MAGNETICALLY-COUPLED FURNISHING SYSTEM

• US 20130255044A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Albert Chen
• Original Assignee: Albert Chen
• Inventors: CHEN, Albert
• Application Number:
  US13/434,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20130255044A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 24/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 83/02 Tables combined with seats folding or stowable tables with separable parts combined with seats A47B3/063; foldable table and seat units A47B3/14
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/124 Separate chairs, connectible together into a row
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/58 Hinges, e.g. for mounting chairs in a curved row hinges for wings in general E05D
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/32 having magnetic fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45 Separable-fastener or required component thereof [e.g., projection and cavity to complete interlock]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/4523 Hook

Abstract

Disclosed is a furnishing system having at least furnishing and another unit of furniture, each having a plurality of faces. The furnishing has left and right first furnishing magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a first furnishing face at a given height and spaced a given distance apart. The another unit has left and right first unit magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a first unit face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart. The left first furnishing magnet is of the same polarity as the left first unit magnet. Positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the left first furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the right first unit magnet causes magnetic coupling of the first furnishing face to the first unit face.

Claims

1. A furnishing system comprising a plurality of independent units of furniture adapted for disposition and temporary affixation together into a plurality of relative positions by detachable fasteners.

2. The furnishing system of claim 1 wherein the units of furniture comprise one or more units from the group including chairs, seats, tables, loveseats, arm rests, ottomans, and footrests.

3. The furnishing system of claim 2 wherein the detachable fasteners are from the group including magnets, snaps, and hook-loop pairs.

4. The furnishing system of claim 3 wherein the detachable fasteners are attracted magnet pairs.

5. The furnishing system of claim 4 wherein the magnet pairs are a plurality of magnet pairs disposed on the same horizontal plane.

6. The furnishing system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of magnet pairs are disposed about a plurality of faces of at least one of the plurality of units of furniture such that the plurality of relative positions comprises coupling of said plurality of faces.

7. The furnishing system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of magnet pairs are disposed about a plurality of faces of a plurality of the plurality of units of furniture such that the plurality of relative positions comprises coupling of said plurality of the plurality of faces.

8. The furnishing system of claim 3 wherein the detachable fasteners are magnet-steel pairs.

9. The furnishing system of claim 8 wherein the magnet-steel pairs are a plurality of magnet-steel pairs disposed on the same horizontal plane.

10. The furnishing system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of magnet-steel pairs are disposed about a plurality of faces of at least one of the plurality of units of furniture such that the plurality of relative positions comprises coupling of said plurality of faces.

11. The furnishing system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of magnet-steel pairs are disposed about a plurality of faces of a plurality of the plurality of units of furniture such that the plurality of relative positions comprises coupling of said plurality of the plurality of faces.

12. A furnishing system comprising a furnishing and another unit of furniture, each having a plurality of faces:

the first furnishing comprising left and right first furnishing magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a first furnishing face at a given height and spaced a given distance apart;

the another unit comprising left and right first unit magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a first unit face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the left first furnishing magnet is of the same polarity as the left first unit magnet;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the left first furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the right first unit magnet causes magnetic coupling of the first furnishing face to the first unit face.

13. The furnishing system of claim 12 wherein the furnishing further comprises left and right second furnishing magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a second furnishing face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the left second furnishing magnet is of the same polarity as the left first furnishing magnet;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the left second furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the right first unit magnet causes magnetic coupling of the second furnishing face to the first unit face.

14. The furnishing system of claim 12 wherein the another unit further comprises left and right second unit magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a second unit face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the left second unit magnet is of the same polarity as the left first unit magnet;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the left second unit magnet magnetically couples to the right first furnishing magnet causes magnetic coupling of the first furnishing face to the second unit face.

15. The furnishing system of claim 14 wherein the furnishing further comprises left and right second furnishing magnets of opposite polarity both disposed on a second furnishing face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the left second furnishing magnet is of the same polarity as the left first furnishing magnet;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the left second furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the right first unit magnet causes magnetic coupling of the second furnishing face to the first unit face.

16. A furnishing system comprising a furnishing and another unit of furniture, each having a plurality of faces:

the furnishing comprising a first furnishing magnet and a first furnishing magnetically-attractive zone both disposed on a first furnishing face at a given height and spaced a given distance apart;

the another unit comprising a first unit magnet and a first unit magnetically-attractive zone both disposed on a first unit face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the first furnishing magnet is identically positioned on the first furnishing face as of the first unit magnet is positioned on the first unit face, and the first furnishing magnetically-attractive zone is identically positioned on the first furnishing face as of the first unit magnetically-attractive zone is positioned on the first unit face;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the first furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the first unit magnetically-attractive zone causes magnetic coupling of the first furnishing face to the first unit face.

17. The furnishing system of claim 16 wherein the furnishing further comprises a second furnishing magnet and a second furnishing magnetically-attractive zone disposed on a second furnishing face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the second furnishing magnet is identically positioned on the second furnishing face as of the first furnishing magnet is positioned on the first furnishing face, and the second furnishing magnetically-attractive zone is identically positioned on the second furnishing face as of the first furnishing magnetically-attractive zone is positioned on the first furnishing face;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the second furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the first unit magnetically-attractive zone causes magnetic coupling of the second furnishing face to the first unit face.

18. The furnishing system of claim 16 wherein the another unit further comprises a second unit magnet and a second unit magnetically-attractive zone disposed on a second unit face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the second unit magnet is identically positioned on the second unit face as of the first unit magnet is positioned on the first unit face, and the second unit magnetically-attractive zone is identically positioned on the second unit face as of the first unit magnetically-attractive zone is positioned on the first unit face;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the second unit magnet magnetically couples to the first furnishing magnetically-attractive zone causes magnetic coupling of the second unit face to the first furnishing face.

19. The furnishing system of claim 18 wherein the furnishing further comprises a second furnishing magnet and a second furnishing magnetically-attractive zone disposed on a second furnishing face at the given height and spaced the given distance apart;

wherein, the second furnishing magnet is identically positioned on the second furnishing face as of the first furnishing magnet is positioned on the first furnishing face, and the second furnishing magnetically-attractive zone is identically positioned on the second furnishing face as of the first furnishing magnetically-attractive zone is positioned on the first furnishing face;

whereby, positioning of the another unit relative to the furnishing such that the second furnishing magnet magnetically couples to the first unit magnetically-attractive zone causes magnetic coupling of the second furnishing face to the first unit face.

20. The furnishing system of claim 19 wherein the furnishing comprises one from the group including chairs, seats, tables, loveseats, arm rests, ottomans, and footrests, and the another unit of furniture comprises a different one from the group including chairs, seats, tables, loveseats, arm rests, ottomans, and footrests.