Glueless carcase

Abstract

A glueless carcase and method for glueless connection of wall elements of a carcase, in particular a furniture item are disclosed. The carcase includes at least three wall elements, which can be connected via coupling means arranged at their end faces and thereby form a closed frame. A groove and a tongue are arranged as coupling means in the region of the end faces which can be brought into engagement with each other in the interconnected state of the wall elements. The tongues, which extend in longitudinal direction of the end faces can be divided comb-like into individual tinge sections which are arranged at a distance to each other. The method for connection provides for a relative movement of the engaged wall elements, wherein the wall elements are displaced in opposite direction in a locking direction, which extends parallel to the longitudinal direction of the end faces.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A glueless carcase, in particular for a furniture item, comprising:
 at least three wall elements each having end faces and coupling means arranged in a region of each of the end faces, said coupling means being configured as tongue and groove, said wall elements being interconnectable via the coupling means to thereby form a closed frame,   wherein a connected state of the wall elements the respective tongue and groove of one of the wall elements is in engagement with the tongue and groove of a neighboring one of the wall elements, and the tongues extend in longitudinal direction of the end faces,   wherein the tongues are each divided into individual tongue sections which are arranged at a distance to each other, said distance corresponding to at least a length of the tongue sections measured in the longitudinal direction, said groves each having recesses.   
     
     
         29 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the end faces of one of the wall elements is slanted relative to a side surface of the one of the wall elements at an angle, said angle being different from 90°. 
     
     
         30 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the end faces of another one of the wall elements is slanted relative to a side surface of the other wall element at an angle of 90°. 
     
     
         31 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein at least one of the coupling means has a recess which corresponds with a projection of another one of the coupling means so that in the interconnected state of the wall elements the projection at least partially engages in the recess. 
     
     
         32 . The carcase of  claim 31 , wherein the projection is arranged on the tongue, and wherein the recess is formed in the groove. 
     
     
         33 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the recess has a undercut, which is formed inside the grooves only in a region of the tongue sections. 
     
     
         34 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the tongues are delimited by opposing flanks, wherein one of the flanks has an even extent, and wherein the other flank opposing the even flank has a slant. 
     
     
         35 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the grooves and tongues are spaced apart from respective border sides of the wall elements, said border sides extending between the end faces of the individual wall elements. 
     
     
         36 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the grooves have a first width between the tongue sections which exceeds a second width of the grooves in a region of the tongue sections, wherein the first width of the grooves between the tongue sections corresponds at least to a height formed by the tongue sections and the projections. 
     
     
         37 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the wall elements have another groove ( 8 ), which respectively extends on an inside of the assembled frame, said other groove being constructed for receiving a rear wall. 
     
     
         38 . The carcase of  claim 37 , further comprising a wedge element, wherein the wedge element is arrangeable between a side surface of one of the wall elements and the rear wall. 
     
     
         39 . The carcase of  claim 38 , wherein the wedge element has a latching nose which in an arranged state of the wedge element engages behind the rear wall between the side surface of the one of the wall elements and the rear wall. 
     
     
         40 . The carcase of  claim 34 , wherein the even flanks of the tongues respectively transition into even groove flanks of the grooves, and wherein the even flanks and the even groove flanks extend in a same plane. 
     
     
         41 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the grooves and/or the tongues are inclined relative to the end faces to define respective slanted planes, wherein a respective angle enclosed between the respective slanted planes and the end faces is different from 90°. 
     
     
         42 . The carcase of  claim 41 , wherein the respective angle between the slanted planes and the end faces is smaller or greater than an angle of a slant of one of the end faces relative to a side surface of one of the wall elements. 
     
     
         43 . The carcase of  claim 42 , wherein the respective angle between the slanted planes and the end faces is greater or smaller than twice the angle of the slant of the one of the end faces relative to the side surface of the one of the wall elements. 
     
     
         44 . The carcase of  claim 41 , wherein the respective angle enclosed between the respective slanted planes and the end faces is smaller or greater than an angle of the slant of one of the end faces relative to a side surface of one of the wall elements. 
     
     
         45 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the tongue sections of two of the end faces in an interconnected state of the two end faces are inclined relative to each other, so that slanted planes respectively defined by the tongue sections enclose an angle different from 180°. 
     
     
         46 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the coupling means are situated in different corner regions of the closed frame and define respective sinated planes, said respective slanted planes enclosing an angle between each other. 
     
     
         47 . The carcase of  claim 28 , wherein the coupling means have a recess and a projection arranged immediately adjacent the recess, said recess transitioning into the projection, wherein the recess and the projection of one of the coupling means correspond with the projection and the recess of another one of the coupling means so that in the interconnected state of the wall elements the projection of the one of the coupling means engages at least in regions of the recess of the other one of the coupling means. 
     
     
         48 . The carcase of  claim 47 , wherein the recess and the projection arranged immediately adjacent to the recess together form a contour with an S-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         49 . The carcase of  claim 47 , wherein the recess and the projection ( 14   b ) arranged immediately adjacent to the recess together form a contour with a Z-shaped cross section. 
     
     
         50 . The carcase of  claim 47 , wherein a transitional region which extends between a high point of the projection and a low point of the recess intersects a respective plane of the end faces in an intersecting point. 
     
     
         51 . The carcase of  claim 50 , wherein the transitional region has an even surface section, and wherein the even surface section and a slanted plane defined by the coupling means enclose an angle between themselves. 
     
     
         52 . The carcase of  claim 47 , wherein even flanks of the tongues which delimit the projection and even groove flanks of the grooves which delimit the recess extend in respective planes, said respective planes extending in different directions relative to a slanted plane defined by the coupling means. 
     
     
         53 . A method for the glueless connection of at least two wall elements of a carcase, in particular a furniture item, comprising:
 moving the at least two wall elements toward one another until coupling means in the form of grooves and tongues arranged in a region of end faces of each of the wall elements engage in one another; and   moving the engaged wall elements relative to each other in a locking direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the end faces via a limited relative movement in opposite directions, thereby connecting the at least two wall elements.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein during the moving of the wall elements relative to each other in the locking direction a projection arranged on one of the coupling means engages in a recess arranged on another one of the coupling means and a projection arranged on the other coupling means engages in a recess arranged on the one of the coupling means.