Ready-to-assemble sofa and method for packaging same

Abstract

A furniture system having a base frame, side pieces and a back portion, that assembles quickly and disassembles into a configuration that optimizes space when shipped.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A piece of furniture, comprising:
 a horizontal seat support frame with a plurality of panels, said panels defining a storage cavity, said frame further comprising one or more movable support members extending between two of more of side panels;   one or more back frame members attachable to said horizontal seat support frame in an assembled configuration; and   one or more arm members attachable to said horizontal seat support frame or said one or more back frame members, or combinations thereof, in said assembled configuration;   wherein at least one of said back frame members, or one or more of said arm members, or combinations thereof, are positioned in said storage cavity in a shipping configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said shipping configuration is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         3 . The furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said horizontal support frame comprises a back longitudinal frame member having a vertical angular offset. 
     
     
         4 . The furniture of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more arm members comprise a base potion attachable to a portion of said horizontal support frame. 
     
     
         5 . The furniture system of  claim 4 , wherein said one or more arm members comprise one half of a male-female connector for attachment to a corresponding half of said male-female connector on said horizontal support frame in said assembled configuration. 
     
     
         6 . A method of shipping Ready to Assemble (RTA) furniture, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing RTA components of furniture comprising:
 (i) a horizontal seat support frame with a plurality of panels, said panels defining a storage cavity, said frame further comprising one or more movable support members extending between two of more of side panels; 
 (ii) one or more back frame members attachable to said horizontal seat support frame in an assembled configuration; 
 (iii) one or more arm members attachable to said horizontal seat support frame or said one or more back frame members, or combinations thereof, in said assembled configuration; and 
 (iv) one or more cushions; 
   (b) assembling said RTA components such that they form a shipping configuration, wherein at least one of said back frame members, or one or more of said arm members, or combinations thereof, are positioned in said storage cavity; and   (c) packaging the shipping configuration of the RTA components into a conventional shipping container and substantially maximizing utilization of available shipping space within said conventional shipping container.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said one or more cushions are vacuum packaged to reduce volume of space needed for storage and shipping. 
     
     
         8 . An upholstered furniture system, comprising:
 at least two horizontal seat support frames, each support frame with a front, back, right and left panel, said panels defining a storage cavity for each support frame;   a back frame member for each support frame, attachable with male-female fasteners to the back panel of each said support frame in an assembled configuration; and   one or more arm members attachable with male-female fasteners to the right or left panels of said horizontal seat support frames in said assembled configuration;   wherein at least one of said back frame members, or one or more of said arm members, or combinations thereof, are positioned in each said storage cavity in a shipping configuration.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each horizontal support frame is constructed and arranged to detachably connect to the other in said assembled configuration to form a single article of furniture. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said detachable connection comprises male-female connectors. 
     
     
         11 . The system of claim  8 m wherein each of said horizontal frames in said assembled configuration is an independent article of furniture.