MODULAR FURNITURE ASSEMBLY AND DISPLAY KIT WITH MAGNETIC COUPLING ASSEMBLY

• US 20120119629A1
• Filed: 12/14/2010
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lovesac Company
• Original Assignee: Sac Acquisition LLC (SAC Acquisition)
• Inventors: Underwood, David M., Nelson, Shawn D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,277,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/111
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/00 Sectional furniture, i.e. combinations of complete furniture units , e.g. assemblies of furniture units of the same kind such as linkable cabinets, tables, racks or shelf units switchboards or switch cubicles for the distribution of electric power H02B
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/003 Magnets
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/42 of detachable or loose type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/546 of detachable type
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 12/00 Jointing of furniture or the like, e.g. hidden from exterior F16B2/00 - F16B11/00 take precedence; fastening means per se F16B13/00 - F16B47/00; wood-working B27
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/0252 PM holding devices H01F7/021, H01F7/0215, H01F7/0226 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener

Abstract

A modular furniture assembly comprising a base and a transverse member has a convenient magnetic coupling assembly. A miniature display kit can be used in advertising or in a retail setting to display the benefits and optional positions of modular furniture. The display kit can have the same or essentially the same features as the modular furniture assembly.

Claims

1. A modular furniture assembly configured such that the furniture assembly can be selectively positioned into various selected positions, the furniture assembly comprising:

a base member;

a transverse member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly configured to selectively orient the base member and the transverse member into desired positions and to selectively, removably couple the base member to the transverse member.

2. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling assembly comprises at least one magnet and at least one attracted member that is attracted to the at least one magnet, the at least one magnet and the at least one attracted member being disposed within one of (i) the base member;

and (ii) the transverse member such that the base member and the transverse member are magnetically attracted to each other.

3. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one attracted member comprises a tethered metallic member assembly.

4. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one magnet comprises a tethered magnetic assembly.

5. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base member comprises a foam body.

6. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the magnetic coupling assembly comprises magnets spaced in an alternating polar relationship.

7. A modular furniture assembly having a magnetic coupling assembly for selectively, removably coupling members of the modular furniture assembly in different configurations, the modular furniture assembly comprising;

a base member;

a transverse member, the transverse member having a height that is substantially greater than the base member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly comprising at least one magnetic member and at least one attracted member that is attracted to the magnetic member, wherein the at least one magnetic member is positioned within one of the base member and the transverse member and wherein the at least one attracted member is positioned within one of the base member and the transverse member such that the base member and the transverse member are magnetically attracted to each other and can be selectively, removably coupled to each other such that different configurations can be formed.

8. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one attracted member comprises a plurality of metallic members that are tethered in a tethered metallic member assembly.

9. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein the at least one magnetic member comprises a plurality of magnets that are tethered in a tethered magnetic assembly.

10. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein a plurality of magnets are located within a body of the base member.

11. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 10, wherein the magnets are spaced in an alternating polar relationship about the periphery of the base member.

12. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein the base member is an oblong rectangle and includes at least one magnet and at least one metallic member therein.

13. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 7, wherein magnets are spaced apart along the base a distance, and wherein the metallic members are spaced apart substantially same distance within the transverse member.

14. A modular furniture assembly having a magnetic coupling assembly, the modular furniture assembly comprising:

a base member;

a transverse member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly, the magnetic coupling assembly comprising a tethered magnetic assembly and a tethered attracted member assembly, wherein members of the attracted member assembly are attracted to members of the tethered magnetic assembly, the tethered magnetic assembly and the tethered attracted member assembly being disposed within one of;

(i) the base member; and

(ii) the transverse member, such that the base member and the transverse member are attracted to each other when they are placed in sufficient proximity to each other and such that the base member and the transverse member are selectively oriented into certain desired positions.

15. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein the base member contains at least one tethered magnetic assembly and the transverse member contains at least one tethered metallic member assembly.

16. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 14, wherein the magnets are spaced in an alternating polar relationship about one of:

(i) the base and (ii) the transverse member.

17. A modular display assembly configured to simulate the appearance and functionality of a modular furniture assembly, such that the modular display assembly can be selectively positioned into positions that simulate the positions of the modular furniture assembly for purposes of display and advertising of the modular furniture assembly, the display assembly comprising:

a base member;

a transverse member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly configured to selectively orient the base member and the transverse member into desired positions and to selectively, removably couple the base member to the transverse member.

18. A display assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein the base has magnets positioned therein in an alternating polar relationship about the periphery of the base.

19. A display kit that simulates the structure and optional furniture configurations of a modular furniture assembly, the display kit having a magnetic coupling assembly for selectively, removably coupling members of the display kit together in different configurations, the display kit assembly comprising;

a base member;

a transverse member, the transverse member having a height that is substantially greater than the base member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly comprising at least one magnetic member and at least one attracted member that is attracted to the magnetic member, wherein the magnetic member is positioned within one of the base member and the transverse member and wherein the attracted member is positioned within the other of the base member and the transverse member such that the base member and the transverse member are magnetically attracted to each other and can be selectively removably coupled to each other such that different configurations can be formed.

20. A display kit as recited in claim 19 wherein the attracted member comprises a metallic member that is attracted to the magnet.

21. A modular display assembly configured to simulate the appearance and functionality of a modular furniture assembly, such that the modular display assembly can be selectively positioned into positions that simulate the positions of the modular furniture assembly for purposes of display and advertising of the modular furniture assembly, the display assembly comprising:

a base member;

a transverse member; and

a magnetic coupling assembly configured to selectively orient the base member and the transverse member into desired positions and to selectively, removably couple the base member to the transverse member, the magnetic coupling assembly comprising one or more magnets and one or more attracted members.

22. A modular furniture assembly as recited in claim 21, wherein the attracted member is a magnetic member and wherein the base member contains at least one magnetic member and the transverse member contains at least one metallic member, the metallic member being attracted to the magnetic member when the metallic member is placed in sufficient proximity to the magnetic member.