Furniture frame

Abstract

This invention relates to four part furniture frames having a seat box portion, a back portion and two arm portions. The unique tapered side edges on the seat box portions of these frames allows the seat box portion to be nested with the separate back portion, thereby forming a substantially flat rectangle. The unique notches on the back upright supports posts of these frames support the back spring rail of the seat box portion, allowing the seat stretchers to be uniquely made of plywood, oriented strand board or plastic instead of them being required to be made of hardwood such as oak. The light weight frames of this invention may be incorporated into both ready-to-assemble furniture and fully assembled upholstered furniture. These light weight, economical, nestable frames may be easily stacked, packed and shipped. Additionally, these frames may be easily assembled, by a furniture manufacturer, a store, a customer, or anyone else, with only eight easy-to-use connectors such as bolts and T-nuts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to Applicants' co-pending non-provisional application, entitled “Furniture Frame”, U.S. Ser. No. 10/073,673, filed Feb. 11, 2002, which is hereby incorporated in full by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to furniture frames, and more specifically, to an economical, lightweight furniture frame having unique angled side rails on the seat box portion, a unique seat stretcher, and a unique notch on the back upright posts to accept and support the seat box portion of the frame.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Historically, furniture has been manufactured and sold to consumers fully assembled and upholstered. Such furniture tends to be heavy and bulky, making it difficult to lift and maneuver, both during manufacture and transport of the furniture. Such furniture is also often difficult to store in a warehouse because it takes up so much space. Furthermore, it can be difficult to deliver to customers, and may even be impossible to deliver to some customers due to the dimensional constraints of their doorways, hallways, stairways, etc. Finally, the shipping costs associated with such furniture tends to be quite expensive because the furniture is so large and cumbersome.

[0004] New ergonomic standards were recently proposed, wherein employees would not be allowed to lift more than 50 pounds more than one time in 8 hours. These proposed standards prompted the furniture industry to consider lighter weight sofas, chairs, loveseats, and other pieces. Although these proposed ergonomic standards were not instituted, some kept pursuing lighter-weight furniture for other reasons.

[0005] Many different solutions were attempted. However, such solutions provided many disadvantages. For example, metal seat frames are too heavy and too expensive. Wood seat boxes with a metal seating structure were also constructed, but they too are too heavy, too hard to manufacture, and too expensive in their current form.

[0006] Four part sofa frames were another one of the solutions attempted. Four part frames themselves, comprising a seat box portion, a back portion and two arm portions, are well-known in the industry, as evidenced by such furniture frames currently being manufactured by several foreign and domestic companies.

[0007] Various Italian furniture manufacturers have utilized conventional four part furniture frame construction for years. However, such construction does not lend itself to being lightweight, or to being broken down into smaller sizes that can nest together and fit into smaller shipping containers. Such conventional frame construction has no hardwood or plywood in it; it uses European fiberboard instead. Furthermore, it does not use metal seat springs; it uses webbing material. This conventional construction results in furniture that cannot be shipped in relatively small, flat containers because it cannot be easily broken down. Even broken down as much as possible, furniture made using such conventional frame construction cannot generally be shipped in a single box via a common carrier such as UPS or FedEx because it exceeds their maximum ground shipping weight and size limits.

[0008] Stanton International of Tualatin, Oreg. uses a frame very similar to the four part frame described above in its line of stationary sofas. However, Stanton uses plywood and oak rails in its frames instead of fiberboard. The Stanton frame is not conducive to being lightweight, or to being broken down into smaller sizes that can nest together and fit into smaller shipping containers. Furthermore, the Stanton-style seat box is essentially a big square—four rectangles that have been stapled together to form a seat box. These sofas cannot be shipped economically via a common carrier broken down in a single box.

[0009] Benchcraft, Inc. of Blue Mountain, Mass. also uses a four part frame in its Quasar line of sofas. However, the Benchcraft frame includes a metal seat box, which is much more expensive than using a wooden seat box. Additionally, metal adds undesirable weight to the frame and finished piece of furniture. Like the frames discussed above, the Benchcraft frame is not conducive to being broken down into smaller sizes that can nest together and fit into smaller shipping containers.

[0010] Simply Together of High Point, N.C. is yet another furniture company utilizing four part frame construction in all of its upholstered furniture. This company breaks its furniture down and ships it directly to customers, who then assemble the furniture themselves. However, these frames contain a lot of metal, which makes them heavy. This, in turn, leads to three separate shipping containers being needed to ship one single sofa in, thereby increasing the cost of this furniture. Additionally, the seating suspension in these frames is basically just four pieces of wood with webbing strung between them. See, for example, Simply Together's U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,764, No. 5,338,095, No. 5,394,573, No. 5,423,596, and No. 5,551,757. The problem with this seating suspension is that it is not attached anywhere to the frame itself, so it is prone to wobbling, creaking, and warping.

[0011] The conventional four part frames all have similar problems. The side rails used in the seat box portions of these frames are all generally rectangular in shape, and therefore are not easily nested together with the back portions of the frames to form a relatively flat rectangle that can be easily packaged, stacked and transported. Additionally, the seat and back portions of these frames are generally built together as one piece, instead of two separate, lighter weight pieces. Furthermore, the seat stretchers in existing four part frames have generally always been made of hardwood such as oak, not plywood, oriented strand board (“OSB”) or plastic. Finally, the back upright posts of existing furniture frames have never included a notch for accepting and supporting the seat box portion of the frame and the weight of anyone sitting on the sofa or chair.

[0012] There is a need for durable furniture frames that are lighter-weight than conventional frames, but that do not sacrifice strength and/or sturdiness as a result of being lighter weight. There is also a need for furniture frames comprised of a minimal number of pieces that can be easily assembled. There is yet a further need for lighter weight furniture frames to facilitate easier and more ergonomic manufacturing and transport, to help improve productivity, and to help reduce injury and shipping costs.

[0013] Additionally, there is a need for furniture frames that have separate seat box and back portions. There is also a need for furniture frames that have angled, curved or tapered side rails on their seat box portions so that the separate seat box portion and back portion can be nested together to form a relatively flat rectangle, to help reduce the shipping container size and the amount of storage space needed. There is yet a further need for furniture that can be shipped via a common carrier in a single slim container without exceeding the maximum shipping weight and size limits, to help reduce shipping costs.

[0014] Furthermore, there is a need for furniture frames that have seat stretchers made of plywood or OSB to help reduce the cost of the frames. There is also a need for furniture frames that have a notch in the back upright posts to accept and help support the seat box portion and the weight of a person, or persons, sitting on the sofa or chair.

[0015] Also, there is a need to provide ready-to-assemble furniture—such as sofas, loveseats, and chairs—that is inexpensive and that customers can buy and assemble themselves. Many other types of ready-to-assemble furniture—such as bookcases, cabinets, entertainment centers, tables, etc.—can already be bought from various places such as Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, etc. Therefore, it would be very beneficial to have sofas, loveseats, chairs, etc. that customers can buy and assemble themselves, purchased either through mail order, via the Internet, or in stores.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Accordingly, the above identified shortcomings of existing furniture frames are overcome by embodiments of the present invention. The present invention relates to furniture frames that can be more simply and inexpensively manufactured, assembled, and transported. Embodiments of a furniture frame according to the present invention include one or more unique aspects. The preferred embodiment comprises a four piece furniture frame. In one embodiment, the side rails of the seat box portion are angled, curved or tapered so the seat box portion of the frame can be nested with the separate back portion of the frame, thereby forming a substantially flat, rectangular shape that is much smaller than the fully assembled frame. In an embodiment, the seat stretchers in the frames of the present invention are made of either plywood, OSB or plastic, which has never been done before. However, hardwood may still be used for the seat stretchers if it is desirable and/or economical to do so. In an embodiment, the back upright posts include a notch proximate their bottom edge to accept the seat box portion of the frame, to support the seat box portion and the weight of a person(s) sitting on the couch or chair. Moreover, the seat box portion and back portion of the frames of the present invention may be made as two separate pieces that can be easily nested together for storage and shipping, and that may be easily assembled at its destination, i.e., either at the store or at the customer's home. Embodiments of the present invention preferably include all of the above-mentioned aspects, but other embodiments may include less than all of the above-mentioned aspects.

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention provide many advantages. The frames of the present invention are lighter weight, and are made up of fewer pieces, than existing frames. As such, they are easier to assemble. This results in less training time, generally less than one day, being required to teach new furniture manufacturing employees how to make furniture using the frames of the present invention. Cutting down on training time can be especially important in an industry, such as the furniture industry, that sees as much as 15-20% employee turnover per month. The frames of the present invention can be used to make sofas, loveseats, chairs, and the like. The side rails of the seat box of the present invention are curved, angled or tapered towards the back of the frame, to facilitate compact nesting and stacking of the frames. The ability of the frames of the present invention to be nested allows greater quantities of work-in-process to be stored in a given area, which in turn leads to greater output for a given floor space. Additionally, since the frames of the present invention are lighter, they are more ergonomic, which benefits the framebuilding, assembly and upholstery stages of production. Furthermore, because these frames are lighter and more ergonomic, less injury is likely to occur during production, transportation, and/or assembly of the frames.

[0018] When the separate seat box and back portions of the frames of the present invention are nested together, they can easily be fit into a relatively flat, rectangular shipping carton. Thereafter, the frames can be easily stacked for storage or transport. This is especially important if one desires to have the four individual parts of these frames manufactured offshore, such as in China or Brazil, and then shipped to the USA to be assembled and/or sold. Ideally, these frames are designed and manufactured so that the finished product can be fit into a single shipping carton without exceeding common carrier's maximum ground shipping limits.

[0019] The notches on the back upright support posts of the frames of the present invention accept the seat box portion of the frame, and also support the seat box portion and the weight of anyone sitting on the sofa or chair. This helps distribute the load-bearing weight across the entire width of the frame, instead of placing it all on a few connecting bolts, as is traditionally done in four part frames.

[0020] Generally, the seat stretchers in furniture frames are made of hardwood such as oak, but the notches in the back upright posts allow the seat stretchers in the present invention to be uniquely made of plywood, OSB, or plastic. This helps reduce costs and weight. However, hardwood may still be used for the seat stretchers if it is desirable and/or economical to do so.

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention comprise a four part furniture frame that can be nested and packed in a substantially flat rectangular shape. One embodiment of the frame of the present invention has a seat box portion and a back portion, where the seat box portion has at least a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges and the back portion has at least a top rail, a bottom rail, and two notched upright end support posts. The two side edges of the seat box portion are preferably tapered, curved or angled back towards the back edge of the seat box portion so the seat box portion may be nested with the back portion. The back edge of the seat box portion may be a back spring rail, and there is also preferably a front spring rail present in the seat box portion of the frame. Both the front and back spring rails may have spring attachment mechanisms attached to them so that springs may be attached thereto to form the seating suspension of the frame. Additionally, there is preferably at least one seat stretcher interposed between the front and back spring rails to hold them apart, if anything larger than a chair is being made with this frame. Furthermore, there is preferably an inside gut rail, and also at least one upright center support post, included in the back portion of the frame.

[0022] Ideally, the seat box portion and the back portion are separate pieces that can be assembled by either the furniture manufacturer, the store, the customer, or anyone else capable of making the necessary connections. However, the seat box portion and the back portion may be attached together. These frames may be included in both ready-to-assemble furniture and fully assembled furniture.

[0023] Further, ideally, the frames of the present invention are made substantially all of plywood or OSB, with only a few critical pieces being made of something else, such as hardwood like oak. For example, the top rail, the front spring rail, and the back spring rail are ideally made of oak because superior strength is required for these pieces. All the remaining pieces may easily and economically be made of plywood, OSB or plastic, without sacrificing the overall strength of the frames. Even the seat stretchers and the inside gut rails in these frames may be made of plywood, OSB or plastic because the notches in the upright back support posts provide superior strength and support to the seat box portion of these frames. However, hardwood may still be used for the seat stretchers if it is desirable and/or economical to do so.

[0024] Other embodiments of the frames of the present invention also include two arm portions. Each arm portion is preferably attached to one side edge of the seat box portion and to one of the upright back support posts. Ideally, only three bolts and T-nut connectors are needed to attach each arm portion to the seat box and back portions so that the arms may be easily attached by anyone, including the furniture manufacturer, the store, the customer, or anyone else.

[0025] In some embodiments of the frames of the present invention, the seat box portion and the back portion are nested together into a substantially flat rectangle, which is then stacked and shipped to either a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, or a customer. In this embodiment, the arm portions and the cushions may be packed and shipped separately. In other embodiments of the present invention, two arm portions and cushions may be arranged, preferably as flat as possible, on top of the nested seat box and back portions, and the entire package may then be shipped to either a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, or a customer in a single container. This makes it easier to get sofas into inner city apartments with narrow stairways and doors, and also into other buildings and homes that will not accommodate conventional furniture or other four part frame configurations.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the frame is fully assembled by one or more employees of a furniture manufacturer. In others, the furniture manufacturer employee(s) may only assemble the four individual parts (the seat box portion, the back portion and the two arm portions), and then employee(s) of a store may assemble the four parts together in the store. In other embodiments, the four individual parts may be assembled by one or more people in a warehouse. In still other embodiments, the four individual parts may be sent directly to the customer for them to assemble the four parts together.

[0027] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description, wherein references are made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate some preferred forms of the present invention and wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective side view of a furniture frame of the prior art showing the rectangular side rails on the seat box, the oak seat stretchers, and the notchless back upright posts;

[0029] FIG. 2 is a side view of the furniture frame of the prior art shown in FIG. 1;

[0030] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective side view of the frame shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the unique angled side rails of the seat box, the unique seat stretchers, and the unique notches on the back upright posts;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a side view of the furniture frame shown in FIG. 3;

[0032] FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of the furniture frame shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 showing the notch on a back upright post;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a perspective side view of one embodiment of the frame of the present invention showing the unique angled side rails of the seat box, the unique seat stretchers, and the unique notches on the back upright posts;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of the frame shown in FIGS. 3-6 showing the seat box and back portions nested together for easy packing, stacking, and/or shipping; and

[0035] FIG. 8 is a perspective side view of the frame shown in FIGS. 3-7 showing four seat box and back portions nested together and stacked.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in FIGS. 3-8, and specific language used to describe the same. For illustrative purposes only, the invention is primarily shown and described as applied to a sofa, but as will be readily apparent, the invention can be easily adapted for any similar type of furniture such as a loveseat or chair, either ready-to-assemble or fully assembled. Therefore, it should be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is hereby intended. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of description, not limitation. Any modifications or variations in the depicted frames and the methods of making and assembling the same, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art, are considered to be within the spirit of this invention.

[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, there are shown two views of a prior art furniture frame 10 showing the rectangular side rails 22 on the seat box portion 20, the oak seat stretchers 30, and the notchless back upright support posts 48. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the seat box portion 20 and the back portion 40 of the prior art frame are integrally made as a single piece. As such, the seat box 20 and back 40 portions of the prior art frames are not suitable for easy nesting and stacking. The side rails 22 on this prior art seat box 20 are substantially rectangular, with the bottom edges of the side rails being substantially flush with the floor and the bottoms of the back upright support posts 48. The longer seat stretchers 30 and the inside gut rail 46 in this prior art frame are made of oak, which is much heavier and more expensive than plywood, OSB or plastic. Furthermore, in this prior art frame design, there are no back upright support posts with notches in them for accepting and supporting the seat box portion 20 of the frame 10. This seat box portion 20 is merely integrated with the back portion 40, but is not supported by back portion 40.

[0038] Referring now to FIGS. 3-8, different views of an embodiment of the present invention are shown. In embodiments of the present invention, the seat box portion 20 and the back portion 40 may be made as separate pieces, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0039] In embodiments of the present invention, the seat box portion 20 has two spaced-apart side panels or side edges 22 that are uniquely angled, curved or tapered (i.e., narrowing from the front towards the back of the frame) so the seat box portion 20 may nest together with the back portion 40, forming a substantially flat rectangle once nested, as seen in FIG. 7. Once nested, the two unupholstered portions form a rectangle approximately 60-78″ long×25-29″ wide×7-11″ high, depending on wheather a sofa, loveseat or chair is being made from the frame. If fully upholstered before being nested together, the two portions form a rectangle approximately 60-78″ long×25-29″ wide×17-28″ high. These nested portions can be easily stacked, as shown in FIG. 8, and can also be easily stored and transported. Each of the two side panels 22 is attached to a back spring rail 26 and a front rail or front edge 28. A front spring rail 24 is also attached to the front rail 28 and to the two side panels 22. Front spring rail 24 and back spring rail 26 form the seating suspension of these frames once springs 36 are strung between them. Therefore, preferably front rail 28 and the seating suspension are attached together to impart strength to the frame. Additionally, there is a bottom front rail 34 attached to the bottom of the front rail 28 for attaching the upholstery to. Preferably, the individual pieces that make up the seat box portion (the side panels 22, the front spring rail 24, the back spring rail 26, the front rail 28, the seat stretchers 30, and the bottom front rail 34) are attached together with a frame stapler, but other suitable attachment mechanisms may be used.

[0040] If a chair is being made from this frame, there is really no need for seat stretchers, but one or more seat stretchers 30 may be interposed between the back spring rail 26 and the front rail 28. However, preferably no seat stretchers are used if a chair is being made with this frame. But, if a loveseat or sofa or larger piece of furniture is being made with this frame, then at least one seat stretcher 30 is interposed between the back spring rail 26 and the front rail 28. For loveseats, one seat stretcher is preferably included, and for sofas, two seat stretchers are preferably included. Spring attachment mechanisms 32 may be attached to the spring rails 24, 26, and springs 36 may then be secured or anchored to these spring rail attachment mechanisms 32. The seat box portion 20 of the frames of the present invention may be pitched downwards towards the rear of the sofa to provide the desired seating surface for the finished furniture. The pitch of the seating surface is determined by the difference in height or elevation between front spring rail 24 and back spring rail 26.

[0041] Side panels 22, front rail 28, and bottom front rail 34 may be made of any suitable material, preferably either mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic. Front spring rail 24 and back spring rail 26 may also be made of any suitable material, preferably oak. Seat stretchers 30 may likewise be made of any suitable material capable of holding spring rails 24, 26 apart, but are preferably made of mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic instead of the oak typically used in the prior art frames. In the prior art frames the seat stretchers 30 support the spring rails 24, 26, and also provide support to back portion 40. Now, however, since notches 50 provide so much support in the frames of the present invention, the seat stretchers 30 no longer need to be made of oak. However, hardwood may still be used for the seat stretchers if it is desirable and/or economical to do so. Using the preferred materials specified herein helps reduce the material costs, as well as the weight, of these frames. Also, using mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic makes it possible to use a router to cut many of these parts out. This too helps reduce the costs associated with the frames of the present invention.

[0042] In some embodiments of the present invention, the back portion 40 of frame 10 has at least two spaced-apart back upright support posts 48. The two back upright support posts 48 are attached together with a top rail 42 and an outside back bottom rail 44. Additionally, an inside gut rail 46 is interposed between the two back upright support posts 48. If a chair is being made from this frame, there is really no need for center back upright support posts 48. However, if a loveseat or sofa or larger piece of furniture is being made with this frame, then one or more center back upright support posts 48 may be interposed between the top rail 42 and the outside back bottom rail 44. Preferably, a loveseat will have at least one center back upright support post 48, and a sofa will have at least two center back upright support posts 48. Preferably, the individual pieces that make up the back portion (the top rail 42, the outside bottom rail 44, the inside gut rail 46, and the back upright support posts 48) are attached together with a frame stapler, but other suitable attachment mechanisms may be used.

[0043] The back upright support posts 48 include a notch 50, which is designed to accept and support the back spring rail 26 of seat box portion 20. The inside gut rail 46 also fits within notch 50 in the back upright support posts 48. This notch 50 provides support to the seat box portion 20 of frame 10, and to anyone sitting on the finished piece of furniture. The design of the present invention is superior to the prior art design because these notches 50 bear and distribute the weight-bearing load over the entire width of frame 10, whereas in the past, the weight-bearing load was all borne by one or two connection mechanisms between the back portion 40 and the seat box portion 20. In the frames of the present invention, very little, if any, weight or stress is borne by the connectors connecting seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 together at connections 14. Instead, these connectors, preferably bolts and T-nuts, merely attach these parts together at 14; they do not help support the load on these parts. This makes the frames of the present invention sturdier than those of the prior art. It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that connectors other than bolts and T-nuts may be used to connect these parts together. Therefore, all such easy to use connectors are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

[0044] Back upright support posts 48 and outside back bottom rail 44 may be made of any suitable material, preferably either mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic. Top rail 42 may also be made of any suitable material, preferably a hardwood such as oak. Since notches 50 provide so much support in the frames of the present invention, the inside gut rail 46 no longer needs to be made of oak; instead it is preferably made of mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic, all of which are much cheaper and lighter than oak. However, other suitable, economical materials may also be utilized for inside gut rail 46. As previously discussed with respect to the seat box portion 20, using the preferred materials specified herein helps reduce the material costs, as well as the weight, of these frames. Also, using mill grade plywood, OSB or plastic makes it possible to use a router to cut many of these parts out. This too helps reduce the costs associated with the frames of the present invention.

[0045] In many embodiments of the present invention, arm portions are also attached to the seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 of the present invention.

[0046] Separate seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 may be easily nested together for stacking, storing or shipping, as shown in FIG. 7. Additionally, seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 may be upholstered before being nested together. When fully upholstered and nested, with the two arm portions and cushions stacked as flat as possible on top of the nested seat box and back portions, one sofa incorporating a frame of the present invention measures approximately 69″L×35″W×32″H. That means many more sofas incorporating frames of the present invention may be fit within a given area than was possible with the prior art frames. For example, a typical forty foot high cubed tractor trailer will hold approximately thirty nine (39) prior art sofas, as compared to fifty-eight (58) sofas incorporating the frames of the present invention, which helps reduce shipping costs, as well as reducing the amount of warehouse and production space that is needed. The seat box 20 and back 40 portions may be nested and packed in a box, with the arm portions 60 and cushions being packed and shipped in a separate box. Preferably, however, the seat box 20 and back 40 portions are nested, then the arm portions 60 and cushions are arranged as flat as possible on top of the nested portions 20, 40, and everything is packed and shipped in a single box. If only the seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 are packed together and shipped, with the arm portions 60 and cushions packed and shipped separately, then even more sofas with these new frames can be fit on the tractor trailer.

[0047] As previously stated, separate seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 may be easily nested together for stacking, storing or shipping, as shown in FIG. 7. These substantially rectangular nested portions may then be easily stacked one upon another, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0048] Seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 may be easily attached to one another at 14 via two easy to use connectors, such as bolts and T-nuts or the like. These two connectors connect the back spring rail 26 on the seat box portion 20 to the inside gut rail 46 on the back portion 40, preferably with one being located near each end back upright support post 48, as shown in FIGS. 3 & 5. Assembly of the seat box portion 20 with the back portion 40 may occur in the furniture manufacturing facility, in a warehouse, in the store that sells the furniture, in a customer's home, or anywhere else suitable for assembling furniture. Employees of any of these afore-mentioned places can be easily trained to assemble these frames. Even customers can be provided with easy-to-follow instructions so that they may assemble these frames by themselves. Each of the two arm portions 60 (not shown) may be easily attached to the assembled seat and back portions preferably via three connectors, and preferably with bolts and T-nuts, at 14—two through each end back upright support post 48 and one through each side panel 22 of seat box 10 portion 20, as shown in FIGS. 3 & 5. As just described, assembling this frame together is simple, requiring only eight (8) easy to use connectors, such as bolts and T-nuts, once the individual seat box 20, back 40, and arm 60 portions are manufactured by the furniture manufacturing company. Preferably, all the bolts and T-nuts are ¾″ to provide the desired stability to the frame. Additionally, to help ensure that the arm portions do not move once attached, two additional screws may be used to anchor the arm portions 60 in place. Preferably, one of these screws 16 is located towards the bottom front corner of each side edge 22, and is preferably a ¼″ screw.

[0049] Since seat box portion 20 and back portion 40 are made as separate pieces, they may be nested together to form a substantially flat rectangle, as previously discussed. To facilitate the best possible packing arrangements on a truck, the back and seat box portions of these frames may be shipped separately from the arm portions of the frames. Doing that would make the boxes even flatter, and would allow more of the boxes to be stacked in a trailer of a given height.

[0050] Since the frames of the present invention are so easily assembled, customers may purchase unassembled sofas, chairs or loveseats incorporating these frames, and then assemble them by themselves. For example, customers may purchase such furniture at a store, via mail order, or via the Internet. The furniture may then be taken home by the customer, or it may be shipped directly to the customer's home. The customer may then easily assemble the furniture preferably using only eight (8) easy-to-use connectors, like bolts and T-nuts, and two (2) screws. The seat box portion 20 is preferably attached to the back portion 40 using two (2) bolts and T-nuts 14, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. An arm portion 60 is then preferably attached to one upright end support post 48, using two (2) bolts and T-nuts 14, and to the side edge 22 proximate the upright end support post 48 using one (1) bolt and T-nut 14. The other arm portion may then be similarly attached to the other upright end support post 48 and side edge 22. To secure these arm portions in place, a screw 16 may be used to anchor each arm portion 60 in place with respect to each side edge 16 and upright end support post 48.

[0051] While the figures and description herein generally depict a frame for a sofa, it is contemplated that the frames of the present invention may be utilized in variations other types of furniture, that will be obvious to one skilled in the art, without deviating from the spirit of this invention. It is contemplated that the frames of the present invention may be designed in various sizes, shapes, designs and styles for sofas, loveseats, chairs and the like. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the frames of the present invention may be incorporated into either ready-to-assemble or fully assembled furniture such as sofas, loveseats and/or chairs. Finally, it is contemplated that the frames of the present invention may be assembled by the manufacturer, the seller, the end consumer, or anyone else capable of assembling these frames. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A furniture frame comprising:

a seat box portion comprising a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges disposed proximate the ends of and between the front edge and the back edge; and

a back portion comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and two upright end support posts disposed proximate the ends of and between the top rail and the bottom rail, wherein each upright support post comprises a notch for supporting the back edge of the seat box portion.

2. The furniture frame of claim 1 wherein the two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards the back edge of the seat box portion so the seat box portion is capable of being nested with the back portion.

3. The furniture frame of claim 1 wherein the back edge of the seat box portion comprises a back spring rail, and wherein the seat box portion further comprises a front spring rail.

4. The furniture frame of claim 3 wherein the seat box portion further comprises a seat stretcher.

5. The furniture frame of claim 4 wherein the seat stretcher is interposed between the front spring rail and the back spring rail.

6. The furniture frame of claim 5 wherein the seat stretcher comprises at least one of: hardwood, plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.

7. The furniture frame of claim 1 wherein the seat box portion is attached to the back portion.

8. The furniture frame of claim 1 wherein the back portion further comprises an inside gut rail.

9. The furniture frame of claim 8 wherein the back edge of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion.

10. The furniture frame of claim 9 wherein the back edge of the seat box comprises a hardwood back spring rail, and wherein the inside gut rail comprises at least one of: plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.

11. The furniture frame of claim 1 wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are nestable.

12. The furniture frame of claim 11 wherein when the seat box portion and the back portion are nested together, they form a substantially flat rectangle.

13. A furniture frame comprising:

a seat box portion comprising a front edge, a front spring rail, a back spring rail, two side edges, and a seat stretcher; and

a back portion comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and two upright end support posts; wherein the front edge and the front spring rail are attached together, the front spring rail and the back spring rail are attached to opposite ends of the two side edges, and the seat stretcher is interposed and attached between the front spring rail and the back spring rail, and wherein the top rail and the bottom rail are attached proximate opposite ends of the two upright end support posts, and wherein each upright end support post comprises a notch for accepting and supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion, and wherein the two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards the back spring rail of the seat box portion; and wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are nestable.

14. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the seat stretcher comprises at least one of: hardwood, plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.

15. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the seat box portion is attached to the back portion.

16. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the back portion further comprises an inside gut rail and wherein the back spring rail of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion.

17. The furniture frame of claim 16 wherein the inside gut rail comprises at least one of: plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.

18. The furniture frame of claim 17 wherein the back spring rail of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion via two bolts and T-nuts.

19. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein when the seat box portion and the back portion are nested together, they form a substantially flat rectangle.

20. The furniture frame of claim 13 further comprising two arm portions, wherein one arm portion is attached to one of the side edges of the seat box portion and to one of the upright end support posts at an edge of the back portion, while the other arm portion is attached to the other side edge of the seat box portion and to another upright end support post at an opposite edge of the back portion.

21. The furniture frame of claim 20 wherein one arm portion is attached to one of the side edges of the seat box portion with one bolt and T-nut and to one of the upright end support posts at an edge of the back portion with two bolts and T-nuts, while the other arm portion is attached to the other side edge of the seat box portion with one bolt and T-nut and to another upright end support post at an opposite edge of the back portion with two bolts and T-nuts.

22. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the frame is made substantially all of at least one of the following: oriented strand board and plywood.

23. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the top rail, the back spring rail and the front spring rail comprise oak, and the two side edges, the bottom rail, the front edge and the two upright end support posts comprise at least one of: plywood and oriented strand board.

24. The furniture frame of claim 13 wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are separate pieces that are nested together.

25. A method of assembling a four part furniture frame, comprising the steps of: providing a seat box portion, a back portion and two arm portions, wherein two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards a back spring rail of the seat box portion so that the seat box portion and the back portion may be nested together into a substantially flat rectangle, at least two upright support posts in the back portion each having notches for supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion,

attaching the back spring rail of the seat box portion to an inside gut rail of the back portion using at least two connectors to form a partial frame;

attaching one arm portion to a first side of the partial frame using at least three connectors; and

attaching the other arm portion to a second side of the partial frame using at least three connectors.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the connectors are bolts and T-nuts.

27. A method of assembling a four part furniture frame, comprising the steps of:

providing a seat box portion, a back portion, two arm portions and cushions, wherein two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards a back spring rail of the seat box portion so that the seat box portion and the back portion may be nested together into a substantially flat rectangle, at least two upright support posts in the back portion each having notches for supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion;

shipping the seat box portion nested together with the back portion in a substantially flat rectangle;

attaching the back spring rail of the seat box portion to an inside gut rail of the back portion using at least two connectors to form a partial frame;

attaching one arm portion to a first side of the partial frame using at least three connectors; and

attaching the other arm portion to a second side of the partial frame using at least three connectors.

28. The method of claim 27, the shipping step further comprising shipping the nested seat box portion and back portion in a single box to one of the following: a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, and a customer.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the attaching steps are performed by one of the following: an employee in a warehouse, an employee in a furniture manufacturing company, an employee in a store, and a customer.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising placing the two arm portions and the cushions on top of the nested seat box portion and back portion prior to shipping.

31. The method of claim 30, the shipping step further comprising shipping the nested seat box portion and back portion, the two arm portion and the cushions in a single box to one of the following: a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, and a customer.