Field

The present invention relates to a furniture article.

Background

The transportation and assembly of furniture articles present various logistical challenges. Whereas a furniture article may be fully assembled in a factory and then despatched to a customer, this presents a drawback that a large amount of space is taken up by the fully assembled furniture article in transit which translates into a high unit cost of transportation. Alternatively, a customer might have difficulty transporting such a fully assembled furniture article using their own means of transport such as a car. A prior approach to solving this problem has been to provide so-called "flat pack" furniture articles. According to this approach, the components of the furniture article are despatched to the customer. Once the components arrive at the premises where the furniture article is to be used, the furniture article is assembled using instructions that accompany the components by either the customer or the person delivering the furniture article.

Such flat pack furniture has the disadvantage that the assembly process tends to be time-consuming. Furthermore, if the person assembling the furniture article is unfamiliar with such tasks they might the find the task to be difficult. Specialist tools or equipment may be required to assemble the furniture article. Flat pack furniture also tends to involve a large amount of wrapping and packaging for each individual component which must be disposed of after the furniture article has been assembled. Individual components may become damaged during transit or may be missing altogether due to an error at the factory or distribution centre.

Summary

A first aspect of the invention provides a furniture article comprising two mutually opposed sides, each of the mutually opposed sides comprising a plurality of panels, wherein each of the plurality of panels has a major front face, a major rear face and a minor top face, a minor bottom face and two minor side faces, and wherein the panels are arranged side-to-side, the furniture article further comprising a plurality of hinges, each hinge being attached to respective neighbouring minor side faces of two neighbouring panels to reversibly articulate the plurality of panels between a first position corresponding to the furniture article being in a semi-collapsed state and a second position corresponding to the furniture article being in an assembled state, wherein the plurality of hinges are recessed within respective minor side faces of the plurality of panels so that the plurality of hinges are substantially concealed from view when the furniture article is in the assembled state.

Each of the two mutually opposed sides may comprise two end panels and at least two intermediate panels situated between the two end panels.

The plurality of panels may include two neighbouring panels that are both intermediate panels and that, when in the first position, have respective major front faces in substantially parallel face-to-face alignment; and when in the second position respective minor side faces thereof have a substantially parallel face-to-face alignment.

The plurality of panels may include two neighbouring panels, one of which is an end panel and one of which is an intermediate panel arranged such that the end panel and the intermediate panel are substantially perpendicular to each other in the first position and substantially parallel in the second position.

The hinges may be recessed within bores situated in respective neighbouring minor side faces of the two neighbouring panels. The respective neighbouring minor side faces may be in close abutment when the furniture article is in the assembled state.

The panels may be formed from a suitably rigid material. The furniture article may be configured to store component shelves and/or components associated therewith inside the furniture article when the furniture article is in a semi- collapsed state.

The furniture article may be arranged to receive a component shelf having a rebated portion. The furniture article may further comprise a structural support receiving part.

A second aspect of the invention provides a method of despatching the furniture article, the method comprising storing the furniture article in a semi-collapsed state and loading the furniture article on to a delivery vehicle.

The method may further comprise delivering the furniture article to a premises and assembling the furniture article. Brief Description of the Drawings

So that the invention may be fully understood embodiments will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1-7 show various views of embodiments of the invention.

Detailed Description

As used herein orientational terms such as top, bottom, front, back, left and right are used to illustrate positions with respect to the drawings referenced in the following description of embodiments of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a cabinet 1 according to one embodiment of the invention. The cabinet 1 comprises a front 2, a back panel 3 and sides 4. The sides 4 each comprise a series of panels 5a-d. The cabinet 1 is shown in Figure 1 in a semi-collapsed state. As such, the panels sa-d are shown in a concertina configuration, with intermediate side panels 5b and 5c, visible in Figures 3-6, collapsed between front side panel 5a and rear side panel 5d.

In the semi-collapsed state the cabinet 1 can be stored and transported efficiently in warehouses, depots, lorries, vans or on pallets since they occupy less space than fully assembled articles of furniture. Furthermore, the cabinet 1 can be manoeuvred easily in comparison with fully assembled furniture articles which tend to be rather bulky.

The cabinet 1 further comprises a front top panel 6, a front bottom panel 7 and a front support pillar 8 which extends between the front top panel 6 and the front bottom panel 7. Components of the cabinet 1, such as the panels and the support pillar 8 may be formed from any suitable material known in the art such as natural wood or an engineered wood product such as medium density fibreboard (MDF) or chipboard. Facia boards may be attachable to external surfaces of the cabinet ι for aesthetic purposes.

Components of the cabinet l, such as the panels and the support pillar 8 may be fixed to each other in a conventional manner using, for example, wooden dowels and glue to attach and secure the components to each other. There are a number of other alternative methods of component assembly which include screws, bolts and plastic barrel nuts, hinges, metal or engineered plastic cams and metal studs, wooden biscuits, and metal brackets or plastic blocks.

Figure 2 shows a base panel 9 and shelf panel 10 being removed from within the semi- collapsed cabinet 1. The cabinet 1 is shaped so that component panels and associated components relevant to final assembly and installation may be stored therein. As such, the cabinet 1 may be transported or stored with component shelves and associated components contained therein.

Figure 3 shows the cabinet 1 as it is being unfolded from the semi-collapsed state shown in Figure 1 to a deployed state. The front portion of the cabinet 1 is pulled away from the back panel 3 to unfold the side panels 5a-d. The side panels sa-d are shown in Figures 1 and 2 to be in a folded or concertinaed state. As the cabinet 1 is unfolded, the side panels sa-d move from the folded position shown in Figure 1 to the unfolded position shown in Figures 4-6. As such, Figure 3 shows the cabinet 1 in an intermediate state of deployment between semi-collapsed and deployed states.

Referring to Figure 4, the side panels sa-d are connected to one another via hinges arranged along respective side edges of the side panels sa-d. The front end panel 5a is connected to the front intermediate panel 5b along one side edge. The front intermediate panel 5b is connected to the rear intermediate panel 5c along a side edge opposite to the side edge connecting the intermediate panel 5b with the front end panel 5a. The rear intermediate panel 5c is connected to the rear end panel sd along a side edge opposite to the side edge connecting the rear intermediate panel 5c with the front intermediate panel 5b. Each of the side panels sa-d is attached to a next adjacent side panel using at least one hinge. In the embodiment shown, there may be three hinges provided along each hinge line. In embodiments with longer side panels, an additional hinge may be provided for every 200mm above a length of 720mm.

Figure 3 displays a partially exploded view of the region surrounding a hinge 11 connecting a front intermediate panel 5b and a rear intermediate panel 5c. Three stages of unfolding the cabinet 1 are shown in Figure 3. At stage 301, the intermediate panels 5b and 5c are arranged so that respective major front faces of both panels 5b, 5c are in substantially parallel face-to-face alignment. This corresponds to the position of the cabinet 1 as shown in Figure 1.

At stage 302, the intermediate panels 5b and 5c are at an oblique angle to each other as shown in the unexploded part of Figure 3.

At stage 303, minor side faces of the intermediate panels 5b and 5c have a substantially parallel face-to-face alignment. The major faces of the intermediate panels 5b and 5c form a flush finish and the hinge 11 is substantially hidden from view when the cabinet 1 is viewed from all angles.

The minor side faces of the side panels sa-d may be in close abutment in the position shown in Figure 4. Such close abutment serves to provide substantial structural rigidity to the cabinet 1. This structural rigidity is achieved without having to provide a support frame.

The concealment of the hinge 11 from view as the cabinet 1 is unfolded is achieved by recessing the hinge 11 into minor side faces 12 of the respective side panels sa-d. Bores may be provided extending into the minor faces of the side panels. As the cabinet 1 is unfolded the hinge 11 slides into the bores so that the panels are able to surround the hinge 11 and substantially conceal it from view.

The hinge 11 may be bored into the panel where it is concealed and fixed into place. The hinge 11 may then be able to pivot allowing for up to 180 degrees of movement of the panel 5 to which the hinge is attached. The bore may be produced using a drill. The cavities created within the panels and defined by the hinge cup may be configured to allow enough space for the plates within the hinge to pivot.

The hinge may be produced from brass however other options may be used, for example steel or a single piece hinge produced from plastic.

The unfolding process with respect to the hinge located between the front end panel 5a and front intermediate panel 5b and the hinge located between the rear intermediate panel 5c and the rear end panel sd operates in a substantially similar way to the process described above. The hinged connection between the intermediate panels 5b, 5c and the front end panel 5a and rear end panel sd respectively is substantially the same as that described above with respect to the connection between the intermediate panels 5b, 5c except that the angle through which the hinge 11 moves is different. When the cabinet 1 is in the semi-collapsed state shown in Figure 1, the front end panel 5a and the front intermediate panel 5b attached thereto are substantially perpendicular to each other. Similarly, the rear end panel sd and the rear intermediate panel 5c are substantially perpendicular to each other in the configuration shown in Figure 1. When the cabinet 1 is in the assembled state shown in Figure 4 the front end panel 5a and the front intermediate panel 5b attached thereto are substantially parallel in the second position. Similarly, the rear end panel sd and the rear intermediate panel 5c attached thereto are substantially parallel when configured in the second position. The process of unfolding the cabinet 1 from a semi-collapsed state to an assembled state is reversible. That is, once the cabinet 1 has been unfolded, as described above with reference to stages 301, 302 and 303, the cabinet 1 may be folded up again by performing these steps in reverse order. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the process of unfolding the cabinet 1 may be performed quickly and simply and without the use of any specialist tools, equipment or expertise.

Figure 4 shows an insertable base panel 9 being inserted into the cabinet 1. The insertable base panel 9 may be rebated sectionally so that it can fit flush between the front base panel 7 and a rear base panel 13. The front and rear base panels 7, 13 may also be complementarily shaped to allow the insertable base panel 9 to join with the cabinet 1. These arrangements have the advantage of providing substantial rigidity to the cabinet 1. Alternatively, other joining facilities that would occur to those skilled in the art may be used to allow the insertable base panel 9 to be fitted to the cabinet 1.

Figure 5 shows a shelf panel 10 being inserted into the cabinet 1. The shelf panel 10 may be supported within the cabinet 1 using appropriate shelf supports that are known in the art. Structural supports such as legs 14 may be fitted to the underside of the cabinet 1, as shown in Figure 6. The legs 14 may have a threaded portion that screws into a threaded complementary threaded recess situated in the underside of the cabinet 1. Other means may be used to attach structural supports to the cabinet 1 as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Once the cabinet 1 has been unfolded, further assembly steps may be performed thereto. For example, a facia board may be attached to each of the sides 4 of the cabinet 1. Such a facia board has the advantage of further improving the structural rigidity of the cabinet 1. Furthermore, the facia board may have a particular colour or texture that is aesthetically pleasing.

Doors may be attached to the front 2 of the cabinet 1. Such doors may be hinged to the sides 4 of the cabinet 1 in a manner known in the art. Depending on the use of the cabinet 1, various types of top cover may be attached to the cabinet 1. In embodiments where the cabinet 1 is intended to be used as a freestanding unit, a cover panel may be attached to the top of the cabinet 1.

Alternatively, the cabinet may be intended to be used as part of a kitchen unit having a counter-type work surface. In this case, attachment means that are known in the art may be provided.

Cabinets may be wall mounted. In such embodiments, the legs 14 would be omitted. Furthermore, wall attachment means may be provided on the back panel 3 to allow the cabinet 1 to be wall-mounted. In certain embodiments two or more cabinets may be screwed together side to side. This provision may further improve the structural rigidity of the cabinets.

Cabinets according to embodiments described herein may be used in many different rooms within residential or business premises. For example, cabinets may be used as cupboards in rooms such as an office, a lounge, a dining room, a kitchen, a garage, a conservatory, a bathroom or a bedroom. Such cabinets may be freestanding units or may be incorporated into suites such as kitchen or bathroom units. Figure 7 shows a tall cabinet 15 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. The tall cabinet 15 may be used as a wardrobe for example. The cabinet 15 may be unfolded in the same way as the cabinet 1 described above.

While examples have been described wherein the sides 4 each comprise four side panels 5a-d, it should be understood that more than four panels may be used side by side. As such cabinets of varying dimensions may be provided.

Furthermore, the furniture articles described herein may be loaded on to a delivery vehicle. The furniture article may then be despatched to a destination and assembled in accordance with the steps described above.

Many other modifications and variations will be evident to those skilled in the art that fall within the scope of the following claims.