Modular furniture assembly with locking mechanism and method of assembly

Abstract

A modular furniture assembly a first strut assembly, a second strut assembly, and a connector. The first strut assembly includes a first strut, a first strut end fitting, and a first locking member. The second strut assembly includes a second strut, a second strut end fitting, and a second locking member. The connector includes a first receptacle and a second receptacle. The first receptacle is configured to accommodate protruding portions of the first strut end fitting. The second receptacle is configured to accommodate protruding portions of the second strut end fitting. The first locking member is configured to interface with the first strut end fitting and couple with the connector to secure the first strut to the connector. The second locking member is configured to interface with the second strut end fitting and couple with the connector to secure the second strut to the connector.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular furniture assembly comprising:
 a first strut having a first strut first end portion and a first strut second end portion disposed opposite to the first strut first end portion, the first strut being elongated along a first strut axis that extends through the first strut first end portion and the first strut second end portion;   a first strut first end fitting attached to the first strut first end portion, the first strut first end fitting comprising protruding portions that extend transverse to the first strut axis to beyond an outer surface of the first strut first end portion;   a second strut having a second strut first end portion and a second strut second end portion disposed opposite to the second strut first end portion, the second strut being elongated along a second strut axis that extends through the second strut first end portion and the second strut second end portion;   a second strut first end fitting attached to the second strut first end portion, the second strut first end fitting comprising protruding portions that extend transverse to the second strut axis to beyond an outer surface of the second strut first end portion;   a connector comprising a first receptacle and a second receptacle, the first receptacle being configured to accommodate insertion of the protruding portions of the first strut first end fitting into the first receptacle, the second receptacle being configured to accommodate insertion of the protruding portions of the second strut first end fitting into the second receptacle;   a first locking member having a central passage through which at least one of the first strut first end portion and the first strut first end fitting extends, the first locking member being configured to interface with the first strut first end fitting and be coupled to the connector so as to clamp the protruding portions of the first strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the first receptacle to fixedly secure the first strut to the connector; and   a second locking member having a central passage through which at least one of the second strut first end portion and the second strut first end fitting extends, the second locking member being configured to interface with the second strut first end fitting and be coupled to the connector so as to clamp the protruding portions of the second strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the second receptacle to fixedly secure the second strut to the connector.   
     
     
         2 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first locking member is coupled with the connector via a first threaded connection; and   the second locking member is coupled with the connector via a second threaded connection.   
     
     
         3 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first threaded connection is disposed within the first receptacle; and   the second threaded connection is disposed within the second receptacle.   
     
     
         4 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first threaded connection has a first pitch diameter;   the protruding portions of the first strut first end fitting extend transverse to the first strut axis to beyond the first pitch diameter;   the second threaded connection has a second pitch diameter; and   the protruding portions of the second strut first end fitting extend transverse to the second strut axis to beyond the second pitch diameter.   
     
     
         5 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first strut first end fitting is attached to the first strut first end portion via a threaded connection; and   the second strut first end fitting is attached to the second strut first end portion via a threaded connection.   
     
     
         6 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first locking member comprises a first locking member sleeve portion and a first locking member flanged portion attached to an end of the first locking member sleeve portion;   the first locking member sleeve portion has a first locking member sleeve end surface configured to clamp the protruding portions of the first strut first end fitting to the interfacing surface of the first receptacle;   the first locking member flanged portion is configured to be disposed outside of the first receptacle when the protruding portions of the first strut end fitting are clamped to the interfacing surface of the first receptacle to be accessible for rotation of the first locking member flanged portion relative to the connector;   the second locking member comprises a second locking member sleeve portion and a second locking member flanged portion attached to an end of the second locking member sleeve portion;   the second locking member sleeve portion has a second locking member sleeve end surface configured to clamp the protruding portions of the second strut first end fitting to the interfacing surface of the second receptacle; and   the second locking member flanged portion is configured to be disposed outside of the second receptacle when the protruding portions of the second strut end fitting are clamped to the interfacing surface of the second receptacle to be accessible for rotation of the second locking member flanged portion relative to the connector.   
     
     
         7 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first locking member flanged portion comprises radially protruding portions that are circumferentially spaced; and   the second locking member flanged portion comprises radially protruding portions that are circumferentially spaced.   
     
     
         8 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first strut first end fitting is attached to the first strut first end portion via a riveted connection; and   the second strut first end fitting is attached to the second strut first end portion via a riveted connection.   
     
     
         9 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a panel having a first elongated edge portion and a second elongated edge portion, and wherein:
 the first strut has an elongated first strut receptacle shaped to receive and interface with the first elongated edge portion; and   the second strut has an elongated second strut receptacle shaped to receive and interface with the second elongated edge portion.   
     
     
         10 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises a spherical exterior surface. 
     
     
         11 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third strut having a third strut first end portion and a third strut second end portion disposed opposite to the third strut first end portion, the third strut being elongated along a third strut axis that extends through the third strut first end portion and the third strut second end portion;   a third strut first end fitting attached to the third strut first end portion, the third strut first end fitting comprising protruding portions that extend transverse to the third strut axis to beyond an outer surface of the third strut first end portion;   a third locking member having a central passage through which at least one of the third strut first end portion and the third strut first end fitting extends,   wherein the connector further comprises a third receptacle configured to accommodate insertion of the protruding portions of the third strut first end fitting into the third receptacle, and   wherein the third locking member is configured to interface with the third strut first end fitting and be coupled to the connector so as clamp the protruding portions of the third strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the third receptacle to fixedly secure the third strut to the connector.   
     
     
         12 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising a terminal support fitting configured to attach to a furniture member, and wherein the connector further comprises a fourth receptacle via which the terminal support fitting is attachable to the connector. 
     
     
         13 . The modular furniture assembly of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the furniture member comprises a glass table top member; and   the terminal support fitting comprises a suction cup configured to interface with the glass table top.   
     
     
         14 . A method of fabricating a furniture assembly, the method comprising:
 inserting a first strut into a central passage of a first locking member;   attaching a first strut first end fitting to a first strut first end portion of the first strut;   inserting the first strut first end fitting into a first receptacle of a connector; and   coupling the first locking member to the connector so as to clamp protruding portions of the first strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the first receptacle to fixedly secure the first strut to the connector.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein coupling the first locking member to the connector comprises engaging a male thread of the first locking member with a female thread of the connector that defines a portion of the first receptacle. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 inserting a second strut into a central passage of a second locking member;   attaching a second strut first end fitting to a second strut first end portion of the second strut;   inserting the second strut first end fitting into a second receptacle of the connector; and   coupling the second locking member to the connector so as to clamp protruding portions of the second strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the second receptacle to fixedly secure the second strut to the connector.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 coupling a first panel to the first strut by inserting a first elongated edge portion of the first panel into an elongated first strut receptacle of the first strut; and   coupling the first panel to the second strut by inserting a second elongated edge portion of the first panel into an elongated second strut receptacle of the second strut.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 inserting a third strut into a central passage of a third locking member;   attaching a third strut first end fitting to a third strut first end portion of the third strut;   inserting the third strut first end fitting into a third receptacle of the connector; and   coupling the third locking member to the connector so as to clamp protruding portions of the third strut first end fitting to an interfacing surface of the third receptacle to fixedly secure the third strut to the connector.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 attaching a terminal support fitting to the connector via a fourth receptacle of the connector; and   attaching a furniture member to the terminal support fitting.   
     
     
         20 . A locking mechanism comprising:
 an end fitting configured to couple with a structural member, the end fitting comprising protruding portions;   a connector comprising a receptacle configured to accommodate insertion of the protruding portions of the end fitting into the receptacle and to restrain rotation of the end fitting within the receptacle; and   a locking member having a central passage configured to interface with the structural member, the locking member being configured to be coupled to the connector so as clamp the protruding portions of the end fitting to an interfacing surface of the receptacle to fixedly secure the end fitting to the connector.