Fastening mechanism and a furniture assembly
View Patent ↗A fastening mechanism configured to connect a first member to a second member may have a clamp member having an enclosure for enclosing the first member. The mechanism may also have engagement sheets extending from two side edges of the enclosure. Each engagement sheet may have a first engagement portion. The mechanism may also have a locking member having slots where the engagement sheets of the clamp member may be configured to be inserted through the slots. The mechanism may also have an actuating and tensioning device having a main body portion provided with second engagement portions engaged with the first engagement portions, and a force application mechanism affixed to the main body portion for applying a force on the locking member to shift the relative position between the locking member and the clamp member. A furniture assembly using the fastening mechanism is also provided.
1. A fastening mechanism, the fastening mechanism being configured to connect a first member to a second member in a piece of furniture, wherein the fastening mechanism comprises:
a clamp member having an enclosure for enclosing the first member, and engagement sheets extending from two side edges of the enclosure, each of the engagement sheets is provided with a first engagement portion, and each of the engagement sheets of the clamp member includes a first portion extending from the side edge of the enclosure, wherein a pair of the first portions of the engagement sheets respectively extend from the side edges of the enclosure and are gradually close to each other, and a second portion extends from each first portion, wherein a pair of second portions extending from the first portions are parallel to each other;
a locking member having slots, the engagement sheets of the clamp member being configured to be able to be inserted through the slots, wherein the first portion is configured to be inserted into the slots of the locking member, and the first engagement portion is arranged on the second portion; and
an actuating and tensioning means comprising:
a body portion provided with a second engagement portion engaged with the first engagement portion of the engagement sheets and a connection portion for fixing the second member, and
a force application mechanism attached to the body portion for applying a locking force on the locking member to shift a relative position between the locking member and the clamp member, wherein the force application mechanism comprises a screw and nut, the screw being inserted into a channel provided in the body portion of the actuating and tensioning means and being screwed to the nut,
wherein the locking member has a flared portion, the flared portion faces toward the enclosure of the clamp member and an inner wall surface of the flared portion engages with the first portions of the engagement sheets.
2. The fastening mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion comprises holes provided in the engagement sheets, the second engagement portion comprises raised portions provided on opposite sides of the body portion of the actuating and tensioning means, and the raised portions are snap-fitted into the holes.
3. The fastening mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the flared portion has oppositely-extending side walls, the inner wall surface of each side wall is provided with a flange, and an inner edge of each flange engages with an outer edge of a respective engagement sheet.
4. The fastening mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the locking member and the actuating and tensioning means are provided with guide mechanisms mating with each other.
5. A furniture assembly comprising a first furniture member, a second furniture member, and a fastening mechanism according to any one of the claims 1 , 2 and 3 - 4 :
wherein one of the first furniture member and the second furniture member is an elongated member; and the clamp member of the fastening mechanism is sleeved over the elongated member such that the enclosure
encloses an outer peripheral surface of the elongated member at a predetermined position, and
the fastening mechanism is connected to the other of the first furniture member and the second furniture member.