GB2196087A

GB2196087A - A connector for furniture parts

Info

Publication number: GB2196087A
Application number: GB08711710A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Luciano Salice
Original assignee: Arturo Salice SpA
Current assignee: Arturo Salice SpA
Priority date: 1986-10-07
Filing date: 1987-05-18
Publication date: 1988-04-20
Also published as: GB8711710D0; EP0263364A1; DE3634161A1; DE3634161C2

Description

GB2196087A 1

SPECIFICATION second furniture part, by said fixing screw.

The connector of the invention takes into A connector for joining together two furni- account the fact that the so- called -take ture parts awayfurniture assembled by purchasers 70 themselves consists of mass-produced indus This invention relates to a connector for join- trial products which are manufactured with ing together two furniture parts at an angle, generaily wide manufacturing tolerances, so generally a right angle, to one another, so that that together with ease of assembly there a facing surface of one furniture part is at an must also be ease of adjustment, in order to angle to a facing surface of the other furniture 75 balance out inaccuracies and be able to as part. Such a connector has a first connector semble the furniture so that it both functions part securable to the facing surface of one and looks good. The first connector part is furniture part by a fixing means such as a therefore equipped with a fixing means con dowel, and a second connector part securable sisting of a dowel, so that this can easily be to the facing surface of the other furniture 80 fixed into a pre-drilled hole in the other furni part by a fixing screw. ture part by knocking or pressing in. The sec- A connector of this type known from DE- ond connector part can be fixed into a hole in GMS 69 17 522 is used principally for fixing the other furniture part by a fixing screw, with shelves to side walls of furniture provided or without a dowel, whereby with the fixing with a series of holes, whereby the fixing 85 screw loose there is the possibUity of adjust screw is held by a dowel in one hole of the ment by inserting the tongue to a varying row of holes, and is detachable for the shift- depth in the said second connector part, and ing of the dowel into another hole of the row after required adjustment, fixing and clamping of holes in order to alter the height of the takes place by the tightening of only one fix shelf. 90 ing screw in the normal way.

In recent times a growing market has devel- The second connector part preferably has a oped for unassembled furniture, the compo- plate-like surface which on its side which in nents of which are sold packed in boxes or use faces the facing surface of the other furni similar. This so-called "take-away" furniture is ture part is provided with two lateral ridges assembled by the purchaser at home following 95 forming the sides of a groove into which the assembly instructions. Since the furniture is tongue is inserted, i.e. forming the recess.

generally assembled by unskilled buyers, there The tongue of the first connector part, permit is a need for easy, simple and fast assembly ting the adjustment, is slid into the groove to of the furniture, and in addition the individual the assembly position required, and then fixed parts of the furniture must be adjustable and 100 in this position by tightening the fixing screw.

alligned in relation to each other, because due To ensure firm fixing of the tongue between to the unavoidable manufacturing tolerances the two connector parts and the furniture the individual furniture parts cannot be fitted side, the height of the ridges should be less accurately together. than the thickness of the tongue. In addition The furniture connector known from DE- 105 the surfaces of the tongue and of the plate- GMS 69 17 522 does permit the mounting of shaped part which face each other can be a shelf or simflar at different heights, but does provided with fluting or ribbing to increase the not permit adjustment or alignment of the frictional grip.

connected furniture parts to balance out manu- Furthermore the flanks of the ridges can be facturing tolerances. 110 shaped so that they diverge in a wedge shape There is thus a need for an improved con- towards the facing surface of the other furni- nector which can be mounted easHy and ra- ture part, so that the tongue lying with its pidly even by unskilled persons and which sides completely or partially against the flanks permits movement to compensate for manu- is fixed with additional firmness by the tight facturing tolerances and other inaccuracies. 115 ening of the fixing screw. The sides of the According to the invention there is provided tongue can be sfightly chamfered to comple- a connector for joining together two furniture ment the flanks of the ridges.

parts at an angle to one another, so that a The tongue can be provided with a longitu- facing surface of one furniture part is at an dinal hole, whereby the fixing screw screwed angle to a facing surface of the other furniture 120 into a hole drilled into the plate-like surface part, which connector includes a first connec- pushes the tongue into the longitudinal hole.

tor part securable to the facing surface of one With this version of the invention the two furniture part by a fixing means such as a connector parts can be adjusted in relation to dowel, and a second connector part securable each other as a function of the length of the to the facing surface of the other furniture 125 longitudinal hole in the axial direction of the part by a fixing screw, wherein the first con- tongue.

nector part has a tongue or the like slidably According to a preferred embodiment the engageable in a recess in the other connector hole in the plate-like surface is a longitudinal part and releasably clampable in said recess at hole running across the insertion groove a selected depth position therein, against said 130 formed by the ridges and the tongue is pro- 2 GB2196087A 2 vided with a window-type recess instead of made, by way of example, to the accompany with a longitudinal hole. This version of the ing drawings, in which:

connector of the invention permits additional Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view adjustment transversely to the tongue, in two through a two-part connector of the invention directions at a right angle to each other. 70 in. its mounted state, According to a further preferred embodiFigure 2 is a top view of the connector in ment the second connector part has a tenon the direction of arrow A in Figure 1, projection running parallel to the centre line of Figure 3 is a front view of a second conthe tongue to fit in a corresponding comple- nector part of the connector of Figures 1 and mentary guide recess in the second connector 75 2, part. This tenon joint gives -an additional fixing Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the two connector parts in connection with through the second connector part of Figure and in relation to each other. 3, Ease of assembly is ensured in particular if Figure 5 is a top view of the second con- the connector is provided with a premounted 80 nector part of Figure 3, fixing screw. According to an embodiment of Figure 6 is a top view of the first connector the invention it is ensured that when the pre- part of Figure 1, and mounted fixing screw is fixed against the Figure 7 is a top view corresponding to Fig- outer edge of the longitudinal hole or of the ure 6 of another version of the first connector window-type recess the tenon projection is 85 part.

still located in the guide hoie. This version A connector of the. invention consists of a simplifies assembly not only in that a pre- first connector part 1 and a second connector mounted screw is provided, but also addition- part.2, which are pushed together as shown ally in that the two connector parts constitut- in Figure 1, connected with board-shaped fur 25. ing the connector cannot fall apart. As a re- 90 niture sections 3, 4 standing at right angles to sult of the pre-mounting of the fixing screw, each other, and fixed together.

the connector can be mounted particularly Connector part 1 consists essentially of an easily and with simple tools, without making angular element with the legs 5, 6 at a right any great demands on the handiness of the angle to each other, Legs 5, 6 are provided person assembling the furniture. 95 on their outsides with flat contact surfaces 7, In a further embodiment of the invention the 8 with which they rest against the correlongitudinal hole or the window-type recess in sponding faces of furniture sections 3, 4. Leg the tongue opens out at the free end of the 6 of part 1 is provided at the centre zone of tongue. This version enables the two connec- its contact surface 8 with a dowel-type pro tor parts to be mounted separately before be- 100 jection 9, which in order to secure part 1 in ing joined together and then fitted together to furniture section 3 is locked into a hole pre their mounting. drilled in the latter. To improve anchorage at Preferably the plate-like surface has an up- the inner wall of the hole the dowel-type pro- per funnel-type recess for the head of the fix- jection 9 is provided with annular grooves of ing screw and the diameter of the bottom of 105 saw-tooth profile.

the recess is smaller than the diameter of the Leg 5 of part 1 forms a tongue-shaped pro- head of the fixing screw, so that the pre- jection which is inserted into a correspondin mounted fixing screw is held clamped in the gly groove-shaped recess 12 in the second base of the funnel-shaped recess. This permits connector part 2. The tongue-shaped leg 5 in.a simple way the holding of the fixing 110 has at its centre zone a window-type recess screw in its pre-mounted position. 13. According to the embodiment shown in Advantageously the fixing screw has a cylin- Figure 7, the tongue-shaped leg 5 is provided drical threadless shank between head and at its outer end with an opening 14 in the thread, the diameter of which approximately outside of window-type recess 13.

corresponds to the diameter of the threaded 115 The second connector part 2 consists part, the diameter of the hole in the plate-like essentially of a plate- like surface or section surface is greater than the cylindrical shaft 16, provided with a through- hole 17 for a fix section and the pre-mounted fixing screw ing screw 18. On its underneath side the rests with a peripheral zone of its head on a plate-like section 16 of the second part 2 is chamfered part of the wall of the recess with 120 equipped with lateral ridges 19, 20 which the head sunk or of the funnel-shaped recess constitute the limits of a groove or recess 12.

and with the, opposite zone of the cylindrical The side flanks 21, 22 of ridges 19, 20 are shank section held by friction in the hole. slightly bevelled as shown in Figure 3.

The parts constituting the connector should The through-hole 17 in the plate-like section preferably consist of plastics injection-mould- 125 16 of the second part 2 is designed as a ings. They can alternatively be made of metal cross-wise longitudinal hole in the way shown pressure-castings, preferably of zinc. in Figure 5.

For a better understanding of the present The plate-like section 16 is provided on its invention, and to show how the same may be front side with a jutting leg 25 froming part of carried into effect, reference will now be 130 a funnel-shaped wall, constituting a funnel- 3 GB2196087A 3 shaped recess 24 for the countersunk seating that a facing surface of one furniture part is at of screw head 26. an angle to a facing surface of the other furni- In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the ture part, which connector includes a first screw head 26 is held clamped in the narrowconnector part securable to the facing surface ing funnel-shaped bottom of recess 24.. 70 of one furniture'part by a fixing means such Fixing screw 18 is provided between its as a dowel, and a second connector part secshank section 28 with a self-cutting thread urable to the facing surface of the other furni and screw head 26 with a cylindrical thread- ture part by a fixing screw, wherein the first less shank section 29 the length of which cor- connector part has a tongue or the like sli responds approximately to the thickness of 75 dably engageable in a recess in the other con the plate-like section 16. The diameter of the nector part and releasably clampable in said cylindrical section 29 corresponds approxirecess at a selected depth position therein, mately to the diameter of the shaft section 28 against said second furniture part, by said fix with the thread, but can also have a diameter ing screw.

smaller than this. 80 2. A connector according to claim 1, The width of hole 17 is greater than the wherein the two connector parts are shaped diameter of the cylindrical shaft section 29. In to interconnect the two facing surfaces of the the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the inner furniture parts at right angles to one another.

edge of the head of the fixing screw 18 rests 3. A connector according to claim 1 or on the adjacent wall of the jutting leg 25. The 85 claim 2, wherein the second connector part opposite zone of the cylindrical shaft seciton has a plate-like suface, which in use faces the 29 rests on the opposite edge of hole 17, so facing surface of the second furniture part, that the premounted screw 18 is held by fric- which is grooved between two lateral ridges tion in part 2. to define the recess for the insertion of said The front side of the jutting leg 25 is pro- 90 tongues.

vided with a tenon-type projection 32 which is 4. A connector according to claim 3, inserted into a matching guide hole or recess wherein the height of the ridges is less than 33 in leg 6 of part 1. the thickness of the tongue.

In the premounted position of the connector 5. A connector according to claim 4, shown in Figure 1, the fixing screw 18 comes 95 wherein the co-operating faces of the tongues up against the rear edge 34 of the window- and plate-like surface are provided with fluting type recess 13, before the tenon 32 comes or ribbing.

out of hole 33, so that the parts 1 and 2 6. A connector according to claim 4 or cannot fall apart in pre-mounted position. claim 5, wherein flanks of the ridges are The tongue-like leg 5 is inserted into the 106 divergent in a wedge-shape towards a face of groove-type recess 12 of the second part 2 in the first connector part, which in use faces the way shown in Figure 1. Since the height the facing surface of the first furniture part.

of ridges 21, 22 is less than the thickness of 7. A connector according to claim 6, the leg-type tongues 5, W, and the second wherein the side surfaces of the tongues are part 2, the tongue on its top-side and plate105 chamfered slightly to complement the shape like section 8 on its bottom side can be given of the flanks.

a fluting 38. 8. A connector according to claim 7, If the window-type recess 13 of the tongue- wherein the ridges and the side surfaces of type leg 5 is provided with an opening 14 as the tongues run parallel to each other.

shown in Figure 7, parts 1, 2 can be mounted 110 9. A connector according to claim 3, spearately and the tongue-type leg 5 slid into wherein the or each tongue has a longitudinal recess 12 after this mounting, whereby the lengthwise hole such that when the fixing shank of fixing screw 18 passes through screw is screwed through a hole through the opening 14 into the window-type recess 13. plate-like surface it urges the tongue into the Before fixing screw 18 is tightened the two 115 longitudinal hole.

parts 1 and 2 can then be slid in the direction 10. A connector according to claim 3, of arrow B in Figure 1 in relation to each wherein a hole is provided through the plate other to adjust the position of furniture seclike surface of the second connector part, to tions 3, 4. receive the fixing screw, in the form of a Since fixing screw 18 passes through a 120 'longitudinal hole running transverse to the longitudinal hole 17 in the plate-like section groove constituted by the ridges and wherein 16 of fitting part 2, the parts 1 and 2 can the tongue has a window-type opening there also be slid cross-wise to the longitudinal through to receive the fixing screw.

centre line of the tongue-shaped part 5 in the 11. A connector according to claim 10, direction of double arrow C for alignment and 125 wherein the second connector part has a adjustment of the furniture sections 3, 4. tenon projection running parallel to the centre lines of the tongue in the assembled position

Claims

CLAIMS of the two connector parts, which tenon pro-

1. A connector for joining together two fur- jection is locatable in a corresponding guide niture parts at an angle to one another, so 130 recess in the first connector part.

4 GB2196087A 4.

12. A connector according to claim 11, wherein, the tenon, when the.fixing screw is, in use, fully up against an outer edge of the window-type recess, is still in the correspond ing guide recess.

13. A connector accordin to claim 12, wherein the longitudinal hole or the window type recess in the tongue, open out at the free end of the tongue.

14. A connector according to claim 3, wherein the plate-like surface has a funnel shaped recess for accommodating the head of the fixing screw and wherein the bottom of the funnel-shaped recess has a diameter smal ler than the diameter of the head of the fixing screw, so that the premounted fixing screw is held clamped in the bottom of the funnel shaped recess.

15. A connector according to claim 14, wherein the fixing screw has, between its head and a threaded section thereof, a cylin drical threadless shank section, the diameter of which approximately corresonds to the dia meter of the threaded part, wherein the dia meter of the hole in the plate-like surface is larger than that of the-cylindrical shank section of the fixing screw, and wherein the pre mounted fixing screw rests with a peripheral zone of its head on a chamfered part of a wall of the recess for sunk mounting of the head or of the funnel-shaped recess and is held by friction against the opposite face of the cylindrical shank section in the hole in the plate-like surface.

16. A connector accorcring to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the first and second connector parts are plastics injection mould ings.

17. A connector for joining together two furniture parts at an angle to one another, substantially as hereinbefore described with refrence to Figures 1 to 6, as modified or not by Figure 7 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD.

Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.