CN101431925A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a chair, which is essentially constituted by a structural cover divided into a plurality of chambers, which in the specific case of sofas have different cavities for the back, seat, armrests and other parts of the sofa, so that bags filled with light material can be fitted into these cavities and adjusted inside them, whereby these bags are really the elements for reinforcing the whole sofa, so that their volume is small since they can be disassembled before transport, so that an easy-to-transport, low-cost and light product can be obtained, which makes it different from most ordinary sofas, which have to be moved in their fully assembled form. These bags may consist of a single chamber or several chambers, in which case each chamber may in turn be filled with a different material in order to obtain different degrees of flexibility.

Description

seat

technical field

As stated in this description, the present invention relates to a chair whose distinguishing feature is that there is no internal rigid structure acting as a support for the chair, but this in no way detracts from the desired convenience of said piece of furniture sex and comfort.

In addition, it has the same functions and characteristics as a normal seat with a rigid structure and supports, and has the advantage of being a lightweight seat, which is also cheaper and more eco-friendly than a normal seat.

It must also be noted that when it is disassembled for transport, it is easier and less expensive to move it from one place to another due to its size and weight.

Background technique

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is applied to sofas and other furniture products of similar character, common techniques include constructing a rigid internal structure, usually made of wood, and then building on the internal structure in order to achieve the desired level of comfort Different parts and elements with softening effects on the assembly.

Seats of the above-mentioned type are expensive to produce due to their complex structural properties, and they are also relatively bulky and heavy, thus presenting disadvantages when they are to be stored or transported.

In order to circumvent the above problems other seats have been developed without an internal structure, such as that described in Spanish utility model patent 154.644, which consists of an inflatable armchair consisting of several A sliding assembly composed of a hollow body of pressurized air.

Obviously when such a seat is not inflated it hardly takes up any space and is very light in weight, which overcomes the aforementioned problems such as storage and transport. However, the basic problem affecting these inflatable seats revolves around the fact that they are unstable and deform easily, which means that they can only be used as very small armchairs.

European patent 0284294 is a seat for the elderly consisting of water pockets which is logically easy to store and transport when these water pockets are emptied and their weight is very light, but not so bulky because of the need to secure structure to support these water bladders, and it must also be noted that the deformability of these water bladders is excessive and while the seat may be suitable for those problems faced by some middle-aged does not apply.

Patent GB1.300.733 is a mat with a single conventional chamber which can be filled with different fillings in order to provide different degrees of stiffness, but, for example, where it is necessary to have self-supporting elements to limit its deformability In this case, especially in the case of armchairs and backrests, it is clear that this cushion solution cannot be directly applied to sofas.

US Patent 4843666 also develops a mattress based on a container in which pads of various hardness are inserted, so that the firmness throughout the mattress is ideally adapted to the different parts of the body lying on them, but The functionality of this mattress also relies on the fact that it is supported on a flat rigid surface, so if the technique is applied to a sofa, it must be arranged in a rigid structure, as previously indicated, among other Negatives aside, it's not ideal due to its weight and bulk.

Patent WO9602402 discloses a seat having a rigid frame (designated (12)-(13)) on which are mounted two superposed chambers filled with a fluid. This solution follows the structural idea of European patent 0284294, so there are the same problems as the latter.

The applicant is not aware that any of the aforementioned types of chairs is capable of performing a function which lacks a rigid structure yet sufficiently retains its basic shape and which deforms in the same way as those affecting furniture with a rigid structure without prejudice to the user Concerned about maximum comfort.

Contents of the invention

The seat of the invention is mainly characterized in that it is equipped with a series of bags filled with softening material of different hardness and density, for example of perlite or granular type, but any other product can also be used. Typically pellets of the lightest type of material are used, which are easily filled by pneumatic means, such as polymers, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene, etc.

Each of these bags containing the padding material forms part of the seat, so that a sofa, for example, may have one bag for each armrest, another bag for the backrest, another bag for the horizontal part of the seat. A bag etc. and have the same density or different densities.

According to the essence of the invention, the aforementioned bag is intended to fill what may be called the structure of said sofa or seat, comprising a flexible cover divided into chambers, preferably made of fabric or similar material, which on the one hand Corresponding in form and size to the perimeter of this piece of furniture and on the other hand equipped with the same type of internal partitions that not only give rigidity to the structure of this cover but also serve as a shell for said different bags or sets of bags , and each chamber has at least one inlet equipped with closure means such as a zipper. It is thus possible to achieve a compact assembly by completely occupying the above-mentioned chamber with the relevant bag, which serves to make, except for the temporary (since the piece of furniture returns to its original shape as soon as it is unoccupied) small deformations similar to that to which an ordinary sofa is subjected. Apart from slight specific deformations in the area of the body resting, the shape of the sofa or piece of furniture remains perfectly stable not only when empty but also when in use.

Typically, each segment space will have an entrance so that the bag inside can be adjusted, but it is also possible for several segment spaces to have a single access if the single space is larger.

Another main feature of the invention is that each bag has a substructure consisting of intermediate partitions that separate the different chambers and give the bag its rigid character, these partitions are provided with channels connecting adjacent chambers so that The filling process of these chambers takes place as quickly and above all as correctly as possible without any risk of hollows or empty spaces.

In another embodiment, there may be several separate pocket chambers, so that they can be filled with different materials and thus have different densities, thereby obtaining different stiffnesses that can be adapted to the ergonomics of the seat, and in general For greater comfort for the user. In this embodiment it is only desired that each chamber has its own inlet, but there could also be a single common inlet as long as one of the ends of the chambers leads to the common inlet.

In another embodiment of the structure for a bag of specific shape and/or where the bag lacks the required rigidity, the design incorporates a separate rigid structure which will obviously be inserted through the inlet in the bag, so that they can be housed in the volume occupied by the filling material, the laminar elements are arranged between them so that the laminar elements can form part of the bags, thereby definitely improving the consistency, firmness and rigidity of these bags, It is thus ensured that the seat is also more consistent, firm and rigid in the area where the bag is placed.

Another feature of the invention is that the pockets are provided with stiffeners at the edges where they coincide with the edges of the sofa, so that this feature, together with the feature of inserting the middle divider, makes the seat more rigid and It doesn't flatten when on it. These reinforcements may also be provided on the corners of the bag.

So once all the bags have been filled, they are inserted into covers that are basically made of foam, which ultimately makes them look like traditional armchairs. Finally, a cover is put over them to make them aesthetically pleasing, and this cover can be made of leather, cloth or any other fabric.

Below are just some advantages of the new seat of the present invention:

The materials used make it even cheaper.

The seat is lighter in weight.

Easier to carry.

Easier to transport.

On-site manufacturing methods are more eco-friendly.

Different densities of filler material can be used depending on the area being filled.

It is easy to store this seat without filling.

It is easy to fill this seat in the store itself.

This makes it easy to design the seat using only flexible materials (fabric, canvas, foam, etc.) that do not define its shape, compared to the usual rigid structures usually employed.

These bags are usually made of fabric material or even those mentioned above, but it is also possible to make these bags from heat sealable materials, the different parts are joined together by heat sealing and the inlet. Even where the heat-sealable material is impermeable, it will contain micropores to enable deflation of the bags when filling them, thereby preventing the formation of a vacuum and defects in them.

In order to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of this description, the following description being given for the purpose of illustration and not in a limiting manner.

Description of drawings

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the seat of the invention. It basically consists of a housing divided into a number of chambers and bags of filling material shaped to fit the individual chambers within the housing.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the lower surface of the structural hood divided into chambers, basically showing some open chamber spaces ready to fit the respective bag and its filling.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the bag with filling material, highlighting the reinforcements for the edges and corners.

Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the seat assembly clearly showing the details of the various parts forming the seat, in this case for a sofa.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a bag divided into chambers.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a bag divided into chambers having a different structure than that shown in the previous figures.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the bag into which a stiffener can be inserted to make the bag stronger and make it more stable.

Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a section of a bag incorporating a rigid portion.

Detailed ways

Considering the reference numbers used in these figures, the seat initially consists of at least one flexible foam cover (1) divided into chambers in which several open cavities (2) are defined, in which The individual bags (3) in the chambers are adapted to be filled with a filling material (4) made of perlite or other granular material, so that once the bags (3) are inserted and adjusted in these cavities (4), they is enclosed thereby forming and strengthening the seat assembly.

These cavities (2) are separated from each other by partitions (5) interposed between them, these partitions forming part of the enclosure (1).

The edges and even the corners of the bag are equipped with reinforcements (6) and (7) in order to give the seat assembly a better shape.

In addition, the hood ( 1 ) can also be provided with reinforcements ( 8 ) and ( 9 ) at those edges and primarily at those corners.

Each of these pockets (3) forms part of the seat, so that in the particular case of a sofa each armrest has one pocket (3), the sofa back has one pocket and the seat has another pocket and so on.

The sofa can be covered with an exterior upholstery cover (15) which can be made from a wide variety of materials.

The bags can be made to contain a single chamber filled with filling material, as shown in Figure 3, but the bags can also have different arrangements and constructions, such as those shown in Figures 5 to 8.

These bags (3) can therefore have a substructure consisting of internal partitions (10) separating the different chambers (12) with inlets (11) between the chambers so that The process of filling these cavities is carried out quickly and correctly, thereby ensuring that no vacuum is created or empty spaces are left, while ensuring that there is no variation in the density of the volume occupied by the same type of filling material (4).

In another embodiment, the cavities (12') in these bags (3) are designed independently so that they can be filled with different materials and thus have different densities, thus ensuring that the stiffness can be different and with the seat It is adapted to the ergonomics and makes sitting more comfortable in a word. In this embodiment, most commonly, each chamber (12) has its own inlet (13), but it is also possible to have a single common inlet, as long as one of the ends of the chambers (12) leading to the common entrance (13).

In another embodiment of the structure of the bag (3) having a specific shape and/or when the bag lacks the required rigidity, the design incorporates a separate rigid structure (14) which will obviously be passed through the bag ( 3) into which the inlets (13) are inserted so that they can be arranged in the volume occupied by the filling material (4) and it is possible to insert a sheet-like element (16) connected to the packaging material surrounding the bag (3), Thereby the lamellar element can form a part of the bags (3), thereby positively improving the consistency, firmness and rigidity of the bags (3), thus ensuring that the seat is also in the area where the bags (3) are placed More consistent, firm and rigid.

Instead of the aforementioned bag (3), the cavity (2) in the flexible structural cover (1) can optionally accommodate blocks or pieces of material (17) of elastic or similar properties in order to vary the stiffness, comfort, etc. of the seat.

As already indicated above, said structure allows a substantial reduction in cost, volume and weight, so that in the particular case of a sofa, when comparing a conventional sofa with a wooden frame with the sofa of the invention, the following results can be obtained :

Twenty-one different raw materials are generally used to make a traditional sofa, but only about seven raw materials are used to make the sofa of the present invention, which means that the cost of raw materials used in the latter has been reduced by about 36%.

Whereas ordinary sofas require a construction process involving sixteen operational stages, only eight are involved in the manufacture of the sofa of the present invention, and all of these stages can be automated.

The occupied volume (before filling) is approximately 95.7% smaller for a sofa of the same final size, while the weight is reduced by approximately 77% (after filling), with clear advantages in terms of storage and transport, Also the problem of difficult access to many homes is no longer a problem with the furniture of the invention since it is easily disassembled.

All this leads to optimum ergonomics and virtually unlimited design potential.

Claims (15)

1. A seat, such as a sofa or similar piece of furniture, comprising a lightweight filling material in the form of granules packed in bags in a similar manner to cushions with different arrangements, characterized in that it comprises preferably A flexible cover (1) of fabric material or similar material as a structural element, provided with internal partitions (5) to help improve the structural function and to form several chambers inside the piece of furniture ( 2), each chamber is provided with an inlet and is occupied by a corresponding bag (3) containing filling material, said cover and bag forming a compact assembly which can be adjusted by means of closing means, when the piece of furniture is used for In the intended use, the closure means is capable of stabilizing the general arrangement of the piece of furniture when pressure is exerted on the piece of furniture. 2. Seat according to claim 1, characterized in that each bag (3) has at least one chamber filled with a filling material (4) which can be perlite, polymer, Polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene or similar material. 3. Seat according to claim 2, characterized in that said bag (3) has an internal substructure consisting of internal partitions (10) which will be occupied by the different cavities of the filling material (4) The chamber (12) is separated. 4. Seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the inner substructure of the bag (3) has inlets (11) integrated into the inner partition (10) for connecting adjacent chamber (12). 5. Seat according to claim 3, characterized in that the internal partition (10) in the bag (3) forms a plurality of independent chambers (12'), thus enabling them to be filled with different densities different filling materials. 6. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has at least one rigid body (14) integrated into said filling material (4) and a sheet element arranged between them (16), all of which serve to make the soft body formed by the bag (3) strong and to stabilize said soft body. 7. Seat according to claim 2, characterized in that the bag (3) has at least one inlet (13) equipped with closure means and leading to the bag (3). 8. Seat according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that said bag with internal substructure is equipped with a single common access (13). 9. Seat according to claim 5, characterized in that said separate chambers (12') each have an inlet (13). 10. A seat as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least the outer cover for the bag comprises heat-sealable material; all of which are used to give the bag its shape by heat sealing its different parts together, And it is also possible to close said inlet (13) by heat sealing. 11. Seat according to claim 10, characterized in that the heat-sealable material for the bag (3) is impermeable and microporous. 12. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said cover divided into several chambers (1) is covered with a decorative second cover (15). 13. Seat according to claim 6, characterized in that the sheet-like element (16) covering said rigid body (14) forms an essential part of the material enclosing said bag (3). 14. Seat according to claim 6, characterized in that the sheet-like element (16) covering the rigid body (14) has a separate body connected to the material enclosing the bag (3). 15. Seat according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavities in the structural cover (1) are filled or fitted with blocks or pieces (17) or similar of elastic material.

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