Abstract
Please substitute the following paragraph for the abstract now appearing in the currently filed specification:
A modular furniture system is for a variety of purposes and includes at least one furniture base module consisting of a backrest element, a seat base module, two upholstery elements and a plurality of foot elements. The backrest element and the seat base module are capable of being connected and fastened by the foot elements without the use of tools, so that the furniture base module is capable of being packed ready for assembly in a shipping carton with low dimensions, in particular with dimensions up to 120 cm×60 cm×60 cm, and with a reduced weight, in particular with a weight of less than 30 kg.
Claims
1-20. (canceled)
21. A modular furniture system for a variety of purposes comprising: at least one furniture base module consisting of a backrest element, a seat base module, two upholstery elements and a plurality of foot elements; wherein; the seat base module consists of at least two seat base elements, wherein the seat base elements are preferably substantially identically designed, and are capable of being joined to one another to form a seat base module by means of at least one connecting means, preferably of complementary function, preferably without tools; the backrest element and the seat base module are capable of being connected and fastened by the foot elements without the use of tools, so that the furniture base module is capable of being packed ready for assembly in a shipping carton with low dimensions up to 120 cm×60 cm×60 cm, and with a reduced weight of less than 30 kg, wherein a combined length and girth of up to 360 cm can be maintained.
22. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein the seat base element is capable of being plugged together and joined to form the seat base module in a functionally complementary manner by means of at least one pair, preferably two pairs, in particular several pairs of dovetail guides, wherein the dovetail guides are designed as the connecting means.
23. The modular furniture system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one pair of dovetail guides is provided either in a wall region and/or in a base region of the seat base element.
24. The modular furniture system according to claim 22, wherein the at least one pair of dovetail guides comprises at least two pairs of the dovetail guides, the dovetail guides being formed in a wall region and/or in a base region of the seat base element.
25. The modular furniture system according to claim 22, wherein at least one pot-shaped foot element is pre-moulded in the dovetail guides to support the furniture base module on a floor side.
26. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein at least one, in particular a plurality, of recesses to accommodate the foot elements is provided on a base side of the seat base module and/or on a base side of the backrest element, wherein the recesses are preferably formed in an edge region of the seat base module and/or of the backrest element.
27. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein the foot elements that are arranged adjacent to one another and are capable of being connected to one another by means of at least one bracket element.
28. The modular furniture system according to claim 27, wherein each foot element consists of at least two shell parts that are capable of being plugged together and latched, wherein each shell part comprises an embedding receptacle for an end region of the bracket element.
29. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein at least one recess is formed on an upper side of the seat base element along a wall region to accommodate spring elements for each upholstery element arranged on the seat base module.
30. The modular furniture system according to claim 29, wherein at least one of the spring elements is designed as a spring strip, wherein the spring strip comprises a leaf spring envelope with at least one wing area and at least one rod-shaped core arranged in the leaf spring envelope with a spring characteristic that depends on the material.
31. The modular furniture system according to claim 30, wherein the core and/or the leaf spring envelope with the at least one wing area is designed to be exchangeable with different materials.
32. The modular furniture system according to claim 26, wherein at least one seat base element of the seat base module comprises a framework structure, preferably with a spring characteristic, wherein the framework structure is preferably formed on a floor side of the seat base element.
33. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein each upholstery element is designed as a spring mat that is capable of being fastened to the seat base module and/or to the backrest element.
34. The modular furniture system according to claim 29 wherein the spring elements or the spring strips are inserted into the spring mat.
35. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein each upholstery element is designed in the form of a cushion cover with a lower opening, so that each upholstery element is capable of being stretched, without using tools, on the seat base module and/or on the backrest element.
36. The modular furniture system according to claim 35, wherein along the lower opening of each upholstery element or each cushion cover an at least partially surrounding hook and loop tape is provided on side walls of the opening for fixing each upholstery element or each cushion cover to the seat base module and/or to the backrest element, wherein a complementary hook and loop tape is provided running around a peripheral surface on a base side of the seat base module and/or of the backrest element.
37. The modular furniture system according to claim 26, wherein an insertion slot is formed on at least one edge of a floor side of the seat base module and/or on a floor side of the backrest element at least in sections, preferably circumferentially, for a plug-in fastening of each upholstery element.
38. The modular furniture system according to claim 37, wherein at least one hem region of each upholstery element is provided with an end strip for closing off an opening of each upholstery element, wherein the end strip is capable of being inserted into the insertion slot so that each upholstery element may be fastened to the seat base module and/or to the backrest element.
39. The modular furniture system according to claim 21, wherein the seat base module and/or the backrest element are of trapezoidal design, wherein the backrest element is capable of being fastened by the foot elements at least to a long side or to a short side of the seat base module.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0040] Further advantages emerge from the figures and the associated descriptions of the drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the figures. The figures and the description contain numerous features in combinations. The expert will expediently also consider the features individually and merge them to form useful further combinations. In the figures:
[0041] FIG. 1a shows a perspective illustration of a modular furniture system according to a first embodiment;
[0042] FIG. 1b shows a perspective illustration of a modular furniture system according to a further embodiment;
[0043] FIG. 2a shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of a seat base element;
[0044] FIG. 2b shows a frontal view of a detail of the seat base element illustrated in FIG. 2a;
[0045] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of a seat base module;
[0046] FIG. 4a shows a perspective illustration of the seat base element illustrated in FIG. 3 with spring elements;
[0047] FIG. 4b shows a perspective illustration of a detail of the seat base element illustrated in FIG. 4a with spring elements;
[0048] FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of the spring element illustrated in FIG. 4;
[0049] FIG. 6a shows a front view of a further embodiment of a seat base module;
[0050] FIG. 6b—shows an exploded Illustration of a further embodiment of a seat base module;
[0051] FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of an upholstery element;
[0052] FIG. 8 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of a foot element;
[0053] FIG. 9a shows a front view of a first embodiment of a foot element connection;
[0054] FIG. 9b shows a longitudinal section through the foot element connection illustrated in FIG. 9a;
[0055] FIG. 10—shows a perspective illustration of various embodiments of a foot element combination;
[0056] FIG. 11 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of a backrest element with a foot element connection;
[0057] FIG. 12a shows a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of a furniture base module;
[0058] FIG. 12b shows a view from underneath of the furniture base module illustrated in FIG. 12a;
[0059] FIG. 13 shows a view from underneath of a modular furniture system according to a further embodiment;
[0060] FIG. 14 shows a view from underneath of a modular furniture system according to a further embodiment;
[0061] FIG. 15 shows a view from underneath of the furniture base module as illustrated in FIG. 14;
[0062] FIG. 16 shows a view from underneath of the furniture base module as illustrated in FIG. 14;
[0063] FIG. 17 shows a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of an upholstery element for the seat base module;
[0064] FIG. 18 shows a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of an upholstery element for the backrest element;
[0065] FIG. 19 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of an end strip inserted into an insertion slot on a base side of a seat base module;
[0066] FIG. 20 shows a perspective illustration of a first embodiment of a packaging of a modular furniture system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0067] Identical or similar components are given the same reference signs in the figures.
[0068] FIGS. 1a and 1b show perspective views of different embodiments of a modular furniture system 10, wherein seat base modules 16 and backrest elements 14 are connected to one another with different mutual alignments.
[0069] A seat base element 24 is illustrated in FIGS. 2a and 2b which is capable of being pushed together and connected to another identically designed seat base element 24 in a complementary manner by means of two pairs of dovetail guides 28 to form a seat base module 16, wherein the dovetail guides 28 are designed as a connecting means 26. The two pairs of dovetail guides 28 are each provided at a wall region 36 and a base region 38 of the seat base element 24.
[0070] A seat base module 16 is shown in FIG. 3. The seat base module 16 consists of two seat base elements 24 illustrated in FIG. 2a, wherein the seat base elements 24 are pushed together by means of two pairs of the dovetail guides 28. The dovetail guides 28 are designed with complementary functions, and are provided as connecting means 26. The two pairs of dovetail guides 28 are each fitted in the wall region 36 and in the base region 38 of the seat base element 24. A recess 42 is formed on an upper side 34 of the seat base module 16 along a wall region 36 to accommodate spring elements 44 illustrated in FIG. 4a for an upholstery element 18 arranged on the seat base module 16.
[0071] In FIGS. 4a and 4b the seat base module 16 illustrated in FIG. 3 with the spring elements 44 consisting of two seat base elements 24 pushed together is shown, wherein the seat base module 16 consists of the two seat base elements 24, and the spring elements 44 are designed as spring strips 50. The spring elements 44 are located in the recess 42, and each spring element 44 is fastened to the seat base module 16 by means of at least one screw 86 provided as fastening means 84.
[0072] FIG. 5 represents the spring element 44 shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b in detail, wherein the spring element 44 is designed as a spring strip 50. The spring strip 50 comprises a leaf spring envelope 54 with both wing areas 56 and a rod-shaped core 52 that is arranged in the leaf spring envelope 54. The core 52 further has a material-dependent spring characteristic. The spring strip 50 may be fixed to the seat base module 16 by means of a screw 86 provided as a fastening means 84, which can may also be designed as a push-in dowel.
[0073] FIG. 6a shows a seat base module 16 consisting of two seat base elements 24, pushed together, with framework structures 46, wherein the framework structures 46 are designed as spring elements 44. Each seat base element 24 comprises a framework structure 46 on a base side 30, which can exhibit a spring characteristic and enables a significant reduction in weight and saving in material. Good rear ventilation of the sitting surface is also achieved through this. Multiple recesses 32 are provided on the base side 30 along the base side edge region to accommodate foot elements 20, wherein the recesses 32 are formed along the edge region 40 of the seat base module 16. The two seat base elements 24 are connected together by means of a pair of dovetail guides 28, wherein the dovetail guides 28 are designed as connecting means 26.
[0074] In a further embodiment of a seat base module 16, two seat base elements 24 are connected together in FIG. 6b by two pairs of dovetail guides 28 that are designed as connecting means 26. Each seat base element 24 is provided on a base side 30 with a framework structure 46 designed as a spring element 44. A pot-shaped foot element 48 for floor-side support is pre-moulded in each dovetail joint. An insertion slot 74 for an push-in fastening of an upholstery element 18 is formed surrounding the edges on the base side 30 of the seat base module 16. Multiple recesses 32 to accommodate foot elements 20 are also provided on the base side 30 in an edge region 40 of the seat base module 16.
[0075] FIG. 7 shows an upholstery element 18 that is designed as a spring mat 58 that is capable of being placed on a seat base module 16. Multiple spring elements 44 are placed insertably in spring pockets in the spring mat 58, wherein the spring elements 44 are designed as spring strips 50.
[0076] FIG. 8 shows a foot element 20, wherein multiple guide ribs 108 are provided in direction of the longitudinal axes in an push-in region 110. Because the guide ribs 108 press into recesses 32 formed on a base side 30 of a seat base module 16 when inserted into the bottom side 30 of the seat base module 16, which is made of a foamed and soft material, a form-fitting resistance to rotation and improved force-fitting insertion effect can be achieved.
[0077] FIGS. 9a and 9b show a foot element connection 80 consisting of the foot elements 20 illustrated in FIG. 8 and a bracket element 64. The two foot elements 20 are connected to one another by means of the connecting region 67 of the bracket element 64, wherein the bracket element 64 is designed as a metal bracket 88. The foot element 20 further consists of two shell parts 62 that are capable of being pushed together and latched, wherein each shell part 62 comprises an embedding receptacle 94 for an end region 66 of the bracket element 64. Two or more end regions 66 of bracket elements 64 may also be capable of being inserted in the embedding receptacle 94 in order, for example, to enable cross-corner connections; see FIG. 10. The shell parts 62 each comprise a push-in element 96, a push-in receptacle 100 and the latching element 98. A push-in connection 90 and a latching connection 92 may thereby be formed in the foot element 20, so that mechanical fixing by the push-in connection 90, and additional fastening by the latching connection 92, can be provided. The plurality of guide ribs 108 are furthermore provided in the push-in region 110 of each foot element 20.
[0078] Various foot element combinations are illustrated in FIG. 10, whereby foot elements 20 that are arranged adjacent to one another are connected by means of a bracket element 64, wherein multiple guide ribs 108 are provided in a push-in region 110 of each foot element 20. Two bracket elements 64 at a time may be accommodated at 90° to one another in one foot element 20 for over-corner connection.
[0079] A backrest element 14 is shown in FIG. 11, wherein multiple recesses 32 to receive foot elements 20 are provided on a base side 30 of the backrest element 14. A single foot element 20 and a foot element connection 80 are inserted into the recesses 32, wherein multiple guide ribs 108 are formed in an push-in region 110 of the foot element 20. The two foot elements 20 are joined to one another by means of a bracket element 64 formed as a metal bracket 88 for foot element connection 80.
[0080] FIGS. 12a and 12b show a perspective view of a furniture base module 12 seen from the front and below, consisting of a backrest element 14 and a seat base module 16. The seat base module 16 comprises two seat base elements 24 that are connected together by means of a pair of dovetail guides 28, wherein the dovetail guides 28 are provided in a wall region 36 as connecting means 26. The seat base element 24 is provided on a base side 30 with a framework structure 46 designed as a spring element 44. The backrest element 14 is connected to the seat base module 16 by foot elements 20, wherein the foot elements 20 are inserted into recesses 32 that are located in an edge region 40 of the seat base module 16 and in an a region 40 of the backrest element 14, and are connected to one another by means of a bracket element 64. The bracket element 64 is designed as a metal bracket 88. A recess 42 to receive additional spring elements 44 is furthermore provided on a upper side of the seat base module 16.
[0081] Various embodiments of a modular furniture system 10 are illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14. Seat base modules 16 and backrest elements 14 can be connected to one another individually in various ways in that foot elements 20 are inserted into corresponding recesses 32 and the neighbouring foot elements 20 are connected to one another by means of a bracket element 64. In FIG. 13 the seat base module 16 and the backrest element 14 are rectangular, and are trapezoidal in FIG. 14. A curved form of the module modular furniture system 10 with concave and convex seating areas is enabled by the trapezoidal backrest elements 14 and seat base modules 16.
[0082] The furniture base modules 12 shown in FIG. 14 are illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, wherein in FIG. 15 the trapezoidal backrest element 14 is fastened to a long side 104 of the trapezoidal seat base module 16 by the foot elements 20.
[0083] In FIG. 16 the trapezoidal backrest element 14 is fixed to a short side 106 of the trapezoidal seat base module 16 by the foot elements 20. The foot elements 20 are inserted into the recesses 32 provided on a base side 30 of the backrest element 14 and of the seat base module 16, and are connected to one another by means of the bracket element 64.
[0084] An upholstery element 18 for a seat base module 16 and an upholstery element 18 for a backrest element 14 are illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, wherein the upholstery element 18 is designed as a cushion cover 60. The upholstery element 18 can be provided with a padding 68 of, for example, rod-fibre filling with a thickness of about 5 cm. The upholstery element 18 designed for the seat base module 16 is provided along its lower opening 72 with a hook and loop tape 70 surrounding it along a side wall 78. In this way the upholstery element 18 can be fixed to the seat base module 16 in the manner of a hook and loop connection to a complementary hook and loop tape running around a peripheral surface on the floor-side.
[0085] In FIG. 19 a hem region 102 of an upholstery element 18 is provided with an end strip 76 for closing an opening 72 of the upholstery element 18, wherein an insertion slot 74 is formed on a base side 30 of a seat base module 16. Because the end strip 76 is inserted into the insertion slot 74, the upholstery element 18 can be fastened to the seat base module 16. The end strip 76 is, furthermore, designed as a plastic strip 82.
[0086] In FIG. 20, a seat base module 16 consisting of two seat base elements 24, a backrest element 14, spring elements 44, two upholstery element 18 and a plurality of foot elements 20 are stacked in a shipping carton 22 in a compact manner. A furniture base module 12 for one person can thereby be transported very easily and shipped economically. The furniture base module 12 is capable of being packed ready for assembly in the shipping carton 22 with low dimensions, in particular with dimensions of up to 120 cm×60 cm×60 cm, and with a reduced weight, in particular with a weight of less than 30 kg.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0087] 10 Modular furniture system
[0088] 12 Furniture base module
[0089] 14 Backrest element
[0090] 16 Seat base module
[0091] 18 Upholstery element
[0092] 20 Foot element
[0093] 22 Shipping carton
[0094] 24 Seat base element
[0095] 26 Connecting means
[0096] 28 Dovetail guide
[0097] 30 Base side
[0098] 32 Recess
[0099] 34 Upper side
[0100] 36 Wall region
[0101] 38 Base region
[0102] 40 Edge region
[0103] 42 Recess
[0104] 44 Spring element
[0105] 46 Framework structure
[0106] 48 Pot-shaped foot element
[0107] 50 Spring strip
[0108] 52 Core
[0109] 54 Leaf spring envelope
[0110] 56 Wing area
[0111] 58 Spring mat
[0112] 60 Cushion cover
[0113] 62 Shell part
[0114] 64 Bracket element
[0115] 66 End region of the bracket element, insertion region
[0116] 67 Connecting region of the bracket element
[0117] 68 Padding
[0118] 70 Hook and loop tape
[0119] 72 Opening
[0120] 74 Insertion slot
[0121] 76 End strip
[0122] 78 Side walls
[0123] 80 Foot element connection
[0124] 82 Plastic strip
[0125] 84 Fastening means
[0126] 86 Screw
[0127] 88 Metal bracket
[0128] 90 Push-in connection
[0129] 92 Latching connection
[0130] 94 Embedding receptacle
[0131] 96 Push-in element
[0132] 98 Latching element
[0133] 100 Push-in receptacle
[0134] 102 Hem region of the upholstery element
[0135] 104 Long side
[0136] 106 Short side
[0137] 108 Guide rib
[0138] 110 Push-in region
