GB2028120A - Seating platform with sprung edge - Google Patents

Abstract

Resiliently deformable support at the front edge of a seat is achieved by providing, in a seating platform having a flexible element 16 stretched between and secured to front and rear sides of a frame (the front side only being shown), a pocket of flexible material 20 formed along the upper side of the front edge of the platform, with a V- section spring 22 disposed in the pocket and having its open jaws facing the front edge of the frame. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Seating platform with sprung edge This invention relates to a seating platform for furniture and in particular to a platform having a sprung front edge providing resiliently deformable support at the front edge of the seat.

It has long been recognised that it is desirable to provide a sprung front edge to a seat but hitherto the means for providing this have been variously complex, expensive or not such as to provide the required performance.

In accordance with this invention, there is provided a seating platform comprising at least one flexible element stretched between and secured to front and rear sides of the frame, and a pocket of flexible material formed along the upper side of the front edge of the platform in which is located a V-section spring with its open jaw facing the front edge of the frame.

Conveniently, the platform may comprise a development of the platform of our British Patent 1 443 826, comprising a sheet of elastic material having a free edge secured directly to the rear side of the frame and a sheet of non-elastic or minimum stretch material secured along an opposite edge of the elastic sheet, the non-elastic sheet having a free edge, generally parallel to said opposite edge of the elastic sheet, secured directly to the front side of the frame with the elastic sheet placed under tension. In such case, the pocket in which the V-section spring is located comprises a strip of the non-elastic or minimum stretch material secured along its opposite edges to the front side of the frame and to the main sheet of non-elastic material along a line parallel to and spaced behind the front edge.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a seating platform applied to a wooden frame, with part of the platform shown broken away to illustrate details thereof; Figure 2 is a front view of the seating platform; and Figure 3 is a section on the line Ill to Ill of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a resilient seating platform 10 applied to a wooden frame 1 2 for a domestic seat. The platform comprises, in accordance with our British Patent 1 443 826, a sheet 1 4 of elastic material having a free edge secured directly to the rear side of the frame (by staples 1 5 driven through the elastic sheet into the wooden frame) and a sheet 1 6 of woven plastics, non-elastic or minimum stretch material secured (by stitching 17) along an opposite, parallel edge of elastic sheet 14: the non-elastic sheet 1 6 has a free, parallel edge secured directly to the front side of the frame (by staples 1 8 driven through sheet 1 6 into the top of the front member of the frame and by staples 1 9 driven through sheet 1 6 into the bottom of the front member of the frame). The platform is stretched between the front and rear sides of the frame such that the elastic sheet 14 is under tension, thus providing firmness and resilience to the platform.

A pocket 20 is provided along the front edge of the frame, on the upper side of the platform, in which is disposed a V-section spring 22. The pocket 20 comprises a strip of woven plastics non-elastic or minimum stretch material having one edge stapled at 21 to the front of the front member of the frame and its opposite edge stitched at 23 to the sheet 1 6.

The strip from which the pocket 20 is formed extends, at each of its ends, beyond the edge of the sheet 1 6 and this excess length is folded over the end of the V-section spring to close the end of the pocket, and is stapled to the inside of the adjacent side member of the frame.

The V-section spring, in the example shown, comprises a single length of spring wire bent into the configuration illustrated.

Thus, the configuration comprises a series of triangular sections 24, the bases of adjacent such sections partially overlapping, the apex of each section being slightly open as shown, and the apices of adjacent sections being joined by a linear section which is parallel to the bases.

The bases of alternate triangular sections of the V-section spring are secured pivotally to the front member of the wooden frame, for example by staples 26 which straddle the wire of the spring and are applied in crossed-pairs, or perhaps by short lengths of rubberised fabric folded around the wire and stapled to the top of the front frame member, the bases of these alternate triangular sections being spaced slightly behind the extreme front edge of the frame. The linear sides of each triangular section are coupled at the apex, for example by a hog ring or metal link, or by a strip 28 of plastics clip which embraces the successive linear sections which join the apices of the adjacent triangular sections. The bases of the alternate triangular sections not secured to the front frame member are held in a straight line by a second strip 30 of plastics clip.

These sections are bent upwardly from their apices so as collectively to define an upper jaw, the other sections laying flat upon the platform sheet 1 6 and defining a lower jaw.

As shown, the upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw and projects slightly forwards of the front edge of the seat. The strip forming the pocket maintains the spring slightly compressed in its natural state.

In the completed seat, the platform is cov ered with upholstery and cushioning. The front edge of the pocket 20 may stand above a generally horizontal platform 14, 1 6 or alternatively, the platform 14, 1 6 may slope so that the front edge of the pocket is in the same horizontal plane as the rear side of the frame.

Alternative configurations of the V-section spring may be envisaged, for example the lengths of wire forming the side of each triangular section may turn around each other at the apex of that section. The sections of the spring need not be triangular. The end of the V-section spring and its pocket may curve to extend at least partially along the sides of the seating platform to extend the front-edge resilience along the sides of the seat.

In use, the V-section spring is compressed when the seat is loaded at its front edge, to provide a desirable effect for the user. The rear edge of the spring is held flat against the platform sheet 1 6 by the pocket 20 during compression of the spring.

Claims (11)

1. A seating platform comprising at least one flexible element stretched between and secured to front and rear sides of a frame, and a pocket of flexible material formed along the upper side of the front edge of the platform in which is located a V-section spring with its open jaws facing the front edge of the frame.

2. A platform as claimed in claim 1, in which said flexible element comprises a sheet of elastic material having a free edge secured to the rear side of the frame and a sheet of non-elastic or minimum stretch material secured along an opposite edge of the elastic sheet, the non-elastic sheet having a free edge, generally parallel to said opposite edge of the elastic sheet, secured to the front side of the frame with the elastic sheet placed under tension.

3. A platform as claimed in claim 2, in which said pocket comprises a strip of nonelastic or minimum stretch material secured along its opposite edges to the front side of the frame and to the main sheet of non-elastic material along a line parallel to and spaced behind the front edge.

4. A platform as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the V-section spring comprises spring wire in a bent configuration.

5. A platform as claimed in claim 4, in which said configuration comprises a series of triangular sections having their apices behind said front edge and their bases toward said front edge, with alternate triangular sections directed upwardly to form the upper jaw and the intervening triangular sections lying flat to form the lower jaw of said V-section spring.

6. A platform as claimed in claim 5, in which the bases of said intervening triangular sections are secured to the front edge of the frame.

7. A platform as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the bases of said alternate triangular sections are coupled together in a straight line.

8. A platform as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7, in which the apices of said triangular sections are coupled together in a straight line.

9. A platform as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the upper jaw projects further forward than the lower jaw.

1 0. A platform as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said pocket maintains the spring under slight compression.

11. A platform as claimed in any preceding claim, in which said spring and its pocket extend at least partially along the sides of the platform.

1 2. A seating platform substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.