Patent US3841727A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3841727A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Convertible modular furniture - luggage units
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-05-07
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1993-05-07
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to convertible modular furniture-luggage units having a few types of basic components which may be employed to form permanent or temporary articles of furniture and/or luggage units. The basic components of the invention comprises a substantially rectangular receptacle having a substantially square base wall, two parallel vertical side walls attached to two opposite side edges of said base wall, and a vertical back wall attached to one other edge of said base wall and normal to said vertical side walls; at least one horizontal track means provided on the inside surface of said vertical side walls; said vertical side walls including a top edge having complementary mounting means for receiving similar complementary mounting means from a second receptacle mounted thereon; and securing means provided at said vertical side walls for fixedly securing said receptacle and said second receptacle together to form a cabinet unit; drawer means slidably receivable within said cabinet unit to form a chest of drawers unit and a pair of said drawers being engageable together to form a suitcase luggage unit.
Inventors
- 👤 J Peng
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:04
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C13/00; A47C13/005; A47B; A47B47/00; A47B47/0091; A47B87/00; A47B87/02; A47B87/0284
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
In a modular furniture-luggage unit having at least two foursided receptacles removably mounted together, wherein each of said receptacles comprises a substantially square base wall, two parallel side walls formed at two opposite side edges of said base wall, and a back wall formed at one other side edge of said base wall, said back wall being perpendicular and integrally joined to said side walls, said side walls having top edges and front edges, a plurality of complementary mounting means formed in said top edges and front edges of said side walls and the outside surface of said base wall and back wall whereby said receptacles are selectively engageable by engaging the complementary mounting means in selected front or top edges of said side walls or selected outside surface of said base wall or back wall of one receptacle with the complementary mounting means in selected front or top edges of the side walls or the outside surface of the base wall or back wall of the other receptacle, at least one horizontal track means provided on the inside surface of said side walls, said horizontal track means being parallel to said base wall, at least one vertical track means provided on the inside surface of said side wall, said vertical track means being perpendicular to said horizontal track means, and securing means formed on the outside surface of said side walls operative for firmly securing said receptacles in a fixed engagement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
In a modular furniture-luggage unit having at least two foursided receptacles removably mounted together, wherein each of said receptacles comprises a substantially square base wall, two parallel side walls formed at two opposite side edges of said base wall, and a back wall formed at one other side edge of said base wall, said back wall being perpendicular and integrally joined to said side walls, said side walls having top edges and front edges, a plurality of complementary mounting means formed in said top edges and front edges of said side walls and the outside surface of said base wall and back wall whereby said receptacles are selectively engageable by engaging the complementary mounting means in selected front or top edges of said side walls or selected outside surface of said base wall or back wall of one receptacle with the complementary mounting means in selected front or top edges of the side walls or the outside surface of the base wall or back wall of the other receptacle, at least one horizontal track means provided on the inside surface of said side walls, said horizontal track means being parallel to said base wall, at least one vertical track means provided on the inside surface of said side wall, said vertical track means being perpendicular to said horizontal track means, and securing means formed on the outside surface of said side walls operative for firmly securing said receptacles in a fixed engagement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
99 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 1 wherein said complementary mounting means on said top edges of said side walls are located in two corner portions of said top edges, said complementary mounting means on said front edges are located in the corner portion of said front edges neighbouring to said base wall, said complementary mounting means on said outside surface of said base wall are located in the four corner portions therein, and said complementary mounting means on the outside surface of said back wall are located in two corner portions therein neighbouring to said base wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 2 in which each of said complementary mounting means comprises a complementary mounting pin and a complementary retaining hole.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 3 including a complementary retaining hole formed in a corner portion of the outside surface of one of said side walls and located neighbouring the front edge therein, a complementary mounting pin formed in the opposite corner portion of the same outside surface of said one side wall, and a complementary mounting pin formed in the corner portion of the outside surface of the other side wall and located neighbouring to the front edge therein, a complementary mounting hole formed in the opposite corner portion therein neighbouring to said base wall whereby two receptacles are engageable side by side by the outside surface of one of their side walls abutting each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 1 in which said securing means includes a pair of mounting plate members fixedly secured to the outside surface of said side walls of said receptacles through connecting rod means formed on said outside surface Of said side walls and detachable handle latch means operative slidably attachable on said connecting rod means under said mounting plate members to firmly secure said receptacles in a fixed mounting relation.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 5 including slot means formed in the top and front edges of said side walls of said receptacles whereby when two receptacles are mounted together to form an open front cabinet unit, a pair of said slot means is located in each edge of the open front of said cabinet unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 6 including a substantially planar detachable front cover member pivotally mounted to each edge of said open front of said cabinet unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 7 in which said front cover member includes pivotally mounted hinge means operatively attachable in each pair of said slot means in each edge of said open front selectively.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 8 in which said front cover is operatively turnable to lie co-terminously in abutment on the undersurface of said base wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 9 including at least one drawer means slidably receivable within said cabinet unit through said horizontal track means therein to form a chest of drawers furniture unit.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 10 wherein said drawer means comprises a substantially square open top bin member having a substantially square bottom panel, two vertical side panels, a vertical back panel and a vertical front panel; elongated rail means, complementary to said track means, formed on the outside surface of said vertical side panels and extending substantially the entire longitudinal length thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 11 wherein said drawer means includes a continuous lip portion in the top rim portion.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 12 wherein said drawer means includes a handle member pivotally mounted on said front panel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 13 wherein said drawer means includes disengageable hinge means whereby two drawer means are operatively attachable together through said disengageable hinge means to form a suitcase luggage unit.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 11 including at least one substantially rectangular planar board member operatively receivable in said horizontal track means to provide a shelving in said cabinet unit.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A modular furniture-luggage unit according to claim 13 wherein said planar board member includes a continuous lip portion and disengageable hinge means therein operatively attachable with said drawer means to form a suitcase luggage unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |