WO2006040600A1

WO2006040600A1 - Universal seat

Info

Publication number: WO2006040600A1
Application number: PCT/HR2004/000038
Authority: WO
Inventors: Zvonimir Runjic
Original assignee: Zvonimir Runjic
Priority date: 2004-10-11
Filing date: 2004-10-11
Publication date: 2006-04-20

Abstract

The universal seat comprising the following assemblies: the seat console (A), the backrest (B), the right armrest (C) and the left armrest (D). All the above assemblies are mutually connected articulately. To the assembly (A), there is connected articulately, by the sliding holders (8) and the hinge (5), the assembly (B). To the assembly (A), there are connected articulately, by the battens (10, 11, 15 and 16), the assemblies (D) and (D). The assemblies (C) and (D) are connected to the longitudinal rail (3) of the assembly (B). When not in use, the seat is folded. When folded, the seat takes little room, and is also light to carry. The seat can be used with or without the armrests. The armrests may be collapsed, any one of them or both, so that the seat can be sited on by approaching it from any of the lateral sides, which is particularly practical for elderly and handicapped persons. The seat may be used on any base, such as beds, armchairs, couches, various benches, in the nature, at beaches, etc.

Description

UNIVERSAL SEAT

INVENTION DESCRIPTION

1. FIELD OF APPLICATION

The invention relates to a mobile seat with articulated assemblies and parts, enabling its folding and unfolding. The seat is light for carrying, and can be used regardless of the sort and form of the base.

In the International Patent Classification, it is classified as Section A - Human necessities, Subsection - Personal and household items; Class A 47 - Furniture; Subclass A 47 C - A 47 C - Chairs; sofas; beds; Groups 3/00 - Chairs characterised by structural features; and 11 /00 - Benches not otherwise provided for.

2. TECHNICAL PROBLEM

Rooms in flats are often so small that they can receive only the most necessary furniture, like a bed or a couch, and possibly a smaller wardrobe with a shelf for the TV set, and no chairs or armchairs. Watching the TV while sitting on the bed, with no backrest, is very uncomfortable and hard for the spine. If a couch is used instead of the bed, it is to be unfolded into bed at evenings and again into the sitting position in the mornings. To many persons, dependent on other person's assistance (elderly and handicapped), lacking an armchair or chair causes a great problem. To sit, they require a backrest, which beds do not have, and they are unable to unfold a couch. This is particularly important when such person is to get up from a bed or a chair.

The technical problem that is being solved by this invention relates to the structure of a portable and folding seat that enables sitting on any base, in any bodily position, adequate for both healthy as well as elderly and handicapped persons. 3. STATE OF THE ART

Nowadays there are various structures and embodiments of furniture intended for sitting and provided with a backrest. All of them have rigid backrests, often uncomfortable, especially to the people having spine related problems. There are also various embodiments of folding seats intended for leisure, at balconies and beaches. A property of the present furniture intended for sitting is having the legs and the backrest as parts of the main structure. This makes their main setback, especially to certain categories of elderly and handicapped persons.

4. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The essence of the invention is a folding and portable seat, made of parts and assemblies that are mutually articulated and movable, that can be used for sitting on any base. The universal seat includes the seat console to which the backrest and the armrests are connected by joints. The lateral armrests can be folded independently from each other, to colapse, aimed to enabling getting up from the seat sideward. When the backrest and the armrests are folded onto the seat console, the seat such folded takes very little room. The backrest is made of a soft material to give comfort, whereas the seat console parts and the armrests can also be upholstered with soft materials.

5. ILLUSTRATION DESCRIPTIONS '

Figure 1. shows the universal seat - perspective view.

Figure 2. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. - side view.

Figure 3. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. - front view.

Figure 4. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. - back view.

Figures 5. a, b and c show the seat console - front, top and side views.

Figures 6. a, b and c show the backrest - front, top and side views.

Figures 7. a, b and c show the right armrest - front, top and side views. Figures 8. a, b and c show the left armrest - front, top and side views.

Figure 9. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. with its right armrest folded - perspective view. Figure 10. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. with its both right and left armrests folded - side view.

Figure 11. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. folded - side view. Figure 12. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. folded - perspective view. Figure 13. shows the seat shown in the Fig. 1. with soft fabrics at the backrest.

6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE OF THE BEST INVENTION EMBODIMENTS

The universal seat, as shown in Figures 1, 2., 3. and 4., comprises the following assemblies: the seat console A, the backrest B, the right armrest C, and the left armrest D. All assemblies are mutually connected by means of joints.

The universal seat can be folded when not in use and unfolded for use. When folded, the universal seat takes very little room, and is light to carry. The universal seat is used for sitting unfolded, with or without the armrests. The armrests can be folded, any one of them or both, so that the universal seat can be sit on by approaching it from one or the other side, which is very convenient for elderly and handicapped persons.

The seat console A, Figs. 5. a, b and c, is rectangular, made of the longitudinal rails 1 and the transversal rails 2. The transversal rails face the sitting base with their narrower sides.

Into the console frame, by encircling the transversal rails, there can be inserted a pad, made of various soft materials, to make sitting more comfortable.

The backrest B, Figs. 6. a, b and c, is made of the longitudinal rails 3 and the transversal rails 4, facing the seat midline with their narrower sides. Through the lower part of the longitudinal rails passes the hinge 5, around which the backrest turns. The hinge 5 is inserted by both its ends into the longitudinal rails 1 of the backrest A. At the back sides of the longitudinal rails 3, there are bolts 6 and the nuts 7, fixing the armrests. To the outer lateral sides of the longitudinal rails 3, there are articulately connected ends of the backrest B holders 8, the other ends of which holders are connected to the inner lateral sides of the longitudinal rails 1 of the seat console A. Over the backrest B frame, by encircling the transversal rails 4, there is fitted a cover 17, made of various soft materials, to make back resting comfortable, Fig. 3.

The right armrest C, Fig. 7. a, b and c, is made of the rail 9 to support the arm, to which, at its inner lateral side, there are fixed by joints the front batten 10 and the back batten 11. To the back batten 11 , there is fixed the plate 12 with the opening

13 to pass the bolt 6 from the longitudinal rail 3 of the backrest B. The front and the back battens 10 and 11 are articulately connected to the outer lateral side of the longitudinal rail 1 of the seat console A.

The left armrest D, Fig. 8. a, b and c, is made of the rail 14 to support the arm, to which, at its inner lateral side, there are articulately fixed the front batten 15 and the back batten 16. To the back batten 16, there is fixed the plate 12 with the opening 13 to pass the bolt 6 from the longitudinal rail 3 of the backrest B. The front and the back battens 15 and 16 are articulately connected to the outer lateral side of the longitudinal rail 1 of the seat console A.

The right and the left armrests C and D can be fixed to the backrest B, in stead of the above described way - by means of the plates 12, the bolts 6 and the nuts 7, also in any other known way that enables their quick and easy fitting and dismantling.

The rails 9 and 14 of the armrests C and D may be covered with soft materials to make them more comfortable.

The universal seat above described assemblies A, B, C and D and mutually connected as follows:

To the seat console A, there is articulately fixed the backrest B, by means of the sliding holders 8 and the hinge 5. To the seat console A, there are articulately fixed the right and the left armrests C and D, by means of the battens 10, 11, 15 and 16.

Following this, the right and the left armrests C and D are fixed to the longitudinal rail 3 of the backrest B. When an unfolded universal seat is to be used, its console A is put onto a sitting base, the person to sit, sits between the longitudinal rails 1 and leans the back against the cover 17 of the backrest B, placing the arms on the rails 9 and 14. If, for any reason, an elderly or handicapped person cannot enter and sit on the seat normally, the nut 7 is to be unscrewed and the right armrest C or the left armrest D, as the case may be, colapsed, in order to enable entering the seat from a side, Figs. 9. and 10.

The seat is folded as follows: the backrest B is turned around the hinge 5, where the backrest glides through the holders 8 towards the seat console A, so that the assemblies A and B press against each other, Figs. 11. and 12.

7. INVENTION APPLICATION

The universal seat will meet wide application in flats, dormitories, elderly and handicapped people homes, hospitals, for handicapped persons, in the nature, at beaches, etc. It can be used on beds and couches, on benches with and without backrests, armchairs, etc. On a single bed or couch there can be placed several seats, turned various ways. Manufacturing the universal seats is very simple, and its elements may be produced from various materials. Particular elements and assemblies may be designed other ways, the basic essence of the invention, however, to remain unaltered.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Universal seat, foldable and portable, wh e re i n , it comprises the seat console assembly (A), that is placed onto a sitting base; it comprises the backrest assembly (B) against which the back is leaned; it comprises the right armrest assembly (C); it comprises the left armrest assembly (D); the assembly

(B) is articulately connected with the assembly (A); the assemblies (C) and (D) are articulately connected with the assembly (A); the assemblies (C) and (D) are connected with the assembly (B) in one of the known ways; the assemblies

(C) and (D), following their separation from the assembly (B), may be, any one of them or both, collapsed down to the assembly (A), so that the rails (9) and (14) of the assemblies (C) and (D) respectively, press against the longitudinal rails (1) of the assembly (A); the universal seat may be folded by rotating the assembly (B) around the hinge (5), where it glides through the holders (8) forward, enabling the assemblies (A) and (B) to press against each other.

2. The universal seat as claimed in Claim 1., wh e re i n the seat console (A) is made of the longitudinal rails (1) and the transversal rails (2); the transversal rails face by their narrower sides the sitting base; the console frame may, by encircling the transversal rails, be inserted a pad, made of various materials, to make sitting more comfortable.

3. The universal seat as claimed in Claim 1., wh e re in the backrest assembly (B) is made of the longitudinal rails (3) and the transversal rails (4); through the lower part of the longitudinal rails there is passed the hinge (5) around which the backrest turns; the hinge (5) is by its ends inserted into the longitudinal rails (1) of the backrest (A); the outer lateral sides of the longitudinal rails (3) are by one end articulately connected with the holders (8) of the backrest B, and by other end with the inner lateral sides of the longitudinal rails (1) of the seat console (A); the frame of the backrest (B) is, by encircling the transversal rails, covered with the soft cover (17), comfortable for resting the back against.

4. The universal seat as claimed in Claim 1, wh e re in the right armrest assembly (C) includes the rail (9) for the arm to rest on, to which, at its inner lateral side, there are articulately connected the front batten (10) and the back batten (11); the front and the back battens (10 and 11) are articulately connected to the outer lateral side of the longitudinal rail (1) of the seat console (A).

5. The universal seat as claimed in Claim 1., wh e re i n the left armrest assembly (D) includes the rail (14) for the arm to rest on, to which, at its inner lateral side, there are articulately connected the front batten (15) and the back batten (16); the front and the back battens (15 and 16) are articulately connected to the outer lateral side of the longitudinal rail (1) of the seat console (A).

6. The universal seat as claimed in the previous Claims, wh e re i n the armrests (C and D), besides the above described ways of connecting by means of plates and bolts, may also be connected with the backrest (B) in any other known way.