The present invention relates to a connecting fitting for a piece of furniture, in particular an item of upholstered furniture, having a first part which can be fixed to a first furniture part and a second part which can be fixed to a second furniture part, the first part having a receptacle for a bearing edge of the second part and the second part being pivotable relative to the first part about the bearing edge within a first angular range, to an item of furniture, to a device for connecting pieces of furniture, and to a method for assembling a piece of furniture.
DE 20 2017 107 179 U1 discloses a piece of furniture in which two furniture parts are fixed to each other via two different connections. At a first connection, the two furniture parts can be mounted so as to be pivotable relative to each other, and at a second connection, a latching takes place. Numerous components are required for fixing the two furniture parts, which must be mounted in a positionally accurate manner in order to ensure a secure connection of the two furniture parts. Assembly can only be carried out by a specialist.
DE 10 2016 100 753 A1 discloses a furniture fitting for connecting furniture parts, in which two shafts are provided which are displaceable relative to one another. The shafts are pretensioned relative to each other by means of a spring, so that the two fitting parts can be latched to each other. This simplifies assembly, but numerous components are required to produce the two fitting parts.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a connecting fitting which, with a simple structure, ensures secure fixing of furniture parts to one another. In addition, a device for connecting furniture parts which is easy to assemble and a method for assembling a piece of furniture are to be provided which can also be carried out by persons with little experience.
This object is solved with a connecting fitting having the features of claim 1, a device having the features of claim 13, and a method for assembling a piece of furniture having the features of claim 15 or 17.
The connecting fitting according to the invention has two parts which can be locked together by a simple movement in order to fix two furniture parts together. A receptacle for a bearing edge of the second part is provided on the first part, so that the second part can be pivoted relative to the first part about the bearing edge in a first angular range. In this first angular range, the first part and the second part contact each other only via the bearing edge and the receptacle. The first part further comprises a guide surface, which can be contacted by a sliding surface on the second part. Once the sliding surface on the second part contacts the guide surface, the first part can be pivoted relative to the second part along a second angular range that is contiguous with the first angular range. During this pivoting along the second angular range, the sliding surface on the second part moves along the guide surface so that, in addition to the pure rotational movement, a translational movement is caused by the guide. At the end of the guide surface, the first part comprises a locking element to which the second part can be locked against pivoting. This allows the second part to be locked by a simple pivoting movement relative to the first part, wherein the two parts are secured against pivoting movement in the locked position.
The locking element can be formed as a recess into which a projection of the second part can be inserted. In this way, locking can be effected in a simple manner, wherein the second part is preferably translationally displaced in a first direction when pivoted over the guide surface and is moved in the second direction opposite to the first direction for locking, in order to be locked to the first part. As a result, release of the connection between the first and second parts can only be achieved by sliding the second part relative to the first part and then pivoting it. Without such a sliding movement, the two parts are securely locked against pivoting.
A bent web is preferably provided on the first part, on which the guide surface is formed. The guide surface preferably extends inclined to a circumferential direction along which the sliding surface is moved during pivoting to displace the second part relative to the first part.
For a secure mounting of the second part on the first part, a U-shaped or L-shaped bent receptacle may be formed on the first part. During assembly, the bearing edge can then be inserted into this angled or bent receptacle in order to then be pivoted over a certain angular range.
In a further design, the second part has an opening into which a bent web having the guide surface of the first part can be inserted. In this way, the second part can be secured against displacement parallel to the longitudinal direction of an axis of rotation of the pivoting movement. Preferably, a projection is formed at an opening which is insertable into the recess on the first part. Thereby, by engaging the projection, a locking of the first part to the second part against a pivoting movement can be effected.
For improved guidance of the pivoting movement, the bearing edge on the second part can be arranged between two centering projections, wherein the centering projections engage around the receptacle on the first part during pivoting. This prevents displacement of the second part in the direction of the axis of rotation via the centering projections.
For a simple fixation to a furniture part, the first part may comprise a flat base surface to which a fixation of the first furniture part is performed via fastening means, in particular one or more screws. The second part may also have a flat base surface to which the second furniture part is fixed by fastening means, such as screws.
Preferably, the first part and/or the second part are made of a bent metal sheet, so that the connecting fitting can be easily manufactured. Preferably, the connecting fitting comprises only the two parts made of a bent metal sheet, each of which is then fixed to a furniture part by fastening means.
According to the invention, the connecting fitting is used in furniture, for example in seating furniture such as sofas or armchairs, to fix armrests, headboards or other furniture parts to a base part, or also to connect two or more furniture base parts, wherein each base part itself stands on the floor. Preferably, the furniture parts may be connected together by two separate connecting fittings and a single pivoting movement.
A device according to the invention for connecting furniture parts, in particular furniture parts of an upholstered piece of furniture, comprises a first connecting fitting having a first part which can be fixed to a first furniture part and a second part which can be fixed to a second furniture part, and a second connecting fitting having a first part which can be fixed to the first furniture part and a second part which can be fixed to the second furniture part, wherein the first part of the second connecting fitting comprises a receptacle for a bearing edge of the second part of the second connecting fitting, and the second part is pivotable relative to the first part about the bearing edge in an angular range. In this case, a guide surface is provided on the first part of the first connecting fitting, which guide surface contacts the second part of the first connecting fitting with a sliding surface during pivoting and additionally translationally displaces the second part relative to the first part, and the first part has, at the end of the guide surface, a locking element on which the second part can be locked against pivoting. The locking may be effected, for example, by a projection on the second part engaging a recess on the first part at the end of the sliding surface.
In the first method according to the invention for assembling a piece of furniture having a first piece of furniture, to which a first part is fixed, and a second piece of furniture, to which a second part of the connecting fitting is fixed, a bearing edge of the second part is first placed against a receptacle of the first part. Then, the second part is pivoted relative to the first part about the bearing edge in a first angular range until a sliding surface on the second part contacts a guide surface on the first part. Then, the second part is further pivoted about the bearing edge in a second angular range, wherein the sliding surface on the second part is moved along the guide surface on the first part, so that in addition to the pivoting movement, there is also a translational displacement of the second part relative to the first part. At the end of the guide surface, the second part is then locked to the first part against pivoting. Preferably, the locking is effected by an engagement of a projection on an opening of the second part which is inserted into a recess on the first part, preferably via a translational movement which is opposite to the movement that occurs during pivoting. In other words, if the second part is raised slightly relative to the first part during pivoting, the second part can be lowered relative to the first part for locking, and during this lowering a projection of the second part engages the first part. Alternatively, of course, a projection may be provided on the first part to engage an opening on the second part.
In the second method according to the invention for assembling a piece of furniture comprising a first piece of furniture to which a first part and a second piece of furniture to which a second part of a connecting fitting is fixed, and a second connecting fitting comprising a first part which can be fixed to the first piece of furniture and a second part which can be fixed to the second piece of furniture, a bearing edge of the second part of the second connecting fitting is first applied to a receptacle of the first part of the second connecting fitting in order to then pivot the second part relative to the first part. Then, a sliding surface on the second part of the first connecting fitting is moved along a guide surface on the first part of the first connecting fitting during the pivoting, wherein the second part is additionally translationally displaced relative to the first part to then lock the second part to the first part at the end of the guide surface against a pivoting movement. Thereby, the translational movement of the second part during the pivoting movement about the bearing edge forming a pivot axis may be in a radial direction as well as perpendicular to the radial direction.
The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to several exemplary embodiments, wherein:
A connecting fitting 3 comprises a first part 10 and a second part 20. The two parts 10 and 20 are made of a bent metal sheet and formed by stamping and bending. Alternatively, the parts 10 and 20 may be made of plastic or another material, for example by injection molding or 3D printing.
The first part 10 is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises, at a first end face, a receptacle 11 produced by bending a web 12 at one end. This results in a channel-shaped receptacle 11, into which a bearing edge 21 of the second part 20 can be inserted.
The first part 10 comprises a flat base surface 13 on which openings 14 are cut out for fastening means, in particular for screws, in order to be able to fix the first part 10 to a first piece of furniture. The web 12 may be oriented at an angle to the flat base surface 13 of, for example, 90° to 20° to form a channel-shaped receptacle 11.
On the opposite side to the receptacle 11, a bend 16 is provided on the first part 10 at which an angled web with a guide surface 15 is formed. A recess 17 is formed in the region of the bend 16. The webs 12 and the web with the guide surface 15 face each other.
The second part 20 also comprises a planar base surface 23, on which openings 24 are recessed for fastening means to secure the second part 20 to a second furniture part. Steps 28 extend from this base surface on opposite sides, so that the two opposite end sections of the second part 20 are arranged in a plane offset from the base surface 23, but substantially parallel thereto. A bearing edge 21 is formed on a first end section, which is arranged between two protruding centering projections 22. The bearing edge 21 forms an axis of rotation for the second part 20 during assembly.
At the opposite end section of the second part 20, an opening 25 is recessed into which a projection 27 projects which is directed towards the bearing edge 21. A sliding surface 26 is formed on the projection 27, which can contact the guide surface 15 on the first part 10 during the assembly operation. The opening 25 is surrounded in a frame-like manner by the material of the second part 20.
The assembly of the connecting fitting 3 is shown in
In a first step, the second part 20 is positioned on the first part 10 such that the bearing edge 21 is inserted into the receptacle 11. The two centering projections 22 thereby embrace the receptacle and secure the second part 20 against displacement parallel to the direction of an axis of rotation.
The second part 20 is now pivoted about the bearing edge 21 through a first angular range until the sliding surface 26 contacts the guide surface 15 at the projection 27. The pivoting process is then continued through a second angular range, in which angular range the sliding surface 26 is moved along the guide surface 15. As a result, the second part 20 no longer moves in a purely rotational motion, but is additionally displaced, wherein the second part 20 is displaced such that the bearing edge 21 is lifted from the receptacle 11, as shown in
At the end of the guide surface 15, the projection 27 with the sliding surface 26 enters the area of the recess 17 at the bend 16 of the first part 10. Then, the second part 20 is again displaced relative to the first part 10 so that the bearing edge 21 again rests against the receptacle 11. In doing so, the projection 27 engages the recess 17 of the first part 10 so that the second part 20 is secured to the first part 10 against pivoting. Release of the second part 20 can now only be effected by displacing the second part 20 to move the projection 27 out of the recess 17, and then pivoting back to release the two parts 10 and 20 from each other again. Alternatively, it is also possible for the projection 27 and/or its connection to the second part 20 to deform elastically and/or plastically as it slides over the sliding surface 26, given the appropriate dimensional design, and when it enters the recess 17 of the first part 10 there is thus increased security against unintentional release.
In
In
When the projection 27 and the sliding surface 26 reach the end of the guide surface 15, the projection 27 can be inserted into the recess 17 on the first part 10, as shown in
In
In
To fix the second furniture part 2 to the first furniture part 1, the second furniture part 2 with the two second parts 20 is now pivoted, as shown in detail in
In
In
In
In this exemplary embodiment, however, the connection of the connecting fitting 3 is not effected by pivoting about a horizontal axis, but when the furniture part 2 is pivoted in about the vertical axis.
In the case of the connecting fitting 3, the sliding surface 26 of the second part 20 comes into contact with the guide surface 15 of the first part 10. As a result, the second part 20 is raised relative to the first part 10 by a predetermined distance until the projection 27 of the second part 20 plunges into the recess 17 of the first part 10, thus securing the connection. During this brief raising and lowering of the second part 20 of the connecting fitting 3, the vertical pivot axis of the connecting fitting 30 performs a slight angular deviation from the vertical in that the bearing edge 121 of the second part 120 abuts and slightly rotates about different regions of the receptacle 111.
In the assembled position, the combination of the connecting fittings 3 and 30 is thus secured against pivoting or displacement, in particular in the direction of gravity. To release this connection, the furniture part 2 must be lifted against the direction of gravity in the region of the connecting fitting 30, whereby the projection 27 comes out of engagement with the opening 17.
Two lateral bends 129 are also provided on the second part 120, which serve as stiffeners to counteract deformations. Optionally or simultaneously, however, they may also serve as spacers between the first part 110 and the second part 120 to establish a predefined minimum distance between the parts.
The furniture part 2 is secured to the furniture part 1 by the additional connection of the first and second parts 10 and 20 of the connecting fitting 3, the assembly of which is described with reference to
Alternatively to the positive connection or abutment of the receptacle 11 or 111 between two centering projections 22 or 122 and/or the positive connection of the abutment 131 between two centering projections 122, another positive connection may be selected, for example by projections engaging in openings on the corresponding part.
For the purposes of the present invention, the arrangement of the first part 10 or 110 and second part 20 or 120 on the first furniture part 1 and the second furniture part 2 respectively is interchangeable. The parts can be usefully assembled in such a way that, depending on which furniture parts are to be connected and how gravity acts, the parts are arranged accordingly.
In
Each connecting fitting 50 comprises a first part 10b which can be fixed to the first furniture part 1, in particular via a base surface 13. A second part 20b can be fixed to the first part 10b, which can be fixed to the second furniture part. A receptacle is formed on the first part 10b between a web 12 and the base surface 13, on which a bearing edge of the second part 20b can be pivoted.
The first connecting fitting 40 comprises a first part 10a fixable to the first furniture part 1, and a second part 20a fixable to the second furniture part. A guide surface 15 is formed on the first part 10a, along which the second part 20a of the first connecting fitting 40 is displaced with a sliding surface when the second part 20b of the first connecting fitting 50 is pivoted about the bearing edge as a pivot axis. The displacement along the guide surface 15 takes place at least partially in the radial direction, i.e. in
In
On the second connecting fitting 50, a curved receptacle 11 is formed on the first part 10b which is used for accommodating a bearing edge 21 on the second part 20b. The bearing edge 21 is thereby received between a web 12 and the base surface 13b. Downwardly projecting centering projections 22 are formed laterally adjacent to the bearing edge 21 to prevent or limit displacement in the longitudinal direction of the bearing edge 21.
In
In
The second part 20b of the second connecting fitting 50 includes the lower bearing edge 21 between the two centering projections 22 and the base surface 23b, which is offset via a step 28 and has openings 24.
To assemble the device, the two second parts 20b of the second connecting fitting 50 are positioned on the first parts 10b in such a way that the bearing edge 21 is arranged in the receptacle 11 in each case. Then, the second furniture part 2 can be pivoted relative to the first furniture part 1, wherein the pivot axis is predetermined by the bearing edge 21 and the receptacle 11. The pivoting takes place until the sliding surface 26 on the projection 27 meets the guide surface 15, so that then, in addition to the pure pivoting movement, a sliding movement takes place which has a directional component in the radial direction with respect to the pivot axis. As a result of this slight lifting of the second furniture part compared to a pure pivoting movement, the projection 27 travels along the guide surface 15 until the recess 17 is reached. Then, the projection 27 engages the recess 17 and the second furniture part 2 is lowered relative to the first furniture part 1 until the bearing edges 21 abut the two parts 20b in the receptacle 11. At the first connecting fitting 40, the second part 20b of the first connecting fitting 40 is locked against pivoting movement because the projection 27 engages in the recess 17.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2019 124 306.8 | Sep 2019 | DE | national |
10 2020 114 675.2 | Jun 2020 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2020/074321 | 9/1/2020 | WO |