Furniture which may be assembled without tools and corner-hinge therefor

• US 4,934,765 A
• Filed: 07/29/1988
• Issued: 06/19/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard L. Slifer Jr, Richard L. Slifer Sr
• Original Assignee: Richard L. Slifer Jr, Richard L. Slifer Sr
• Inventors: Slifer, Richard L. Sr., Slifer, Richard L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Falk, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US07/225,745
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 312/257 R, 312/257 SM, 312/263, 312/111, 312/205, 312/330 R, 312/258, 312/348.2
• US Class Current: 312/258
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2088/902 Corner connectors for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/941 Drawers being constructed from two or more parts

Abstract

An improved pedestal base for beds including drawers particularly of the type which may be transported and stored in a totally flat condition and assembled by the user without the use of any tools. The base is designed so that it is adjustable to fit under the various bed sizes. It includes a pair of longitudinal rails defining drawer openings and head and foot frame members which are segmented and assembled by keys or splines. The number of segments in the head and foot frame portions defines the width of the assembled bed. The key joints are assembled merely by placing the two members to be joined together in position and slipping the keying member into the corresponding slots. Preferably a double dovetail or hour glass joiner is used. Drawers fit into the frame and are located beneath the bed proper which is sitting on top of the frame. Drawers are comprised of a front, a back, two sides and a bottom. The front, sides and back are hinged together by a novel keyed hinge and the bottom sliding in grooves provides rigidity for the drawers. Also disclosed is a novel hinge employing a flexible or plastic living hinge or the like which actually includes a pair of hinging surfaces with a relatively rigid flexure limiting section therebetween, for example, a 90° wedge. The living hinge member as said opposite edges provides some means for retaining it in a groove. A dovetail shape is particularly suitable and a single extrusion of the hinge provides a hinging member, securing means and a stop.

Claims

1. A furniture frame having a head, a foot and sides adaptable to multiple size configurations comprising:

a plurality of ace frames constituting opposing sides of the furniture frame;

a plurality of transverse frame members for interconnecting said face frames at spaced locations and in parallel relationship to each other;

removable interconnecting means for joining the ends of said transverse frame members to said face frames at spaced locations;

said transverse frame members comprising a plurality of individual sections joinable together to define the length of said transverse frame members and the overall width of the furniture frame;

said transverse frame member sections being of predetermined length whereby the width of the furniture frame depends upon the number of individual sections joined to form each transverse frame member;

means joining said individual sections together;

said joining means being compatible with said interconnecting means whereby different numbers of said individual sections may be joined to said face frames in changing the width of the furniture frame;

including drawers having fronts, sides, backs and bottoms for insertion into the openings defined by said face frames;

said drawers including removable corners and bottom whereby said drawers may be disassembled into a generally flat package;

wherein said removable corners comprise flexible splines engaging the ends of the front, sides and back of said drawers;

wherein said flexible splines include integral means for securing said splines to adjacent edges defining said corners and including integral means for limiting the extent of flexing in at least one direction; and

wherein said integral means for limiting the extent of flexing of said flexible splines comprises an angular enlargement having an included angle approximating the angle of the corner formed by the splines with adjacent edges defined the corners.

2. A four sided container capable of being disassembled into a flat package comprising:

a front, a back, a pair of sides and a bottom;

flexible means for securing the corners of said front and sides and the back and sides to form a hollow frame,

said flexible means comprising a spline having two discrete flexible portions separated by an angular enlargement dimensioned to defined the maximum degree of flexure of the flexible portions in one direction;

said flexible means further including attachment portions extending laterally beyond said discrete flexible portions for securement to adjacent edges of respective sides and front or rear of the container;

means securing the bottom to said container;

wherein said flexible means comprise elongated strips of plastic material having a cross section containing the flexible portions, angular enlargement and attachment portions.