Creating reconfigurable furniture with minimal parts

A system for creating various furnishings without a requirement for the use of tools, comprising:

• a connector including
• (a) a cap plate defining a cap outer face and an opposed cap inner face,
• (b) a first threaded extension affixed to and extending from the inner face of the cap plate,
• (c) a base plate defining a base outer face and an opposed base inner face, the base plate having a base aperture extending therethrough,
• (d) a second threaded extension extending through the base plate, the second threaded extension extending away from the base plate on a side of the base plate defining the base inner face, and
• (e) at least one post affixed to and extending away from one of the cap plate and base plate, the post disposed radially at a distance from the respective first or second threaded extension,
• (f) a handle pivotably attached to the second threaded extension at a pivot, the handle and pivot disposed on a side of the base plate corresponding to the base outer face, the handle defining at least one cam lobe, the handle pivotable about the pivot to a first position in which at least a portion of the at least one cam lobe bears against the base plate to urge the base plate in a direction away from the pivot, the handle pivotable to a second position in which the at least one cam lobe does not urge the base plate in a direction away from the pivot;
• whereby two or more panels are connectable together using one or more of the connector, wherein
• (i) each of the one or more connector is assemblable onto at least one of the two or more panels by positioning one or more of the two or more panels between the inner face of the cap plate and the inner face of the base plate with passage of two of the at least two posts of the inner cap face each passing through at least one of the two or more panels, and
• (ii) the first and second threaded extensions are threadable together to thereby clamp the connector to at least one of the two or more panels.

A connector for joining two or more components, the connector comprising:

• a cap plate defining a cap outer face and an opposed cap inner face;
• a first threaded extension affixed to and extending from the inner face of the cap plate, the first threaded extension terminating at an end distal from the inner face;
• a base plate defining a base outer face and an opposed base inner face;
• a second threaded extension extending through the base plate, the second threaded extension extending away from the base plate on a side of the base plate defining the base inner face;
• and
• a handle pivotably attached at a pivot axis to the second threaded extension, the handle defining at least one cam lobe which includes a wave shape, the wave shape providing an area which can be grasped by a user of the connector when at least a portion of the handle lies against the base plate, the handle pivotable about the pivot to a first position in which at least a portion of the at least one cam lobe bears against the base plate to urge the base plate in a direction away from the pivot axis, the handle pivotable to a second position in which the at least one cam lobe does not urge the base plate in a direction away from the pivot axis.