| 摘要 |
An article of knock-down furniture that can be easily assembled by an end-user comprises a plurality of pieces and contact joint arrangements that prevent unwanted separation of the pieces, while permitting the pieces to rotate and flex relative to each other. The contact joint arrangements also have lateral flexibility to permit the pieces to be coupled and shaped into a contour. The contact joint arrangement has a flexible tube that extends through a continuous bore through each of the pieces. A threaded fastener is threaded into each end of the tube and tightened against the end surface of the end pieces in order to place the tube in tension. The pieces are, consequently, held in longitudinal compression between the two threaded fasteners, while remaining free to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the tube. In one embodiment, a screw assembly is threaded into the tube through a hole or notch cut near one end of the tube. Once the screw assembly has been engaged through the hole or notch, an excess lead portion of the tube can be separated from the tube. The screw assembly or threaded fastener at one end of the flexible tube can be replaced by a restraining element situated in fixed relationship with the tube, such as a molded stop or a cotter pin inserted through a transverse hole cut in one end of the tube.
|
