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EP-4737747-A1 - JOINING SYSTEM FOR FURNITURE PARTS

EP4737747A1EP 4737747 A1EP4737747 A1EP 4737747A1EP-4737747-A1

Abstract

A joining system (1) for connecting furniture parts (10, 20) comprises a female coupling recess (30) formed in a first furniture part (10) and a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from a second furniture part (20). The male coupling tongue (40) is insertable into the female coupling recess (30) and includes a first locking element (50) configured to snap-lock with a corresponding second locking element (60) in the recess (30). Base surfaces on both sides of the tongue (40) rest against corresponding base surfaces on both sides of the recess (30) when joined. Side support surfaces extending perpendicularly from the tongue base abut complementary support surfaces on the first furniture part (10), providing lateral stabilization, thereby ensuring symmetrical side support and high bending resistance in the locked state.

Inventors

  • MARKOVSKI, Bobby

Assignees

  • VILOX Systems AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20200124

Claims (12)

  1. A joining system (1) for furniture parts (10, 20), comprising a female coupling recess (30) formed in a first furniture part (10), the first furniture part (10) comprising a base surface (21) on two sides of the female coupling recess (30), a male coupling tongue (40) projecting from an adjoining second furniture part, the male coupling tongue (40) projecting from a base surface (43) of an adjoining second furniture part (20), wherein the base surface (43) extends on two sides of the male coupling tongue (40), the female coupling recess (30) being adapted to receive the male coupling tongue (40), the male coupling tongue (40) comprising a first locking element (50) configured for a snap joint interlocking engagement with a matching second locking element (60) in said female coupling recess, the base surfaces (43) extending on two sides of the male coupling tongue (40) being configured to rest against the base surfaces (21) on two sides of the female coupling recess (30) when the joining system (1) is in the joined state, wherein side support surfaces (181) extend perpendicular from a base portion (41) of the male coupling tongue (40) on the second furniture part (20) for direct abutment against support surfaces (171) on the first furniture part (10), thereby providing symmetrical side stability and bending resistance in a locked and joined state between the first furniture part (10) and the second furniture part (20)
  2. The joining system of claim 1, wherein an upper guiding surface (110) is arranged on a first side (115) of the female coupling recess (30), forming an essentially rigid or non-resilient guide for the male coupling tongue (40) upon insertion thereof, limiting movement of the male coupling tongue (40) in a direction towards the first side (115) of the female coupling recess (30), the joining system (1) comprising a lower guiding surface (130) arranged on a second side (116) of the female coupling recess (30) on the first furniture part (10), located opposite to said first side (115) thereof.
  3. The joining system of claim 2, wherein the lower guiding surface (130) at its lowest end (160) transitions into a lateral locking surface (170) extending essentially parallelly to a longitudinal direction of the female coupling recess (30). The lateral locking surface (170) is configured to exert a horizontal pressure (P) on the male coupling tongue (40) towards the first side (115) of the female coupling recess (30).
  4. The joining system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the lower guiding surface (130) is arranged at an apex formed at the joining edge of the lateral locking surface (170) and an inclined surface (48) at the second side (116) of the female coupling recess 30.
  5. The joining system of any one of claims 2-4, wherein the lower guiding surface (130) forms part of the inclined surface (48) and the lateral locking surface (170), effectively being combined to form a curved lower guiding surface (130), where the inclined surface (48) and the lateral locking surface (170) form either a defined edge or a smoother transition.
  6. The joining system of any one of claims 2-5, wherein the lateral locking surface (170) faces an opposite second surface (172) of the female coupling recess (30).
  7. The joining system of any one of claims 2-6, wherein the lower guiding surface (130) at its lowest end transitions into a lateral locking surface (170) extending essentially parallelly to a longitudinal direction of the female coupling recess (30).
  8. The joining system of any one of claims 2-7, wherein the lateral locking surface (170) is configured to exert a horizontal pressure on the male coupling tongue (40) towards the first side of the female coupling recess (30), such that the horizontal pressure holds the first and second locking elements (50, 60) of the male coupling tongue (40) and the female coupling recess (30) in engagement with each other in a joined state between the first furniture part (10) and the second furniture part (20).
  9. The joining system of any one of claims 2-8, wherein the first locking element comprises a flexible locking protrusion (470) integrally formed in the male coupling tongue and extends laterally from the male coupling tongue.
  10. The joining system of claim 9, wherein the second locking element in said female coupling recess comprises a locking groove to receive the flexible locking protrusion for said interlocking engagement.
  11. The joining system of any one of claims 9-10, wherein the female coupling recess comprises a coupling release channel with an open end facing the flexible locking protrusion of the male coupling tongue when locked in the female coupling recess.
  12. The joining system of 11, wherein the coupling release channel is adapted for receiving a coupling release rod to engage with the flexible locking protrusion and force the flexible locking protrusion to flex out of its engagement with the locking groove in the female coupling recess so as to deliberately separate the first furniture part from the second furniture part.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a joining system for furniture parts, comprising a female coupling recess formed in a first furniture part. The female coupling recess is adapted to receive a male coupling tongue projecting from an adjoining second furniture part. BACKGROUND In the recent years the furniture industry is gradually replacing traditional fastening and joining methods using nails and screw and nut joining elements with various snap-locking joining systems. This trend vastly facilitates installation of furniture such as for example book shelves, wardrobes and cupboards. An example of such a joining system is described in US 9 714 672 (B2) where a set of panels includes a first panel having a first main plane and a second panel having a second main plane. The panels are provided with a mechanical locking device for locking a first edge of the first panel to a second edge of the second panel. The mechanical locking device includes an edge section groove at the first edge, wherein an edge section of the second edge is insertable into the edge section groove. A flexible tongue is pre-fitted in an insertion groove provided in the edge section groove and cooperates with a tongue groove provided at the edge section of the second panel. The complexity of the joining systems in the prior art is a problem that entails complicated and expensive manufacturing processes. A further problem with the prior art systems is lack of stability in certain load direction. In some cases the lack of structural symmetry, results in insufficient side stability, or bending resistance. Stability may be sufficient when subjected to a force in one direction. If subjected to a force in another direction, normally the opposite direction, the prior art joining systems may be weaker and eventually flex, deflect or bend in an undesired way. These uneven stability properties of the joints have to be taken into account when designing a piece of furniture, which potentially limits available design options in the design process. SUMMARY It is an object of the invention to at least partly overcome one or more limitations of the prior art. In particular, it is an object to provide and improved joining system for furniture parts which is less complex to manufacture and which is more robust with an increased multi-directional side stability compared to existing joining systems. In as first aspect of the invention, this is achieved by a joining system for furniture parts comprising female coupling recess formed in a first furniture part, a male coupling tongue projecting from an adjoining second furniture part, said female coupling recess being adapted to receive the male coupling tongue, said male coupling tongue comprising a first locking element configured for a snap joint interlocking engagement with a matching second locking element in said female coupling recess, the male coupling tongue being configured to be more flexible than the female coupling recess. The joining system comprises an upper guiding surface arranged on a first side of the female coupling recess on the first furniture part, forming an essentially non-resilient guide for the male coupling tongue upon insertion thereof, limiting movement of said male coupling tongue in a direction towards said first side of the female coupling recess. The joining system comprises a lower guiding surface arranged on a second side of the female coupling recess on the first furniture part, located opposite to said first side thereof, said lower guiding surface is configured to force the male coupling tongue to resiliently deflect whilst in engagement with said upper guiding surface upon further insertion thereof in a deflection movement towards said first side of the female coupling recess, until the first locking element of the male coupling tongue snaps together with the matching second locking element of the female coupling recess. The lower guiding surface at its lowest end transitions into a lateral locking surface extending essentially parallelly to a longitudinal direction of the female coupling recess, said lateral locking surface is configured to exert a horizontal pressure on the male coupling tongue towards said first side of the female coupling recess, holding the first and second locking elements of the male coupling tongue and the female coupling recess in engagement with each other in a joined state between the first furniture part and the second furniture part. Having a lower guiding surface configured to force the male coupling tongue to resiliently deflect whilst in engagement with said upper guiding surface upon further insertion thereof in a deflection movement towards said first side of the female coupling recess, until the first locking element of the male coupling tongue snaps together with the matching second locking element of the female coupling recess, provides for a robust joining system with an increased multi-directional side stability, while being l