US3918781A

US3918781A - Juxtaposable and superposable furniture pieces

Info

Publication number: US3918781A
Application number: US453357A
Authority: US
Inventors: Boris Paris
Original assignee: SICOPAL
Current assignee: Industrielle Et Commerciale De Transformation Des Plastiques'slcopal'fr197303297311321 Ste; SICOPAL
Priority date: 1973-03-29
Filing date: 1974-03-21
Publication date: 1975-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-11
Also published as: FR2223948A5

Abstract

This set of furniture pieces comprises essentially a standard unit of substantially parallelipipedic or box configuration, so designed that several units of this type can be superposed or juxtaposed to constitute at will any desired wall storage assembly or the like. The upper side edges of each unit are notched to accomodate coupling keys locked in position by the superposition of other units. The bottom of each unit comprises a downwardly projecting rim fitting around a thinned-down and therefore shouldered upper edge of an underlying unit. Drawers adapted to be easily fitted into said units comprise at the top of their rear wall a lug adapted to engage a retaining or stop lug depending from the bottom of the next unit above. The rear portion of the drawer bottom is inclined to permit the tilting of said drawer and its removal from the unit by raising its front end, thus allowing its lug to clear the stop lug of the next unit above. Caster-supported base units and top cover units are provided for completing the assembly.

Description

United States Patent [191 Paris Nov. 11, 1975 1 1 .IUXTAPOSABLE AND SUPERPOSABLE FURNITURE PIECES [75] Inventor: Boris Paris, Clichy, France 22 Filed: Mar. 21, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 453,357

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 29. 1973 France 73.11321 [52] US. Cl. 312/111; 206/504; 206/509; 312/283; 312/330 R; 312/348 [51] Int. C15 A47B 87/02; A4713 88/06;

A47B 88/16; F16B 12/12 [58] Field of Search 312/108, 111; 220/16, 17, 220/236; 206/503-509 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 946.111 l/l9l0 Conrad ..312/lll 2.210.019 8/1940 Zalkind..... 312/108 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1.159.040 10/1956 France 312/108 Primary E.\'aminerPaul R. Gilliam Assistant E.\'uminerCarl F. Pietruszka Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker [5 7 ABSTRACT This set of furniture pieces comprises essentially a standard unit of substantially parallelipipedic or box configuration, so-designed that several units of this type can be superposed or juxtaposed to constitute at will any desired wall storage assembly or the like. The upper side edges of each unit are notched to accomodate coupling keys locked in position by the superposition of other units. The bottom of each unit comprises a downwardly projecting rim fitting around a thinned-down and therefore shouldered upper edge of an underlying unit. Drawers adapted to be easily fitted into said units comprise at the top of their rear wall a lug adapted to engage a retaining or stop lug depending from the bottom of the next unit above. The rear portion of the drawer bottom is inclined to permit the tilting of said drawer and its removal from the unit by raising its front end, thus allowing its lug to clear the stop lug of the next unit above. Caster-supported base units and top cover units are provided for completing the assembly.

5 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 11,1975 Sheet1of4 3,918,781

US. Patent Nov.11,1975 Sheet30f4 3,918,781

Fiox

US. Patent Nov.11, 1975 Sheet40f4 3,918,781

JUXTAPOSABLE AND SUPERPOSABLE FURNITURE PIECES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to furnitures consisting of mutually complementary pieces adapted to be assembled to constitute more or less extended structures such as wall storage units and the like.

Many types of furniture pieces designed for this purpose have already been proposed. As a rule, the units constituting these assemblies have substantially the appearance of parallelipipedic cases or boxes comprising interfitting means for assembling them one above the other. In most instances other fastening means are provided for assembling several units side by side or even back to back to constitute furnitures comprising several vertical tiers of such pieces.

2. Description of the prior art However, in hitherto known structures of this lastmentioned horizontal assembling method, a number of inconveniences are encountered. Thus, in many cases these fastening means are relatively complicated and expensive. Besides, as these fastening means ar-.: generally visible they impair the general appearance of the furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a set of furniture pieces designed with a view to permit the easy assembling thereof both horizontally and vertically, without the above-mentioned inconveniences. These pieces of furniture are also designed with a view to permit their juxtaposition and superposition, and also to receive storage drawers when necessary.

To this end, the furniture pieces according to this invention comprise units generally of parallelipipedic or box shape open on one lateral side and having formed in the upper edge of each side wall a notch adapted to register with an identical notch of a juxtaposed unit, substantially I-I-shaped assembling keys being provided for engaging the registering notches of a pair of juxtaposed units. Besides, the bottom of each unit comprises a downwardly projecting rim adapted to fit around the top edge of an underlying unit and thus hold in position, if necessary, the coupling key or keys assembling this unit with one or a plurality of other juxtaposed units.

Thus, the units constituting a plurality of adjacent vertical tiers can be assembled horizontally as these tiers are erected, with the assistance of said coupling keys. Now these keys are subsequently completely concealed and locked in position, thus precluding any undesired release therefrom.

Preferably, the means contemplated for assembling the units in the vertical direction consist of notches or openings formed in the upper edge of each unit and snappily engageable by matching hooks or like anchoring projections carried by the corresponding inner surfaces of the downwardly projecting rim of said units.

According to another feature characterising the furniture pieces of this invention, drawers are also provided; each drawer is adapted to be fitted into one of said units, and has its upper back edge formed with a projecting lug adapted to abute against a retaining lip carried by the lower surface of the bottom of the next overlying unit with respect to the unit containing the drawer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of furniture units according to this invention, shown in exploded view, i.e. before assembling them;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the same units, the section being taken along a transverse plane;

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the same units in their assembled condition;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along a longitudinal plane of a drawer-containing unit;

FIG. 5 is a plane view from beneath showing on a smaller scale a furniture element or unit according to this invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view showing two juxtaposed units pertaining to two adjacent tiers and assembled by means of a coupling key 9;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plane view from above illustrating the assembling of two juxtaposed units;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a typical embodiment of a coupling key;

FIG. I 9 is a perspective view showing a castersupported base unit adapted to carry the furniture pieces of this invention; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a typical assembly of furniture units according to this invention for constituting a unitary storage structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The furniture piece assembly according to this invention comprises primarily a plurality or series of units 1 of substantially parallelipipedic or box configuration, open on one side (preferably the front side) to facilitate the access thereto. These units 1 are advantageously made of molded plastic material of any suitable composition.

The upper edge 2 of each unit is thinner than the remaining wall portions in order to provide a peripheral shoulder 3. Now the bottom 4 of each unit comprises a downwardly projecting rim adapted to fit around the upper edge 2 of an underlying identical unit when two such units are superposed in an assembly.

Notches or openings 6 are formed on either side of the upper edge 2 of each unit and matching anchoring projections 7 are formed on the inner surface of each downwardly projecting rim 5 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Thus, it is possible to assemble a plurality of these units in superposed relationship by fitting downwardly projecting rim 5 of each unit around the shouldered upper edge 2 of the next unit beneath and causing the corresponding anchoring projections 7 snappily to engage the openings 6.

However, the three upper edges 2 of each unit 1 further comprise a central notch 8 adapted to register with a similar notch of an adjacent, identical unit when two such units are juxtaposed or placed in side by side relationship as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings. A number of coupling keys 9 adapted simultaneously to engage a pair of registering notches 8 of juxtaposed units 1 are also provided.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, each key 9 consists of a substantially H-shaped plate of which the central web 9a is adapted to be engaged into said pair of complementary notches 8 of two adjacent vertical walls of juxtaposed units 1, i.e. units 1 disposed ina common horizontal plane. Under these conditions, the side branches 9b of the key extend within the relevant unit 1 and the two units 1 thusassembled are safely held against each other as clearly illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

When disposing one unit 1 above another identical unit l-already assembled horizontally by means ofa key 9 with a same unit 1, said key 9 is locked in position by the downwardly projecting rim of the upper element or elements. Under these conditions, any untimely removal of key 9 is safely prevented and the assembled units are positively coupled with one another in the horizontal direction without any possibility of accidental uncoupling thereof. It will also be seen that the coupling keys 9 are thus properly concealed within the units 1 so that their presence cannot impair the aesthetic appearance of the furniture pieces thus obtained.

Besides, the coupling keys 9 facilitates greatly the side-by-side assembling of the above-described units 1, i.e.,-in a horizontal plane, without using any tool whatsoever. Thus, these units can be assembled by any unskilled person without difficulty.

As already explained in the foregoing,,the furniture pieces according to this invention are also designed with a view to accomodate storage drawers of a specific type as designated by the general reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1. Preferably, but not compulsorily, these drawers consist likewise of a suitable molded plastic material.

The dimensions of said drawers are such that each of them can slide freely in a unit 1, so that all conventional guiding members and slideways can be dispensed with. However, to prevent any undesired and complete release or removal of a drawer of this character during its forward sliding movement, a retaining lug 11 is pro vided on the upper edge of the rear wall 12 of each drawer. This lug 11 is adapted to engage a stop lug 13 depending from the underface of the bottom 4 of the next superimposed unit 1, this stop 13 being so positioned that the drawer can normally be opened only partially, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In an advantageous form of embodiment the furniv ture pieces according to this invention have a square configuration when seen in plane view from above, so that they can be assembled one above each other with different relative angular settings. Under these conditions, the access opening of one unit may be disposed in one direction and the access opening of an adjacent unit in another direction, for example at 90 or 180 from the direction of said one unit. However, in this case the relative arrangement of the retaining lugs and stops 11, 13 for each drawer must be modified accordingly.

To this end, the lower or underface of the bottom 4 of each unit 1 comprises four crossed stiffening ribs 13 each provided with a projecting lug 14 (FIG. 5), the positions of these lugs 14 being therefore off-set. Thus, a pair of lugs 14 of the parallel, opposed ribs 13 extend on either side of the axis XX' and the pair of lugs 14 of the other pair of ribs 13 are disposed on either side of the perpendicular axis Y-Y' (see FIG. 5).

Now the retaining lug 11 carried by the rear wall 12 of each drawer is also off-set in relation to the longitudinal axis of the drawer, on the same side as the stop lug 14 of rib 13 located near the opening of the unit 1 overlying the unit containing the drawer concerned.

ble-height units la and standard units 1, with Thus, when the drawer is pulled out thisrctaining lug it 11 engages the stoplug l4 irrespective of the angular shown in dash and dot lines by raising its front end.

Under these conditions,.the retaining lug 11 can clear the corresponding stop lug 14 of the adjacent overlying unit 1 from beneath, so that the user can easily remove I i the drawer when necessary.

In addition to the box-shaped units 1, a series of elements 17 adapted to constitute covers therefor are .provided. Each cover or top plate 17 comprises a plate formed with a downwardly projecting rim 18 similar to the rim 5 of units 1. Besides, the inner face of this rim 18 comprises anchoring projections 7 identical with those formed on the lower rim 5 of said unitsl and these projections 7 are also adapted snappily to engage openings or notches 6 formed in the upper edge 2 of the top most unit 1 of a tier of such units. Thus, each vertical tier can be closed at itstop by a cover plate 17.

Due to the specific design and constructional details of the furniture pieces according to this invention, it "is possible to arrange these pieces to suit any desired assembly varying in size and relative position. Besides, in

addition to the basic or standard box-shaped units 1 de scribed hereinabove, other units In of same shape but I having twice the modular height may be provided; fi-

nally, a wide range of combinations may be contem-i plated without departing from the basic principle of the invention. Thus, FIG. 10 illustrates by way of example one of these multiple combinations in which such dou or without drawers 10, are associated.

In order to further increase the versatility of use and the field of applications of the furniture pieces of this invention, base units 19 supported by casters 20 maybe provided, each base unit 19 being adapted to carry one or several tiers or

units

1 or 1a. To this end, each base unit 19 comprises an upper rim 21 adapted to serve the same purpose as the upper edge 2 of units 1. Each side of said rim 21 has formed therein openings 6 adapted to be snappily engaged by the anchoring projections 7 of units 1. Besides, each side of said rim 21 comprises a notch 8 engageable by a coupling key 9 for assem bling the caster-supported, base unit 19 with another base unit 19 in side by side relationship.

However, manyother, accessory and ancillary elements or units may be contemplated with a view to further extend the range of possible. applications and com-. I binations of the furniture pieces of this invention. In

ing substantially box-shaped units adapted to be juxtaposed and superposed, each unit comprising a bottom, a pair of sidewalls, a backwall and a front access aperture, each of said walls having an upper edge portion which is thinner than the remainder of the respective wall, a rim projecting downwardly from said bottom of eachunit and adapted to fit around an edge portion. of

an underlying unit, a notch in said upper edge portion of at least one of said walls adapted to register with a similar notch formed in a juxtaposed unit, at least one substantially H-shaped flat key comprising a central web and a pair of flanges projecting substantially normal to said web from opposite ends and respectively to opposite sides of said web, said web being adapted to be located in the notches of said upper edge portions of a pair of juxtaposed units with the flanges thereon engaging the inner surfaces of abutting walls of said units, and an additional notch in said rim in vertical alignment with each notch in said upper edge portion, said web beingadapted to be also located in the additional notches ofa pair of units superimposed upon said pair of the juxtaposed units.

2. Set of furniture pieces as set forth in claim 1 wherein a notch is formed in each sidewall.

3. A set of furniture pieces to be assembled comprising substantially box-shaped units adapted to be juxtaposed and superposed, each unit comprising a bottom, a pair of sidewalls, a back wall and a front access aperture, each of said walls having an upper edge portion which is thinner than the remainder of the respective wall, a rim projecting downwardly from said bottom of each unit and adapted to fit around the edge portion of an underlying unit, a notch in said upper edge portion of at least one of said walls adapted to register with a similar notch formed in a juxtaposed unit, at least one substantially H-shaped flat key comprising a central web and a pair of flanges projecting substantially normal to said web from opposite ends and respectively to opposite sides of said web, said web being adapted to be located in the notches of said upper edge portions of a pair of juxtaposed units with the flanges thereon engaging the inner surfaces of abutting walls of said units, a plurality of drawers each adapted to fit easily into one of said units to be guided by said side walls, said drawers having upper edges which are located below said keys when said drawers are inserted in said units, the rear wall of each drawer comprising an integral lug projecting upwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of the drawer and being offset in relation to the axis of the drawer, four crossed stiffening ribs carried by the lower face of the bottom of each unit and each provided with a downwardly projecting'stop lug, said stop lug being offset in relation to the axis of the drawer in an underlying unit so that one of said stop lugs is adapted to engage the lug projecting upwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of the drawer in an underlying unit when said drawer is partly withdrawn from the respective unit, regardless whether the access openings of the superimposed units face in the same or in different directions.

4. Set of furniture pieces as set forth in claim 3, wherein the bottom of each drawer comprising an upwardly inclined rear portion adapted to facilitate the tilting of the drawer by raising the front end thereof and thus enable its projecting lug to clear the corresponding stop lug when it is desired to remove the drawer from its unit. Y

5. Set of furniture pieces as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of said units is, in a cross-section parallel to said bottom, of square configuration, and in which the upper edge portion of each of said walls is provided with a central notch.

Claims

1. A set of furniture pieces to be assembled comprising substantially box-shaped units adapted to be juxtaposed and superposed, each unit comprising a bottom, a pair of sidewalls, a backwall and a front access aperture, each of said walls having an upper edge portion which is thinner than the remainder of the respective wall, a rim projecting downwardly from said bottom of each unit and adapted to fit around an edge portion of an underlying unit, a notch in said upper edge portion of at least one of said walls adapted to register with a similar notch formed in a juxtaposed unit, at least one substantially H-shaped flat key comprising a central web and a pair of flanges projecting substantially normal to said web from opposite ends and respectively to opposite sides of said web, said web being adapted to be located in the notches of said upper edge portions of a pair of juxtaposed units with the flanges thereon engaging the inner surfaces of abutting walls of said units, and an additional notch in said rim in vertical alignment with each notch in said upper edge portion, said web being adapted to be also located in the additional notches of a pair of Units superimposed upon said pair of the juxtaposed units.

3. A set of furniture pieces to be assembled comprising substantially box-shaped units adapted to be juxtaposed and superposed, each unit comprising a bottom, a pair of sidewalls, a back wall and a front access aperture, each of said walls having an upper edge portion which is thinner than the remainder of the respective wall, a rim projecting downwardly from said bottom of each unit and adapted to fit around the edge portion of an underlying unit, a notch in said upper edge portion of at least one of said walls adapted to register with a similar notch formed in a juxtaposed unit, at least one substantially H-shaped flat key comprising a central web and a pair of flanges projecting substantially normal to said web from opposite ends and respectively to opposite sides of said web, said web being adapted to be located in the notches of said upper edge portions of a pair of juxtaposed units with the flanges thereon engaging the inner surfaces of abutting walls of said units, a plurality of drawers each adapted to fit easily into one of said units to be guided by said side walls, said drawers having upper edges which are located below said keys when said drawers are inserted in said units, the rear wall of each drawer comprising an integral lug projecting upwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of the drawer and being offset in relation to the axis of the drawer, four crossed stiffening ribs carried by the lower face of the bottom of each unit and each provided with a downwardly projecting stop lug, said stop lug being offset in relation to the axis of the drawer in an underlying unit so that one of said stop lugs is adapted to engage the lug projecting upwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall of the drawer in an underlying unit when said drawer is partly withdrawn from the respective unit, regardless whether the access openings of the superimposed units face in the same or in different directions.

4. Set of furniture pieces as set forth in claim 3, wherein the bottom of each drawer comprising an upwardly inclined rear portion adapted to facilitate the tilting of the drawer by raising the front end thereof and thus enable its projecting lug to clear the corresponding stop lug when it is desired to remove the drawer from its unit.