Patent Application
20140208547
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(1) Field of the Invention
The inventive concept presented herein generally is concerned with devices and methods of ensuring that individual seats or sections of residential ensemble-type furniture or commercial seating equipment are maintained in as close proximity as originally designed, thus maintaining the coordinated and unitary appearance of the furniture or seating equipment.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The following patents and patent application publications present a range of ideas and devices that have previously been used to address the problems associated with this area of endeavor.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,162,484 (Dec. 22, 1964; Kleffman) an invention relates to a device for use in retaining the ensemble relationship of sectional furniture. The device comprises a pair of circular ring parts formed of flexible material and dimensioned to fit over the opposed legs of the ensemble pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,684,172 (Aug. 4, 1987; Lundquist). Here the inventor devises a ganging system and connector for assembling a plurality of like furniture elements such as stackable individual chairs into a stable, unitary row of seats for use in an auditorium or the like, A stylized “G”-shaped connector is used.
The inventor of U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,017 (Oct. 4, 1994; Berning) presents an arrangement of pins and open-mouthed slots to provide an apparatus for interconnecting furniture modules to form a sectional sofa in order to enable rapid and easy blind connection, while permitting both ease in disconnection and elimination of stress on the frames of adjoining sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,938 (Aug. 13, 1996; Saul et al.) is a mounting apparatus and method for releasably securing together adjacent seating sections wherein the mounting apparatus includes a bracket having a key-hole like opening formed therein and a fastener having an enlarged head and a shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,530 (Sep. 28, 1999; Gutgsell) is a device for ganging chairs or other articles of furniture that includes a connecting body with a pivot end and a ganging end. The pivot end includes a first clip or a recess, and the ganging end includes a second clip. The first clip (recess) and the second clip releasably engage the structural frames of a first chair and second chair.
The inventor in US patent application publication #2004/0095000 A1 (May 20, 2004; Durling) designed a device comprising components of knock-down furniture and modules of sectional furniture which are equipped with interlocking brackets, connector frames, and a shelf assembly at the time of manufacture, thus providing for a method of assembling the components.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,689 B2 (Nov. 11, 2008; Carter et al.) is a furniture member strap system which includes a first strap having loop members at a first end and hook members at a second end and a first sewn area positioned between the loop members and the hook members. A second strap has opposed ends overlapping each other creating a looped end. The assembly joins first and second members of a furniture assembly having the first and second straps sewn to the first and second furniture members.
The inventive concept herein discloses a device for maintaining the close proximity of coordinated, or dissimilar, furniture pieces by securing immediately adjoining legs of those furniture pieces that are designed to fit adjacent to each other. The device is essentially a ribbed strap having a means of connecting one end of the strap to the opposite end. A preferred embodiment is a roller-designed cinch on one end of the ribbed strap and a free-plated opposite end, the free-plated end being dimensioned to allow insertion into the end having the roller-designed cinch. The inner surface of the strap has a ribbed texture which is coated with a tacky, friction-enhancing substance to substantially increase the gripping power of the strap. The entire strap, referred to as a “furniture cinch,” essentially comprises an elastomeric, slightly expandable component which may be selected from a variety of materials, including silicon derivatives, rubber, plastic, PVC, and similar substances.
The objects, features, and advantages of the concept presented in this application are more readily understood when referring to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, totaling six figures, show the basic functions of various embodiments and methods. In the several figures, like reference numbers are used in each figure to correspond to the same component as may be depicted in other figures.
The objects, features, and advantages of the concept presented in this application are more readily understood when referring to the accompanying drawings. The drawings, totaling six figures, show the basic functions of various embodiments and methods. In the several figures, like reference numbers are used in each figure to correspond to the same component as may be depicted in other figures.
The discussion of the present inventive concept will be initiated with
The plated tip 7 is secured to one end of the furniture cinch 1 by a crimping tool or by claw-like appendages on the inner surface of the plated tip 7 arranged perpendicularly to the inner flat surface of the plated tip 7 such that the claw-like appendages penetrate the surface of the furniture cinch 1.
In viewing
It is also pointed out that, with the roller cinch 5 type fastening mechanism, it is not required that the opposite end of the furniture cinch 1 comprise a plated tip 7. The opposite end will function just as effectively with the continuation of the strap portion being a solid, squared-off end. Other forms of hastening the opposite ends of the furniture cinch 1 may comprise a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism, a belt buckle-type fastener, snap fasteners, press studs, ratchets, and other means of connection.
While preferred embodiments of the present inventive concept have been shown and disclosed herein, it will be obvious to those persons skilled in the art that such embodiments are presented by way of example only and not as a limitation to the scope of the inventive concept. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur or be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the intent, scope, and totality of the inventive concept. Such variations, changes, and substitutions may involve other features which are already known per se and which may be used instead of, or in addition to features already disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is intended that this inventive concept not be limited by the scope of the accompanying claims.
