Illumination – Supports – Standard-type support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-12
2002-03-19
Tso, Laura K. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supports
Standard-type support
C362S410000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06357896
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND ART
A common problem in the furniture business is that many articles occupy a large volume of space, although much of that space is empty. For example a table having a top and four legs occupies a cube-like expanse of space, although much of the volume under the tabletop is empty. This characteristic causes problems in shipping and transporting furniture, because such furniture requires large shipping containers and occupies large volumes of space in transporting vehicles, resulting in high shipping costs.
A solution to this problem has been the practice of shipping furniture in a “knockdown” or “KD” state, in which the furniture is shipped partially unassembled to conserve space both in the shipping container and the transporting vehicle. For example, the table cited above could be shipped as a knocked-down shipment comprising a top and four separated legs, for later assembly. Under these circumstances, it is further required that the assembly procedure result in a robustly reassembled article that will not loosen and disassemble under normal use, and that the assembly procedure be a simple one, since it is normally carried out by the customer. Preferably, it should involve merely a simple, rapid reassembly of a few parts without the need for elaborate tools, or special skills. Particularly in the case of lamps, disassembly and reassembly should not require disconnection and reconnection of wiring, since dangerous errors in rewiring could result from the efforts of an ordinary customer without specialized electrical training. Thus, a successful knockdown article is one that can be easily and safely reassembled by the customer to form a robust unit, and one that at the same time results in a significant saving of shipping space.
Many types and configurations of floor lamps are presently in use. However, the support structures of these lamps often have features that restrict their use, particularly those floor lamps that are provided with single upright frames or posts. Such lamps are often impractical to ship due to their extreme lengths that vary from five to seven feet. Shipping containers for fully assembled floor lamps require excessive shipping room and thus transportation by ship or truck becomes very costly as a high volume of unused space is created. Accordingly, the shipper is paying for the excess unused space.
Moreover, a floor lamp in an oversize shipping container is a difficult object for a customer to transport in a standard passenger automobile. It is a common practice nowadays for customers to take purchases home in their own passenger automobiles, rather than to incur the added expense of obtaining home delivery by a delivery van.
Furthermore, any knockdown procedure or device for a floor lamp lamppost must take into account the wiring running through the lamppost. Ideally, the knockdown procedure should take advantage of a factory wired circuit, and should not require the undertaking of a wiring procedure by the end user for assembly of the lamp.
This invention relates to a novel, useful lamp structure device adapted for shipping in a knockdown state, and more particularly, to a lamppost comprising at least two tubular segments longitudinally interconnected by at least one connector. Even more particularly, the present invention comprises a novel arrangement of floor lamp structure, wherein the length of the upright post of the lamp is divided into at least two tubular segments and wherein the segments are adapted to be secured together at their ends. This knockdown construction allows a shipping container to be constructed in the standard length of approximately four feet for a floor lamp that utilizes the present invention. The lamppost sections are disassembled without disconnection of wiring when shipped and are then reassembled after reaching their destination or later after sale to the purchaser. The present invention makes possible a disassembled floor lamp package to enable a purchaser to take the lamp at the time of purchase for transportation in a passenger automobile. The present invention provides a floor lamp of knockdown character whereby the lamppost is easily assembled without the use of tools by a person of average dexterity.
Applicant believes he is familiar with commercially available connectors for tubes of polygonal cross-section, and he represents that he never has encountered a connector constructed in accordance with this invention.
By way of background, attention is called to the following. Prior patents have described various knock-down framework arrangements that utilize a connector joint or fitting to interconnect square tubes which fitting has a cubical hub from which outwardly extends from two or more faces thereof tube-receiving projections or posts. Each of the tube-receiving projections on initial assembly with a tube fits loosely within an open end of the tube in one angular position of insertion thereof, and tightly frictionally engages the inner defining walls of the tube when the tube or fitting is rotated 45 degrees from its initial position. To prevent the withdrawal of the interconnected parts from their supposed tightly fitting positions by a force tending to separate the parts longitudinally, a locking tongue is sometimes provided on each end of the tube which tongue fits into a groove formed in the associated tube- receiving projection. However, this locking tongue heretofore served the sole purpose of preventing the separation of the parts in a longitudinal direction.
In certain commercial forms of prior knock-down connectors, the tolerances utilized in the manufacture of the connector fittings and the square tubes were such that the telescoping parts thereof sometimes did not fit tightly together as desired, resulting in a weak or wobbly lamppost. Another deficiency of prior art knock-down connectors of the type described is that frequently the ends of square tubes did not fit snugly and neatly against the faces of the connector fittings, leaving unsightly openings thereat. Among other connectors on the market are those relying on a friction fit that must be forced (pounded) into an associated tube. Such connectors are subject to loosening under conditions of vibration, and are difficult to disassemble. Other prior connectors have a screw threaded in the connector which, following assembly with a tube, are backed into an accurately located opening in the tube. An example of this type of connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,989 by F. P. Field. However, this type of connector is especially unsuitable to connect lamppost segments, because it requires an opening in the tube for the screw, which spoils the appearance of the lamppost. Other connectors use clips, separate wedge members and separate resilient members for establishing connections with associated tubes.
More recent examples of efforts to avoid these limitations include the disclosure P. M. Levy in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,432 describing a connector comprising a cubical hub having a tube-receiving portion adapted to frictionally engage surfaces of a square tube, and the disclosure of P. M. Murphy in U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,375, describing a connector comprising an elongated hollow metallic member having teeth that bite into an internal surface of a square tube. The present inventor has disclosed a floor lamp structure having an upright lamppost comprising an upper section and a lower section in U.S. Pat. No. 5,618,101, but this construction is not suited to the tubular lampposts of the present invention.
In contradistinction to all of these connectors, the present invention embraces and finally addresses the clear need for a novel, useful lamp structure device for knockdown shipping, and more particularly, to connectors for the ends of the tubes used in such lampposts. Thus, as pioneers and innovators attempt to make lamppost connectors cheaper, more universally used, and of higher quality, none has approached same in combination with simplicity and reliability of operation, until the teachings of the present invention. It is respectfully submitt
Intellepharm, Inc.
Tso Laura K.
Wolff Manfred E.
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