Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A supporting frame for a piece of furniture
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a supporting frame for a piece of furniture,
wherein the supporting frame comprises at least one outer side.
Moreover, the invention relates to a piece of furniture comprising a
supporting frame, a method for manufacturing a supporting frame as well as
a use of a supporting frame.
Background of the invention
It is known to make a supporting frame for a piece of furniture, such as a
chair, a table and a piece of corpus furniture, wherein the supporting frame
is
manufactured of several individual side pieces, wherein the ends of the side
pieces, via dowels and glue, are assembled with furniture legs, and wherein
the supporting frame is stabilized by inner corners, wherein the corners are
screwed into the furniture legs and attached to the side pieces, for instance
with glue, and wherein fittings are mounted internally in the supporting frame
for use at mounting of for instance furniture seats, tabletops and corpus.
From US4066295 and DE 2741198, a supporting frame for a piece of
furniture is known, wherein the supporting frame comprises an outer side and
is made in a continuous material.
Object of the invention
The object of the invention is to improve the manufacturing of products, so
that it will be both faster, easier and cheaper to manufacture a supporting
frame, whereby productivity, competitiveness and eventually finances will
improve.
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Moreover, the object of the invention is to make a stronger supporting frame,
which both strengthens and stabilizes the supporting frame further, and
finally the object of the invention is to broaden the range of materials
applicable for use for a supporting frame.
The basic idea is to go from several separate sides to one single piece of
wood, which is continuous from the onset of the manufacturing of the
supporting frame, wherein the wood for instance is constituted by a block of
plywood, which is subsequently milled out as a solid base. The veneer can
for instance primarily consist of birch or spruce, which grow fast, are cheap,
less strong but very available compared with for instance oak, and
secondarily the veneer can consist of for instance a little oak, which grows
slowly, is expensive, very strong but less available compared with birch or
spruce. Other compositions of veneer is of course also possible, just as other
materials, such as plastic composites with and without fibres can also be
used.
Moreover, the object of the invention is to provide a piece of furniture
comprising a supporting frame, a method for manufacturing a supporting
frame as well as a use of a supporting frame.
Description of the invention
According to a first aspect of the invention, the object stated above is
achieved with a supporting frame, as initially described, wherein the
supporting frame is made out of one continuous piece of material, and
wherein the supporting frame comprises several layers, wherein each layer
comprises one and the same single continuous piece of material in the entire
extent of the layer and wherein each individual layer is contiguous with at
least a second layer.
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This allows strengthening of the base of the furniture, namely the supporting
frame, as such a supporting frame in one single piece is much stronger than
previously known solutions, wherein a supporting frame was typically
assembled of several parts in the circumference of the supporting frame, and
wherein several side pieces were for instance assembled via dowels and
glue. Prior art typically comprises four side pieces, which are joined
together
as mentioned.
The new solution moreover means that a supporting frame can be faster,
easier but also cheaper to manufacture, as a supporting frame can for
instance be made out of solid wood or a block of plywood, which is
subsequently milled out for a supporting frame. Such a supporting frame can
lead to savings of as much as 50% of the mounting time for a piece of
furniture relative to the mounting time for common supporting frames.
If the supporting frame is manufactured of plywood, the material properties of
the supporting frame will be approximately identical in two directions, as
plywood is made of thin layers of veneer that is glued together with the grain
directions crosswise. Another possibility of obtaining identical material
properties could be manufacturing a supporting frame in a plastic composite
material, for instance with glass, aramid or carbon fibres for additional
strength. Finally, a supporting frame can also be manufactured as mentioned
in a hybrid material, which could consist of one or more layers of wood and
one or more layers of another suitable material, including plastic ¨ fibre-
reinforced or not, metal and other suitable material.
This makes is possible to manufacture individual layers separately, so that
for instance the bottom is made separately and one or more other layers of
the supporting frame are for instance made with inner mounting ears and
wherein the layers are subsequently joined by means of glue, screws or other
suitable joining methods. By making several individual layers, special
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productions can be possible, wherein a machine either makes a series of a
specific layer at a time or only makes one specific layer. How the production
otherwise is executed necessarily depends on the complexity of the present
manufacturing machines, availability and so on. A supporting frame can also
be constructed by a number of layers of ready-made plywood boards. For
instance, the basic element of a supporting frame can be manufactured of
five layers of plywood board, wherein each layer has a thickness of for
instance fifteen millimetres. The individual layers of plywood board and/or
veneer layers can have similar or dissimilar thickness.
In a variant of the invention, a supporting frame can be constructed by a
number of layers of plywood or layers of veneer or other suitable material,
and the supporting frame itself can be executed as prestressing and may
thus be curved in one or more directions. One example could be a supporting
frame for a chair, wherein the top edge as well as the bottom edge have the
same curved shape, wherein the top edge is for instance concave, while the
bottom edge is convex, which offers even more design options.
In a second aspect, the present invention also relates to a supporting frame,
wherein the supporting frame further comprises a bottom, wherein the bottom
comprises one and the same continuous piece of material.
This allows for strengthening the stability of the supporting frame, which
becomes more rigid and stable, as diagonal displacement of the supporting
frame cannot arise. At the same time, said bottom can visually shield from
construction details in the supporting frame itself. Such bottom can
advantageously be arranged at the bottom part of the supporting frame, at
the top part or in principle at any point between the top edge and the bottom
edge of the supporting frame. The visual shield is obviously not obtained to
the same degree, if the bottom is at the top edge of the supporting frame.
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However, the supporting effect of the supporting frame itself is obtained
regardless of where at the supporting frame, the bottom is arranged.
If said bottom is placed at the top edge of the supporting frame, this bottom
5 can in principle constitute the seat of a chair or the top of a table. In
such a
variant, the bottom can have a size corresponding to the outer dimensions of
the supporting frame, but also a size, wherein the bottom extends beyond
one or more sides of the supporting frame for instance beyond all the sides.
The bottom can advantageously be manufactured in one continuous piece,
but can also be perforated or have one or more major cut-outs. Partial
presence of such a bottom will alone lead to increased rigidity in the
construction of the supporting frame.
In a third aspect, the present invention also relates to a supporting frame,
wherein the supporting frame further comprises at least one mounting ear for
use in mounting of other furniture elements.
This enables mounting of for instance furniture seats, tabletops and corpus to
the supporting frame. Mounting ears will preferably be arranged so that they
are hidden within the supporting frame, if the supporting frame is solid, the
entire supporting frame can constitute a mounting ear, but mounting ears
could for that matter also be placed on the outer side of the supporting
frame.
In the mounting ears, a pocket hole or a through-going hole can be drilled.
Mounting ears, or in this case probably rather mounting holes, can moreover
be arranged in the supporting frame itself.
In a fourth aspect, the present invention also relates to a supporting frame,
wherein the supporting frame on its outer side further comprises leg
recesses.
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This makes it possible to place the desired number of legs on the supporting
frame.
In a fifth aspect, the present invention also relates to a supporting frame,
wherein the supporting frame on its outer side in the leg recesses comprises
at least one screw hole.
This enables mounting and attaching the desired number of legs on the
supporting frame via a screw that preferably from the inner side of the
supporting frame is driven through the supporting frame and into the relevant
leg. Obviously, this can also be done from the leg and into the supporting
frame, but then the screw will be visible, which in most cases will not be
desirable. The screw will preferably be driven through a corner internally in
the supporting frame.
Moreover, on its outer side in the leg recesses, the supporting frame can
further comprise at least one dowel hole, wherein a dowel can be mounted
for additional support and stability of the leg and supporting frame assembly.
In said leg recesses, other types of means for joining legs to the supporting
frame can be formed, including for instance a groove joint with fixed or loose
tongue.
In a sixth aspect, the present invention also relates to a supporting frame,
wherein the supporting frame can also be manufactured of plywood, plastic
composite material with for instance glass, aramid or carbon fibres or a
hybrid material, which could consist of one or more layers of wood and one
or more layers of another suitable material, including plastic ¨ fibre-
reinforced
or not, metal and other suitable material.
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In a seventh aspect, the present invention also relates to a piece of
furniture,
wherein the piece of furniture comprises at least one leg and at least one of
the following: seat, tabletop, drawer and corpus.
This makes it possible to use the supporting frame according to the invention
for a wide range of different types of furniture, thereby improving the
production etc of the entire piece of furniture.
In an eighth aspect, the present invention also relates to a method, wherein
the method comprises the following steps:
A: One and the same single continuous piece of material is roughly adjusted
to at least the outer measures of the supporting frame,
C: The supporting frame is finely adjusted to at least the outer measures.
This makes it possible to cut out, mill out, process, shape and adapt a
material to the outer measures of the supporting frame as well as to also cut
out, mill out, process, shape and adjust the same material to any inner
measures of the supporting frame if the supporting frame is not intended to
be an entirely solid piece of material. Often, it is the intention to minimize
the
weight of a piece of furniture, so that it does not weigh more than absolutely
necessary, and therefore it can also be desirable to cut out, mill out,
process,
shape and adjust a material to the inner measures of the supporting frame.
In a ninth aspect, the present invention also relates to a method, wherein
the method comprises the following step between A and C:
B: Several layers, wherein each layer comprises one and the same single
continuous piece of material in the entire extent of the layer and is joined
with
at least a second layer
This makes it possible to manufacture the supporting frame of several
customized parts which are subsequently joined layer by layer. Such joint
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can optionally be executed as prestressing, wherein each layer/parts are
forced into an arched shape and joined in this shape, which is thus retained
after joining.
In a tenth aspect, the present invention also relates to the use of a
supporting
frame for a piece of furniture, such as a chair, a table and a piece of corpus
furniture.
With a supporting frame according to the invention, a solution is obtained
consisting of only a single element unlike a traditional solution, wherein
four
different supporting frame sides, four corner fittings (often different due to
angles etc.) are used as well as a number of angle braces, which are fixed
with screws partly to the inner surface of the supporting frame and partly to
another furniture element. With the invention a substantial simplification and
hence a substantial reduction of mounting time are obtained. At the same
time, larger rigidity and generally increased strength and robustness are
obtained in a supporting frame.
Description of drawing
Fig. 1 shows a supporting frame with legs in perspective according to
the prior art.
Fig. 2 shows a supporting frame with legs in perspective according to
the invention
Fig. 3 shows a supporting frame in perspective according to the
invention
Fig. 4 shows a supporting frame viewed from above
Fig. 5 shows a sectional view of a supporting frame from the side
In the description of the figures, identical or corresponding elements will
have
the same reference numerals in the different figures. Thus, there will not be
given an explanation of all details in connection with each figure/embodiment.
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List of reference numerals
1 Supporting frame
2 Leg
3 Outer side, supporting frame
4 Inner side, supporting frame
5 Side pieces
6 Ends, side pieces
7 Corners
8 Fittings
9 Mounting ears
10 Leg recesses
11 Screw hole
12 Dowel hole
13 Bottom
14 Holes
Detailed description of the invention
Fig. 1 shows a supporting frame 1 with legs 2 in perspective according to the
prior art, wherein the supporting frame 1 has an outer side 3 and an inner
side 4, wherein the supporting frame 1 has legs 2 and wherein the supporting
frame 1 is made of several individual side pieces 5, wherein the side piece
ends 6 are joined with the legs 2 and wherein the supporting frame 1 is
stabilized with inner corners 7, and wherein fittings 8 are mounted internally
in the supporting frame 1 for use at mounting of for instance furniture seats,
tabletops and corpus (not shown).
Fig. 2 shows a supporting frame 1 with legs 2 in perspective according to the
invention, wherein the supporting frame 1 has an outer side 3 and an inner
side 4, wherein the supporting frame 1 is one continuous piece of material
and wherein the side piece 5 shown is an integral part of the entire
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supporting frame 1. The figure also shows that the supporting frame 1 has
four integral mounting ears 9 for use in connection with mounting of other
(not shown) furniture elements as well as integral corners 7.
5 Fig. 3 shows a supporting frame 1 in perspective according to the
invention,
of which it further appears that the supporting frame 1 on its outer side 3
has
leg recesses 10 and wherein the supporting frame 1 on its outer side 3 in the
leg recesses 10 has at least one screw hole 11. More dowel holes 12 also
appear from the figure. Such supporting frame 1 can advantageously be clad
10 on the outer side 3 with a veneer layer, not shown, whereby any
stratification
in the construction of the supporting frame is covered. If the supporting
frame
1 is built up of several layers of veneer or other materials, this
stratification
will evidently be visible on the outer side 3 of the supporting frame, which
in
certain cases may be an intended part of an overall design impression.
Fig. 4 shows a supporting frame 1 viewed from above, wherein the above-
mentioned integral mounting ears 9, and integral corners 7, leg recesses 10,
screw hole 11 as well as dowel holes 12 are viewed from another position.
Fig. 5 shows a supporting frame 1 in a sectional view from the side, from
which it appears that the supporting frame 1 has a bottom 13, wherein the
bottom 13 comprises one and the same single continuous piece of material,
which is integrated with the rest of the supporting frame 1. It also appears
from the figure that there are through-going holes 14 in the integrated
mounting ears 9 for mounting of a furniture element.
The top edge of the supporting frame is here shown as a concave abutting
surface for a furniture element, for instance a seat of a chair. Such seat of
a
chair could also be placed in a groove along the inner periphery of the
supporting frame, whereby both the supporting frame and the chair of the
seat can appear as a combined unit with the same outer periphery.
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The figures shown describes the supporting frame 1 as one single
continuous piece of material, but according to the invention, the supporting
frame 1 could also consist of several layers, wherein each layer is one and
the same single continuous piece of material in the entire extent of the layer
and wherein each individual layer is contiguous with at least a second layer.
Visually, the finished result of the supporting frame 1 will look entirely as
if it
had been made out of one single continuous piece of material.
