Quick assembly furniture

Abstract

A kit is provided that, when assembled, forms a unit of furniture. The kit includes side panels that can rotate about the z axis along the hinge and which have one or more support surfaces to support a base panel. A top panel is connected to the side panels and back panel by a plurality of position members. The kit comprises a plurality of flexible fasteners to reverse-ably lock the side panels to the base panel and to lock the side panels to the top panel and restrict the side panels from z-axis rotation and restrict the base panel and top panel from y-axis rotation. Also provided are methods of assembling and manufacturing the unit of furniture.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A kit that, when assembled, forms a unit of furniture, the kit comprising:
 a back panel, a top panel, a base panel, and two side panels that, when assembled, form a case, the case defining a storage volume having a height along a y-axis, a width along an x-axis, and a thickness along a z-axis;   a plurality of position members;   wherein the side panel defines at least one upwardly facing support surface extending along an x-z plane;   wherein the back panel is configured to extend along an x-y plane, the back panel having a top, a bottom, and two sides;   wherein each of the side panels has a top, a bottom, and two sides, wherein the side panels are attached to an opposing side of the back panel by a folding hinge at a side of the side panel, wherein the side panels are configured to rotate about the y axis along the hinge from a closed position substantially parallel to the back panel to an open position that extends along a y-z plane;   wherein each of the side panels is configured to define at least one position member receptacle on the top of the side panel, with the plurality of position members configured to extend along the y-axis when installed into the top of the side panels;   wherein the base panel, upon assembly, is configured to extend along an x-z plane, and the base panel may be positioned on top of the support surface and between the side panels;   wherein the top panel, upon assembly, is configured to extend along an x-z plane, positioned on top of the side panels, wherein the top panel upon assembly may be connected to the side panels by the plurality of position members installed into the top of the side panels and a bottom surface of the top panel, and wherein the position members restrict the top panel from relative movement along the x and z axes; and   a plurality of pre-installed spring loaded toggle latches, wherein a toggle portion of the spring loaded toggle latches is mounted to the side panel and at least one hook portion of a spring loaded toggle latch is mounted to an outer surface of the bottom of the base panel such that the fastener interacts in an x-z plane, and at least one fastener portion is mounted to an inner surface of the top panel such that the fastener interacts in the y-z plane, and wherein the toggle portions reversibly attach to the plurality of hook portions to lock the side panels to the base panel and to lock the side panels to the top panel and to restrict the side panels from relative rotation about the y-axis and restrict the base panel and top panel from y-axis movement relative to the side panels.   
     
     
         2 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the position member is selected from the group consisting of a pin, a biscuit, a dowel, and a spline. 
     
     
         3 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the back panel further comprises at least one position member receptacle proximate a top surface, and the kit is further configured such that at least one position member may be installed into the back panel. 
     
     
         4 . The kit of  claim 3 , wherein the position members may be removably installed. 
     
     
         5 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the support surface is defined by a support plate affixed to a lower portion of the side panel. 
     
     
         6 . The kit of  claim 5 , wherein the support plate is removably affixed to the side panel. 
     
     
         7 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the side panels is equal to or less than one half of the width of the back panel. 
     
     
         8 . The kit of  claim 1  wherein upon assembly the side panels swing away from the back panel by rotation along the y axis, and wherein the side panels may be substantially parallel to each other and extend along the y-z plane when the fasteners are locked. 
     
     
         9 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the kit comprises one or more shelves extending along an x-z plane and wherein, upon assembly, the one or more shelves is removably attached to an inside portion of the side panels. 
     
     
         10 . The kit of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more door panels that, upon assembly, extend along an x-y plane when closed so as to seal all or a portion of the case storage volume, and wherein the one or more door panels may be pivotally attached to a front portion of the side panels when assembled. 
     
     
         11 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the unit is selected from the group consisting of a book shelf, a storage shelf, a cabinet, a bar table, an armoire, a case, a chiffonier, a closet, a dresser, a locker, a wardrobe, a case, a bin, a vault, a buffet, and a sideboard. 
     
     
         12 . The kit of  claim 1 , wherein the panels are manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of MDF, plywood, hardboard, wood, metal, and plastic. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a kit that is designed, when assembled, to form a unit of furniture, the method comprising:
 providing a back panel, a top panel, a base panel, and two side panels that, when assembled, form a case, the case defining a storage volume having a height along an y-axis, a width along an x-axis, and a thickness along a z-axis, wherein the back panel is configured to extend along an x-y plane, the back panel having a top, a bottom, and two sides, and wherein each of the two side panels has a top, a bottom, and two sides;   attaching the side panels to opposite ends of the back panel along a y-axis by a plurality of folding hinges along the sides of the side panels, wherein the side panels may be in a closed position substantially parallel to the back panel, and wherein the side panels may be rotated on the y axis and configured so as to unfold to an open position such that the side panels may extend along a y-z plane, substantially parallel to each other, and at right angles to the back panel, the tops of the side panels and back panel forming a contiguous top surface in an x-z plane;   providing at least one rigid support plate, the lower portions of the side panels facing the back panel when in a closed position and the at least one rigid support plate extending along an x-z plane when affixed to the lower portion of the side panel and the side panels are in the open position;   providing a plurality of position members, wherein the top surface of the side panels and back panel are configured to define position member receptacles, the position members configured along the y-axis when installed into the position member receptacles;   providing a plurality of spring loaded toggle latches such that an assembled unit is resilient upon loading and unloading such that the latches provide a flexibility in its range of motion;   wherein the base panel is configured on assembly to be placed on top of at least one rigid support plate so as to extend along the x-z plane;   providing a top panel configured on assembly to be placed over a top portion of the side panels and back panel, wherein the top panel defines position member receptacles and is configured to be connected to the side panels by the plurality of position members when installed into the top of the side panels;   wherein the side panels are configured to define toggle receptacles at a point proximate an outer surface of the base panel when installed and configured to interact in an x-z plane, and at a point proximate to an inner surface of the top panel when installed, and wherein the base panel is configured to define at least one hook receptacle on a lower portion of the base panel, and the top panel is configured to define at least one hook receptacle on a lower portion of the top panel; and   wherein when hook and toggle fasteners are configured such that when the base panel is placed over the tops of the rigid support plates and the top panel is placed over the tops of the side panels and back panel, the hook and toggle fasteners are capable of alignment so as to lock the base panel to the side panels and to lock the top panel to the side panels.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing one or more shelves, and wherein the kit is configured so that the one or more shelves may be attached to an inside portion of the two side panels. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising providing one or more door panels that, upon assembly, are configured to be pivotally attached to the front portion of the side panels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the back panel defines at least one position member receptacle within the contiguous top surface. 
     
     
         17 . A unit of furniture comprising:
 a back panel, a top panel, a base panel, and two side panels that, when assembled, form a case, the case defining a storage volume having a height along a y-axis, a width along an x-axis, and a thickness along a z-axis;   a plurality of position members;   wherein the side panel defines at least one upwardly facing support surface extending along an x-z plane;   wherein the back panel is configured to extend along an x-y plane, the back panel having a top, a bottom, and two sides;   wherein each of the side panels has a top, a bottom, and two sides and is attached to an opposing side of the back panel by a folding hinge at a side of the side panel, wherein the side panels are configured to rotate about the y axis along the hinge from a closed position substantially parallel to the back panel to an open position that extends along a y-z plane;   wherein each of the side panels is configured to define at least one position member receptacle on the top of the side panel, with the plurality of position members configured to extend along the y-axis when installed into the top of the side panels;   wherein the base panel, upon assembly, is configured to extend along an x-z plane, and the base panel may be positioned on top of the support surface and between the side panels;   wherein the top panel, upon assembly, is configured to extend along an x-z plane, positioned on top of the side panels, wherein the top panel upon assembly may be connected to the side panels by the plurality of position members coupled to the top of the side panels and a bottom surface of the top panel, and wherein the position members restrict the top panel from relative movement along the x and z axes;   wherein the top panel has a reinforced edge proximate an outer edge of the top panel and at least one support beam coupled to an inner surface of the top panel, the side panel configured to fit between the support beam and the reinforced edge of the top panel; and   a plurality of pre-installed flexible fasteners, wherein a toggle portion of the fasteners is mounted to the side panel and at least one hook portion of a fastener is mounted to the base panel, and at least one hook portion is mounted to the top panel, and wherein the toggle portions reversibly attach to the plurality of hook portions to lock the side panels to the base panel and to lock the side panels to the top panel and to restrict the side panels from relative rotation about the y-axis and restrict the base panel and top panel from y-axis movement relative to the side panels.   
     
     
         18 . The unit of furniture of  claim 17 , wherein a single flexible fastener is used to couple each side panel to the base panel.