Modular furniture system and method of assembly

Abstract

A modular furniture system includes opposing sidewalls for mounting one or more stationary or slideable components. Each sidewall includes a plurality of pairs of holes for mounting the stationary or slideable component that are aligned with corresponding holes in the opposing sidewall. A first set of mounting pins has a first end adapted to be press-fit into the holes in the opposing sidewalls and a second end adapted to support the stationary component. A second set of mounting pins has a first end adapted to be press-fit into the holes in the opposing sidewalls and a second end connected to an outer slide member for slidably mounting the slidable component. The first end of the first and second set of mounting pins is the same such that the stationary component and the slidable component are interchangeably mounted in the holes in the opposing sidewalls.

1 . A modular furniture system comprising:
 first and second sidewalls spaced apart from each other to define a storage space therebetween, the first sidewall including a plurality of pairs of holes that are aligned with corresponding pairs of holes in the second sidewall;   first and second slides adapted to mount a slideable component between the first and second sidewalls, each of the first and second slides comprising:
 an outer slide member having an outer surface adapted to be mounted adjacent one of the first and second sidewalls and an opposing inner surface defining a channel; 
 an inner slide member mounted to the slideable component and adapted to be received within the channel for sliding movement relative to the outer slide member; and 
 a pair of slide mounting pins projecting from the outer surface of the outer slide member, the slide mounting pins adapted to be received within the pairs of holes for mounting the first and second slides to respective first and second sidewalls; and 
   a support element extending between the outer slide members of the first and second slides, the support element having a length sufficient to maintain the outer slide members adjacent the respective first and second sidewalls, and   wherein the slide mounting pins are press-fit into the pairs of holes for mounting the slideable component to the first and second sidewalls and are interchangeable with mounting pins adapted to support a stationary component relative to the first and second sidewalls.   
     
     
         2 . The modular furniture system of  claim 1  wherein the inner slide member is one of a ball bearing slide and a roller slide. 
     
     
         3 . The modular furniture system of  claim 1  wherein the slideable component is one of a drawer and a sliding shelf. 
     
     
         4 . The modular furniture system of  claim 1  wherein the pair of slide mounting pins are one of integrally formed with the outer slide member, welded to the outer slide member, press-fit through a pair of apertures in the outer slide member, and swage set in the outer slide member. 
     
     
         5 . The modular furniture system of  claim 1  wherein the inner slide is one of side-mounted and under-mounted on the slidable component. 
     
     
         6 . A modular furniture system comprising:
 first and second sidewalls spaced apart from each other to define a storage space therebetween, the first sidewall including a plurality of pairs of holes that are vertically aligned with corresponding pairs of holes in the second sidewall;   a stationary component adapted to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls;   a slideable component adapted to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls;   a first set of mounting pins having a first end adapted to be press-fit into a pair of holes in the first and second sidewalls and a second end adapted to support a stationary component; and   a second set of mounting pins having a first end adapted to be press-fit into a pair of holes in the first and second sidewalls and a second end connected to an outer slide member, the outer slide member adapted to receive an inner slide member mounted to the slidable component for sliding movement of the slideable component relative to the outer slide member, and   wherein the stationary component is mounted between the first and second sidewalls by installing the first set of mounting pins in vertically aligned pairs of holes in each of the first and second sidewalls,   wherein the slideable component is mounted between the first and second sidewalls by installing the second set of mounting pins in vertically aligned pairs of holes in each of the first and second sidewalls, and   wherein the first end of the first set of mounting pins is the same as the first end of the second set of mounting pins such that the stationary component and the slidable component are interchangeably mounted in the pairs of holes in the first and second sidewalls.   
     
     
         7 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein the slideable component is one of a drawer and a sliding shelf. 
     
     
         8 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein a pair of the second set of mounting pins is one of integrally formed with the outer slide member, welded to the outer slide member, press-fit through a pair of apertures in the outer slide member, and swage set in the outer slide member. 
     
     
         9 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein the inner slide is one of side-mounted and under-mounted on the slidable component. 
     
     
         10 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein the inner slide member is one of a ball bearing slide and a roller slide. 
     
     
         11 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein the first and second sets of mounting pins are made from one of steel, aluminum, and plastic. 
     
     
         12 . The modular furniture system of  claim 6  wherein:
 a first outer slide member is mounted to the first sidewall and a second outer slide member is mounted to the second sidewall for supporting the slideable component between the first and second sidewalls; and 
 a support element extends between the first and second outer slide members and has a length sufficient to maintain the first and second outer slide members adjacent the respective first and second sidewalls. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method of assembling a modular furniture system comprising first and second sidewalls spaced apart from each other to define a storage space therebetween, the first sidewall including a plurality of pairs of holes that are vertically aligned with corresponding pairs of holes in the second sidewall, the method comprising:
 providing a stationary component adapted to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls;   providing a slideable component adapted to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls;   inserting a first pair of shelf mounting pins into a pair of holes in the first sidewall and a second pair of shelf mounting pins into a corresponding pair of holes in the second sidewall, each of the shelf mounting pins having a first end adapted to be press-fit into the holes and a second end adapted to support the stationary component; and   inserting a first pair of slide mounting pins into a pair of holes in the first sidewall and a second pair of slide mounting pins into a corresponding pair of holes in the second sidewall, each of the slide mounting pins having a first end adapted to be press-fit into the holes and a second end connected to an outer slide member, the outer slide member adapted to receive an inner slide member mounted to the slideable component for sliding movement of the slidable component relative to the outer slide member, and   wherein the first end of the mounting pin is the same as the first end of the slide mounting pin such that the stationary component and the slidable component are interchangeably mounted in the pairs of holes in the first and second sidewalls.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  comprising inserting a support element between the outer slide member mounted to the first sidewall and the outer slide member mounted to the second sidewall. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  comprising repeating the steps of inserting a first and second pair of mounting pins for each stationary component to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  comprising repeating the steps of inserting a first and second pair of slide mounting pins for each slideable component to be mounted between the first and second sidewalls. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the slideable component is one of a drawer and a sliding shelf. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the first and second pair of slide mounting pins are one of integrally formed with the outer slide member, welded to the outer slide member, press-fit through a pair of apertures in the outer slide member, and swage set in the outer slide member. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the inner slides are one of side-mounted and under-mounted on the slideable component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the inner slide member is one of a ball bearing slide and a roller slide.