Connection device for two furniture parts to be connected to each other, as well as piece of furniture which uses such connection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9939001-B2
Application number	US-201314427203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 12, 2012
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

Connection device for two furniture parts which have to be interconnected, with a first connection portion which is realized at least as a spreading system and which is intended for being provided in a recess in a first furniture part, with a second connection portion which is intended for extending outside of the recess for cooperating with a second furniture part in this manner, as well as an activation mechanism for activating the spreading system, wherein the spreading system comprises at least two mutually rotatable parts, a first part and a second part, respectively, wherein the mutual rotation of which, in function of the realized mutual angle position, effects a spreading effect.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A connection device for two furniture parts which have to be interconnected, with a first connection portion which is realized at least as a spreading system and which is intended for being provided in a recess in a first furniture part, with a second connection portion which is intended for extending outside of the recess for cooperating with a second furniture part, as well as an activation mechanism for activating the spreading system, wherein the spreading system comprises at least two parts, a first part and a second part, respectively, one part thereof being rotatable in respect to the other so that they can occupy a different rotational position in respect to each other, wherein the relative rotation between the first part and the second part, in function of the thereby realized rotational position, effects a spreading effect at the spreading system in at least one spreading direction.

2. The connection device of claim 1 , wherein the activation mechanism is formed in that one of said two parts is connected to the second connection portion or to a component thereof, such that the activation mechanism is able to be activated by means of a rotation performed on the second connection portion.

3. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein the spreading system can adopt a first position, in which there is no forced spreading or a minimal forced spreading, and a second position, in which a maximum forced spreading exists, and wherein the activation mechanism is configured such that the spreading system can move from the first to the second position with a mutual rotation of less than half of a turn.

4. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein the first part of the spreading system is made in one piece with the second connection portion.

5. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein the second part of the spreading system is realized as a spreadable sleeve-shaped body, which consists of a split bushing.

6. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein the first connection portion as well as the second connection portion are made as insertion portions which each are characterized by a pertaining insertion direction, wherein the insertion directions are situated transverse to each other and are situated perpendicular or almost perpendicular to each other.

7. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion each extend according to a longitudinal axis, wherein these longitudinal axes extend according to mutually different directions and are situated at an angle of 90 degrees or substantially 90 degrees in mutual respect.

8. The connection device of claim 7 , wherein the spreading system is characterized by a spreading direction which extends transverse in respect to the longitudinal axis of the second connection portion.

9. The connection device of claim 7 , wherein the spreading system is characterized by a spreading direction which substantially extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the second connection portion.

10. The connection device of claim 2 , said connection device being provided with a tensioning system with which a tensioning is able to be effected of the second connection portion towards the second part of the first connection portion, wherein the tensioning is according to an axial direction of the first connection portion, wherein this tensioning system is integrated in said spreading system.

11. The connection device of claim 10 , comprising means which, when tensioning the tensioning system, allow that the second connection portion is displaced towards the second part of the first connection portion.

12. The connection device of claim 2 , comprising means which, with the aforementioned rotation, provide for a perceptible final position in which the spreading effect of the spreading system is maximum.

13. The connection device of claim 2 , comprising retaining means for retaining the second connection portion in the respective furniture part.

14. The connection device of claim 13 , wherein the retaining means are realized according to one or more of the following possibilities:
as clamping means;
as clamping means in the form of clamping ribs;
as a locking means;
as a locking means with one or more hook-shaped locking parts which engage behind an edge on the respective furniture part;
as a locking means in the form of an element which is provided through an opening in the second connection portion, on which, as aforementioned, one or more hook-shaped locking parts are present, which is able to engage behind an edge on the furniture part, as well as with a stop-forming part which retains the second connection portion in the mounted position;
as a locking means as in the preceding paragraph, with a part which is able to be inserted from the outside, which forces and/or retains the locking parts in a locking position.

15. The connection device of claim 2 , comprising positioning and/or blocking means which prevent or counteract a rotation of the second part in the respective recess and/or provide for a positioning of the second part in the recess.

16. The connection device of claim 15 , wherein the respective means comprise at least one of the following possibilities:
the second part is configured such that it fits with a clamping fit in the respective recess;
the second part is provided with a structure, providing for an engagement effect;
the first connection portion, and the second part thereof, as well as the recess are provided with portions engaging in each other, which, in a certain position, fit into each other.

17. The connection device of claim 2 , comprising a blocking system which, in the mounted final position, locks the second connection portion and the furniture part cooperating therewith against rotation in respect to the other furniture part.

18. The connection device of claim 17 , wherein the blocking system comprises at least one of the following possibilities:
a pin, which prevents a rotation;
a locking part, provided on the second connection portion, whether or not made in one piece therewith, which, in said final position, engages in a recess;
a locking part cooperating with the respective furniture part, which locking part, in said final position, engages in a recess;
a locking part according to any of the preceding two paragraphs, formed as an elastically bendable lip, with a protrusion which is forced into the recess by the elastic lip when the protrusion, by rotation, has been brought in a position opposite to the recess.

19. The connection device of claim 2 , wherein said first part of the spreading system consists of an element having a circumference with varying cross-sectional dimensions, whereas the second part consists of a spreadable body which is located along the circumference thereof.

20. The connection device of claim 19 , wherein the first part has a non-cylindrical, however, a rounded cross-section.

21. The connection device of claim 19 , wherein the first part is also made conically narrowing towards the second connection portion in order to realize a tensioning force in an axial direction, perpendicular to said at least one spreading direction.

22. The connection device of claim 20 , wherein the first part has an elliptical or oval cross-section.

23. A piece of furniture, which comprises at least two furniture parts, which are interconnected by means of a connection device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Unilin Bvba

Inventors

• Deman Luc
• Maertens Luc

Classifications

• A47B2230/0044

  Fastening elements comprising radially expansible plugs by rotation therein of inserted pins · CPC title

• Y10T403/7066

  having actuator · CPC title

• F16B12/2027 Primary

  with rotating excenters or wedges · CPC title

• F16B12/2009

  actuated by rotary motion · CPC title

• A47B2230/0048

  Fastening elements comprising plugs, radially expansible by eccentric pins inserted therein · CPC title