
• the plate may be a wooden plate or a chipboard plate.
• An advantage with a wooden plate is that is robust.
• An advantage with a chipboard plate is that it is light weight.
• the first surface is further provided with a number of parallel elongate grooves.
• the grooves may be V-shaped. Further, the grooves are configured to form the at least one curved portion. This is an advantageous way to form a curved portion, by removing wedge shaped portions of the plate, such that the plate may be bent.
• the grooves may be parallel with the short sides of the rectangular plate and the grooves may have a length corresponding to the width of the rectangular plate. This is advantageous if a curvature with equal curvature diameter along the whole extension of the curved portion.
• the grooves are provided in the first end portion of the plate such that the at least one curved portion is obtained by folding of the plate.
• a rectangular recess is provided between two of the V- shaped grooves and which is configured to receive the first edge portion.
• Glue is provided in the recess. This is advantageous since locks the furniture structure. Glue is provided in order to further increaser the robustness of the structure.
• the slots may be V-shaped and surfaces of the slots may be provided with a
• a furniture part comprising a rectangular plate.
• the plate comprises a first inner surface provided with at least two slots by which the plate is folded to form a boxlike shape, and a second outer surface.
• the plate further comprises a first and a second end portion configured to meet each other to form the box-like shape.
• the inner surface may further be provided with at least one groove, the at least one groove may be V-shaped.
• the grooves may be provided in parallel with the short ends of the plate and may have a length corresponding to the width of the rectangular plate.
• the grooves may provide the furniture part with a curved portion when the plate is folded. V-shaped grooves are advantageous when the plate is supposed to be folded into a curved shape.
• the outer surface comprises a rectangular recess in which the second edge portion is provided to lock the furniture part, and wherein glue is provided in the recess.
• the slots may be V-shaped and sloping surfaces of the slots may be provided with a 45° angle relative a normal plane of the first surface of the plate such that the furniture part may be provided with corners of 90° when the plate is folded.
• the first surface of the plate is in one embodiment provided with a recess in which the first end portion is provided. This provides for additional stability of the furniture part.
• the furniture part is in one embodiment an armrest for a piece of furniture.
• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sofa comprising rounded armrests
• Fig. 2a is a perspective view of a plate with grooves
• Fig. 2b is a perspective view of the plate with one end portion raised
• Fig. 2c is a perspective view of the plate with two end portions raised
• Fig. 2d is a perspective view of the plate with a curved portion
• Fig. 2e is a perspective view of a curved armrest.
• a sofa 100 which comprises curved armrests 101a, 101b formed from a rectangular plate.
• the armrests 101a, 101b may form part of an armchair, a chair, a couch, or any other piece of furniture that may benefit from an armrest.
• the rectangular plate may form another furniture part, or a structure not associated with a piece of furniture.
• the armrests 101a, 101b are hollow, thus, no large weight is added to the sofa 100.
• the rounded shape of the armrests 101a, 101b contribute to a comfortable and aesthetically appealing piece of furniture 100. It is obvious that a seating area 102 of the sofa 100 needs to withstand the load of a number of people sitting in the sofa 100, but also the armrests 101a, 101b need to withstand a load larger than just of an arm resting on it. It is not unusual that people sit down on the armrest 101a, 101b. If that happens, the armrest 101a, 101b must not collapse or get damaged.
• the armrest 101a and the assembly thereof will be further described below.
• Fig. 2a shows a rectangular plate or board 103 which comprises a first surface 104 and an opposite second surface 105.
• the plate 103 may be made of wood, chipboard or any other suitable material.
• the plate 103 may be a homogenous plate.
• the plate may alternatively be inhomogeneous, such as a chipboard with different densities at different locations of the chipboard.
• This plate 103 will form the armrest 101a.
• a number of grooves 108 and a recess 109 are milled in a direction parallel with the short sides of the rectangular wooden plate 103. Both the grooves 108 and the recess 109 extend over the whole width of the plate 103.
• the grooves may be milled in a continuous production line such that all or several grooves are milled simultaneously giving a very high production speed.
• a grooved section 115 comprising eleven V-shaped grooves 108 which are provided close to each other. See also the enlarged section for a closer view of one of the V-shaped grooves 108.
• Each groove 108 comprises two sloping surfaces 108a, 108b.
• the number of V-shaped grooves 108 may of course vary between applications. Eleven is not a fixed number.
• the V-shaped grooves 108 do not extend all the way through the wooden plate 13, see the enlarged section of Fig. 2a.
• a thin strip of material 110 is left such that the wooden plate 103 is kept in one piece.
• the film or foil can be made of plastic, metal or any other suitable material.
• the film is glued to the second surface 105.
• the grooves may be made all the way through the board and plastic strips, or foil, or tape, may be attached to keep the board together.
• each V-shaped slot 112, 113 In an area located between the middle of the rectangular plate 103 and a second end portion 107 of the plate 103 two additional V-shaped slots 112, 113 are provided parallel with the short sides of the rectangular plate 103.
• the sloping surfaces 112a, 112b, 113a, 113b of these V-shaped slots 112 do not descend as steeply as the sloping surfaces 108a, 108b of the grooves 108.
• the sloping surfaces 112a, 112b, 113a, 113b are provided with an angle of 45° to a normal plane of the first surface 104.
• each V-shaped slot 112, 113 have a larger width than each groove 108.
• a rectangular recess 114 is provided in the second end portion 107, also extending in parallel with the short side of the rectangular plate 103.
• the second end portion 107 is raised according to the arrow.
• the plate 103 is thus bent along the V-shaped slot 112.
• the second end portion 107 comprises the part of the plate 103 extending from the slot 112 to an edge portion 117. Since the sloping surfaces 112a, 112b of the slot 112 are provided with such an angle, 45°, the second end portion 107 forms a 90° angle relative the rest of the plate 103 when the surfaces 112a, 112b meet.
• Fig. 2c also the first end portion 106 is raised according to the arrow.
• the plate 103 is bent along the V-shaped slot 113 such that the surfaces 113a, 113b contact each other forming a 90° angle.
• the first end portion 106 comprises the part of the plate 103 extending from the slot 113 to an edge portion 118.
• the first surface 104 becomes an inner surface of the assembly and the second surface 105 becomes an outer surface.
• the rounded portion of the armrest 101a is formed.
• the grooved section 115 is rolled up such that it assumes a curved shape and becomes a curved portion 116. This is achieved by the grooves 108.
• Each pair of sloping surfaces 108a, 108b of each groove 108 is brought into contact with each other such that a curved or rounded shape is formed of the first end portion 106.
• the edge portion 117 of the end portion 107 is received by the rectangular recess 109 and locked in place (see arrow).
• To lock the curved portion 116 the edge portion 118 of the first end portion 106 is received by the rectangular recess 114 (see arrow).
• Glue is provided in the recess 114 to secure the edge portion 118.
• the structure is self-locking and no additional support or locking means are required.
• the finished armrest 101a is shown in Fig. 2e. This will be mounted to the other components of the sofa 100 and lined with padding and fabric in order to finish the sofa 100.
• the other armrest 101b is formed according to the same procedure, but it is mirrored.
• the method for forming the armrest 101a, 101b from the flat plate 103 comprises the steps of folding the first end portion 106 90°, folding the second end portion 107 90°, curving the grooved section 115 such that the first edge portion 117 is fitted in the recess 109 and the second end portion 118 fits in the recess 114.
• the finished armrest 101a, 101b comprises both 90° bends and a curved shape, all of them formed by means of grooves or recesses.
• the finished armrest 101a is a stable and robust structure thanks to its vaultlike construction.
• the wooden pieces between the grooves 108 form wedges which, when they are pressed together maintains the rounded shape.
• glue is applied in both recesses 109, 118 prior to inserting the edge portions 117, 118.
• the armrest 101a, 101b does not necessarily comprise a rounded shape.
• the first 117 and second 118 edge portions contact each other in a 90° angle such that the armrest 101a, 101b form a rectangular shape. This is not shown in the drawings.
• the edge portions 117, 118 may for example be secured to each other by a surface strip.
• the distance between the first 112 and second 113 V-shaped slots may vary, with the result that the width of the armrest 101a, 101b becomes larger or smaller.
• the distance between the first V- shaped slot 112 and the first edge portion 117 can vary, such that the height of the armrest 101a, 101b becomes higher or lower.
• the number of grooves 108 in the grooved section 115 may vary in order to achieve a curvature with a larger or smaller diameter.
• the angle of the surfaces 112a, 112b, 113a, 113b need not be 45°.
• a larger or smaller angle would provide the finished structure with a different appearance, not having corners of 90°.
• the technique for forming a curved portion from a flat plate is of course not limited to armrests for sofas. The method could be applied to other armrests, as well as other parts of furniture, and also in applications not relating to furniture, where a curved outline is desired. In addition it is possible to use the technique described herein to achieve a piece of furniture which does not have any curved outlines, for instance an armrest for a sofa which does not have a curved upper surface but instead have a rather straight upper surface, or another part of a sofa such as the backrest.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

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ID=59057322

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

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Family Cites Families (10)

• 2015
  • 2015-12-15 SE SE1551646A patent/SE542544C2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2016
  • 2016-12-14 CN CN201680074300.1A patent/CN108430720A/zh active Pending
  • 2016-12-14 EP EP16876148.4A patent/EP3389964A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-12-14 WO PCT/SE2016/051256 patent/WO2017105323A1/en active Application Filing

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