"SYSTEM FOR REMOVABLE FURNITURE LEGS"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001 ] The present invention relates to a system for removable furniture legs.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a system comprising removable legs, for providing stability and rigidity to flat-packable furniture.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Various reasons, such as storage or portability, dictate that the legs of furniture sometimes need to be removable. Articles of furniture with removable legs, for example stools, are presently available, especially of the type designed for use in wet areas like showers for elderly or movement impaired people.

[0004] Known stools of this type generally have cylindrical legs which fit into complementary cylindrical recesses in the seat. There might be some type of locking mechanism provided to keep the legs in place, or more commonly, the legs are merely held in place by gravity due to the orientation of the seat above the legs.

[0005] The arrangement of complementary cylindrical legs and sockets means that, for ease of use, the sockets are provided with a somewhat larger diameter than that of the leg. This is so that a user, especially one without great ease of movement, can easily fit the leg to the socket. Unfortunately, this arrangement results in extra space within the socket such that the leg is afforded some perpendicular movement within the socket. This movement, however slight, causes instability in the piece of furniture and, in extreme cases, a lack of safety in using the furniture.

[0006] The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous furniture with removable legs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a system of providing stability and rigidity to dismantlable furniture comprising the use of at least three removable legs, wherein the removable leg comprises an end with a tapered wall receivable within a socket with a tapered wall in the furniture.

[0008] In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an article of dismantlable furniture with at least three removable legs, wherein the removable leg comprises an end with a tapered wall receivable within a socket with a tapered wall in the furniture.

[0009] The furniture may comprise a seat.

[0010] The socket may comprise a socket wall projecting from the furniture such that a length of the socket exceeds a depth of the furniture.

[001 1 ] The leg may be substantially cylindrical in shape.

[0012] The tapered wall of the leg may be complementary to the tapered wall of the socket.

[0013] The taper of the socket may commence earlier than the corresponding taper of the leg such that a snug fit between the two will be achieved before the end of the leg reaches an end of the socket.

[0014] The furniture is dismantlable such that it may be able to be fiat-packed.

[0015] The system or article of furniture may further comprise an additional locking mechanism for ensuring that the leg does not separate from the furniture unless desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of a seat in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a leg in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] Referring to the Figures, there is shown a tapered furniture leg 10 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The leg 10 is the suitable for use with an article of furniture, shown in Figure 1 as a seat 12, and is removable therefrom.

[0018] With specific reference to Figure 1 , there is shown a portion of an article of furniture, for example a seat 12. The seat 12 comprises an upper surface 14 for use as a place on which a seated body can rest, as would be understood. t is preferred that the seat 12 is constructed of a rigid plastic material.

[0019] The seat 12 further comprises a socket 16 within an underside 20 of the seat 12. The socket 16 is generally towards an outer circumference of the seat 12. The socket 16 does not extend through the seat 12 to the upper surface 14 but ends within the seat 12.

[0020] Walls 18 of the socket 16 taper inwards at the end of the socket 16 nearest the upper surface 14. Accordingly, a diameter of the socket 16 reduces gradually towards an inner end of the socket 16.

[0021 ] The seat 12 may further include a socket wall 22 projecting from the underside 20 of the seat 12. The wall 22 surrounds the socket 16 such that a length of the socket 16 may exceed a thickness of the seat 12.

[0022] Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a portion of a tapered furniture leg 10. The leg 10 is generally elongated and preferably cylindrical in shape. It is preferred that the leg 10 is constructed of metal and is hollow. [0023] An upper end of the leg 10 proximal to the seat 12 has a tapered wall 24 such that a diameter of the leg 10 reduces gradually towards the upper end of the leg 10. Accordingly, the tapered end of the leg 10 generally complements the tapered inner end of the socket 16.

[0024] It is preferred that the socket 16 has a similar taper to the leg 10 such that, in use, a snug fit between the leg 10 and the seat 12 is achieved when the two are connected. Alternatively, it is preferred that the taper of the socket 16 begins earlier than the corresponding taper of the leg 10 such that, in use, as the leg 10 is inserted into the socket 16, before the end of the leg 10 reaches the end of the socket 16, a snug fit between the two will be achieved.

[0025] In use, the seat 12 and leg 10 may be separated from one another for the purpose of packaging, cleaning, storage or otherwise. When it is desired to assemble the furniture for use or any other reason, the tapered end of the leg 10 is aligned with the socket 16 of the seat 12. The leg 10 is then inserted into the socket 16 until a snug fit is achieved. Slight twisting of the leg 10 relative to the seat 12 may be used to achieve a more secure fit. Additional locking mechanisms may be incorporated into the furniture to ensure that the leg 10 does not separate from the seat 12 unless desired.

[0026] Once a user desires to separate the leg 10 from the seat 12 for any purpose, disassembly can be achieved by simply removing the leg 10 from the socket 16. Again, slight twisting of the leg 10 relative to the seat 12 may be utilised for assi sting in removal of the leg 10.

[0027] It has been advantageously found that the tapered socket 16 and leg 10 cooperatively achieve a closer fit than existing furniture with removable legs 10 thereby resulting in far more stable and safer furniture. Accordingly, the furniture is afforded enhanced stability and rigidity when compared with prior art pieces of furniture with removable legs 10. [0028] As would be easily understood, an article of furniture according to the present invention may comprise more than a single leg 10. Additional legs 10 may be provided with the tapered wall 24 for complementary engagement with additional sockets 16 provided within the seat 12.

[0029] Other embodiment tapered furniture legs 10 are also contemplated in accordance with the present invention. For instance, the aforementioned article of furniture, instead of being a seat 12, be any piece of furniture from which legs 10 may be removed, for example, a table or a bench . Also, the material of the seat 12 and leg 10 are not limited to rigid plastic material and metal respectively, but may be constructed of any suitable or desirable material lending the requisite fonn and function to the article of furniture embodying the present invention. Similarly, the leg 10 is not necessarily hollow or cylindrical in shape but is of a suitable construction to act as a furniture leg 10 and may be rectangular, triangular or even irregular in cross- section, for example.

[0030] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.