Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C4/00—Foldable, collapsible or dismountable chairs
  • A47C4/02—Dismountable chairs
  • A47C4/028—Upholstered chairs, e.g. metal, plastic or wooden chairs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C4/00—Foldable, collapsible or dismountable chairs
  • A47C4/02—Dismountable chairs

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method for making a transportation or storage package.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a means whereby the transportation of even durable goods like the above mentioned ones may be arranged in an efficient manner, without the prejudices of the end user and/or persons visiting the end user influencing the use of the product.
• the further aim of the invention is to provide methods for transporting especially large pieces of furniture, such as couches or the like, whereby one aim is to provide a piece of furniture, that can be arranged for the transportation in an easily and efficiently transportable form, where the share of unnecessary empty space is minimized.
• one or several transportation packages for the object proper e. g. a piece of furniture or the like, may comprise parts belonging to the same object body.
• the transportation package proper may comprise similar or different parts of several bodies.
• the body to be packaged is formed from separate parts of an entity, said parts being sub-assemblies connecting with each other, whereby interconnecting locking devices are arranged at adjacent faces of the sub-assemblies at which points the sub-assemblies may, at adjacent sides, be disconnected from each other for the purpose of transportation and respectively be connected with each other in side-by-side relation in connection with disassembling the package, the boundaries between sub-assemblies being situated at points where there would be a visible seam in the lining in any case, and in such a manner, that the lining suitably provides a friction surface inhibiting the relative motion between subassemblies.
• each sub-assembly comprises a lining or cushioning, which extends over at least a part of said sub- assembly, said lining or cushioning at the boundaries between sub-assemblies extending inwards towards the supporting structure of the furniture.
• the locking devices are arranged in such a way that the sub-assemblies lock into each other in response to a mutual movement towards each other and a following mutual parallel movement essentially in the direction of the contact surfaces, whereby locking means preferably are arranged in connection with the locking devices or in their vicinity to prevent accidental mutual parallel movement in the opposite direction.
• Fig 1 schematically shows an embodiment of the invention as a side section
• Fig 2 shows the embodiment according to Fig 1 seen from behind in a stage when the package of the piece of furniture is opened and the assembly has commenced
• Fig 3 shows the same embodiment seen from the front
• Fig 4 shows the piece of furniture almost completely assembled
• Fig 5 shows a section, in exaggerated dimensions, of a locking device according to one embodiment of the invention
• Fig 6 shows an alternative locking.
• the body shown in figures 1...4 is, as may be seen especially in figure 4, a unit that is very cumbersome to transport in its assembled form, thus leaving a considerable amount of useless space in a load comprising several similar bodies.
• the concept of the present invention derives from the realization that the body prior to packaging, advantageously already during the manufacturing process, may be formed from separate sub-assemblies that after transportation and/or storage may be locked into each other.
• a side projection of a piece of furniture of the couch type is shown as an example wherein the back rest 1, the seat part 2, the arm rests 3, 3a and the front board 4 of the body to be packed all are separate in the packaging stage and as such form sub-assemblies from which the assembled body, in the example shown as a couch, is formed.
• the piece of furniture described above is thus formed from sub-assemblies which are suitably detached from each other for the duration of transportation or storage.
• units that can be transported and stored efficiently as is the aim of the invention may be formed from said sub-assemblies in a manner known per se.
• the aforementioned sub-assemblies are attached to each other by means of mutually cooperating locking devices 5 located in each sub-assembly.
• said locking devices 5 advantageously comprise a female element 6 on one hand and a male element 7 on the other hand.
• the above mentioned locking devices 5 function advantageously in such a manner that the male element 7 of each first sub-assembly is pushed into the corresponding female element 6 of the adjacent sub-assembly connecting therewith. After this the sub-assemblies 1, 2, 3, 4 are moved mutually laterally, suitably vertically in such a manner that the advantageously L-formed outwards extending locking tongue situated in the male element 7 grips behind the edge defining the groove of the female element 6, whereby an initial locking takes place.
• the method according to the invention is especially suitable to be used in connection with the transportation and storage of bodies wherein the assembled body and hence also at least part of the sub-assemblies forming it, comprise a rather soft lining or cushioning 8.
• the seams between the sub-assemblies may be located in places, where seams in the lining or cushioning would naturally occur in the assembled body.
• the said seams In pieces of sitting furniture, such as an armchair or a couch the said seams would usually be situated between the back rest 1 and the arm rests 3, 3a. Furthermore the cushioning of the sitting part 2 usually forms a separate entity in which case this forms a natural seam between said sub-assembly 2 and the other sub-assemblies 1, 3, 3a, 4. Furthermore, in e. g. leather couches a seam simultaneously may be formed between the leather lining of the front panel and the arm rests 3, 3a for practical reasons, in which case this seam is used as a dividing seam between sub-assemblies 3, 3a, 2 and 4 according to the invention.
• this stuffing can be used advantageously also in such manner that it in itself forms a friction surface between said sub-assemblies said friction surfaces resisting the relative movement of the sub-assemblies and thus functioning to prevent any accidental opening of the locking devices.
• the sitting part 2 forms an entity of its own in a very natural manner.
• the sitting part 2 has its own supporting legs 9.
• said legs are advantageously hinged to facilitate turning them on one hand parallel to the sitting part and, on the other hand, downward, perpendicular to the floor.
• detachable support structures for the sitting part 2 have been arranged between the back rest 1 and the front panel 4.
• the front panel 4 suitably forms the last sub-assembly to be attached when assembling, and correspondingly the first sub-assembly to be detached when disassembling.
• Fig. 5 illustrates one locking arrangement in which the final interlocking of the sub-assemblies is accomplished through driving a pushing device in one sub-assembly into a hole arranged in another sub-assembly 3, 3a or in the locking device 5, 6, whereby the relative movement between said sub-assemblies is prevented and thus eliminating any accidental opening of the locking device 5.
• the pushing device may either be a loose element or it may be mounted in a sliding manner to the sub-assembly 4.
• the pushing device advantageously comprises a pin or the like. If the need later arises to dis- assemble the inventory into sub-assemblies the above locking arrangement is easy to open.
• FIG. 6 An especially advantageous embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 6 illustrating a spring loaded locking latch 11 along which another sub-assembly (the front panel 4 in said Fig. 6) or a part thereof slides in the primary locking stage, in which case the final locking automatically will be accomplished when the locking devices 5 have moved sufficiently relative to each other for achieving a primary locking and the locking latch 11 has reached its counterpart 12.
• This automatic locking arrangement is advantageous in such a way that the final locking does not require any special action, and thus does not accidentally remain undone.
• a locking latch like this can suitably be constructionally incorporated in connecting with the locking device 5.
• the entire packaging unit described above thus comprises sub-assemblies of the body to be packaged accordingly and the unit may easily be assembled into a rigid structure, e. g. a couch, without the use of tools.
• the same packaging unit comprises, at the packaging stage only sub-assemblies having a shape which allows them to be stacked very tightly.
• the packaging unit formed in accordance with the invention may be transported advantageously even over long distances, in which case the manufacturing location may be chosen considering other factors than transportation.
• storing these sub-assemblies is significantly cheaper than storing assembled bodies, often of complicated shape.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Buffer Packaging (AREA)
• Packaging Of Machine Parts And Wound Products (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8530706

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (1)

Citations (3)

• 1990
  • 1990-06-27 FI FI903251A patent/FI85640C/fi not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1991
  • 1991-06-27 WO PCT/FI1991/000202 patent/WO1992000029A1/en unknown
  • 1991-06-27 AU AU80649/91A patent/AU8064991A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (3)

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