IP Library Granted Patent US 12,313,105
Granted Patent B2
US 12,313,105 · App. 18/772,747 · Granted May 27, 2025

Piece of furniture

Inventors: Luc Maertens (Ardooie, BE); Luc Deman (Izegem, BE); Guy Van Hooydonck (Schoten, BE); Benny Schacht (Vlamertinge, BE)
Assignee: Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
F16B12/12F16B12/46A47B47/0075A47B2230/0081F16B2012/466
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,313,105
App. No.
18/772,747
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A piece of furniture, comprising a first and second furniture part, which are coupled to each other at an angle by means of mechanical coupling means. A female part is made as an oblong slot in the second furniture part with an insertion opening for introducing a male part. When coupling the first furniture part and the second furniture part to each other, the male part is brought from an insertion position in the insertion opening to an end position in the female part by moving the male part and the female part along each other. The male part is situated on a narrow end of the first furniture part and is positioned with its center line between the central plane of the first furniture part and the inner side of the first furniture part. The slot is realized in the inwardly directed flat side of the second furniture part.

Claims (35)

1. A piece of furniture, comprising:

a first furniture part defining a first female feature including an insertion opening, and a slot forming engagement elements including grooves and protrusions, the slot communicating with the insertion opening;

a second furniture part defining a second female feature including an insertion opening and a slot forming engagement elements including grooves and protrusions, the slot communicating with the insertion opening; and

a male part having a center line and engagement elements including grooves and protrusions extending about the center line;

wherein the male part is arranged to extend into the insertion openings of the first and second female features, such that movement of the first furniture part relative to the second furniture part urges the engagement elements of the male part into mutual cooperation with the engagement elements of the first and second female features to obtain a coupling of the first furniture part to the second furniture part.

2. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the grooves and protrusions of the first female feature are inclined relative to the grooves and protrusions of the male part.

3. The piece of furniture of claim 2 , wherein the grooves and protrusions of the first female feature are inclined at an angle (B) of 2 to 20°.

4. The piece of furniture of claim 2 , wherein the male part is symmetrical about the center line and along a length of the male part.

5. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the male part is symmetrical about the center line and along a length of the male part.

6. The piece of furniture of claim 5 , wherein the male part defines a circular cross-section.

7. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the male part is defined as a separate insert relative to the first and second furniture parts.

8. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the male part is arranged to be positioned with the center line between a central plane of the first furniture part and an inner side of the first furniture part;

wherein the slot of the first female feature is positioned between a central plane of the second furniture part and an inner side of the second furniture part.

9. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein at least two-thirds of the male part are located between a central plane and an inwardly directed side of the first furniture part.

10. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the insertion opening of the first female feature has a larger diameter than a diameter of the slot.

11. The piece of furniture of claim 10 , wherein the center line of the male part is arranged to be aligned with an axis of the diameter of the insertion opening such that coupling occurs by urging the male part toward the slot in at least a longitudinal direction of the slot relative to the axis of the diameter of the insertion opening.

12. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the second female feature is defined along a flat side of the second furniture part with a layered-shaped covering.

13. The piece of furniture of claim 12 , wherein the first female feature is defined at a narrow end of the first furniture part.

14. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the insertion opening and the slot of the first female feature define a continuous oblong slot wherein at least a portion of the insertion opening is devoid of the engagement elements.

15. A composed element, comprising:

a first part defining a first female feature including an insertion opening, and a slot forming engagement elements including grooves and protrusions, the slot communicating with the insertion opening;

a second part defining a second female feature including an insertion opening and a slot forming engagement elements including grooves and protrusions, the slot communicating with the insertion opening; and

a male part having a center line and engagement elements including grooves and protrusions extending about the center line;

wherein the male part is arranged to extend into the insertion openings of the first and second female features, such that movement of the first part relative to the second part urges the engagement elements of the male part into mutual cooperation with the engagement elements of the first and second female features to obtain a glueless coupling of the first part to the second part.

16. The composed element of claim 15 , wherein the grooves and protrusions of the first female feature are inclined relative to the grooves and protrusions of the male part.

17. The composed element of claim 16 , wherein the grooves and protrusions of the first female feature are inclined at an angle (B) of 2 to 20°.

18. The composed element of claim 15 , wherein the male part is symmetrical about the center line and along a length of the male part, wherein the male part is defined as a separate insert relative to the first and second parts.

19. The composed element of claim 15 , wherein the male part is arranged to be positioned with the center line between a central plane of the first part and an inner side of the first part; and

wherein the slot of the first female feature is positioned between a central plane of the second part and an inner side of the second part.

20. A composed element, comprising:

a first part defining a first female feature including an oblong slot including an insertion opening and a slot extending from the insertion opening and having engagement elements, the insertion opening having a diameter greater than a diameter of the slot, wherein at a least a portion of the insertion opening is devoid of engagement elements;

a second part defining a second female feature including an oblong slot including an insertion opening and a slot extending from the insertion opening and having engagement elements; and

a male part having a center line and engagement elements extending about the center line;

wherein the male part is arranged to extend into the insertion openings of the first and second female features, such that movement of the first part relative to the second part urges the engagement elements of the male part into mutual cooperation with the engagement elements of the first and second female features to obtain a glueless coupling of the first part to the second part;

wherein the male part is symmetrical about the center line and along a length of the male part, wherein the male part is defined as a separate insert relative to the first and second parts.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: MAERTENS, LUC; DEMAN, LUC; VAN HOOYDONCK, GUY; SCHACHT, BENNY
To: UNILIN, BVBA
Reel/Frame 067991/0037 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: UNILIN, BVBA
To: UNILIN, BV
Reel/Frame 067991/0047 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: UNILIN, BV
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
Reel/Frame 067991/0052 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2024
From: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
To: INTER IKEA SYSTEMS B.V.
Reel/Frame 068380/0391 →
Priority Claims (1)
BE 2014/5044 · Oct 31, 2014 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18350280 · Jul 11, 2023
Continuation 17074052 · Oct 19, 2020
Continuation 15522847
Related Publication 20240384739A1 · Nov 21, 2024
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