Fully upholstered, ready-to-assemble article of furniture

• US 6,981,747 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Home Reserve, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Home Reserve, Inc.
• Inventors: Wieland, Blaine L., Wieland, Blair
• Primary Examiner(s): Bryant, David P.
• Application Number:
  US10/360,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20030173814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 403/403, 403/382, 403/353, 403/350, 297/440.23, 297/440.1, 297/440.11, 297/440.15, 297/463.1, 297/440.13, 297/440.14, 312/111, 312/140, 312/263, 312/264, 312/265.5, 29/911, 295/250.2, 295/250.3, 295/250.4, 295/251.1
• US Class Current: 297/440.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/021 connected by slotted joints
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/028 Upholstered chairs, e.g. metal, plastic or wooden chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/546 of detachable type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/481 Method
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4995 Nonthreaded
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

A fully upholstered, ready-to-assemble article of furniture which may be custom ordered by a consumer, packaged by the seller for shipment to the consumer by a parcel delivery service, and then assembled by the consumer from the packaged components. The article of furniture includes a frame of a plurality of interlocking, planar frame members which are secured together by fasteners received in push-in connector elements. Upholstery coverings, the design of which is custom selected by the consumer, are attached to the frame and secured to one another by hook and loop fasteners. Foam elements are received within a second plurality of upholstery covers which have large openings for receiving the foam elements to provide cushions for the article of furniture. The frame members, upholstery covers, and foam elements are packaged in first, second, and third containers, respectively, which are each light enough to be shipped for home delivery by a parcel delivery service.

Claims

1. An article of furniture, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a plurality of planar frame members, each said planar frame member including a plurality of edges and a pair of opposed parallel planar surfaces, two said planar frame members perpendicular to one another;

at least one of said frame members including a recess in one of its planar surfaces, said recess defining an edge aperture in an edge of said at least one frame member, at least one other of said frame members having a through aperture in its planar surfaces;

a push in planar connector element disposed in said recess, the thickness of said connector element substantially equal to the thickness of said at least one frame member, said connector inserted into said recess in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said at least one planar frame member, said connector also substantially filling said edge aperture, said connector including a connector aperture oriented parallel to the plane of said at least one planar frame member, said connector element larger than said edge aperture whereby said connector cannot pass through said aperture; and

a threaded fastener disposed in said through aperture and threadedly engaged with said connector element.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said frame members are made of medium density fiberboard (MDF).

3. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said frame members further include projections and cutouts, said projections insertable into said cutouts for interlocking said frame members.

4. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein at least one of said frame members includes a projecting foot, and a cap disposed on said foot.

5. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein said frame members form a storage compartment.

6. The article of furniture of claim 1, wherein at least one of said frame members includes a cutout therethrough, said cutout shaped as a number.

7. The article of furniture of claim 6, wherein a plurality of said frame members include said cutouts therethrough, said cutouts defining a sequentially numbered set of frame members.

8. The article of furniture of claim 1, further including an upholstery cover, said upholstery cover adapted to connect to said frame.

9. The article of furniture of claim 8, wherein said upholstery cover includes a pocket which is adapted to slide over a frame member.

10. The article of furniture of claim 9, wherein said upholstery cover includes flaps having hook and loop fasteners.

11. The article of furniture of claim 10, wherein said upholstery cover includes a skirt portion.

12. The article of furniture of claim 11, wherein said skirt encloses a weighted beading.

13. The article of furniture of claim 10, further including a padding element adapted to form a cushion for said article of furniture.

14. The article of furniture of claim 13, further including a second upholstery cover for covering said padding element to form said cushion.

15. The article of furniture of claim 14, wherein said upholstery cover includes a relatively large opening adapted to receive said padding element, and a fastener disposed around said opening for closing said upholstery cover.

16. An article of furniture, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a plurality of planar frame members, each said planar frame member including a plurality of edges and a pair of parallel opposed planar surfaces;

at least one of said frame members including a recess in one of its planar surfaces, said recess disposed adjacent said edge, and defining an edge aperture in an edge of said at least one frame member, and at least one other of said frame members having a through aperture oriented perpendicular to its planar surfaces and parallel to said at least one planar frame member;

a planar push in connector element disposed within said recess, the thickness of said connector element substantially equal to the thickness of said at least one frame member, said connector element having two planar surfaces which are substantially flush with the planar surfaces of said at least one frame member, at least a portion of said connector element disposed substantially flush with said edge, said connector element larger than said aperture; and

a fastener disposed in said through aperture and threadedly engaged with said connector element portion to connect said frame members.

17. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said frame members are made of medium density fiberboard (MDF).

18. The article of furniture of claim 16, wherein said frame members further include projections and cutouts, said projections insertable into said cutouts for interlocking said frame members.

19. The article of furniture of claim 16, further including an upholstery cover, said upholstery cover adapted to connect to said frame.

20. An article of furniture, comprising:

a frame, said frame including a plurality of planar frame members, each said planar frame member including a plurality of edges and a pair of opposed planar surfaces;

at least one of said frame members including an oblong-shaped recess in one of its planar surfaces, said recess open to an edge of said at least one frame member and defining an edge aperture therein, and at least one other of said frame members having a through aperture in its planar surfaces, said through aperture parallel to the plane of said at least one planar frame member;

a planar, oblong-shaped, push in connector element disposed within said recess, the thickness of said connector element substantially equal to the thickness of said at least one frame member, said connector element having two planar surfaces which are substantially flush with the planar surfaces of said at least one frame member, said connector element larger than said edge aperture; and

a fastener disposed in said through aperture and threadedly engaged with said connector element to connect said plurality of frame members.

21. The article of furniture of claim 20, wherein said frame members are made of medium density fiberboard (MDF).

22. The article of furniture of claim 20, wherein said frame members further include projections and cutouts, said projections insertable into said cutouts for interlocking said frame members.

23. The article of furniture of claim 20, further including an upholstery cover, said upholstery cover adapted to connect to said frame.