Multifunctional clip-on fastening system for furniture and furniture components

Abstract

The invention provides a fastening system for furniture elements comprising at least one slide for mounting on a furniture panel and a fastener having a double dovetail tongue connected to a gripping plate. The slide has a groove with a dovetail profile for receiving said tongue. The groove and the tongue are equipped with a manual clipping system. In particular, when the fastener is connected to another piece of furniture, it allows the attachment of said piece to a furniture panel on which the slide receiving the fastener is mounted. In another embodiment, the fastener allows the attachment of juxtaposed panels. The invention also relates to a piece of furniture equipped with a system of the invention (Figure 1C). Figure to be published for the abstract: Figure 1C

Description

Title of the invention: Multifunctional clip-on fastening system for furniture and furniture components. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a clip-on fastening system for furniture and furniture elements comprising it. Technological background

[0002] Devices for modularizing furniture components are known, in particular documents FR2934022 A1 and FR2955754 A1, in the name of the present inventor, describing a removable groove / slide fastening device for furniture parts. Such a device, as currently designed, exhibits weaknesses in use. Furthermore, there is no locking system to secure the assemblies. Brief description of the invention

[0003] The present invention aims to improve the existing fastening system and optimize it by means of a clip-on fastening system allowing the furniture modules to be fixed together and which, by its design, allows other functions such as the fixing of shelves, legs or wheels.

[0004] Another object of the invention is that the system can be disassembled without any tools. To this end, the present invention proposes a clip-on fastening system for furniture comprising at least one slide with a dovetail profile, intended to be mounted on a furniture panel, and a clip-on fastener consisting of a double dovetail tongue connected to a gripping plate in which a clipping system is housed, allowing the tongue to be locked to the slides, thus securing the assemblies of modules and furniture elements. According to the embodiment, the grooves for receiving the slides are provided with a dovetail profile along a plane transverse to an axis for inserting the tongues into the grooves.The grooves in the slides are through-grooves and have lateral areas on either side of the groove's longitudinal axis to protect the panel sections that would come into contact with the double dovetail tongue. Advantageously, these double dovetail tongues have a beveled end for insertion into the slide grooves. The thickness of the double dovetail tongue is chosen to allow its insertion into the grooves and to retain the furniture panels.

[0005] According to one embodiment, the double dovetail tongue is, on its opposite faces facing the slides, concave in shape, in order to limit friction during the insertion of the tongue into the grooves.

[0006] Furthermore, openings can be made along the longitudinal axis opposite the slides, allowing for a reduction in material. In one embodiment, the slides may have grooves on their external faces facing the furniture panel, allowing for gluing to fix said slides to the panels. In another embodiment, the grooves of the slides have screw holes located along the longitudinal axis of said groove, allowing the slide to be fixed to the panel.

[0007] The clip fastener and the slide have a mutual clipping system in the sense that the double dovetail tongue has two tabs mounted on each opposite face of said tab and facing the grooves of the slides, each including a locking projection.

[0008] When the double dovetail tongue is inserted into the slides, the projections lock into a receiving housing made at one end of the grooves, thus locking the double dovetail tongue in the slides and locking the system.

[0009] Receiving recesses are made on each opposite face of the double dovetail tongue, facing the grooves that extend on each side into the grip plate. Thus, the recesses open through on each side of the grip plate on the inside face of the furniture panel. The recesses are located at their ends in the rounded tongue and have a bearing with a screw hole onto which the tabs of the clip system are positioned. These tabs also have a rounded end with a screw hole for securing the system in the double dovetail tongue. The clip tabs have, at their other ends, a push head that fits into the recesses of the grip plate, the push heads being flush with the sides of the grip plate on the inside face of the furniture panel.Thus, when pressure is applied to the push heads, an action is created on the tabs, releasing the locking protrusions from their housing. The system is unlocked.

[0010] When panels equipped with slides are not placed side-by-side and have a double dovetail tongue, a clip-on plug accessory fills the slide groove. To achieve this, the plug accessory comprises a single dovetail tongue connected to a single gripping plate that fills the slide groove, as well as the gripping plate itself. The single attachment also includes a tab from the clipping system. The single tab in The simple dovetail joint is flush with the side faces of the slides, which are themselves flush with the faces of the furniture panels.

[0011] According to another embodiment, the plug accessory can be used to receive furniture elements such as legs, wheels, etc. For this purpose, the simple dovetail tongue has on its face opposite the furniture panel a support plate having screw holes onto which the furniture elements can be positioned and screwed.

[0012] Ideally, the support plate has the desired number of screw holes at any point on the plate. The face of the support plate in contact with the furniture panel is beveled, facilitating the insertion of the plate and the dovetail joint. Brief description of the invention

[0013] Figures [Fig.1A], [Fig.1B], [Fig.1C] and [Fig.1D] represent perspective views of the embodiment of the slide and clip fastener system, and their implementation.

[0014] Figures [Fig.1E] and [Fig.1F] represent perspective views with a partial section, a clip-on fastener exposing the clip-on system and its implementation.

[0015] Figures [Fig.1G] and [Fig.1H] represent perspective views of another embodiment of a clip-on fastener and the clipping system.

[0016] Figures [Fig.II] and [Fig.U] represent perspective views of the plug accessory equipped with a support plate for receiving furniture elements.

[0017] Detailed description of the embodiment of the invention

[0018] Figures IA, IB, IC and 1D represent in perspective the embodiment of a clip-on fastening system for furniture elements of the invention.

[0019] Figure 1A shows in perspective the embodiment of a slide la fixed to a furniture panel 10a. The slide la includes a groove 3b for receiving a double dovetail tongue 8 of the clip fastener 5a. According to the example in Figure 1B, the purpose of this device is to join furniture elements comprising panels 10a and 10b [Figure 1C].

[0020] To achieve this, each panel has a slide on its opposite outer faces, and the double dovetail tongue 8 is inserted into the grooves 3a and 3b of the slides fixed to the panels so that the clip fastener holds said panels together. The thickness of the double dovetail tongue 8 is adapted so that said tongue retains panels 10a and 10b.

[0021] According to this example, the panels 10a and 10b have millings adapted for mounting the slides la and 1b on the panels made so that one face of the slides is flush with the surface of the panels 10a and 10b.

[0022] According to the embodiment, the grooves 3a and 3b and the double dovetail tongue 8 are provided with a dovetail profile along a plane transverse to a 3 axis of introduction of the tongues into the grooves.

[0023] According to figures IB and IG, the insertion end of the double dovetail tongue 8 in the grooves of the slides la and 1b is beveled 15a and 15b.

[0024] As shown [Fig.1F], the slides 1a and 1b have grooves 3a and 3b opening out on either side of a straight longitudinal axis and have lateral platforms 4a, 4b, 4a' and 4b' on either side of the sides of the grooves 3a and 3b.

[0025] According to an important aspect, the slides 1a and 1b have at least one screw receiving hole 19 in the lateral ranges of the grooves 3a and 3b allowing the slides to be fixed to the furniture panels 10a and 10b.

[0026] According to the embodiment, the clip-on fastener 5a [Fig.1B] includes a clip-on system allowing the fastener to be locked to the slides locking the assembly system, the details of which will be more apparent in Figures 1E and 1F.

[0027] Fig. 1D represents the assembly of panels 10a and 10b fixed by the clip fastener 5a, leaving visible only the gripping plate 6 and one face of a push head 7a of a clipping tongue 9a.

[0028] Figures 1E and 1F illustrate the embodiment of the clipping system and its operation. In [Fig. 1E], the clip-on fastener 5a, seen in perspective and in partial section, consists of a clipping system 9a and 9b mounted on each face of the double dovetail tongue 8 facing the slides la and 1b, for which the clipping systems 9a and 9b comprise a tongue 1la and 11b, each provided with a locking projection 12a and 12b facing the grooves 3a and 3b of the slides, which are received in recesses 2a and 2b created in said grooves, thus locking the clip-on fastener 5a to the slides la and 1b, locking the system.

[0029] Receiving recesses 14a and 14b are made on each side of the double dovetail tongue 8, extending on each side into the gripping plate 6 and opening onto the inner face of the furniture panels. The recesses have a bearing 13a and 13b with a screw hole 21 onto which the tabs 11a and 11b of the clipping tabs are fixed. At their opposite ends, these tabs have a push head 7a and 7b that fits into the recesses of the gripping plate, the push heads 7a and 7b being flush with the sides of the gripping plate. Thus, pressure exerted on the push heads 7a and 7b creates an action on the tabs 1a and 11b, releasing the projections 12a and 12b from their housing 2a and 2b, unlocking the system.

[0030] Fig. IG shows in perspective a clip-on fastener 5b for which the double dovetail tongue 8b has concave faces opposite the grooves slides. The said tongue has openings 16 on the same faces allowing for a reduction in material.

[0031] When the panels 10a and 10b equipped with slides are not juxtaposed and lack double dovetail tongues. A plug accessory 18 shown [Fig. II] and IJ fills the groove of the slide la. To do this, the plug accessory 18 comprises a single dovetail tongue 17 connected to a single gripping plate 26 also comprising a clipping system 9a, the single dovetail tongue 17 being flush with the face of the slide la.

[0032] Figures [Fig. 1K] and [Fig. 11] show in perspective the plug accessory 18 equipped with a support plate 22 fixed to the face of the simple dovetail tongue 17 opposite the furniture panel 10c. Said support plate 22 has screw holes 24 allowing a furniture leg 25 to be fixed as shown. The support plate 22 is beveled 23 on the face in contact with the furniture panel.

Claims

1. Demands Clip-on fastening system for furniture and furniture components including: - at least one slide (la, 1b) having grooves (3a, 3b) intended to be mounted on a furniture panel (10a, 10b, 10c) and - clip-on fasteners (5a, 5b) comprising a double dovetail tongue (8) connected to a gripping plate (6), and including a clipping system (9) wherein the thickness of the double dovetail tongue is chosen to allow the insertion of said tongue into the grooves (3a, 3b) of the slides (1a, 1b) arranged on the juxtaposed furniture panels (10a, 10b, 10c) and to hold said panels in place by retention, and locked by the clipping system (9) which secures the double dovetail tongue (8) to the slides (1a, 1b), and characterized in that: -the clipping system (9) comprises two clipping tabs (1a, 11b) each having a projection (12a, 12b) facing the grooves (3a, 3b) of the slides (1a, 1b), which have a receiving recess (2a, 2b) for said locking projections locking the system, and -The clip fasteners (5a, 5b) have receiving recesses (14a, 14b) made on each side of the double dovetail tongue (8), extending on each side into the gripping plate (6) and opening onto the inner face of the furniture panels to accommodate the clipping system (9), for which the receiving recesses (14a, 14b) are rounded at one end and have a bearing (13a, 13b) with a screw hole (21), and onto which the clipping tabs (11a, 11b) of the clipping system are fixed, which also have a rounded end with a screw hole (20), and -each of the clipping tabs (11a, 11b) has a push head (7a, 7b) at one end which fits into the recesses (14a, 14b) in the gripping plate (6) and opening flush with said gripping plate on the inner face of the furniture panels (10a, 10b),and pressure exerted on the push heads (7a, 7b) creates an action on the clip tabs (lia, 11b) releasing the projections (12a, 12b) from their housings (2a, 2b) and unlocking the system.

2. Clip-on fastening system according to claim 1 wherein the receiving grooves (3a, 3b) of the slides are provided with a dovetail profile for receiving the tongue in a double dovetail (8) along a plane transverse to an axis for introducing the tongue into the grooves (3a, 3b).

3. Clip-on fastening system according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the grooves (3a, 3b) of the slides (la, 1b) are through and have lateral platforms (4a, 4b, 4a', 4b') on either side of the grooves, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove.

4. Clip-on fastening system according to any one of claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the double dovetail tongue (8) is beveled (15a) or (15b) has its insertion end in the groove slides (3a, 3b).

5. Clip-on fastening system according to claim 1 characterized in that the double dovetail tongue (8) is on its opposite faces facing the grooves of the concave-shaped slides limiting friction.

6. Clip-on fastening system according to claim 1 characterized in that openings (16) are created in the longitudinal axis of the double dovetail tongue (8) opposite the slides allowing a reduction of material.

7. Clip-on fastening system according to claim 1 characterized in that the slides (la, 1b) have on their external faces facing the furniture panels receiving grooves allowing gluing for fixing said slides to the furniture panels.

8. Clip-on fastening system according to claims 1 and 7 characterized in that the slides (la, 1b) have screw holes (19) allowing the attachment of said slides to the furniture panels.

9. A clip-on fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises a plug element (18) having a simple dovetail tongue (17) connected to a simple gripping plate (26) and comprising a clipping system (9a), said plug element being intended to replace the clip-on fasteners (5a, 5b) when the panels (10a, 10b) are not juxtaposed and held by said clip-on fasteners, and in which the simple dovetail tongue (17) is flush with the lateral (7) ranges (4a, 4b, 4a', 4b') of the slides.

10. Clip-on fastening system according to claim 9 characterized in that the simple dovetail tongue (17) has on its face opposite the furniture panel (10c) a support plate (22) having screw receiving holes (24) allowing the fixing of at least one furniture leg (25).

11. Clip-on fastening system according to claims 10 and 11 characterized in that the support plate (22) is beveled (23).

12. Clip-on fastening system according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that at least one furniture panel (10a, 10b, 10c) has a milling adapted for mounting the slides (la, 1b) made so that the slide is flush with the surface of the panels.

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