IE922750A1 - Furniture manufacturing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Laminated panels (30) of wood with an outer plastics layer are cut to size using a router guided along a router guide (35) mounted on the panel (30), along the edge of the panel and around an end edge (32, 34) to form a furniture panel (18, 19) of a predesired size. A number of furniture panels (18, 19) are then assembled on a tubular support frame (15) to form a furniture piece (10). The router guide (35) can be releasably secured on the panel (30) and has a lead-in portion (46) which guides a router into engagement with the panel and has a lead-out portion (48) to guide the router around an end edge of the panel.

Description

re Manufacturing Method and Apparatus This invention relates to a furniture manufacturing method and apparatus, in particular for the production of modular office furniture.

The invention is particularly concerned with the 5 production of high quality office furniture.

According to the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a modular furniture piece for a modular furniture system, comprising the steps:(a) inspecting an elongate panel of wood with an outer plastics layer for defects and marking any unacceptable defects, (b) mounting a router guide on the panel at a selected desirable location and releasably securing the router guide to the panel such that it is rigidly secured to the panel, (c) directing a router along the guide a number of times to cut away a predesired portion of the panel by leading the router along the guide into engagement with the panel, cutting along the panel with the router, leading the router around an end edge of the panel and away from the panel, thus forming a furniture panel of a predesired size, (d) preparing a support frame by making a number of frame elements of selected sizes, forming means on a number of the frame elements for mounting furniture panels on the frame and for interconnecting adjacent frames, assembling the -922750 frame elements together to form the support frame, and (e) mounting a number of the furniture panels on the frame to provide a furniture piece.

In one embodiment of the invention the method includes the step of releasably mounting the guide on the panel by releasably clamping the guide on the panel by means of a clamp or clamps engageable with the panel and the guide.

In a further embodiment the method includes the step of directing the router along a side edge of the router guide to cut the panel. In a particularly preferred embodiment the method includes the step of directing the router along opposite side edges of the router guide to form a furniture panel of a desired width, the router first being led along one side of the guide in one direction and then being led along the opposite side of the guide in the reverse direction.

In another embodiment the method further includes, for manufacturing a non-straight modular furniture piece having a curved top portion on the frame, comprising the steps : (a) cladding an upper portion of the frame by cutting wooden panels to size and mounting them on the support frame, with vertically mounted panels of curved form to provide a curved top portion on the frame, (b) covering an exterior of the curved top portion with a thin outer plastics cover, and (c) heat shrinking the cover onto the curved top portion to conform to the contours of the curved top portion.

In a further embodiment the method includes the step of sealing the exterior of the wooden panels on the frame prior to applying the outer cover.

In another aspect the invention provides a modular furniture system comprising a number of interengageable furniture pieces produced by the method described above.

In a further aspect the invention provides apparatus for carrying out the furniture manufacturing method, said apparatus including a router guide for cutting a laminated panel to size, the router guide having a body with means to engage a laminated panel such that the body can be releasably secured on the panel, a guide on the body engageable by a router to guide the router along a preset desirable path on the panel to cut the panel, said guide having a lead-in portion to guide a router into engagement with the panel and a lead-out portion to guide the router around an end edge of the panel at the end of a cutting run.

In another embodiment two-spaced apart guides are formed on the body for leading the router in opposite directions . Preferably each guide is formed along a side edge of the body. Advantageously, this allows a furniture panel of a desired width to be simply and quickly formed by leading the router along opposite sides of the guide.

Conveniently the lead-out portion may be adjustably mounted on the body. The lead-out portion may be slidably mounted on the body, locking means being provided to releasably secure the lead-out portion on the body. - 4 Conveniently the lead-out portion may have a threaded spigot which engages within a complementary slot in the body to slidably mount the lead-out portion on the body, a lock nut on the spigot operable to releasably secure the lead-out portion on the body.

Preferably a number of cut-out slots are provided in the body for reception of clamps to releasably clamp the body to a panel.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the body is Lshaped for engagement with an L-shaped panel. Typically the L-shaped body may be formed by two substantially perpendicular flat sheets, said sheets engageable with an outer face of the L-shaped panel.

Ideally a router guide is formed along opposite sides of the flat sheets. Thus advantageously when mounted on a panel the router guide can be used for cutting a furniture panel to a desired size by directing the router along guides formed on opposite sides of the flat sheets.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method of furniture manufacture according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of modular furniture produced according to the method, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of further modular furniture manufactured according to the method, - 5 Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a laminated panel used in the manufacture of the furniture, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a router guide used in the method of the invention for cutting the panel of Fig. 4 to size, Fig. 6 is a perspective view from one side of the guide mounted on the panel, Fig. 7 is a perspective view from another side of the guide mounted on the panel, Fig. 8 is an end, partially sectioned view of the guide mounted on the panel, and Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing the guide mounted on the panel being used to direct a router along the panel for cutting the panel.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, a method for manufacturing a modular furniture system according to the invention will be described. The modular furniture system is built up by a number of straight modular furniture pieces 10 as shown in Fig. 2 which are bolted together. Curved modular furniture pieces 12 as shown in Fig. 3 may also be incorporated in the modular assembly for interconnection of two runs of straight modular furniture pieces 10.

Each modular furniture piece 10 has a support frame 15. Each frame 15 is formed by a number of tubular elements 16 which are cut to size and welded together to form the frame 15. Prior to welding the tubular elements 16 together, a number of the tubular elements 16 have through-holes machined in them for reception of screws to 2 2 7 =. 0 - 6 mount cladding panels on the frame 15 and for reception of bolts for securing adjacent modular furniture pieces 10 together. It will be noted that height-adjustable ground engaging feet 17 are provided on the frame 15. The feet 17 can be screwed up into associated tubular elements 16 on which they are mounted for height adjustment. When the frame 15 has been welded together it is painted. Furniture panels which have been cut to size are then mounted on the frame 15 to form the modular furniture piece 10. In this case the furniture panels comprise front panels 18 mounted on the front of a frame 15 by screws extending through the frame elements 16 to engage the panels 18. Mounted on the top of the frame 15 is a top panel 19 which is L-shaped in section extending across the top of the frame 15 and downwardly in front of the frame 15. The panels 18, 19 are formed from a laminated panel having a wooden base with an outer plastics layer. It will be noted that the top panels 19 are pre-formed in the L-shape having a continuous curved outer plastics layer.

Referring now in particular to Figs. 4 to 9, the preparation of the top panel 19 will be described. Each top panel 19 is cut from an elongate laminated panel 30 having a wooden base, such as MDF, with an outer plastics layer. The panel 30 has a top portion 31 with a free edge 32 and a side portion 33 with a free edge 34. It will be noted that the plastics outer layer of the panel 30 extends around the free edges 32, 34 of the panel 30. The panel 30 is inspected for defects and any unacceptable defects are clearly marked to avoid the use of those portions of the panel 30 in the preparation of the top panel sections 19. - Ί A router guide 35 is then mounted on the panel 30 for guiding a router 36 (Fig. 9) around the panel 30 to cut out suitably sized top panels 19 to a desirable size.

The router guide 35 has an L-shaped body 36 which corresponds to the panel 30. The body 36 is formed by two substantially perpendicular flat sheets, namely a top sheet 37 and a side sheet 38, joined together at one end. On each side of the router guide 35 side edges 39, 40 form a continuous guide for the router 36. It will be noted that recessed slots 41, 42 are provided in the free ends of the sheets 37, 38 to facilitate the mounting of Gclamps between the router guide 35 and panel 30 to rigidly clamp the router guide 35 to the panel 30 in use. Additional elongate slots 43, 44 may also be provided centrally on each sheet 37, 38 to further facilitate the mounting of G-clamps between the router guide 35 and panel 30 these being used for cutting smaller sized panels or for end sections of the panel 30. A lead-in portion 46, 47 is provided on each sheet 37, 38 which projects outwardly of the edge 32, 34 of the panel 30 to guide the router 36 into engagement with the panel 30 in use. It will be noted that the lead-in portions 46, 47 are provided on opposite sides of the router guide 35. A lead-out portion is also provided on each side of the router guide 35, in this case formed by blocks 48, 49 which extend substantially perpendicularly outwardly of the sheets 37, 38, each of these blocks 48, 49 being engageable with one of the edges 32, 34 of the panel 30 such that they project outwardly therefrom.

In use, the router guide 35 is mounted on the panel 30 as shown in Fig. 6. The router 36 is then led along the lead-in portion 46 to engage and cut the panel 30 as shown in Fig. 9. Depending on the thickness of the panel 30 a number of runs may be required with the router 36. At the - 8 end of each run the router is guided around the end edge 32 by the block 48 so that it follows around the contour of the plastics outer cover of the laminated panel 30. This prevents spalling at the edge 32 of the panel 30 at the end of a cutting run. By similarly leading the router 36 along the other side of the router guide 35 the top panel 19 of the required width can be cleanly cut from the panel 30.

Flat furniture panels can also be cut to size in a similar fashion either with a guide of the type shown or more preferably with a flat guide, again having the appropriate lead-in and lead-out portions. A number of the furniture panels thus formed can be readily easily mounted on the frame for assembly of a furniture piece.

Referring now to Fig. 3, each curved furniture piece 12 is formed by first constructing a frame of tubular elements in similar fashion to the support frame for the straight panel 10 shown in Fig. 2. A flat top panel 7 0 with a curved front edge 71 is mounted on the frame and a curved vertical upper front panel 72 is bent in an arc and secured to the frame at an upper end of the frame. A number of flat lower front panels 73 which may be formed with a router guide as previously described are also attached to a front of the frame. The top panel 70 and upper front panel 72 have their outer surface sealed. A pressure sensitive adhesive is then applied to the outer surface and a thin plastics cover sheet is laid over the top panel 70 and upper front panel 72. A particularly suitable cover sheet can be formed by a high quality polyvinylchloride decorative film manufactured under the trade name Belbien. By heating the plastics cover sheet with a hot air blower the sheet is shrunk onto the top panel 70 and upper front panel 72 conforming to the contour and shape thereof. The cover is gradually heated and - 9 flattened against the top panel 70 and upper front panel 72 to provide an even surface covering. Thus advantageously a neatly finished high quality curved furniture section is constructed.

A number of the modular furniture pieces, 10, 12 can be assembled to form an integrated furniture unit of any required length, such as a reception desk or the like in a public office. The curved furniture pieces 12 provide an attractive link between straight runs of the straight furniture pieces 10 and can be formed to any desired curve. This allows much greater flexibility in furniture design.

Further in the manufacture of furniture pieces improved quality is achieved by use of the router guide. The time spent in cutting the panels can be minimised and the considerable wastage due to spalling when cutting these panels by conventional methods has been eliminated.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (1)

1. A method for manufacturing a modular furniture piece for a modular furniture system comprising the steps: a) inspecting an elongate laminated panel of wood with an outer plastics layer for defects and marking any unacceptable defects, b) mounting a router guide on the panel at a selected desirable location and releasably securing the router guide to the panel such that it is rigidly secured to the panel, c) directing a router along the guide a number of times to cut away a predesired portion of the panel by leading the router along the guide into engagement with the panel, cutting along the panel with the router, leading the router around an end edge of the panel and away from the panel, thus forming a furniture panel of a predesired size, d) preparing a support frame by making a number of frame elements of selected sizes, forming means on a number of the frame elements for mounting furniture panels on the frame and for interconnecting adjacent frames, assembling the frame elements together to form the support frame, and e) mounting a number of the furniture panels on the frame to provide a furniture piece. - 11 A inethod as claimed in claim 1 including the step of releasably mounting the guide on the panel by releasably clamping the guide on the panel by means of a clamp or clamps engageable with the panel and the guide. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 including the step of directing the router along a side edge of the router guide to cut the panel. A method as claimed in claim 3 including the step of directing the router along opposite side edges of the router guide to form a furniture panel of a desired width, the router first being led along one side of the guide in one direction and then being led along the opposite side of the guide in the reverse direction. A method as claimed in any preceding claim for manufacturing a non-straight modular furniture piece having a curved top portion on the frame further including the steps of: a) cladding an upper portion of the frame by cutting wooden panels to size and mounting them on the support frame, with vertically mounted panels of curved form to provide a curved top portion on the frame, b) covering an exterior of the curved top portion with a thin plastics outer cover, and c) heat shrinking the cover onto the curved top portion to conform to the contours of the curved top portion. - 12 6. A modular furniture system comprising a number of interengageable furniture pieces produced by the method of any preceding claim. 7. Apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 including a router guide for cutting a laminated panel to size, the router guide having a body with means to engage a laminated panel such that the body can be releasably secured on the panel, a guide on the body engageable by a router to guide the router along a preset desirable path on the panel to cut the panel, said guide having a lead-in portion to guide a router into engagement with the panel and a lead-out portion to guide the router around an end edge of the panel at the end of a cutting run. 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein two spaced-apart guides are formed on the body for leading the router in opposite directions. 9 . Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein each guide is formed along a side edge of the body. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 wherein a number of cut-out slots are provided in the body for reception of clamps to releasably clamp the body to a panel. 11. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10 wherein the body is L-shaped for engagement with an L-shaped panel. 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the Lshaped body is formed by two substantially - 13 perpendicular flat sheets, said sheets engageable against an outer face of the L-shaped panel. 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein a router guide is formed along opposite sides of the flat 5 sheets. 14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 13 wherein the lead-out portion is adjustably mounted on the body. 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the lead10 out portion is slidably mounted on the body, locking means being provided to releasably secure the lead-out portion on the body. 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the leadout portion has a threaded spigot which engages 15 within a complementary slot in the body to slidably mount the lead-out portion on the body, a lock nut on the spigot operable to releasably secure the lead-out portion on the body. 17. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described 20 with reference to the accompanying drawings.