U.S. patent application number 12/751489 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-06 for modifiable modular furniture system with channel connector..
Invention is credited to Varoujan Tashjian.
Application Number | 20110241505 12/751489 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44708798 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110241505 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tashjian; Varoujan |
October 6, 2011 |
Modifiable modular furniture system with channel connector.
Abstract
Modular office furniture capable of being modified by connecting
and disconnecting units of the furniture together by way of a
channel connector that slides into preformed engraved channels
formed on the external surfaces of the units. The design allows for
units to be arranged in a way that is suitable for an end user.
Inventors: |
Tashjian; Varoujan;
(Glendale, CA) |
Family ID: |
44708798 |
Appl. No.: |
12/751489 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/198 ;
403/24 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 87/0276 20130101;
Y10T 403/18 20150115; A47B 96/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/198 ;
403/24 |
International
Class: |
A47B 97/00 20060101
A47B097/00 |
Claims
1. A modular furniture system comprising: at least one unit and at
least one connector, the at least one unit is box, flat cornered,
in shape with a preformed engraved channel on an exterior surface
of at least two adjacent sides of the at least one unit, the
preformed engraved channel spans a distance from a front of the at
least one unit toward a back of the at least one unit, whereby the
preformed engraved channel accommodate the at least one connector,
the at least one connector comprising at least one branch, each at
least one branch has a pair of legs, and each of the pair of legs
is substantially rectangular in shape and each of the pair of legs
are attached together at substantially a right angle, and each of
the pair of legs has a lip that spans the length of each of the
pair of legs, the lip is attached at substantially a right angle to
the leg, the lips of each of the at least one branch are located
internal to the substantially right angle formed between the pair
of legs, wherein the at least one connector is capable of matingly
engaging with the preformed engaged channel of the at least one
unit.
2. The modular furniture system as described in claim 1 where a
first unit is attached to a second unit, the first unit and second
unit each have a preformed engraved channel on the external side of
at least two adjacent sides, the preformed engraved channel of the
first unit is juxtaposed to the preformed engraved channel of the
second unit, an at least one connector having at least two branches
is matingly engaged with the preformed engraved channel of the
first unit one and the preformed engraved channel of the second
unit.
3. The modular furniture system as described in claim 1 whereby a
first unit, a second unit and a third unit are attached together by
an at least three branch connector, each of the first unit, second
unit and third unit have a preformed engraved channel located on
the exterior side of at least two adjacent sides of each of the
first unit, second unit, and third unit, the preformed engraved
channel of first unit, second unit and third unit are juxtaposed
and the at least three branch connector is matingly engaged with
the preformed engraved channel of the first unit, second unit and
third unit.
4. The modular furniture system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of
units are attached together by a plurality of connectors.
5. A modifiable modular furniture system capable of rearrangement
comprising: a first unit attached to a second unit by a connector
matingly engaged to the first unit and the second unit by way of a
preformed engraved channel on the exterior surface of the first
unit and a preformed engraved channel on the exterior surface of
the second unit, said first unit and second unit are polygonal and
have an opening on a front side of the polygonal shape, the
preformed engraved channel of the first unit and the second unit
spans from the front side to a back side, the connector has at
least one branch, each at least one branch has two legs attached
together forming an "L", each leg has a lip running the length of
the leg forming an "L," the lips of the at least one branch are
both located on the interior side of the angle formed between the
two legs, the size and shape of the preformed engraved channel
accommodates the size and shape of the connector, the connector
slides into position in the preformed engraved channel of the first
unit and the preformed engraved channel of the second unit for
matingly engaging the first unit and second unit together.
6. A connector means for matingly engaging a channel in a modular
furniture system with a at least one branch, the at least one
branch has at least a pair of legs attached together along an
elongated side of each of the at least a pair legs at substantially
a ninety degree angle, each of the at least a pair of legs has a
lip attached opposite the angle, the lip is located on the interior
side of the ninety degree angle, the shape of the lip is
complimentary to the channel of the modular furniture system.
7. The connector means of claim 6 with at least two branches, the
at least two branches are attached along an elongated length of a
leg of the at least a pair of legs of the first branch and an
elongated length of a leg of the at least a pair of legs of the
second branch such that the first branch and second branch form
substantially a "T" shape.
8. The connector means of claim 7 with a third branch, said third
branch is attached along the elongated length of the leg of the
second branch and an elongated length of the leg of an at least a
pair of legs of the third branch such that the three branches form
substantially a "t" shape.
9. The connector means of claim 8 with a fourth branch, said fourth
branch is attached along the elongated length of the leg of the
third branch and an elongated length of a leg of an at least a pair
of legs of the fourth branch such that the four branches form
substantially a "t" shape.
10. A modular furniture system with a first unit and a second unit
attached together with the connector means of claim 8, the first
unit and second unit are box shaped and have an opening on a front
side of each unit, each unit has at least a pair of preformed
engraved channels along an external side of two adjacent sides of
the each unit perpendicular to the opening, the at least a pair of
preformed engraved channels start on the front side of the unit and
span toward a back side of the unit, the units are attached by
matingly engaging the lips of an at least a pair of legs of the
first branch of the connector means to the at least a pair of
preformed engraved channels of the first unit and matingly engaging
the lips of the at least a pair of legs of the second branch of the
connector means with the at least a pair of preformed engraved
channels of the second unit.
11. A modular furniture system with a first unit attached to a
second unit attached to a third unit with the connector means of
claim 9, each unit is box shaped and has an openings on a front
side and each unit has at least two preformed engraved channels
along two adjacent sides perpendicular to the front side, the first
unit is attached to the second unit by way of matingly engaging the
lips of the first branch of the connector means and the at least
two preformed engraved channels of the first unit and matingly
engaging the lips of the second branch of the connector means and
the at least two preformed engraved channels of the second unit and
matingly engaging the lips of the third branch of the connector
means with the at least two preformed engraved channels of the
third unit.
12. A modular furniture system with a first unit attached to a
second unit attached to a third unit attached to a fourth unit with
the connector means of claim 10, each unit is box shaped and has an
opening on a front side of each unit and at least two preformed
engraved channels along two adjacent sides perpendicular to the
opening, the first unit is attached to the second unit by way of
matingly engaging the lips of the first branch and second branch of
the connector means to the at least two preformed engraved channels
of the first unit and the at least two preformed engraved channels
of the second unit, the third unit is connected by matingly
engaging the lips of the third branch to the at least two preformed
engraved channels of the third unit, the fourth unit is attached by
matingly engaging the lips of the fourth branch of the connector
means and the at least two preformed engraved channels of the
fourth unit.
13. A modular furniture system comprising a plurality of units,
said plurality of units are polygon shaped, said plurality of units
each have an opening on a front side, said units have a pair of
preformed engraved channels on at least two sides of the exterior
of the unit perpendicular to the front side, said plurality of
units are attached together by a plurality of connector means as
claimed in claim 6 by matingly engaging the plurality of connectors
means with the at least a pair of preformed engraved channels of
the plurality of units.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The field of art to which this invention relates pertains to
mechanical fastening systems, particularly to improved connectors
or channel connectors for mechanically connecting units or multiple
units of furniture together to form a single unit.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The statements in this background section merely provide
background information related to the present disclosure and may
not constitute prior art.
[0003] In the furniture industry there is currently a need for
connecting multiple units of a modular furniture system together
without the use of fasteners such as grommets, screws, nails, or
the like, which can damage both the interior and exterior aspects
of the units. The fasteners often cause damage to the body of the
units which effects the aesthetics of the units and prevent a user
from modifying the arrangement because of the damage that has
occurred to the exterior and interior aspects of the units.
[0004] Thus, a drawback of conventional available modular furniture
systems is the inability to modify the arrangement of the units
after they have been assembled without damaging the interior and/or
exterior of the furniture units. Another drawback of known modular
furniture systems is that they require special tools to fasten the
units together.
[0005] A modular furniture system which can be easily arranged and
connected together without the use of tools or fasteners causing
damage would facilitate the rearrangement and assembly of
individual units together to provide greater flexibility to
accommodate the needs of different users.
SUMMARY
[0006] According to various aspects of the present disclosure,
there are provided various exemplary embodiments of a modular
furniture system that enable a user to attach multiple furniture
units to each other from their corners to become one connected
unit. The modular furniture system can be rearranged by removing or
adding one to four units to each individual unit with the use of a
connector that slides into a preformed engraved channel.
[0007] Each unit of the modular furniture system is flat cornered
in shape and has a set of at least two preformed engraved channels
on the external portion of the unit on adjacent sides. This set of
preformed engraved channels is complimentary to the dimensions of
the connector which slides into the channel. The unit can have a
set of preformed engraved channels on one, two, three, four, or any
number of the corners of the unit.
[0008] Each connector has at least one branch formed by two
adjacent legs and corresponding lips which compliment the dimension
of the preformed engraved channels. The lip and a portion of the
leg of each branch slide into the preformed engraved channel to
connect the multiple units of the modular furniture system
together. The units can be taken apart by removing the connector
and rearranged as the user sees fit. The ability to rearrange the
units provides the user with flexibility to add additional units or
remove units as needed and in an arrangement that fits with
existing structures which are not easily modified such as floors,
walls, or other structural elements.
DRAWINGS
[0009] The drawings herein are for illustration purposes only and
are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in
any way.
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts a single branch connector capable of filling
the corner of a modular furniture system;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a two branch connector capable of attaching
together two units of the modular furniture system;
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts a four branched connector capable of
attaching together four units of the modular furniture system;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows three units of the modular furniture system
connected together with the connector shown in FIG. 1 and the
connector in FIG. 3;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a front view of three units connected together
with the connector of FIG. 3 and two connectors like that shown in
FIG. 2 and two corner connectors like that shown in FIG. 1;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows and exploded view of modular furniture system
depicted in FIG. 5;
[0016] FIG. 7 shows a single unconnected unit of the modular
furniture system;
[0017] FIG. 8 shows the modular furniture system with connectors
like that in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 but with the connectors not all the
way into the preformed engraved channel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and
is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, application
or uses.
[0019] According to various aspects of the present disclosure,
there are provided various exemplary embodiments of modular
furniture systems and connectors that enable the attachment of
multiple furniture units together. The units are connected together
by way of a connector that includes at least two branches. Each
branch has a pair of legs, each leg has a lip that runs the length
of the branch forming substantially right angles to each other
where the lips on a pair of legs are located on the same side of
the substantially right angle formed by the attachment of the two
legs together. The connector slides into a complimentary preformed
engraved channel running the length of two adjacent sides of a
corner of the modular furniture system.
[0020] Further aspects of the present disclosure relate to a one
branch or two legged connectors that are utilized to fill the
preformed engraved channels of the modular furniture units that are
not being connected to another unit.
[0021] Disclosed herein are modular furniture systems comprised of
units of furniture attached to one another in non-damaging
modifiable way by means of a connector that is slidably inserted
into a preformed engraved channel and allows the system to be
adjusted and adapted to accommodate the needs of the user based on
a particular function or space requirements as is discussed herein.
The individual units of the modular furniture system are generally,
but not limited to box shaped with preformed engraved channels on
at least two adjacent sides of a furniture unit. The engraved
channels can also be located on three, four or any number of sides
of the individual units to function similarly. The engraved
channels are complimentary in size and shape to a connector that
slides into the channel and allows multiple units to be attached
together.
[0022] The individual units are made of rigid material such as
wood, plastic, polymer, metal, composite, resin, or any rigid
material suitable for such a use. They can be made of a variety of
shapes and sizes to accommodate the needs of the user. By way of
example only, they can be fixed to a wall to be used as storage in
a garage, basement or kitchen. The individual units can be made
smaller to accommodate things like shoes, jewelry, accessories, or
other small items.
[0023] The connector can be made of similar rigid materials
including but not limited to wood, plastic, polymers, resins,
metal, composite, or the like. The preformed engraved channel can
be bored out with specialty tools, built as a void space by the
addition of material to either side of the channel such that the
shape of the channel fits the connector, or by molds whereby the
material forming the unit is poured into a specific mold with the
shape of the channel as part of the structure of the mold.
[0024] FIG. 1 is an exemplary embodiment of one of the connectors,
100, used to fill the preformed engraved channel when the channels
are not being utilized to connect nearby units. Lips 101 and 104
are attached to legs 102 and 103 at substantially right angles and
the lips 101 and 104 are capable of being inserted into the
preformed engraved channels located on the units as seen on the
units in FIG. 7. Legs 102 and 103 are attached at substantially
right angles from each other and substantially right angles from
lips 101 and 104 respectively. Each attached adjacent pair of legs
and corresponding lips form an individual branch of the connector
100.
[0025] FIG. 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a connector with two
branches, 200. This connector can connect two separate units
together by inserting lips 201, 204, 206, and 207 into
corresponding complimentary preformed engraved channels on two
different units. Legs 202 and 208 and legs 203 and 205 are
substantially at right angles to each other. Lips 201, 204, 206,
and 207 run the length of the connector and are substantially at
right angles from legs 202, 203, 205, and 208 respectively.
[0026] FIG. 3 is an exemplary embodiment of a four branch connector
300, capable of connecting 2, 3 or 4 separate units together.
Branches 301, 302, 303, and 304 have corresponding legs and lips at
substantially 90 degree angels such as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Branches 301, 302, 303, and 304 additionally are attached at the
back side of the legs of each branch.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows three units 401, 402, and 403 connected by a
four branch connector as seen in FIG. 3, 300. In addition, the
preformed engaged channel on the exterior corner of unit 401 has
been filled by a two branch connector 100 as seen in FIG. 1. As
previously disclosed, each unit has corresponding pairs of
preformed engraved channels on adjacent sides of each box shaped
unit.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a front view of three units connected by a four
branch connector 300 and three branch connector 200 as seen in
FIGS. 3 and 2, respectively.
[0029] FIG. 6 is an exploded view of three units that were
previously connected by way of two branch connectors 200, 200b and
four branch connector 300.
[0030] FIG. 7 shows an individual unit 500. Each of the adjacent
corners of the unit has preformed engraved channels located
substantially equidistant from the edge of two sides of the unit.
For example, engraved channels 501 and 502 are located on two
adjacent corners and are depicted at substantially equal distance
from the edge of two sides of the unit. The engraved channels can
span the entire length of the unit or can stop at any distance from
the back side of each unit while still serving the same function of
providing a slot for insertion of a connector to either attach
additional units or to fill the preformed engraved channels to
prevent foreign debris from filling or clogging the channels.
Preformed engraved channels 503 and 504 are also located
substantially equidistant from the corner of a unit on adjacent
sides. These preformed engraved channels, again do not span the
entire distance of the unit but can do so to function the same, as
a location for insertion of the connectors.
[0031] FIG. 8 shows FIG. 7 with all the components, units and
connectors, located substantially in place.
[0032] The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in
nature and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the
disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure.
Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the
spirit and scope of the disclosure.
* * * * *