GB2390974A

GB2390974A - Furniture made from corrugated board and solid wood

Info

Publication number: GB2390974A
Application number: GB0311824A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Joseph Wonnacott
Original assignee: DS Smith PLC
Current assignee: DS Smith PLC
Priority date: 2002-05-22
Filing date: 2003-05-22
Publication date: 2004-01-28
Also published as: GB0211776D0; GB0311824D0

Abstract

An item of furniture comprises a major portion (1) formed at least partly from corrugated board and at least one panel (11) formed from a solid wood material. A kit of parts for forming the item of furniture, and laminated materials comprising at least one layer of corrugated board and at least one layer of solid wood material are also disclosed. The item of furniture may be of a multiple ply structure alternating corrugated board layers with a wood layer, such as plywood, chipboard, fibreboard (MDF). The corrugated board may have a decorative, graphic, or protective coating. The panels may have threaded plastic plugs (8 fig 4) inserted into them (4 Fig 1) to allow assembly of one panel to another.

Description

ITEM OF FURNITURE

This invention relates to an item of furniture formed from corrugated board.

5 Corrugated board furniture is inexpensive and is much lighter than traditional wood furniture, leading to significant advantages in transportation. There are a number of prior proposals for forming furniture of corrugated board, e.g. US-A-4463997, US-A-

5145244, US-A-6083580 and US-A-6206473. However, these are directed to knockdown furniture and do not address the problem of forming a stable and 10 aesthetically pleasing item of furniture that is not intended to be disassembled.

The present invention provides, in a first aspect, an item of furniture comprising a major portion formed at least partly from corrugated board and at least one panel formed from a solid wood material.

"Corrugated board" as used herein encompasses corrugated paperboard and corrugated cardboard of the type comprising at least one corrugated sheet and at least one planar sheet. Said major portion may, for example, be formed from corrugated board comprising three corrugated sheets and four planar sheets arranged alternately. It may 20 alternatively be formed from at least one layer of solid wood material and at least one layer of corrugated board. Said major portion may include side panels, a top panel and/or a rear panel of the item.

"Solid wood material" is used herein to denote materials such as wood, plywood, 25 fibreboard, chipboard and hardboard.

In particular embodiments, a base panel and/or a front panel, which may be a door panel, is/are formed from solid wood material.

30 Preferably, the item comprises moulded plastics plugs for connecting said at least one panel to the major portion. a particular embodiment, the plugs are threaded and are received in holes in the major portion.

At least one surface of the major portion formed by the corrugated board may bear a coating or lamination to provide a colour or pattern and/or to protect said surface, e.g. against moisture, scuff marks, dirt etc. 5 From a second aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for forming an item of furniture, the kit comprising at least one panel formed from corrugated board material and at least one panel formed from a solid wood material.

From a third aspect, the present invention provides a laminated material for forming 10 furniture panels comprising at least one layer of corrugated board and at least one layer of solid wood material.

In one embodiment, the solid wood material comprises shipboard, but it could alternatively comprise wood, plywood, fibreboard or hardboard.

In a particular embodiment, the material comprises two layers of solid wood material with a layer of corrugated board therebetween.

The corrugated board preferably comprises a plurality of corrugated sheets (e.g. three) 20 and a plurality of planar sheets (e.g. four) arranged alternately.

From a fourth aspect, the invention provides an item of furniture formed from the laminated material described above. From a fifth aspect, the invention provides a kit of parts for forming an item of furniture, the kit comprising panels formed from the 25 laminated material described above.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, particular embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure l shows a major portion for use in forming a cabinet according to the invention; Figure 2 shows how a decorative laminate is applied to the edges of the major portion;

Figures 3 and 4 are front and side views respectively of a plug for connecting a door panel to the major portion; Figure 5 shows a base panel for the cabinet; Figure 6 shows the cabinet prior to attachment of the door panel; Figure 7 shows the door panel for the cabinet; 10 Figures 8 and 9 are front and side views respectively of an optional plug for supporting a shelf; and Figure 10 is a fragmentary view of a worktop formed from a laminated material according to the invention.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 9 comprises a cabinet, but it should be understood that the invention extends to a variety of different items of furniture. 20 Figure 1 shows the inside of a rectangular major portion l, formed from corrugated paperboard comprising three corrugated sheets and four planar sheets arranged alternately. The major portion 1 is divided into a top panel 2 and side panels 3 by means of crease lines. Each side panel 3 has four identical circular blind-ending holes cut in the inside thereof. These consist of two hinge holes 4 near the front edge of the 25 panel and two base holes 5 near the bottom edge. A slot 6 runs along the entire length of the major portion 1 neat the rear edge thereof.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6 a paper or plastics laminate 7, for example bearing a woodgrain pattern, is applied to the outer surfaces of the major portion 1. In this 30 example, the insides of the major portion 1 and of a rear panel 14 are painted with gloss paint.

Figures 3 and 4 show a solid generally circular plastics moulded hinge plug 8, four of which are provided. Each hinge plug 8 has a coarse thread by means of which it is screwed into the hinge holes 4 as shown in Figure 6, a flange for bearing against the inside surface of the major portion and a plurality of small holes or precursors of holes 5 9 in the front face of the plug.

Four base plugs l O are also provided, similar to the hinge plugs 8, but lacking the holes 9 and having instead a pre-drilled hole or precursor (not shown) running transversely through the threaded section. The base plugs l O are screwed into the base holes 5 and 10 in their final position the transverse holes lie perpendicular to the bottom edge of the side panels 3. This can be facilitated by providing a visible line on the front face of each base plug to parallel to the transverse hole.

Figure 5 shows a rectangular base panel l l formed from a solid wood material such as 15 laminated shipboard. A slot 12 runs parallel to the rear edge of the base panel to at the same distance therefrom as the distance of slot 6 from the rear edge of major portion 1.

Four through-holes 13 are formed near the side edges of the base panel 1 l.

In order to assemble the cabinet, the major portion l is folded along the crease lines to 20 forth an inverted "U" shape as shown in Figure 6. Simultaneously or subsequently three edges of the rear panel 14, comprising a simple rectangle of corrugated board, are inserted into the slot 6. The base panel l 1 is then aligned with the major portion l such that the bottom edge of the rear panel 14 enters the slot 12 of the base panel. The base panel to is then fixed to the side panels 3 by means of screws extending through the 25 through-holes l 3 and into the transverse holes of base plugs l O. Figure 7 shows a door panel for the cabinet which may be of conventional construction, for example of varnished wood, and has hinges which are screwed into the holes or precursors 9 in the hinge plugs 8. The holes 9 provide for different types of hinge 30 having different arrangements of screws.

Figures 8 and 9 show an optional moulded plastics shelf plug which can be screwed into a hole provided in the inside of one of the side panels 3. A plurality of such plugs would support a shelf, which may for example be of corrugated board material.

5 Modifications to the specific embodiment described which do not depart from the claimed scope of the invention will occur to the skilled reader. For example, instead of the inverted "U" shape, the major portion could comprise separate side and top panels which are assembled together. The major portion could in fact comprise any significant combination of panels. For easier manufacturing, the plugs 8 and 10 could 10 be identical, both having the holes or precursors 9 and the transverse hole or precursor.

In an alternative embodiment, the major portion is formed from a material comprising an outer layer of corrugated board and an inner layer of Shipboard. Whilst the base panel and door panel of this alternative cabinet could be of chipboard and wood 15 respectively as mentioned above, it would be possible to form the entire item from the laminated corrugated board/chipboard material.

Figure lO shows part of a work top panel formed from a further laminated material comprising two layers of chipboard l 5 on either side of a layer of multi-wall corrugated 20 board 16. In order to provide a work top panel of conventional thickness, the chipboard layers 15 could for example each have a thickness of 18 mm and the corrugated board layer l 6 could have a thickness of S to 8 mm.

A protective/decorative lamina 17 is applied to the upper surface of the upper 25 shipboard layer l 5 and matching protective edging strips l 8 are applied to the edges of the work top panel.

Items of furniture according to the invention could be supplied in the form of "flat-

packed" kits comprising furniture panels and connectors such as the plugs 8, l O.

Claims

1. An item of furniture comprising a major portion formed at least partly from corrugated board and at least one panel formed from a solid wood material.

2. An item of furniture according to claim l, wherein said major portion is formed from corrugated board comprising three corrugated sheets and four planar sheets arranged alternately.

10 3. An item of furniture according to claim 1, wherein said major portion is formed from at least one layer of solid wood material and at least one layer of corrugated board. 4. An item of furniture according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said major portion 15 includes side panels, a top panel andlor a rear panel of the item.

5. An item of furniture according to any preceding claim, wherein a base panel is formed from solid wood material.

20 6. An item of furniture according to any preceding claim, wherein a front panel is fanned from solid wood material.

7. An item of furniture according to any preceding claim, comprising moulded plastics plugs for connecting said at least one panel to the major portion.

8. An item of furniture according to claim 7, wherein the plugs are threaded and are received in holes in the major portion.

9. An item of furniture according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one 30 surface of the major portion formed by the corrugated board bears a decorative and/or protective coating or lamination.

I O. A kit of parts for forming an item of furniture according to any preceding claim.

11. A kit of parts for forming an item of furniture, the kit comprising at least one panel formed from corrugated board material and at least one panel formed from a solid wood material.

12. A laminated material for forming furniture panels comprising at least one layer of corrugated board and at least one layer of solid wood material.

13. A laminated material according to claim 12, wherein the solid wood material 10 comprises chipboard.

14. A laminated material according to claim 12, wherein the solid wood material comprises wood, plywood, fibreboard or hardboard.

15 15. A laminated material according to claim 12, 13 or 14, comprising two layers of solid wood material with a layer of corrugated board therebetween.

16. A laminated material according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein the corrugated board comprises a plurality of corrugated sheets and a plurality of planar 20 sheets arranged alternately.

17. A laminated material according to claim 16, wherein the corrugated board comprises three corrugated sheets and four planar sheets arranged alternately.

25 18. An item of furniture formed from the laminated material according to any one of claims 12 to 17.

19. A kit of parts for forming an item of furniture, the kit comprising panels formed from the laminated material according to any one of claims 12 to 17.

20. A kit of parts for forming an item of furniture, substantially as described herein with reference to Figures I to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A laminated matenal, substantially as described herein with reference to Figure I O of the accompanying drawings.