Reinforcing strut for furniture

Abstract

The invention resides in a new reinforced furniture strut, a method of constructing furniture in a modular fashion using a reinforcing strut and a method of constructing a chair in modular fashion incorporating the reinforcing strut for narrow package shipping. This invention satisfies the long felt need of providing furniture that may be repeatedly assembled and disassembled without substantial wear and damage to the furniture materials, yet result in a stable, high-quality piece of furniture, and without unappealing external bracing or the like. The present invention solves these problems by providing a strut containing a metal (or other rigid material) rod encased in the material the furniture is constructed of. The ends of the rod are threaded to allow the strut to be affixed to the furniture piece with a nut or bolt. These reinforcing struts appear to be ordinary furniture components but instead possess the strength of metal.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reinforcing strut for furniture comprising: 
 a strut shell, said strut shell being made from a rigid material, said strut shell having a first end, a second end, an outer surface, a first predetermined length and a hollow space having an inner cross sectional expanse along the length of said hollow space, said hollow space running axially from said first end to said second end down the center of said strut shell;    a rod having a first end, a second end and an outer cross sectional expanse, said outer cross sectional expanse running from said first end to said second end of said rod, said outer cross sectional expanse being sized in relation to said inner cross sectional expanse so that said rod being encaseable within said hollow space of said strut shell; and    said first end of said rod having a first attachment means, said second end of said rod having a second attachment means.    
     
     
         2 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being made from wood.  
     
     
         3 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being made from metal.  
     
     
         4 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being made from fiberglass.  
     
     
         5 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being made from plastic.  
     
     
         6 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface.  
     
     
         7 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said strut shell being formed from pressed particulate matter.  
     
     
         8 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said first attachment means incorporating female internal threading and a bolt.  
     
     
         9 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said second attachment means incorporating female internal threading and a bolt.  
     
     
         10 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said first attachment means incorporating male external threading and a nut.  
     
     
         11 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said second attachment means incorporating male external threading and a nut.  
     
     
         12 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said rod being made from plastic.  
     
     
         13 . A reinforcing strut for furniture according to    claim 1   , wherein said rod being made from metal.  
     
     
         14 . A method of constructing furniture in modular fashion using a reinforcing strut, comprising the steps of: 
 connecting said first attachment means of said reinforcing strut to a first furniture member;    connecting said second attachment means of the same said reinforcing strut to a second furniture member; and    installing a plurality of remaining said reinforcing struts and other furniture components that complete the piece of furniture, said reinforcing strut prevents relative movement of all furniture components, thus increasing stability.    
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 14   , wherein said first side member being made from metal, said second side member being made from metal and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from metal.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 14   , wherein said first side member being made from wood, said second side member being made from wood and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from wood.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 14   , wherein said first side member being made from plastic, said second side member being made from plastic and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from plastic.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 14   , wherein said first side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface, said second side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 14   , wherein said first side member being formed from pressed particulate matter, said second side member being formed from pressed particulate matter and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from pressed particulate matter.  
     
     
         20 . The method of constructing a chair in modular fashion using a reinforcing strut, comprising the steps of: 
 connecting said first attachment means of said reinforcing strut to a first chair member;    connecting said second attachment means of the same said reinforcing strut to a second chair member; and    installing a plurality of remaining said reinforcing struts and other chair components that complete the chair, said reinforcing strut prevents relative movement of all chair components, thus increasing stability.    
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member forming a front leg, a back leg and a backrest support, said second chair member forming a front leg, a back leg and a backrest support and said plurality of occupant support components comprising a backrest and a seat pan.  
     
     
         22 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member forming both front legs and a seat pan support, said second chair member forming both back legs, a seat pan support and a backrest and said plurality of occupant support components comprising a seat pan.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member being made from metal, said second chair member being made from metal and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from metal.  
     
     
         24 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member being made from wood, said second chair member being made from wood and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from wood.  
     
     
         25 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member being made from plastic, said second chair member being made from plastic and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being made from plastic.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface, said second chair member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface.  
     
     
         27 . The method of    claim 20   , wherein said first chair member being formed from pressed particulate matter, said second chair being formed from pressed particulate matter and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of being formed from pressed particulate matter.  
     
     
         28 . A method of constructing furniture in modular fashion for narrow package shipping using a reinforcing strut, comprising the steps of: 
 constructing a first planar, furniture side member;    constructing a second planar, corresponding furniture side member; and    constructing a plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece; and    packaging a said first planar, furniture side member, a said second planar, corresponding furniture side member, a said plurality of planar furniture components and a plurality of said reinforcing struts inside a narrow shipping container.    
     
     
         29 . The method of    claim 28   , wherein said first side member being made from metal, said second side member being made from metal and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from metal.  
     
     
         30 . The method of    claim 28   , wherein said first side member being made from wood, said second side member being made from wood and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from wood.  
     
     
         31 . The method of    claim 28   , wherein said first side member being made from plastic, said second side member being made from plastic and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from plastic.  
     
     
         32 . The method of    claim 28   , wherein said first side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface, said second side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface.  
     
     
         33 . The method of    claim 28   , wherein said first side member being formed from pressed particulate matter, said second side being formed from pressed particulate matter and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from pressed particulate matter.  
     
     
         34 . A method of constructing a chair in modular fashion for narrow package shipping using a reinforcing strut, comprising the steps of: 
 constructing a first planar, chair side member;    constructing a second planar, corresponding chair side member; and    constructing a plurality of occupant support components completing the chair; and    packaging said first planar, chair side member, a said second planar, corresponding chair side member, a said plurality of occupant support components and a plurality of said reinforcing struts inside a narrow shipping container.    
     
     
         35 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member forming a front leg, a back leg and a backrest support, said second planar, corresponding chair side member forming a front leg, a back leg and a backrest support and said plurality of occupant support components being a backrest and a seat pan.  
     
     
         36 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member forming both front legs and a seat pan support, wherein said second planar, corresponding chair side member forming both back legs, a seat pan support and a backrest and said plurality of occupant support components being a seat pan.  
     
     
         37 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member being made from metal, said second planar, corresponding chair side member being made from metal and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from metal.  
     
     
         38 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member being made from wood, said second planar, corresponding chair side member being made from wood and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from wood.  
     
     
         39 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member being made from plastic, said second planar, corresponding chair side member being made from plastic and said plurality of planar furniture components needed to complete the piece being made from plastic.  
     
     
         40 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface, said second planar, corresponding chair side member being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from corrugated cardboard with a laminated outer surface.  
     
     
         41 . The method of    claim 34   , wherein said first planar, chair side being formed from pressed particulate matter, said second planar, corresponding chair being formed from pressed particulate matter and said plurality of furniture components that complete the piece of furniture being formed from pressed particulate matter.