GB2308059A - Furniture with expandable frame - Google Patents

Description

FURNITURE This invention relates to furniture. In particular, the invention concerns principles of furniture construction that are especially applicable to office furniture such as desks, workstations and tables. These share the common feature of a flat worktop that can be used not only for documents, writing materials and the like but also for the great range of modern office machinery.

Office furniture of this kind tends currently to be offered by manufacturers in a range of shapes and sizes with a view to enabling prospective purchasers to buy the correct mix of furniture items for any given office layout. However, each additional size of item may require the manufacturer to make and stock a number of additional components, such as worktop and frame in particular; and asymmetric items such as corner workstations may have to be made and stocked in left and right hand versions for each size.

Further, when a user of office furniture changes the office layout, complete items may have to be discarded and replaced by new purchases in order to fill the new design of office space.

This invention seeks to address the above problems.

The present invention concerns aspects of the furniture system described below. The scope of the invention extends to all novel aspects thereof whether individually or in combination with any of the other features disclosed herein.

More specifically, in one aspect of the invention a furniture item may comprise a worktop with two faces, a plurality of leg members, and a frame, wherein: the worktop is reversible, and is provided with through passages connecting the two faces; each leg member has an upper end abutting the lower face for the time being of the worktop at one end of a said through passage; and the frame is expandable and interconnects the plurality of leg members; and a plurality of top fasteners are provided at the upper face for the time being of the worktop, each engaging an upper end of a leg member through the connecting passage, and retaining it against the lower face of the worktop.

In another aspect, the invention provides a furniture system comprising a plurality of furniture items as set forth above of varying worktop shapes and sizes, and the expandable frames are adapted to interconnect the leg members when retained against the lower faces for the time being of the differently shaped and sized worktops at the lower ends of the different worktop through passages.

By allowing the worktops to be turned over, left handed and right handed furniture items of any given size need only a single worktop; and the expanding frames interconnecting the leg members allow a small number, in some cases one, of basic frames to serve furniture items in a range of shapes and sizes.

Preferably, the worktop is provided with similar recesses in each of the two faces arranged in pairs opposite each other, the said passages through the worktop connecting the two recesses of each pair; each leg member has an upper end adapted to the worktop recesses, whereby it is receivable in a said recess in the lower face for the time being of the worktop; and the top fasteners occupy the worktop recesses on the upper face for the time being of the worktop and each retain the upper end of a leg member in the corresponding opposite recess.

When the worktop is provided with recesses as aforesaid on its two faces, all the said recesses in the furniture system may be identical, the leg members being receivable and retainable by the said top fasteners in the recesses in the lower faces for the time being of differently shaped and sized worktops.

The identical recesses on each side allow complementary top fasteners and leg member tops to be made of similar external dimensions to fit the recesses on either side interchangeably, and the fastener can be made to finish flush with the top surface of the worktop.

In furniture items in accordance with the invention, the frame may comprise several components, especially frame members for connecting to the leg members and an intermediate expanding portion. This latter may be provided by the insertion of an intermediate frame member, or by the substitution of one intermediate frame member for another of different length, or by telescoping one frame member into another, or by combinations of these means.

A preferred frame member for connecting to a leg member has three connectors: two may be provided for connecting to two different leg members, and one for connecting to an intermediate expanding portion of the frame member; or vice versa. In this way a frame member can be used to connect two leg members to another frame member, which may be appropriate at an end of a furniture item, or to connect two other frame members to a single leg member, which may be appropriate at a corner of a furniture item. Of course more than three connectors may be provided if required.

All frame connectors are preferably elements of self-locking direct fastenings. For example, between frame members, an end of one may be slidingly received inside another, and an integral detent, advantageously spring biased and hand releasable, may be provided to positively retain the end therein. Between frame members and leg members, a tongue and slot connection is preferred, whereby the frame connector is a tongue and the leg member includes a slot into which the tongue can be inserted and moved laterally to lock it.

In a most preferred embodiment, the subsequent location of the worktop on the leg member obstructs the reverse lateral movement and hence the removal of the tongue from the slot.

The leg members may have a set of circumferentially spaced frame connector means at a common height. These may be the frameengaging slots mentioned above. Further sets of connector means may be provided at other heights. Connector means not used for connection to frame members may be used for other purposes, including the mounting of vertical panels between leg members; the location of bracing struts between leg members; and the mounting of cable management ducts between leg members. Drawer units for desks may be free-standing under the worktop, as on castors, or may also be hung from the leg members or frame.

Rotary top fasteners are preferred. These may for example be screw or bayonet fasteners extending through the worktop passages between recesses into leg member upper ends. The recesses are preferably circular. This not only simplifies manufacture, it also allows a recess to accept a leg member at any angle of rotation, and to accommodate rotary top fasteners. However, it is quite possible to provide a rotary insert in a non-circular recess instead, or adapt in other ways to a non-circular shape.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example only, two furniture items of a furniture system in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of a table (or desk); Figure 2 is an underneath plan view of the assembled table; Figure 3 is an exploded isometric view of an asymmetric workstation; Figure 4 is an underneath plan view of the assembled workstation; Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view illustrating a leg member, a top fastener and, partially and cut away, a worktop between them; Figure 6 is a sectional view showing an assembled connection between leg member and top fastener through a worktop; Figure 7 is a detail of a leg member connector on a frame member; and Figure 8 is a detail of an intermediate expanding portion connector on a frame member.

The table 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a rectangular worktop 12 supported on four hollow cylindrical legs 14, one at each corner. Worktop 12 is finished to a high quality on both its upper face 16 and identical lower face 18. Each corner of each face has an identical circular recess 20, and opposite pairs of recesses are connected by a through passage 22 (Figures 5 and 6), so the worktop is double sided and reversible.

As best seen in Figures 5 and 6, the upper circular end of each leg 14, which is a close fit in any recess 20, has on its end face a slot 24. Top fasteners 26 are provided to lock each leg to the worktop. Each top fastener comprises a disk 28 of the same diameter as the legs, so that it is a close fit in any recess 20, and is of the same depth as the recesses, so that when fully inserted therein the top surface of the fastener is substantially flush with the worktop surface. Under the centre of each disk is a T-stem 30 with an end bar 32, just short enough to pass through a passage 22, which is receivable in slot 24 in the leg end. By then turning the top fastener, for which purpose a drive slot or the like can be provided in the upper surface of the disk 28, the leg is retained in the lower recess 20.

Internal flanges 34 inside the upper end of the leg prevent rotation beyond 90 and coil spring 36 around T-stem 30 maintains the fastening in tension.

The main structural strength of table 10 is however provided by expandable frame 40 which interconnects the four legs 14. Frame 40 is in three parts, namely two terminal Y-members 42 and a linking bar 44 of adjustable length joining them.

Each Y frame member 42 is of rectangular box section and has two limbs that terminate in a tongue 46 in the vertical plane. Legs 14 are provided close to their upper ends with an array of eight equally circumferentially spaced vertical slots 48, each just wide and long enough to accept a tongue 46. Each tongue has a locking slot 50 extending upwardly into the tongue from a lower edge, at its upper end being of a width equal to the thickness of the leg wall, but at its lower open end being broader, so that after the tongue has been inserted into one of the leg slots 48, it can be moved laterally (downwards), whereupon the leg wall at the bottom end of the leg slot enters the locking slot 50 in the tongue, where it will remain securely held unless the frame is positively lifted in the leg slot before withdrawal, by which means the connection can be disassembled.The fastening between the leg and the frame is in this sense self locking, and needs no separate fastener.

The spacing between the two remote ends of the Y frame members is fixed at a distance corresponding to the separation of the two corresponding recesses and through passages at one end of the worktop. While this distance is the same for different sizes of table, the length of the worktop may be changed, and the effective length of linking bar 44 is adjustable accordingly. The third limb of each Y frame member is open ended and the bar 44 has a rectangular box section such that each end fits telescopingly into an open Y frame limb. The bar has a series of holes 52 along its under side, and the open Y frame limb includes a spring leaf 54 carrying a stud 56 that clips into any hole 52. The hole spacings on bar 44 correspond to the different frame lengths needed for the different length worktops.

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a workstation 60 with a short return on its right hand side. The general principles of its construction are the same as for table 10. The legs 14, their top fasteners 26 and the worktop recesses that receive them are exactly as before, as are one Y frame member 42 at the left hand, non-return end of the worktop, and the linking bar 44. However, five legs 14 are used, including one at the right hand back corner of the worktop and two at the end of the return, more closely spaced than at the left hand end. This necessitates a smaller Y frame member 62 at the return end, with an integral fixed expansion bar 64 on one limb, but the usual leg connector tongues 66 at the ends of the other two limbs.

Finally, a third Y frame member 68 is provided to interconnect the linking bars 44 and 64 and the fifth leg 14 at the workstation corner; this has two open ended limbs with spring studs 70 and one limb terminating in a leg connector tongue 72.

The workstation worktop is finished to high quality on both faces so it can be reversed to give a worktop with a left hand return.

However, the third Y frame member 68 is asymmetric and must therefore also be turned over. For this reason, its leg connector tongue 72 is rotatable so that it too can be reversed, to keep the open leg-engaging slot 74 downwards (Figure 7); and the spring stud 70 is duplicated on a second spring leaf 76 (Figure 8).

The legs 14 are each provided with a second ring of slots 78 towards their lower ends, to which can be fastened accessories such as bracing struts and panels and cable management ducts. The lower ends of the legs can also be given feet incorporating screw height adjusters, in the conventional manner.

Claims (13)

1 An item of furniture comprising a worktop with two opposite faces, a plurality of leg members, and a frame engageable with said leg members, wherein: the worktop is reversible, and is provided with through passages connecting the two faces; each leg member has an upper end abutting the lower face for the time being of the worktop at one end of a said through passage; the frame is expandable and interconnects the plurality of leg members; and a plurality of top fasteners are provided at the upper face for the time being of the worktop, each engaging an upper end of a leg member through the connecting passage, and retaining it against the lower face of the worktop.

2 An item of furniture according to claim 1 wherein each face of the worktop includes a similar recess around each end of the through passages, and the upper end of each leg member corresponds in shape and dimensions to the recesses whereby each leg member fits in a recess in the lower face of the worktop.

3 An item of furniture according to claim 2 wherein each top fastener corresponds in shape and dimensions to the recesses whereby each top fastener fits in a recess in the upper face of the worktop, and each top fastener has an upper face that lies flush with the upper face of the worktop.

4 An item of furniture according to claim 3 wherein each top fastener comprises a disk having the same diameter as the leg members and the same depth as the recesses, and has a T-stem with an end bar able to pass through a passage and into a slot in the upper end of a leg member, said disk being rotatable whereby said end bar is held by tension within said slot.

5 An item of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the said frame comprises a plurality of frame members and at least one linking bar connecting a pair of frame members, each of said frame members having at least one leg-engaging limb engageable with a corresponding leg member, and at least one bar-engaging limb slidably engageable with a linking bar.

6 An item of furniture according to claim 5 wherein the frame members include Y frame members each having two leg-engaging limbs and one bar-engaging limb.

7 An item of furniture according to claim 5 or 6 wherein each said leg-engaging limb has a tongue adapted to fit within a slot provided at the lower end of a corresponding leg member, said tongue having a locking slot extending upwardly into the tongue from a lower edge.

8 An item of furniture according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein each said bar-engaging limb of said frame members is open-ended such that an end of said linking bar fits slidably within, said bar-engaging limb having a spring leaf having a stud adapted to clip within one of a plurality of holes provided in said linking bar.

9 An item of furniture according to any one of claims 5 to 8 comprising a rectangular worktop, two Y frame members, one linking bar and four leg members.

10 An item of furniture according to any one of claims 5 to 8 comprising a substantially L-shaped worktop having a return section on one side, first, second and third Y frame members, a linking bar, and five leg members.

11 An item of furniture according to claim 10 wherein said third Y frame member is asymmetrical, having one leg-engaging limb and two bar-engaging limbs, said leg-engaging limb having a rotatable leg connector tongue and each bar-engaging limb having a pair of opposed spring leaves, each having a stud for engaging a hole in said linking bar.

12 An item of furniture according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any figure of the accompanying drawings.

13 A furniture system comprising a plurality of furniture items according to any one of the preceding claims, of different worktop shapes and sizes, and the expandable frames are adapted to interconnect the leg members when retained at the lower ends of the worktop through passages against the lower faces for the time being of the differently shaped and sized worktops.