Tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials with self-fixing components

Abstract

A tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials using self coupling elements that is made up of at least two pairs of components and making the ends and sides whose ends are cut with a mitre or bevel, which have slots at points close to the ends into which slots are introduced that are made in parts positioned vertically to the legs, fitted with tips made from an elastomeric material located at the lower end of the stated components.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

The present application claims priority from prior U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/755,102, entitled “TUBULAR OR HOLLOW STRUCTURE MADE FROM STEEL, ALUMINIUM OR OTHER MATERIALS WITH SELF-FIXING COMPONENTS”, filed on Jan. 3, 2006, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention has its application in the industry related to furniture manufacture and similar products, and more specifically, made up of metallic structures.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

The applicant is aware of the present use and utilisation of structures made from a plurality of components manufactured in metal from which the configuration is achieved, for example a table, forming an upper area positioned horizontally with a generally rectangular shape with a sheet of glass or plastic material from which vertical elements stem that act as legs.

The union between the components making up the upper panel requires the use of retaining elements, which make the union between the sides and the ends and, at the same time, needing the use of components protruding from the table top thus made, that provide the union for the four legs or support points positioned vertically. Examples of these types of unions are described for example in the American Patent N° U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,972 that makes reference to a union that can be unattached for modular furniture or Patent N° DE 3116165 that makes reference to a connector device for couplings destined for the manufacture of furniture.

Obviously, the assembly of these components requires, on one hand, the use of auxiliary labour with the consequent additional assembly cost and, at the same time, requires, in the case of wishing to disassemble same, a reverse operation, it thus not being possible to carry out both the assembly and equally the dismantling without the use of suitable tools that will enable the joining of the components to each other.

The clear solution to the problem that exists at the present time is that the material will be that of being able to have a structure that by preference is made from steel, allowing all the other constituting components to be assembled without the use of any type of auxiliary element, material or tool.

However, the applicant is not aware of the existence at the present time of an invention which is provided with the characteristics that have been stated above as being ideal.

SUMMARY

This description refers to a tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials using self coupling elements, for the manufacture of structures such as tables, shelf units, boards for stages etc., the clear aim of which is to provide the user or customer with a product that does not in any way require the use of auxiliary materials for the fixing of the components or parts to each other, remaining automatically fixed because of the existence of edges on the support feet, into which some flat and side components are fixed that also incorporate some slots that provide for the incorporation of some on top of others for the purpose of achieving a completely automated table.

The tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials with self fixing components that the invention proposes, presents in its context all of the determining characteristics for the formation of, for example a component of furniture made up into a table, board or platform for a stage, or a cart (by fitting wheels onto the lower surface) that allows it to be fixed together without the use of any additional elements or tools, being perfectly fitted and having full strength.

In a more specific manner, the tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials with self fixing components is made up of two components that make up the sides, the ends of which are cut at a 45° angle or bevel, in which the equally finished off ends are fitted in an arrangement similar to the sides, and at least both pairs being manufactured from stainless steel.

Thanks to these characteristics, a structure is obtained for the construction of furniture or similar items, such as platforms, with easy and quick assembly as no additional fixing elements are required such as the use of specific tools for the assembly.

In agreement with points next to the ends of the parts making up the sides and ends there are some slots provided protruding from the lower part of these components for the purpose of making the introduction of some tubular flat square component parts easier which form the legs, and which also have some slots established in the area corresponding to the front edge and the opposite area on the same side which have been fitted with two slots of a shorter length, consequently, on carrying out the introduction by means of the slots existing on both the side components and the end components, the immobility of the assembly made up of the eight components is achieved.

It must be stated that in the lower part of the tubular square bodies that make up the feet, the fitting of pads of an elastomeric material has been provisioned for into the tips of the legs in order to prevent the deterioration of the floor surface on which it stands.

On the other hand, each one of the joints at the corners of the structure can have an upper protective cap in such a way that it gives a better external appearance in the case of a table.

In one embodiment, a tubular or hollow structure is formed from self coupling elements, and includes a first set of tubular bodies forming sides and ends of the upper area of the structure, the first set of tubular bodies each having ends being finished off with a mitre or 45° angle and being fitted with slots close to their end points, the slots positioned vertically emerging from the lower area of each of said first set of components; and a second set of vertical components forming legs, each of the second set of components including two slots, wherein the slots of the first set of tubular bodies are introduced into slots of the second set of components.

The tubular bodies comprise tubular hollow stainless steel, other sorts of steel, aluminium, or other materials.

The second set of components may be located externally in the lower side area of the first set of components. The second set of components may include at least end fittings comprising elastomeric material.

Each union of one of the first components and the second set of components may include an upper protective cap. The upper protective cap may include a plastic material formed by a square flat base having two laminar extensions in an upward direction arranged at a right angle to each other, each one of said extensions fitting into the space left between a pair of the first component and the inner wall of one of the second components. The upper protective cap may include a slug or snug arranged in a downward direction to fit into a hole in the most inner corner of each union of one of the components and the second components. The slug or snug may includes an axially arranged through hole.

In one embodiment, at each of four corners, one of the second set of components may join two of the first set of components.

In one embodiment, at each corner, one of the second set of components may join two of the first set of components, and wherein one slot of each of the two first set of components fits with one slot of the one of the second set of components.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to complete the description that is being made and for the purpose of giving a greater understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with the preferred embodiment carried out this present description is accompanied, as an integral part of same, by a set of drawings, which is illustrative but not limiting, where the most significant details are as follows.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of all of the elements, without them being joined together, that make up the invention, corresponding in this case to a table made from tubular or hollow steel, aluminium or another material with self fixing components.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed side view of a side of the object shown in figure number 1, in which the shape of the assembly of the components to each other can be seen.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the invention in which the components are completely fitted together.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a cap located on the upper part of the tubular components.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the assembled structure having greater longitudinal dimensions, and

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the structure in accordance with the invention that adopts a shelf unit arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In view of these figures, a table with tubular or hollow structure made from steel, aluminium or other materials (such as plastic or resin) with self fixing components can be seen that is made up from two hollow components (1) making up the sides and two similar components (2) making up the ends, both the components (1) and equally components (2) having their ends cut at an angle of 45^a or with a bevel.

At points next to the ends of the components (2) slots (3) have been provisioned that are positioned vertically protruding from the lower part, and the components (1) have likewise being provisioned with slots (3) that go from the lower area to points next to their ends for the purpose of achieving that, in this way that these slots (3), the components (1) and (2) fit into the tubular components (4) that by preference have a square section (there also being the possibility of having circular section or any other suitable shape) that also have slots (5), thus achieving the introduction of components (1) and (2) into components (4) by means of the slots (5) of these components (4) and the slots (3) made in components (1) and (2), the components (4) encircle components (1) and (2) by the upper part thus being duly assembled, pronunciations formed by the slots (5) that internally encircle the frame that forms the upper support of the table emerging at the internal apexes from the assembly made up of components (1) and (2).

For the purpose of preventing damage to the floor surface provision has been made for the introduction, at the lower part of the components (4), of tips or end fittings (6) made from an elastomeric material.

Optionally, each one of the unions of the table corners can have an upper protective cap (7) (see FIG. 4) made from a plastic bodied material that is made from a noticeably square flat bottomed base that has two laminar extensions (8 & 9) in an upward direction arranged at a right angle to each other, each one of these extensions aimed at fitting in the space made by the outer wall of the tubular parts (1) and (2) and the inner wall of parts (4). In addition, said cap (7) includes a square shaped snug or slug (10) orientated in a downward direction to fit in the space in an assembly condition that is situated at the inner most corner of each one of the components (4). The snug (10) can have a through hole (not shown) arranged axially and longitudinally to fit a screw element to allow for the expansion of the side walls of said snug (10) thus guaranteeing a non-easily releasable fix.

It must be mentioned that the cap in FIG. 4 have been shown in an opposite position to that of the fixing to make the understanding easier of the different parts that make it up.

It is also worth mentioning that in the event of using components (1) and (2) of a considerable length some other components (4) can be fitted in to prevent any possibility of sagging or low strength of the components (1) and (2), said components (1), (2) and (4) having been fitted with slots for the fixing of same or also fitting in two or more components (1) or (2) lined up and fitted into the intermediate components (4) all of which forms a modular structure, as shown in FIG. 5 attached, and it can be very suitable for the assembly of platforms used as stages, for example, at shows. In said FIG. 5 the base or the horizontal support surface has been omitted to make the assembly of the structure represented easier to understand.

Finally in FIG. 6, an alternative arrangement has been shown, taking advantage of the structure in accordance with the present invention, where by means of the use of intermediate glass panels (11) or another material arranged horizontally and by means of some slots provided in components (4) different levels are obtained which can be very useful for the display of products in commercial establishments or similar applications.

Claims

1. A tubular or hollow structure formed from self coupling elements, the structure comprising:

a first set of tubular bodies forming sides and ends of the upper area of the structure, the first set of tubular bodies each having ends being finished off with a mitre or 45° angle and being fitted with slots close to their end points, the slots positioned vertically emerging from the lower area of each of said first set of components; and

a second set of vertical components forming legs, each of the second set of components including two slots, wherein the slots of the first set of tubular bodies are introduced into slots of the second set of components.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the tubular bodies comprise tubular hollow stainless steel.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein the second set of components are located externally in the lower side area of the first set of components.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the second set of components include at least end fittings comprising elastomeric material.

5. The structure of claim 1 each union of one of the first set of components and the second set of components comprises an upper protective cap.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the upper protective cap comprises a plastic material formed by a square flat base having two laminar extensions in an upward direction arranged at a right angle to each other, each one of said extensions fitting into the space left between a pair of the first component and the inner wall of one of the second components.

7. The structure of claim 5 wherein the upper protective cap comprises a snug arranged in a downward direction to fit into a hole in the most inner corner of each union of one of the components and the second components.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein the snug comprises an axially arranged through hole.

9. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises steel.

10. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the structure comprises aluminium.

11. The structure according to claim 1, wherein at each of four corners, one of the second set of components joins two of the first set of components.

12. The structure according to claim 1, wherein at each corner, one of the second set of components joins two of the first set of components, and wherein one slot of each of the two first set of components fits with one slot of the one of the second set of components.