Furnishing

Abstract

The furnishing 20 comprises a plurality of sheet materials (e.g., tiles 28 or panels) and at least one structural spacer 30 sandwiched, optionally releasably, between the sheet materials to form the f

Description

This invention relates to a furnishing, preferably a lamp, a piece of furniture, a shelf, a seat or a table, and a kit of parts for the furnishing. It is known to manufacture furnishings out of recycled materials. According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a furnishing comprising a plurality of construction sheet materials and at least one structural spacer, wherein the or each structural spacer is sandwiched between the construction sheet materials so as to form the furnishing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the or each structural spacer is releasably sandwiched between the construction sheet materials so as to form the furnishing. In embodiments of the invention, the plurality of construction sheet materials may include at least one construction tile and / or at least one construction panel. Other types of construction sheet materials are envisaged. In further embodiments of the invention, the furnishing may include one or more fasteners, wherein the or each fastener may be configured to join the or each structural spacer to the construction sheet materials. Preferably the or each fastener is a releasable fastener, such as a screw fastener or a nut and bolt fastener. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, no adhesive is used to join the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer. A material of the or each structural spacer may be the same as a material of the construction sheet materials. Alternatively a material of the or each structural spacer may be different from a material of the construction sheet materials. Each construction sheet material may be made of wood, plastic, glass, metal, bioplastic, mycelium, composite, or any structural sheet material. Each construction sheet material may be made of a biomaterial. Each construction sheet material may be made of a cementitious material, such as cement, concrete and mortar. Preferably each construction sheet material is made of bioconcrete or biocement, such as bacterial concrete or cement that involves microbial precipitation of calcium carbonate in cementitious materials. The or each structural spacer may be made of a metallic material such as anodised aluminium, steel or titanium, or may be made of any other heat sink material. The furnishing may be a lamp. The construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer may be configured as a lighting element. The or each structural spacer may be configured to house a lighting source. The or each structural spacer may comprise a control switch for turning the lighting source on and off. The or each structural spacer may be configured to house an electrical power source, such as a battery, for powering the lighting source. The electrical power source may be rechargeable. The furnishing may include at least one additional construction sheet material that is configured as a base to support the lighting element. The or each bracket may be configured to join the construction sheet materials of the lighting element to the base. The or each bracket may be made of anodised aluminium. The furnishing may be a piece of furniture. The construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured as a shelf, a seat or a table. The construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer may be configured to form at least one support surface of the piece of furniture. The construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer may be configured to form at least one support leg of the piece of furniture. The number of support surfaces and support legs may vary depending on the requirements of the piece of furniture. The furnishing may include at least one bracket configured to join two or more of the construction sheet materials. The or each bracket may be made of anodised aluminium, steel, plastic, copper or titanium. The shapes, angles, sizes and thickness of the or each bracket can be adapted to accommodate different material configurations depending on the requirements of the furnishing. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a kit of parts comprising a plurality of construction sheet materials and at least one structural spacer that are combinable to form the furnishing according to any one of the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments. The features and benefits of the first aspect of the invention and its embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the second aspect of the invention and its embodiments. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a bracket for joining two or more construction sheet materials. The bracket may be made of anodised aluminium, steel, plastic, copper or titanium. The features and benefits of the first and second aspects of the invention and their embodiments apply mutatis mutandis to the third aspect of the invention and its embodiments. It will be appreciated that the use of the terms "first" and "second", and the like, in this patent specification is merely intended to help distinguish between similar features and is not intended to indicate the relative importance of one feature over another feature, unless otherwise specified. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, and the claims and / or the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and all features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a lamp according to a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 2a to 2d show front, top, left side and right side views of the lamp of Figure 1; Figures 3a to 3c show a lighting element of the lamp of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows a base of the lamp of Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a bracket of the lamp of Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a shelf according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 shows a seat according to a third embodiment of the invention; Figures 8a and 8b show a support leg and a support surface of the seat of Figure 7; Figure 9 shows a table according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; Figures 10a and 10b show a support leg and a support surface of the seat of Figure 9; and Figure 11 shows an alternative bracket according to the invention. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic form in the interests of clarity and conciseness. Conventionally construction waste management focuses on downcycling, where materials are reused in a way that is of lesser value than the original application of the materials. This is because upcycling usually requires a higher degree of processing and design intervention, which can be more labour-intensive and costly than traditional forms of recycling or downcycling. For upcycling to be successful, good craftsmanship, fixings and details are essential to recovering and improving upon the value of the construction waste material. The inventive concept behind the furnishing of the invention focuses on material circularity, in particular biomaterial circularity, by repurposing construction waste materials as a resource for designing and manufacturing furnishings made of recycled construction waste materials. In addition to enabling the use of recycled construction waste materials, the furnishing of the invention is designed to be readily disassembled into its constituent materials which can then be recycled, thus enhancing its material circularity and reducing recycling losses. This is particularly beneficial due to the relatively short lifespan of furnishings due to renovations. The furnishing of the invention is based on a modular design concept that utilises construction sheet materials and one or more structural spacers, whereby the or each structural spacer is sandwiched between the construction sheet materials to form the furnishing. The modularity of the design concept lies primarily in the ability to combine the construction sheet materials and structural spacer(s) into a myriad of scalable forms to produce different types and sizes of furnishings while reducing or eliminating the need for additional materials or processes. Preferably mechanical fixings, but no adhesive, is used in the furnishing of the invention, which further enhances its material circularity. Furthermore, the modularity of the design concept enables the straightforward disassembly of the furnishing into its constituent materials by hand or by machine. The following embodiments of the invention are described with reference to a lamp, a shelf, a seat and a table but it will be appreciated that the following description applies mutatis mutandis to other types of furnishings, including other types of furniture. In addition the following embodiments of the invention are described with reference to construction tiles but it will be appreciated that the following description applies mutatis mutandis to other types of construction sheet materials, including construction panels. A furnishing according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 20. In this embodiment, the furnishing is a lamp 20. Figures 2a to 2d show other views of the lamp 20. The lamp 20 comprises a lighting element 22, a base 24 and a plurality of brackets 26. The lighting element 22 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a structural spacer 30. The construction tiles 28 may be made of precast concrete tiles. The type of concrete used in the construction tiles 28 may be bioconcrete, such as bacterial concrete. As a result of being precast, the construction tiles 28 are available in standardised or fixed dimensions. In the embodiment shown, each construction tile 28 is rectangular but may have a different shape in other embodiments. The construction tiles 28 may be sourced from unused materials or over-procured materials in a construction project and / or used materials from end-of-life construction waste. The structural spacer 30 is preferably made of recyclable anodised aluminium, which may have a matte and / or chrome finish. The use of aluminium reduces the overall weight of the lighting element 22. Figures 3a to 3c shows features of the lighting element 22. The structural spacer 30 is made of several aluminium pieces that are combined to form a casing 32 that houses lighting components, including lighting sources 34, a tactile control switch 36 for turning the lighting sources 34 on and off, and a rechargeable electrical power source 38. Each lighting source 34 comprises a light emitting diode (LED) strip attached to an aluminium plate, with a light diffuser enclosing the LED strip. The lighting sources 34 are arranged to sit in recesses 40 formed on opposite sides of the casing 32. The interior of the casing 32 includes compartments for holding the rechargeable electrical power source 38 and a boost module 42, which is a step-up voltage converter. The casing 32 includes an opening 44 in which a push button 46 is located, whereby the push button 46 can be depressed to operate the tactile control switch 36. The rechargeable electrical power source 38 in the embodiment shown includes lithium batteries. The casing 32 may be designed to include a charging outlet for the rechargeable electrical power source 38. The aluminium pieces are attached to each other using releasable fasteners, such as screw fasteners. The lighting components may be sourced as off-the-shelf components, thus removing the need for specialised machinery and labour for assembly of the structural spacer 30. The structural spacer 30, once assembled, is sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 so that screw fasteners 48 may be used to releasably fasten the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacer 30. There is no need for additional machining and cutting to assemble the lighting element 22. As shown in Figure 4, the base 24 is made of a construction tile, which in the embodiment shown has the same material and dimensions as the construction tiles 28 of the lighting element 22. The base 24 may be made of a construction tile that is different in material and / or dimensions from the construction tiles 28 of the lighting element 22. In an alternative embodiment, the base 24 may comprise a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a structural spacer 30, with the structural spacer 30 sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. In use, the base 24 is placed on a flat horizontal surface. The lighting element 22 is arranged on top of the base 24 so that a height of the lighting element 22 extends perpendicularly to a horizontal plane of the base 24. In the embodiment shown, the lighting element 22 is arranged in an intermediate off-centre position between the lengthwise ends of the base. It will however be appreciated that the lighting element 22 may be arranged in other intermediate positions between the lengthwise ends or at either lengthwise end. As shown in Figure 5, each bracket 26 is a right-angled bracket (also known as a corner bracket or an L-shaped bracket). One end of each bracket 26 is fastened to the base 24 by a screw fastener 48. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the base 24 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. The other end of each bracket 25 is fastened to a respective construction tile 28 of the lighting element 22 by another screw fastener 48, which in the embodiment shown is also used to join the construction tile 28 and structural spacer 30. In this manner the brackets 26 are configured to join the construction tiles 28 of the lighting element 22 to the base 24. The brackets 26 are preferably made of recyclable anodised aluminium, which may have a matte and / or chrome finish. The corner edges of the brackets 26 are preferably curved. The configuration and construction of the invention facilitates upcycling of the construction tiles 28 into useful products in a manner that encourages material circularity to reduce adverse environmental impact, without requiring specialist skills and introducing processing complexity. The provision of the structural spacer 30 enables the lamp 20 to have a desired aesthetic that is compatible with the standardised or fixed dimensions of the construction tiles 28. By using the structural spacer 30 to house the lighting components, only minimal modification of the construction tiles 28 in the form of fastener holes is required. No alteration of the dimensions of the construction tiles 28 is required. Furthermore, the appearance and locations of the lighting components in the structural spacer 30 can be easily varied without requiring additional modification of the construction tiles 28. This in turn enables the lamp design to be extended to other types of sheet-type construction materials, without having to alter the overall design concept. The use of mechanical fixings, namely the screw fasteners 48 and brackets 26, together with the structural spacer 30 to assemble the lamp 20 advantageously facilitates disassembly of the lamp 20 for flat-packing, repair or maintenance purposes, or disassembly of the lamp 20 into its constituent materials to be reused or recycled. For example, the lighting element 22 is readily disassembled to replace or exchange the lighting components, without having to replace or discard the entire lamp 20 (which would increase landfill disposal rates). Also, a broken construction tile 28 can be easily replaced by another construction tile 28 with the same standardised or fixed dimensions. It is envisaged that other mechanical fixings may be used in addition or in place of the screw fasteners 48 and / or brackets 26. No adhesive is required to join the various components of the lamp 20. In addition to removing the cost of using adhesive and the risk of chemical exposure, the lack of adhesive reduces the complexity and improves the rate of material recovery in disassembling the lamp 20 because there is no need for a separate adhesive removal process and because there is no chemical contamination of the lamp's components by the adhesive. The provision of the construction tiles 28, structural spacer 30 and mechanical fixings 26,48 creates a product that can be disassembled and reassembled to create a different furnishing, which creates a modular adaptability that encourages recycling and material circularity. Non-limiting examples of different products are described as follows. A furnishing according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 6 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 120. In this embodiment, the furnishing is a shelf 120. The shelf 120 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a structural spacer 30. The structural spacer 30 is sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. Screw fasteners 48 are used to join the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacer 30. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. The construction tiles 28 of the shelf 120 may be similar in material to the construction tiles 28 of the lamp 120. The structural spacers 30 may be the same as the structural spacer 30 of the lamp 120 but without the lighting components. Alternatively the structural spacers 30 may be made of a material that is different from, or the same as, the material of the construction tiles 28. The structural spacer 30 may be hollow or solid. In the embodiment shown, the upper construction tile 28 is wider than the lower construction tile 28 so that the upper construction tile 28 forms an overhang. In other embodiments, the upper construction tile 28 may have the same width as, or may be narrower than, the lower construction tile 28. A furnishing according to a third embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 7 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 220. In this embodiment, the furnishing is a seat 220. The seat 220 comprises two support legs 50, a support surface 52 and a plurality of brackets. Figure 8a show the support leg 50 of the seat 220. The support leg 50 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a structural spacer 30. The structural spacer 30 is sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. Screw fasteners 48 are used to join the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacer 30. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. In the embodiment of the support leg 50 shown, the outer construction tile 28 is wider than the inner construction tile 28. In other embodiments, the outer construction tile 28 may have the same width as, or may be narrower than, the inner construction tile 28. Figure 8b show the support surface 52 of the seat 220. The support surface 52 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a plurality of structural spacers 30. The structural spacers 30 are sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. Screw fasteners 48 are used to join the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacers 30. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. In the embodiment of the support surface 52 shown, the upper construction tile 28 has the same width as the lower construction tile 28. In other embodiments, the upper construction tile 28 may be wider or narrower than the lower construction tile 28. The support legs 50 are joined by brackets 26 to opposite lengthwise ends of the support surface 52 so that the support surface 52 is elevated above ground by the support legs. The width of the construction tiles 28 of the support legs 50 are the same as the width of the construction tiles 28 of the support surface 52. The construction tiles 28 of the seat 220 may be similar in material to the construction tiles 28 of the lamp 120. The structural spacers 30 may be the same as the structural spacer 30 of the lamp 120 but without the lighting components. Alternatively the structural spacers 30 may be made of a material that is different from, or the same as, the material of the construction tiles. The structural spacer 30 may be hollow or solid. A furnishing according to a fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 9 and is designated generally by the reference numeral 320. In this embodiment, the furnishing is a table 320. The table 320 comprises four support legs 50, a support surface 52 and a plurality of brackets. Figure 10a show the support leg 50 of the table 320. The support leg 50 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a structural spacer 30. The structural spacer 30 is sandwiched between the construction tiles 28. Screw fasteners 48 are used to join the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacer 30. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. In the embodiment of the support leg 50 shown, the outer construction tile 28 is wider than the inner construction tile 28. In other embodiments, the outer construction tile 28 may have the same width as, or may be narrower than, the inner construction tiles 28. Figure 10b show one section 54 of the support surface 52 of the seat 320. Two sections 54 together form the support surface 52 of the table 320. The support surface 52 comprises a plurality of construction tiles 28 and a plurality of structural spacers 30. The structural spacers 30 are sandwiched between the construction tiles 28 so that: • The lower construction tiles 28 are arranged side-by-side; • Each structural spacer 30 is joined to a respective one of the lower construction tiles 28 so that each structural spacer 30 extends lengthwise along the length of the respective lower construction tile 28, and the structural spacers 30 are parallelly arranged and spaced apart from each other in the same plane; • The upper construction tiles 28 are arranged side-by-side; • Each upper construction tile 28 is joined to both structural spacers 30 so that the length of each upper construction tile 28 is perpendicular to the length of each lower construction tiles 28. Screw fasteners 48 are used to join the construction tiles 28 to the structural spacers 30. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. In the embodiment of the section 54 shown, the upper construction tiles 28 have the same width as the lower construction tiles 28. In other embodiments, the upper construction tiles 28 may be wider or narrower than the lower construction tiles 28. The two sections 54 are arranged side-by-side so that all four structural spacers 30 are parallelly arranged and spaced apart from each other in the same plane. Two of the support legs are arranged at opposite widthwise sides of the support surface 52 so that each of the two support legs 50 is joined by brackets 26 to the intermediate lower construction tiles 28. The other two of the support legs 50 are arranged at opposite lengthwise sides of the support surfaces 52 so that each of the other two support legs 50 is joined by brackets 26 to the respective end lower construction tile 28. The construction tiles 28 of the table 320 may be similar in material to the construction tiles 28 of the lamp 120. The structural spacers 30 may be the same as the structural spacer 30 of the lamp 120 but without the lighting components. Alternatively the structural spacers 30 may be made of a material that is different from, or the same as, the material of the construction tiles 28. The structural spacer 30 may be hollow or solid. As shown in Figure 11, each bracket 26 of the seat 220 and table 320 is a right-angled bracket. One end of each bracket 26 is fastened by screw fasteners 48 to an inner construction tile 28 of a support leg 50, while the other end of each bracket 26 is fastened by screw fasteners 48 to a lower construction tile 28 (or lower construction tiles 28) of the support surface 52. Fastener holes are formed (e.g. drilled) into the construction tiles 28 to accommodate the screw fasteners 48. In this manner the brackets 26 are configured to join the construction tiles 28 of the support legs 50 and the support surface 52. The brackets 26 are preferably made of recyclable anodised aluminium, which may have a matte and / or chrome finish. The corner edges of the brackets 26 are preferably curved. The listing or discussion of an apparently prior published document or apparently prior published information in this specification should not necessarily be taken as an acknowledgement that the document or information is part of the state of the art or is common general knowledge. Preferences and options for a given aspect, feature or parameter of the invention should, unless the context indicates otherwise, be regarded as having been disclosed in combination with any and all preferences and options for all other aspects, features and parameters of the invention.

Claims

1. A furnishing comprising a plurality of construction sheet materials and at least one structural spacer, wherein the or each structural spacer is sandwiched between the construction sheet materials so as to form the furnishing.

2. A furnishing according to Claim 1 wherein the or each structural spacer is releasably sandwiched between the construction sheet materials so as to form the fu rnishing.

3. A furnishing according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the plurality of construction sheet materials includes at least one construction tile.

4. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the plurality of construction sheet materials includes at least one construction panel.

5. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims including one or more fasteners, wherein the or each fastener is configured to join the or each structural spacer to the construction sheet materials.

6. A furnishing according to Claim 5 wherein the or each fastener is a releasable fastener.

7. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein no adhesive is used to join the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer.

8. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a material of the or each structural spacer is the same as a material of the construction sheet materials.

9. A furnishing according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 wherein a material of the or each structural spacer is different from a material of the construction sheet materials.

10. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each construction sheet material is made of a biomaterial.

11. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein eachconstruction sheet material is made of a cementitious material.

12. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each structural spacer is made of anodised aluminium.

13. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the furnishing is a lamp, wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured as a lighting element.

14. A furnishing according to Claim 13 wherein the or each structural spacer is configured to house a lighting source.

15. A furnishing according to Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein the or each structural spacer comprises a control switch for turning the lighting source on and off.

16. A furnishing according to any one of Claims 13 to 15 wherein the or each structural spacer is configured to house an electrical power source for powering the lighting source.

17. A furnishing according to Claim 16 wherein the electrical power source is rechargeable.

18. A furnishing according to Claims 13 to 17 including at least one additional construction sheet material that is configured as a base to support the lighting element.

19. A furnishing according to Claim 18 wherein the or each bracket is configured to join the construction sheet materials of the lighting element to the base.

20. A furnishing according to any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the furnishing is a piece of furniture.

21. A furnishing according to Claim 20 wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured as a shelf.

22. A furnishing according to Claim 20 wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured as a seat.

23. A furnishing according to Claim 20 wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured as a table.

24. A furnishing according to any one of Claims 20 to 23 wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured to form at least one support surface of the piece of furniture.

525. A furnishing according to any one of Claims 20 to 24 wherein the construction sheet materials and the or each structural spacer are configured to form at least one support leg of the piece of furniture.10 26. A furnishing according to any one of the preceding claims including at least onebracket configured to join two or more of the construction sheet materials.

27. A kit of parts comprising a plurality of construction sheet materials and at least one structural spacer that are combinable to form the furnishing according to any one 15 of the preceding claims.

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