EP0096272A2

EP0096272A2 - A modular element for furnishing components

Info

Publication number: EP0096272A2
Application number: EP83105066A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Aldo Biscarini
Original assignee: EMU SpA
Current assignee: EMU SpA
Priority date: 1982-06-04
Filing date: 1983-05-21
Publication date: 1983-12-21
Also published as: EP0096272A3; IT8221695A0; IT1151581B

Abstract

This invention concerns a modular element to obtain basic structures of furnishing components such as stools, chairs, armchairs, desk-chairs. small tables, tables and small trucks. This modular element can be produced in series at low cost and allows to obtain a whole series of furnishing components, each component being formed by coupling several equal modular elements.

Accordingly, a modular element (1) to obtain basic structures of furnishing components such as stools, chairs, armchairs, desk-chairs, tables small tables, small trucks and the like is made of die-cast aluminium, has a U-shaped configuration and shows, in correspondence with its vertical parts (2) built-in connections (3) to releasably fix several modular elements (1) to each other by means of shaped bars (4) or small arms (5) said vertical parts having, below said connections, a length chosen among several different values.

Description

This invention concerns a modular element to obtain basic structures of furnishing components such as stools, chairs, armchairs, desk-chairs, small tables, tables and small trucks.
More detailedly, the invention relates both to modular element and a series of furnishing components, the basic structures of which are obtained by reciprocally coupling two or more of said modular elements.
Said modular element, as well as some accessories allow ing its coupling with other equal modular elements, can be made of die-cast aluminium, at a considerably low manufacturing cost of the furnishing components and with a high qualitative cf same level.
An object of the present invention, is then to provide a modular element adapted to be produced in series and at low costs, which allows to obtain a whole series of furnishing components, each component being formed by coupling several equal modular elements.
Another object of this invention is to provide a modular element the configuration of which allows to obtain stools, chairs, armchairs, desk-chairs, small tables, tables,small trucks and the like, easy to be assembled and disassembled. Said feature, besides constituting an important marketing factor of the series, whose components can be disassembled by the user to be stored with the least space waste, also allows further saving in the manufacturing process costs, in that the furniture components can be sold disassembled and therefore the assembly stage is dispensed with and packing and transportation costs are reduced.
According to the invention, a modular element to obtain the basic structures of furnishing components, such as stools, chairs, armchairs, desk-chairs, tables,small tables, small trucks and the like, is characterized in that it is made of die-cast aluminium, in that it has a U_-shpaed configuration and shows in correspondence with its vertical parts, built-in connections to releasably fix several modular elements to each other by means of shaped bars or small arms, and in that several parts have below said connections, a length chosen among several different values.
Said modular has a configuration which allows it to be used for very different purposes, according to the furnishing component to which it is applied. For instance, the horizontal section of the U-shaped element serves as arm in chairs, arm-chairs or the like, while it constitutes the support of the top in small tables, tables or the like.
Between the horizontal section of said modular element and said connections for shaped bars or small arms, a cross bar is provided for, with a horizontal groove which in, chairs and stools, serves to keep in position a cloth constituting the seat of same, while in small tables and small trucks it may form a support or guide for fixed or sliding carrying planes.
The possibility of varying the length of the modular element allows to make the components compatible with each other, because, for example, the chair must have a height lower than the table.
These and other features of the modular element according to the present invention will be now better described with reference to a preferred embodiment of same, as shown in the attached drawings, together with two possible components of a series formed starting by said modular element.
In the drawings:

- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of said modular element;
- Fig. 2 is a side cross view of the modular element of fig. 1;
- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a table obtained by coupling four modular elements;
- Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a chair obtained by coupling two modular elements.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, the shown modular element 1 has a U-shaped configuration and is formed by a shaped metal rod. In correspondence to each of the vertical parts 2 of the modular element a built-in connection 3 is provided for fixing in a removable way, for instance by means of screws or pins inserted into holes 20, shaped bars 4 or small arms 5. Said shaped bars 4 or small arms 5 allow to couple two or several modular elements to each other.
Between the upper horizontal section 6 and the connections 3, the modular element shows a stiffening cross bars 7 having a C-shaped section and provided with a horizontal groove 8. The cross bar 7, besides its function as stiffening element, has several other functions such as for example, in the formation of small tables and/or small trucks, the function of supporting or guiding fixed or sliding planes. As it will be illustrated later on, the groove 8 of the cross bar 7 may serve to keep in position a cloth constituting the seat of a chair formed by coupling two modular elements.
The modular element 1, with connections 3 and cross bar 7, as well as the shaped bar 4 and small arm 5, can be made of die-cast alluminuim.
In order to make said components of the series compatible to each other, it is necessary, for example, that the height of the chair arms be lower than the height of the top of table 8 and for this reason the vertical parts 16 of the modular elements must have a length to be chosen among several different values.
To avoid the use of a lot of molds, for different lengths of the vertical parts 16, a single mold is conveniently provided for, to define the upper section of the modular element, said mold forming the element itself the connections 3 included, while other molds can be coupled to it, each for the definition of the remaining vertical sections 16, having a desired length.

Claims

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