WO2000005994A1

WO2000005994A1 - Apparatus for prefabricating furniture

Info

Publication number: WO2000005994A1
Application number: PCT/KR1998/000230
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jong Ryul Park
Original assignee: Jong Ryul Park
Priority date: 1998-07-29
Filing date: 1998-07-29
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: AU8464998A

Abstract

An apparatus for prefabricating furniture having shelves (2) or guide rails (60) for drawers is disclosed. The apparatus comprises, two side plates (10) having one or two more flutes (14) formed vertically in the inside surface (12) thereof, guide bars (20) being inserted in the flutes (14) and having a vertical guide groove (22) with a slit (28), and supporting members (40) being installed in the guide bars (20) across the slit (28) and supporting the shelves (2) or said guide rails (60) for drawers thereon. The supporting members (40) can be moved up and down along the guide bar (20) and be fixed to a desirable position thereof.

Description

APPARATUS FOR PREFABRICATING FURNITURE

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention is related to an apparatus for prefabricating furniture, and in particular, to a prefabricating apparatus which the space between shelves or the height of drawers can be adjusted, in furniture having shelves or drawers, such as bookcases, combination furniture, showcases, etc.

BACKGROUND ART Such furniture as bookcases, combination furniture, showcases and the like which have been widely used for keeping or displaying books, vessels, decorations and other items, generally have shelves in order to put the items on .

Conventionally, the space between shelves in those furniture has been originally set in manufacturing step, and therefore, the space cannot be adjusted in accordance with the size of the items to be put thereon , for example, in accordance with the height of books. That is, only the books whose the height is matched with that of the space between the shelves can be kept thereon . To solve these problems, furniture whose the space between the shelves can be somewhat adjusted have been developed . Such typical prior art prefabricating structure of furniture is shown in Figure 6. As illustrated in Figure 6, a bookcase 100 composes two side plates 1 10 having many screw holes 1 12 in the inside surface thereof , shelf supports 1 14 being jointed with the screw holes 1 12 and shelves 120 being put on the shelf supports 1 14. In the prior art furniture 100, the range of adjusting the space between the shelves 120 is limited to the position of the screw holes 1 12 being set in the side plates 1 1 0. Thus, such furniture has a problem that the space between the shelves 120 cannot be in detail adjusted in accordance with the height of books which the user has in hand, although the screw holes 1 12 are set in consideration of the size of books. Also, the prior art furniture with guide rails for drawers have a disadvantage in that the position of drawers cannot be adjusted accordance with the user's need because the rails are fixed to the side plates.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention , there is provided an apparatus for prefabricating furniture. The apparatus comprises two side plates having one or two more flutes, guide bars being fixed in the flutes and supporting members supporting shelves or guide rails for drawers. The flute is formed vertically in the inside surface of the side plates which are side frames of furniture. The guide bar has a vertical guide groove. A slit is formed vertically in the inside surface of the guide bar to communicate with the guide groove.

The supporting member is installed in the guide bar across the slit of the guide groove, which can be moved up and down and to be fixed to a desirable position of the guide bar.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description , taken with the accompanying drawings wherein :

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a bookcase incorporating an apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention ;

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a side plate and a guide bar of an apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention ;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a side plate of an apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention ;

Figure 4 is a detailed portion perspective view of an apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention ; Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of furniture having drawers employing an apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention ; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a typical prior art apparatus for prefabricating furniture.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for prefabricating furniture according to the present invention.

The apparatus is applied to a bookcase 1 having shelves 2, which comprises two side plates 10, four guide bars 20 and many supporting members 40.

The side plates 10 are side frames of the bookcase 1 . Each of the side plates has a flute(s) 14 which is(are) formed vertically along with the inner surface 12 thereof. A single flute 14 is enough to fix the shelf 2 without instability, in case that the support member 40 is formed with a size of sufficiency; however, it is desirable to form two flutes 14 in parallel to more securely support the shelf 2.

The shape of flute 14 is not limited, provided that the guide bar 20 can be inserted and fixed therein, but as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, it is desirable to make it in T-shape having extensions 16 to securely fix the guide bar 20 into the flute 14. The details will be described below in explaining the guide bar 20.

The guide bar 20 is inserted into and fixed to the flute 14 of the side plate 10. The guide bar 20 is made of, for example, aluminum, where the guide groove 22 is formed vertically. The guide bar 20 is made into an outer profile corresponding to the inner shape of the flute 14.

Referring to Figure 2, the guide bar 20 is in the form of T-shape corresponding to the flute 14 in T-shape. That is, the guide bar 20 has two protrusion parts 24 which are extended from the guide bar 20, therefore the guide bar 20 is firmly fixed in the flute 14 by inserting the protrusion parts 24 into the extensions 16, using adhesive, if necessary.

A slit 28 is formed vertically in the inside surface 26 of the guide bar 20 to communicate with the guide groove 22, where the support member 40 is installed to be moved up and down and fixed , as described below.

On the other hand, it is desirable to form an inlet 30(referring to Figure 1 ) in the guide bar 20 by cutting off a portion of the inside surface of the top part or the bottom part of the guide bar 20, whereby it is easy to install the supporting member 40 across the slit 28 of the guide groove 22.

It is also desirable to inscribe or attach a ruler 32 in the inside surface 26 of the guide bar 20, to that effect that the ruler can be used in determining the height of the support member 40, as described below. The support member 40 is installed in the guide bar 20 by inserting it across the slit 28 of the guide groove 22. The support member 40 can be moved up and down along with the guide groove 22 and to be fixed at a desired position of the guide bar 20.

As illustrated in Figure 4, the support member 40 is composed of a movable nut 42, the support part 44 having a loading surface 46 and a bolt hole 48, and a bolt 50. The movable nut 42 is inserted in the guide groove 22. The loading surface 46 of the support part 44 is formed flatly to put on the shelf 2 or the guide rail 60 without shaking. The bolt hole 48 is penetrated through the support part 44 toward the nut 42. The bolt 50 selectively fixes the support part 44 to the guide bar 20 by inserting it into the bolt hole 48 and jointing it to the nut 42. Here, as the nut 42, it is desirable to use a square nut having a diagonal length longer than the width of the guide groove 22, whereby the rotation of the nut 42 is prevented when turning the bolt 50. In addition , it is desirable to form screw holes 52 in the support part

44 and through the corresponding position of the shelf 2 to fix the shelf 2 on the support part 44 with screws(not shown) , whereby the shelf 2 is not shaken under the condition that the shelf 2 is prefabricated on the support part 44. Selectively, by attaching the non-skid plate made of materials having high-friction factor to the loading part 46 of the support part 44 or by making the support part 44 in itself of materials or shapes having high- friction factor, it is possible for the shelf not to be shaken without fixing with the screws.

As illustrated in Figure 5, the apparatus for prefabricating furniture according to the present invention can also be applied to furniture having drawers. That is, guide rails 60 for drawers can be installed to be moved up and down and fixed by applying the apparatus for prefabricating furniture of the present invention, such that the position of drawers can be adjusted freely. The reference number 62 in Figure 5 indicates a roller, and the other are the same as the embodiment stated above.

Hereafter, the application of the above apparatus according to the subject invention will be described.

At first, in manufacturing furniture 1 , the guide bars 20 are inserted in the flutes 14 of the two side plates 10, and the nuts 42 of the support members 40 are inserted into the guide grooves 22 of the guide bars 20, and then the two side plates 10, the upper plate 3, the lower plate 4 and the back plate 5 are assembled. The nuts 42 can be inserted through the inlets 30 after the assembling of the plates 3, 4, 5 and 10.

Next, the support parts 44 are loosely bolted to the nuts 42 using the bolts 50, so that they can be moved up and down . After moving the support parts 44 to the desired position, the support members 40 are fixed to the guide bars 20 by firmly screwing the bolts 50 again. A set of the support members 40(e.g. four pieces) supporting one shelf should be identical in height in order for the shelf to be installed horizontally. The heights of the support members 40 can be adjusted using the rulers 32 indicated on the guide bars 20.

Last, the shelf 2(or the guide rail 60) is put on the support members 40 and securely fixed thereon using the screw holes 52 and screws.

As described above, using the apparatus for prefabricating furniture according to the present invention, there is an advantage in that the height of shelves or drawers can be freely and easily adjusted on the height as the user wants.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention can be applied to various kinds of furniture having shelves or drawers. Especially, it can be applied to bookcases for keeping several sizes of books.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1 . An apparatus for prefabricating furniture having shelves or guide rails for drawers comprising: two side plates having one or two more flutes which are vertically formed in the inside surface thereof; guide bars being inserted in said flutes and having a vertical guide groove, wherein a slit is formed vertically in said guide bars to communicate with said guide groove; and supporting members being installed in said guide bars across said slit and supporting said shelves or said guide rails for drawers thereon , wherein said supporting members can be moved up and down along said guide bar and be fixed to a desirable position thereof.

2. An apparatus for prefabricating furniture as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said flute is T-shape having extensions and said guide bar is T- shape having protrusion parts corresponding to said extensions.

3. An apparatus for prefabricating furniture as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises a movable nut inserted in said guide groove, a support part having a loading surface and a bolt hole, and a bolt selectively fixing said support part to said guide bar by inserting it in said bolt hole and jointing it to said nut.

4. An apparatus for prefabricating furniture as claimed in claim 3, wherein said guide bar has an inlet in the top part or the bottom part thereof.