Furniture frame

Abstract

This invention relates to four part furniture frames having a seat box portion, a back portion and two arm portions. The unique tapered side edges on the seat box portions of these frames allows the seat box portion to be nested with the separate back portion, thereby forming a substantially flat rectangle. The unique notches on the back upright supports posts of these frames support the back spring rail of the seat box portion, allowing the seat stretchers to be uniquely made of plywood, oriented strand board or plastic instead of them being required to be made of hardwood such as oak. The light weight frames of this invention may be incorporated into both ready-to-assemble furniture and fully assembled upholstered furniture. These light weight, economical, nestable frames may be easily stacked, packed and shipped. Additionally, these frames may be easily assembled, by a furniture manufacturer, a store, a customer, or anyone else, with only eight easy-to-use connectors such as bolts and T-nuts.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A furniture frame comprising: 
 a seat box portion comprising a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges disposed proximate the ends of and between the front edge and the back edge; and    a back portion comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and two upright end support posts disposed proximate the ends of and between the top rail and the bottom rail, wherein each upright support post comprises a notch for supporting the back edge of the seat box portion.    
     
     
         2 . The furniture frame of  claim 1  wherein the two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards the back edge of the seat box portion so the seat box portion is capable of being nested with the back portion.  
     
     
         3 . The furniture frame of  claim 1  wherein the back edge of the seat box portion comprises a back spring rail, and wherein the seat box portion further comprises a front spring rail.  
     
     
         4 . The furniture frame of  claim 3  wherein the seat box portion further comprises a seat stretcher.  
     
     
         5 . The furniture frame of  claim 4  wherein the seat stretcher is interposed between the front spring rail and the back spring rail.  
     
     
         6 . The furniture frame of  claim 5  wherein the seat stretcher comprises at least one of: hardwood, plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.  
     
     
         7 . The furniture frame of  claim 1  wherein the seat box portion is attached to the back portion.  
     
     
         8 . The furniture frame of  claim 1  wherein the back portion further comprises an inside gut rail.  
     
     
         9 . The furniture frame of  claim 8  wherein the back edge of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion.  
     
     
         10 . The furniture frame of  claim 9  wherein the back edge of the seat box comprises a hardwood back spring rail, and wherein the inside gut rail comprises at least one of: plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.  
     
     
         11 . The furniture frame of  claim 1  wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are nestable.  
     
     
         12 . The furniture frame of  claim 11  wherein when the seat box portion and the back portion are nested together, they form a substantially flat rectangle.  
     
     
         13 . A furniture frame comprising: 
 a seat box portion comprising a front edge, a front spring rail, a back spring rail, two side edges, and a seat stretcher; and    a back portion comprising a top rail, a bottom rail, and two upright end support posts; wherein the front edge and the front spring rail are attached together, the front spring rail and the back spring rail are attached to opposite ends of the two side edges, and the seat stretcher is interposed and attached between the front spring rail and the back spring rail, and wherein the top rail and the bottom rail are attached proximate opposite ends of the two upright end support posts, and wherein each upright end support post comprises a notch for accepting and supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion, and wherein the two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards the back spring rail of the seat box portion; and wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are nestable.    
     
     
         14 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the seat stretcher comprises at least one of: hardwood, plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.  
     
     
         15 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the seat box portion is attached to the back portion.  
     
     
         16 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the back portion further comprises an inside gut rail and wherein the back spring rail of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion.  
     
     
         17 . The furniture frame of  claim 16  wherein the inside gut rail comprises at least one of: plywood, oriented strand board and plastic.  
     
     
         18 . The furniture frame of  claim 17  wherein the back spring rail of the seat box portion is attached to the inside gut rail of the back portion via two bolts and T-nuts.  
     
     
         19 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein when the seat box portion and the back portion are nested together, they form a substantially flat rectangle.  
     
     
         20 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  further comprising two arm portions, wherein one arm portion is attached to one of the side edges of the seat box portion and to one of the upright end support posts at an edge of the back portion, while the other arm portion is attached to the other side edge of the seat box portion and to another upright end support post at an opposite edge of the back portion.  
     
     
         21 . The furniture frame of  claim 20  wherein one arm portion is attached to one of the side edges of the seat box portion with one bolt and T-nut and to one of the upright end support posts at an edge of the back portion with two bolts and T-nuts, while the other arm portion is attached to the other side edge of the seat box portion with one bolt and T-nut and to another upright end support post at an opposite edge of the back portion with two bolts and T-nuts.  
     
     
         22 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the frame is made substantially all of at least one of the following: oriented strand board and plywood.  
     
     
         23 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the top rail, the back spring rail and the front spring rail comprise oak, and the two side edges, the bottom rail, the front edge and the two upright end support posts comprise at least one of: plywood and oriented strand board.  
     
     
         24 . The furniture frame of  claim 13  wherein the seat box portion and the back portion are separate pieces that are nested together.  
     
     
         25 . A method of assembling a four part furniture frame, comprising the steps of: providing a seat box portion, a back portion and two arm portions, wherein two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards a back spring rail of the seat box portion so that the seat box portion and the back portion may be nested together into a substantially flat rectangle, at least two upright support posts in the back portion each having notches for supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion, 
 attaching the back spring rail of the seat box portion to an inside gut rail of the back portion using at least two connectors to form a partial frame;    attaching one arm portion to a first side of the partial frame using at least three connectors; and    attaching the other arm portion to a second side of the partial frame using at least three connectors.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the connectors are bolts and T-nuts.  
     
     
         27 . A method of assembling a four part furniture frame, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a seat box portion, a back portion, two arm portions and cushions, wherein two side edges of the seat box portion are tapered towards a back spring rail of the seat box portion so that the seat box portion and the back portion may be nested together into a substantially flat rectangle, at least two upright support posts in the back portion each having notches for supporting the back spring rail of the seat box portion;    shipping the seat box portion nested together with the back portion in a substantially flat rectangle;    attaching the back spring rail of the seat box portion to an inside gut rail of the back portion using at least two connectors to form a partial frame;    attaching one arm portion to a first side of the partial frame using at least three connectors; and    attaching the other arm portion to a second side of the partial frame using at least three connectors.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , the shipping step further comprising shipping the nested seat box portion and back portion in a single box to one of the following: a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, and a customer.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the attaching steps are performed by one of the following: an employee in a warehouse, an employee in a furniture manufacturing company, an employee in a store, and a customer.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising placing the two arm portions and the cushions on top of the nested seat box portion and back portion prior to shipping.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , the shipping step further comprising shipping the nested seat box portion and back portion, the two arm portion and the cushions in a single box to one of the following: a warehouse, a furniture manufacturer, a store, and a customer.