Structure for determining shelves and items of furniture

Abstract

A structure for determining shelves and items of furniture, formed by nodes (1) and tubular profiles (2). Each node (1) has at least two arms (1.2) fitted and fastened inside the ends of each section of tubular profile (2), which is a single-body piece along the entire inside of an internal shape (2.1) with a square external edge. Each arm (1.2) of the node (1) has a part (1.2.1) corresponding to the internal square shape (2.1) with a square polygonal edge, the corners have bevels along the length with screw threads (1.2.2) extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of each arm, such that by inserting each arm (1.2) into a tubular profile (2) and rotating relative to one another, the crests of the screw threads (1.2.2) engage against the internal faces of walls (2.2) of the internal square shape (2.1), fastening each node (1) to a respective tubular profile (2).

Claims

1. A structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, the structure comprising: a plurality of tubular profiles, each tubular profile comprising a body comprising (1) a first external shape that includes four external surfaces forming a first square shape and (2) four internal walls defining an internal cavity having a second square shape, wherein the second square shape is rotated forty-five (45) degrees relative to the first square shape; a plurality of nodes, each node having at least two arms, each arm adapted to be fastened inside an end of a respective tubular profile, wherein each arm includes a part having a second external shape corresponding to the second square shape of the internal cavity, the second external shape of the part comprising four sides and four beveled corners, the four sides including a first pair of opposite and parallel sides and a second pair of opposite and parallel sides, each beveled corner having a bevel that extends along a length of the part and is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the respective arm, each bevel comprising screw threads, wherein the part is adapted to be inserted into a corresponding cavity of a corresponding tubular profile and rotated relative to the corresponding tubular profile, causing the screw threads of the plurality of corners of the part to engage with the corresponding tubular profile, thereby fastening the part, the arm and a corresponding node to the corresponding tubular profile.

2. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 1, wherein each arm further comprises an element adapted to fit into a housing of a core of a second corresponding node, the housing having toothing adapted to engage with the element of the arm and fasten the arm in the core.

3. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 1, wherein at least one tubular profile occupies a horizontal position in assembled position in the structure and has a flange in at least one corner that extends along the at least one tubular profile, the flange being adapted to perform a stop function when the at least one tubular profile rotates relative to a second corresponding node, the flange being further adapted to support a plate.

4. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the four internal walls of each respective tubular profile has an opening that is adapted to provide a fastening point between the respective tubular profile and a second corresponding node and is further adapted to allow passage of electrical cables.

5. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 1, wherein each respective tubular profile includes an opening in at least one corner that extends along the tubular profile to allow assembly of a weatherstrip.

6. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 5, wherein a housing is defined behind the opening and extends along the tubular profile, allowing insertion of one or more LED light strips.

7. The structure for use in constructing shelves and items of furniture, according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tubular profiles or the plurality of nodes comprises steel.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a frame made up of nodes (1) and tubular profiles (2) that determine the corresponding longitudinal beams and transverse beams of the structure.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a rectangular prismatic structure also made with the nodes (1) and the tubular profiles (2) that defines a simple cube.

(3) FIGS. 3 and 4 are views like those of FIG. 2, but now forming compound cubes.

(4) FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the core (1.1) of a node (1), with two housings (1.1.1) and made according to a non-limiting example of a practical embodiment.

(5) FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the core (1.1) of FIG. 5, showing the housings (1.1.1).

(6) FIG. 7 is the profile view of FIG. 6.

(7) FIG. 8 shows the upper plan view of FIG. 7.

(8) FIG. 9 shows the section A-A indicated in FIG. 7.

(9) FIGS. 10 and 11 are two views like that of FIG. 5, but with three and four housings (1.1.1), respectively.

(10) FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an arm (1.2) of a node (1).

(11) FIG. 13 is the right profile view of FIG. 14.

(12) FIG. 14 shows the elevation view of the arm (1.2).

(13) FIG. 15 is the left profile view of FIG. 14.

(14) FIG. 16 shows the section B-B indicated in FIG. 15.

(15) FIG. 17 is a perspective and schematic view showing a node (1) with two arms (1.2) and according to a non-limiting example of a practical embodiment.

(16) FIG. 18 is a view like that of FIG. 17, but now with a node (1) with four arms (1.2).

(17) FIG. 19 is a front view of a tubular profile (2), according to a non-limiting example of a practical embodiment.

(18) FIG. 20 is like FIG. 19, but now with a tubular profile (2) intended to occupy a horizontal position and support a plate made of glass or other material not shown, whereby it has a flange (2.4), as well as an opening (2.5) along one of its corners behind which a space (2.6) is defined.

(19) FIG. 21 is a view like that of FIG. 19, but indicating the difference in measurements between d1 and d2.

(20) FIGS. 22, 23, 24 and 25 are perspective views that schematically show how a node (1) and a tubular profile (2) are fastened.

(21) FIGS. 26 and 27 are two perspective details that show the assembly of an LED light strip (3) and a weatherstrip (4) on a tubular profile (2).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(22) The present invention relates to a structure for constructing shelving, shelves and items of furniture that is made up of a series of nodes (1), to which tubular profiles (2) are fastened in order to shape, from a simple quadrangular frame having ninety degree angles, such as the one shown in FIG. 1, a prismatic structure with a preferably square or rectangular base, such as the one shown in FIG. 2, or even a structure made up of several prisms, such as those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(23) Each node (1), as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9, is made up of a core (1.1), preferably made of zamak, but which can also be made of other metals or other metal alloys, or synthetic materials, including composites or other materials or combinations of parts of different materials.

(24) Each core (1.1) has at least two housings (1.1.1) that have toothing (1.1.2) for fastening, in each of these housings (1.1.1), an arm (1.2) preferably determined in a piece of steel obtained by bar turning, but which could be made of other materials or combinations of materials that allow the functions of said arm (1.2) to be fulfilled without thereby altering the object of the invention.

(25) As shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, each arm (1.2) determines a first part (1.2.5) intended to be inserted into the corresponding housing (1.1.1) of the core (1.1), so that the interference between this part (1.2.5) and the toothing (1.1.2) of the core (1.1) securely fasten each arm (1.2) to its core (1.1).

(26) Obviously, each arm (1.2) can be fastened to its core (1.1) using any other known solution without altering the object of the present invention, or even the arms (1.2) and their core (1.1) could be a single-body piece obtained, for example, by sintering given the complexity of their shapes.

(27) Each arm (1.2) also determines a central part identified with reference number (1.2.4) in FIG. 14 and adjacent to it, a part (1.2.1) that together with the central part (1.2.4) is projected as a cantilever from the core (1.1). This end part (1.2.1) has a polygonal cross section, preferably with a square edge, and having bevels along its corners, these bevels being paraxial to the longitudinal axis of said arm (1.2) and in which at least a part of them has a screw thread (1.2.2), such that the four screw threads (1.2.2) are parallel to one other and paraxial to the longitudinal axis of each arm (1.2).

(28) Bevels (1.2.3) are determined at the free end of each arm (1.2) to open and facilitate the entry of each arm (1.2) into its respective tubular profile (2). These bevels (1.2.3) can also be determined, according to a variant of a practical embodiment, in an insert made up of a plastic finish that is assembled at the end of the arm (1.2).

(29) FIG. 17 shows a node (1) with two arms (1.2). The number of arms (1.2) will preferably be two, three, four or five units. FIG. 18 shows a node (1) with four arms (1.2).

(30) The case could occur where there were more than five arms (1.2), providing the core (1.1) with a prismatic shape having polygonal bases with more than four sides, or even where the core (1.1) was a polyhedron, so that the structure formed between the nodes (1) and the tubular profiles (2) is in turn a polyhedral structure.

(31) With regard to the tubular profiles (2), they are preferably formed by extrusion in a metal material such as aluminium, but without being considered in a limiting sense. As shown in FIG. 19, each tubular profile (2) has a quadrangular cross section with a square or rectangular edge and it determines therein an internal substantially square shape (2.1) having four walls identified with the reference number (2.2). Thus, taking advantage of the fact that the distance (d1) in the internal diagonals of this internal shape (2.1) is greater than the distance (d2) between two opposite walls (2.2), see FIG. 21, this allows the corresponding arm (1.2) of a node (1) to be inserted so that its external sections with the screw threads (1.2.2) enter through the ends of the diagonals of the internal shape (2.1) of the tubular profile (2), and with a simple turn of no more than 45, these external threaded sections (1.2.2) engage inside the faces of the walls (2.2) of the internal shape (2.1), thereby firmly fastening the node (1) to the corresponding tubular profile (2), without needing to use any tool and with a simple and quick turn of no more than 45. To ensure that the faces of the node (1) are aligned with the external faces of the tubular profile (2), it is envisaged that the internal shape (2.1) is rotated 45 with respect to the external faces.

(32) Furthermore, it has been envisaged that said internal square shape (2.1) of the tubular profiles (2) has, in one of the walls (2.2), at least one opening (2.3) to set a final fastening point between each node (1) and its corresponding tubular profile (2). In addition, this opening (2.3) also allows other functions to be fulfilled, such as the passage of electrical cables, when the tubular profile incorporates its own lighting means.

(33) FIGS. 22 to 25 show how each node (1) is fastened to its corresponding tubular profile (2), by simply rotating them relative to one another by no more than 45 and without needing to use any tool.

(34) As shown in FIG. 20, some of the tubular profiles (2) that will occupy a horizontal arrangement in the final assembly may have a flange (2.4) along the same, in order to be able to support a wooden, glass or plastic plate on this flange (2.4), which fulfils the shelving functions and even allows this flange (2.4) to fulfil stop functions, when each node (1) and its corresponding tubular profile (2) rotate relative to one another.

(35) Furthermore, FIG. 20 also shows how at least one of the corners of the tubular profile (2) may have an opening (2.5) for assembling a decorative weatherstrip by means of elastic clipping, said weatherstrip identified with the reference (4) in FIGS. 26 and 27.

(36) If this weatherstrip (4) is only decorative, it can be opaque and have different colours. If the structure has its own lighting means, it has been envisaged that these lighting means will be behind the weatherstrip (4) and in this case they will be translucent or transparent.

(37) FIGS. 26 and 27 show how the aforementioned lighting means consisting of one or more LED light strips (3) are assembled. As shown, the LED strip or strips are inserted into the space (2.6) defined behind the opening (2.5) and subsequently the weatherstrip (4) is assembled in this opening (2.5).

(38) Logically, a tubular profile (2) may not have the opening (2.5) if it does not have its own lighting and/or decorative weatherstrip (4), or it may have one or more openings (2.5) if it has more than one weatherstrip (4).

(39) With the described embodiment of the tubular profiles (2), manufactured by extrusion, said profiles can be manufactured in long strips that will be cut according to the needs of each case, since, regardless of the length of the tubular profile (2) that is to be cut, said profile will always have the internal square shape (2.1) at its ends for fastening the nodes (1).

(40) It should also be noted that, for simplicity of representation, the tubular profile (2) has a quadrangular external edge, but this is not limiting since it could be circumferential or even mixtilinear, as long as the internal square shape (2.1) defined by the four walls (2.2) is maintained.

(41) As a variant of a practical embodiment, it has been envisaged that the core (1.1) of each node (1) adopts non-prismatic shapes and also, for aesthetic reasons, it has a false lid that covers the same on its visible faces such that all the cores (1.1) have the same finish and the lids are what provide the necessary finish of colour, coating bath, etc. in each case.

(42) It should be noted that this solution provides great flexibility, since it allows this system to be adapted to various dimensions/external designs of the tubular profiles (2) and to also be complemented, for example, with rails for sliding doors or hanging accessories that are incorporated into the housing space (2.6) of the LED light strips (3), taking advantage of this space (2.6) and the opening (2.5) of the tubular profile (2).

(43) Due to the existence of the internal square shape (2.1), the screw thread (1.2.2) of each arm (1.2) acts against the walls (2.2) of the internal square shape (2.1) and not against the external walls of the tubular profile (2), thus preventing unwanted deformations of these external walls from occurring. Furthermore, and with this solution, the walls (2.2) can have the most suitable width dimension to facilitate the engagement of the screw threads (1.2.2) and can even have different width dimensions along the same or finishes that facilitate this fastening.

(44) It is also worth noting that the fact that the screw threads (1.2.2) are determined along the bevels parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tubular profile (2) establishes that when each node (1) and its respective tubular profile (2) rotate relative to one another in order to fasten both parts, it is the crests of all the screw threads (1.2.2) that affect the inside of the faces of the walls (2.2) of the internal square shape (2.1), thereby engaging all the screw threads (1.2.2) and not engaging along only one screw thread (1.2.2), thus resulting in a much more robust and effective fastening.