DESCRIPTION

Field of application

The present invention relates to a convertible sofa.

More in detail, the aforementioned invention relates to a sofa provided with movable elements, namely adjustable in different positions, to allow users to rest their head, legs and possibly feet.

Hereinafter the description will be directed to a three-seater sofa, but it is clear that the same must not be considered as limited to a sofa of such specific size, indeed, it can also be extended to other sized sofas, or to sofas with two, four or more seats, and also to armchairs or seats for a single person.

Prior art

Currently, there are various types of convertible sofas on the market, namely sofas provided with movable components to allow the users to take up different positions on the sofa.

The currently existing convertible sofas, however, have some important disadvantages, limitations and drawbacks, mainly linked to the reduced ability to meet the several comfort needs of the possible users and, in some cases, even to the structural and/or functional complexity of the relative movable components.

Therefore, in light of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a convertible sofa that fully meets the comfort needs of the possible users.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible sofa that allows the user to position himself in the most congenial way. A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible sofa that can take up an extensive plurality of configurations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a convertible sofa in which the operating components for moving the movable parts of the sofa exhibit an effective and reliable operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a convertible sofa in which the operating components for moving the movable parts of the sofa have a relatively simple, namely not complex, structure.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, a specific object of the present invention is a convertible sofa comprising a basement; a backrest connected to said basement; at least one seating element arranged over said basement and movable in translation with respect to said basement; at least one footrest arranged adjacent to said at least one seating element and movable with respect to said basement; at least one first articulated movement system for moving said at least one seating element and said at least one footrest between a first configuration, in which said at least one seating element is in a retracted position according to a predetermined direction and said at least one footrest is in a substantially vertical position, and a second configuration, in which said at least one seating element is in a forward position according to said predetermined direction and said at least one footrest is in a substantially horizontal position; at least one support element to allow a user to lean on his back during use; said at least one support element being arranged at said backrest; at least one headrest arranged at said backrest and movable with respect to said backrest; and at least one second articulated movement system for moving said at least one headrest between a first position, in which said at least one headrest is arranged in a substantially horizontal position and adjacent to said backrest, and a second position, in which said at least one headrest is arranged in a substantially vertical position over said at least one support element. Preferably according to the invention, when said at least one headrest is in said first position, said at least one headrest is arranged behind said at least one support element.

Conveniently according to the present invention, said at least one first articulated movement system may be configured to arrange said at least one seating element in said forward position and said at least one footrest in a substantially vertical position.

Advantageously according to the invention, said at least one first articulated movement system may be configured to arrange and block said at least one seating element and said at least one footrest in any intermediate configuration between said first configuration and said second configuration.

Further according to the invention, said convertible sofa may comprise guiding means that are integral with said basement, and said at least one first articulated movement system may comprise a slide bearing said at least one seating element on top and movable in translation, according to said predetermined direction, along said guiding means.

Preferably according to the invention, said at least one first articulated movement system comprises at least one articulated mechanism connected to said at least one footrest and connected to said slide in an articulated manner; said at least one articulated mechanism being movable with respect to said slide between a retracted configuration, in which said at least one articulated mechanism extends up to a proximal position with respect to said slide, and an elongated configuration, in which said at least one articulated mechanism extends up to a distal position with respect to said slide.

Further according to the invention, said at least one first articulated movement system may comprise a linear actuator connected to said at least one articulated mechanism in an articulated manner.

Advantageously according to the invention, said at least one second articulated movement system may comprise at least one articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanism connected to said at least one headrest.

Still according to the invention, said at least one second articulated movement system may comprise a linear actuator connected to said at least one articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanism in an articulated manner.

Conveniently according to the invention, said convertible sofa may comprise at least two first articulated movement systems for moving at least two seating elements and at least two footrests; and at least two second articulated movement systems for moving at least two headrests.

Still according to the invention, said convertible sofa may comprise at least three first articulated movement systems for moving at least three seating elements and at least three footrests; and at least three second articulated movement systems for moving at least three headrests.

Advantageously according to the invention, said convertible sofa may comprise at least one first control member for controlling the operation of said at least one first articulated movement system; and at least one second control member for controlling the operation of said at least one second articulated movement system.

Further according to the invention, said convertible sofa may comprise at least one armrest, and said at least one first control member and said at least one second control member may be arranged at said at least one armrest.

Still according to the invention, said at least one first control member and said at least one second control member may be arranged at a lateral flank of said at least one seating element.

Brief description of the drawings The present invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, with particular reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, in which: figure 1 is a perspective view of a convertible sofa according to the present invention, in a first configuration; figure 2 is a perspective view of the convertible sofa shown in figure 1 , in a second configuration; figure 3 is a sectional view of the convertible sofa illustrated in figures 1 and 2, in the aforementioned first configuration; figure 4 is a sectional view of the convertible sofa represented in figures 1 and 2, in a third configuration; figure 5 is a sectional view of the convertible sofa shown in figures 1 and 2, in a fourth configuration; figure 6 is a sectional view of the convertible sofa illustrated in figures 1 and 2, in the aforementioned second configuration; figure 7 is a perspective view of a firth mechanism of the aforementioned convertible sofa, for moving a headrest, in a first position; figure 8 is a perspective view of the aforementioned firth mechanism, in a second position; figure 9 is a perspective view of a second mechanism of the aforementioned convertible sofa, for moving a footrest, in a first position; figure 10 is a perspective view of said second mechanism, in a second position; figure 11 is a perspective view of the aforementioned second mechanism, in a third position; figure 12 shows a push-button panel, provided on an armrest of the convertible sofa, for controlling a first mechanism and a second mechanism of the sofa itself; and figure 13 shows a pair of buttons, provided on a flank of a central seat cushion, for controlling a first mechanism and a second mechanism of the convertible sofa.

Detailed description

With reference to the enclosed figures, reference number 1 globally indicates a convertible sofa according to the present invention.

Said convertible sofa 1 comprises a bearing structure formed by an internally hollow basement 2 and by a fixed backrest 3, also internally hollow, rigidly connected to each other in an “L”-form.

The aforementioned bearing structure of the convertible sofa 1 also includes a first lateral armrest 4 and a second lateral armrest 5 which are provided on the two opposite sides of the basement 2 and of the backrest 3, respectively.

A first seat cushion 6, a second seat cushion 7 and a third seat cushion 8 are present over the basement 2, which are side by side to each other so as to internally cover the space comprised between the first lateral armrest 4 and the second lateral armrest 5.

Analogously, a first support cushion 9, a second support cushion 10 and a third support cushion 11 are provided on the side of the backrest 3 facing toward the area occupied by the basement 2, which are arranged at the first seat cushion 6, at the second seat cushion 7 and at the third seat cushion 8, respectively, precisely to allow people sitting on the convertible sofa 1 to lean on their backs.

The convertible sofa 1 further comprises a first headrest 12, arranged at the first support cushion 9.

Said convertible sofa 1 may also comprise a second headrest, not shown in the figures, and a third headrest, not shown in the figures, which are arranged at the second support cushion 10 and at the third support cushion 11, respectively.

The following description relates to a headrest 12, but it also unabated relates to further headrests present in the convertible sofa 1.

Moreover said first headrest 12 is movable between a respective lowered position, in which it rests in a substantially horizontal position on the backrest 3 behind the relative support cushion 9, as shown in figure 3, and a respective raised position, in which it is arranged over the relative support cushion 9 and aligned to the latter according to the direction of the height, namely according to a substantially vertical direction, as shown in figure 4.

A respective rear movement system 13 housed inside the backrest 3 is provided for moving the headrest 12.

Referring in particular to figure 7, said rear movement system 13 comprises a support frame 14 that is fixed with respect to the backrest 3 and provided with a first lateral support bracket 15 and a second lateral support bracket 16 which are opposite and parallel to each other.

The rear movement system 13 also includes a first articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanism 17 and a second articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanism 18 that are mutually parallel and connected to the first lateral bracket 15 and to the second lateral bracket 16, respectively, in an articulated manner.

Specifically, each of said first 17 and second 18 articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanisms comprises a first shaped rigid element 19, 19’, a second shaped rigid element 20, 20’, a third shaped rigid element 21, 21’ and a fourth shaped rigid element 22, 22’ connected to each other by means of four hinges 23, 24, 25, 26, 23’, 24’, 25’, 26’ precisely to form an articulated parallelogram. Moreover, the first shaped rigid element 19, 19’ and the second shaped rigid element 20, 20’ are connected to the relative support lateral bracket 15, 16 in an articulated manner by means of a fifth hinge 27, 27’ and of a sixth hinge 28, 28’, respectively.

The third shaped rigid element 21, 21’ and the fourth shaped rigid element 22, 22’ are instead connected in an articulated manner to a connection bracket 29, 29’ that is rigidly connected to the relative headrest by means of a seventh hinge 30, 30’ and of an eight hinge 31, 31’, respectively.

All of the above hinges have a single rotation axis (horizontal) and the rotation axes of said hinges are parallel to each other.

A crossbar 32 is rigidly connected to the first shaped rigid element 19, 19’ of the first articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanism 17 and to the first shaped rigid element of the second articulated parallelogramshaped mechanism 18, said crossbar 32 being offset connected to an electric linear actuator 33 through a joint 34 having a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the aforementioned hinges.

In turn the linear actuator 33 is rotatably connected to the support frame 14 about a rotation axis that is parallel to the rotation axis of the above hinges, namely about a horizontal rotation axis.

The operation of the linear actuator 33 provides it to be movable between a retracted position, in which the rear movement system 13 is quite completely contained inside the backrest 3 and the relative headrest is arranged in the above lowered position, as shown in figure 3, and an elongated position, in which the rear movement system 13 extends upwards from the backrest 3 and the relative headrest is arranged in the above raised position, as shown in figure 4.

The linear actuator 33 itself may further be arranged and blocked in any intermediate position comprised between said retracted position and the above elongated position, thus allowing the position of the relative headrest to be adjusted at will.

Moreover, in the upper part of the backrest 3 some through-slots 35 are present, which are obtained in positions such as to allow the first 17 and second 18 articulated parallelogram- shaped mechanisms of the rear movement system 13 to exit upwards from the backrest 3 in order to bring the headrests from the relative lowered position, as shown in figure 3, to the relative raised position, as shown in figure 4.

It is clear that each headrest is actuated by a respective rear movement system, therefore the convertible sofa 1 will comprise as many rear movement systems 13 as the number of the headrests.

As for said first 6, second 7 and third 8 seat cushions, they may all be movable, in an independent and autonomous manner, or only one or two of them may be.

For ease of description, a description relating to the first seat cushion 6, which also extends analogously to said second 7 and third 8 seat cushions, should they also be adjustable, is reported.

To allow moving said first seat cushion 6 a respective lower movement system 36 is provided, which is arranged inside the basement 2 of the convertible sofa 1, below the relative first seat cushion 6.

Specifically, referring to figure 9, the lower movement system 36 comprises a frame 37 that is fixed with respect to the basement 2 and provided with a first lateral support bracket 38 and a second lateral support bracket 39 which are directed parallel to the first 4 and to the second 5 lateral armrests.

Referring to figure 6, in the first 38 and in the second 39 support lateral brackets a first rectilinear guide 38’ and a second rectilinear guide 39’ are provided, respectively, which are substantially horizontal and parallel to each other and to the first 4 and to the second 5 lateral armrests. In the first 38’ and in the second 39’ rectilinear guides a respective front end stroke member 40, 40’ is moreover provided, which is arranged at the front end of the rectilinear guides 38’, 39’ themselves.

The lower movement system 36 also comprises a slide 41 that is movable in translation according to a predetermined direction D, along the above two rectilinear guides 38’, 39’, between a retracted position, as shown in figures 3, 4 and 9, and a forward position, as shown in figures 5 and 10, which is determined by the abutment of the slide 41 with the two front end stroke members 40, 40’.

Said slide 41 bears a support frame 41’ on top, over which the seat cushion 6 is arranged.

A first front articulated mechanism 42 and a second front articulated mechanism 43 are connected to the front part of the slide 41 in an articulated manner, said first front articulated mechanism 42 and said second front articulated mechanism 43 being parallel to each other and movable between a respective retracted position, as shown in figures 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, and a respective elongated position, as shown in figures 6 and 11.

Specifically, the first front articulated mechanism 42 and the second front articulated mechanism 43 each comprise a first shaped rigid element 44, 44’ and a second shaped rigid element 45, 45’ that are hinged to the slide 41 by means to a first hinge 46, 46’ having a horizontal rotation axis and of a second hinge 47, 47’ having a horizontal rotation axis, respectively.

The first front articulated mechanism 42 and the second front articulated mechanism 43 each also include a third shaped rigid element 48, 48’ and a fourth shaped rigid element 49, 49’ that are hinged to the first shaped rigid element 44, 44’ and to the second shaped rigid element 45, 45’, respectively, by means of a third hinge 50, 50’ having a horizontal rotation axis and of a fourth hinge 51, 51’ having a horizontal rotation axis.

The front ends of the third shaped rigid element 48, 48’ and of the fourth shaped rigid element 49, 49’ of the first 42 and of the second 43 front articulated mechanism are hinged to a first connection bracket 52 and to a second connection bracket 52’, respectively, by means of a fifth hinge 53, 53’ having a horizontal rotation axis and of a sixth hinge 54, 54’ having a horizontal rotation axis, respectively.

Moreover, for each of said first 42 and second 43 front articulated mechanisms a respective traction spring 42’, 43’ connected to the slide

41 and to the relative second shaped rigid element 45, 45’ is provided, in order to facilitate the passage from the elongated position to the retracted position by the first 42 and by the second 43 front articulated mechanisms.

A respective footrest 55, joined by stitching to the corresponding seat cushion 6, is rigidly connected to the first connection bracket 52 and to the second connection bracket 52’.

The first shaped rigid element 44 of the first front articulated mechanism

42 and the first shaped rigid element 44’ of the second front articulated mechanism 43 are mutually and rigidly connected through a cross bar 58 that is connected offset to an electric linear actuator 59, which is also part of the aforementioned lower movement system 36, through a joint 60 having a horizontal rotation axis.

Said linear actuator 59 is rotatably connected to the frame 37 of the lower movement system 36 about a horizontal rotation axis that is parallel to the rotation axes of all of the above mentioned hinges of said lower movement system 36.

The operation of the linear actuator 59 also provides it to be movable between a completely retracted position, in which the slide 41 is in the retracted position and the first 42 and second 43 front articulated mechanisms are in the respective retracted position, as shown in figures 3, 4, and 9, and a completely extracted position, in which the slide 41 is in the forward position and the first 42 and second 43 front articulated mechanisms are in the respective elongated position, as shown in figures 6 and 11 , passing through an intermediate position in which the slide 41 is in the forward position and the first 42 and second 43 front articulated mechanisms are in the respective retracted position, as shown in figures 5 and 10.

Therefore, when the linear actuator 59 is in the completely retracted position, the relative seat cushion 6 is in the retracted position and the corresponding footrest 55 is arranged in a substantially vertical position and adjacent to the basement 2, as shown in figures 3 and 4.

Instead, when the linear actuator 59 is in the above intermediate position, the relative seat cushion 6 is in the forward position and the corresponding footrest 55 is arranged in a substantially vertical position and spaced apart with respect to the basement 2, as shown in figure 5; in this case, between the seat cushion 6 and the relative support cushion 9 there is no solution of continuity that could cause discomfort to the user, since the rear edge of the seat cushion 6 is located in the space defined by the thickness of the relative support cushion 9.

Finally, when the linear actuator 59 is in the completely retracted position, the relative seat cushion 6 is in the forward position and the corresponding footrest 55 is arranged in a substantially horizontal position and coplanar to the upper surface of the respective seat cushion 6, as shown in figure 6.

Moreover, the linear actuator 59 itself may be arranged and blocked in any other intermediate position comprised between the completely retracted position and the completely extracted position, thus allowing the position of the relative seat cushion 6 and of the relative footrest 55 to be adjusted at will.

The above reported description analogously applies to the cushions 7 and 8 and to the respective footrests 56 and 57, should they also be adjustable.

Moreover, it is clear that each cushion is actuated by a respective lower movement system, therefore the convertible sofa 1 will comprise as many lower movement systems as the number of the cushions.

A push-button panel 61 is located on the inner side of the first 4 or of the second 5 lateral armrests, in said push-button panel 61 a first triad of tilting buttons 62, 63, 64 being provided, which are operatively connected to the linear actuator 33 of the rear movement system 13, respectively, and intended to control the movement of the headrest 12 in one direction and in the opposite direction.

In the push-button panel 61 a second triad of tilting buttons 65, 66, 67 is also present, which are operatively connected to the linear actuator 59 of the lower movement system 36, respectively, and intended to control the movement of the footrest 55 in one direction and in the opposite direction.

In the above push-button panel 61 a USB socket 68 for data connection is also provided.

According to an alternative of the present invention, shown in figures 12 and 13, instead of the above-described push-button panel 61 a pushbutton panel 69 located at each of the armrests of the convertible sofa 1 may be provided.

As shown in figure 12, each push-button panel 69 comprises a first tilting button 70 and a second tilting button 71 to respectively control the operation of the rear movement system 13 and of the lower movement system 36 of the seating place adjacent to the armrest in which the pushbutton panel 69 is installed.

Each push-button panel 69 also includes a USB socket 72 to allow data connection. Based on the same above-mentioned alternative, a pair of buttons 73, 74 is also provided, as shown figure 13, which are located on a lateral flank of each central seat cushion 7 and intended to respectively control the operation of the rear movement system 13 and of the lower movement system 36 of the seating place in which they are installed.

As it can easily be inferred from the above description, the convertible sofa according to the present invention is configured so as to satisfactorily meet a wide range of postural needs of the possible users.

Indeed, people who intend to use this convertible sofa have the chance to adjust the position of the headrests, of the seat cushions and of the footrests at will totally independently from each other.

Therefore, this allows potential users a superior comfort experience with respect to the traditional convertible sofas.

The present invention has been described by way of non-limiting example, according to the preferred embodiments thereof, but it is clear that the person skilled in the art may make variations and/or changes without thereby departing from the relative scope of protection as defined by the appended claims.