FR3099351A1 - LONGITUDINAL PART INCLUDING A BASE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a base (2) intended to be inserted into a longitudinal part (1) comprising at least a first hollow portion (1b) provided at one of its ends and having in a straight section an inner periphery (1a), said longitudinal part (1) comprising at said first hollow portion (1b) a lateral opening (5) comprising a proximal edge (51), a lateral edge (52) and a distal edge (53). It is remarkable in that it comprises a base (21) having a distal face (21a) and a proximal face (21b), said proximal face (21b) being intended to come to bear on said proximal edge (51) or on said distal edge (53) of said lateral opening (5), and a protuberance (22) extending perpendicularly with respect to said proximal face (21b) comprising a body (24). Abstract figure: Fig. 2

Description

BASE FOR A LONGITUDINAL PIECE

The invention relates to a base intended to be inserted into a longitudinal piece, such as a foot or an upright. The invention also relates to a longitudinal piece comprising said base in order to form the legs and/or uprights of a piece of furniture, such as a shelf or a table.

It is known from the state of the art for tables with removable legs. These tables come in the form of a top and, in general, four legs that the user can assemble and disassemble as he wishes, for example when he wants to move. It is also possible, from the same top, to create a new table. The existing legs can thus be replaced by longer legs in order to create a high table or shorter in order to obtain a low table. Such a removable foot comprises a longitudinal element, having a relatively small width compared to its length, and a clamp secured to the longitudinal element and arranged on its upper end. The clamp comprises a screw itself comprising a disc arranged on the end opposite the screw head intended to bear against the lower surface of the table top. The clamp also comprises, in its upper part, a flat portion intended to bear against the upper surface of the table top. The user applies torque to the screw head in order to assemble the removable foot on the plate. He repeats this operation with another removable leg until he obtains a table with four legs. If the user wishes to disassemble this table, it would suffice to apply a reverse torque to each screw head. Although such a table offers certain advantages, it nevertheless has disadvantages. Indeed, it lacks rigidity and thus tends to wobble in the event of a shock, even slight, or when a user places an object on it. As a result, objects already on the table, such as bottles or glasses, may tip over.

The object of the present invention is therefore to solve the drawbacks of the state of the art by proposing a piece of furniture that is easily assembled and disassembled and has increased rigidity.

To do this, the invention thus relates, in its broadest sense, to a base intended to be inserted into a longitudinal piece, such as a foot or an upright, said longitudinal piece comprising at least a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion respectively provided at its ends and having in a cross section an inner periphery, said longitudinal piece comprising at the level of said first hollow portion a lateral opening comprising a proximal edge, a lateral edge and a distal edge, being characterized in that that said database includes:

- A base having a distal face and a proximal face, said proximal face being intended to bear against said proximal edge or against said distal edge of said lateral opening;

- a protuberance extending perpendicularly with respect to said proximal face comprising a body, said body being able to be inserted into said hollow portion.

Preferably, said base comprises a screw and said body comprises an internal thread cooperating with said screw.

Advantageously, said inner perimeter is of polygonal shape, such as a rectangle or a square.

Advantageously, said base has a first slot and a second slot capable of being inserted into said side edge.

Preferably, said protrusion has ribs extending radially from said body.

According to a preferred embodiment, said longitudinal piece is hollow over its entire length.

The invention also relates to a longitudinal piece, such as a foot or an upright, comprising a first hollow portion and a second hollow portion respectively provided at its ends and having in a cross section an inner periphery, said longitudinal piece comprising a base, said longitudinal piece comprising at said first hollow portion a lateral opening comprising a proximal edge, a lateral edge and a distal edge.

Preferably, said proximal face of said base rests on said proximal edge of said lateral opening so that said protrusion (22) is oriented towards the inside of said longitudinal piece (1).

Preferably, said proximal face of said base rests on said distal edge of said lateral opening so that said protrusion (22) is oriented towards the outside of said longitudinal piece (1).

The invention also relates to a piece of furniture, such as a shelf, comprising at least a first plate, a second plate and longitudinal pieces forming an upright or a foot.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended figures in which:

schematically illustrates an isometric view of a base and an assembled longitudinal piece, according to one embodiment of the invention;

schematically illustrates an exploded view of the base and upper end of the longitudinal piece shown in Figure 1;

schematically illustrates a perspective view of a shelf implementing bases, feet and uprights according to the invention;

is a schematic representation of an exploded view of the shelf shown in Figure 4;

Referring to Figure 1, we see a longitudinal piece 1, according to one embodiment of the invention, called foot 1 when it is in contact with the ground or upright 1 when it is not in contact with the ground. The longitudinal piece 1 is intended to be assembled with a plate (not visible in figure 1) and comprises a tube 3, a base 2 and a cover 4, which can be better seen in figure 2. It also comprises a cap 4' positioned on its lower end. The cover 4 is, for its part, positioned on its upper end. Preferably, the material of the base 2, of the cover 4 and of the cap 4' is a polymer such as polycarbonate. The longitudinal piece 1 is thus configured to form a foot 1, intended to be in contact with the ground. By way of non-limiting example, the foot 1 has a length of approximately 350 mm. Alternatively, the longitudinal piece 1 does not include a plug 4' in order to form upright 1. The tube 3 is hollow over its entire length and has, in a straight section, an inner periphery 1a having substantially the shape of a square . Preferably, the material of tube 3 is low alloy steel such as S235. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the tube 3 comprises a first hollow portion 1b provided at its upper end, a second hollow portion 1c provided at its lower end and a solid portion 1d located between the first and second hollow portions 1b , 1 C. In yet another alternative, the tube 3 has, in a cross section, an inner circumference 1a having the shape of a polygon such as a rectangle or a triangle, or the shape of a circle or an ellipse.

Referring now to Figure 2, one can see an exploded view of the upper end of the longitudinal part 1. The longitudinal part 1 has a side opening 5 and is manufactured, for example, from a profile having in a cross section an inner periphery having substantially the shape of a square. The side opening 5 is made, for its part, by removing material from said profile. By way of example, a cut by means of a laser, or a water jet, can be operated to carry out this removal of material. A U-shaped part is thus removed from said profile in order to obtain said lateral opening 5. The lateral opening 5 comprises an inner periphery 1a, a proximal edge 51, a lateral edge 52 and a distal edge 53. The base 2 comprises a base 21, a protuberance 22, a screw 23 as well as an internal thread 24 (not visible) cooperating with the screw 23. The screw 23 comprises lugs in order to facilitate tightening by hand and also holes intended to accommodate a tool allowing to apply a greater torque when tightening it. The base 21 has a proximal face 21b, oriented towards the protuberance 22, and a distal face 21a positioned opposite the proximal face 21b. The protuberance 22 extends perpendicularly and longitudinally from the base 21 and has, in a straight section, a body 24 having a substantially circular profile. The protuberance 22 also has ribs 25 extending radially from said body 24. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the protrusion 22 has twelve ribs 25. Alternatively, it has four ribs 25. another alternative, it comprises eight ribs 25. The distal ends 26 of each rib 25 form, in a cross section, an envelope, in the mathematical sense of the term, having substantially the shape of a square. Alternatively, the protrusion 22 has no rib and has, in a cross section of the body 24, an outer periphery having substantially the shape of a square. The base 2 is inserted laterally through the side opening 5 and is then pushed into the tube 3 towards the lower end of the longitudinal piece 1 so that said protuberance 22 is oriented towards the inside of said longitudinal piece 1. envelope formed by the distal ends 26 is larger than the inner periphery 1a of the side opening 5. The base 2 is thus mounted tight in the side opening 5. In other words, the envelope formed by the distal ends 26 and the inner periphery 1a of the side opening 5 have complementary profiles and thus causes a tightening, or also called tight fit, between the base 2 and the tube 3. This tight fit is, for example, approximately 0, 05mm. Alternatively, the interference fit is about 0.02 mm. In yet another alternative, the press fit is around 0.08mm. In the alternative modes implementing interior contours in the shape of a polygon such as a rectangle or a triangle, or in the shape of a circle or an ellipse, the base 2 is also mounted tight in the tube 3. The advantage of such tightening is to firmly hold the base 2 in the tube 3 when a torque is applied to the screw 23. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the envelope formed by the distal ends 26 is smaller than the inner periphery 1a of the side opening 5. There is thus a clearance between the distal ends 26 and the side opening 5. This configuration has the advantage of simplifying the assembly of the base 2. When a torque is applied to the screw 23, the base 2 is nevertheless held in rotation by the base 21 and the ribs 25. The base 21 also comprises a first slot 27 and a second slot 28 fitting into the side edge 52 of the said side opening 5. These slots 27, 28 have a keying function and t thus have the advantage of facilitating the assembly of the base 2 in the tube 3. .

Referring now to Figure 3, schematically illustrating a shelf 10 implementing the invention, one can see six longitudinal pieces foot format 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, then called feet, four longitudinal pieces forming amount 7a , 7b, 7c, 7d, then called amounts, a lower plate 8 and an upper plate 9 mounted together to thus form a shelf 10. The feet 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f and the amounts 7a, 7b, 7c , 7d are obtained, at least in part, from the longitudinal pieces 1, as previously described. The six legs 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f and the lower plate 8 form the first level of the shelf 10 and the four uprights 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d form the second level of the shelf 10. As this can be seen in figure 4, which is an exploded view of the shelf 10, the six legs 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f and the four uprights 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d implement tubes identical. Each leg 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f comprises a base 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f and each upright 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d comprises a base 2a', 2b', 2c', 2d '. These bases are assembled in the manner described previously. Furthermore, the first, second, third and fourth legs 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d respectively comprise a first upper base 20a, a second upper base 20b, a third upper base 20c and a fourth upper base 20d. These upper bases 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d are bases 2, as described previously, but they do not include screws 23. The first upper base 20a is brought through the side opening of said foot 6a and its protuberance is then inserted into the tube by exerting a thrust. The protrusion of said first upper base 20a is thus mounted in said upper end of said foot 6a and is directed in a direction opposite to said protrusion of said base 2a of foot 6a so that said protrusion of said first upper base 20a is oriented towards the exterior of foot 6a. In other words, with regard to the shelf 10 shown schematically in Figures 3 and 4, the base 2a of said foot 6a and the first upper base 20a are positioned head to tail. The second upper base 20b, third upper base 20c and fourth upper base 20d are positioned identically, respectively, in the second, third and fourth legs 6b, 6c, 6d. The lower end of said upright 7a is then inserted into said base protrusion 20a. A torque is then applied to each screw of each base 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2a', 2b', 2c', 2d' in order to complete the assembly of the shelf 10. In one example particular embodiment of the invention, the torque applied is approximately 15 Nm The screws of each base 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2a', 2b', 2c', 2d' have lugs in order to facilitate hand tightening and also holes intended to accommodate a tool making it possible to apply a higher torque. Figures 3 and 4 thus illustrate a shelf 10 implementing the invention, but the invention can also be implemented in order to obtain a table comprising four legs, six legs or more. The shelf 10, shown in Figures 3 and 4, has a first level and a second level but it is possible to add a third level, or even more, by inserting a base 2 into the upper end of the upright 7a and d then insert the lower end of a new amount there and repeat this operation for the amounts 7b, 7c, 7d to then mount a new plate thus forming an additional level.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The figures represent a particular embodiment of the invention. However, the characteristics linked to the various embodiments can be independent of each other from one mode to another, or combined with each other.

Claims (10)

Base (2) intended to be inserted into a longitudinal piece (1), such as a foot or an upright, said longitudinal piece (1) comprising at least a first hollow portion (1b) and a second hollow portion (1c) respectively arranged at its ends and having in a cross section an inner periphery (1a), said longitudinal piece (1) comprising at the level of said first hollow portion (1b) a lateral opening (5) comprising a proximal edge (51), an edge side (52) and a distal edge (53), being characterized in that said base (2) comprises:
- a base (21) having a distal face (21a) and a proximal face (21b), said proximal face (21b) being intended to bear on said proximal edge (51) or on said distal edge (53) of said side opening (5), and
- a protuberance (22) extending perpendicularly with respect to said proximal face (21b) comprising a body (24), said body (24) being able to be inserted into said hollow portion (1b). Base (2) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said base (2) comprises a screw (23) and the said body (24) comprises an internal thread cooperating with the said screw (23). Base (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said inner circumference (1a) is of polygonal shape, such as a rectangle or a square. Base (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said base (21) comprises a first slot (27) and a second slot (28) capable of being inserted into said lateral edge (52). Base (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said protuberance (22) comprises ribs (25) extending radially from the said body (24). Base (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said longitudinal piece (1) is hollow over its entire length. Longitudinal piece (1), such as a foot or an upright, comprising a first hollow portion (1b) and a second hollow portion (1c) respectively arranged at its ends and having in a cross section an inner periphery (1a), said longitudinal piece (1) comprising a base (2) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the said longitudinal piece (1) comprises at the level of the said first hollow portion (1b) a lateral opening (5) comprising a proximal edge (51), a side edge (52) and a distal edge (53). Longitudinal piece (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the said proximal face (21b) of the said base (21) bears against the said proximal edge (51) of the said lateral opening (5) so that the said protuberance (22) is oriented towards the inside of said longitudinal piece (1). Longitudinal piece (1) according to one of Claims 7 to 8, characterized in that the said proximal face (21b) of the said base (21) bears against the said distal edge (53) of the said lateral opening (5) so that said protuberance (22) is oriented towards the outside of said longitudinal piece (1). Furniture, such as a shelf (10), comprising at least a first shelf (8), a second shelf (9) and longitudinal pieces (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) forming an upright or foot according to any one of claims 7 to 9.