Modular furniture assembly

• US 7,419,220 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lovesac Company
• Original Assignee: Sac Acquisition LLC (SAC Acquisition)
• Inventors: Nelson, Shawn D., Rich, Matt, Nappi, Daniel, White, Verdi III., Underwood, David
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US11/745,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20070257539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 297/440.1, 297/440.14, 297/440.15, 297/440.16, 297/452.27, 403/395, 403/397, 248/188, 248/188.2, 248/188.8, 248/188.9, 248/345.1
• US Class Current: 297/440.14
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 17/045 Seating furniture having loose or by fabric hinge connected cushions changeable to beds
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/028 Upholstered chairs, e.g. metal, plastic or wooden chairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7164 One rod held between bight and other rod extending through aperture in leg of connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7176 Resilient clip

Abstract

A modular furniture assembly is disclosed that is convenient and versatile. One embodiment of the modular furniture assembly comprises a base and a transverse member manually, detachably coupled to the base by a coupler. The base and the transverse member have a defined spatial relationship which enables a variety of different types, configurations and sizes of furniture assemblies to be formed therefrom. Further, the base is configured such that the transverse member can be coupled to the base in a first position to form a first furniture assembly, and can be coupled to the base in a second position to form a second furniture assembly.

Claims

1. A modular furniture assembly, comprising:

a base comprising a frame assembly and at least one foot coupled to an underside of the frame assembly, wherein the at least one foot elevates at least a portion of the frame assembly above a floor upon which the base is positioned, the frame assembly having at least one aperture formed therein;

a base liner adapted to cover the frame assembly of the base;

a transverse member comprising a frame assembly and at least one foot coupled to an underside of the frame assembly of the transverse member, wherein the at least one foot of the transverse member elevates the frame assembly of the transverse member above the floor, the transverse member having at least one aperture formed therein;

a transverse member liner adapted to cover the frame assembly of the transverse member; and

a coupler detachably coupling the transverse member to the base when the base and the transverse member are positioned on the floor and the apertures of the base and the transverse member are substantially aligned, wherein the transverse member can be detachably coupled to the base in a first position with respect to the base so as to form a first furniture assembly, and wherein the transverse member can be detachably coupled to the base in a second position with respect to the base so as to form a second furniture assembly, wherein the coupler is pushed downward coupling the transverse member to the base thereby allowing the coupler to be inserted or removed while the base and the transverse member are positioned on the floor in an upright orientation.

11. An assembly as recited in claim 1, the base liner having at least one aperture formed therein, the aperture substantially corresponding with the aperture in the frame assembly of the base, the transverse member liner also having at least one aperture formed therein, the aperture substantially corresponding with the aperture of the frame assembly of the transverse member.

12. An assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the base liner and the transverse member liner have a defined spatial relationship, wherein the length (x) of the base liner is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base liner and the width (z) of the transverse member liner.

2. A modular furniture assembly, comprising:

a base

a transverse member; and

a coupler configured to detachably couple the transverse member to the base, wherein the transverse member can be detachably coupled to the base in a first position with respect to the base so as to form a first furniture assembly, and wherein the transverse member can be detachably coupled to the base in a second position with respect to the base so as to form a second furniture assembly, wherein the coupler comprises a ratcheting coupler, one portion of the ratcheting coupler being coupled to the transverse member and another portion of the ratcheting coupler being coupled to the base, such that the transverse member and base are coupled upon connecting each of the portions of the coupler together.

3. A liner assembly for modular furniture, the modular furniture having a base and a transverse member, the liner assembly comprising:

a base liner adapted to cover the base, the base liner having a length (x) and a width (y);

a transverse member liner adapted to cover the transverse member, the transverse member liner having a length (x′

) and a width (z);

wherein the base liner and the transverse member liner have a defined spatial relationship, the defined spatial relationship being;

the length (x) of the base liner is substantially equal to the length (x′

) of the transverse member liner, and

the length (x) of the base liner is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base liner and the width (z) of the transverse member liner.

15. An assembly as recited in claim 3, further comprising a base and a transverse member, wherein the base liner is adapted to cover the base and the transverse member liner is adapted to cover the transverse member.

16. An assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the base is adapted to support the weight of a user while sitting on the base.

17. An assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the base is adapted to be selectively coupled to the transverse member.

18. An assembly as recited in claim 15, further comprising a coupler adapted to manually, detachably couple the base to the transverse member.

19. An assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein the base can be selectively coupled to the transverse member in a first orientation to form a first furniture assembly, and selectively coupled to the transverse member in a second orientation to form a second furniture assembly.

20. An assembly as recited in claim 3, wherein the height (h′

) of the transverse member liner is substantially greater than the height (h) of the base liner.

4. A modular furniture assembly comprising:

a base adapted to support the weight of a user while sitting on the base, the base having a plurality of abutting surfaces and at least one aperture formed therein;

a base liner adapted to detachably cover at least a portion of the base, the base liner having a plurality of abutting surfaces and at least one aperture formed therein;

a transverse member having an abutting surface and at least one aperture formed therein, wherein the abutting surfaces of the base and the abutting surface of the transverse member are adapted to facilitate detachable coupling of the base to the transverse member, the abutting surface of the transverse member corresponding with at least one of the abutting surfaces of the base when the base is placed in an abutting relationship with the transverse member;

a transverse member liner adapted to detachably cover at least a portion of the transverse member, the transverse member liner having an abutting surface and at least one aperture formed therein; and

a coupler manually, detachably coupling the base to the transverse member when the abutting surface and the aperture of the transverse member is substantially aligned with an abutting surface of the base and the aperture of the base, respectively, and the base and the transverse member are positioned on a floor, and such that the base is adapted to be manually, detachably coupled to the transverse member in a first position and such that the base is adapted to be manually, detachably coupled to the transverse member in a second position, wherein the coupler is pushed downward coupling the transverse member to the base thereby allowing the coupler to be inserted or removed while the base and the transverse member are positioned on the floor in an upright orientation.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the base liner covers at least a portion of a base comprising:

a frame assembly; and

a cushion mounted on the frame assembly.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the base liner and the transverse member liner have a defined spatial relationship, wherein the length (x) of the base liner is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base liner and the width (z) of the transverse member liner.

7. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the abutting surface of the base liner comprises a substantially flat surface.

8. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the abutting surface of the transverse member liner comprises a substantially flat surface.

9. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the abutting surface of the base liner comprises a substantially flat surface of the base liner and the abutting surface of the transverse member liner comprises a substantially flat surface of the transverse member liner.

10. An assembly as recited in claim 4, wherein the coupler comprises a two-part coupler having one portion connected to the base and another portion connected to the transverse member, the portions of the coupler being manually, detachably coupled to each other.

13. A cover assembly for modular furniture, comprising:

a base cover adapted to substantially and detachably cover a base, the base cover having a length (x) and a width (y); and

a transverse member cover adapted to substantially and detachably cover a transverse member, the transverse member cover having a length (x′

) and a width (z);

wherein the base cover and the transverse member cover have a defined spatial relationship, the defined spatial relationship being;

the length (x) of the base cover is substantially equal to the length (x′

) of the transverse member cover, and the length (x) of the base cover is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base cover and the width (z) of the transverse member cover, wherein the transverse member cover is adapted to be detachably coupled to the base cover in a first position with respect to the base cover so as to form a first cover assembly, and wherein the transverse member cover is adapted to be detachably coupled to the base cover in a second position with respect to the base cover so as to form a second cover assembly.

14. An assembly as recited in claim 13, further comprising a base and a transverse member, wherein the base cover is adapted to cover the base and the transverse member cover is adapted to cover the transverse member.

21. A modular sofa liner assembly comprising:

a first base liner having a length (x) and a width (y);

a second base liner having substantially the same dimensions as the first base liner, such that the base liners are interchangeable;

a first transverse member liner having a length (x′

) and a width (z);

a second transverse member liner;

a third transverse member liner; and

a fourth transverse member liner, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth transverse member liners have substantially the same dimensions, such that the transverse member liners are interchangeable, wherein the length (x) of the first base liner is substantially equal to the length (x′

) of the first transverse member liner, and the length (x) of the first base liner is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the first base liner and the width (z) of the first transverse member liner, such that the base liners and transverse member liners can be positioned in a first position to form a first sofa liner assembly and can be positioned in a second position so as to form a second sofa liner assembly having a different configuration than the first sofa liner assembly.

22. A modular furniture assembly, comprising:

a base comprising a frame assembly and two or more feet coupled to an underside of the frame assembly, wherein the two or more feet elevate at least a portion of the frame assembly above a floor upon which the base is positioned;

a base cover adapted to at least partially cover the frame assembly of the base;

a transverse member comprising a frame assembly and two or more feet coupled to an underside of the frame assembly of the transverse member, wherein the two or more feet of the transverse member elevate the frame assembly of the transverse member above the floor;

a transverse member cover adapted to at least partially cover the frame assembly of the transverse member;

a first coupler that substantially prevents the transverse member from moving in at least a first direction, wherein the first coupler couples an abutting surface of the base to an abutting surface of the transverse member; and

a second coupler that substantially prevents the transverse member from moving in at least a second direction, wherein the second coupler couples at least one foot of the base to at least one foot of the transverse member.

23. An assembly as recited in claim 22, wherein the base cover and the transverse member cover have a defined spatial relationship, wherein the length (x) of the base cover is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base cover and the width (z) of the transverse member cover.

24. An assembly as recited in claim 22, the base cover having a length (x) and a width (y), the transverse member cover having a length (x′

) and a width (z), wherein the base cover and the transverse member cover have a defined spatial relationship, the defined spatial relationship being;

the length (x) of the base cover is substantially equal to the length (x′

) of the transverse member cover, and

the length (x) of the base cover is substantially equal to the sum of the width (y) of the base cover and the width (z) of the transverse member cover.