FURNITURE LOCK ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The present invention relates to a furniture lock assembly (1) for attaching a first furniture bar member (10) to a second furniture bar member (20) in a furniture arrangement (100), wherein the lock assembly comprises a hollow first furniture bar member (10), a pin (30) attachable to an outer surface of a second furniture bar member, the pin having a neck portion (32) and a head portion (35), the head portion being wider than the neck portion, a cam unit configured to be arranged inside the hollow first furniture bar member, wherein the cam unit comprises a tubular socket (40) attached to a base member (42), and a cam cylinder (50) arranged rotatably in the tubular socket. The cam cylinder comprises a radial opening (52) configured to receive the head portion of the pin, and a circumferential groove (54) extending from said opening and along a part of the circumference of the cam cylinder, wherein the width of the groove corresponds to the width of the neck portion of the pin.

Claims

1. A furniture lock assembly (1) for attaching a longitudinal end of a hollow first furniture bar member (10) to a second furniture bar member (20), wherein the lock assembly comprises, a pin unit configured to be attachable to an outer surface of a second furniture bar member (20), the pin unit comprising a pin (30) having a neck portion (32) and a head portion (35), the head portion being wider than the neck portion, the head portion positioned at the opposite end of the attachable end of the pin unit, a cam unit configured to be arranged inside a hollow first furniture bar member (10), wherein the cam unit comprises a tubular socket (40) configured to be attached to an inner side of a hollow first furniture bar member, and a cam cylinder (50) arranged rotatably in the tubular socket; wherein the cam cylinder (50) is hollow at a radial opening (52), wherein the radial opening is configured to receive the head portion (35) of the pin, and a circumferential groove (54) extending from said opening and along a part of the circumference of the cam cylinder (50), wherein the Width of the groove (54) corresponds to the width of the neck portion (32) of the pin, wherein the pin is secured to the cam unit by rotating the cam cylinder such that the groove engages with the neck portion of the pin.

2. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the height (H) of the tubular socket (40) corresponds to the interior height (H) of the hollow first furniture bar member (10).

3. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pin unit comprises a foot portion (33) attachable to an outer surface of the second furniture bar member (20), wherein the foot portion comprises threaded projecting rod (36) and the neck portion (32) of the pin (30) comprises a threaded interior opening (37) configured to be arranged in threaded engagement with said rod.

4. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the groove (54) tapers along its extension away from the opening (52).

5. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cam cylinder (50) comprises a nut portion (56) at a longitudinal end for rotational operation of the cam cylinder.

6. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pin unit comprises a collar portion (31) configured to extend into the hollow first bar member (10) to which the lock assembly is arranged, and to enclose at least a portion of the neck portion (32) of the pin (30).

7. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pin unit comprises a foot portion (33) attachable to an outer surface of the second furniture bar member (20), wherein the foot portion comprises a plate (34) attachable to the outer surface of the second furniture bar member, and wherein the shape dimensions of the plate (34) corresponds to an interior (11) shape dimension of the first furniture bar member (10).

8. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 7, wherein the plate (34) is substantially rectangular and wherein the neck portion (32) of the pin (30) extends from the plate at a width wise and/or height wise centre location of the plate.

9. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the tubular socket (40) comprises a base member (42) configured to be attached to an inner side of a hollow first bar member (10) and having a width (W) that corresponds to an interior width of the hollow first furniture bar member (10).

10. The furniture lock assembly according claim 3, wherein the plate (34) comprises a threaded hole with which the rod (36) is in threaded engagement such that the rod and the neck portion (32) are attached to the plate.

11. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, wherein the head portion and the neck portion are configured for threaded attachment to each other.

12. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning function for holding the cam cylinder (50) in a certain position relative to the tubular socket (40).

13. The furniture lock assembly according to claim 12, wherein the positioning function is constituted by the tubular socket (40) comprising at least two recesses (44) and the cam cylinder (50) comprising a projection (57), wherein the recesses are configured to receive the projection at different positions of the cam cylinder relative to the tubular socket to hold the cam cylinder in the respective position.

14. A furniture arrangement comprising a hollow first furniture bar member (10), a second furniture bar member (20) and a furniture lock assembly according to claim 1.

15. The furniture arrangement (100) according to claim 14, wherein the furniture arrangement is a height-adjustable furniture arrangement comprising at least one telescopic leg (22), wherein the telescopic leg forms the second furniture bar member (20).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention will in the following be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

[0032] FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of a furniture arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0033] FIG. 1b shows a perspective view of a furniture arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional side view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional side view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional side view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional top view of a furniture lock assembly according to an embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0042] The present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0043] FIG. 1a illustrates a desk arrangement 100 in which a lock assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the invention may be used. The desk arrangement 100 comprises two individually height adjustable desktops 60, 62. The frame of the desk arrangement 100 comprises four telescopic legs 22. Each leg 22 comprises an outer leg member 22a and an inner leg member 22b arranged for telescopic movement relative to each other. The outer leg member 22a corresponds in the desk arrangement 100 to a second bar member 20 as described below.

[0044] The four legs 22 are connected to each other in pairs by a bar member 10. The bar member 10 is attached to one leg 22 at each respective longitudinal end of the bar member 10. Such bench solution in the desk arrangement 100 provides that only four legs 22 are needed for two separate desktops, and without the need of any large foot on each leg. Using the lock assembly 1 according to the present invention in such bench solution facilitates the mounting of the bar member 10 to the legs 22 to assemble the bench desk.

[0045] FIG. 1b illustrates a desk arrangement 100 exemplifying how the lock assembly 1 may further be used by locking an additional bar member 10 to a horizontal bar member 10. The desk arrangement 100 may thereby be coupled to further desk arrangements via the bar member 10. A lock assembly 1 is then arranged inside the additional bar member 10 acting as first bar member, and attached to the bar member 10.

[0046] In FIG. 2 the lock assembly 1 for attaching a first bar member 10 to a second bar member 20 is illustrated. The second bar member 20 may be a vertically extending leg part 22a as in the desk arrangement 100.

[0047] The first bar member 10 is a hollow bar member, preferably a hollow steel bar with a rectangular cross section. The first bar member 10 is open at its longitudinal ends. The first bar member 10 has an interior height H.

[0048] Inside the first bar member 10 a cam unit is arranged which comprises a tubular socket 40 and a cam cylinder 50 arranged inside the socket 40. The cam cylinder 50 is rotatable relative to the tubular socket 40. The tubular socket 40 comprises a base member 42.

[0049] On the second bar member 20 a pin unit comprising a pin 30 is arranged. The pin 30 comprises a neck portion 32 and a head portion 35. The head portion 35 is wider than the neck portion 32. The head portion 35 is here illustrated as a truncated spherical portion attached to the neck portion 32 of the pin 30.

[0050] The tubular socket 40 comprises a radial opening 44 at a longitudinally central section of the socket 40. The opening 44 is dimensioned to receive the head 35 of the pin 30. The cam cylinder 50 has a radial opening 52 configured to receive the head portion 35 of the pin 30. The opening 52 of the cam cylinder 50 is dimensioned so as to correspond to the width of the head portion 35, or to be slightly wider than the head portion 35. At the opening 52, the cam cylinder 50 is hollow so as to receive the head portion 35.

[0051] The cam cylinder 50 further comprises a circumferential groove 54 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). The circumferential groove 54 extends from the opening 52 in the cam cylinder 50 and along a section of the circumference of the cam cylinder 50. The groove 54 may for instance extend such that the groove 54 and the opening 52 together forms an open section along about 90 degrees of the circumference of the cam cylinder 50.

[0052] The width of the groove 54 is smaller than the width of the head portion 35 of the pin 30, but equal to or larger than the width of the neck portion 32 of the pin 30.

[0053] In FIG. 2 the cam cylinder 50 is illustrated in an unlocked position, wherein the opening 52 of the cam cylinder 50 is directed towards the pin 30, at the location of the opening 44 in the socket 40. In FIG. 3 the cam cylinder 50 has been rotated 90 degrees to a locked position. The pin 30 is thereby locked to the cam cylinder 50 by the groove 54 embracing the neck portion 32 of the pin 30. The head portion 35 is then prevented from being separated from the cam cylinder 50. In one embodiment, the groove 54 is tapering away from the opening 52. When rotating the cam cylinder 50, the groove 54 may then embrace and further clamp the neck portion 32 of the pin 30.

[0054] The rotation of the cam cylinder 50 is controlled via a nut member 56 at a longitudinal end of the cam cylinder 50. At the location of the nut member 56 the first bar member 10 comprises an opening 14. The nut member 56 is thereby accessible from outside the first bar member 10. The nut member 56 may comprise a hexagonal nut, a square nut, a hexagonal socket head, a square socket head or the like.

[0055] The base member 42 is attached to an inner side of the first bar member 10. The base member 42 may for instance be attached by fastening means such as screws arranged through screw holes 12 in the first bar member 10.

[0056] The lock assembly 1 according to the present invention may be used in first bar members 10 of different dimensions. The tubular socket 40 is designed to be tubular to provide the locking function together with the cam cylinder 50 arranged therein, irrespective of the inner dimensions of the first bar member 10. In order to provide a rigid arrangement of the cam unit inside the first bar member 10, a base member 42 of the socket 40 may be selected that corresponds to the inner width dimension of the first bar member 10. The width of the first bar member 10 being along the axis z as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The socket 40 is thereby prevented from rotation relative to the first bar member 10.

[0057] The tubular socket 40 is fixedly attached to the base member 42, for instance by welding, or from being formed in one part. Further, the tubular socket 40 has, in this embodiment, a height corresponding to the inner height H of the first bar member 10. The heights are defined along the axis y as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. The socket 40 thereby provides a rigid attachment of the cam unit in the first bar member 10, and enables the cam unit to lock the hollow first bar member to the second bar member 20.

[0058] The pin 30 comprises a foot portion 33 configured to be attached to the second bar member 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the foot portion 33 comprises an extended plate 34 attached to the second bar member 20. The extended plate 34 has width and height dimensions corresponding to the inner width and height of the first bar member 10. When the first bar member 10 is attached to the second bar member 20 by means of the lock assembly 1, the longitudinal end of the first bar member 10 facing the second bar member 20 embraces the plate 34. This provides a further stabilized attachment of the two bar members 10, 20 to each other.

[0059] The foot portion 33 may be welded to the second bar member 20, or attached by means of fastening means such as screws 38 (see FIG. 4). When the second bar member 20 is an outer leg member 22a in a telescopic leg 22 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the fastening of the foot portion 33 of the pin 30 to the outer leg member 22a is provided such that any fastening means does not extend into the interior of the outer leg member 22a such that it interfere with the telescopic function of the leg 22. I.e. that it does not prevent an inner leg member 22b to extend into the outer leg member 22a. This may be provided by fastening means not extending into the interior of the second bar member 20, by fastening means extending into the interior of the second bar member 20 only in such small extent that it does not interfere with the telescopic function, or by welding the foot portion 33 to the outer surface of the second bar member 20.

[0060] The neck and head portions 32, 35 of the pin 30 may be attached to the foot portion 33 through threaded engagement. The foot portion 33 then comprises a threaded rod 36 extending in a direction towards the interior of the first bar member 10. The neck portion 32 is hollow with a threaded interior 37 for threaded engagement with the threaded rod 36. By having a design of the pin 30 comprising separate parts for the foot portion 33 and the neck and head portions 32, 35, less parts need to be replaced when manufacturing the lock assembly for first bar members of different dimensions. The rod 36 may be attached to the foot portion 33 by being in threaded engagement with a threaded hole in the plate 34.

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cam cylinder 50 further comprises an axial groove 58. The axial groove 58 extends from the opening 52 in the cam cylinder 50 towards a longitudinal end of the cam cylinder 50, i.e. along axis y as illustrated in FIG. 5. The axial groove 58 provides that the cam cylinder 50 may be inserted into the socket 40 after the first bar member 10 has been arranged such that the pin 30 extends into the socket 40. When the cam cylinder 50 then is inserted into the socket 40 through the bottom opening 46 of the socket 40, the axial groove 58 embraces the pin 30 along the insertion until the cam cylinder 50 is in place and the pin 30 extends through the opening 52.

[0062] FIG. 4 illustrates the lock assembly 1 attached to the second bar member 20, but with the first bar member 10 removed. Inside the tubular socket 40 the cam cylinder 50 is arranged. The pin 30 extends from the second bar member 20 into the cam cylinder 50. The cam cylinder 50 has been rotated to the locking position providing the groove 54 to embrace the neck portion 32 of the pin 30. Along its extension towards the cam cylinder 50, the pin 30 extends through the opening 44 in the socket 40.

[0063] The base member 42 of the socket 40 has a width W that in one embodiment corresponds to an internal width of the first bar member 10. The socket 40 is non-rotatably arranged inside the hollow first bar member 10.

[0064] The socket 40 has a height H that in this embodiment corresponds to the internal height H of the hollow first bar member 10. A secure installation of the cam unit inside the hollow first bar member 10 is thereby provided.

[0065] The plate 34 of the foot portion 33 of the pin 30 is attached to the second bar member 20. The plate 34 has the width W and the height H corresponding to the internal width W and height H of the hollow first bar member 10. The width W may further be equal to the width of the base member 42.

[0066] FIG. 5 illustrates the first bar member 10 attached to the second bar member 20 by means of the lock assembly arranged inside the first bar member 10. The nut member 56 for rotation of the cam cylinder 50 is accessible through the opening 14 in the first bar member 10. The screw holes 12 in the first bar member 10 is used for attachment of the base member 42 to the first bar member 10.

[0067] The first bar member 10 may be a horizontally extending bar in a furniture arrangement attached to vertically or horizontally extending second bar member 20. The first bar member 10 could also be vertically extending in the furniture arrangement.

[0068] FIGS. 6-9 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein the cam unit and the pin unit have different shapes. The socket 40 comprises the base member 42. The base member 42 is configured for attachment to an inner side of a hollow first bar member 10. Inside the socket 40 is the cam cylinder 50 arranged. The cam cylinder 50 comprises the opening 52 for receiving the head portion 35 of the pin 30, and a groove 54 extending along the circumference of the socket 50. The groove 54 is configured to embrace the neck portion 32 of the pin 30. The socket 40 has an opening 44 for enabling the pin 30 to reach the cam cylinder 50.

[0069] The plate 34 is configured to have outer dimensions corresponding to inner dimensions of the hollow first bar member 10. Even though the plate 34 in the illustrated embodiment is not rectangular, its shape and dimensions of the corners makes it suitable to fit into and be embraced by a rectangular shaped hollow first bar member 10. I.e. the shape dimensions of the plate 34 provides a height H and a width W corresponding to the internal height H and width W of the first bar member 10. This provides an embracement of the plate 34 by the first bar member 10 when the first bar member 10 is attached to the lock assembly and a second bar member 20. By shape dimensions it may be meant the maximum e.g. width and height, i.e. the dimensions defining the overall size and shape of the plate. As in the illustrated example wherein the plate is formed as a non-continuous rectangle shape, but having a width W and height H providing a rectangular shape dimension. In alternative embodiments, the plate may have a round, oval, hexagonal or similar shape dimension, corresponding to an inner shape of a first bar member to be attached thereto.

[0070] The pin unit comprises a collar 31 extending around the neck portion 32 of the pin 30. The collar 31 provides support to the pin 30. The collar may extend into the hollow first bar member 10 when the lock assembly 1 is arranged to the first bar member 10.

[0071] The pin unit comprises a fastening plate 39 for attachment to a second bar member 20. The pin unit foot portion 33 and/or the plate 34 is attached to the second bar member 20 via the fastening plate 39. In such embodiment, fastening means 38 may be used on the fastening plate 39 instead of the plate 34, or used on both the fastening plate 39 and the plate 34.

[0072] The height of the socket 40 is not necessarily corresponding to the inner height of the hollow first bar member 10. The socket 40 and base member 42 is attached to the inner side of the first bar member 10 by fastening means, such as screws attached to screw holes 43 in the base member 42.

[0073] The cam cylinder 50 is rotatable inside the socket 40. The cam cylinder 50 comprises the nut member 56 configured for providing rotation access of the cam cylinder 50 to a user. When the pin head portion 35 is inserted into the cam cylinder 50 via the opening 52, the cam cylinder 50 can be rotated relative to the socket and the first bar member 10 by means of the nut member 56. The cam cylinder 50 is the rotated such that the groove 54 moves to embrace the neck portion 32 of the pin 30. The pin 30 is thereby locked to the cam cylinder 50 and thereby also to the socket 40 and the first bar member 10. FIGS. 6-9 illustrate the lock assembly 1 in a state wherein the cam cylinder 50 has been rotated to lock the pin 30.

[0074] As illustrated in FIG. 9, the lock assembly 1 in one embodiment comprises a positioning function by which the position of the cam cylinder 50 relative to the socket 40 is secured. The socket 40 comprises at least two recesses 44 for receiving a projection 57 on the cam cylinder 50. The recesses 44 are located to correspond to the cam cylinder 50 being in an open position, i.e. when the opening 52 is directed towards the pin 30 to receive the pin 30 inside the cam cylinder 50, and in a locked position, i.e. when the cam cylinder 50 has been rotated to lock the pin 30 to the cam cylinder 50 and to the first bar member 10. FIG. 9 illustrates the cam cylinder 50 in the locked position. There may be more than two recesses, for instance three as illustrated in FIG. 9, wherein recesses between the two recesses that corresponds to open and locked position of the cam cylinder 50 provide intermediate positions along the rotation of the cam cylinder 50 between the open position and the locked position.

[0075] In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed preferred embodiments and examples of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.