Assembly apparatus for modular components especially for upholstered furniture

A sofa suitable for field assembly and field disassembly, comprising:

• a plurality of seat back sections and separate seat deck sections and arms forming opposite ends of the sofa, the individual seat back sections being joinable end to end to form a seat back that can be field assembled and field disassembled and the individual seat deck sections being joinable end to end to form a seat that can be field assembled and field disassembled, the arms being attachable to opposite ends of the seat back and the seat deck, wherein
• the individual seat back sections include connectors on one end thereof and a keyhole slot on opposite ends thereof, the connectors being insertable into keyhole slots of adjacent seat back sections, wherein
• the connectors include a male fastener with a sleeve extending around the male fastener, the sleeve including a radially projecting conical section extending from a cylindrical shank section, the sleeve extending beyond the seat back to which the connector is mounted, and wherein
• the keyhole slot has an alignment section of the keyhole slot into which a connector can be inserted for subsequent relative movement of one seat back section relative to an adjacent seat back section that moves the sleeve laterally of its axis into a portion of the keyhole slot narrower than the alignment section to secure seat back sections together, wherein the narrower portion of the keyhole slot extending from the alignment section has opposed slot bearing surfaces with beveled edge surfaces extending outwardly away from the bearing surfaces, and wherein the beveled edge surfaces are also inclined toward a closed end of the narrower portion spaced from the alignment section so that the slot bearing surfaces are thicker adjacent the closed end of the narrower portion than adjacent the alignment section so that insertion of the conical section into engagement with the beveled and inclined edge surfaces of the keyhole slot will further tighten the one seat back section relative to the adjacent seat back section and the sleeve cylindrical shank section will be positioned between the slot bearing surfaces.

An upholstered seating item of furniture comprising:

• a first upholstered furniture component;
• a second upholstered furniture component;
• at least one female connector member on said first upholstered furniture component, the female connector member including a key hole slot with a beveled edge extending away from the slot and in which the thickness of the female connector member increases from an entry section of the key hole slot to a closed end of the key hole slot;
• a male connector member having a conical section insertable in the keyhole slot to attach the first upholstered furniture component to the second upholstered furniture component wherein a compressible member is mounted on the male connector member;
• upholstery material on at least one of the first and second upholstered furniture components being sandwiched between the first and second upholstered furniture components when attached, with the conical section engaging the beveled edge of the keyhole slot to tighten the attachment of the first and second furniture upholstered components despite dimensional variations due to variability of the upholstery material.