Patent Application
20110001339
The present application is directed to a furniture piece, and more particularly, to a furniture piece with a fastener that connects a support member to a brace and is seated in a recess in the support member.
Furniture pieces such as tables and seats are used for a variety of different functions. Furniture pieces generally include a support member that includes a working surface. Seats generally include a support member that includes a seating surface to support the user. The furniture pieces also include one or more braces that are attached to for supporting and positioning the support members. Fasteners attach the support members to a brace in a manner for them to be used for the various functions.
The table working surface should be configured for the user to perform the various functions. This may include forming a surface to receive plates and utensils during eating, providing a support surface to support a book, newspaper, and a variety of other items, and providing a surface for writing or painting. Likewise, the seating surface should be configured to support the user while they are sitting. Often times the working surface and the seating surface are flat to facilitate these functions, although each may be contoured. The support members should be constructed such that the fasteners do not interfere with the various functions. Further, the fasteners should be configured to allow cleaning of the support members when necessary.
Furniture pieces used in correctional institutions, such as prisons and detention facilities, require additional safeguards. These safeguards include a construction that prevents taking the piece apart such that the support member, braces, or fasteners can be used as weapons. This may include fasteners constructed in a way that prevent removal from the support members. This may also include hiding or shielding the fasteners to prevent access by the users. Shielding or hiding prevents the user from manipulating the fasteners in a manner that they can be taken apart. Further, these safeguards should be accomplished without lessening the ability of the piece to be used for the various functions.
The present application is directed to a furniture piece. The furniture piece may include a support member with opposing first and second surfaces. A recess may extend into the first surface. The support member may also include a first aperture within the recess that extends through to the second surface. A brace may be positioned to support the support member. The brace may include a second aperture that aligns with the first aperture. A fastener that includes a head and an outwardly-extending neck may attach the first and braces together. The head may seat within the recess and the neck may extend through the first and second apertures. One or more spacers may be positioned along the neck to position the head relative to the support member. A thickness of the head may be less than a depth of the recess such that a surface of the head is flush with the first surface of the support member or positioned within the recess below the first surface of the support member.
The various aspects of the various embodiments may be used alone or in any combination, as is desired.
The present application is directed to a furniture piece 10 for use in a variety of contexts. These may include home and office use, and use within a correctional institution. The furniture piece 10 generally includes a fastener 50 that attaches a support member 20 with a brace 40. The support member 20 includes a recess 25 that positions the fastener 50 flush with or below a top surface of the support member 20. This positioning allows the top surface 21 to be used for the various functions without interference by the fastener 50. The positioning may also prevent tampering with the fastener 50 and facilitate cleaning the furniture piece 10.
The furniture piece 10 may include but is not limited to a table, seat, and combinations of the two. The seat may include various forms including but not limited to a chair, bench, and a stool. The furniture piece 10 may include a variety of different sizes and shapes depending upon the desired functionality and aesthetic appearance.
The embodiments of
The support member 20 provides a support surface for performing a variety of different activities such as forming a work surface for a table or a seat for a chair, stool, or bench. As illustrated in
A recess 25 extends into the top surface 21 to receive the fastener 50. The depth of the recess 25 may vary depending upon the size of the fastener 50, but is less than the thickness of the support member 20. In one embodiment, the depth is about 3/16″. The depth may vary depending upon the thickness of the support member 20 and the fastener 50.
An aperture 28 extends through the support member 20 to accommodate the fastener 50. The aperture 28 extends from the bottom 26 of the recess 25 through to the bottom side 22. The aperture 28 may be centered in the bottom surface 26 of the recess 25, or may be offset within the recess 25. The width of the aperture 28 and the shape may vary. The aperture 28 may also be threaded to thread with the fastener 50.
The support member 20 should be strong enough to allow for the various functions. The support member 20 may be constructed from a variety of materials including but not limited to polycarbonates such as LEXAN, acrylics, plastics, fiberglass, KEVLAR, carbon fiber, metals, and composites.
The support member 20 may be light-transmissive. This aspect is particularly useful in a correctional institution because it permits visual observation of the area underneath and around the furniture piece 10. The light-transmissive support member 20 allows institution personnel to conduct visual inspections. Furthermore, given appropriate lighting conditions, this visual inspection may be conducted from a safe distance, for instance beyond the room or cell in which the furniture piece 10 is located. Similarly, visual inspection may be conducted with the aid of a surveillance camera so as to preserve the safety of institution personnel or other inmates. The term “light transmissive” should be understood to represent that characteristic of a medium that permits the transmission of electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum so as to enable one to visually distinguish an object through the medium. The term light-transmissive encompasses, but is not intended to be limited to, the terms translucent and transparent.
The brace 40 is attached to and supports the support member 20. As best illustrated in
The top surface 41 of the brace 40 may include the same configuration as the bottom surface 26 of the support member 20. One example is illustrated in
The brace 40 may include an aperture 43 that extends between the top and bottom surfaces 41, 42. The aperture 43 is sized to accommodate the fastener 50 as illustrated in
In another embodiment, the brace 40 includes a cavity that extends a limited distance into the top surface 41. The cavity does not extend through the brace 40, but rather terminates at a depth somewhere between the top and bottom surfaces 41, 42. The cavity is sized to receive the fastener 50 in a similar manner as the aperture 43, and may be threaded to engage with the fastener 50.
The fastener 50 extends into the support member 20 and brace 40.
The head 52 includes a top surface 56, bottom surface 57, and an intermediate sidewall 58. The surfaces 56, 57 may be the same or different.
The shape and size of the head 52 may match the recess 25. The head 52 may seat in the recess 25 with little to no gap formed between the recess sidewall 27 and the head sidewall 58. This sizing prevents items (e.g., food crumbs, paper) from falling between the sidewalls 27, 58 and being difficult to remove. Further, this sizing makes it difficult for a user to tamper with the fastener 50. In one specific embodiment, the head 52 is sized with the sidewall 58 contacting against the recess sidewall 27.
The neck 53 extends outward from the head 52 and includes a length to extend into the first aperture 28 and the second aperture 43. The neck 53 may be threaded with the threads 59 extending the entire length, or extending along a limited section.
The nut 55 includes a threaded central aperture sized to receive the neck 53. The nut 55 may include a locking feature that prevents the nut 55 from being removed from the neck 53. The locking feature may include an adhesive, solder, or mechanical structure that prevents removal. This is of importance when the furniture piece 10 is used in a correctional institution.
One or more spacers 54 may be positioned between the head 52 and the nut 55. The spacers 54 are generally thin plates with an aperture that extends around the neck 53. The spacers 54 may function to distribute the load of the fastener 50 over the support member 20 and brace 40. The spacers 54 may also provide height adjustment to position the top surface 56 of the head 52 relative to the top surface 21 of the support member 20. The spacers 54 positioned between the head 52 and the support member 20 may also reduce vibration or movement between the support member 20 and the fastener 50. The spacers 54 may be constructed from a variety of material including but not limited to metals, rubbers, silicones, and plastics. In furniture pieces 10 with multiple spacers 54, the spacers 54 may include the same or different construction, size, and shape.
During construction, the support member 20 and brace 40 are positioned to align the respective apertures 28, 43. One or more spacers 54 are positioned accordingly and the fastener 50 is inserted through the apertures 28, 43. The nut 55 is threaded onto the end of the neck 53 to attach the support member 20 and brace 40 together. The amount of torque applied to the nut 55 and fastener 50 can be used to adjust the height of the fastener 50. Using
Furniture pieces 10 may include various numbers of fasteners 50 to attach the support member 20 to the brace 40.
The furniture pieces 10 are constructed and designed for use in a variety of different contexts. One context is for use at correctional institutions where safety is a major concern. The furniture pieces 10 may also be used for other purposes, such as home and office use.
Spatially relative terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”, “upper”, and the like, are used for ease of description to explain the positioning of one element relative to a second element. These terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in addition to different orientations than those depicted in the figures. Further, terms such as “first”, “second”, and the like, are also used to describe various elements, regions, sections, etc and are also not intended to be limiting. Like terms refer to like elements throughout the description.
As used herein, the terms “having”, “containing”, “including”, “comprising” and the like are open ended terms that indicate the presence of stated elements or features, but do not preclude additional elements or features. The articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
The present invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
