GB2617347A

GB2617347A - A fitted wardrobe assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2617347A
Application number: GB2204948.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Theyer Christopher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-04-05
Filing date: 2022-04-05
Publication date: 2023-10-11
Also published as: GB202204948D0

Abstract

A fitted wardrobe assembly provides a user with separate wardrobe carcasses to facilitate installation. A lower carcass 100, 200 comprises an open-fronted box and projections arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the lower carcass. An upper carcass 300 comprises an open-fronted box and holes 320 arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the upper carcass. The holes are arranged to engage with the projections of the lower carcass. In this way, the upper carcass is alignable with and removably attachable to the lower carcass 100, via insertion of the projections into the holes. The lower carcass may comprise a base carcass 100, and a middle carcass 200. The lower carcass may comprise independently adjustable feet 130. Also disclosed is a method of installing the fitted wardrobe assembly.

Description

A FIlIED WARDROBE ASSEMBLY The present invention relates generally to a fitted wardrobe assembly and a method of installing a fitted wardrobe and finds Nrticular, although not exclusive, utility in installing fitted wardrobes.

Fitted items of furniture, and fitted wardrobes in particular, have in the past typically been constructed and installed in situ by craftsmen, due to the skill required for matching the furniture dimensions to the space in which the furniture is to be installed. In recent years the popularity of custom-designed furniture has increased, which may be intended for assembly and/or installation at home by the customer, thus avoiding the additional expense of paying a craftsman. Difficulties may arise with the assembly and installation of such furniture, for example fitted wardrobes. There may be considerable time and effort involved in the assembly and installation of furniture supplied in 'flat-pack' form. Alternatively, the furniture may be supplied pre-built, and due to its dimensions may be difficult to transport and install. In general, the vertical height of the wardrobe is intended to correspond to the vertical height of the room. Accordingly, with both 'flat-pack' wardrobes assembled in a horizontal orientation and pre-built wardrobes transported in a horizontal orientation, problems may arise when the wardrobe is tilted upright for installation, due to limited headroom.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a fitted wardrobe assembly comprising: a lower carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two projections arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the lower carcass, the two projections extending upward from the upper surface of the lower carcass; and an upper carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two holes arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the upper carcass, the two holes arranged to engage with the two projections of the lower carcass; wherein the upper carcass is alignable with and removably attachable to the lower carcass via insertion of the two projections into the two holes.

In this way, the lower carcass and upper carcass may be separately transported and installed. The lower carcass may be installed in position, and the upper carcass may be removably attached to the lower carcass. This may facilitate the ease of transportation and installation of the fitted wardrobe assembly, thus enabling the customer to install the fitted wardrobe assembly themselves, or reducing the time required for a fitter to install the fitted wardrobe assembly. The process may also be reversed to enable uninstallation of the fitted wardrobe assembly, for transportation to and installation at another location.

The two projections may comprise wood, plastics material or metal. In particular, the two projections may comprise wooden dowels. The two projections may extend upwards from the upper surface of the lower carcass at an angle substantially perpendicular to a plane of the upper surface of the lower carcass. The two holes may extend upwards into the lower surface of the upper carcass at an angle substantially perpendicular to a plane of the lower surface of the upper carcass. Substantially perpendicular may mean within a range of between 70 and 110 degrees to the relevant plane, in particular within a range of between 80 and 100 degrees to the relevant plane, more particularly within a range of between 85 and 95 degrees to the relevant plane, for example approximately 90 degrees to the relevant plane. The two projections may have a slightly larger diameter than a diameter of the two holes, such that insertion of the two projections into the two holes may require marginal compression of the two projections, thereby achieving a secure attachment of the lower carcass and the upper carcass. Around a perimeter may mean adjacent to, or aligned with, an edge of the relevant surface. Around a perimeter may mean spaced inwardly from the outer edge of a surface within a range of between 0.2 and 10 centimetres, in particular within a range of between 0.5 and 3 centimetres, for example approximately 1 centimetre. Alignable may mean that insertion of the two projections into the two holes aligns edges of the lower surface of the upper carcass with edges of the upper surface of the lower carcass.

The two projections may be retractable within the upper surface of the lower carcass. In this way, dismantling of the fitted wardrobe assembly may be simplified, wherein the two projections may be retracted to facilitate detachment of the wardrobe carcasses. Retractable projections may also aid the installation of the fitted wardrobe assembly in situations where vertical space is particularly limited.

The lower carcass may comprise: a base carcass; and a middle carcass removably attachable to the base carcass, the middle carcass arranged on top of the base carcass, in LISC.

In this way, the ease of installation of the fined wardrobe assembly may be further improved, due to the ease of handling and installing the two separate carcasses of the lower carcass.

Any or each of the carcasses may be provided with doors, drawers and/or fascia.

The base carcass may comprise two further projections 'arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the base carcass, the two further projections extending upward from the upper surface of the base carcass, and the middle carcass may comprises two further holes arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the middle carcass, the two further holes arranged to engage with the two further projections of the base carcass, wherein the middle carcass may be alignable with and removably attachable to the base carcass via insertion of the two further projections into the two further holes.

In this way, the security of the attachment between the middle carcass and the base carcass may be improved. The two further projections may comprise wood, plastics material or metal. In particular, the two further projections may comprise wooden dowels. The two further projections may extend upwards from the upper surface of the base carcass at an angle substantially perpendicular to a plane of the upper surface of the base carcass. The two further holes may extend upwards into the lower surface of the middle carcass at an angle substantially perpendicular to a plane of the lower surface of the middle carcass. The two further projections may have a slightly larger diameter than a diameter of the two further holes, such that insertion of the two further projections i.nto the two further holes may require marginal compression of the nyo further projections, thereby achieving a secure attachment of the middle carcass and the base carcass.

The two further projections may be retractable within the upper surface of the base carcass. In this way, dismantling of the fitted wardrobe assembly may be simplified, wherein the two further projections may be retracted to facilitate detachment of the wardrobe carcasses. Retractable projections may also aid the installation of the fitted wardrobe assembly in situations where vertical space is particularly limited.

The lower carcass may comprise two feet, the vertical height of each foot independently adjustable, wherein adjustment of the relative height of the two feet varies an inclination of the lower carcass about a first axis.

In this way, an angle of the fitted wardrobe assembly may be adjustable about the first axis, to correspond with, for example, an angle of a Boor or ceiling adjacent to which the fitted wardrobe assembly is installed. The feet may also facilitate the installation of the fitted wardrobe assembly within a room. For example, once the carcasses are separately assembled and attached to one another, the fitted wardrobe assembly may be arranged in place in the room. The vertical height of each foot may then be adjusted to raise a top surface of the fitted wardrobe assembly to correspond to the ceiling height of the room.

The lower carcass may comprise two further feet, the vertical height of each further foot independently adjustable, wherein adjustment of the relative height of the two feet and the two further feet varies an inclination of the lower carcass about the first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis.

In this way, an angle of the fitted wardrobe assembly may be adjustable about the second axis, to correspond with, for example, an angle of a floor or ceiling adjacent to which the fitted wardrobe assembly is installed. The two feet and/or two further feet may be integral with, or removably attachable from the lower carcass. The adjustment of the vertical height of each foot may be achieved via threaded means and/or telescopic means. The threaded means may be a threaded shaft and socket, wherein rotation of the threaded shaft within the socket varies a length of the threaded shaft extending out of the socket. 'felescopic means may be a smaller diameter shaft inserted within a larger diameter hollow shaft, such that a length of the smaller diameter shaft extending out of the larger diameter hollow shaft may be varied.

In a second aspect, the invention provides a method of installing a fitted wardrobe assembly, the method comprising the steps of: providing the fitted wardrobe assembly of the first aspect; arranging the lower carcass on a floor; and arranging the upper carcass on top of the lower carcass, and aligning the upper carcass to the top surface of the lower carcass and subsequently inserting the two projections into the two holes The fitted wardrobe assembly may further comprise one or more components. The one or more components may be configured to be removably attached to the fitted wardrobe assembly. In particular, the one or more components may be configured to be attached to the lower carcass and/or the upper carcass. The one or more components may be selected from the list comprising: hanging rails; shoe holders; jewellery inserts; tie racks; shelves; hooks; mirrors; dividers; handles; bins; drawers; baskets; and hangers. In a third aspect, the present invention provides a furniture assembly comprising: a lower carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two projections arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the lower carcass, the two projections extending upward from the upper surface of the lower carcass; and an upper carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two holes arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the upper carcass, the two holes arranged to engage with the two projections of the lower carcass; wherein the upper carcass is alignable with and removably attachable to the lower carcass via insertion of the two projections into the two holes. Such furniture may include any item of home or office furniture, for example a desk, shelving unit, cabinet, bed, chest, table, kitchen unit or sofa.

The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of a fitted wardrobe assembly.

Figure 2 is a side view showing the installation of a conventional fitted wardrobe vs a fitted wardrobe assembly.

The present invention will be described with respect to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. Each drawing may not include all of the features of the invention and therefore should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.

Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances anti that operation is capable in other sequences than described or illustrated herein. likewise, method steps described or claimed in a particular sequence may be understood to operate in a different sequence.

Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that operation is capable in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.

It is to be noticed that the term "comprising", used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression "a device comprising means A and B" should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B. Reference throughout this specification to "an embodiment" or "an aspect" means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or aspect is included in at least one embodiment or aspect of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", or "in an aspect" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment or aspect, but may refer to different embodiments or aspects. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics of any one embodiment or aspect of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner with any other particular feature, structure or characteristic of another embodiment or aspect of the invention, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments or aspects.

Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the description various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Moreover, the description of any individual drawing or aspect should not necessarily be considered to be an embodiment of the invention. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in fewer than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.

Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form yet further embodiments, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.

In the discussion of the invention, unless stated to the contrary, the disclosure of alternative values for the upper or lower limit of the permitted range of a parameter, coupled with an indication that one of said values is more highly preferred than the other, is to be construed as an implied statement that each intermediate value of said parameter, lying between the more preferred and the less preferred of said alternatives, is itself preferred to said less preferred value and also to each value lying between said less preferred value and said intermediate value.

The use of the term "at least one" may mean only one in certain circumstances.

The use of the term "any" may mean "all" and/or "each" in certain circumstances. The principles of the invention will now be described by a detailed description of at least one drawing relating to exemplary features. It is clear that other arrangements can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the underlying concept or technical teaching, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fitted wardrobe assembly, comprising a base carcass 100, a middle carcass 200 and an upper carcass 300. The view of the fitted wardrobe assembly is exploded, in that the carcasses 100, 200, 300 are shown spaced apart from one another in the vertical axis, prior to their attachment to one another. Hach of the carcasses 100, 200 300 is an open-fronted box. Each carcass 100, 200, 300 may be constructed from a relatively rigid material, such as wood, metal and/or hard plastics, and may be fireproof or fire resistant. The size of each carcass 100, 200, 300 may be selected to match the dimensions of the room in which the fitted wardrobe assembly is to be installed, The height, width and depth of each carcass 100, 200, 300 may be within a range of between 10 and 200 centimetres, in particular within a range of -between 20 and 100 centimetres, for example approximately 50 centimetres. The bottom surface of each carcass 100, 200, 300 may comprise a reinforcing member to increase the rigidity of each carcass. Such rigidity is especially desirable at each bottom surface where each carcass may be arranged to align and attach to another carcass.

The base carcass 100 comprises four dowels 110 extending upwards from its upper surface, which are aligned with four holes 220 (not shown) in a lower surface of the middle carcass 200. Similarly, the upper carcass 300 comprises four holes 320 in a lower surface of the upper carcass, which arc aligned with four dowels (not shown) in an upper surface of the middle carcass 200. The dowels and holes are shown as cylinder shape with rounded ends. The dowels may comprise wood, metal and/or hard plastics. Each hole may be provided with a locking means to engage with and attach to each dowel.

The diameter of each dowel and hole may be within a range of between 0.2 and 2 centimetres, in particular within a range of between 0.5 and 1 centimetres, for example approximately 0.8 centimetres.

The base carcass 100 comprises four adjustable feet 130 (three of which are shown), which extend downwards from a bottom surface of the base carcass 100. Each foot 130 comprises a shaft and a base plate. A length of the shaft projecting from the bottom surface of the base carcass 100 may be variable by threaded means and/or telescopic means.

In this way, a user may individually assemble each carcass 100, 200, 300. The base carcass 100 may be installed in position first, using the adjustable feet 130 to ensure the top surface of the base carcass 100 is level. The middle carcass 200 may then be placed on top of the base carcass 100 and removably attached thereto via insertion of the dowels 110 of the base carcass 100 into the holes of the middle carcass 200. Finally, the upper carcass 300 may be placed on top of the middle carcass 200 and removably attached thereto via insertion of the dowels in the middle carcass 200 into the holes 320 of the upper carcass 300.

Figure 2 is a side view showing the installation of a conventional fitted wardrobe 500 in the upper portion of the drawing, vs the installation of a fitted wardrobe assembly in the lower portion of the drawing. The vertical height of the conventional fitted wardrobe 500 corresponds to the vertical height of the room 400. Accordingly, difficulties arise as the conventional wardrobe 500 is rotated upright for installation, since its vertical height on a diagonal may impinge upon the ceiling 410. Therefore, the conventional fitted wardrobe 500 must either be transported upright into the room 400 (making transportation awkward), or installed in situ within the room 400 (incurring additional time/expense for the user).

The fitted wardrobe assembly is shown installed upright within the room 400 at the lower portion of the drawing. 'the fitted wardrobe assembly comprises three separate carcasses 100, 200, 300. The vertical height of each carcass is significantly lower than the vertical height of the room 400, facilitating the ease of transportation and installation of each carcass, and the fitted wardrobe assembly as a whole. A base carcass 100 may be installed first, and adjustable feet may be used to adjust an angle of the fitted wardrobe assembly to correspond with, for example, an angle of the floor 420 or ceiling 410 adjacent to which the fitted wardrobe assembly is installed. A middle carcass 200 may then be aligned with and removably attached to the base carcass 100. An upper carcass 300 may then be aligned with and removably attached to the middle carcass 200. Once the carcasses 100, 200, 300 are attached to one another, the vertical height of each adjustable foot may then be adjusted to raise a top surface of the fitted wardrobe assembly to correspond to the ceiling 410 height of the room, thus achieving the aesthetic result desired from the fitted wardrobe assembly. This process may be reversed for uninstallation of the fitted wardrobe assembly.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A fitted wardrobe assembly comprising: a lower carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two projections arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the lower carcass, the two projections extending upward from the upper surface of the lower carcass; and an upper carcass comprising an open-fronted box and two holes arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the upper carcass, the two holes arranged to engage with the two projections of the lower carcass; wherein the upper carcass is alignable with and removably attachable to the lower carcass via insertion of the two projections into the two holes.
2. The fitted wardrobe assembly of claim 1, wherein the lower carcass comprises: a base carcass; and a middle carcass removably attachable to the base carcass the middle carcass arranged on top of the base carcass, in use.
3. The fitted wardrobe assembly of claim 2, wherein the base carcass comprises two further projections arranged around a perimeter of an upper surface of the base carcass, the two further projections extending upward from the upper surface of the base carcass, and the middle carcass comprises two further holes arranged around a perimeter of a lower surface of the middle carcass, the two further holes arranged to engage with the two further projections of the base carcass, wherein the middle carcass is alignable with and removably attachable to the base carcass via insertion of the two further projections into the two further holes.
4. The fitted wardrobe assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the lower carcass comprises two feet, the vertical height of each foot independently adjustable, wherein adjustment of the relative height of the two feet varies an inclination of the lower carcass about a first axis.
5. The fitted wardrobe assembly of claim 4 wherein the lower carcass comprises two further feet, the vertical height of each further foot independently adjustable, wherein 'adjustment of the relative height of the two feet and the two further feet varies an inclination of the lower carcass about the first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis.
6. A method of installing a fitted wardrobe assembly, the method comprising the steps of: providing the fitted wardrobe assembly of any preceding claim; arranging the lower carcass on a floor; and arranging the upper carcass on top of the lower carcass, and aligning the upper carcass to the top surface of the lower carcass and subsequently inserting the two projections into the two holes.