Connecting piece, furniture and assembling method

Abstract

A connecting piece for a piece of furniture (1), comprising a molded body (4, 4 ') which can be fixed in a first piece of furniture (2) and a retaining piece (6) which can be fixed on a second piece of furniture (3), a clamping piece (5) being movably arranged on the molded body (4, 4'), by means of which the retaining piece (6) can be clamped in order to fixedly connect the first piece of furniture (2) to the second piece of furniture (3). The invention is characterized in that the molded body (4, 4 ') is integrally molded with a press-in part (10), which is connected to the molded body (4, 4') by means of at least one connecting rib (19) having a predetermined breaking point; the press-in piece (10) can be inserted into the socket (22) of the molded body (4, 4 ') and pressed into the recess (8) of the first furniture piece (2), during which a predetermined breaking point is broken in order to fix the molded body (4, 4') in place. The invention further relates to a piece of furniture (1) having a first piece of furniture (2) and a second piece of furniture (3) and equipped with such a connecting piece, and to a method for assembling a connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a furniture connector, furniture, and a method for assembling and connecting a first furniture piece and a second furniture piece. The furniture connector includes a molded body that can be fixed in the first furniture piece and a retaining member that can be fixed on the second furniture piece. A clamping member is movably provided on the molded body, and the retaining member can be clamped by the clamping member to fix the first furniture piece and the second furniture piece in a fixed connection. Background Technology

[0002] German patent application DE 10 2009 011 845 A1 discloses a connector for connecting two workpieces, which can be inserted into receiving grooves in the two workpieces. The connector includes a tensioning member passing through a retainer, and a displacement member that can move along the tensioning member to cause the anchor body to open outwards, thereby clamping and fixing the connector to the two workpieces. This connector is relatively large and requires large grooves to be milled into the two workpieces, resulting in relatively high manufacturing costs. Furthermore, a support body is required on the outside of the workpieces to support the tensioning member, which also increases the number of components in the connector. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, the purpose of this invention is to provide a connector that is compact in structure and can be easily installed on two furniture pieces.

[0004] The above-mentioned objective of the present invention is achieved by a connector having the features of claim 1, furniture having the features of claim 10, and an assembly method having the features of claim 13.

[0005] The furniture connector of the present invention includes a molded body that can be fixed within a first furniture piece and a retaining member that can be fixed to a second furniture piece. A clamping member is movably disposed on the molded body, and the retaining member can be clamped by the clamping member to fix the first and second furniture pieces together. The molded body is integrally formed with a press-in member, which is connected to the molded body via at least one connecting rib with a predetermined break point. The press-in member can be inserted into a socket in the molded body and pressed into a groove in the first furniture piece, during which the predetermined break point breaks, thereby fixing the molded body in place. Using this structure, the molded body can be placed into the groove of the first furniture piece first, and then the press-in member can be pressed into the socket of the molded body to fix the molded body in the groove of the first furniture piece by an interference fit. After the press-in member is pressed in, the molded body is fixed in the groove by clamping force, thus eliminating the need for a support member on the outside of the first furniture piece.

[0006] Preferably, the press-in component includes at least one wedge-shaped block that tapers along the press-in direction. For example, one side of the wedge-shaped block may be designed to be substantially parallel to the press-in direction to guide the movement of the wedge-shaped block, while the other side may be designed to be inclined to the press-in direction, for example, at an angle of 5° to 20°.

[0007] Preferably, the molded body has at least one bendable rib that opens outward in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction when the press-in part is pressed in. The bendable rib is flexibly connected to the molded body, and its end can be a free end or designed as a bridging rib, connected to the molded body through multiple connecting segments. Preferably, at least one bendable rib is connected to the molded body through a connecting segment arranged along the pressing direction, so that the free end of the bendable rib can open outward during the pressing process.

[0008] In another embodiment, both the press-in and the molded body are provided with locking structures, and the press-in can be locked to the molded body when it is pressed into place. The locking structure may be, for example, a locking protrusion, a locking rib, or a locking groove, or it may be a toothed or other embossed structure, thereby locking the press-in at one or more positions on the molded body.

[0009] To optimize force distribution, the press-in component may be provided with two spaced-apart wedges, each press-in into a slotted socket in the molded body. Thus, each wedge can push a bendable rib of the molded body outwards, causing forces perpendicular to the pressing direction to cancel each other out. The two wedges can be guided to move along the inside of the socket channel in the pressing direction, preferably with contact surfaces on their outer sides at an angle to the pressing direction to push open the corresponding bendable rib. To increase clamping force, at least one bendable rib may have embossing, such as raised ribs, serrations, or other forms of embossing, on its outer side facing the first furniture part.

[0010] The retainer is preferably designed as a bolt structure, or includes a bolt that can be inserted into the molded body. The bolt can be secured to the second furniture piece by a pin or other fastener, and preferably has a widened head with a tool connection that can mate with the clamping member.

[0011] The clamping element is preferably rotatably mounted on the molding body and can be rotated by inserting a tool. The clamping element may have an arc-shaped guide surface, and the head of the retainer abuts against this arc-shaped guide surface, so that by rotating the clamping element, the retainer can be clamped into the molding body.

[0012] Preferably, at least one side of the molded body and / or press-in has a stepped structure along its length. This stepped structure includes steps or embossing and extends in a direction substantially parallel to the pressing direction, thereby facilitating insertion of the molded body into the groove. The steps serve as guides and provide additional anti-torsional support in the assembled position. The stepped structure is preferably located on the curved side of the molded body and / or press-in.

[0013] The furniture of this invention includes a first furniture component and a second furniture component, which are interconnected by a connector of this invention. Preferably, the press-in component is substantially flush with the end face of the first furniture component when it is pressed into place. Before pressing, the press-in component may protrude from the end face of the first furniture component. The installer only needs to press the press-in component into the socket of the molded body to make the end face of the first furniture component and the surface of the press-in component substantially form a plane. This design has both visual advantages and facilitates the subsequent insertion of the retaining component into the molded body, simplifying the assembly process.

[0014] The two furniture pieces and the molded body are preferably made of the same material. The molded body may be made at least partially of a bio-based material, especially primarily of a bio-based material, preferably primarily or entirely of a plant-based material, especially pressed fiber material. Bio-based materials may include wood components, fruit pits, fruit shells, natural polymers, or pressed fiber materials, etc. Of course, if the furniture pieces are made of plastic or metal, the molded body may also be made of plastic or metal accordingly. The design of using a single material for both the molded body and the furniture pieces enables environmentally friendly waste disposal and aligns with sustainable development principles. Furthermore, since material separation is not required, the efficiency of raw material processing and manufacturing is also improved.

[0015] The method for assembling and connecting a first furniture piece and a second furniture piece according to the present invention includes the following steps: first, inserting a molded body portion with a movable clamping member into a groove in the first furniture piece; fixing a retaining member onto the second furniture piece; pressing a press-in member integrally formed with the molded body into at least one socket in the molded body, thereby causing a predetermined break point to break during the process, thereby clamping and fixing the molded body inside the first furniture piece; then inserting the retaining member into the molded body and the clamping member; and finally clamping and positioning the retaining member by the clamping member. Through the above simple assembly steps, a stable connection can be established between two furniture pieces, and the two furniture pieces can be fixed to each other by multiple such connectors. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to several embodiments and accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 A perspective view of a furniture component according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2 It shows Figure 1Exploded view of a Chinese furniture component; Figure 3 A perspective view of the first furniture piece without the molded body installed is shown; Figure 4 A view of the first furniture piece with the molded body mounted is shown; Figure 5 A view of the first furniture piece with the press-in component pressed into place is shown; Figure 6 A view of a second furniture piece with a retainer installed is shown; Figure 7A , Figure 7B Two views of the molded body in its initial position are shown; Figure 8A , Figure 8B It shows Figure 7A and Figure 7B Two views of the molded body in the press-in position; Figure 9 A view of the furniture connector using an improved molded body is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Furniture 1 comprises a first furniture component 2 and a second furniture component 3. Both the first furniture component 2 and the second furniture component 3 are designed as furniture panels, which can be made of wood-based materials such as medium-density fiberboard (MDF), high-density fiberboard (HDF), or particleboard. The first furniture component 2 and the second furniture component 3 are fixed to each other by a connector, which is completely contained inside the first furniture component 2 and the second furniture component 3 when assembled and therefore cannot be seen from the outside.

[0019] Figure 2 A furniture piece 1 with a connector is shown. The connector includes a molded body 4 that can be inserted into a groove in a first furniture piece 2. The molded body 4 accommodates a clamping member 5, which is rotatably mounted within the molded body 4. The clamping member 5 includes an arcuate guide surface 13 and a tool retainer 14. Two retainers 6 are mounted on the second furniture piece 3. The retainers 6 are designed as bolts, with one end of the bolt fixed into an opening 7 in the second furniture piece 3. To achieve this fixing effect, threads or pins can be provided on the bolts to secure the retainers 6 to the second furniture piece 3.

[0020] To assemble the connector, at least one groove 8 needs to be machined on the first furniture piece 2, preferably using a milling process. The shape of each groove 8 is adapted to the contour of the molded body 4. The cross-section of the groove 8 is basically rectangular, with the two ends of the rectangle being arc-shaped. Of course, the groove 8 can also be designed with other geometric shapes. The groove 8 is open towards one end face 11 of the plate-shaped first furniture piece 2. In addition, an opening 9 is provided on the upper or lower side of the plate-shaped first furniture piece 2, through which the tool holding part 14 of the clamping member 5 can be operated.

[0021] Figure 4 In the first furniture piece 2, a molded body 4 with a clamping member 5 is inserted into each of the two grooves 8. The molded body 4 can be loosely inserted into the groove 8. Then, the pressing member 10 protruding from the end face 11 of the first furniture piece 2 is pressed in, so that the molded body 4 can be fixed in the groove 8 of the first furniture piece 2.

[0022] Figure 5 The image shows the pressed-in state, where the outer surface of the press-in part 10 is substantially flush with the end face 11 of the first furniture part 2. By pressing in the press-in part 10, the molded body 4 is clamped and fixed inside the first furniture part 2.

[0023] Figure 6 A second furniture piece 3 is shown with two retainers 6. Each retainer 6 protrudes substantially vertically from the flat surface of the plate-shaped second furniture piece 3 and has a widened head 12. The head 12 has a tool connection portion, allowing it to be inserted into the channel 15 of the molded body 4 until it engages with the clamping member 5. The head 12 of the retainer 6 abuts against the arcuate guide surface 13 of the clamping member 5. Rotating the clamping member 5 pulls the retainer 6 towards the clamping member 5, thereby clamping and fixing the second furniture piece 3 to the first furniture piece 2.

[0024] Figure 7A , Figure 7B A molded body 4 is shown, in which a rotatable clamping member 5 is not shown. The molded body 4 has a circular opening 23 for the clamping member 5 to be rotatably mounted in the opening 23. To prevent the clamping member 5 from coming out axially, a guide member 24 is provided in the opening 23. The guide member 24 cooperates with the arc-shaped guide surface 13 to achieve the snap-fit ​​fixation of the clamping member 5 on the molded body 4.

[0025] The molded body 4 is integrally formed with a press-in part 10, and in the initial state, the press-in part 10 and the molded body 4 are an integral structure. Specifically, the press-in part 10 is connected to the channel 15 for accommodating the retainer 6 through two connecting ribs 19. The connecting ribs 19 have predetermined fracture points, so that the connecting ribs 19 will break when the press-in part 10 is pressed in.

[0026] The press-in component 10 has two spaced-apart wedge-shaped blocks 16. The inner side of the wedge-shaped block 16 is basically parallel to the pressing direction, while the outer side 17 is at a certain angle to the pressing direction, for example, an angle of 5° to 20°. The outer side 17 of the wedge-shaped block 16 gradually tapers along the pressing direction until it reaches the connecting rib 19. The outer side 17 is also provided with a locking protrusion 18, which is used to lock the press-in component 10 in the pressed-in position.

[0027] The molded body 4 has two spaced-apart sockets 22, into which the two wedge-shaped blocks 16 of the press-in member 10 can be inserted respectively. Each socket 22 has a bendable rib 20 on its outer side; when the press-in member 10 is pressed in, the bendable rib 20 bends outward. The bendable rib 20 is connected to the molded body 4 along the pressing direction, with its free end facing the press-in member 10. Each bendable rib 20 has a protrusion 21 on its inner side, forming a locking groove between two protrusions 21, into which the locking protrusion 18 on the wedge-shaped block 16 can be inserted.

[0028] Both the molded body 4 and the press-in part 10 have stepped or embossed stepped structures 26 formed on opposite sides, which extend in a direction substantially parallel to the pressing direction. The stepped structures 26 on the curved sides facilitate the insertion of the molded body 4 into the groove 8, as the steps act as guides. In addition, the stepped structures 26 provide additional anti-torsional support in the assembled position.

[0029] Figure 8A , Figure 8B The molded body 4 is shown after the press-in member 10 has been pressed in. Two wedge blocks 16 are inserted into the socket 22, and the bendable rib 20 opens outward under the action of the wedge blocks 16. This movement perpendicular to the pressing direction ensures that the molded body 4 is clamped and fixed in the groove 8 of the first furniture piece 2, and the locking protrusion 18 engages in the locking groove between the two protrusions 21. In this pressed-in state, the retainer 6 can be inserted into the channel 15 of the molded body 4 until it engages with the clamping member 5 (not shown), thereby clamping and fixing the first furniture piece 2 and the second furniture piece 3.

[0030] Figure 9 An embodiment of the improved molded body 4' is shown, which is basically the same as the previous embodiment, except that the flexible rib 20 has embossing 25 on its outer side. The flexible rib 20 has embossing 25 in the form of raised ribs and grooves on its outer side, and the raised ribs and grooves extend in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction. When the flexible rib 20 opens outward, the raised ribs engage with the inner wall of the groove 8 of the first furniture piece 2, achieving optimized fixation of the molded body 4'. A stepped structure 26 is formed on the arcuate side of the molded body 4', which allows stress to be more rationally transmitted to the first furniture piece 2 and the second furniture piece 3 during the pressing process.

[0031] When assembling the first furniture piece 2 and the second furniture piece 3, first insert the molded body 4 or 4' into the groove 8 of the first furniture piece 2, and then use a hammer or other tools to press the press-in part 10 in until the molded body 4 or 4' is completely embedded in the first furniture piece 2 and clamped and fixed in the groove 8 of the first furniture piece 2. During this process, the predetermined break point between the molded bodies 4, 4' and the press-in part 10 will break. Fix the retainer 6 to the second furniture piece 3, and then insert the retainer 6 into the molded body 4 or 4' until its head 12 mates with the arc-shaped guide surface 13 of the clamping part 5. Then, by rotating the clamping part 5, the retainer 6 can be pulled towards the first furniture piece 2, thereby clamping and fixing the second furniture piece 3 to the first furniture piece 2.

[0032] In the aforementioned embodiment, two connecting members are provided between the first furniture component 2 and the second furniture component 3. In practical applications, only one connecting member or more than two connecting members may also be provided.

[0033] The molded bodies 4 and 4' are preferably made of the same material as the first furniture part 2, and the single-material design eliminates the need for subsequent material separation operations.

[0034] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the molded bodies 4, 4' and the press-fit 10 are all at least partially made of plant-based materials, especially pressed fiber materials. This pressing process creates a stepped structure 26 along the length of the outer side of the end faces of the molded bodies 4, 4' and the press-fit 10 because, depending on the pressing direction, it is simpler to process a stepped structure than an arc-shaped structure in this process.

[0035] List of reference numerals 1 Furniture 2 First Furniture Component 3 Second Furniture Components 4' Molded body 5 Clamping components 6. Retaining components 7 Opening 8 grooves 9 Opening 10 Press-in parts 11. End face of the first furniture component 12 heads 13. Arc-shaped guide surface 14 Tool Holding Section 15 channels 16 wedge blocks 17. Outer side 18 Locking bumps 19 Connecting stiffeners 20 Flexible reinforcing bars 21 bumps 22 sockets 23 Opening 24 Guide components 25 Embossing 26-step structure

Claims

1. A connector for furniture (1), comprising a molded body (4, 4') capable of being fixed within a first furniture piece (2) and a retaining member (6) capable of being fixed to a second furniture piece (3), wherein a clamping member (5) is movably provided on the molded body (4, 4'), and the retaining member (6) can be clamped by the clamping member (5) to fix the first furniture piece (2) and the second furniture piece (3) in a fixed connection, characterized in that, The molded body (4, 4') is integrally formed with a press-in part (10), which is connected to the molded body (4, 4') by at least one connecting rib (19) with a predetermined break point. The press-in part (10) can be inserted into the socket (22) of the molded body (4, 4') and pressed into the groove (8) of the first furniture part (2). During this process, the predetermined break point is broken, thereby fixing the molded body (4, 4') in place.

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The press-in component (10) includes at least one wedge-shaped block (16) that tapers along the press-in direction.

3. The connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The molded body (4, 4') is provided with at least one bendable rib (20), which opens outward in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction when the press-in member (10) is pressed in.

4. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Both the press-in part (10) and the molded body (4, 4') are provided with a locking structure, and the press-in part (10) can be locked and connected with the molded body (4, 4') when it is pressed into place.

5. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The press-fit part (10) is provided with two wedge blocks (16), which can be inserted into the slot-shaped socket (22) of the molded body (4, 4') respectively.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, At least one of the bendable ribs (20) has embossing (25) on one of the outer sides facing the first furniture piece (2).

7. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The retainer (6) is designed as a plug structure that can be inserted into the molded body (4, 4').

8. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The clamping element (5) is rotatably mounted on the molded body (4, 4').

9. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The clamping member (5) is provided with an arc-shaped guide surface, and the head (12) of the retaining member (6) abuts against the arc-shaped guide surface.

10. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Both the molded body (4, 4') and the press-fit part (10) are made of pressed fiber material.

11. The connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, At least one side of the molded body (4, 4') and / or the press-in (10) has a stepped structure (26) formed along its length.

12. A piece of furniture (1) comprising a first piece of furniture (2) and a second piece of furniture (3), wherein the first piece of furniture (2) and the second piece of furniture (3) are interconnected by a connector as described in any one of the preceding claims.

13. The furniture according to claim 12, characterized in that, The press-in part (10) is basically flush with the end face of the first furniture part (2) when it is pressed into place.

14. The furniture according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The furniture pieces (2, 3) and the molded body (4, 4') are made of the same material.

15. A method for assembling and connecting a first furniture component (2) and a second furniture component (3), comprising the following steps: - Insert the molded body (4, 4') portion with the movable clamping element (5) into the groove (8) of the first furniture piece (2); - Secure the retainer (6) to the second furniture piece (3); - Press the press-in part (10) integrally formed with the molded body (4, 4') into at least one socket (22) of the molded body (4, 4'), and break it at a predetermined break point in the process; - Insert the retainer (6) into the molded body (4) and the clamping member (5); - The retainer (6) is clamped and positioned by the clamping member (5).

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