INTERNAL EXTRUDED FRAME FURNITURE, ADJUSTABLE MEDIA SHELF AND REMOVABLE BACKING MEMBER FOR FURNITURE

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/793,425, filed on April 19, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Modular furniture has been a popular way of customizing furniture to particular needs, for example, for configuring a home entertainment or audio system relative to the number of components in the system, their size and spatial arrangement, and overall aesthetics within the room. However, modular furniture tends to have a distinct look that evidences the fact that the furniture is constructed from multiple distinct pieces.

[0003] What is needed in the art is a furniture system that enjoys the versatility of modularity, but which does not necessarily look modular.

[0004] Additionally, and with a more general reference to furniture, it is particularly advantageous to access the rear of contents stored within furniture. The most common way of doing this is to pull the contents out or rotate the contents within the furniture to access the rear (e.g., the wiring system of an audio component). Some furniture may permit the unbolting of a rear panel, but this is tedious. Also, some furniture may have apertures through the rear panel for access to the rear of contents within the furniture. However, use of apertures in the rear panel for access is often not aesthetically pleasing.

[0005] What is also needed in the art is a furniture system that provides better access to the rear of contents within furniture.

[0006] Additionally, and with general reference to furniture, shelves within furniture systems tend to clutter by virtue of the fact that such shelves have a large amount of open space.

[0007] What is also needed in the art is a shelf that integrates a simple but effective

organizational, stacking, etc. system.

SUMMARY

[0008] The above-described an other problems and deficiencies of the prior art are overcome and alleviated by the presently described modular furniture system. In an exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture system includes an extruded framework that is at least partially concealed within an exterior panel attached thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, a majority of the extruded framework is concealed within exterior panels that are attached thereto.

[0009] In another exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture system includes an interior shelf for furniture, wherein the shelf comprises two side walls having at least one lowered portion, respectively, relative to other portions of the side walls, the lowered portion of one side wall configured to removably accept one end portion of a bar, and the lowered portion of the second side wall configured to removably accept the second end portion of a bar. In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of such lowered portions are provided on each side wall (note that there may be four side walls on the shelf). In another exemplary embodiment, the shelf is configured to slide out of furniture for easy access.

[0010] In another exemplary embodiment, the modular furniture system includes a removable back panel, which panel includes at least one deformable side, configured to deform away from a support of said panel such that the deformable side is disengaged from said support. In an exemplary embodiment, such deformable side includes a cutaway portion providing room for the deformable portion to deflect towards an interior of the panel.

[0011] The above-discussed and other features and advantages of the presently described modular furniture system will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like elements are numbered alike in the

following FIGURES:

(0013] FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of exemplary modular furniture;

[0014] FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0015] FIGURE 3 is a side perspective view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0016] FIGURE 4 is a side perspective view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0017] FIGURE 4a is a front elevation view of modular furniture of Figure 4;

[0018] FIGURE 5 is a front elevation view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0019] FIGURE 6 is a front elevation view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0020] FIGURE 7 is a side perspective view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0021] FIGURE 8 is a close-up view of an exemplary flush mount door;

[0022] FIGURE 9 is a close-up view of an exemplary forwardly mounted door;

[0023] FIGURE 10 is a side perspective view of another exemplary modular furniture;

[0024] FIGURE 11 is a rear perspective view of modular components of an exemplary modular furniture;

[0025] FIGURE 12 is a side close-up view of an exemplary upright rail;

[0026] FIGURE 13 is a top close-up view of an exemplary upright rail;

[0027] FIGURE 14 is a perspective close-up view of exemplary modular components;

[0028] FIGURE 15 is a close-up side view of an exemplary rear upright rail component;

[0029] FIGURE 16 is a close-up side view of exemplary walls and rails;

[0030] FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of an exemplary hinge;

[0031] FIGURE 18 is a close-up view of an exemplary modular configuration;

[0032] FIGURE 19 is a perspective rear view of an exemplary modular furniture;

[0033] FIGURE 20 is a close-up view of exemplary supplemental electronics;

[0034] FIGURE 21 is a partial view of an exemplary drawer;

[0035] FIGURE 22 is a rear perspective view of an exemplary modular furniture with feet;

[0036] FIGURE 23 is an elevation view of exemplary angle floor material bolted to rear extrusions;

[0037] FIGURE 24 is a perspective view of exemplary installed rear panels;

[0038] FIGURE 25 is a side view of exemplary installed rear panels;

[0039] FIGURE 26 is a close-up view of a removed exemplary rear panel;

[0040] FIGURE 27 is an elevation view of an exemplary rear panel;

[0041] FIGURE 28 is a close-up perspective view of an installed exemplary rear panel;

[0042] FIGURE 29 is a close-up illustration of an exemplary rear panel being removed;

[0043] FIGURE 30 is an elevation view of an exemplary drawer;

[0044] FIGURE 31 is a top view of an exemplary drawer with crossbar;

[0045] FIGURE 32 is a front elevation view of exemplary modular furniture components;

[0046] FIGURE 33 is a side perspective view of an exemplary drawer;

[0047] FIGURE 34 is a perspective view of an exemplary partial construction of modular furniture;

[0048] FIGURES 35 (a) - (d) are front plan views of exemplary modular furniture configurations;

[0049] FIGURES 36 (a) - (d) are front plan views of exemplary modular furniture configurations;

[0050] FIGURES 37 (a) - (d) are front plan views of exemplary modular furniture configurations;

[0051] FIGURES 38 (a) - (e) are front plan views of exemplary modular furniture configurations;

[0052] FIGURES 39 (a) - (f) are schematic views of an exemplary modular furniture configuration; and

[0053] FIGURES 40 (a) - (c) are cross-sectional views of exemplary modular furniture configurations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0054] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0055] Referring now to FIGURES 1-7, perspective or front elevation views of exemplary modular furniture including at least partially internalized extruded framework is illustrated. As may be noted from the FIGURES, the illustrated exemplary furniture does not predominately evidence such internalized structure or the fact that side panels, top panels, door panels, etc. may be removable or interchangeable with other panels or doors (not shown). Indeed, the internalized modular design gives the designer a unique ability to, for example, flush or recess mount doors relative to an outside edge of a side panel, as in FIGURE 8. Alternatively, the

designer may position the doors in front of the side walls, as in FIGURE 9. Exemplary side and top panels are illustrated in an installed configuration in FIGURE 10.

[0056] Referring now to FIGURE 11, exemplary modular furniture is illustrated from a rear perspective with a top panel removed. Front 12 and rear 14 extruded rails extend along upper portions of the framework and are connected to (via bolts 18) upright rails 16. Intermediate walls 20 are bolted where desired to upright rails 16 or inserted in extrusions or slots within rails 16, where desired (see FIGURE 16).

[0057] FIGURE 12 illustrates an exemplary upright rail 16, which in this exemplary configuration, has a first portion bolting to the rear extruded rail 14, and a second portion bolting into the side panel 22. In an exemplary embodiment, the extruded rail includes holes at intervals for mounting to the side panel or for providing for other attachments interior to the side panel. Also, as may be better seen in FIGURE 13, the upright rail 16 may include extruded portions (as used herein, extruded means that the piece has a partially enclosed channel onto which may be bolted, e.g., shelves, sensor equipment, etc.).

[0058] FIGURE 14 illustrates exemplary optional configurations, such as door hinges bolted to an extrusion of an upright rail (see generally at 24) (also see FIGURES 17-18, which show the hinges attached to both the side panel as well as an extrusion); shelves, which may be either set at heights via aforementioned apertures in the uprights by pegs, or which may be infinitely adjustable via locking members engageable with the extrusions/channels (see shelf attachment at 26); and plasma mount rails 28, which are attached to the extrusions on the rear of the furniture (rear rail 14 and/or upright rails 16, as in FIGURE 15). Referring to FIGURES 19- 20, additional equipment may be attached to the extrusions, where desired (e.g., surge suppressors mounted to the rear side of an extruded rear rail). Additionally, the extrusions may be used to mount movable parts, such as the sliding drawer in FIGURE 21. As illustrated by FIGURES 22 and 24, feet may also be connected to the lower portion of an upright rail (where, for example the upright rail terminates in a threaded aperture). Also, as illustrated by FIGURE 23, lower floor contacting angle material may be bolted to the rear extrusions.

[0059] FIGURE 34 illustrates an exemplary initial construction of the modular furniture framework, that is, without any installed front doors or panels, side panels, shelves or top panels. FIGURES 35-38 also show exemplary constructions of the modular furniture framework, including single shelf units, twin shelf units, triple shelf units, and quad shelf units.

[0060] FIGURE 39 also shows exemplary construction of basic panel and rail interfaces. Including detail B of top rail to upright rail interfaces and detail C of bottom panel to upright rail interfaces. FIGURE 40 shows exemplary constructions, including side panel attachment generally at 70 (note that the bolt is within the extrusion/channel and is tightened against the extrusion channel by virtue of the threaded sleeve in the side panel and an Allen wrench, which is insertable through a hole in the upright rail. Also' note that in an exemplary embodiment, the base panel of a stacked unit may be bolted to an upper extrusion of a lower unit by similar fashion (see generally at 72). Also note that in an exemplary embodiment, a top panel may be secured to an upper rail using a hooked member 74.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, and with reference to FIGURES 24-25, a unique rear panel may be provided where greater access to the rear of, e.g., components within furniture is desired. As illustrated in the exemplary embodiment, rear panels are provided with at least one deformable side member (and in this case with two deformable side members), which deform to disengage that portion of the side with the support (in this case an extrusion/channel). FIGURES 26 and 27 illustrate how deformation of the side, e.g., by placing a finger in an eye 60 and ' pulling away from the side, moving an eye portion into an open space 62, disengages the side portion (in this case, by pulling a projection 64 on the side wall out of the extrusion/channel). Installed and deformed positions of exemplary panels are illustrated at FIGURES 28 and 29.

[0062] As discussed above, slide out shelves may also be installed in furniture (and not necessarily in modular furniture). With reference to FIGURES 30-33, an exemplary shelf includes two side walls having at least one lowered portion, respectively, relative to other portions of the side walls, the lowered portion of one side wall configured to removably accept one end portion of a bar, and the lowered portion of the second side wall configured to

removably accept the second end portion of a bar (see FIGURE 31). In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of such lowered portions are provided on each side wall (note that there may be four side walls on the shelf). In another exemplary embodiment, the shelf is configured to slide out of furniture for easy access.

[00631 It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, while exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the various embodiments have been described by way of illustration and not limitation.