Connector assembly

A furniture subassembly comprising:

• a first article and a second article, said first article having a face and a first receiving recess formed in said face;
• a connector assembly for connecting said first and second articles, said connector assembly comprising:
• a female connector defining a receiving channel;
• a male connector having a first connecting portion insertable into said receiving channel defined by said female connector;
• said female connector being adapted to be located in said first receiving recess formed in said face of said first article, said first receiving recess comprising a pair of intersecting and parallel blind bores in said face of said first article, said blind bores having equal radii, the spacing of the centres of said blind bores being less than the radius of each said blind bore;
• wherein outer regions of said female connector include end portions adapted to engage opposing inner faces of said first receiving recess;
• said end portions of said female connector configured to be acted upon by said male connector to be displaced outwardly to engage said opposing inner faces of said first receiving recess when said male connector is inserted into said receiving channel of said female connector;
• wherein said end portions of said female connector comprise integrally-formed cantilevered arms, each of said cantilevered arms having an outer face and an inner face;
• said inner face of each said cantilevered arm defining a ramped surface engaged by said first connecting portion of said male connector as it is inserted into said receiving channel of said female connector, thereby operable to deflect said cantilevered arms outwardly against the opposing inner faces of the first receiving recess;
• and
• wherein opposing inner side faces of said receiving channel of said female connector and cooperating outer side faces of said first connecting portion of said male connector are provided with cooperating formations to retain said male connector within said female connector when said first connecting portion of said male connector is inserted into said receiving channel of said female connector.

A method of assembling first and second articles using a connector assembly comprising a male connector having a first connecting portion insertable into a receiving channel defined by a respective female connector, said method comprising the steps of:

• drilling at least two intersecting and parallel blind bores in the face of the first article to form a first receiving recess, the blind bores of the first receiving recess having equal radii, the spacing of the centres of the blind bores being less than the radius of each blind bore;
• locating the female connector into the first receiving recess whereby outer portions of the female connector engage opposing inner end faces of the first receiving recess;
• inserting the first connecting portion of the male connector into the receiving channel of the female connector, whereby the connecting portion of the male connector acts against moveable end portions of the female connector such that the end portions are displaced outwardly to engage the opposing inner end faces of the first receiving recess to retain the female connector within the first receiving recess;
• wherein the end portions of the of the female connector comprise integrally-formed cantilevered arms each having an outer face and an inner face, the inner face of each cantilevered arm defining a ramped surface;
• wherein said acting against the moveable end portions of the female connector by the connecting portion of the male connector comprises engaging the inner face of each cantilevered arm with the first connecting portion of the male connector as it is inserted into the receiving channel of the female connector, thereby deflecting the cantilevered arms outwardly against the opposing inner end faces of the first receiving recess;
• and
• drilling a blind bore in a face of the second article to define a second receiving recess and inserting a second connecting portion of the male connector into the second receiving recess to secure the male connector to the second article, wherein only the second connecting portion is received in the second receiving recess.