FURNITURE LEG CINCHING DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for maintaining coordinated or matching furniture pieces in close proximity by securing immediately adjoining legs of the furniture pieces. The device is essentially an elastomeric ribbed strap having a means of connecting one end of the strap to the opposite end. 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 a resilient, slightly expandable material which may be a variety of materials, including silicon derivatives, rubber, plastic, PVC, and similar substances.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH. OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(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.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT

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.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

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.

FIG. 1 shows a lengthwise view of the bottom, or interior surface of the strap component of the furniture cinch.

FIG. 2 depicts a side view of the furniture cinch with the interior ribbed surface downward.

FIG. 3 presents two matching sectional furniture pieces spaced apart.

FIG. 4 illustrates the two sectional furniture pieces of FIG. 3 joined together by the furniture cinch.

FIG. 5 is a close-up view of the two adjacent legs of two sectional pieces joined by the furniture cinch.

FIG. 6 is a view of the bottoms of the two sectional furniture pieces with their adjacent legs joined by two separate furniture cinches.

Nomenclature For Invention Components
1. Furniture cinch
2. Outer surface
3. Ridge
3(a) Groove
4. Buckle face
5. Buckle underside
6. Retaining surface
7. Plated tip
8. Interior surface
9. Chair A
10. Chair B
11. A left front leg
12. A right front leg
13. A right rear leg
14. A left rear leg
15. B left front leg
16. B right front kg
17. B right rear kg
18. B left rear leg
19. n/a
20. Inset

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPT

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 FIG. 1, where there is observed a segmented view of the bottom surface of the furniture cinch 1. FIG. 1 further shows an embodiment of the furniture cinch 1 having a roller-designed cinch fastening mechanism, with the roller cinch 5 on one end of the furniture cinch 1 and the plated tip 7 attached to the opposite end of the furniture cinch 1. The main body length of the furniture cinch 1, in its preferred embodiment is constructed from an elastomeric substance, which may be selected from a variety of materials, including silicon derivatives, rubber, plastic, PVC, and similar substances.

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 FIG. 2, a segmented side view of the furniture cinch 1 is displayed. The undersurface of the furniture cinch 1 is shown to have continuous, regularly-spaced ribs 3 with parallel grooves 3(a) between successive ribs 3. FIG. 2 further shows that the furniture cinch 1 is operated by placing the plated tip 7 into the gap exposed when the buckle face 4 is opened. Once the plated tip 7 is inserted within the roller cinch 5 to the necessary length as to effect a loop thereby binding two adjacent furniture legs, the buckle face 4 of the roller cinch 5 is rotated toward the roller cinch 5 to securely grip the end of the furniture cinch 1 to which the plated tip 7 is attached.

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.

FIG. 3 depicts two similar items of furniture, being upholstered chairs, 9, 10 spaced apart, further showing front legs 11, 12, 15, and 16. FIG. 4 shows the two chairs 9, 10 placed proximate one another, whereby front legs 12, 15, are substantially adjacent one another, as shown in the inset 20. In FIG. 5, an enlarged view of inset 20 illustrates the outer surface 2 of the furniture cinch 1 as evidence of the inner ribs 3 of the furniture cinch 1 having established a substantial gripping effect on the two furniture legs 12, 14. The buckle face 4 of the furniture cinch 1 has been closed and tightened upon the furniture cinch 1 after insertion of the plated tip 7, with the end result being a curtailing any separation of the two chairs 9, 10, caused by normal seating use or unexpected jostling of either chair.

FIG. 6 illustrates an underside view of the aforesaid two chairs 9, 10 having been placed in close proximity. In the view shown in FIG. 6, both the adjacent front legs 12, 15, and adjacent rear legs 13, 18 are secured by two separate furniture cinches 1. The two furniture cinches 1 thereby provide enhanced stability of the two chairs in their side-by-side arrangement.

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.

Claims

1. A strap-like device for the secure binding together of adjacent furniture legs, comprising:

a first member comprising a primarily longitudinal elastomeric strap having a first end, a second end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface further comprises (a) regularly-spaced, parallel ribs oriented orthogonally crosswise to the length of said strap, and (b) a tacky substance coating the exterior of said ribs;

a second member comprising a male fastening means attached to the first end of said strap; and

a third member comprising a female fastening means attached to the second end of said strap, whereby said female fastening means corresponds to the structure of said male fastening means.

2. A strap-like device for the secure binding together of adjacent furniture legs, comprising:

a first member comprising a primarily longitudinal elastomeric strap having a first end, a second end, a top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface further comprises (a) regularly-spaced, parallel ribs oriented orthogonally crosswise to the length of said strap, and (b) a tacky substance coating the exterior of said ribs;

a second member comprising a free-plated clamp attached to the first end of said strap; and

a third member comprising a roller-designed cinch attached to the second end of said strap; wherein

said free-plated clamp is attached to the first end of said strap by means of a crimping tool and said roller-designed cinch is attached to said second end of said strap, thereby allowing the first end of said strap to be inserted within the roller-designed cinch attached to the first end of said strap whereby the lever of said roller-designed cinch may be closed upon said first end of said strap and provide a secure, closed loop.

3. A furniture cinching strap device as in claim 1 wherein the male fastening means comprises the hook component of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism and the female fastening means comprises the felt component of a hook-and-felt fastening mechanism.

4. The furniture cinching strap device as in claim 1 wherein the male fastening means comprises a belt buckle, and the female fastening means comprises regularly-spaced, center-aligned holes through the second end of said strap.

5. The furniture cinching strap device as in claim 1 wherein the male fastening means comprises a plurality of regularly-spaced male snap fasteners embedded in the first end of said furniture cinching device, and the female fastening means comprises regularly-spaced, female snap fasteners embedded in, and spaced in the second end of said strap in correspondence with the spacing of said male snap fasteners.