Ready to assemble furniture system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9380877-B2
Application number	US-201213684441-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 23, 2012
Priority date	Nov 23, 2011
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A component interface assembly for attaching the individual subcomponents of an RTA furniture system. Each component interface assembly having an elongated alignment slot cut into one of the subcomponents of the RTA furniture kit and a retention element affixed to a second corresponding subcomponent such that the first and second subcomponents can be secured together by inserting the retention element into the alignment slot. The alignment slot is positioned on the first subcomponent such that positioning the retention element for insertion into the slot aligns the second subcomponent with the first subcomponent providing tool-less alignment and engagement of the subcomponents. The assembled components may have cutouts on confronting planar surfaces of the respective first and second subcomponents providing enhanced storage for shipping the RTA furniture components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Ready to assemble furniture item comprising a pair of furniture components to be assembled together as part of the furniture item, the pair of components comprising a first subcomponent with a first planar face and a second subcomponent with a second planar face, the components assembled together whereby the first planar face is in a parallel confronting position with the second planar face, the first subcomponent comprising a connection bracket connected thereto and having at least one of a tapered conical frustum portion and a tapered rectangular pyramidal frustum portion, the connection bracket having an inwardly facing face with a lesser spanning area and having surface regions abutting the first planar face, an opposite outer facing face having greater spanning area, and a tapered frustum engagement surface extending therebetween, the second subcomponent having a slot in the second planar face sized for a cooperative engagement with the at least one of a tapered conical frustum portion and a tapered rectangular pyramidal frustum portion, whereby the first subcomponent is assembleable with the second subcomponent by insertion of the bracket of the first subcomponent into the slot of the second subcomponent, each of the pair of components being a preassembled one of a chair arm, chair seat base, and chair back, wherein each of the pair of components comprises a wood or wood product box framed component, and wherein the outer facing face of the bracket has the shape of an arched doorway.

2. Ready to assemble furniture item comprising a pair of furniture components to be assembled together as part of the furniture item, the pair of components comprising a first subcomponent with a first planar face and a second subcomponent with a second planar face, the components assembled together whereby the first planar face is in a parallel confronting position with the second planar face, the first subcomponent comprising a connection bracket connected thereto and having at least one of a tapered conical frustum portion and a tapered rectangular pyramidal frustum portion, the connection bracket having an inwardly facing face with a lesser spanning area and having surface regions abutting the first planar face, an opposite outer facing face having greater spanning area, and a tapered frustum engagement surface extending therebetween, the second subcomponent having a slot in the second planar face sized for a cooperative engagement with the at least one of a tapered conical frustum portion and a tapered rectangular pyramidal frustum portion, whereby the first subcomponent is assembleable with the second subcomponent by insertion of the bracket of the first subcomponent into the slot of the second subcomponent, each of the pair of components being a preassembled one of a chair arm, chair seat base, and chair back, wherein each of the pair of components comprises a wood or wood product box framed component, and wherein the bracket has the shape of half of a conical frustum joined with a pyramidal rectangular frustum.

3. Ready to assemble furniture item comprising a pair of furniture subcomponents to be assembled together as part of the furniture item, each of the pair of subcomponents comprising a box frame formed of a plurality of members selected from boards and panelar members, each of the members formed of at least one of wood and wood based products, the subcomponents comprising a first subcomponent with a first planar face and a second subcomponent with a second planar face, the components assembleable together whereby the first planar face is in a parallel confronting position with the second planar face, the first subcomponent comprising a connection bracket connected thereto on the first planar face, the connection bracket having a slot engagement portion and a widened portion, the second subcomponent having a slot formed in the second planar face in a second subcomponent board or panelar member, the slot extending through a thickness of the second subcomponent board or panelar member, the slot sized for receiving the connection bracket and providing a slot end for a seating position for the connection bracket;
further wherein after assembly, the first planar face is in contact engagement with the second planar face and the ready to assemble furniture item further comprises fasteners extending through the first planar face and second planar face for securing the pair of subcomponents together;
further wherein one of the first and second subcomponents is a chair arm and the other of the first and second subcomponents is a chair base.

4. The ready to assemble furniture item of claim 3 wherein the slot is one of key-hole shaped and L-shaped.

5. The ready to assemble furniture item of claim 3 wherein the first planar face is part of a first subcomponent board or panelar member and both of the first subcomponent board or panelar member and the second board or panelar member each have a common cutout portion for creating an expanded storage region on the bottom side of the furniture item when assembled.

6. A ready to assemble furniture item comprising:
a plurality of subcomponents comprising at least one seat box defining an internal cavity, at least one arm rest, and a back rest;
at least one component interface assembly further comprising:
a retention element having an axial portion extending outwardly from a first subcomponent and a radially extending portion extending radially outward at the end of the axial portion, and
an alignment slot defined by an interface portion of a second subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents and having an open end and a closed end, wherein the axial portion is insertable into the alignment slot such that the interface portion is sandwiched between the radially extending portion and the second subcomponent,
wherein a first segment of the alignment slot is vertically oriented at the closed end when the second subcomponent is positioned upright such that the weight of the second subcomponent maintains the retention element against the closed end of the alignment slot to secure the first and second subcomponents together;
wherein the first subcomponent is the back rest and the second subcomponent is the seat box.

7. A ready to assemble furniture item comprising:
a plurality of subcomponents comprising at least one seat box defining an internal cavity, at least one arm rest, and a back rest;
at least one component interface assembly further comprising:
a retention element having an axial portion extending outwardly from a first subcomponent and a radially extending portion extending radially outward at the end of the axial portion, and
an alignment slot defined by an interface portion of a second subcomponent of the plurality of subcomponents and having an open end and a closed end, wherein the axial portion is insertable into the alignment slot such that the interface portion is sandwiched between the radially extending portion and the second subcomponent,
wherein a first segment of the alignment slot is vertically oriented at the closed end when the second subcomponent is positioned upright such that the weight of the second subcomponent maintains the retention element against the closed end of the alignment slot to secure the first and second subcomponents together;

wherein the first subcomponent and second subcomponent comprise an arm rest and a seat box and wherein each arm rest defines a cavity within the arm rest and a cutout for operably linking the cavity defined by the arm rest with the cavity defined by the seat box.

Assignees

• Ashley Furniture Ind Inc

Inventors

• Brandtner Timothy A
• Wang Walter
• Robinson Nicholas J
• Lejcher Christopher J

Classifications

• A47C4/028

  Upholstered chairs, e.g. metal, plastic or wooden chairs · CPC title

• F16B12/22

  using keyhole-shaped slots and pins · CPC title

• A47C17/02 Primary

  Sofas, couches, settees, or the like, without movable parts · CPC title

• A47B2230/0081

  Mortise and tenon type joints with some general male and female joints · CPC title

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title