CN109416066A

CN109416066A - Connector

Info

Publication number: CN109416066A
Application number: CN201780039856.1A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 大卫·金; 里安·劳森; 阿纳斯塔谢·帕纳戈普洛斯; 塔尼亚·雷希贝格尔; 约翰·利维
Original assignee: King Furniture Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: King Furniture Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-06-28
Filing date: 2017-06-21
Publication date: 2019-03-01
Also published as: WO2018000021A1; AU2017289296A1; SG11201811016PA; CA3027126A1

Abstract

A connector (10) for connecting two articles (20) together, each article (20) including a structural component (18), the connector (10) comprising a body member (12) made of a resiliently flexible material, the body member (12) defining a mounting formation (14) and a fixing formation (16) spaced from the mounting formation (12), the mounting formation (12) being configured to be displaceably mounted on a structural component (18.1) of one of the articles (20). A detent-type mechanism (22) is associated with the mounting formation (14) to releasably lock the body member (12) in at least one of a non-operative position in which the securing formation (16) is free from the structural component (18.2) of the other of the articles (20) and an operative position in which the securing formation (16) engages the structural component (18.2) of the other of the articles (20) to hold the articles (206) in a desired relationship with respect to one another.

Description

Connector

Cross reference to related applications

This application claims the preferential of the Australian Provisional Patent Application No2016902530 submitted on June 28th, 2016 Power, entire content are incorporated by herein by reference.

Technical field

The disclosure relates generally to connectors, and more particularly but not necessarily only relate to for related to furniture by two The connector that links together of object.

Background technique

Currently, modularization furniture just becomes to become more and more popular.This enables the user of modularization furniture as needed And change the appearance of its furniture external member when needed.However, when two articles of modularization furniture it is to be attached together when, wish The two articles are hoped to be securely connected to each other so that they will not be moved relative to each other.It should be understood that if furniture Two articles be not aligned each other when they link together, then this is aesthetically unattractive.

Some modularization furniture include the setting portion for being movably mounted to seat base, such as armrest and/or backrest.Also It wants to for be securely attached in setting portion its associated base portion and makes the setting portion when user firmly leans on setting portion It will not be shifted from base portion.

Summary of the invention

In some embodiments of the disclosure, the connector for two objects to link together is provided, each Object includes structure member, which includes:

The body member made of elastic flexible material, the body member limit installation forming portion and between installation forming portions The fixation forming portion separated, installation forming portion are configured on the structure member of be displaceably mounted in object object； And

Retainer formula mechanism, the retainer formula mechanism and installation forming portion are associated releasedly to lock body member In at least one of off position and operating position, in off position, fixed forming portion is not by another in object The constraint of the structure member of one object, in operating position, fixed forming portion and the structure member of another object in object are connect It closes to keep object relative to each other in desired relationship.

Unless clearly pointing out herein, otherwise " retainer formula " means at least one card in the installation forming portion of connector Button or stop part, at least one described buckle or stop part not to the ontology applied force of connector with it is associated Structure member cooperation to inhibit the displacement of the installation forming portion of connector.

When from plane, body member can be it is elongated so that installation forming portion be arranged in body member The opposite second end of body member is arranged at first end or close to the first end and fixation forming portion of body member Opposite the second end at portion or close to body member.

Fixed forming portion can be the fixture for limiting the second end of body member.Fixture may include operating element with auxiliary Helping shifts body member between its operating position NOT-AND operation position.In one embodiment, operating element can be in It is arranged in the form of the outwardly extending protrusion at the second end of body member.In another embodiment, operating element can To be arranged on widened, the bulbiform forming portion at the second end of body member.

Installation forming portion can be configured at least partly around its associated structure member.Installation forming portion can wrap Include the clamping jaw opposite by bridging part a pair interconnected.

The interior surface of installation forming portion can be generally arcuate, and retainer formula mechanism may include multiple circumferential directions Slot or groove spaced apart, being laterally extended.Interval between scheduled slot can be close to the adjacent of the structure member of object Interval between vertex.Unless showing that otherwise " vertex " means that two sides of structure member those of connect in point herein Each point, it can be understood as, the cross section of structure member is for example rectangular polygon.

In this way, body member can be releasably locked in off position and operating position.In addition, ontology Component can rotate the storage location to third, releasedly locked.Off position can be operating position and storage location Between middle position.

Scheduled slot can be the alternate slot being located in the curved surfaces of installation forming portion.In order to avoid doubt, term " alternate " define with its common dictionary is " every second in series ".

Body member may include displacement limiter, and displacement limiter limits body member and is equipped with this relative to object The rotation displacement of the structure member of body component.More particularly, displacement limiter can be formed integrally as single-piece with body member Unit and can in be arranged in installation forming portion outside the extension as body member outwardly projecting flank or lip Form.When body member is in its storage location, lip can bear against the other component of object to inhibit ontology Component is further rotated along the direction of the operating position far from body member.Other component can be the article of such as furniture Leg.

In one embodiment, each object can be the article and the article of modularization furniture of modularization furniture Structure member can be the framing component of the frame of the article of furniture.

In another embodiment, each object can be the component of the article of furniture and connector can operate into limit Component processed is moved relative to each other.

In some embodiments, present disclose provides modularization furniture systems, comprising:

First object of modularization furniture, the first object of modularization furniture include interior at least one structure member Frame；

Second object of modularization furniture, the second object of modularization furniture include interior at least one structure member Frame；And

Connector as described above, connector are mounted at least one structure member of the first object of modularization furniture And it is engaged at least one structure member of the second object of modularization furniture object to be maintained to desired relative to each other In positioning.

In one embodiment, the first object can be the first article of modularization furniture and the second object can be Second article of modularization furniture.The inner frame of each article of modularization furniture may include being carried at least one structural portion Holding meanss on part, holding meanss are configured to that connector is inhibited to shift along each structure member in structure member.

Each structure member can be in the form of the framing component of inner frame and holding meanss may include first component With the second component being spaced apart with first component, first component and second component are parallel to each other and orthogonal relative to framing component Ground extends, interval between first component and second component close to connector body member width.

In this embodiment, the framing component of the article of modularization furniture can substantially horizontally extend.First component It can be the end member of frame unit, such as front part, and second component is parallel to first component and extends and in first component Operation on the inside of auxiliary holding member.

In another embodiment, the first object can be the first component and the second object of the article of modularization furniture It can be the second component of the article of modularization furniture.The first component can be the seat base of the article of furniture and second Part can be the setting portion of the article of furniture, such as backrest, handrail or combined backrest and handrail.Connector can be by setting portion It carries to be clamped to the downside of seat base to which setting portion to be held in place relative to seat base.

Detailed description of the invention

Embodiment of the present disclosure is described by example referring now to attached drawing, in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the perspective view of the embodiment of the connector in use, and connector is shown as in its not operation position In setting；

Fig. 2 shows the diagrammatic side views of the connector in first, storage location；

Fig. 3 shows the diagrammatic side view of the connector in second, off position；

Fig. 4 shows the diagrammatic side view of the connector in third, operation link position；

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatic side view of connector when in its storage location, illustrates the shift limit of connector The operation of device processed；

Fig. 6 shows the diagrammatic side view of the other embodiment of connector；

Fig. 7 shows the connector in the use of Fig. 6 and is in showing for first, not operation and the embodiment in storage location Meaning side view；And

Fig. 8 shows the schematic side that the connector in the use of Fig. 6 is in second, embodiment in operating position Figure.

Specific embodiment

Attached drawing Fig. 1 into Fig. 5, appended drawing reference 10 is indicated generally for connecting used in the modularization furniture system Connect the first embodiment of device.Referring to Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 of attached drawing, connector 10 is illustrated in more detail.Connector 10 includes by bullet The flexible material of property say like elongate body component 12 made of suitable synthetic plastics material.

First end of the body member 12 at the first end of body member 12 or close to body member 12 limits installation Forming portion 14.Body member 12 is also at the opposite the second end of body member 12 or close to opposite the of body member 12 Two ends limit fixed forming portion 16.In the accompanying drawings, connector 10 is shown as being mounted on the frame of the article in modularization furniture On the structure member of the form of frame member 18, a part of the structure member is shown in figure 1 of the accompanying drawings with 20.10 purport of connector For two articles 20 of modularization furniture to be linked together so that the article 20 of furniture is maintained at expectation relative to each other Fixation positioning in.

Installation forming portion 14 rotatably, is displaceably mounted on the framing component of the first article in the article 20 of furniture On 18.1.Connector 10 include and the associated retainer formula of installation forming portion 14 mechanism 22 of body member 12 (Fig. 2 to scheme 5).Retainer formula mechanism 22 is configured to the frame structure via installation forming portion 14 by body member 12 relative to the article 20 of furniture Part 18.1 is releasably locked in a position in many positions.

Particularly, the operation of retainer formula mechanism 22 is releasably locked in off position at by body member 12, such as Shown in Fig. 3 of attached drawing, wherein fixed forming portion 16 is not by the pact of the framing component 18.2 of the second article of the article of furniture 20 Beam.Retainer formula mechanism 22 is also operated and is locked in operating position at by body member 12, fixing component 14 in operating position It is releasably clamped to framing component 18.2, as shown in figure 4 of the drawings.

Optionally, as shown in Fig. 5 of attached drawing, retainer formula mechanism 22 also operates and is locked in storage at by body member 12 In position, body member is accommodated in the article 20 of furniture and will not be from the article 20 of furniture to evagination in storage location Out.Each article 20 of furniture is supported on multiple legs 24, in Fig. 1 and Fig. 5 of attached drawing, for the article 20 for furniture In each article show a leg in leg 24.

Body member 12 includes the displacement limiter of the end arrangement of the carrying installation forming portion 14 of adjacent body component 12 26.Displacement limiter 26 is in the form of protrusion, and when connector is in as shown in Figure 5 in its storage location, protrusion is from ontology Component 12 is protruded outward to abut the upper surface of the leg 24 of the first article in the article 20 of furniture.Therefore, displacement limiter It, may for user in the inside of the article of furniture in the inside for the article that 26 inhibition body members 12 rotate to furniture It is difficult to touch connector 10.

Installation forming portion 14 includes big to limit by a pair of of the arc clamping jaw 28 interconnected of bridging part 30 of arc Cause the inner surface 32 of arc.It should be understood that the interval between clamping jaw 28 such as enables installation forming portion 14 to clamp frame Frame member 18.1.In addition, the interval between the free end of clamping jaw 28 is so that framing component 18.1 releasably holds capture and exists Between clamping jaw 28.Although referring to the installation forming portion 14 of connector 10 be mounted on framing component 18.1 to embodiment into Go description, but it is to be understood that, installation forming portion 14 can alternatively be mounted on another article of the article 20 of furniture On framing component 18.2.

Retainer formula mechanism 22 includes a series of cross in the inner surface 32 for the installation forming portion 14 for being limited to connector 10 To extension, circumferentially spaced slot or groove 34.As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the cross section of framing component 18.1 is generally polygon Shape, more particularly, cross section is general square shape.For the framing component 18.1 of general square shape configuration, retainer formula mechanism 22 include four slots 34 at roughly equidistant interval each other.Alternate 34 coordination with one another of slot is simultaneously assisted with the vertex of framing component 18.1 36 Make.

Although framing component 18.1 and 18.2 has been shown as with square cross section, but it is to be understood that, according to The shape of framing component 18.1 and 18.2, framing component can have any big of the slot 34 for being provided with more or less numbers Cause the shape of polygon.In addition, although term " vertex " has been used between two sides of describing framework component 18.1,18.2 Connection, but these " vertex " be not necessarily point edge and alternatively can be it is slightly rounded, as attached drawing Fig. 2 to scheme It is illustrated in 5.

As described above, in the present embodiment, alternate 34 coordination with one another of slot is with the adjacent vertex with framing component 18.1 36 engagements.Therefore, it is counted from the end with displacement limiter 26 of body member 12, when connector 10 is in its storage location When, as shown in Fig. 2 of attached drawing and Fig. 5, slot 1 and the engagement of slot 3 are located at adjacent perpendicular on the inside of the operation of framing component 18.1 To vertex 36 spaced apart.When connector 10 is in its off position, as shown in Fig. 3 of attached drawing, slot 2 and slot 4 are connect Coincidence is in the adjacent vertex 36 being horizontally spaced apart on the operation upside of framing component 18.1.When connector 10 is in its operation When in position, as shown in figure 4 of the drawings, slot 1 and the engagement of slot 3 are located at the adjacent water on the upside of the operation of framing component 18.1 Put down vertex spaced apart.

Therefore, slot 34 is with the elasticity of the clamping jaw 28 of installation forming portion 14 together for protecting the body member 12 of connector 10 It holds in desired position.The power applied to body member 10 is enough to keep the vertex 36 relevant to framing component 18.1 of slot 34 disconnected Engagement is opened, so that so that body member 12 is rotated up the alternate slot 34 of another pair relative to framing component 18.1 engages frame Until the relevant vertex 36 of component 18.1.

Fixed forming portion 16 is formed by the crank section of body member 12 to form and install forming portion 14 folder being spaced apart Tool 38.Fixture 38 is configured to engage with the framing component 18.2 of another article of the article 20 of furniture with by 20 phase of article of furniture For being maintained in desired positioning each other.Fixture 38 includes operating element in the form of outwardly extending protrusion 40 so as to make User can manipulate body member 12 to 12 applied force of body member, to make body member 12 relative to 18.1 He of framing component 18.2 are displaced to desired position.As attached drawing Fig. 1 in it is clearestly illustrated, at least upper surface 42 of protrusion 40 is coarse Change in order to be grasped by user.Roughened surface 42 can by be arranged in protrusion 40 operation upper surface on multiple transverse directions The rib of extension limits.

In use, two articles 20 of furniture, which are positioned relative to each other into, makes the front for example, the article 20 of furniture Part is in alignment with each other.When the article 20 of furniture is positioned relative to each other, connector 10 is preferably at institute in figure 3 of the drawings In the off position shown rather than in storage location shown in Fig. 2 of attached drawing and Fig. 5.It should be understood that if connection Device 10 is in its storage location, once then the article 20 of furniture is positioned relative to each other, is likely difficult to connect for user Nearly connector 10.

The framing component 18.1,18.2 of each article 20 of furniture forms the one of the frame 44 (Fig. 1) of the article 20 of furniture Part.More particularly, framing component 18.1,18.2 is lower, the framing component that extends substantially horizontally of frame 44.Furniture The frame 44 of each article 20 further includes generally vertically extending front chassis component 46.Frame 44 further includes operatively being arranged in In generally vertically extending front part 46 and it is parallel to holding meanss or keep structure that generally vertically extending front part 46 extends Part 48.The width of interval close to the body member 12 of connector 10 between holding member 48 and front chassis component 46 to connect Device 10 is remained trapped on framing component 18.1,18.2 and is suppressed and slides along framing component 18.1,18.2.Therefore, because The front of the article 20 for being located proximate to furniture of connector 10, therefore be easy to manipulate connector 10 will connect for user Device 10 is clamped in its operating position for two articles 20 of furniture to be maintained at relative to each other in desired positioning.

In contrast, when it is desirable that the article 20 of furniture is separated from each other, user close to connector 10 fixture 38, to The body member 12 of connector 10 and being rotated position shown in Fig. 3 to attached drawing by the upper protrusion 40 for pushing fixture 38 Fixture 38 is discharged from framing component 18.2.In this way, the article 20 of furniture can be separated from each other and can be relative to It moves each other.

Fig. 6 to Fig. 8 of attached drawing shows the other embodiment of connector 10.Attached drawing before reference, except non-specifically Illustrate, otherwise identical appended drawing reference refers to identical component.

Although the above embodiment referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5 of attached drawing illustrates and connects two articles 20 of modularization furniture It is connected together, but illustrated embodiment is used to connect two objects of the article of modularization furniture in Fig. 6 of attached drawing Together.For example, the connector 10 of Fig. 6 of attached drawing is used to the seat base of the article 56 of furniture and setting portion being connected to one It rises, wherein a part of seat base is shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 of attached drawing with 52, the Fig. 7 of a part in setting portion in attached drawing It is shown in Fig. 8 with 54.Setting portion 54 can be the article 56 of such as furniture backrest, handrail, the backrest of combination and handrail or Headrest.The article of furniture can be such as chair, sofa, chaise longue, bed.

In this embodiment, connector 10 is attached to the frame structure being arranged in setting portion 54 via installation forming portion 14 Part 18.1 makes at least fixture 38 of connector 10 prominent from the bottom in setting portion 54.It is mounted on base portion 52 by setting portion 54 Before, as shown in Fig. 7 of attached drawing, connector 10 is maintained in its off position by retainer formula mechanism 22.In the reality It applies in mode, retainer formula mechanism 22 only includes two slots 34.Once setting portion 54 has been located on base portion 52, then connector 10 body member 12 is rotated relative to the framing component 18.1 in setting portion 54 so that fixture 38 clamps the article for being arranged in furniture Base portion 52 in framing component 18.2, as shown in figure 8 of the drawings.Framing component 18.2 can connect via the bottom of base portion Closely.It should be pointed out that in this embodiment, retainer formula mechanism 22 when connector 10 is in its operating position due to Clamping interaction but not operation between fixture 38 and framing component 18.2.

In addition, in this embodiment, operating element is bulbous forming portion 50 rather than protrusion 40 enables users to It enough manipulates the body member 12 of connector 10 and makes setting portion 54 and base portion of the body member 12 relative to the article 56 of furniture 52 displacements.

Fixture 38 it is opposite at it, on operation outer surface comprising rough surface 58 and 60 in order to respectively fixture 38 is pressed from both sides It holds to framing component 18.2 and unclamps furniture 38 from framing component 18.2.Rough surface 58 and 60 is for example with flank Surface.

In this embodiment, the use of connector 10 inhibits setting in the case where user firmly leans on setting portion 54 Portion 54 is separated with base portion 52.Particularly, in the case where combined handrail and backrest, operation of the connector 10 close to armrest portion Front region arrangement.Therefore, if user exerts oneself to lean on the back part of combined handrail and backrest, connector 10 It is arranged and front and the base portion 52 of armrest portion is inhibited to separate.

Therefore, there is provided connector 10 the advantages of described embodiment, which facilitates object letter It list but is securely attached together regardless of object is the component of the article of furniture or the article of furniture.Retainer formula mechanism The simple solution party also provided for being maintained at connector 10 relative to its associated object in desired position is set Case.

In addition, retainer formula mechanism facilitate the firm attachment of connector 10 and reduce connector 10 storage and/or A possibility that falling and/or lose during transport.

It should be understood that for a person skilled in the art in the case where not departing from the wider broad scope of the disclosure A variety of modifications and/or remodeling can be made to above embodiment.Therefore present embodiment is considered as explanation in all respects Property and not restrictive.

Claims

1. a kind of connector for two objects to link together, each object include structure member, the connector packet It includes:

The body member made of elastic flexible material, the body member limit installation forming portion and with the installation forming portion Fixation forming portion spaced apart, the installation forming portion are configured to the knot of be displaceably mounted in the object object On structure component；And

Retainer formula mechanism, retainer formula mechanism are associated with the installation forming portion with the body member is releasable Ground is locked at least one of off position and operating position, in the off position, the fixed forming portion Not by the constraint of the structure member of another object in the object, in the operating position, the fixed forming portion and institute The structure member engagement of another object in object is stated to keep the object relative to each other in desired relationship.

2. connector according to claim 1, wherein when from plane, the body member be it is elongated, Described in installation forming portion be arranged in the first end at the first end of the body member or close to the body member simultaneously And the fixed forming portion is arranged at the opposite the second end of the body member or close to the opposite of the body member The second end.

3. connector according to claim 2, wherein the fixed forming portion is to limit the second end of the body member The fixture in portion.

4. connector according to claim 3, wherein the fixture includes operating element to assist making the body member It is shifted between the operating position and the off position of the body member.

5. connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the installation forming portion is configured at least portion Ground is divided to surround structure member associated with the installation forming portion.

6. connector according to claim 5, wherein the installation forming portion includes interconnected by bridging part A pair of opposite clamping jaw.

7. according to claim 5 or connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the interior surface of the installation forming portion is big Arc is caused, and wherein, retainer formula mechanism includes multiple circumferentially spaced, slots for being laterally extended.

8. connector according to claim 7, wherein the structure member being spaced close to the object between scheduled slot Adjacent vertex between interval.

9. connector according to claim 8, wherein the scheduled slot is the arc table positioned at the installation forming portion Alternate slot in face.

10. connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the body member includes displacement limitation Device, the displacement limiter limit the structure member that is equipped with the body member of the body member relative to the object Displacement.

11. connector according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each object is the article of modularization furniture And the structure member of the article of the modularization furniture is the framing component of the frame of the article of the furniture.

12. according to claim 1 to connector described in any one of 10, wherein each object is the portion of the article of furniture Part and the connector are operated to be moved relative to each other at the limitation component.

13. a kind of modularization furniture system, comprising:

First object of modularization furniture, first object of the modularization furniture include having at least one structure member Inner frame；

Second object of modularization furniture, second object of the modularization furniture include having at least one structure member Inner frame；And

Connector as described in any one of preceding claims, the connector are mounted on the described of the modularization furniture On at least one structure member of first object and second object of the connector and the modularization furniture extremely Few structure member engagement is the object is maintained at relative to each other in desired positioning.

14. system according to claim 13, wherein first object be the first article of the modularization furniture simultaneously And second object is the second article of the modularization furniture.

15. system according to claim 14, wherein the inner frame of each article of the modularization furniture includes The holding meanss being carried at least one described structure member, the holding meanss are configured to inhibit the connector along institute State each structure member displacement in structure member.

16. system according to claim 15, wherein each structure member is in the shape of the framing component of the inner frame Formula, and the holding meanss include first component and the second component that is spaced apart with the first component, the first component It is parallel to the second component and orthogonally extends each other and relative to the framing component, the first component and described second The width close to the body member of the connector is spaced between component.

17. system according to claim 13, wherein first object is the first of the article of the modularization furniture Component and second object are the second components of the article of the modularization furniture.

18. system according to claim 17, wherein the first component be the seat base of the article of the furniture simultaneously And the second component is the setting portion of the article of the furniture.