Modular office furniture

Abstract

A modular furniture system comprises a plurality of components from which a variety of furniture assemblies can be constructed. The system includes seating units and a rail system, the rail system including front and rear rails mounted to the seating units. Advantageously, no side rails are required. A vertical panel can be included for supporting various user amenities.

1 . A modular furniture assembly comprising 
 a rail system, said rail system consisting essentially of a front rail, a rear rail, and a plurality of supporting leg members, and    at least one seating unit mountable on said rail system, said seating unit comprising a lower front end mountable on said front rail and a lower rear end mountable on said rear rail, such that said at least one seating unit when fixedly mounted on said rail system defines a furniture assembly.    
   
   
       2 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  wherein said rail system consists essentially of a front rail, front leg members supporting said front rail, a rear rail, rear leg members supporting said rear rail, and connecting elements.  
   
   
       3 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 2  wherein said rear rail is of an “L” shaped cross-section having an upper substantially vertical portion and a lower substantially horizontal portion, said upper and lower portions intersecting one anther at an interior edge, such that the lower rear edge of the seating unit fits substantially against said interior edge of said rear rail.  
   
   
       4 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 2  wherein said front rail system is of an inverted “L” shaped cross-section having an upper substantially horizontal member and a depending substantially vertical member, such that the lower front edge of said seat assembly is supported by said horizontal member of said front rail, and said depending vertical member of said front rail is engaged by said front leg members.  
   
   
       5 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 4  wherein said front leg members comprise means for receiving said depending vertical member of said front rail.  
   
   
       6 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a second seating assembly mountable on said rail system.  
   
   
       7 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one table surface mountable on said rail system.  
   
   
       8 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least one arm rest assembly.  
   
   
       9 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 8  wherein said arm rest assembly comprises an arm rest member and an object support surface.  
   
   
       10 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a vertical panel mountable on said rail system.  
   
   
       11 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 10  further comprising a lighting unit mounted on said vertical panel.  
   
   
       12 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 10  further comprising a garment hook mounted on said vertical panel.  
   
   
       13 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 10  further comprising a vase mounted on said vertical panel.  
   
   
       14 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a working surface in operative relation to said seating unit.  
   
   
       15 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 14  wherein said working surface is adjustably mounted to said assembly.  
   
   
       16 . A modular furniture system comprising 
 one or more seating units, and    a rail system, said rail system consisting essentially of front rail members, rear rail members, leg members, and connecting means, such that one or more furniture assemblies can comprise components of said modular furniture system including at least one seating unit, one front rail member, one rear rail member, and leg members with connecting means for connecting said leg members to said one front rail member and said one rear rail member, said at least one seating unit being fixedly mountable to said one front rail member and said one rear rail member, each of said components of said one or more furniture assemblies being selected from said modular furniture system.    
   
   
       17 . The modular furniture system of  claim 16  further comprising a table surface mountable on said rail system.  
   
   
       18 . The modular furniture system of  claim 16  further comprising a vertical panel mountable on said rear rail member.  
   
   
       19 . The modular furniture system of  claim 16  further comprising one or more stem members mountable on said rear rail, said one or more stem members adapted to support a user amenity.  
   
   
       20 . The modular furniture system of  claim 18  further comprising one or more stem members mountable on said vertical panel.