FR3095580A1 - CLIPSABLE ATTACHMENT SYSTEM AND FURNITURE INCLUDING IT - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a fastening system for a piece of furniture comprising at least one insert plate to be mounted on a furniture panel, and a clip comprising a gripping plate provided with at least one tongue, and in which the insert plate is provided with a groove for receiving the tongue of the clip. In particular, the fastening system has the following characteristics: the insert plate comprises a recess for receiving the gripping plate, said recess opening out with the groove and comprising side walls provided with stops cooperating with notches of the gripping plate; the groove and the tongue are provided with mutual clipping means. In particular, when the clip is connected to another piece of furniture, it allows said element to be fixed with a panel on which the insert plate receiving the clip is mounted. In another embodiment, the clip allows the attachment of juxtaposed panels. The invention also relates to a piece of furniture provided with the system of the invention. [FIGURE 2]

Description

CLIPSABLE AND FURNITURE ATTACHMENT SYSTEM INCLUDING IT

The present invention relates to an easy attachment system for furniture and furniture elements comprising it.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

Devices making it possible to join together furniture elements and produce modular furniture are known and in particular the document FR3023331 A1 in the name of the present Applicant describes a multifunction fastening system making it possible to fix two panels sandwiched by a pair of insert plates. As illustrated in Figure 1, the insert plates 13, 13' are fixed together by a clip 20 provided with tongues 22, 22' sliding in a groove 11, 11' present on each of the insert plates 13, 13'. This attachment system 1 is fixed by a complementary dovetail profile of the tongues 22, 22' and the grooves 11, 11' preventing the tongue from coming out in a plane transverse to the axis of insertion. Nevertheless, the tab can slide in the insertion axis and come out of the groove by applying a moderate effort. In another embodiment, the tongues have a straight profile in the axis of insertion and the fixing to the insert plates is ensured by screws. This solution makes it possible to properly fix the tabs but nevertheless requires a tool to mount and dismount them.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the fastening system described in document FR3023331 A1, and in particular to propose a fastening system comprising optimized fastening and easy assembly between the insert plates and a clip without the need for tools.

Another object of the invention is for the attachment system to be easily removable.

To this end, the invention proposes a clip-on fastening system for a piece of furniture comprising at least one insert plate intended to be mounted on a panel of furniture, and a clip comprising a gripping plate provided with at least one tab, and wherein the insert plate is provided with a groove for receiving the tongue of the clip. In particular, the attachment system has the following characteristics:
the insert plate comprises a recess for receiving the gripping wafer, said recess emerging with the groove and comprising side walls provided with abutments cooperating with notches of the gripping wafer;
-the groove and the tongue are provided with mutual clipping means.

The invention thus proposes a fastening system for which it suffices to insert the tongue of the clip into the groove to fix by clipping and secure the system and the panel, while preventing the tongue from slipping and coming out of the groove. On the other hand, the system is locked by the fitting of the insert plate in the recess of the gripping plate whose notches are complementary to the stops of the recess of the insert plate and act as a key/lock.

In a desired embodiment, the system may include any of the following features alone or in combination:

-The notches of the gripping pad comprise, respectively, a half-dovetail profile according to a plane transverse to an axis of introduction of the tongues into the grooves.

-The tongue has a locking projection on an outer face of said tongue facing the insert plate, and the groove is made on an inner face of the insert plate facing the panel, said groove comprising a notch receiving the locking projection of the tab and allowing the system to be clipped.

According to a preferred embodiment, the attachment system can be dismantled by a user without any particular tool. More particularly, in this embodiment, the blocking projection defines a pusher on the tongue of the clip, and the notch of said groove opens onto an external face of the insert plate exposing the pusher of the tongue when it snaps into place, said system being disengaged when the tab is released from the notch by exerting pressure on the pusher, from outside the wafer, bringing the projection of said pusher level with the groove of the insert plate.

The attachment system of the invention may also include all or part of the following characteristics considered separately or in any technically operable combination:

- The tongue has a rounded end for insertion into the groove and/or slanted edges.

- The insert plate comprises a first straight longitudinal side from which the groove opens, first and second lateral areas extending horizontally on either side of the groove and a bottom area connecting the first and second lateral areas on a longitudinal side of the insert plate opposite the recess.

- At least one tenon is made on at least one inner face of the insert plate and on each of said side pads, and/or in which the first and second side pads, as well as the bottom pad give a semi-circular shape to the internal and external phase of the insert plate.

- The grip plate of the clip has a hinge joint support.

- The clip is provided with two tabs spaced apart from each other and connected to the gripping plate, the distance between the tabs being chosen to allow their insertion into a pair of insert plates arranged on juxtaposed furniture panels, and to allow the clip to hold said panels together.

- The grip plate of the clip is provided with a support plate extending parallel to the tongue, the distance between the tongue and the support plate being chosen according to the width of a panel to be held between the tongue inserted in the insert plate and said support plate.

- An outer face of the support plate is connected to at least one furniture wheel.

The invention also relates to an element of furniture provided with a clip-on fastening system according to the invention, said element comprising at least one panel comprising a milling suitable for mounting an insert plate and produced in such a way that one face of the insert plate is flush with the surface of the panel.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on reading the following description of the non-limiting examples of embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings which represent:

A perspective view of a fastening system according to the prior art.

A perspective view of an outer face of a clip and an insert plate according to one embodiment of the invention.

A perspective and top view of an inner face of an insert plate according to one embodiment of the invention.

A perspective and bottom view of a simple clip according to one embodiment of the invention.

A perspective and side view of a clip according to one embodiment of the invention.

A schematic perspective view of the attachment of two juxtaposed panels according to one embodiment of the invention.

A perspective view of one embodiment of a double clip according to the invention.

A perspective and schematic view of a third embodiment and implementation of the fastening system of the invention.

An exemplary implementation of the attachment system of the invention for attaching a wheel to a furniture element panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention proposes a fastening system making it possible to assemble furniture elements easily and without tools, and also making it possible to attach accessories to a piece of furniture.

To this end, the invention proposes a fastening system for a piece of furniture comprising a clip comprising a gripping plate provided with at least one tongue, and at least one insert plate provided with a longitudinal groove for receiving the tongue of the clip, said insert plate being intended to be mounted on a furniture panel and further comprising the following characteristics:
the insert plate is provided with a recess to receive the gripping wafer, said recess emerging with the groove and comprising side walls provided with abutments cooperating with notches of the gripping wafer;
-the groove and the tongue are provided with mutual clipping means.

In the context of the description, an external face and an internal face of the elements of the clip-on fastening system will be considered according to their assembly with a panel or panels of furniture. By internal face, it must therefore be understood a face of the element of the attachment system facing the panel of the furniture when it is fixed to said panel, and the opposite face of said element corresponds to the external face. Similarly, an external longitudinal face of the system elements will be considered as an upper face, and an internal longitudinal face will be considered as a lower face of the system element.

For example, Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an upper outer face of a clip 200 and an insert plate 100 according to one embodiment of the system of the invention.

The insert plate 100 has a groove 110 for receiving the tongue 210 on an internal face, and a recess 120 opening out with the groove 110 to receive, at least partially, the gripping plate of the clip when the tongue is inserted into the groove 110. The insert plate is for example embedded in a milling produced on a complementary panel of the insert plate, so that the tab introduced into the groove is housed between the insert plate and the panel.

Advantageously, the invention proposes fixing the insert plate and the clip by mutual snap-fastening means present in the groove 110 and the tongue 210 of the clip.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the tab has a locking projection 230 on an outer face and the groove has a notch 130 as mutual clipping or snapping means.

The snap-fastening is reinforced by the at least partial interlocking of the insert plate 220 in the recess 120, and by the cooperation of the lateral notches 222, 222' of the gripping plate with the stops 122, 122' of the side walls. of the recess 120. In a preferred embodiment and illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 7, the notches 222, 222' respectively comprise a half-dovetail profile.

The invention proposes to make the attachment system easily removable by a person and using only his hands. To this end, the notch of the insert plate is made so that it opens onto an upper face of the insert plate 100, thereby exposing the tab pusher when the system is attached. A user of the system can therefore easily disengage the system by applying pressure on the pusher 233 bringing the blocking projection 230 and the groove 110 to the level. The tongue released from the notch can therefore slide outwards from the groove.

To improve the comfort of a user when unclipping the tongue, the notch 130 is made in a substantially circular shape and with rounded ends on an outer face of the insert plate, so as to adapt to the profile of a user thumb. The notch may also have a clearance 140 lateral and complementary to a perimeter circumference of the notch on an external face of the plate. The purpose of this clearance is to facilitate the leveling of the plunger and the groove.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view from above of an internal face of the insert plate. The insert plate comprises a first straight longitudinal side from which the groove and the recess open, first and second lateral areas 131, 132 extending horizontally on either side of the groove and a bottom area 133 connecting the first and second ranges. The lateral areas 131, 132, and the bottom area 133 provide a substantially circular shape to the upper and lower phase of the insert plate, but open on one lateral side by the recess 120 opening onto the groove.

The groove 110 for receiving the tongue 210 is preferably provided with a straight profile along a plane transverse to an axis for introducing the tongues into the grooves and the bottom of the groove is rounded. This groove profile is adapted to receive the tongue of examples 2 to 7 itself comprising a rounded end along a section in a plane perpendicular to the introduction of the tongue into the groove.

According to an important aspect of the invention, the insert plates 100 are provided with tenons 150 arranged in particular on at least each of the side areas 131, 132. These tenons cooperate with mortises made on the panel to be fixed and helping to position the insert plate in its imprint on said panel. In the example shown, these tenons have a cylindrical profile and rounded ends to facilitate their insertion into the panel.

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view from below of an internal face of the clip 200 according to one embodiment of the invention. The half-dovetail notches 222, 222' define a portion of the grip plate to fit into the recess 120 of the insert plate 100. The cooperation of the notches 222, 222' and the stops of the side walls of the recess acts as a key and locks the system when the tab is inserted and clicked into the groove.

In the illustrated embodiment, the internal face of the tongue 210 comprises ribs 260 extending over the longitudinal edges of said tongues. The ribs 260 have a height slightly less than a height of the groove and define a concave face of the tongues facing the panels. This concave face makes it possible to accommodate the pusher 233 when the tongue 210 is introduced into the groove 110 and said pusher must be leveled with a height of the groove. Of course, the tab is made of a material having sufficient flexibility to ensure the downward movement of the pusher. Preferably, the tongue is made of plastic material and has longitudinal surface incisions on an outer and/or inner face of said tongue connecting with a perimeter of the pusher to facilitate its movement.

The edges of the tongue are preferably made at an angle to facilitate the insertion of the tongue.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate the principle of fixing an insert plate with the clip of the invention. In practice, the insert plate is inserted into a cavity made by milling or any other suitable technique to obtain a cavity to receive and fix the insert plate on the surface of a panel. Another piece of furniture is attached to this panel by means of the clip that fits into the insert plate. To this end, the gripping plate 220 of the clip 200 can incorporate other parts allowing the fixing of the piece of furniture to be fixed.

For example, FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the clip 200a, in which the grip plate 220 comprises a hinge support 240. This support is positioned on the lower part of the clip and on the face opposite the face of the plate. grip provided with the tongue. This embodiment makes it possible to fix another furniture panel with a hinge joint supported by the gripping plate 220 of the clip 220a, for example a door or an articulated box.

Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of the clip 200b and use of the fastening system of the invention. In this example, the clip-on fastening system makes it possible to hold together two panels 10, 10' of juxtaposed furniture, each panel comprising an insert plate 100, 100' on their faces opposite their facing faces. On the other hand, the clip 200b is provided with two tabs 210, 210' spaced apart from each other and connected to the grip plate 220. The distance between the tabs is chosen to allow the tabs to fit into grooves 110 and hold said panels together.

As has already been described, the tabs 210, 210' are inserted and clipped into the grooves and the fastening system is locked by the interlocking of the insert plate in the recess 120, the notches 222, 222' in half- dovetail acting as a key. Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the clip 200b used in this embodiment. The notches 222, 222' are present on opposite side walls of the gripping plate and at the level of each of the tongues. As can be seen in Figure 6, the panels 10, 10 'include a recess complementary to the recess 120 of the insert plates, so that the gripping plate 220 is mounted flush in these recesses.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the clip 200c of the fastening system of the invention. In this example, the clip 200c comprises a single tongue 210 inserted into an insert plate mounted on a panel 10. This embodiment is particular in that the gripping plate of the clip 200c is provided with a support plate 260 parallel to the tongue and serving as a support and gripping surface of said panel 10. The distance between the tongue 210 and the support plate 260 is therefore chosen according to a thickness of the panel to be fixed and which is sandwiched by the insert plate 100 and the plate of support 260 of the clip 200c.

In the example shown, the support plate has a substantially square shape and rounded ends, as well as dimensions proportional to those of the insert plate. The edges of the plate are preferably bevelled to facilitate mounting of the clip on the panel.

This embodiment is for example used to attach a wheel to a piece of furniture. Figure 9 schematically illustrates a wheel attached to a furniture element panel by means of the fastening system of the invention. In particular, a support 30 of a roller 33 is fixed to an outer face of the support plate 260 of the clip 200c. The wheel is thus fixed by means of the clip 200c which is inserted into the insert plate mounted on a furniture panel.

The invention thus makes it possible to produce modular furniture very easily with a reduced number of parts and without any particular tool. The system is also very advantageous in that the assembled pieces of furniture can be disassembled by simply unclipping the tabs separating the clips and the insert plates.

The insert plates, as well as the accessories can be made of aluminium, metal alloys or plastic materials.

The examples shown are not limiting and in particular other furniture accessories can be connected to the clip of the invention, to then be attached to the panel of the furniture by means of one or more insert plates.

Claims (12)

Fastening system for furniture element comprising at least one insert plate (100) to be mounted on a furniture panel, and a clip (200) comprising a gripping plate (220) provided with at least one tab (210) , in which the insert plate (100) is provided with a groove (110) for receiving the tongue (210) of the clip, characterized in that:
- the insert plate (100) comprises a recess (120) to receive the gripping plate (220), said recess (120) emerging with the groove and comprising side walls provided with abutments (122, 122') cooperating with notches (222, 222') of the gripping wafer;
-the groove (110) and the tongue (210) are provided with mutual latching means. Fastening system according to Claim 1, in which the notches (222, 222') of the gripping plate have a profile, respectively, in the form of a half-dovetail along a plane transverse to an axis of introduction of the tongues into the grooves. Fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, for which the tongue (210) comprises a locking projection (230) on an external face of the said tongue facing the insert plate, and the groove (110) is made on an internal face of the insert plate facing the panel, said groove comprising a notch (130) receiving the projection (230) for locking the tongue (210) and enabling the system to be snapped into place. Fastening system according to claim 3, in which the locking projection (230) defines a pusher (233) on the tongue of the clip, and the notch (130) of the said groove opens on an external face of the insert plate exposing the pusher (233) of the tab when it snaps into place, said system being disengaged when the tongue (210) is released from the notch (110) by exerting pressure on the pusher (233), from outside the wafer , bringing the projection of said plunger (233) level with the groove of the insert plate. Fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, for which the tongue (210) has a rounded end for insertion into the groove and/or slanted edges. Fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, for which the insert plate (100) comprises a first straight longitudinal side from which the groove (110) emerges, first and second lateral lands (131, 132) extending horizontally from either side of the groove and a bottom area (133) connecting the first and second side areas (131, 132) on a longitudinal side of the insert plate (100) opposite the recess (120). Fastening system according to claim 6, for which at least one tenon (150, 150') is produced on at least one internal face of the insert plate (100) and on each of the said lateral surfaces (131, 132). Clip-on fastening system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the grip plate (220) comprises a hinge joint support (240). Fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the clip (200b) is provided with two tongues (210, 210') spaced apart from each other and connected to the gripping plate (220), the distance between the tongues (110,110') being chosen to allow their insertion into a pair of insert plates (100,100') arranged on panels (10, 10') of juxtaposed furniture, and to allow the clip (200b) to hold said panels together. Fastening system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the grip plate (220) is provided with a support plate (260) parallel to the tongue (210), a distance between the tongue (210 ) and the support plate (260) being chosen according to the width of a panel to be held between the tongue (210) inserted in the insert plate and said support plate. Fastening system according to claim 10, in which an outer face of the support plate is connected to at least one castor (33) of furniture. Furniture element provided with a clip-on fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, at least one panel comprising a milling suitable for mounting an insert plate (100) and produced in such a way that one face of the plate insert is flush with the surface of the panel.