Modular furniture system

Abstract

A modular furniture system having a small set of interchangeable base components which can be assembled using common tools and disassembled without damaging the components, allowing the consumer to disassemble and reassemble the components to form another piece of furniture. The modular furniture system has a plurality of structural members, each with multiple rows of openings which extend through the structural members. A first row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has equally spaced first openings having a first diameter. A second row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has equally spaced second openings having a second diameter which is different than the first diameter. A first center line extending through the center of the first openings of the first row of openings is parallel to a second center line extending through the center of the second openings of the second row of openings.

1 . A modular furniture system comprising:
 a plurality of structural members, the structural members all having the same width and depth, first structural members having a first length and second structural member having a second length;   each of the plurality of structural members has a generally planar first surface and an oppositely facing generally planar second surface, the depth of each of the plurality of structural members extends between the first surface and the second surface;   multiple rows of openings provided on each of the plurality of structural members, the multiple rows of openings extend through the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of structural members, a first row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has equally spaced first openings having a first diameter, a second row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has equally spaced second openings having a second diameter which is different than the first diameter, a first center line extending through the center of the first openings of the first row of openings is parallel to a second center line extending through the center of the second openings of the second row of openings.   
     
     
         2 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second diameter of the second openings of the second row of openings is larger than the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings. 
     
     
         3 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the second openings of the second row of openings are offset from the first openings of the first row of openings along the length of the structural members. 
     
     
         4 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a third row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has equally spaced third openings having a third diameter, a third center line extending through the center of the third openings of the third row of openings is parallel to the first center line and the second center line. 
     
     
         5 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the third diameter of the third openings of the third row of openings is the same as the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings. 
     
     
         6 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the third openings of the third row of openings are offset from the second openings of the second row of openings along the length of the structural members and the third openings of the third row of openings are in-line with the first openings of the first row of openings along the length of the structural members. 
     
     
         7 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein mounting brackets having mounting openings are positioned to cooperate with the plurality of structural members, a diameter of the mounting openings is the same as the first diameter of the first openings and the third diameter of the third openings. 
     
     
         8 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the mounting brackets have a first leg which is positioned essentially perpendicular to a second leg, the first leg being longer than the second leg. 
     
     
         9 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein mounting hardware of different defined lengths and diameters are provided to extend through respective first openings, second openings, third openings and mounting openings to secure the structural members and mounting bracket together. 
     
     
         10 . A modular furniture system comprising:
 a plurality of structural members, the structural members all having the same width and depth, first structural members having a first length and second structural member having a second length;   each of the plurality of structural members has a generally planar first surface and an oppositely facing generally planar second surface, the depth of each of the plurality of structural members extends between the first surface and the second surface;   multiple rows of openings provided on each of the plurality of structural members, the multiple rows of openings extend through the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of structural members;   a first row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has first openings having a first diameter;   a second row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has second openings having a second diameter;   a third row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has third openings having a third diameter;   wherein the third diameter of the third openings of the third row of openings is the same as the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings, and the second diameter of the second openings of the second row of openings is different than the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings and the third diameter of the third openings.   
     
     
         11 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the third openings of the third row of openings are in-line with the first openings of the first row of openings along the length of the structural members. 
     
     
         12 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the second openings of the second row of openings are offset from the first openings of the first row of openings and the third openings of the third row of openings along the length of the structural members. 
     
     
         13 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second diameter of the second openings of the second row of openings is larger than the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings and the third diameter of the third openings of the third row of openings. 
     
     
         14 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the first openings of the first row of openings and the third openings of the third row of openings are equally spaced. 
     
     
         15 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the second openings of the second row of openings are equally spaced. 
     
     
         16 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein a first center line extending through the center of the first openings, a second center line extending through the center of the second openings and a third center line extending through the center of the third openings are essentially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         17 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 10 , wherein mounting brackets having mounting openings are positioned to cooperate with the plurality of structural members, a diameter of the mounting openings is the same as the first diameter of the first openings and the third diameter of the third openings. 
     
     
         18 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the mounting brackets have a first leg which is positioned essentially perpendicular to a second leg, the first leg being longer than the second leg. 
     
     
         19 . The modular furniture system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein mounting hardware of different defined lengths and diameters are provided to extend through respective first openings, second openings, third openings and mounting openings to secure the structural members and mounting bracket together. 
     
     
         20 . A structural member for use in a modular furniture system, the structural member comprising:
 a generally planar first surface and an oppositely facing generally planar second surface, a depth of the structural members extends between the first surface and the second surface;   multiple rows of openings provided on each of the plurality of structural members, the multiple rows of openings extend through the first surface and the second surface of each of the plurality of structural members;   a first row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has first equally spaced openings having a first diameter;   a second row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has second equally spaced openings having a second diameter;   a third row of openings of the multiple rows of openings has third equally spaced openings having a third diameter;   wherein the third diameter of the third openings of the third row of openings is the same as the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings, and the second diameter of the second openings of the second row of openings is larger than the first diameter of the first openings of the first row of openings and the third diameter of the third openings.