WO1999065360A1

WO1999065360A1 - Furniture part

Info

Publication number: WO1999065360A1
Application number: PCT/BE1999/000075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan Clement Pauwels
Original assignee: Jan Clement Pauwels
Priority date: 1998-06-15
Filing date: 1999-06-15
Publication date: 1999-12-23
Also published as: BE1012041A7

Abstract

This invention relates to a furniture part comprising a support (1) and a cover plate (2) which is provided to be attached to the support (1), whereby the support (1) comprises a base support part (10) and at least one additional support part (11) which is detachably connectable to the base support part (10), whereby the base support part (10) and the additional support part (11) comprise a frame of a first and a second part (3, 4) which extend in height direction of the support part (10, 11) and are connected to each other in transverse direction of the support part (10, 11) by means of a first and second transverse connection (5, 6), whereby the first transverse connection (5) is provided in the vicinity of the top of the frame and the second transverse connection is provided in the vicinity of the bottom of the frame, whereby the base support part (10) and the additional support part (11) are detachably and hingedly connected to each other in height direction of the frame at a plurality of positions, and whereby means are provided for attaching an additional support part (11) to several positions on the base support part (10).

Description

Furniture part.

The present invention relates to a furniture part, as disclosed in the preamble of the first claim.

From NL-A-1004443 a foldable module is known which comprises a U-shaped support, on top of which a cover plate is provided. The support comprises a front panel to which a first and second support frame is hingedly connected. An extremity of the module is provided with hinges so as to allow further modules to be added.

The module known from NL-A-1004443 however presents the disadvantage that its applicability is limited. This means that the module is only suitable for forming a table-like furniture part, the legs of which are positioned at the extremity, along the edge of the cover plate.

It is the aim of the present invention to provide a furniture part with a wider application field.

This is achieved according to the present invention with the features described in the characterising part of the first claim.

In the furniture part of this invention, the support comprises a base support part and at least one additional support part, which is removably attachable to the base support part. The removable attachment allows the support to be easily detachable and displaceable. The base support part and additional support part each comprise a frame. The frame comprises a first and a second part, which extend in height direction of the support and are provided to rest on the floor. The first and second part are connected to each other in cross direction of the support, through a first transverse connection in the upper region of the support, and a second transverse connection in the bottom region of the support. By providing a transverse connection in the upper region as well as in the bottom region, a support can be obtained which shows an improved horizontal and vertical stability. The presence of a transverse connection in the upper region as well as the bottom region namely allows to prevent that the first and second part in the bottom region of the support are moved away from each other, when from the top, a downward pressure is exerted to the furniture part. Since moreover, a pressure exerted to the cover plate can be distributed over the entire support, the cover plate as well as the support can be made of light materials without thereby adversely affecting the bearing capacity of the cover plate.

Thereby, the base support part and the additional support part are detachably and hingedly connectable to each other at several positions, in height direction of the frame, so as to allow that the additional support part can be removed or closed, in order to facilitate transport and to improve the flexibility and the number of application possibilities of the furniture part. In the furniture part of this invention, on at least one end of the support, means are provided for attaching an additional support. This allows a plurality of furniture parts to be coupled to each other.

In the furniture part of this invention, on one side of the cover plate provided for attachment to the support, means are provided for positioning the cover plate, in order to provide a sturdier construction and an improved stability in horizontal direction, and to prevent that the cover plate can be displaced over the support.

The invention is further illustrated in the attached figures and description of the figures. Figure 1 is a view to a first embodiment of the furniture part of this invention.

Figure 2 is a view to another embodiment of the support of this invention. Figure 3 is a view to a possible embodiment of the furniture part of this invention.

Figure 4 is a view to an elevation means for the support.

Figure 5 is a view to interconnected furniture parts.

Figure 6 and 7 are a view to the bottom side of the cover plate of the furniture part of this invention.

The support 1 shown in figure 1 comprises a base support part 10 and an addition support part 11 provided in the middle of the base support part 10. In the embodiment shown in figure 1 , the additional support part 11 is positioned approximately perpendicular to the base support part 10. In transverse direction of the base support part

10, means 7 are provided on a plurality of positions, for detachably attaching an additional support 11. The means 7 for the detachable attachment can be the means known to the man skilled in the art, such as for example detachably connectable hinges. The use of hinges 7 allows to vary the edge between the additional support part 11 and the base support part 10 with the application of the furniture part 9. The use of hinges 7 also allows that the additional support part 11 is closed in the direction of the base support part 10, so as to facilitate transport.

As is shown in figure 2 and 3, two or more additional support parts 11 can be provided on opposed sides of the base support part 10, depending on the application of the furniture part 9.

The base support part 10 and the additional support part 11 each comprise a frame. The frame comprises a first part 3 and a second part 4, for example a bar, which extend in height direction of the support and are provided to rest on the floor. The first and second part 3, 4 are connected to each other in transverse direction of the support part 10, 11 by means of a transverse connection 5 in the upper part of the support 1 , and a second transverse connection 6 in the bottom region of the support 1. The first transverse connection 5 preferably constitutes the upper rim of the frame, so as to provide an improved support for the cover plate 2, and to allow the cover plate 2 to be made of a relatively lighter, cheaper material without thereby adversely affecting its bearing capacity. The second transverse connection 6 can be provided at several positions, taken in height direction of the support. The second transverse connection 6 can for example constitute the lower edge of the frame, and rest on the floor. The second transverse connection 6 can also be displaced in the direction of the first transverse connection 5. Thereby it is important that the distance between the first and the second transverse connection 5, 6 considered in height direction of the frame, is large enough to provide a sufficient stability in height direction of the support parts 10, 11. The upper and lower transverse connection 5, 6 provide a support with an improved horizontal and vertical stability. This allows to prevent that the first and second part 3, 4 are moved away from each other in the bottom part of the support, when a pressure is exerted to the furniture part from the top. Because a pressure exerted to the cover plate 2 can be distributed over the entire support 1 , the support 1 can be made of a lighter material without thereby adversely affecting the bearing capacity of the furniture part 9. Otherwise, as a consequence, it is also possible to move the additional support parts 11 further away from each other so that the presence of a support 11 does not hinder when using the furniture part 9 as a table.

In the open folded position of the support 1, the side 16 of the additional support part 11 rests against the first and second transverse connection 5, 6 of the first and second part 3, 4 of the base support 10 so as to ensure that the additional support part 11 can be turned with respect to the base support part 10 over maximally 90°. As is shown in figure 3 and 5, the furniture part 9 of this invention also comprises a cover plate with a bottom face 14, which bottom face 14 is provided to rest on the support 1. The dimensions and shape of the cover plate 2 can be varied within wide ranges. The shape of the cover plate can be square, rectangular or round or any other desired shape. The dimensions of the cover plate 2 can be chosen such that the edges of the cover plate 2 rest on the first transverse connection 5 of the additional support part 11. It is also possible that the edges of the cover plate extend beyond the support 1. The cover plate 2 is preferably detachably connectable to the support 1. Thereto, on the bottom face 14 of the cover plate and the support 1, co-operating means 15 are provided for positioning and fixing the cover plate 2 to the support 1. The means 15 comprise for example a groove provided in the bottom face 14 of the cover plate 2, or a guiding 15 for receiving the first transverse connection 5 of the base support part 10 and additional support part 11, but other means known to the man skilled in the art can also be used.

The base support part 10 and additional support part 11 can be formed according to several methods known to the man skilled in the art, and can for example be a frame or a continuous plate, wherein a hole is provided in the middle.

As is shown in figure 4, the furniture part 9 of this invention also comprises means 17 for elevating the support 1, which do not adversely affect the stability of the furniture part 9. These means can for example be bars 17, which are detachable connectable to the first transverse connection 5 of the base support part 10 and additional support part 11.

The furniture part 9 of this invention is suitable for widely varying applications, for fixed, mobile and accessory constructions, and can be mounted and detached without necessitating the use of utensils. The furniture part 9 of this invention is for example suited for applications such as table, working bench, buffet, office desk, stall, or can be used for building a cabinet or a stage.

The support 1 and cover plate 2 can be made in the same or a different material, and can for example be made in wood, plastic or metal.

Claims

CLAIMS.

1. Furniture part (9) comprising a support (1) and a cover plate (2) which is provided to be attached to the support (1 ), characterised in that the support (1) comprises a base support part (10) and at least one additional support part (11) which is detachably connectable to the base support part (10), whereby the base support part (10) and the additional support part (11) comprise a frame of a first and a second part (3, 4) which extend in height direction of the support part (10, 11 ) and are connected to each other in transverse direction of the support part (10, 11) by means of a first and second transverse connection (5, 6), whereby the first transverse connection (5) is provided in the vicinity of the top of the frame and the second transverse connection is provided in the vicinity of the bottom of the frame, whereby the base support part (10) and the additional support part (11) are detachably and hingedly connected to each other in height direction of the frame at a plurality of positions, and whereby means are provided for attaching an additional support part (11) to several positions on the base support part (10).

2. Furniture part as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that on at least one end of the support (1 ), means (8) are provided for attaching an additional support.

3. Furniture part as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the additional support (12) is detachably connectable with the support (1 ).

4. Furniture part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the cover plate (1 ) is detachably connectable to the support (2).

5. Furniture part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that on a side of the cover plate (1) provided for attachment to the support (2), means (8) are provided for positioning the cover plate (1 ).

6. Furniture part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the support (2) comprises a second additional support part (11).

7. Furniture part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the support (2) comprises a third and a fourth additional support part.

8. Furniture part as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that means (13) are provided for elevating the support (1 ), which means (13) are detachably connectable to the support (1 ).