EP3241464A1

EP3241464A1 - Bean bag chair with stiff seat portion

Info

Publication number: EP3241464A1
Application number: EP17165831.3A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Manuela Bucci
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-11
Filing date: 2017-04-10
Publication date: 2017-11-08

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bean bag chair (1) comprising a bag (2) and a padding material (3) which stuffs the bag (2), the bag (2) comprises a base portion (4) for resting the bean bag chair (1) on a support surface, and an opposite seat portion (5), the bean bag chair (1) comprises a substantially rigid seat (6) removably constrainable to the seat portion (5).

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION

The present invention relates to a bean bag chair.
In particular, the invention relates to a bean bag chair provided with an interchangeable and ergonomic seat portion, made of wood, plastic, metal or a combination of the above materials.

Description of the prior art

It is well known in the prior art to use a bean bag chair or a pouf usable to furnish either an indoor living environment such as that of a home or office, or an outdoor environment, such as a garden or pool. In fact, bean bag chairs and poufs are stuffer furniture accessories intended to provide a seat for one or more persons. Bean bag chairs and poufs are made in various shapes (e.g., drop, bag, cylinder), sizes, colors and patterns, allowing full freedom of expression to the talent of the furniture designer.
Known bean bag chairs have an outer casing, called bag, and an inner padding. Both the bag and the padding can be made in a wide variety of natural or synthetic textile materials, woven or non-woven fabrics. For example, bag 2 can be made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cotton, leather or imitation leather. The most common example of material used for padding a bean bag chair or a pouf is polystyrene in spherical granules. In fact, polystyrene in the form of small spheres, i.e. in the order of a few millimeters in diameter, is used for padding the bag of a chair as it allows making a very light and therefore easily transportable bean bag chair. In addition, the bag of the chair padded with polystyrene balls can be easily molded to reshape it to fit the anatomical curves of the body of the person who sits on it.

Drawback of the prior art

In the prior art, bean bag chairs and poufs, although light, easily transportable and shapeable, have a number of drawbacks. In particular, a drawback lies in the ease with which the bag is deformed when subjected to the weight of a person sitting on the bean bag chair. In fact, a person's body is likely to sink slowly in the bag, taking a poor posture or otherwise potentially damaging to the back of the person, especially if the chair is used frequently or for an extended period of time. In addition, an elderly person has particular difficulties to use a bean bag chair or a pouf of type known as these pieces of furniture are not able to provide any structural support to the body of the person. In addition, an elderly person has particular difficulty in sitting down and getting up from a bean bag chair or a pouf due to the lack of stable support to lean on, risking accidentally losing balance and falling to the ground. The lack of comfort caused by the use of the known bean bag chairs or pouf by some subjects, such as the elderly, is therefore evident. Similar drawbacks are found in the case of people with motor deficits.

SUMMARY

An object of present invention is to provide a bean bag chair which solves the drawbacks of the known art.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a bean bag chair adapted o stably support the body of the person sitting on it.

Advantages of the invention

With an embodiment, it is possible to make a bean bag chair which helps maintaining a proper posture, especially for the back of the person sitting on it.
With an embodiment, it is possible to make a bean bag chair that can allow the use thereof by the elderly or by people with motor deficits, which run into difficulty and lack of comfort in using the bean bag chairs and pouf of a known type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and the advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of a possible practical embodiment thereof, shown by way of a non-limiting example in the set of drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a bean bag chair of the present invention,
figure 2 shows a front view of the bean bag chair in figure 1 in a different configuration,
figure 3 shows a front view of the bean bag chair in figure 1 in a different configuration,
figures 4 and 5 show perspective views of the bean bag chair in figure 3,
figure 6 shows a rear view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 1,
figure 7 shows a side view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 1,
figure 8 shows a top view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 1,
figure 9 shows a bottom view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 1,
figure 10 shows a perspective view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 1,
figure 11 shows a side sectional view of the bean bag chair in figure 3,
figure 12 shows a second embodiment of the bean bag chair of the present invention,
figure 13 shows a perspective view of a component of the bean bag chair in figure 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although not explicitly mentioned, the single features described with reference to the specific embodiments shall be considered as ancillary and/or interchangeable with other features, which are described with reference to other exemplary embodiments.
The present invention relates to a bean bag chair 1 of the type comprising a bag 2 and a padding material 3 which stuffs bag 2. The bean bag chair 1 of the present invention is schematically shown in the accompanying figures 1 to 13. Preferably, bag 2 is made of textile material, such as cotton, leather, imitation leather, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyester. Of course, other known textile materials, woven or non-woven fabrics, can also be used for making bag 2, such as natural or synthetic fiber fabrics. Similarly, the padding material 3 is preferably polystyrene in spherical granules, but other natural or synthetic materials currently used for padding a bean bag chair of a known type can also be used. A further example of padding material usable for the bean bag chair 1 is foamed or foam polyurethane (PU), which is characterized by being reversibly deformable under the weight of a person (whereas a polystyrene granule padding makes the bean bag chair moldable in shape). In other words, bag 2 padded with the padding material 3 is soft, while it takes a greater consistency when a person sits on it. Bag 2 comprises a base portion 4 that is used to place the bean bag chair 1 on a support surface, such as the walking surface of a house or a garden. Bag 2 further comprises a seat portion 5 substantially opposite the base portion 4. Preferably, the seat portion 5 comprises a first portion 13 and a second portion 14 substantially orthogonal to each other. For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that bag 2 can be made as a single sheet of textile material suitably sewn to define the outline thereof, or also as a plurality of sheets of textile material sewn to each other. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, bag 2 padded with the padding material has a drop or pear shape when viewed from the front or the back (figs. 2 to 5), with the base portion 4 wider and round, and with the upper portion conical at the first portion 13 and at the second portion 14. In detail, the second portion 14 defines the vertical conical portion of bag 2 padded with the padding material. Preferably, in the two side views (figgs. 1, 5 and 11), bag 2 padded with the padding material 3 has an L-shape, with the base portion 4 that defines the horizontal base of the L (more precisely, the part between the base portion 4 and the first portion 13), and with the second portion 14 defining the vertical branch of the L. According to a preferred embodiment, the base portion 4 may comprise feet and/or a rigid base structure (such as ring or disc, not shown in the figure) which provide a stable support on the ground for the bean bag chair 1.
The bean bag chair 1 comprises a substantially rigid seat 6 which is removably constrainable to the seat portion 5. Preferably, seat 6 is rigid. Again preferably, seat 6 is removably constrained to the seat portion 5. Alternatively, seat 6 is stably fastened to the seat portion 5. In the context of the present invention, rigid seat 5 means a seat made of moderately deformable material, such as wood, plastic and metal. In particular, rigid seat 6 means a seat whose core is made of any of the materials listed above or a combination thereof. In fact, wood, plastic and metal are materials currently used in the manufacture of the seat and backrest of known chairs, which are moderately reversibly deformable so as to offer greater comfort to the user. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, seat 6 is made of wood and/or metal and/or plastic and/or a composite material comprising one or more of the above. Preferably, the plastic material comprises polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). In a particular embodiment of the invention, the rigid seat 6 can be externally upholstered or coated with a softer textile material, so as to further increase the comfort of the person using it to sit.
According to a preferred embodiment, seat 6 comprises a front side 9 configured for accommodating a person's body and a back side 10 configured for being constrainable with the seat portion 5 of bag 2. Preferably, seat 6 comprises a seat 11 having a substantially planar development, and a backrest 12 also having a substantially planar development. Seat 11 and backrest 12 are interconnected to each other and are substantially orthogonal to each other so that seat 6 is L-shaped. Even more preferably, seat 11 and backrest 12 are integrally made. In other words, seat 11 is configured for accommodating the lower back of a person, while backrest 12 is configured for accommodating a person's back.
Preferably, the first portion 13 of the seat portion 5 is constrainable to seat 11, while the second portion 14 of the seat portion 5 is constrainable to backrest 12.
According to a preferred embodiment, bag 2 comprises first constraining means 7 fixed to bag 2 and placed at the seat portion 5. Moreover, seat 6 comprises second constraining means 8 fixed to seat 6 and removably constrainable to the first constraining means 7 for constraining seat 6 to bag 2. According to a preferred embodiment, the second constraining means 8 are arranged at least at the back side 10 of seat 6. Preferably, the first constraining means 7 are arranged at least at the first portion 13 and at the second portion 14 of the seat portion 4. Moreover, the second constraining means 8 are arranged in seat 11 and in backrest 12 at least at the back side 10 of seat 6.
According to a preferred solution, the seat portion 5 is delimited by an outer edge 15 and the first constraining means 7 comprise a slot 16 made at the outer edge 15 of the seat portion 5. The first constraining means 7 comprise a rope 17 sliding into slot 16 for varying the length of the same slot 16. According to a preferred embodiment, the second constraining means 8 comprise a first plate 18 constrained to seat 11 to be substantially parallel to seat 11 at the back side 10 of seat 6. The second constraining means 8 also comprise a second plate 19 constrained to backrest 12 to be substantially parallel to backrest 12 at the back side 10 of seat 6. Slot 16 is fittable on the first plate 18 and on the second plate 19 (figures 1 to 3). The first plate 18 and the second plate 19 have at least one convex side 20 insertable into slot 16 for constraining seat 6 to the seat portion 5 of bag 2 (figures 6 to 11).
According to a preferred embodiment, slot 16 comprises at least one hole 21, and rope 17 is slidable into slot 16 and has at least one free portion 22 passing through the at least one hole 21 to be outside slot 16. The first constraining means 7 comprise at least one rope blocking element 23 hookable and sliding on the free portion 22 of rope 17 for varying the length of slot 16. The rope blocking element 23 is manually operated by a user for tightening/shortening slot 16 so as to constrain slot 16 with respect to the first plate 18 and the second plate 19. Likewise, the rope blocking element 23 is manually operated by a user for releasing/elongating slot 16 so as to release slot 16 with respect to the first plate 18 and the second plate 19. A man skilled in the art is able to determine the suitable mode for securing rope 17 into slot 16 or bag 2 to allow the lengthening or shortening of the rope portion 17 placed inside slot 16 so as to lengthen or shorten, respectively, the length of slot 16.
According to a preferred embodiment alternative to the preceding one, rope 17 is a single substantially annular elastic element placed inside slot 16 to allow the reversible elongation thereof. In fact, once rope 17 has been elongated (and thus slot 16 by stretching), when the latter is released, rope 17 is shortened for elastic effect to return to its original length (as before, slot 16 also shortens together with rope 17).
According to a preferred embodiment, compatible with the three alternative embodiments described above with reference to the first constraining means, the second constraining means 8 comprise a first U-shaped base 25 adapted to attach the first plate 18 to seat 11 at the back side 10 of seat 6. The second constraining means 8 also comprise a second U-shaped base 26 adapted to attach the second plate 19 to backrest 12 at the back side 10 of seat 6. In other words, the first base 25 and the second base 26 are shaped as a horseshoe and connect the first plate 18 to seat 11, and the second plate 19 to backrest 12, respectively (figgs. 6 to 11). Preferably, the first plate 18 and the second plate 19 are bell shaped, i.e. have at least one rectilinear side and at least one opposite convex side. In this way, in the preferred example in figures 6 to 11, in which the first plate 18 and the second plate 19 are so as to be substantially orthogonal to each other and so that the rectilinear sides are the closest and the convex sides are farthest from each other. Therefore, seat 6 can be fitted in slot 16 when widened/loose. The slot is tightened, for example, by narrowing the rope blocking element 23, so as to secure seat 16 to bag 2 padded with the padding material 3.
According to a further solution alternative to the preceding ones, the first constraining means 7 comprise first zipper means 24', while the second constraining means 8 comprise second zipper means 24". The first zipper means 24' are made on the outer edge 15 of the seat portion 5, while the second zipper means 24" are made on the peripheral edge 27 of seat 6. The peripheral edge 27 defines the profile of seat 6. The first zipper means 24' and the second zipper means 24" are two complementary elements of a zipper configured for cooperating with each other and for reversibly constraining with each other for switching between an open position and a closed position, for opening and closing the zipper, respectively (figgs. 12 and 13). In detail, the closed position allows constraining seat 6 to the seat portion 5 of bag 2 (fig. 12). It should be noted that according to the above embodiment, the first constraining means 7 essentially comprise a complementary half of the zipper (i.e., zipper means 24'), while the second constraining means 8 essentially comprise the other complementary half of the zipper (i.e., the zipper means 24"). In this embodiment (figgs. 12 and 13) the following elements described above for the other two embodiments shown in figures 1 to 11 are not provided and above all, are not essential: slot 16, rope 17, the first plate 18 and the second plate 19 (and the respective associated components, such as bases 25, 26).
A further variant of the preferred embodiment of the bean bag chair 1 just described provides that the first zipper means 24' and the second zipper means 24" are replaced with equivalent quick hooking/release means consisting of two complementary elements, such as Velcro, snap or traditional buttons or magnetic elements.
Advantageously, a bean bag chair 1 provided with a rigid seat 2, optionally ergonomic and/or padded can be obtained, which allows maintaining a proper posture of the person who uses it. In addition, the advantageous effect of the rigid seat is combined with the comfortable effect of softness and cushioning provided by the underlying bag 2 padded with the padding material 3. The bean bag chair 1 is very stable and can be easily used also by children or by the elderly as it greatly reduced the risk of tipping of the bean bag chair 1 and consequent fall of the person who uses it. In addition, the ability to constrain and release seat 6 to/from bag 2 allows changing seat 6 so as to customize the bean bag chair 1. In particular, it is possible to replace seat 6 to change the appearance and design of the bean bag chair 1, but also to use a seat 6 in different sizes, materials, stiffness and consistency (e.g., padded or unpadded), to adapt the bean bag chair to the different needs of the user. Likewise, the padded bag 2 may be replaced while keeping the same seat 6.
In a further embodiment, seat 6 also comprises two side armrests adapted to provide support points for the arms of a person using the bean bag chair 1. According to a further variant of the invention, seat 6 may comprise a support for the head of a person in the upper part of backrest 12.
Advantageously, the bean bag chair 1 of the present invention allows increasing the comfort of the person who uses it, with respect to a bean bag chair of a known type.
Of course, a man skilled in the art may make several changes to the variants of the bean bag chair described above in order to meet specific and incidental needs, such as changing the shape of the padded bag 2 and the type of padding material 3, all falling within the scope of protection as defined by the following claims.

Claims

Bean bag chair (1) comprising:
- a bag (2) and a padding material (3) which stuffs said bag (2), said bag (2) comprising a base portion (4) for resting said bean bag chair (1) on a support surface, and an opposite seat portion (5),
characterized in that it comprises

- a substantially rigid seat (6) removably constrainable to said seat portion (5).
Bean bag chair (1) according to claim 1, wherein
- said bag (2) comprises first constraining means (7) attached to said bag (2) and placed at said seat portion (5),

- said seat (6) comprises second constraining means (8) attached to said seat (6) and removably constrainable to said first constraining means (7) for constraining said seat (6) to said bag (2).
Bean bag chair (1) according to claim 2, wherein
- said seat (6) comprises a front side (9) configured for accommodating a person's body and a back side (10) configured for being constrainable with said seat portion (5),

- said second constraining means (8) are arranged at least at said back side (10).
Bean bag chair (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
- said seat (6) comprises a seat (11) having a substantially planar development, and a backrest (12) having a substantially planar development, said seat (11) and said backrest (12) are mutually interconnected and are substantially mutually orthogonal so that said seat (6) is shaped as an L,

- said seat portion (5) comprises a first portion (13) constrainable to said seat (11) and a second portion (14) constrainable to said backrest (12).
Bean bag chair (1) according to claims 3 and 4, wherein
- said first constraining means (7) are arranged at least at said first portion (13) and said second portion (14),

- said second constraining means (8) are arranged in said seat (11) and in said backrest (12) at least at said back side (10) of said seat (6).
Bean bag chair (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein
- said seat portion (5) is delimited by an outer edge (15),

- said first constraining means (7) comprise a slot (16) made at said outer edge (15) of said seat portion (5), said first constraining means (7) comprise a rope (17) slidable into said slot (16) for varying the length of said slot (16),

- said second constraining means (8) comprise a first plate (18) constrained to said seat (11) to be substantially parallel to said seat (11) at said back side (10) of said seat (6), and a second plate (19) constrained to said backrest (12) to be substantially parallel to said backrest (12) at said back side (10) of said seat (6), said slot (16) being fittable on said first plate (18) and on said second plate (19), said first plate (18) and said second plate (19) have at least one convex side (20) insertable in said slot (16) for constraining said seat (6) to said seat portion (5) of said bag (2).
Bean bag chair (1) according to claim 6, wherein
- said slot (16) comprises at least one hole (21), said rope (17) is slidable into said slot (16) and has at least one free portion (22) passing through said at least one hole (21) to be external to said slot (16), said first constraining means (7) comprise at least one rope blocking element (23) hookable and sliding on said free portion (22) of said rope (17) for varying the length of said slot (16), said rope blocking element (23) being operated manually for constraining and releasing said slot (16) with respect to said first plate (18) and second plate (19).
Bean bag chair (1) according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein
- said second constraining means (8) comprise a first U-shaped base (25) adapted to attach said first plate (18) to said seat (11) at said back side (10) of said seat (6), and a second U-shaped base (26) adapted to attach said second plate (19) to said backrest (12) at said back side (10) of said seat (6).
Bean bag chair (1) according to claim 2, wherein
- said seat portion (5) is delimited by an outer edge (15),

- said seat (6) comprises a peripheral edge (27) that defines the outer shape of said seat (27),

- said first constraining means (7) comprise first zipper means (24') made on said outer edge (15) of said seat portion (5),

- said second constraining means (8) comprise second zipper means (24") made out on said outer edge (27) of said seat (6), said first zipper means (24') and said second zipper means (24") are complementary elements of a zipper configured for reversibly constraining to each other to make said zipper switch between an open position and a closed position, said seat (6) is constrained to said seat portion (5) when said zipper is in said closed position.
Bean bag chair (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein
- said seat (6) is essentially made of wood and/or metal and/or plastic and/or a composite material comprising one or more of the above.