EP3516989B1 - Furniture system in modular design - Google Patents

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present European patent application takes priority over the German utility model
DE 20 2018 100 468 U1
from January 29, 2018

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is in the field of interior furnishings and relates to a modular furniture system which can be combined in any way.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

• https://bene.com/de/produkte-raumkonzepte/bueromoebel/pixel/
• http://www.mauser-moebel.de/stauraum/stauraumsvsteme/element-x
• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/USM Haller

Furniture systems that contain modules of various shapes, colors and material properties are widespread on the market. Office furniture is of particular interest, as functionality, flexibility and an appearance "as if from a single source" are required here. Examples of such modular systems can be found in the prior art, for example in EP 0504533 B1 (STEELCASE ), EP 2327843 A1 (UNIFLOR ) or DE 20310447 U1 (SCHAFFRANIETZ ). Further examples can be found at the following addresses:

• https://bene.com/de/produkte-raumkonzepte/bueromoebel/pixel/
• http://www.mauser-moebel.de/stauraum/stauraumsvsteme/element-x
• https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/USM Haller

The countless systems that furniture suppliers have in their range for this purpose are generally nothing more than open rectangles when viewed from the basic body - if it is not a question of desks - which sometimes differ considerably in design, but usually all of them have the same disadvantages:

The first thing to be mentioned is the attachment of the individual elements to one another. This is usually done by mechanical connections, eg screw connections, which in turn requires exactly opposite system features, bores, since otherwise no or no stable connection is possible. Anyone who has ever tried to assemble and connect several shelves from a well-known series from an equally well-known Scandinavian furniture store will know how to report the effort and sweat involved in this: the drill holes do not immediately fit one above the other or break out easily and ultimately the whole combination lacks stability and tends to lean suspiciously in one direction or the other.

The visual appearance of such systems also has disadvantages: Since the furniture is usually made of wood - often just coated pressboard - which can hardly be bent, the modules are made up of panels that meet at the edges of the usually rectangular shapes . This leads to clearly visible joints that are not very visually pleasing.

If the basic body is to be provided with doors, fronts, flaps or the like, then these are usually built in front, i.e. the hinges are attached inside the basic body, but the fronts are put on, i.e. jump out of alignment, which is spanned by the basic body itself, Forward. This, too, is not optically desirable, especially if one module is provided with a door, for example, but the neighboring element is not. The protrusion of the attachments creates a restless overall impression that should actually be avoided.

Corresponding modules made of wood are also limited in terms of their length. If the base body is to be open to the front and back, lengths over 80 cm can hardly be achieved because the construction no longer has sufficient stability and can easily shift from the rectangular shape into a trapezoid. Even if such base bodies are then stabilized by a rear panel, the disadvantage remains that the wood with dimensions above 100 cm bends over the entire length with sufficient load - for example from books or in particular files. For this reason, shelves made of wood, for example, are only offered with a maximum width of 100 cm without a center wall or visible reinforcement.

RELEVANT STATE OF THE ART

Subject of the German patent application DE102009057413 A1 or DE 19623129 A1 (ZACHEY ) are furniture components that are, however, connected to one another purely mechanically.

The German pattern DE 20011351 U1 (MOORMANN MÖBELPRODUKTIONS GMBH ) relates to a shelving system consisting of a magnetic back wall to which the individual elements, which themselves also have a magnetic back wall, can be attached.

The German pattern DE 29807545 U1 (LERCHE ) relates generally to multi-purpose furniture, which consists of box-shaped, but firmly mounted elements.

Subject of the German pattern DE 20 2015 005506 U1 (SCHWAB ) relates to rectangular steel cubes that are connected to one another by magnetic spacers. Here it is also about connecting the elements with one another, but not in the sense of a seamless assembly, but with a spacing.

Also the patent application US 2006 0244348 A1 (RICHIED ET AL ) relates to modular desk elements that are connected to one another by magnets or magnetic strips according to Sections 32 and 33.

The patent U.S. 4,047,773 (SEMANY ) relates to a stackable furniture system. The summary and the figures show that the individual elements are held in place with the help of a magnetic film. The foils are attached opposite one another in pairs.

The European patent application EP 1980175 A1 (FLASAR ) claims a modular furniture system, which consists of elements with rounded edges (s. Figure 3 ). The individual elements are also magnetically connected to one another, but not by a film, but by disc-shaped magnets that are positioned at the corners.

The European patent application EP 3192397 A1 (ALDENDINGERSENNER-4 GMBH ) discloses a metal frame that contains continuously adjustable magnets, between which individual furniture modules can be hung.

In the international patent application WO 2004 039212 A1 describes a shelf that consists of stackable modules that are connected to one another by magnetic foils.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a modular furniture system in which the individual modules are firmly connected but can be easily detached from one another without the use of visible fastening means. At the same time, the modular system should make it possible to achieve widths of over 120 cm without the need for stabilizing fixtures or a rear wall.

Furthermore, the modules should preferably be designed in such a way that, on the one hand, there are as few connection edges as possible and, on the other hand, there are no visible connections on either side. In addition, it should be possible to integrate doors, flaps and the like into the modules in such a way that they are flush.

The modular system should be designed in such a way that, depending on the number of elements and their arrangement, any number of combinations can also be implemented in a variable position, whereby assembly and disassembly can also be carried out by laypeople and without any tools.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

1. (a) die Module aus zwei U-förmigen Profilen bestehen, die an den Schenkelflächen zusammengefügt werden und dabei doppelwandig ausgestaltet sind, und
2. (b) jedes der Möbelmodule aus einem magnetisierbaren Stoff besteht und die Möbelmodule über Magnetfolien miteinander verbunden sind.

The present invention relates to furniture in modular construction, which is characterized in that

1. (A) the modules consist of two U-shaped profiles that are joined together at the leg surfaces and are double-walled, and
2. (b) each of the furniture modules consists of a magnetizable material and the furniture modules are connected to one another via magnetic foils.

Surprisingly, it has been found that by designing the modules in a double U shape and at the same time using a magnetizable material, preferably steel, and connecting the individual modules with a magnetic film, the primary tasks on which the invention is based are all reliably achieved.

The magnetic foils in question are products on the market that have any desired dimensions or are available by the meter and can then be individually cut. The foils are approx. 0.9 to 1 millimeter thick, so that they can easily be placed between the individual modules without a gap being visible. The products are available from MagnoSphere, for example.

In principle, this type of connection is suitable for precisely meeting the requirements according to the invention, i.e. assembly is very simple and can be carried out by any layperson. The connection is so tight that the modules do not slip; on the other hand, the connection can also be separated with little effort if the modules are to be rebuilt in a different constellation, for example. With the advantage of increased flexibility in solving and maintaining a furnishing task.

The execution, preferably in steel, also has a further advantage: in this way, widths of more than 160 cm, in particular 180 to 200 cm, can be achieved without the need for a rear wall for reasons of stability. It is also positive that these modules do not bend over the entire surface even under high loads.

In addition, the modules are recyclable and have no fire load compared to wood systems. This means that the modules are also suitable for installation in escape routes and entrance areas.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE MODULES

The modules according to the invention preferably have a rectangular or square shape, which can optionally be designed to be open or closed to the front and / or rear.

In particular, the modules consist of two U-shaped profiles that are joined together on the leg surfaces. Here, too, the steel version proves to be advantageous again, since it is not possible to produce a U-profile from a piece of wood. the The present invention, however, even allows the possibility of realizing either sharp or rounded edges. The U-profiles are plugged together in the middle, ie there are only two connecting edges instead of four and these are just not visible at the top and bottom of the module. If required, the modules can also be provided with rollers or a roller plate on the underside, the latter in turn being fastened with a magnetic film. In turn, individual U-profiles can act as bases for additional modules.

According to the invention, the U-profiles are to be double-walled, with the interior spaces being filled with foam (e.g. with polyurethane) or glued (e.g. with cardboard, wood wool, styrofoam or Styrodur).

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the modules are provided with a circumferential 45 degree miter joint on the front and back. On the one hand, this leads to the fact that the modules are optically slimmer, that is, they are distracted from the fact that it is a double-walled profile with a thickness of 10 to 35 mm. In particular, doors, flaps, pull-out fronts or panels can be inserted in this way on the front and / or back of the modules, which are flush with the miter joint and, unlike other furniture systems, do not protrude.

As already explained above, the modules can have a width of about 20 cm to about 200 cm and preferably about 40 to about 160 cm, wherein the height can vary between about 20 and about 200 cm and preferably about 20 to about 120 cm. The modules can be painted in different colors or coated with different materials. Special effects can be achieved if magnetic chrome steel is used as the material.

COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY

The new furniture systems allow flexible configuration options with optically the same image, both with 2D and 3D rotation, e.g. as a planter. The magnetic connection allows easy assembly, disassembly and rearrangement without tools. The system is particularly suitable for furnishing offices, but it can also be used outdoors.

Compared to other retail products that are made of wood, it looks more elegant because the edge zones are perfectly formed and there are no abutting edges or edge strips. In particular, long open shelves and loops can also be designed with the system, as well as by stringing together the U-shaped profiles with a counter-shaped U-profile, meandering endless shelves. The elements can of course also serve as room dividers, as they have exactly the same look at the front and rear.

Individual elements can easily be attached to walls with brackets.

Individual furniture modules can be connected using double-walled steel plates produced in the same system construction, with the attachment again being made using magnetic foils. A roof and floor structure is then formed, which makes the provision of work islands possible.

Furthermore, the modules can also be supplemented with upholstery elements, which are also connected to the modules on the underside or on the rear wall via a magnetic film. These can be simple seat cushions as well as seat cushions with a back wall. Room systems ("office pods") can be built from modules and upholstery without the need for a mechanical connection. These systems are as variable and as flexible as possible in terms of construction and modification. The system can also be used, for example, to design storage spaces, wall shelves, room dividers, seating systems, acoustic modules and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Abbildung 1 :

Kubisches Modul, weiß lackiert

Abbildung 2 :

Kubisches Modul, außen schwarz, innen weiß lackiert

Abbildung 3 :

Kombination aus zwei kubischen Modulen

Abbildung 4 :

Langgestrecktes offenes Modul, schwarz lackiert

Abbildung 5 :

Langgestrecktes offenes Modul, weiß lackiert

Abbildung 6 :

Kombination aus drei unterschiedlichen Modulen mit Rollplatte

Abbildung 7 :

Kombination verschiedener langgestreckter Module, sowohl offen wie mit Rückwand versehen

Abbildung 8 :

Kubisches Modul mit Sitzkissen

Abbildung 9 :

Kombination aus zwei Modulen mit Türen und einem offenen Modul

The present invention is illustrated in more detail by the following Figures 1 to 9 , without being restricted thereto. The figures show the following (each in two views):

Illustration 1 :

Cubic module, painted white

Figure 2:

Cubic module, painted black on the outside, white on the inside

Figure 3:

Combination of two cubic modules

Figure 4:

Elongated open module, painted black

Figure 5:

Elongated open module, painted white

Figure 6:

Combination of three different modules with a roller platform

Figure 7:

Combination of different elongated modules, both open and with a rear wall

Figure 8:

Cubic module with seat cushion

Figure 9:

Combination of two modules with doors and one open module

Claims (8)

1. A furniture in modular construction, characterised in that

   (a) the modules consist of two U-shaped profiles which are joined together at the leg surfaces and are thereby double-walled, and

   (b) each of the furniture modules consists of a magnetisable material and the furniture modules are connected to each other via magnetic foils.
2. The furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that the modules have a rectangular shape and can be open or closed at the front and/or rear.
3. The furniture according to claim 1, characterised in that the double-walled U-profiles are foamed or glued.
4. The furniture according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the modules have a circumferential 45 degree mitre joint on both sides.
5. The furniture according to claim 4, characterised in that the modules have doors, flaps, pull-out fronts or panels on the front and/or rear side which lie flush in the mitre joint.
6. The furniture according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the modules have a width of about 40 cm to about 200 cm.
7. The furniture according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that individual furniture modules are connected via double-walled steel plates, the fastening again being effected by magnetic foils.
8. The furniture according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that they are supplemented by upholstered elements which are also connected to the modules on the underside or rear wall by means of a magnetic foil.

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