GB2237829A - Screen or furniture - Google Patents

Abstract

A reticulum comprises connecting block members 6 secured together by a plurality of elongate bar members 8, each having a spigot portion 9 projecting from each end face, which spigot portions are received within sockets 12 in the block members. The arrangement, enclosed by a border framework can be used as a room screen, or table top or leg. <IMAGE>

Description

SCREEN, GRILLE, ARTICLE OF FURNITURE OR LIRE DESIGNED ARTICLE The invention relates to a screen, grille, article of furniture, like designed article or part thereof. It is an object of the invention to provide such an article which is lightweight, strong and attractive, and which when comprises a screen or grille and installed within a room gives an illusion of privacy, but also allow air and light to pass therethrough.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a screen, grille, article of furniture or like designed article or part thereof, the article comprising a reticulum; of connecting block members, the members being secured together by a plurality of elongate bar members each including a spigot portion projecting from each end face, the spigots being received in sockets in the connecting block members.

Preferably the spigots are of reduced cross-sectional area compared with the adjacent end face of the bar member to define a shoulder surrounding the base of each spigot and which extends about the entrance to the respective socket so as to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

In the case where the article is a substantially planar screen, the connecting members may each include a plurality of sockets circumferentially spaced apart by a variety of angles. For example, the connecting members may be generally cube shaped having a socket extending into each of four to six of the side walls. In other examples, the connecting members may be generally triangular in plan,e.g. of the right angle or equilateral type, having three to five sockets, or may be, say, hexagonal having sockets extending into two side faces, four side faces, six side or all side and end faces. In other examples the connecting members may be cylindrical or, say, octagonal in plan.

One article may include just one type of connecting member, or several different types may be used to create a variety of different patterns.

The spigots on the frame members are preferably tapered, whereby the free end of the spigot is of smaller diameter than the base.

An outer frame can be provided to contain a lattice work of the frame members, the outer frame being dimensioned relative to the bar and connecting members to hold the spigots in tight engagement with their respective sockets and thereby ensure that the screen is strong and rigid, while also providing an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

In addition to concealing the entrance to the socket, the shoulder about the spigot is also capable of transmitting high compressive loads to ensure that the screen is strong and rigid.

In other aspects the invention provides an article substantially as shown in any one of the accompanying Figures.

In another aspect, the invention may provide a kit of parts for use in making an article according to the invention.

In yet another aspect the invention provides a method of making a screen, grille, article of furniture or like designed article or part thereof from a plurality of initially discrete elongate bar members and connector members, the bar members including a spigot portion projecting from each end face, the connector members comprising a plurality of sockets dimensioned to receive the spigot portions, the method comprising inserting the spigot portion of bar member into the socket of a connector member, joining further bar members together in end-to-end relation with connector members in between until a reticulum of bar members and connector members is produced.

In order that the invention may be better understood it will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a screen according to the invention; Figure 2 is an exploded partial perspective view of the screen of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-section through an assembled joint of the screen of Figures 1 and 2; Figures 4 to 13 are each a partial plan view of a variety of types of patterns of frameworks for use as a screen or grille; and Figures 14 and 15 are each a perspective view of a framework arranged as a vertical support, e.g. as a column or a leg of a table or the like.

As shown in Figure 1, a screen is in the form of a framework and comprises a rectangular outer frame 1 made from elongate structural vertical 2 and horizontal 3, e.g wood, members joined together at the corners 4 of the outer frame 1. The outer frame 1 contains an inner framework or reticulum of bar members 5 joined together by connecting block members 6. The bar members 5 are arranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows. The screen may be installed between the floor and ceiling of a room (not shown), even as an entire wall, where it gives an illusion of privacy, but also allows air and light to pass therethrough and is also of exceptional strength and rigidity. Another use is as an overhead ceiling grid which allows light and air, e.g. from an overhead air conditioning or heating duct, to pass into the underlying room.A rectangular space 7 is defined within the lattice by elongate vertical 30 and horizontal 31 frame members joined together.

The detail of the framework is best seen in Figure 2. Each bar frame member 5 comprises a generally cylindrical portion 8, and spigots 9 extending axially from each end face of the cylindrical portion 8. As shown, the spigots 9 are tapered so that the base is of greater diameter than the free end 10. The free end 10 is preferably chamfered or mitred at 450. An annular load bearing shoulder 11 is defined about the base of the spigot 9. As shown, the connecting members 6 are generally cube shaped, or may be cylindrical and include two orthogonally arranged holes 12 extending between opposing faces 13 of the cube to define four sockets circumferentially spaced apart by an angle of 90 degrees.

The sockets 12 are preferably of the same diameter as the free end 10 of the spigots 9 so as to receive the spigots 9 as an interference fit with the annular shoulder 11 at the base of the spigot 9 abutting the respective face 13 of the connecting member 6 about the mouth of the socket 12. The sockets 12 may be glued or adhered to their respective spigots 9, in which case the shoulder 11 will not only conceal the mouth of the socket 12, but also conceal any excess adhesive. As shown in Figure 3, the spigots 9 are received within the sockets 12 of a connector 6.

The mitred free ends 10 abut one another so that axial loads are shared with the neighbouring bar members. The chamfered free ends deform under the loading and thereby intermesh to prevent the bar members 5 from rotating in their sockets. The bar and connecting members are preferably made of wood, but may be made of plastics, concrete or any other suitable rigid material. The bar members are relatively short, say about 6 or 7 cm long, and the connecting members have a side of about 2 or 3 cm, but these sizes can be greater according to spatial and loading requirements of the application.

The outer frame members 2, 3 are square or rectangular in crosssection and include a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart holes or sockets 14 (only one is shown in dotted outline on each frame member 2, 3) on the innermost face 15 to receive the spigots 9 of the adjacent bar frame member 5. The outer frame 1 is dimensioned relative to the other componentS'so that when it is assembled the spigots 9 are urged into tight engagement with their respective sockets 12; 14. The depth of the frame members 2, 3, that is the distance between the front 24 and the rear 25 walls, is preferably the same as that of the connecting members 6 so that the screen can be assembled on a flat surface, e.g a floor, with the outer frame members 2, 3 and the connecting members 6 in contact with that surface. This will ensure that the formed screen will be flat.

As shown, the frame members 2 are joined together at the corners 4 of the frame 1 by means of a threaded bolt 16 which passes through a hole 17 extending between the outermost 18 and innermost 15 faces of the vertical frame member 2. The horizontal member 3 to be joined includes a hole 19 extending axially from the adjacent end face 20. A second transverse hole 21 extends from the outermost face 18 of the horizontal member 3 into the axial hole 19 and a cylindrical nut member 22 having a threaded transverse hole 23 is received in the hole 21. The bolt 16 is then threaded onto the threaded hole 23 of the nut member 22 and tightened to hold the two frame members 2, 3 together. In another embodiment, an internally threaded sleeve-like insert, not shown, is secured in the hole 19 and is threadingly engaged with the bolt 16.The insert may be of a radially expandable type, or may have external threads by which it is threaded into the hole 19. The innermost frame 30, 31 of the rectangular space 7 is joined together in a similar way. This operation is then repeated at the other three corners 4 to hold the outer frame 1 together. This action causes the spigot portions 9 to be urged into their respective sockets 12, 14. Alternatively the outer frame may be glued and held together by lengths of dowel received within holes in the frame lengths. The screen formed thereby is thus relatively lightweight, flat and rigid and is capable of supporting high loads while also being of an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

The size and shape, i.e. square, rectangular, hexagonal and triangular; of the outer frame members containing the elements, is calculated in a modular series so that each individual framework provides the correct strength to appearance balance for each combination of block/spigot elements. Such modular frameworks can then be combined to construct larger two and three dimensional structures.

The screens shown in Figures 4 to 13 give some indication of the huge variety of patterns that can be created from just a few basic components. For example, the screen shown in Figure 4 comprises two types of connecting member, a generally equilateral triangular member having three sockets spaced apart by 1200 and a hexagonal member having four sockets.

The screen shown in Figure 6 uses the equilateral triangular members of Figure 4 in such a way as to define a reticulum of round holes.

The screen shown in Figure 7 uses connecting members which are right angle in plan, having three sockets, one in each side face.

A framework structure is preferably designed using a computer upon which an image of a basic line structure or skeleton can be placed. The various spindle and connector member configurations can be superimposed upon the basic skeleton and varied until an aesthetically pleasing pattern is produced, and one which can be produced at an economic cost. For example, Figures 8,9 and 10 show three different patterns produced using the same two component parts. The patterns shown in Figure 9 and 10 can be produced at lower cost than the version shown in Figure 8 because they require fewer bar and connector members per unit area.

The frameworks shown in Figure 14 and 15 are for use as a supporting column, e.g. to extend between the floor and ceiling of a room or, say, as a table leg.

The frameworks can be combined to produce articles of furniture.

For example a table could comprise a planar two dimensional framework supported on legs made from the columns similar to those shown in Figures 14 or 15. A sheet of glass could be used to provide a desk top.

A column similar to that shown in, say Figures 14 or 15 may be used as a so-called flower tower in a florists shop, where the spaces in between the bar members provide location for the stalks of the flowers.

A method of making a screen, grille, article of furniture or like designed article or part thereof according to the invention is especially versatile because the articles are made from-initially discrete frame members which can be combined together in a large variety of ways to produce a variety of types of two and three dimensional arrays and structures. As a result of the way in which the articles are made, it is easy to produce a "custom made" article of unique appearance at relatively low cost.

Claims (6)

1. A screen, grille, article of furniture or like designed article or part thereof, the article comprising a reticulum of connecting block members, the members being secured together by a plruality of elongate bar members each including a spigot portion projecting from each end face, the spigots being received in sockets in the connecting block members.

2. An article according to Claim 1, wherein the spigots are of reduced cross-sectional area compared with the adjacent end face of the bar member to define a shoulder surrounding the base of each spigot and which extends about the entrance to the respective socket so as to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

3. An article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the spigot portions are tapered and have chamfered free ends.

4. An article according to any preceding Claim, wherein the article is substantially planar, the reticulum being retained within an outer frame of lengths joined together, the outer frame being dimensioned relative to the bar and connecting members to hold the spigots in tight engagement within their sockets.

5. A method of making a screen, grille, article of furniture or like designed article or part thereof from a plurality of initially discrete elongate bar members and connector members, the bar members including a spigot portion projecting from each end face, the connector members comprising a plurality of sockets dimensioned to receive the spigot portions, the method comprising inserting the spigot portion of a bar member into the socket of a connector member, joining further bar members together in end-to-end relation with connector members in between until a reticulum of bar members and connector members is produced.

6. A screen, grille, article of furniture or part thereof comprising a reticulum substantially as shown in any one of the accompanying drawings.