US 5,658,086 A · Furniture connector

Abstract

A connecting element for creating a blind side connection for materials such as furniture. Connecting element includes a tenon which includes a groove positioned about the peripheral surface of the tenon. A compression material which is flexible and has excellent memory is inserted into the group on the tenon. A mortise is provided which has an opening for telescopically receiving the tenon and compression material into the inner chamber of the mortise. The inner chamber includes a set slot positioned around the interior surface of the chamber and is designed to receive the peripheral edge of the compression material on the tenon. Liquid and/or re-wettable adhesives can be used to rigidly connect the tenon in the mortise.

Claims76

Dependent claims

A connecting element comprising:

a tenon having a leading edge, a front face and a peripheral surface, said peripheral surface including a groove adapted to receive a compression material having an outer edge, said groove having a depth and positioned at least partially around said peripheral surface and spaced from said leading edge, said compression material positioned in said groove;
and
a mortise having an opening for telescopically receiving said front face of said tenon, a generally uniform inner chamber and a base surface, said inner chamber having an interior surface and including a set slot adapted to at least partially receive said compression material and positioned in said interior surface and spaced from said opening, said space of said set slot from said base surface is less than said space of said groove from said leading edge.

A method of connecting comprising:

(a) providing a tenon having a leading edge, a front face, a peripheral surface and a cross-sectional diameter, said peripheral surface including at least one groove circumferentially positioned about said peripheral surface and spaced from said leading edge;
(b) providing a compression material having an outer edge and an outer edge diameter,
(c) positioning said compression material in said groove, said outer edge diameter of said compression material greater than said cross-sectional diameter of said tenon;
(d) providing a mortise including an opening having a cross-sectional diameter larger than said tenon to telescopically receive said front face of said tenon and a generally uniform inner chamber, said diameter of said opening less than said outer edge diameter of said compression material, said inner chamber having an interior surface which includes a set slot circumferentially positioned about said interior surface and spaced from said opening;
(e) positioning said front face of said tenon into said opening of said mortise;
(f) connecting together said tenon and said mortise by moving said tenon into said inner chamber of said mortise and compressing said compression material between said tenon and said mortise at least until said compression material on said tenon at least partially enters said set slot;
and
(g) applying a water soluble adhesive to said tenon prior to said connecting together step.

5 more elements

A method of connecting comprising:

(a) providing a tenon having a leading edge, a front face, a peripheral surface and a cross-sectional diameter, said peripheral surface including at least one groove circumferentially positioned about said peripheral surface and spaced from said leading edge;
(b) providing a compression material having an outer edge and an outer edge diameter,
(c) positioning said compression material in said groove, said outer edge diameter of said compression material greater than said cross-sectional diameter of said tenon;
(d) providing a mortise including an opening having a cross-sectional diameter larger than said tenon to telescopically receive said front face of said tenon and a generally uniform inner chamber, said diameter of said opening less than said outer edge diameter of said compression material, said inner chamber having an interior surface which includes a set slot circumferentially positioned about said interior surface and spaced from said opening, said space between said chamber base surface and said set slot being less than the space between said tenon leading edge and said tenon groove,
(e) positioning said front face of said tenon into said opening of said mortise;
and
(f) connecting together said tenon and said mortise by moving said tenon into said inner chamber of said mortise and compressing said compression material between said tenon and said mortise at least until said compression material on said tenon at least partially enters said set slot.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Furniture connector

Life of this patent

Furniture connector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims76