DESCRIPTION

The present patent concerns seats and urban furniture, and in particular it concerns a new equipped seat or bench, particularly suitable for street furniture.

Benches for street furniture are known, which are intended to be positioned in public places, even outdoors, and are suitable for accommodating one or more persons seated thereon. Benches of various types are known, all generally provided with elements suited to rest on the ground and/or means for directly/indirectly fixing them to the ground, and at least one surface on which the user can sit.

Benches are also known that are provided with a back on which the user can rest his/her back and/or with armrests or other surfaces suited to support objects in general.

There are also benches provided with accessories such as litter bins, elements for supporting objects, and so on.

A bench is also known that is equipped with a device for recharging the batteries of mobile phones or electronic equipment in general, said bench being provided with means for resting and fixing it on the ground and with a single, flat seating surface.

A device suited to recharge electronic devices is placed on and constrained to said seating surface, in an intermediate position.

Said recharging device comprises a casing that is fixed to said flat surface, a photovoltaic panel mounted on the upper surface of said casing, while the electric and electronic components are all contained in said casing.

A side of said casing furthermore comprises one or more sockets for the connection of the electronic equipment to be recharged.

Said device, however, occupies most of the space on which the user should sit and furthermore it is constrained to the seat in a simple manner, so that it can be easily removed and thus stolen.

The presence of the device positioned on the seat affects its aesthetic appearance negatively and furthermore the presence of the recharging device limits the possible shapes that can be chosen for the seat itself.

In order to overcome the drawbacks described above, a new type of equipped seat or bench has been designed and built, which is particularly suited to be used as street furniture.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a seat or bench configured in such a way that all the accessory devices described and claimed herein can be integrated into its body.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a seat or bench that allows electronic equipment to be recharged and connected in any way.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a seat or bench that integrates practical functions with a good aesthetic appearance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a seat or bench that reduces the risk of the electric/electronic devices integrated into its body being tampered with and/or stolen. These and other direct and complementary objects are achieved by the new type of equipped seat or bench particularly suited to be used as street furniture both indoors and outdoors, comprising:

• at least one body substantially in a single piece, in turn comprising at least one surface on which one or more users can sit, elements resting on the ground, and wherein said body in a single piece is at least partially hollow, defining at least one inner housing compartment;

• at least one photovoltaic panel constrained to said body in a single piece and generally facing upwards;

• at least one battery or accumulator connected to said at least one photovoltaic panel, said accumulator being housed in said compartment defined by said body in a single piece;

• one or more sockets for recharging or connecting in any way one or more electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, and so on, said recharging sockets being installed on one or more external surfaces of said body in a single piece;

• electric/electronic means for connecting said one or more recharging sockets to said at least one accumulator, said connection means being housed in said compartment defined by said body in a single piece.

In the preferred embodiment, said body in a single piece comprises also at least one surface suited to serve as a backrest for one or more users, wherein said at least one photovoltaic panel is installed on the top of the backrest, so that it is directed upwards and furthermore so that it does not hinder or represent an obstacle for the one or more users who intend to sit on the bench.

In order to guarantee the correct functionality of the new bench, according to the invention it also comprises at least one electric/electronic management unit, also housed in said compartment defined by said body in a single piece.

According to the invention, in order to guarantee the stability of the new bench said body in a single piece can be provided with a ballast element or in any case be suited to be firmly anchored to the ground.

For example, according to the invention the new bench comprises one or more ballast elements housed in said compartment defined by said body in a single piece.

In the preferred solution, the new bench comprises also one or more lights, preferably of the LED type, which are distributed in any way on the external surface of said body in a single piece and connected in any way to and powered by said at least one accumulator.

According to the invention, furthermore, the new bench also comprises at least one twilight sensor installed on a surface of said body in a single piece and suited to cause said one or more lights to be switched on/off according to the light conditions.

According to the invention, said body substantially in a single piece may be completely or partially made of a transparent or semi-transparent material, with various degrees of transparency, wherein said bench preferably comprises also one or more lights positioned inside said body in a single piece, which therefore is at least partially backlit.

Furthermore, according to the invention, said body in a single piece comprises, on said external surface, for example on the rear surface of said backrest, spaces suitable for the application of advertising posters or decorative panels in general or of one or more monitors for displaying images, videos etc..

The characteristics of the new bench are highlighted in greater detail in the following description, with reference to the drawing that is attached hereto by way of non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of the new bench (1).

The new equipped seat or bench (1) is particularly suited to be used as street furniture, but also in private spaces, both indoors and outdoors.

The new bench (1) comprises at least one body (11) substantially in a single piece, in turn comprising at least one substantially horizontal surface (12) suited to allow one or more users to sit thereon and at least one substantially vertical or inclined surface (13) suited to serve as a backrest for one or more users.

Said body (11) of the new bench comprises one or more elements (18) suited to directly or indirectly rest on the ground, for example a substantially horizontal base (18) suited to be rested on the ground.

Said body (11) is at least partially hollow and defines at least one inner housing compartment (15).

Said surface (13) of the backrest of said body comprises an upper side (14) that is substantially horizontal or generically facing upwards and is suitable for the assembly of at least one photovoltaic panel (2).

Inside said compartment (15) there is at least one accumulator (4) that is electrically connected, directly or indirectly, to said at least one photovoltaic panel (2).

At least one external surface of said body (1 1), for example the substantially vertical or inclined surface (16) located below said seating surface (12), is provided with one or more sockets (6) for recharging batteries or connecting in general electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers etc..

For example, said sockets (6) can be of the USB type or of another type.

Said sockets (6) are connected to said at least one accumulator (4) through electric/electronic connection means also housed in said compartment (15) defined by said body (11). Furthermore, at least one management unit (5) is housed in said compartment (15).

One or more ballast elements (3) intended to guarantee the stability of the bench (1) are also housed and constrained inside said compartment (15).

One or more external surfaces (13, 12) of said body (11) are preferably provided with one or more lights (8), preferably of the LED type, connected in any way to and powered by said at least one accumulator (4).

Said lights (8) can also be housed inside said body (1 1), which therefore will be completely or partially made of a transparent or semi-transparent material.

At least one twilight sensor (7) is preferably mounted on an external surface of said body (11), for example on a side (19), wherein said twilight sensor (7) is suited to cause said one or more lights (8) to be switched on/off according to the light conditions.

Said body (11), furthermore, is suitable for the application of images, advertising posters or decorative panels in general on one or more of its external surfaces.

Preferably, said body (11) comprises a substantially flat rear surface (17) suitable for the application of said advertising posters or decorative panels in general, or one or more monitors for displaying images, videos etc., said monitors being connected, for example, to said accumulator (4).

Said body (11) is conveniently made of any suitable material, for example plastic, synthetic resins in general, wood, glass, metal, composite materials, etc.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached drawing, the following claims are expressed.