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Title:
MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE WITH ERGONOMIC SEAT
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2019/030179
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A multifunctional furniture (1) has a support means (2) and a sitting means (10), the support means (2) comprises two lateral supports (4) connected by a connecting means (5) forming an inner space (3) designed to house sitting means (10) in an armchair condition (P) where the lateral supports (4) act as armrests and the sitting means (10) acts as a seat. The lateral supports (4) in a desk-use condition (S) support a shelf (7) and the sitting means (10) is positioned near the support means (2) and acts as a seat.

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Inventors:
MARINELLI ANDREA (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/EP2018/071285
Publication Date:
February 14, 2019
Filing Date:
August 06, 2018
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
A D M HOME S R L (IT)
International Classes:
A47C4/54; A47B23/04; A47C9/00
Foreign References:
US20110017105A12011-01-27
CN106073238A2016-11-09
US20080176727A12008-07-24
Other References:
None
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
NEGRINI, Elena (IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

Multifunctional furniture having a support means (2) and a sitting means (10); the support means (2) comprises two lateral supports (4) connected by a connecting means (5) forming an inner space (3) adapted to receive the sitting means (10) in an armchair condition (P) where the lateral supports (4) act as armrests and the sitting means (10) acts as a sitting seat, said lateral supports (4) in a desk-use condition (S) support a shelf (7) and the sitting means (10) is positioned near to the support means (2) and acts as a seat; the two lateral supports (4) each have a respective seat (6) to accommodate or support a corresponding lateral edge of the shelf (7); said multifunctional furniture (1) being characterized in that the shelf (7) is a shutter consisting of a plurality of mutually articulated elements whose side ends slide in grooves or concave shaped seats (6).

2) Multifunctional furniture according to claim 1 characterized in that the seats (6) extend up to a housing (9) of the connecting means (5) for housing the shelf (7) at least in the armchair condition (P).

3) Multifunctional furniture according to claim 2 characterized in that the housing (9) for the shelf (7) consists of an interspace or recess obtained in the connecting means (5) where the sides of the interspace or recess extend into the corresponding development of the seats (6).

4) Multifunctional furniture according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that in the armchair condition (P), an upper protruding portion of the connecting means (5) may act as a backrest. Multifunctional furniture according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the sitting means (10) consists of a body having a shape among: parallelepiped, cube, cylinder, frustum or preferably spherical or spheroidal.

6) Multifunctional furniture according to claim 5 characterized in that the sitting means (10) consists of a coated ball made of elastic synthetic material. 7) Multifunctional furniture according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the height of the sitting means (10) subjected to the weight of a user ranges between 45 cm and 65 cm and the height of the lateral support (4) ranges between 60 cm and about 90 cm. 8) Multifunctional furniture according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the support means (2) is made of wood, derivatives or substitutes of wood, resin, composite material, metal or comprises a padded and/or coated frame and/or each of the lateral support (4) has a concave housing smaller than the seating means (10) and each is suitable for binding a respective portion of the seating means (10) detachably fixing it (10) in the armchair condition (P).

Description:
MULTIFUNCTIONAL FURNITURE WITH ERGONOMIC SEAT

DESCRIPTION TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns furnishings designed for ergonomics and in particular refers to a multifunctional furniture with ergonomic seat. BACKGROUND ART

Modular furnishings are known which have mechanisms adapted to modify the surface of the furnishing support by adding or subtracting elements, modular furniture, mountable and/or with shaped structures to improve the ergonomics and the posture of the operator.

Are known furnishings with ergonomic seats made with inflatable balls designed to improve the posture of the operator. A disadvantage of such known furnishings consists in the poor modularity and integration of the seats with the tables.

Another disadvantage consists in the difficulty in modifying the size of the support surface by having to add or to remove supporting elements, with storage problems of additional elements.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to propose a multifunctional furniture with an ergonomic seat with reduced dimensions and easy to use.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a multifunctional furniture with a support surface which can be modified quickly to adapt to the needs of the operator and who does not need to detach elements to modify the size thereof.

A further object of the present invention is to propose a multifunctional furniture which integrates an ergonomic seat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the invention are shown below with particular reference to the attached drawings in which:

- Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the furnishing object of the present invention in an armchair condition;

- Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the furniture of Fig. 1 in a desk-use condition;

- Fig. 3 shows an upper view of a support means, in an open condition thereof, of the furniture of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 4 shows an upper view of a support means, in a closed condition thereof, of the furniture of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 5 shows a section view according to plane V-V of Fig. 3;

- Fig. 6 shows a side view of a seating means of the furniture of Fig. 1;

- Fig. 7 shows a lower view of the sitting means of Fig. 6;

- Fig. 8 shows a variant of the furnishing of Fig. 1.

BEST MODE TO CARRY OUT THE INVENTION With reference to figures 1-7, numeral 1 indicates the multifunctional furniture object of the present invention having a support means 2 and a seating means 10.

The support means 2 comprises two lateral supports 4, on the lower side provided with respective feet 12 for supporting on the floor and for adjusting the height of the support means 2. The two lateral supports are flattened parallelepiped shaped, parallel, facing each other and, under the operative conditions, they are vertical and each have two main vertical faces, one internal and the other external, a front vertical face, a rear vertical face and at least one upper horizontal face.

The vertical portions adjacent to the rear faces of the two lateral supports 4 are connected by a flattened parallelepiped-shaped connecting means 5 which is vertical; this connection forms a support means 2 which, seen in plant view, as in figure 3, assumes a squared "U" shape, where the joining section is constituted by the rear connecting means 5.

The rear connecting means 5 and the lateral supports 4 are firmly fixed by means of a C-shaped section located at the base of the structure.

The lateral supports 4 connected to the connecting means 5 form an inner space 3 intended to receive the sitting means 10 in a chair-use condition P where the lateral supports 4 act as armrests and the sitting means 10 acts as a seat.

The inner vertical main faces of the lateral supports 4 each have a respective seat 6 suitable for housing or supporting a corresponding side edge of a shelf 7.

Each seat 6 is "L" shaped with a side which is near and parallel to the horizontal upper face and the other side is near and parallel to the vertical rear face; where the joining area of said two sides is connected by a curved portion.

The longitudinal development of each seat side is approximately equal to or slightly greater than the longitudinal dimension of the shelf 7 which is of shutter type and whose longitudinal edges run in the seats 6.

This shelf sliding allows the multifunctional furniture 1 to be configured as a desk S or armchair P, positioning the shelf 7 along the horizontal or vertical sides of the seats 6 and placing the seating means 10 facing the shelf or in the inner space 3.

The shelf 7 runs along the seats 6 with interposition of side caps allowing to change the position of the shelf from the armchair condition P to the desk-use condition S. The shelf 7, in the preferred embodiment, is a shutter constituted by a plurality of mutually articulated elements whose ends slide in the groove-shaped or concave- shaped seats 6.

This shutter-shaped configuration of the shelf 7 allows the user to adjust the size of the shelf 7 according to the need when using the desk-use configuration S, by sliding the shelf 7 along the seats 6. The user can transform the furniture multifunctional 1 from a desk-use condition S to an armchair condition P, sliding the shelf 7, along the seats 6, into a housing 9 of the lateral supports 4, intended to house the shelf 7 at least in the armchair-use condition P.

The housing 9 for the shelf 7 is adjacent to the connecting means 5, so that the shelf 7 becomes the wall adjacent to the inner space 3 in the armchair-use condition P. In this configuration the upper portion of the connecting means 5 acts as backrest.

A variant of the preferred embodiment provides that the seats 6 are parallel to three sides of the lateral supports 4, or the two sides indicated above as well as two sides which are parallel and adjacent to the front vertical faces of the lateral supports 4 so as to slide the shelf 7 from the armchair condition P, where this shelf is housed in the housing 9, to a closed condition C passing from the desk-use condition S. In this closed condition C the seating means is contained and constrained in the inner space 3, and by means of a locking system can be locked to guarantee a user the exclusive use of the seat.

A further variant of the preferred embodiment of the support means 2 provides that the sliding shelf 7 is actuated by an electric motor, controlled by a control panel or by application on a mobile device connected to the control panel, this solution also allows the integration of the closing system which is blocking only when the user, designed for using this support means 2, activates the system through the application.

The support means 2 is made of one of wood, derivatives or wood substitutes, resin, composite material, metal or includes a padded and/or coated frame.

A further variant, whose understanding does not require specific figures, provides that the shelf 7 is rigid and removably fixed to the upper horizontal faces of the lateral supports 4 or that it can be fixed to guide means of the lateral supports having horizontal seats or brackets placed in proximity of the upper horizontal faces.

In the preferred embodiment, the support means 2 has a height ranging between 60 and 90 cm, preferably about 70 cm, and has a steel structure which is padded and covered with precious material such as leather or fabric.

A variant provides that the support means 2 has a structure made of plastic or wood or other materials. The lateral supports 4, in the preferred embodiment, provide a lightening window having dimensions smaller than those of the sitting means 10, preferably of circular shape, where the lateral supports 4 with windows have both the function of lightening the structure and of ventilation, and allow to obtain harmonious and refined lines, and allow to constrain the seating means 10 in armchair condition P.

The sitting means 10 consists of a body having a shape between parallelepiped, cube, cylinder, truncated cone or preferably a spherical or spheroidal shape.

In the preferred embodiment, the sitting means 10 consists of a ball 14 made of elastic synthetic material and coated with a covering 16 of precious material such as leather or fabric. On the covering there is a handle 18, strip shaped and whose ends are separated and fixed to the ball, and intended to facilitate the movement of this ball 14. In the preferred embodiment, said ball 14 is an inflatable ball which has a coating having a middle hinge and a vertical elastic. The center hinge has the support function and the inflation template, while the vertical elastic mask the hinge. The diameter of the sitting means 10 varies between 45 cm and 65 cm, preferably about 55 cm.

With reference to figure 8, number 1 indicates the multifunctional furniture and includes a multimedia insert 20.

This multimedia insert 20 is suitable for hosting USB ports, speakers, Bluetooth, multimedia supports and power sockets for portable devices.