An accessory connection system for furniture

Abstract

A connection system (3) for furniture including a female (first) connection member (10) having a locking member (20) which has a generally circular C shaped channel (25) having an opening (26) at one end (27) to receive a complimentary male (second) connection member (28). At the one end (27), a pair of flexible tabs (30) extend into the opening (26) to permit access of the male (second) connection member (28) into the channel (25) and thereafter locking the connection members (10, 28) into the channel (25).

Description

An accessory connection system for furnitureFIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an accessory connection system for furniture. In particular, the invention relates to a simple, easy and secure way of connecting products to a piece of furniture such as a table, chair, bench, stool, recliner or the like.

[0002] The invention has been developed primarily for use with outdoor furniture and will be described hereinafter with reference to these applications. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use and may also be employed in other applications involving indoor furniture, for example.BACKGROUND

[0003] When traveling one needs to limit the number of products that are carried as limited space is available in vehicles, buses and planes. However, when in outdoor environments, such as when camping, a variety of products may be useful and / or required. A camp site can become a hazard with products strewn over the site or piled next to each other. It can also be an attraction to animals in the wild. The integration of accessories to furniture in a camping environment, for example, will lift food and liquids off the ground to stop spiders, snakes and other animals while aiding in eliminating trip zones and keeping everything in an easy to reach and organized area. An integrated furniture system will also reduce the number of products carried.

[0004] Often the outdoor furniture, such as tables and chairs, take up the most room when travelling and at the end destination, so it would be desirable for any accessory products such as coolers, rubbish bins, cutlery / cooking items, food storage, lighting, paper towels and the like to be connectable to the furniture to provide an organized camp site and limit the amount carried. Typical outdoor furniture, however, is not suitable for such applications and often you will see accessories simply tied with rope, straps or the like to the furniture. These make the site messy and dangerous and provide easy access to animals.

[0005] There is a need for a connection system which permits accessories to connect to the outdoor furniture in a simple, neat and easy manner.SUMMARY

[0006] 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.

[0007] There is disclosed herein an accessory connection system for furniture, the system including: a first elongate connection member fixed in use to a piece of furniture; a second complementary elongate connection member fixed in use to an accessory; a locking member to secure said first and second connection members together; wherein the locking member includes a generally circular channel having an opening at one end to receive one of said connection members; at said one end a pair of flexible tabs extend across said opening to permit access of said connection member into said channel and thereafter lock said connection members in said channel.

[0008] Preferably, the locking member is located on said first connection member.

[0009] Preferably, the locking member is located on said second connection member.

[0010] Preferably, one of the first and / or second connection members is a flexible strand to be located in use in said channel of said complementary connection member.

[0011] Preferably, one of the first and / or second connection members is rigid.

[0012] Preferably, said furniture in use includes more than one connection system.

[0013] Preferably, the first and second connection members are connected by snap locking engagement.

[0014] Preferably, the first and second connection members are connected by sliding engagement.

[0015] Preferably, the first and / or second connection member includes an accessory attaching paddle extending therefrom.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] 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:

[0017] Figure 1 shows a foldable table having a connection system of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 shows the table of Figure 1 in a folded configuration;

[0019] Figure 3 shows the table of Figure 1 with a side pouch attached using the connection system of an embodiment of the invention;

[0020] Figure 4a shows a partial extruded length for use with furniture having the connection system of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 4b shows a cross sectional view of Figure 4a;

[0022] Figure 4c shows a detail of part of the connection system;

[0023] Figure 5a shows a partial extruded corner piece for use with furniture having the connection system of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5b shows a bottom view of Figure 5a;

[0025] Figure 6 shows an outdoor chair with a connection system of an embodiment of the present invention and a cooler bag accessory to be attached thereto;

[0026] Figure 7 shows a partial view of an arm rest of a chair having a connection system of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 shows a further view of Figure 7;

[0028] Figure 9 shows the armrest of Figure 7 with a paddle style adapter attached;

[0029] Figure 10 shows an arm rest of a chair with two connection systems attached;

[0030] Figure 11 shows a further view of Figure 10;

[0031] Figure 12 shows an end view of Figure 11; and

[0032] Figure 13 shows the second connection system of Figure 11 before installation.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, there is described herein an accessory connection system 3 for furniture 5. The furniture 5 can be any type of furniture however in the Figures herein is shown a table 2 and a chair 4 typically for outdoor use. The accessory could also be any type of accessory suitable for the described application. However, shown is a side pouch 7 and a cooler bag 8. In a preferred form, the connection system 3 is integrally formed with the furniture 5. In Figure 2 the connection system 3 runs the entire length around the underside of the table 2. In Figure 3, the pouch 7 is connected to the underside of the table 2 by way of the connection system 3. It should however be understood that the connection system 3 could be removable, attached externally and / or integrally formed. There needs to be a complementary attachment between the connection system and accessory.

[0034] As best seen in Figures 4a, b, c more detail of the connection system 3 is shown in one preferred form. In this example, the connection system 3 includes a female (first) connection member 10 having holes 11 to be screwed to a piece of furniture 5. The female (first) connection member 10 is an extruded length of material which could be rigid or flexible. The female (first) connection member 10 includes a locking member 20 which has a generally circular C shaped channel 25 having an opening 26 at one end 27 to receive a complimentary male (second) connection member 28. At the one end 27, a pair of flexible tabs 30 extend into the opening 26 to permit access of the male (second) connection member28 into the channel 25 and thereafter locking the connection members 10, 28 into the channel 25.

[0035] Figures 5a, 5b show a comer pieces 30 for use as part of the connection system 3. In combination with the first connection member 10 in Figure 4a the connection system 3 can fully traverse a generally rectangular table 5. The comer pieces 30 also include locking members 20 integrally formed to allow the second connection member 28 and thereby accessories to be fitted around a comer of the table and / or other furniture if desired. This could also be retrofitted to existing furniture. This provides a neat and close location to store all types of materials while keeping the surrounding area safe and clean.

[0036] Referring to Figure 6, a chair 5 is partially shown having a male (second) connection member 28 attached to the seat flap 29. In a preferred form, the second connection member 28 is a strand or rope like material which can be threaded, slid or snapped into the channel 25 of the first connection member 10 attached to a cooler bag 8 and retained in place by the locking member 20. The strand could be flexible or rigid.

[0037] Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 show another example of the connection system 3 for furniture 5. In this case, an arm rest 30 of a chair is shown. The arm rest 30 having a slot 32 within which the female (first) connection member 10 of the present invention has been embedded. The first connection member 10 having a locking member 20 with a generally circular C shaped channel 25 having an opening 26 at one end 27 to receive a complimentary connection member 28 on a male (second) connection member. At one end 27, a pair of flexible tabs 30 extend into the opening 26 to permit access of the second connection member 28 into the channel 25 and thereafter lock the connection members 10,28 in the channel 25. The first connection member 10 can be secured within the slot 32 by a snap fitting engagement and / or by use of an adhesive, sliding or the like. In Figure 9, a multipurpose accessory paddle 40 extends from the second connection member 28 and can be used to secure a range of accessories to the furniture 5. In some forms the connection members 10,28 can also be brought together by sliding the male member 10 into the female member 28 from one end.

[0038] Referring to Figures 10 to 13, there is shown a further connection system 50 which can be secured to the underside 31 of the arm rest 30 by way of screw holes 55. As seen in theend view Figure 12 the male connection member 28 is captured within the female connection member 10. A paddle 40 to attach accessories extends therefrom. The further connection system 50 could also include end caps 56. The further connection system 50 can be of any length and can be rigid or flexible depending upon use. For example, the further connection system 50 could extend around the entire underside of a table, for example. In a preferred form, a piece of furniture 5 may have multiple connection systems in multiple locations allowing a user flexibility of location of their accessories.

[0039] In a preferred form the connection system is made from a range of materials depending on the product which includes, but not limited to, durable high-strength plastic, aluminum, and steel construction. This connection system will enhance compatibility and versatility across a range of camping accessories, for example, including chairs, tables, camp kitchens, and other items. The use of high-strength plastic sown into the fabric on chairs, for example, will help a chair fold easily, be light weight and be simple to use while using the system. The use of aluminum on camp kitchens, tables and other products will offer greater weight holding ability and longevity in a bamboo top, or plastic handle as an example offering improved resistance to corrosion and lightweight handling ensuring a secure and stable connection for various camping gear. The high-strength plastic formulation and aluminum provides robust performance in diverse weather conditions, maintaining structural integrity and longevity.

[0040] 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.

[0041] It will also be appreciated that in this document the terms “comprise”, “comprising”, “include”, “including”, “contain”, “containing”, “have”, “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to be understood in an inclusive (i.e. non-exclusive) sense, such that the process, method, device, apparatus or system described herein is not limited to those features or parts or elements or steps recited but may include other elements, features, parts or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Furthermore, the terms “a” and “an” used herein are intended to be understood as meaning one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise. Moreover, the terms “first”, “second”, etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on or to establish a certain ranking of importance of their objects.

Claims

Claims1. An accessory connection system for furniture, the system including:A first elongate connection member fixed in use to a piece of furniture;A second complementary elongate connection member fixed in use to an accessory;A locking member to secure said first and second connection members together; whereinThe locking member includes a generally circular channel having an opening at one end to receive one of said connection members; at said one end a pair of flexible tabs extend across said opening to permit access of said connection member into said channel and thereafter lock said connection members in said channel.

2. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein the locking member is located on said first connection member.

3. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein the locking member is located on said second connection member.

4. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein one of the first and / or second connection members is a flexible strand to be located in use in said channel of said complementary connection member.

5. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein one of the first and / or second connection members is rigid.

6. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, whereby said furniture in use includes more than one connection system.

7. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein the first and second connection members are connected by snap locking engagement.

8. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein the first and second connection members are connected by sliding engagement.

9. The accessory connection system for furniture of claim 1, wherein the first and / or second connection member includes an accessory attaching paddle extending therefrom.

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