Furniture kits and methods of making the same

• US 10,076,185 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2016
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kolcraft Enterprises Incorporated (Hasbro Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kolcraft Enterprises Incorporated (Hasbro Inc.)
• Inventors: Bennett, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughan, Jason L
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENEGHINI, AMANDA J
• Application Number:
  US15/002,071
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 403DIG 12, 403DIG 11, 403DIG 13
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/902 Corner connectors for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/951 having male and female interlocking parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2230/16 Interlocking or wedging elements making up pieces of furniture without additional fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0066 Formed panels connected without frames for panels mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/042
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0075 Flat or flat-like panels connected without frames for panels mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/042
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/0091 Modular arrangements of similar assemblies of elements for elements or assemblies mainly made of wood or plastic A47B47/047, sectional furniture A47B87/00, stackable furniture A47B87/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/042 Panels connected without frames
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 47/047 Modular arrangements of similar assemblies of elements
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/04 Chests of drawers; Cabinets characterised by the arrangement of drawers A47B67/02 takes precedence; drawers, guides for drawers, per se A47B88/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/487 with rollers, ball bearings, wheels, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/125 using mortise and tenon joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/26 using snap-action elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2012/466 using mortise and tenon joints

Abstract

Example furniture kits and methods of making the same are described. An example method includes coupling a first block of a connector to a rear wall of a disassembled piece of furniture, the first block having a first groove, and coupling a second block of the connector to a side wall of the piece of the furniture, the second block having a second groove. One of the first block or the second block includes an extension and the other of the first block or the second block includes an opening to receive the extension when the first and second blocks are coupled. The example method also includes packaging the rear wall, the side wall and a locking cover into a furniture kit to be used to assemble the piece of furniture. The locking cover is to couple the first and second blocks.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

coupling a first block of a first connector to a rear wall of a disassembled piece of furniture, the rear wall having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite the first side edge, the first block to be coupled at or near the first side edge, the first block having a first groove;

coupling a second block of the first connector to a first side wall of the piece of furniture, the first side wall having a front side edge and a rear side edge, the second block to be coupled at or near the rear side edge, the second block having a second groove, the first side edge of the rear wall to be engaged with the first side wall at or near the rear side edge of the first side wall when the piece of furniture is assembled, wherein one of the first block or the second block includes a first extension and the other of the first block or the second block includes a first opening to receive the first extension when the first and second blocks are coupled, and, when the first and second blocks are coupled, the first groove and the second groove are disposed on opposite sides of the first connector; and

packaging the rear wall, the first side wall and a first locking cover into a furniture kit to be used to assemble the piece of furniture, the first locking cover including a first plate with a first tongue along a first edge of the first plate and a second tongue along a second edge of the first plate opposite the first edge of the first plate, wherein, to couple the first and second blocks, the first locking cover is to be slid over the first connector to insert the first tongue into the first groove and insert the second tongue into the second groove.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the first and second blocks are coupled and the rear wall and the first side wall are assembled, the first and second grooves are oriented vertically.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first locking cover is to be slid in a vertical direction to insert the first and second tongues into the respective first and second grooves.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, when the first locking cover is coupled to the first and second blocks, the first plate is orientated parallel to the rear wall.

10. The method of claim 1 further including:

coupling a third block of a second connector to a rear drawer wall of an unassembled drawer, the rear drawer wall having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite the first side edge, the third block to be coupled at or near the first side edge of the rear drawer wall, the third block having a third groove; and

coupling a fourth block of the second connector to a first side drawer wall of the drawer, the first side drawer wall having a rear side edge and a front side edge, the fourth block to be coupled at or near the rear side edge of the first side drawer wall, the fourth block having a fourth groove, the rear side edge of the first side drawer wall to be engaged with the first side edge of the rear drawer wall when the drawer is assembled, wherein one of the third block or the fourth block includes a second extension and the other of the third block or the fourth block includes a second opening to receive the second extension when the drawer is assembled, and, when the third and fourth blocks are coupled to form the second connector, the third groove and the fourth groove are disposed on opposite sides of the second connector.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the third block includes the second extension and the fourth block includes the second opening.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second extension extends from the third block in a direction that is parallel to the rear drawer wall.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the third block is to be coupled to an outer surface of the rear drawer wall, such that when the first drawer is assembled, the second connector is disposed outside of a cavity provided by the first drawer.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein packaging the furniture kit further includes packaging the rear drawer wall, the first side drawer wall and a second locking cover, the second locking cover including a second plate with a third tongue along a third edge of the second plate and a fourth tongue along a fourth edge of the second plate opposite the third edge of the second plate, and wherein, to couple the third and fourth blocks, the second locking cover is to be slid over the second connector to insert the third tongue into the third groove and insert the fourth tongue into the fourth groove.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the second locking cover is coupled to the second connector, the second plate is parallel to the rear drawer wall.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein, when the piece of furniture is assembled and the first and second blocks are coupled with the first locking cover and when the drawer is assembled and the third and fourth blocks are coupled with the second lock cover, the first plate and the second plate are parallel to each other.

17. The method of claim 10 further including:

coupling a rail to an inside surface of the first side wall; and

coupling a roller to an outside surface of the first side drawer wall, the rail to receive the roller when the piece of furniture is assembled and the drawer is assembled.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, when the piece of furniture is assembled and the drawer is assembled, the roller of the drawer is to be moveable along a first axis of the rail.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first locking cover is to slide along a second axis to couple the first and second blocks, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein packaging the furniture kit further includes packaging a second side wall of the piece of furniture, the second side wall having a front side edge and a rear side edge, the second side edge of the rear wall to be engaged with the second side wall at or near the rear side edge of the second side wall when the piece of furniture is assembled.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of furniture is a dresser.

5. The method of 1 further including:

coupling a third block of a second connector to the first side wall at or near the front side edge of the first side wall, the third block having a third groove; and

coupling a fourth block of the second connector to a front trim plate of the piece of furniture, the front trim plate having a first side edge and a second side edge opposite the first side edge, the fourth block to be coupled at or near the first side edge of the front trim plate, the fourth block having a fourth groove, the first side edge of the front trim plate to be engaged with the front side edge of the first side wall when the piece of furniture is assembled, wherein one of the third block or the fourth block includes a second extension and the other of the third block or the fourth block includes a second opening to receive the second extension when the piece of furniture is assembled, and, when the third and fourth blocks are coupled to form the second connector, the third groove and the fourth groove are disposed on opposite sides of the second connector.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein packaging the furniture kit further includes packaging the front trim plate and a second locking cover, the second locking cover including a second plate with a third tongue along a third edge of the second plate and a fourth tongue along a fourth edge of the second plate opposite the third edge of the second plate, and wherein, to couple the third and fourth blocks, the second locking cover is to be slid over the second connector to insert the third tongue into the third groove and insert the fourth tongue into the fourth groove.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, when the first and second blocks are coupled and the rear wall and the first side wall are assembled, the first and second grooves are oriented vertically, and, when the third and fourth blocks are coupled and the first side wall and the front trim plate are assembled, the third and fourth grooves are oriented vertically.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, when the first locking cover is coupled to the first connector and the second locking cover is coupled to the second connector, the first and second locking covers are oriented perpendicular to each other.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, when the first locking cover is coupled to the first connector and the second locking cover is coupled to the second connector, the first locking cover is parallel to the rear wall and the front trim plate and the second locking cover is parallel to the side wall.