Automated deck-chair housed in a mounting surface, for example in the aft deck of a boat

The present invention relates to a deck-chair, comprising a backrest part and a seat part.

The registered and published French design N. 494 350 discloses a hand-operated, foldaway deck-chair.

The deck-chair according to the invention is characterized in that at least one of said backrest part and seat part is mounted tiltably inside a housing formed in a mounting surface, there being envisaged movement means which can be operated so as to cause the rotation of at least one of said backrest part and seat part, so that the deck-chair is able to assume a closed configuration, where the backrest part and the seat part are arranged substantially parallel to the mounting surface, and an open configuration, where said at least one backrest part and seat part is raised with respect to the mounting surface.

These and other characteristic features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the following detailed description of a preferred but non-limiting embodiment of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a simplified cross-sectional view of an aft deck of a pleasure boat, provided with a deck-chair according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a simplified perspective view of the deck-chair according to Figure 1;

- Figure 3 is a plan view of the deck-chair according to Figure 1;

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the deck-chair according to Figure 3, along the line IV-IV;

- Figure 5 is a plan view of a supporting framework of the deck-chair according to Figure 3; and

- Figures 6 and 7 are, respectively, a perspective and side elevation view of the framework according to Figure 5.

With reference to Figure 1, a deck-chair according to the invention, denoted overall by 1, is housed inside a housing S formed in a mounting surface P, for example the surface of an aft

deck of a pleasure boat. The deck-chair 1 comprises a backrest part 2 and a seat part 3, which are mounted tiltably inside the housing S. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the deck-chair may also have only one of said backrest part and seat part mounted tiltably inside the housing, while the other part is fixed to the mounting surface. The deck-chair 1 is able to assume a closed configuration, shown in continuous lines in Figure 1, where the backrest part 2 and the seat part 3 are arranged substantially parallel to the mounting surface P, and an open configuration, shown in broken lines in Figure 1, where the backrest part 2 and/or the seat part 3 are/is raised, i.e. inclined, with respect to the mounting surface P.

Preferably, as shown in Figure 2, the backrest part 2 and the seat part 3 are fitted, in a permanent or removable manner, with one or more padding elements 5 for making use of the chair 1 by a user U more comfortable.

Figures 3 and 4 show the deck-chair 1 in the closed configuration. Said deck-chair 1 comprises a containing box 6 which is mounted inside the housing S of the mounting surface and which has a bottom wall 7 and side walls 8 which are provided, arranged along the entire perimeter of the containing box 6, with a rim part 9 designed to rest on the mounting surface P. The backrest part 2 comprises a backrest panel 2a and the seat part 3 comprises a pair of seat panels 3 a and 3b. The panels 2a, 3 a and 3b act as supporting parts for the user of the deck-chair 1 and, in the closed condition of the chair, are arranged substantially flush with the rim part 9 of the containing box 6 so as to act also as covering parts for covering the opening defined by the containing box 6.

Figures 5 and 7 show a supporting framework of the deck-chair 1 according to the invention. This framework comprises a backrest frame 20 on which the backrest panel 2a is able to be mounted. The backrest frame 20 comprises a pair of parallel longitudinal members 21, 22 and a transverse member 23 which interconnects them at one end of the chair 1. At the opposite end, the longitudinal members 21, 22 have respective curved ends 21a, 22a which terminate in respective pins 21b, 22b. The backrest frame 20 is mounted tiltably on a stationary unit 25 which is fixed to the bottom wall 7 of the containing box 6.

The stationary unit 25 comprises a central member 26 and a pair of lateral bracket members 27, 28 respectively associated with the end pins 21b, 22b of the longitudinal members 21, 22 of the backrest frame 20. Each of the lateral members 27, 28 together with the central member 26 forms a fork for the corresponding pin 21b, 22b, supports for mounting the respective pin 21b, 22b being formed on the two sides of each fork.

The framework also includes a seat frame 30 comprising a pair of subframes 30a, 30b which are hinged with each other and on which the seat panels 3 a and 3b are designed to be mounted, respectively. The first seat subframe 30a comprises a pair of parallel longitudinal members 31, 32 and a transverse member 33 which interconnects them at one end of the subframe 30a. On the opposite side, the longitudinal members 31, 32 have respective curved ends 31a, 32a which terminate in respective pins 31b, 32b. Lateral bracket members 27, 28 are respectively associated with the end pins 31b, 32b of the longitudinal members 31, 32 of the first seat subframe 30a. Each of the lateral members 27, 28 together with the central member 26 forms a fork for the corresponding pin 31b, 32b, supports for mounting the respective pin 31b, 32b being formed on the two sides of each fork. The second seat subframe 30b is mounted on the first seat subframe 30a by means of a hinge 35, visible in Figures 5 and 7. The second seat subframe 30b comprises a pair of parallel longitudinal members 36, 37 and a pair of parallel transverse members 38, 39 which interconnect them at opposite ends of the subframe 30b. At one end, the transverse member 38 of the second subframe 30b is connected to the transverse member 33 of the first subframe 30a by means of the hinge 35. At the other end, roller wheels 41 are mounted in a freely rotatable manner on the transverse member 39 of the second subframe 30b. These roller wheels 41 are designed to rest on the bottom wall 7 of the containing box 6. These roller wheels 41 are moreover guided at the top by guides 42, shown in Figure 7, which are mounted on the containing box 6 and prevent the rollers 41 from being raised from the bottom wall 7 as a result of the movement of the deck-chair 1 which will be described below.

Figures 5 to 7 show, moreover, means for moving the deck-chair 1 according to the invention which can be operated so as to cause rotation of the backrest part 2 and/or the seat part 3.

These movement means comprise a first linear actuator 50, for example an actuating cylinder, which is able to cause rotation of the backrest part 2. The free end of the rod 51 of the piston of the cylinder 50 is pivotably mounted on a projecting part 52 fixed to the transverse member 23 of the backrest frame 20. The bottom- side end 53 of the cylinder 50 is pivotably mounted on a projecting part 54 fixed to the central member 26 of the stationary unit 25. In the closed configuration of the deck-chair 1, the piston of the first actuating cylinder 50 is completely retracted. The hinging point of the bottom-side end 53 of the cylinder 50 is arranged, with respect to the pins 21b and 22b of the backrest frame 20, such that an elongation of the piston outside the first actuating cylinder 50 causes a rotation Rl of the backrest frame 20 in a vertical plane.

The movement means comprise a second actuating cylinder 60 able to cause rotation of the seat part 2. The free end of the rod 61 of the piston of the cylinder 60 is pivotably mounted on a projecting part 62 fixed to the transverse member 33 of the first seat subframe 30a. The bottom-side end 63 of the cylinder 60 is pivotably mounted on a projecting part 64 fixed to the central member 26 of the stationary unit 25. In the closed configuration of the deck-chair 1 , the piston of the second actuating cylinder 60 is completely retracted. The hinging point of the bottom-side end 63 of the second cylinder 60 is arranged, with respect to the pins 31b and 32b of the seat subframe 30a, such that an elongation of the piston outside of the first actuating cylinder 50 causes a rotation R2, in a vertical plane, of the seat subframe 30a in the opposite direction to the rotation Rl of the backrest frame 20. Since the second subframe 30b is, on the one hand, hinged with the first subframe 30a and, on the other hand, is forced to slide along the bottom wall 7 of the containing box 6 and along the guides 42, the rotational raising movement of the first subframe 30a also causes raising of the second subframe 30b, which therefore performs a displacement along the guides 42 and a rotation R3 in a vertical plane about the axis of the roller wheels 41.

Retraction of the pistons inside the cylinders 50 and 60 naturally causes a reverse movement of the backrest part 2 and seat part 3 and therefore the return of the deck-chair 1 into the closed configuration. So that, in the closed configuration, the opening of the containing box 6 is completely closed, a transverse covering member 71 is mounted on the stationary unit

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and illustrated here, but instead may be subject to modifications relating to the form and arrangement of parts as well as constructional and operating details, in accordance with the numerous possible variants considered appropriate by persons skilled in the art and to be understood as included in the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.