Connector bracket and system comprising a connector bracket adapted to form part of a locking arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517108-B2
Application number	US-201816617220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 29, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A system is provided comprising a first furniture part (200) and a locking arrangement comprising a connector bracket (1) and a locking element (4). The first furniture part (200) comprises a recess (201) having an oblong shape comprising an insertion portion (203) and a locking portion (204), wherein the locking portion (204) along an inner wall comprises a groove (207). The connector bracket (1) comprises a base portion (2) having an extension adapted to extend along the first furniture part (200), and at least one protrusion (3) having a longitudinal extension extending transverse the extension of the base portion (2) and comprising a rim (7) extending transverse the longitudinal extension of the protrusion (3). The protrusion (3) is configured to be inserted into the insertion portion (203) and to be movable from the insertion portion (203) to the locking portion (204) by applying a force to the connector bracket (1) in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the protrusion (3), whereby the rim (7) engages the groove (207). The locking element (4) being a flexible tongue (4) is integral with the connector bracket (1) and is configured to be inserted into the insertion portion (203), thereby preventing the protrusion (3) from being moved from the locking portion (204) to the insertion portion (203) and thereby releasing its engagement with the groove (207). The locking element (4) is configured to form a safety lock adapted for acting against a portion of an envelope surface of the protrusion (3) facing the insertion portion (203) of the recess (201). Also, a connector bracket and the use of such connector bracket is disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising a first furniture part, a second furniture part, and a locking arrangement comprising a connector bracket and a locking element,
wherein the first furniture part comprises a recess having an oblong shape comprising an insertion portion and a locking portion, wherein the locking portion along an inner wall comprises a groove;
wherein the second furniture part comprises a through-going hole;
the connector bracket comprises a base portion having two opposing surfaces forming a front surface and a rear surface, an extension adapted to extend along the first furniture part, and a protrusion arranged on the rear surface of the base portion, the protrusion having a longitudinal extension extending transverse the extension of the base portion and comprising a rim extending transverse the longitudinal extension of the protrusion;
wherein the protrusion is configured to be inserted into the through-going hole of the second furniture part and into the insertion portion of the recess of the first furniture part and to be movable from the insertion portion of the recess to the locking portion of the recess, by applying a force to the connector bracket such that the connector bracket moves linearly in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the protrusion, whereby the rim of the protrusion engages the groove in the inner wall of the locking portion, thereby counteracting relative movement between the first furniture part and the connector bracket along the longitudinal extension of the protrusion;
wherein the locking element is integral with the connector bracket and is configured to extend through the through-going hole and to be inserted into the insertion portion of the recess, thereby preventing the protrusion from being moved from the locking portion of the recess to the insertion portion of the recess to release engagement with the groove along the inner wall of the locking portion of the recess, and
wherein the locking element is a flexible tongue which, when the locking element has been inserted into the insertion portion of the recess, is configured to pivot toward the rear surface of the base portion of the connector bracket to form a safety lock adapted for acting against a portion of an envelope surface of the protrusion facing the insertion portion of the recess.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the second furniture part comprises a thin-walled portion having the through-going hole, and wherein the protrusion is configured to be inserted into and extend through the through-going hole before being inserted into the insertion portion of the recess.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the locking element comprises a shoulder which is configured to, when the locking element has been inserted into the insertion portion of the recess, abut a surface of the second furniture part facing the first furniture part.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the connector bracket further comprises an actuator facilitating force transfer to the connector bracket in a direction transverse the longitudinal extension of the protrusion when moving the connector bracket to a locking position.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein protrusion comprises a first protrusion, the connector bracket comprises a second protrusion, the recess comprises a first recess, the first furniture part comprises a second recess, the through-going hole comprises a first through-going hole, and the second furniture part comprises a second through-going hole.

6. A connector bracket adapted to form part of a locking arrangement configured to lockingly interconnect the connector bracket with at least a first furniture part, said first furniture part comprising a recess having an oblong shape comprising an insertion portion and a locking portion, wherein the locking portion along an inner wall comprises a groove; the connector bracket comprising:
a base portion having two opposing surfaces forming a front surface and a rear surface, an extension adapted to extend along the first furniture part, and a protrusion arranged on the rear surface of the base portion, the protrusion having a longitudinal extension extending transverse the extension of the base portion and comprising a rim extending transverse the longitudinal extension of the protrusion;
wherein the protrusion is configured to be inserted into the insertion portion of the recess and to be movable from the insertion portion of the recess to the locking portion of the recess by moving the connector bracket in a direction transverse to the longitudinal extension of the protrusion, whereby the rim of the protrusion engages the groove in the inner wall of the locking portion, thereby counteracting relative movement between the first furniture part and the connector bracket along the longitudinal extension of the protrusion; and
a locking element which is integral with the connector bracket and which comprises a flexible tongue adapted to be movable between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the flexible tongue in the locked position is arranged to extend into the insertion portion of the recess of the first furniture part, and wherein the flexible tongue, when the locking element has been inserted into the insertion portion of the recess, is configured to pivot toward the rear surface of the base portion of the connector bracket to form a safety lock adapted for acting against a portion of an envelope surface of the protrusion facing the insertion portion of the recess.

7. The connector bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the base portion comprises the protrusion and another protrusion arranged a distance from each other along the extension of the base portion.

8. The connector bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the protrusion is adapted to be inserted into and extend through a through-going hole of a thin-walled portion of a second furniture part before being inserted into the insertion portion of the recess of the first furniture part.

9. The connector bracket according to claim 8 , wherein the flexible tongue comprises a shoulder configured to, when the flexible tongue has been moved to the locked position, abut a surface of the second furniture part facing the first furniture part.

10. The connector bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the connector bracket further comprises an actuator configured to facilitate force transfer to the connector bracket in a direction transverse the longitudinal extension of the protrusion.

11. The connector bracket according to claim 6 , wherein the connector bracket is lockingly interconnected to the first furniture part and a second furniture part.

Assignees

• Inter Ikea Sys Bv

Inventors

• Brendel Stefan
• Schon Daniel
• Northfell Johan

Classifications

• A47B88/90 Primary

  Constructional details of drawers · CPC title

• A47B2088/951

  having male and female interlocking parts · CPC title

• F16B12/34

  using keyhole-shaped slots and pins · CPC title

• F16B12/22 Primary

  using keyhole-shaped slots and pins · CPC title

• A47B2230/0051

  Two-piece dowels · CPC title