Multi-purpose furniture attachment system

Abstract

A multi-purpose furniture attachment system 1 having a paddle 5 and a catch 10. The paddle 5 to be attached to a piece of furniture and the catch 10 to be attached to an accessory. The paddle 5 including a top member 20, a bottom member 21 and a central member 22. Each member 20, 21, 22 having a corresponding blade 25, 26, 27 at one end and an elongate shaft 30, 31, 32 at the other end. The bottom and central members 21, 22 having a hole 35 in the blades 26, 27 to receive a protrusion 40 extending from the blade 25 of the top member 20 so that in use the members 20, 21, 22 can be secured together.

Description

FIELD

[01] The present invention relates to attachments to furniture. In particular, the invention relates to a multi-purpose attachment system for outdoor furniture.

[02] The invention has been developed primarily for use with outdoor camping chairs and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this field of use and may also be employed in other applications involving furniture or structures where a multi-purpose attachment system would be useful. For example, outdoor or indoor chairs, tables, benches, stools, tents, cupboards and the like. BACKGROUND

[03] Current camping furniture comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Though there is a variety of products on offer to the consumer, there is a lack of customization of those products. There is no quick and easy installation of accessories to a product while maintaining a compact design for easy transport.

[04] Some problems with existing products are that many camping furniture options lack flexibility in terms of customization, making it challenging to adapt them to individual preferences and needs. Existing camping furniture often requires time-consuming and complicated assembly processes, which can be frustrating and time-wasting during outdoor trips. Traditional camping furniture tends to be bulky and heavy, making it inconvenient to transport and limiting the available space for other camping gear and accessories in a vehicle. Campers often carry various accessories such as wine glass holders, side tables, bowls, plates, phone and tablet holders, knife holders, umbrellas, and kitchen utensil storage, for example. The lack of integrated storage solutions can lead to clutter and disorganization at the campsite.

[05] There is therefore a need to provide camping furniture that offers quick and easy customization options, simplifying the assembly process, reducing bulkiness for easy transport, and providing efficient storage solutions for accessories. This would enhance the overall camping experience by making it more convenient and comfortable for outdoor enthusiasts. SUMMARY

[06] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate, one or more of the disadvantages of existing arrangements, or at least provide a useful alternative to existing arrangements.

[07] There is disclosed herein a multi-purpose furniture attachment system having a multipurpose furniture attachment system having a paddle and a catch, the paddle including a top member, a bottom member and a central member, each member having a blade at one end and an elongate shaft at the other end; the bottom and central members having a hole in said blade to receive a protrusion extending from said blade of said top member so that in use said members can be secured together; the bottom member having a channel running around said hole in said blade and along said shaft, adapted in use to receive the central member to lock said central member between said top and bottom members; the catch having a base and a pair of flexible arms extending therefrom, the blade of said paddle being snap lockingly engageable within said catch.

[08] Preferably, the central member is a rigid insert adapted to provide strength to said system when a weight is applied to the paddle.

[09] Preferably, the shaft of said bottom member and / or said top member includes a hole to receive a fastener to fasten said paddle to said furniture or said accessory in use.

[10] Preferably, the blade has a circular shape and the arms extend in a circular direction such that the blade and arms complement each other when brought together, the arms being flexible to allow the blade to snap into a locking engagement.

[11] Preferably, the paddle is to be attached to a piece of furniture and the catch to be attached to an accessory in use.

[12] Preferably, the catch is to be attached to a piece of furniture and the paddle to be attached to an accessory in use.

[13] Preferably, the shaft of said bottom member and / or said top member includes a threaded or slotted portion adapted to be received within the arm of a camping chair.

[14] Preferably, the accessory is a glass and / or bottle holder.

[15] Preferably, the accessory is a container.

[16] Preferably, the accessory is a table.

[17] Preferably, the catch or paddle when attached to an accessory are integrally formed together in a one piece mold.

[18] Preferably, the catch or paddle when attached to an accessory are attached by way of an adhesive.

[19] Preferably, the catch has a pocket for the paddle to slide into.

[20] Preferably, a portion of said ends of said arms are spaced from an underside of said base to provide positive locking engagement with said paddle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[21] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying drawing figures, in which like reference signs designate like parts and in which:

[22] Figure 1 shows an outdoor camping chair having a mutli-purpose attachment system of an embodiment of the present invention;

[23] Figures 2a, b, c, d show bottom, front, top and side views of a cup holder with a catch member to be attached to the paddle of the multi-purpose attachment system of an embodiment of the present invention

[24] Figure 3 shows the catch member and paddle of an embodiment of the present invention moving towards each other;

[25] Figures 4a, b, c, d show the paddle being connected to the catch member which is attached to an accessory of an embodiment of the present invention; and

[26] Figure 5 shows a parts exploded view of the paddle of an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[27] In the Figures there is disclosed a multi-purpose furniture attachment system 1 having a paddle 5 and a catch 10. The paddle 5, in a preferred form, is to be attached to a piece of furniture (such as, but not limited to, a camping chair 6) and the catch 10 to be attached to an accessory (such as, but not limited to, a container 11). It should however be understood that the arrangement could be in reverse. That is, the catch attached to the furniture and the paddle to the accessory or a combination thereof depending upon the nature of the furniture and / or accessory. The paddle 5 (as best seen in Figure 5) includes a top member 20, a bottom member 21 and a central member 22 (insert). Each member 20, 21, 22 having a corresponding blade 25, 26, 27 at one end and an elongate shaft 30, 31, 32 at the other end. The bottom and central members 21, 22 have a hole 35 in the blades 26, 27 to receive a protrusion 40 extending from the blade 25 of the top member 20 so that in use the members 20, 21, 22 can be secured together. In Figure 5, the protrusion 40 includes a shoulder 41 and a flange 42. The flange 42 can include a flexible lip 43 to expand out over the hole 35 in the bottom blade 21 in use to assist in securing the parts together in a positive lock.

[28] As shown in Figure 5, the bottom member 21 has a channel 45 running around the hole 35 in the blade 26 and along the shaft 31 and adapted in use to receive the central member 22 (insert) to lock the central member 22 between the top and bottom members 20, 21. The central member 22 is a rigid insert adapted to provide strength to the paddle 5 when a weight is applied to the accessory 11 and / or paddle. In a preferred form, the insert 22 would be steel and provide strengthening to the system. In the preferred form, the insert 22 includes a complete circle about the hole 35, however, in some embodiments only a half circle or partial circle could be used.

[29] In a preferred form, at least one of the shafts 30, 31, 32 of the members 20, 21, 22 include a hole 60 to receive a fastener 65 (such as a screw or the like) to further fasten the paddle 5 to a piece of furniture (such as chair 6). In the example, shown in Figure 1, the shafts 30, 31, 32 of the paddle 5 would be inserted into the arm 70 of an outdoor chair 6, the screw 65 then securing the shafts 30, 31, 32 to the tubing 70 of the chair 6. The shafts 30, 31, 32 could also include threaded or slotted portions 90 to assist with the connection between paddle 5 and furniture 6.

[30] Referring to Figures 2a, b, c, d, the catch 10 has a base 50 and a pair of flexible arms 51 having free flexible and moveable ends 53 extending away from the base 50. The blades of the paddle 5 being snap lockingly engageable within a catchment zone 55 located between the arms 51, ends 53 and base 50 of the catch 10. The catch 10, as shown, is secured to an underside 13 of an accessory 11, in this case a cup holder. It could however be any conceivable accessory such as bowl, plate, table, laptop, tablet, phone or other mobile electronic device holder, fishing rod holder, umbrella or the like.

[31] In the preferred form, the catch 10 is integrally formed with the accessory 11 by way of an injection molding process or by 3D printing. However, it will be appreciated that the catch 10 and accessory 11 could be separate parts and attached by an adhesive, magnets, press studs, hook and loop type fasteners or the like. As mentioned above, it will be appreciated that this can be in reverse with the catch with the furniture and the paddle with the accessory.

[32] As best seen in Figure 3, the blades 20, 21, 22 of the paddle 5 have a circular shape which are complimentary to the circular shape of the arms 51 of the catch 10. The arms 51 have free ends 53 which are flexible and moveable so that their ends 53 in use flex away from each other to allow the paddle 5 to enter and be captured within the catchment zone 55 in a positive lock. Adjacent the base 50 of the catch 10, is a pocket 80 to receive the paddle 5 and assist with a snap locking engagement along with downward weight distribution. As best seen in Figures 2b and 2d, the arms 51 include a portion extending from the ends 53 spaced away from the underside 13 of the accessory 11 creating a gap 56. The gap 56 provides an additional flex and positive lock of the paddle 5 in the catch 10.

[33] Figures 4a, b, c, d show the operation of the system. The accessory 11 having a catch 10 applied is brought towards the paddle 5. As the blades 20,21,22 of the paddle 5 reach the ends 53 of the arms 51 of the catch 10, those ends 53 (having a gap 56 above) flex away from each other widening the gap 56 therebetween to allow the paddle to enter the pocket 80. As the arms 51 pass the halfway point of the circumference of the blades 20, 21, 22 the distance between them decreases and the arms 51 start to move towards each other snap locking the arms 51 about the blades 20,21,22 and returning the arms 51 to their original position.

[34] The accessory 11 can be removed from the furniture and switched for another accessory easily by moving the accessory away from the paddle (which is secured to the furniture) this flexes the arms of the catch releasing the blades. The customer can then choose another accessory. There can be any number of accessories.

[35] In a preferred form, the catch is made from an ABS / Plastic / TPU which makes it light weight and flexible for the simple snap fit positive lock. The paddle is preferably made from a nylon / plastic with steel insert for extra strength to take the weight on top load. The bottom of the accessories has a half circle shaped design with a small gap in the top to cause a snap fit as it slides over the paddle. It simply slides over and snaps closed at the other end.

[36] The paddles can be shaped in a left-hand side and / or right-hand side version. The paddles could in one embodiment also slide into the round tube say on a chair arm then screwed in from the bottom. While the inner insert of the paddle gives strength from a weak load position as the paddle comes off the chair to avoid breaking. That is, it has a strong inner core. The snap fit makes the fit fast streamline and simple effortless to use.

[37] Advantageously, the present invention in a preferred form provides a positive lock system for camp furniture. No more one-size-fits-all camping gear. A new era of customization and adaptability. It allows a customer to tailor camp furniture to suit a unique need in different environments.

[38] A range of accessories can be chosen for example drink or wine glass holders, side tables, or bowls, fishing rod or umbrella holders, mobile electronic device holders. Forget the hassle of lugging around oversized, pre-built furniture with attached accessories. All your gear fits neatly into a compact pack, ready for quick deployment when you need it most. No more days of damaged or cumbersome camp furniture. Customization allows no more limitations with fixed left or right-handed setups. The system gives you the freedom to choose which side and location suits you best.

[39] Although specific embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a variety of alternative and / or equivalent implementations exist. It should be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Generally, this application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose furniture attachment system having:a paddle and a catch,the paddle including a top member, a bottom member and a central member, each member having a blade at one end and an elongate shaft at the other end; the bottom and central members having a hole in said blade to receive a protrusion extending from said blade of said top member so that in use said members can be secured together;the bottom member having a channel running around said hole in said blade and along said shaft, adapted in use to receive the central member to lock said central member between said top and bottom members;the catch having a base and a pair of flexible arms extending therefrom, the blade of said paddle being snap lockingly engageable within said catch.

2. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of claim 1, wherein said central memberis a rigid insert adapted to provide strength to said system when a weight is applied to the paddle.

3. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of claim 1 or 2, wherein said shaft of said bottom member and / or said top member includes a hole to receive a fastener to fasten said paddle to said furniture or said accessory in use.

4. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the blade has a circular shape and the arms extend in a circular direction such that the blade and arms complement each other when brought together, the arms being flexible to allow the blade to snap into a locking engagement.

5. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the paddle is to be attached to a piece of furniture and the catch to be attached to an accessory in use.

6. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catch is to be attached to a piece of furniture and the paddle to be attached to an accessory in use.

7. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein said shaft of said bottom member and / or said top member includes a threaded or slotted portion adapted to be received within the arm of a camping chair.

8. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the accessory is a glass and / or bottle holder.

9. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the accessory is a container.

10. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 7, wherein the accessory is a table.

11. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catch or paddle when attached to an accessory are integrally formed together in a one piece mold.

12. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catch or paddle when attached to an accessory are attached by way of an adhesive.

13. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein the catch has a pocket for the paddle to slide into.

14. The multi-purpose furniture attachment system of anyone of claims 1 to 4, wherein a portion of said ends of said arms is spaced from an underside of said base to provide positive locking engagement with said paddle.

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