FURNISHING OBJECT

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

5 The present invention concerns a joint member to connect together, preferably in a permanent manner, two adjacent components of a furnishing object, such as for example parts of a piece of furniture, or a frame to make a panel, or a box. The invention also concerns the furnishing object that includes said joint member.

0 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the furnishing sector and in particular in the manufacture of different furnishing objects, such as doors for pieces of furniture, it is known to use different joint members, such as pegs, splints, connection plates, or other metal pieces, in order to connect, either permanently or in such a way that they can be5 disassembled, two adjacent components of a furnishing object, such as for example the parts of a panel or a frame, disposed at 90° with respect to each other.

Examples of joint members are described in documents DE-A-197.53.638, EP-A-1.989.956, DE-U-20.2012.102484, FR-A-2.809.143, EP-A-0.510.560, FR- 0 A-l .592.733.

DE-A-197.53.638 for example provides two triangular plates with surface ridges to couple to corresponding notches made on the corners of the components of the furnishing object to be coupled. Document EP-A-1.989.956 provides a complex system with half-moon shaped plates with coupling teeth. DE-U- 5 20.2012.102484 provides a coupling between two plates, one U-shaped and the other having attachment teeth that are inserted, by interference, in the U-shaped seating of one of the two plates.

Normally, a joint member is inserted in corresponding cavities, or notches, made in the two components to be connected to each other, in correspondence to 0 one of their joint edges.

However, known joint members are not very reliable, not very stable, or too complex, or too costly to make.

One purpose of the present invention is to make a joint member to connect two adjacent components of a furnishing object which is simple, reliable and not expensive.

Another purpose of the present invention is to make a joint member to connect two adjacent components of a furnishing object which is small and which at the same time offers an increased external contact surface, so as to make the connection between the two components secure and lasting over time.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a joint member according to the present invention is configured to connect to each other, in a new and original way, two adjacent components of a furnishing object, each of which is provided with at least a cavity made in correspondence to its joint edge.

The joint member according to the present invention comprises a flat plate- type element, configured to be inserted partly in said cavity of one of the two components and also partly in the cavity of the other of the two adjacent components to be connected to each other.

In accordance with a possible form of embodiment, the flat plate-type element has a longitudinal development along a first axis.

According to one characteristic of the present invention, the joint member comprises, in a single body with the flat plate-type element, one or more oblong elements, conformed as a pin and with a longitudinal development along a second axis, transverse to the first axis.

The at least one oblong element is provided with two ends both protruding from one side and from the other of the flat plate-type element, to increase the connection surface between the joint member and the two adjacent components of the furnishing object to be connected to each other.

In a preferred embodiment, the oblong element or elements have a cylindrical conformation with a greater diameter than the thickness of the flat plate-type element. In this way, the oblong elements determine, on both sides of the flat plate-type element, a localized increased thickness in a transverse direction to the longitudinal axis of the flat plate-type element, which increases the connection surface between the components of the furnishing object.

This configuration of the joint member allows to obtain a secure and long lasting connection of the components that are connected. In particular, the flat plate-type element defines an ample usable interface surface with the components that are connected, so as to ensure the connection, for example by gluing the components. Thanks to their transverse disposition and to the fact that they protrude from both sides of the flat plate-type element, the oblong elements are able to increase the connection action of the components, preventing them from possibly becoming reciprocally detached.

In accordance with a first form of embodiment there are two oblong elements, while in accordance with a second form of embodiment there are three oblong elements. It is clear that there can be one or more than three oblong elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some forms of embodiment, given as a non- restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a perspective view of a joint member according to the present invention, in accordance with a first form of embodiment;

- fig. 2 is a view from above of the joint member in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 3 is a lateral view of the joint member in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 4 is a front view of the joint member in fig. 1 ;

- fig. 5 is a perspective and schematized view of a furnishing component on which the joint member of fig. 1 is installed;

- fig. 6 shows an enlarged detail A of fig. 5;

- fig. 7 is a perspective view of a joint member according to the present invention, in accordance with a second form of embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME FORMS OF EMBODIMENT

With reference to figs. 1 to 4, a joint member 10 according to the present invention, in accordance with a first form of embodiment, comprises a flat plate- type element 1 1 with a mainly longitudinal development along a first axis X. The joint member 10, as can be seen in figs. 5 and 6, is used to connect together two or more components of a furnishing object 14, in a non-removable way.

In accordance with the forms of embodiment shown in figs. 1-4, the flat plate- type element 1 1 has an elliptical shape for example.

According to possible solutions, the elliptical shape of the flat plate-type element 1 1 has two opposite rounded ends 19 along the longitudinal extension of the first axis X.

The rounded shape of the rounded ends 19 allows to facilitate the reciprocal connection operations of the components 16, in particular the insertion in respective cavities or holes, as will be seen in more detail hereafter.

According to possible solutions, the flat plate-type element 1 1 can have a thickness comprised preferably between 2 mm and 6 mm, and even more preferably between 2 mm and 4 mm. The length of the flat plate-type element 1 1, taken along the first axis X, can be comprised preferably between 40 mm and 100 mm, and even more preferably between 50 mm and 80 mm, while the width can be comprised preferably between 20 mm and 30 mm, and even more preferably between 22 mm and 25 mm.

The joint member 10 also comprises, in a single body with the flat plate-type element 1 1, at least one oblong element 12, in this case two oblong elements 12 which each develop along a respective second axis Y transverse to the first axis X.

The oblong elements 12 have ends 17 that protrude laterally from opposite sides with respect to the flat plate-type element 1 1.

In accordance with one possible solution, the two ends 17 of each of the oblong elements 12 protrude laterally by the same distance from the perimeter edge of the flat plate-type element 1 1. In this way the oblong elements 12 are substantially centered symmetrically with respect to the flat plate-type element 1 1.

In accordance with one possible solution, the second axes Y of the two oblong elements 12 are perpendicular to the first axis X (fig. 2) of the flat plate-type element 11.

In accordance with one possible solution, the flat plate-type element 11 has two opposite surfaces, respectively an upper surface and a lower surface, that define the plan development of the flat plate-type element 1 1. According to one solution of the invention, the first axis X and the second axes Y are located substantially parallel to the two opposite surfaces.

In accordance with another solution the first axis X and the second axes Y are located coplanar with respect to each other.

According to another form of embodiment the second axes Y of the two oblong elements 12 are located equidistant from the median transverse axis passing through the center C of the flat element 1 1.

In accordance with one possible solution, the oblong elements 12 are conformed substantially as a pin with a cross section that can be chosen from a group comprising a circular, square, rectangular, polygonal or mixed shape.

In accordance with the forms of embodiment in figs. 1-4, each oblong element 12 can preferably have a cylindrical shape.

In accordance with the solution in fig. 1, each oblong element 12 is about 40 mm long and has a diameter, or thickness, comprised advantageously between 5 mm and 10 mm, and even more advantageously between 7 mm and 9 mm.

It is clear that in other forms of embodiment, the oblong element 12 can be of different lengths, for example longer, in order to increase the surface useful for gluing and therefore the resistance of the coupling.

In accordance with one possible solution, each oblong element 12 is provided on its external surface with a plurality of knurls defined by notches 18 that develop parallel to the second axis Y. The orientation of the notches 18 is such as to facilitate the introduction of the oblong elements 12 in respective cavities 15 of said components 13 to be connected.

In accordance with one possible solution, the flat plate-type element 1 1 is also provided on its external surfaces with knurls configured to increase the adhesion of the flat plate-type element 1 1 in the cavities 15.

The presence of the knurls, together with the reduced thickness of the flat element 1 1, allows to insert the whole joint member 10 with ease into the cavities 15 and makes the coupling stable and long lasting, which is then consolidated with a possible adhesive.

In accordance with one possible form of embodiment, shown in figs. 1-6, the flat plate-type element 1 1 has a thickness S that is less than the thickness T, in this case the diameter, of the oblong element 12.

In this way, as well as protruding laterally on both sides of the flat plate-type element 1 1 with its ends 17, the oblong element 12 also protrudes at the front, from both the faces of the flat plate-type element 1 1, thus further increasing the connection surface between the joint member 10 and the components 13 which are connected.

The joint member 10 is thus configured to connect the two components 13 to each other (figs. 5 and 6), adjacent to each other, and to define a furnishing object 14 (fig. 5) that, in the example given here, is the frame of a panel of a piece of furniture. In particular, to better understand the present invention, in fig. 5 one of the four components 13 that form the frame of the furnishing object 14 (the one on the right) has been removed so as to show how the joint member 10 is positioned with respect to the components 13. It is clear that a joint member 10 is positioned at each of the four corners of the furnishing object 14.

Each of the four components 13 is provided with at least one of the cavities 15 (fig. 6) made in correspondence with its joint edge 16, which in this case is oblique, at 45° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding component 13.

In accordance with a possible form of embodiment, the joint edge 16 can have different inclinations, as the joint member 10 according to the present invention is not limited to the connection of components 13 with a connection angle of 45°. Solutions can be provided for example in which the oblong elements 12 are reciprocally connected at 90°.

The flat plate-type element 1 1 and the two oblong elements 12 are configured to be partly inserted in a cavity 15 of one of the two adjacent components to be connected to each other, and also partly in the cavity 15 of the other of the two adj acent components 13.

Gluing means of the known type can be inserted in the cavities 15 to attach each joint member 10 better to the components 13.

In accordance with a second form of embodiment of the present invention, shown in fig. 7, a joint member 1 10 according to the present invention comprises a flat plate-type element 1 1 1 similar to the flat plate-type element 1 1 , but having a length comprised preferably between 80 mm and 100 mm. Moreover, this second form of embodiment provides three oblong elements 112, similar to the oblong elements 12, made in a single body with the flat plate-type element 1 11.

The three oblong elements 1 12 also protrude equally from opposite sides with respect to the flat plate-type element 1 1 1, they are perpendicular to a first axis that, in this case, is indicated in fig. 7 by the reference XI and they are also equidistant from the center CI of this.

In the examples given here the joint members 10, 110 are made of plastic, preferably of the recyclable type, and are made by molding.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the joint members 10, 1 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

For example, the material used to make the joint element could be metal or wood, rather than plastic.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of joint members, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.