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(11) | EP 2 630 893 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC |
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| (54) | DEVICE FOR CONNECTING CHAIRS IN A ROW |
| (57) The invention can be used to arrange a group of chairs (1) in a row, preventing the
unwanted movement thereof. The invention is particularly suitable for chairs (1) having
a lower frame (2) located beneath the seat (3), said frame (2) including at least
one tubular section (4) on which the seat (3) rests. The device is characterised in
that it includes a female part (10) and a male part (20) which are connected to the
tubular section (4) of the chair (1) and intended to be solidly connected to the male
(20) and female (10) parts of laterally-adjacent chairs (1). Moreover, the female
and male parts (10, 20) include pivot means (30) allowing said parts to be quickly
and easily extended or folded away depending on whether or not a row of chairs (1)
is required |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of furniture and, more specifically, to chairs and their accessories.
[0002] The main object of the present invention is a device specially adapted for joining adjacent chairs, forming a straight row without misadjustments, thereby avoiding undesired movements and noises from the chairs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Currently, different types of furniture (chairs, seats or similar) susceptible of being successively joined together two by two to form modular units are known in the state of the art.
[0004] These currently known solutions require a specific configuration of their constituent elements; for example, in cinemas, a row of seats is generally mounted on a common bar with its own bearings. Other technical solutions require the use of units formed from parts of high structural complexity, which hampers assembly and disassembly thereof to a large degree, as well as considerably raising manufacturing and production costs.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention resolves the aforementioned drawbacks by providing a device for joining chairs whereby a group of chairs can be quickly and easily distributed in row alignment, forming a straight row without misadjustments and preventing undesired shifting and movement of the chairs caused by the user's constant action of standing up and sitting down.
[0006] The device for joining chairs object of the invention is of the type comprising a female part and a male part destined for joining and solidarily interlocking with other male and female parts, respectively, of chairs disposed in adjacent lateral positions. More specifically, the device described herein is especially intended for chairs having a bottom frame disposed underneath the seat, said frame having at least one tubular profile whereupon said seat rests.
[0007] The device of the invention stands out mainly because its female and male parts comprise folding means, in such a manner that it is possible to extract and retract these in a fast and simple manner, depending on whether or not arrangement of chairs in row alignment is required, remaining totally hidden underneath the chair if not required.
[0008] The female part of the present invention comprises a first fixing body having a recess dimensionally adapted for adjusting to the tubular profile of the chair frame; and a locking element, preferably T-shaped, which is associated to the fixing body and defines an enclosed space, having diverging projections on its distal end.
[0009] For its part, the male part comprises a second fixing body also having a recess adapted for adjusting to the tubular profile of the chair; and a hooking element associated to the second fixing body, having sharp vertical projections on its distal end destined for being introduced into the projections of the female part, stopping against these and preventing involuntary unhooking and release thereof.
[0010] Preferably, the fixing bodies of the female and male parts are manufactured from plastic material, while the locking and hooking elements are preferably metallic.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] In order to complete the description that is being made and with the object of helping to better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, accompanying said description as an integral part thereof, is a set of drawings wherein the following has been represented in an illustrative and non-limiting manner:
Figure 1 shows a bottom view of a chair that incorporates the device for joining chairs in row alignment object of the invention.
Figure 2 shows another bottom view of the chair where its two parts for connecting to adjacent chairs have been deployed.
Figure 3 shows an upper view of the female part.
Figure 4 shows a side view of the female part.
Figure 5 shows an upper view of the male part.
Figure 6 shows a side view of the male part.
Figure 7 shows a perspective view showing the connection between the locking element of the female part and the hooking element of the male part.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In accordance with a preferred embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, the device for joining chairs (1) object of the invention comprises a female part (10) and a male part (20) destined for being installed on the underside (3) of a chair (1). More specifically, in said figures 1 and 2 a bottom frame (2) having two tubular profiles (4) whereupon the seat (3) of the chair (1) rests is represented.
[0013] The device for joining chairs (1) object of the invention stands out basically for comprising folding means (30) which allow the female and male parts (10, 20) to be extracted and retracted in a fast and simple manner.
[0014] Figure 1 shows the female and male (10, 20) parts of the present invention, retracted and disposed in opposition to each other, remaining completely hidden underneath the seat (3) of the chair (1) in situations where arrangement of chairs (1) in row alignment is not required.
[0015] Further, figure 2 shows the female and male parts (10, 20) folded and pivotally deployed outwards approximately 180°, prepared for being joined laterally to other male and female parts (20, 19), respectively, of adjacent chairs (1).
[0016] Figures 3 and 4 represent the female part (10) of the invention, which stands out basically for comprising:
- a first fixing body (11) having a recess (12) dimensionally adapted for adjusting in the tubular profile (4) of the chair (1) of the frame (2); and
- a locking element (13) associated to the first fixing body (11), which defines a T-shaped enclosed space, having two diverging projections (14) on its distal end by way of a fork joined by one of their sides.
[0017] For its part, figures 5 and 6 show upper and side views, respectively, of the male part (20) of the invention, which comprises:
- a second fixing body (21) also having a recess (22) dimensionally adapted for adjusting to the tubular profile (4) of the chair (1) frame (2), and
- a hooking element (23) associated to the second fixing body (21), having a pair of tilted sections (25), shown in figure 6, on its distal end, wherefrom sharp vertical projections (24) joined by means of an intermediate horizontal section (28) project, destined for being introduced into the projections (14) of the female part (10) of the adjacent chair (1), stopping against these and preventing involuntary unhooking thereof.
[0018] As can be observed in figures 3 and 5, the folding means (30) comprise passage holes (17, 27) on the fixing bodies (11, 21) of the female and male part (10, 20), respectively, allowing both the locking element (13) and hooking element (23) to rotate approximately 180°, remaining completely hidden underneath the seat (3) of the chair (1) in situations where arrangement of chairs (1) in row alignment is not required.
[0019] In the case of the female part (10), two side sections (15) project from the fixing body (22) which taper slightly towards each other and end in two elongated parallel sections (16), shown in figure 3, on the distal end of which the aforementioned diverging projections (14) are defined. As can be observed in figure 4, the locking element (13) is aligned along the same horizontal plane at all times.
[0020] In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention, not represented herein, both the locking element (13) and the hooking element (23) additionally comprise a rod on their proximal end which articulates on the fixing parts (11, 21), respectively, for folding thereof.
1. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, especially intended for chairs (1)
having a bottom frame (2) disposed underneath the seat (3), said frame (2) having
at least one tubular profile (4) whereupon the seat (3) rests, said device comprising
a female part (10) and a male part (20) associated to the tubular profile (4) of the
chair (1), destined for being solidarily joined to other male (20) and female (10)
parts, respectively, of chairs (1) disposed in adjacent lateral positions, characterised in that the female and male parts (10, 20) comprise folding means (30) which allow extraction
and deployment thereof in a fast and simple manner, depending on whether or not arrangement
of chairs (1) in row alignment is required.
2. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment according to claim 1, characterised in that the female part (10) comprises:
- a first fixing body (11) having a recess (12) dimensionally adapted for adjusting to the tubular profile (4) of the chair (1) frame (2), and
- a locking element (13) associated to the first fixing body (11), which defines an enclosed space and has diverging projections (14) on its distal end.
3. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, according to claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the male part (20) comprises:
- a second fixing body (21), also having a recess (22) dimensionally adapted for adjusting to the tubular profile (4) of the chair (1) frame (2), and
- a hooking element (23) associated to the second fixing body (21), having a pair of tilted sections (25) on its distal end, wherefrom sharp vertical projections (24) joined together by means of a horizontal intermediate section (28) project, destined for being introduced into the projections (14) of the female part (10) of the adjacent chair (1), stopping against these and preventing involuntary unhooking thereof.
4. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the folding means (30) comprise passage holes (17, 27) made in the fixing bodies
(11, 21) of the female and male parts (10, 20), respectively, allowing both the locking
element (13) and hooking element (23) to rotate approximately 180°, remaining completely
hidden underneath the seat (3) of the chair (1) in situations where arrangement of
chairs (1) in row alignment is not required.
5. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, according to claims 1 to 3, characterised in that both the locking element (13) and hooking element (23) additionally comprise a rod
on their proximal end which articulates on the fixing parts (11, 21), respectively,
for folding thereof.
6. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, according to claims 2 and 3, characterised in that the fixing bodies (11, 21) of the female part (10) and male part (20), respectively,
are manufactured from plastic.
7. Device for joining chairs (1) in row alignment, according to claims 2 and 3, characterised in that both the locking element (13) and hooking element (23) are metallic.