GB2212717A - Article of furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

A "knock-down" article of furniture, e.g. a desk, is made of a desk top 10, secured to a supporting structure made up primarily of two perpendicularly oriented base frames 12 by means of spaced connecting means each comprising a male resiliently deformable circular part 28 attached to the lower surface of the desk top 10 which is received in the open end of a square tubular frame portion 42, 43. The supporting structure may also include side frames 14 and a back panel 16. Each desk unit may be connected with similar units to form a composite desk for a plurality of people. Screens may be provided between adjacent desk tops. <IMAGE>

Description

ARTICLE OF FURNITURE This invention relates to articles of furniture and methods of assembly thereof and in particular, though not exclusively, to furniture sold for use in an office. The invention however extends to furniture other than office furniture, for example to domestic furniture.

It is common for furniture to be sold in kit form (or in "knock down packs") which the end user assembles where the furniture is required. Typically such packs include base panels and desk tops which are connected together using screws, brackets or similar couplings. The disadvantage of such systems is that they require the use of manual tools, for example a screw driver and bradawl, in the assembly of the furniture.

This creates difficulties in that the end user may have to have a reasonable level of skill in order to attach the screws or couplings in the correct positions. Also, the attachment points which need to be coupled may not be easily accessible. Furthermore, not only does the end user need tools to assemble the furniture but the manufacturer has to supply the appropriate number of screws, brackets etc. The screws etc may be lost in transit.

We have found that it is possible to produce a flat pack furniture system which can be assembled by the end user without the use of tools and which can be assembled entirely by hand to give a stable structure which may be assembled and taken apart by those of little practical skill.

References in this specification to upper, lower, front, rear etc refer to the unit of furniture when assembled.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided an article of furniture comprising a support structure, a generally planar element defining a worl < surface, said generally planar element being attached to said support structure by mounting means at regions spaced across the surface of said planar element remote from said work surface, each of said mounting means comprising a male part of generally circular section and formed of resiliently deformable material and engageable in a female locating region defining by a plurality of abutment regions which, in use, engage or lie adjacent spaced circumferential regions of said male part.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided an article of furniture, comprising a planar element defining a work surface, two generally rectangular base frame elements arranged in use to lie in upright planes and to extend generally perpendicularly without intersecting, a plurality of male parts each of generally circular section and formed of resiliently deformable material extending from the surface of the planar element remote from said work surface, said base frame elements each including at least two generally square recesses for receiving ones of said male parts thereby in use to support the work surface in a horizontal and generally stable position.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of an example of office desk unit according to the invention; Figure 2 is an under plan view of the desk top when removed from the remainder of the unit of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the office desk unit of Figure 1, but with the desk top removed; Figure 4 is a detailed view on an enlarged scale illustrating the mounting arrangement which secures the desk top to the support structure illustrated in Figure 3; Figures 5a, b and c are elevation views of the base frame, the side frame and the back panel respectively of the unit illustrated in Figure 1; Figures 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d illustrate schematically plan views of various configurations of groups of office desk units as illustrated in Figure 1;; Figure 7 is an elevation view of an in-fill bar for use in the unit of Figure 1; Figure 8 is an elevation view of a side screen member; Figures 9a and 9b are elevation and end views respectively of a centre screen; Figure 10 is a detailed isometric view on an enlarged scale showing a Y-shaped coupling arrangement for coupling the centre screens and the intermediate side screen of two adjacent units, and Figure 11 is a top plan view of two office desk units located side by side with a screen upstanding from the sides of the desks.

The arrangement illustrated in the Figures is a single office desk unit which may be assembled by the end user without the use of manual tools to give a stable and sturdy construction capable of meeting the demands of office furniture. The unit comprises a work surface defined by a generally planar hexagonal desk top 10 and a support structure defined by two base frames 12, two side frames 14 and a back panel 16. The desk top 10 is attached to the support structure by means of the mounting which is shown in detail in Figure 4.

The desk top 10 is formed of a conventional material, e.g.

laminated chipboard and comprises front and rear parallel edge regions 18, 20 respectively, first mutually perpendicular edge regions 22 and second mutually perpendicular edge regions 24. On the lower surface of the desk top there are located six male connecting parts 26 arranged one adjacent each corner of the desk top. Referring to Figures 2 and 4, each of the male connecting parts 26 comprises two stacked washers 28 of rubber sheet material secured to the underside of the desk top 10 by means of a screw 30. The washers 28 are located within the square section of a tube as to be described later. In the particular example shown, the diameter of the washers 28 is 22mm, but the diameter of the washer may vary dependent on the particular application, or where the tubular stock material for manufacturing the frames is other than 25mm square tube.The diameter of the washers can be expanded slightly by tightening the screw 30 so that it compresses the centres of the washer.

Such tightening tends to cause the washer outer cylindrical surfaces to assume a frusto-conical shape with the larger diameter end portions being those further away from the screw head. In this manner the tightness of the fit of the washers in the tube can be adjusted between a fairly slack fit and a tight "snap" fit. The washers may be fitted to the appropriate positions on the desk top using a jig to locate the washers in the appropriate position and then merely driving a screw through the pilot hole defined by the bores of the washers. The attachment of the male parts 26 can therefore be achieved in a single operation quickly and easily.

Each base frame 12 is of rectangular form defined by square upper and lower horizontal frame elements 32, 34 respectively and front and rear vertical square tubular frame elements 36 and 38 respectively welded together. Each base frame 12 includes a panel insert 40 of laminated chipboard secured within the frame defined hy the frame elements 32, 34, 36 and 38.

Front and rear pairs of support tubes 42 and 43 respectively of square tubular material extend parallel to, and one to either side of, each of the front and rear frame members 36 and 38 and are attached by welding. Each tube 42, 43 is co-terminous with the adjacent frame element 36 or 38 and is open at its upper end portion. Each of the front tubes 42 carries at spaced positions the first parts 46 of a lift-off hinge assembly 47, for a purpose to be described below. Each of the rear support tubes 43 and the front frame member 36 carries a foot member 48 at its lower ends. On the end of the base frame adjacent the rear frame element 38 a back panel support tube 49 of square tubular material is secured by welding to the rear frame element and extends parallel and coterminous therewith. A stop plate 44 is welded to the bottom of each Vshaped channel defined between each rear support member 43 and the back panel support tube 49.

Each side frame comprises vertical and horizontal frame elements 50, 52, 54, 56 respectively welded together and supporting a panel insert 60 of laminated chipboard. One vertical frame element 50 carries at spaced positions the complementary parts 62 of the lift-off hinge assembly 47. The other vertical frame element 52 carries at its lower end a foot member 48. The upper end of the frame element 52 is open.

The back panel 16 is of laminated chipboard construction.

The tubular material employed in the construction of the base and side frames in this example is 25mm x 25mm square section tube, having an internal dimension of typically 23mm x 23mm.

The elements thus far described are the principal components of the office desk unit and the assembly of a unit will now be described.

The base frames 12 are placed in position where the desk unit is to be constructed, with the frames perpendicular and the rear frame elements 38 adjacent each other, generally as seen in Figure 2. To the front end of each base frame member is attached either one or two side frames 14 (depending on whether a single desk unit or a group of units are being assembled) so that each base frame member 12 and its one or two side frames 14 define a 'L' or 'T' shape when viewed in plan thereby increasing the stability of the partially assembled unit. The back panel 16 is located in position by sliding it from above into the V-shaped portions defined between each back panel support tube 49 and the adjacent inner support tube 42 and prevented from reaching the floor by stop 44.The desk top 10 is then lowered onto the top of the support structure defined by the two base frames 12, two or four side frames 14 and the back panel 16. The male parts 26 are received in the open ends of the four inner support tubes 42 and 43 and in the open ends of the frame elements 52 of the two inwardly directed side frames 14. The office desk unit so formed is stable and firm but its assembly does not require the use of screws or special tools to assemble it from a flat pack. The male parts allow variations in dimensional accuracy such as encountered in welded structures to be accommodated even though no rigid couplings are employed between the desk top 10 and the supporting structure.

Once formed the unit can be configured according to the user's requirements. It is intended that the unit will be used either as a single unit as in Figure 6a, or connected with other similar units to form groups, as illustrated in Figures 6b to 6d, that is in groups of 2, 3 or 4 making up a composite desk for 2, 3 or 4 people of included angle 900, 1800, 2700 or 300, or as in Figure 6e where the desks are arranged in line with alternate desks facing in the same direction but adjacent desks facing in the opposite direction. In this instance it would be necessary for the both of the front and rear elements of the base frame to have back panel support tubes 49.

Depending on the user's requirements there are different ways in which the desk unit may be finished. Consideration of Figures g and 6a to 6e will show that the system is designed so that a gap will exist between the sides 22 of adjacent desk tops 10. This gap may be made flush by means of an in-fill bar 54 (as illustrated in Figure 7) which carries at its ends male parts 26 which engage the open ends of the upper portions of the front and rear frame elements 36 and 38.

Alternatively, each desk top 10 may be provided with side screens 56 provided one in each gap between the desk tops, and with adjacent side screens 56 being bridged by a centre screen 58.

Referring to Figure 8, each side screen 56 is rectangular and defined by frame members 59 of square tubular section. One of the vertical frame members 59 of each side screen extends beyond the connection with the lower horizontal frame member to define a square sectioned stub 60. A panel insert 62 of suitable construction, e.g. fabric covered chipboard, is fitted within the frame members 59. The stub 60, is made of 22mm x 22mm square tube which is a sliding fit within the open end of the front frame element 36. The remainder of the frame of the side screen is also made of this material.

Referring to Figure 9, each centre screen 58 is defined by a panel 63 of similar construction to that of the panel insert 62, which is located between adjacent side screens 56 by means of upper and lower runners 64 of channel section terminating at each end with a symmetrical, 900 'V'-notch 66, which engages the rear vertical frame member 59 of the associated side screen.

In use, to fit the screens, the side screens are placed in the gaps between adjacent desk tops 10 and located by engagement of the stub 60 in the upper, open end of front frame element 36. The centre screen 58 is then slid down from above with the V-notches 66 of the upper and lower runners 64 engaging the rear vertical frame members 59 of the side screen 56. A 'Y'-shaped channel member 68 (Figure 10) is clipped over the adjacent ends of the side screen 56 and the adjacent back screens 58. The channel member 68 is provided with three downwardly projecting pegs 70 which engage corresponding holes 72 in the top of the screens.

Where the screens carry shelves (not shown) the shelves may be used to provide a substantially rigid connection between the screens, thus obviating the need for the 'Y'-shaped channel member 68. The screens, when fitted, may have male parts as fitted to the desk top 10 which locate in one or both of the open ends of the vertical frame members 59.

Figure 11 shows two desk units in the configuration of Figure 6a, with screens fitted.

The examples of office furniture described above can be assembled quickly and easily without the use of tools to give a rigid stable structure. The use of rubber washers in the connections satisfies the apparently conflicting requirements of providing a rigid structure capable of push-fit assembly whilst also allowing a generous tolerance band for the dimensions of the supporting structure.

The construction and methods disclosed can of course be used for furniture other than office furniture.

Claims (19)

1. An article of furniture comprising a support structure, a generally planar element defining a work surface, said generally planar element being attached to said support structure by mounting means at regions spaced across the surface of said planar element remote from said work surface, each of said mounting means comprising a male part of generally circular section and formed of resiliently deformable material and engageable in a female locating region defined by a plurality of abutment regions which, in use, engage or lie adjacent spaced circumferential regions of said male part.

2. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locating region comprises a recess of generally square section.

3. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each locating means is defined by the open end of a tube of generally square section.

4. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each male part comprises at least one washer of rubber or rubber-like material which is secured to the surface of the planar element remote from the work surface by attachment means passing through the centre of the washer.

5. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 4, wherein each male part comprises two stacked washers secured to said surface by attachment means.

6. An article of furniture according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein said attachment means includes a screw threaded member, whereby the degree of axial compression applied to the or each washer may be adjusted, thereby to increase or decrease the external diameter of the or each washer.

7. An article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each male part is attached to the surface of the planar element and each female locating region forms part of the support structure.

8. An article of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support structure includes two base frames each of generally rectangular form which in use lie in generally vertical, nonparallel planes.

9. An article of furniture according to claim 8 wherein said base frames lie in perpendicular planes.

10. An article of furniture according to claim 9, wherein said base frames do not intersect each other.

11. An article of furniture according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein each base frame includes two spaced first tubular frame members of square section which in use extend generally vertically, and said location regions are defined by the open end regions of the first frame members.

12. An article of furniture according to claim 11, wherein each base frame includes generally square-sectioned, tubular frame members defining a rectangle and a pair of said first frame members located one to either side of each of the frame members which in use extend vertically whereby the base frame member may support the edge regions of two adjacent planar elements.

13. An article of furniture, comprising a planar element defining a work surface, two generally rectangular base frame elements arranged in use to lie in upright planes and extend generally perpendicularly without intersecting, a plurality of male parts each of generally circular section and formed of resiliently deformable material extending from the surface of the planar element remote from said work surface, said base frame elements each including at least two generally square recesses for receiving ones of said male parts thereby in use to support the work surface in a horizontal and generally stable position.

14. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1, wherein each base frame element includes generally square tubular frame members connected to form a rectangle and a pair of location tubular members extending parallel to, and one to either side of, each tubular frame member which, in use, extends vertically.

15. An article of furniture according to claim 14, wherein the ends of the base frame elements which in use are generally adjacent each other are provided with abutment means which allow a vertical screen element to be slid into 9 position bridging the adjacent ends of the base frame elements.

16. An article of furniture according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the ends of the frame elements which in use are spaced apart are provided with fixing means for allowing a side screen element to be connected thereto, said side screen extending generally perpendicular to said base frame element.

17. A knock down furniture system capable of assembly without manual tools as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

18. An article of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in, any of the accompanying drawings.

19. Each and every novel feature and combination thereof substantially as disclosed herein.