Fastening device for assembling seating furniture

Abstract

A fastening device for joining at least two parts of seating furniture, in which a rigid joining of two parts (M1, M2) of the furniture is carried out by approaching two vertical sides of the two parts of the furniture face to face, comprises each part of the furniture equipped with respective rigid elements (30, 60) and (40, 70) which can be coupled at the front and can be subsequently hooked to a third rigid element (50, 80) inserted vertically from above. Figure 15.

Description

Title of the invention: Fixing device for assembling seating furniture

[0001] The present model is a fixing device for assembling seating furniture and its parts.

[0002] It is customary in the upholstered furniture sector to obtain the assembly of the elements of modular sofas, as well as the fixing of certain parts of any seating furniture, using quick-release devices, made for example of galvanized steel and called "bayonet" in the jargon of the sector.

[0003] These are in fact devices composed of two elements which can be coupled in "male and female" by simply inserting one into the other after having fixed them using screws to the two pieces of furniture or to their parts to be assembled.

[0004] This assembly is determined by the transverse profile of the two coupled elements, while the maintenance of the aforementioned assembly by gravity, that is to say by the weight of the added piece of furniture, depends on their vertical arrangement. Unfortunately, the assembly of furniture provided with the aforementioned "bayonet" devices is particularly laborious and difficult to carry out, since it is necessary to lift one of the two pieces of furniture by the arms and support it until it is assembled to the other, which can only be achieved after having vertically aligned, without seeing them, the male and female elements of the "bayonet" devices to be coupled.

[0005] Currently, to obtain a fixing that is just as effective but easier to achieve by anyone, the two pieces of furniture or other elements to be assembled can be equipped with two identical "bayonet" elements, that is to say two male elements or two female elements, to be brought face to face and then assembled by hooking them, simultaneously, to a third double-female element inserted between the two male elements, or a double-male element inserted between the two female elements.

[0006] But this is an aesthetically questionable and difficult to accept fallback solution due to the visible gap caused by the large thickness of the double bayonet between the two pieces of furniture or the other elements assembled there.

[0007] The aim of the present invention is to provide a fixing device for assembling seating furniture and its parts capable of solving the problems set out above as best as possible by making the operations necessary for assembling and also separating modular furniture and its parts particularly easy.

[0008] The solution developed for this purpose is described below with reference to the attached drawings for informational and non-limiting purposes: [Fig.l], [Fig.2], [Fig.3] illustrate, in respective top views, known solutions of a fastening device for assembling seating furniture and parts thereof; [Fig.4], [Fig.5], [Fig.6] illustrate, in respective top views, three different phases of the fixing operations carried out by means of the device which is the subject of the present model and composed of the elements indicated by 30-40-50; [Fig.7] illustrates an orthogonal projection of the mating faces of elements 30 and 40; [Fig.8] and [Fig.9] illustrate a horizontal section SS and a vertical section RR of element 30; [Fig. 10] illustrates an orthogonal projection of the mating faces of elements 30 and 40; [Fig.l 1] and [Fig. 12] illustrate a horizontal section TT and a vertical section VV of element 40; [Fig. 13] and [Fig. 14] illustrate a front view and a top view of element 50; [Fig. 15] illustrates a vertical section of the device, i.e. a QQ section referred to in [Fig.6]; [Fig.16], [Fig.17] and [Fig.18] illustrate, in order and enlarged, the horizontal sections XX, YY and ZZ referred to in [Fig. 15]; [Fig.19], [Fig.20], [Fig.21] and [Fig.22] illustrate respective front elevation and top views of element 70 made of synthetic resins; [Fig.23] illustrates a median longitudinal section AA of the above-mentioned element 70; [Fig.24] and [Fig.25] illustrate a front and top view of the “bayonet” element 60 of known type; [Fig.26] and [Fig.27] illustrate a front and top view of the element 80; [Fig.28] illustrates a median vertical section of the variants referred to in the previous figures in operation; [Fig.29], [Fig.30] and [Fig.31] illustrate, in order and on an enlarged scale, the horizontal sections DD, EE and FF of [Fig.28], that is to say of the variant in operation.

[0009] By observing [Fig.l], which represents a more common known solution, it can be seen that the assembly of the two pieces of furniture Ml and M2, fixed respectively to a female element 10 and to a male element 20 of the “bayonet” device, can only be obtained by lifting the piece of furniture M2 sufficiently to insert the male element 20 into the female element 10 and to lower it along the latter until the meeting of the respective stop fins 21 and 11 projecting inside the bayonet from the foot of the two elements.

[0010] In the versions of figures 2 and 3, also known, the furniture M1 and M2 are provided with identical bayonet elements, namely two female elements 10 ([Fig.2]) or two male elements 20 ([Fig.3]), which must be brought together frontally close enough to be able to hook them by lowering from above a double male element 22 between the two female elements 10 or a double female element 12 between the two male elements 20, until the stop fins projecting from the foot of all the elements meet.

[0011] As illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the fixing device in question consists of three elements, two of which, indicated by 30 and 40, are fixed respectively to the furniture M1 and M2 to be brought together frontally, by inserting the element 40 into the element 30, to then hook the vertical hooked edges of the latter with those of the element 50 which blocks the assembly when it is inserted vertically from above until it rests, at the top of the element 40, with the gripping fins 51, also useful for inserting or removing the element 50 by squeezing them with two fingers.

[0012] Examining the aforementioned components through the detailed representation of figures 7-15 and starting from element 30, it is possible to see that the latter, made of galvanized steel or other ferromagnetic material and whose vertical edges are folded like a hook for male-female assembly with those of element 50, comprises holes 33 for fixing with screws to one of the pieces of furniture to be assembled and a truncated conical protrusion 31 intended to fit the truncated conical hollow 44 of element 40, made of synthetic resins, from which protrudes in the center the steel pivot 45 to be inserted, when coupling the two elements, into the hole 32 of the protrusion 31.

[0013] In addition to the aforementioned pivot 45 protruding from the truncated cone 44, the plastic element 40 comprises:

[0014] - the through holes 43 for the fixing screws to one of the two pieces of furniture to assemble;

[0015] - the hollows 41 in correspondence of the heads of the screws inserted in the holes 33 for fix element 40 to one of the two pieces of furniture to be assembled;

[0016] - one or more magnets 42 which, by their attractive force, ensure the assembly face to face of elements 30 and 40 as soon as they are coupled and before their tightening to element 50;

[0017] - the relief 46, extending centrally, in the rear face, from the foot and on approximately three-quarters of its length, to be straddled by the teeth 52 of the part divided in two of the element 50 when the element 40 is already fixed to the piece of furniture M2 resting against the aforementioned relief 46.

[0018] From the horizontal sections of figures 16, 17 and 18, which, to better illustrate the construction characteristics of the invention, are shown on a larger scale compared to [Fig. 15] to which they refer, it emerges that the clamping of the furniture M1 and M2, after the insertion of the element 40 into the element 30, is obtained by the "bayonet" coupling of the element 50, acting as a female element, with the element 30 which, fixed to the furniture M1, acts as a male element.

[0019] Figures 19 to 31 relate to a variant intended for cases where, without giving up the undeniable practical advantages of the solution imagined, it is desirable, or even inevitable, to use at least one of the two components of the famous “bayonet” quick-release fasteners.

[0020] This is particularly the case when, in the context of mass production, the structure of the seating furniture or certain of its parts has long been equipped, originally, with one of the two components of the aforementioned “bayonet” quick-release fasteners.

[0021] This variant was necessary to be able to adapt the present model also to the use of one of the two components, male or female, of a quick “bayonet” attachment already widely used in the seating furniture sector.

[0022] This is the element 60 shown in figures 24 and 25. This, made of galvanized steel or another ferromagnetic material, with the two vertical edges folded into a hook for hooking those of the element 80, comprises four holes 61, two of which are for the screws for fixing to the piece of furniture Ml ([Fig.28]).

[0023] Element 70, made of synthetic resins and intended to be coupled to element 60 by simple frontal rapprochement, comprises:

[0024] - a hollow 71 intended to receive the head of one of the screws used to fix the element 60 to the Ml furniture;

[0025] - a pair of holes 72 which, intended for the screws with which the element 70 must be fixed to the piece of furniture M2, are arranged in correspondence with as many holes 61 of the element 60 so that at least one of said holes 72 can also accommodate the head of one of the screws fixing the element 60 to the piece of furniture M1;

[0026] - a steel pivot 74 or a similar protrusion projecting from the element 70 in correspondence with one of the holes 61 of the element 60, in which to engage when the elements 70 and 60 are brought face to face;

[0027] - one or more magnets 73 which, by their attractive force, ensure the assembly elements 70 and 60 brought together and before their tightening in operation of element 80;

[0028] - the relief 75 which, extending centrally, in the rear face of the element 70 ([Fig.22]) and over a good part of its length, is intended to be ridden by the teeth 82 of the divided part of the element 80 when the element 70 is already fixed to the piece of furniture M2 against which said relief 75 rests.

[0029] In the variant just described, the clamping of the elements 60 and 70 brought together is obtained by inserting the element 80 from above until it rests on the upper end of the relief 75 straddled by the teeth 82. Consequently, given that no other stop is necessary, a flat part 81 projects at the top of said element 80, with a hole in which any support point can be applied with which to maneuver said element inside the gap formed between the two pieces of furniture M1 and M2.

[0030] Finally, without prejudice to the characteristics in principle illustrated and described, it is not excluded that the invention in question is susceptible to any other modification or variant however included within the present scope of the patent.

Claims

Claims

1. Fastening device for joining at least two parts (Ml, M2) of furniture, in which a rigid joining of two parts (Ml, M2) of the furniture is carried out by bringing together face to face two vertical sides of the two parts of the furniture, characterized in that each part of the furniture is equipped with respective rigid elements (30, 60) and (40, 70) which can be coupled at the front and can be subsequently hooked to a third rigid element (50, 80) inserted vertically from above.

2. A fixing device according to claim 1, wherein each rigid element (30, 60), made of galvanized steel or other ferromagnetic material and fixed by screws to one of the parts to be assembled, is transversely shaped to accommodate the other rigid element (40, 70) inserted at the front and to be tightened subsequently by coupling the vertical edges to the male and female elements, folded into a hook, of the rigid element (30, 60) and the third rigid element (50, 80) inserted vertically.

3. Fixing device according to the preceding claims 1 or 2, wherein the rigid element (30) comprises a protrusion (31) made to correspond to a similar hollow (44) of the plastic element (40), from which protrudes the steel pivot (45) to be inserted, when mating with the rigid element (30), into the corresponding hole (32) of the protrusion (31).

4. A fixing device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein a steel pivot (74) or similar protrusion projects from the member (70) and is engageable, upon face-to-face approach, in one of the holes (61) of the rigid member (60).

5. Fixing device according to the preceding claims, in which the element (40, 70) is made of plastic, and comprises, in the face to be brought closer to the part of the furniture to which it is to be fixed, a flat relief (46, 75), of uniform thickness, extending centrally, from the foot of the element itself, over approximately half of its width and over its entire length; the flat relief (46, 75) being intended to be straddled by a part divided in two of the third element (50, 80), following the fixing of the rigid element (40, 70) to the part of the furniture (M2) and at the same time the coupling with the rigid element (30, 60) fixed to the manufactured product (M1).

6. A fixing device according to any preceding claim, comprising one or more magnets (42, 73) configured for face-to-face assembly of a plastic element (40, 70) and a rigid steel element (30, 60) during their coupling and before the tightening in operation of the third element (50, 80) inserted from above into the gap formed by the parts of the furniture (M1 and M2) fixed to the coupled elements.

7. Fixing device according to the preceding claims, in which the plastic element (40, 70), in addition to the holes (43, 72) for the screws fixing the element to a part of the furniture (M2) passing through a flat relief (46, 75), comprises hollows (41, 71) in which to receive the heads of the screws inserted in the holes (33, 61) of the steel element (30, 60) fixed to the other part of the manufactured product (M1).

8. Fastening device according to the preceding claims, in which the third element (50, 80) is made of galvanized steel and with the vertical edges folded into a hook, the third steel element (50, 80), when "bayonet" coupled with the other steel element (30, 60), effecting a tightening of the plastic element (40, 70) both with the upper part and with the lower part which, divided in two, straddles a flat relief (46, 75) resting against the manufactured product to which the plastic element (40, 70) is fixed.

9. A fastening device according to claim 8, wherein the relief (46, 75) straddled by the teeth (52, 82) defines a limit to the insertion of the third steel element (50, 80) after the face-to-face assembly of the steel and plastic elements (30, 60) and (40, 70).

10. Fixing device according to the preceding claims, in which the third steel element (50, 80) is provided with appendages (51, 81) projecting from its upper end to be able to move it manually inside the gap formed between the parts of the furniture (M1 and M2).

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