AU2009251107A1 - Flip out sofas for children - Google Patents

Description

Australian Patents Act 1990 - Regulation 3.2 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title "Flip out sofas for children" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: C \NRPonb\DCC\AXL\2634068_1 DOC - 22/12/09 C:\NRPorb\DCC\AXL\26148_1 DOC-22/12/21X9 FLIP OUT SOFAS FOR CHILDREN FIELD OF THE INVENTION 5 The present invention relates to flip out sofas for children. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 10 Flip out sofas for children conventionally consist of sofa-shaped blocks of resilient foam covered in decorative upholstery. The resilient block foam arms and back of a conventional flip out sofa provide upper body support to prevent young children from rolling or falling off the sofa. However, the size and bulk of the block foam construction makes it difficult for retailers to display a range of differently decorated sofas given the 15 limited amount of floor and shelf space typically available in retail stores. What is needed is an alternative construction for flip out sofas that provides adequate upper support for young children, yet reduces the amount of retail space required to display a variety of differently decorated sofas. 20 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a bean bag fillable via a reclosable opening therein, the bean bag having intercommunicating back, arm and seat portions 25 connected together, wherein elastic members extend internally between the seat portion and each of the back and arm portions so that, when the bean bag is filled, the elastic members are tensioned sufficiently to bias each of the back and arm portions inwardly towards an upright position relative to the seat portion to support a person in a sitting position thereon. 30 C:NRPonbl\DCC\AXL\261494NI DOC-22/12/2tN)2 -2 The seat portion can have a base, and the back and arm portions each have an inner lower edge, wherein the elastic members extend generally vertically between the base of the seat portion and the inner lower edges of the back and arm portions when the bean bag is filled. 5 The elastic members can be tensioned insufficiently to prevent the bean bag from hanging or lying generally flat when empty. The bean bag can further include an overlying, outwardly foldable footrest portion hingedly connected to the seat portion. 10 The bean bag can be displayed hanging when empty. The bean bag can form a flip out sofa for one or more children when filled. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a photograph of an embodiment of a bean bag of the invention when 20 filled to form a flip out sofa for children; and Figures 2 to 9 are plan views of pieces of upholstery material sewn together to form the back, arm and seat portions of the bean bag; and Figure 10 is a perspective view of the bean bag showing a footrest portion in an extended position. 25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a bean bag 10 of the invention when filled with, for example polystyrene balls, to form a flip out sofa for young children. The bean bag 10 30 includes intercommunicating back, arm and seat portions 12, 14, 16 connected together. A C :NRPonb\DCC\AXL\2649481 DOC-22/12IMN -3 footrest portion 18 is outwardly foldable from an overlying position on the seat portion 16 to support the legs and feet of young children sitting or lying on the bean bag 10. Figures 2 to 9 illustrate pieces of upholstery material, for example decorative fabric, that 5 are joined together, for example by sewn seams, along their perimeters to define the intercommunicating back, arm and seat portions 12, 14, 16 of the bean bag 10. Figures 2 and 3 respectively illustrate the front and top pieces 20, 22 of the seat portion 16. The front, top and back pieces 24, 26, 28 of the back portion 12 are respectively illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6. Figure 7 illustrates the base piece 32 of the seat portion 16. Referring 10 to Figures 4 and 7, four elastic members 30, for example strips of elastic material, extend from the lower edge of the front piece 24 of the back portion 12 and are joined to the base piece 32 at positions 34. A reclosable opening 36, for example an opening with a zipper or Velcro closure, is provided along opposing edges of the back piece 28 of the back portion 12 and the base piece 32 of the seat portion 16. Figures 8 and 9 respectively illustrate the 15 outer and inner side pieces 38, 40 of the arm portions 14. Referring to Figures 7 and 9, two elastic members 42 extend from the lower edges of each inner side piece 40 of the arm portions 14 and are joined to the base piece 32 at positions 44. Referring to Figure 10, the footrest portion 18 is made from six rectangular pieces of upholstery material joined at their perimeters to form a rectangular cushion which is joined to the top edges of the front 20 piece 20 of the seat portion 16 by a flexible hinge seam. The footrest portion 18 is separately fillable with beans via a zippered opening 46 provided along its lower, front edge. Other equivalent patterns of upholstery pieces and elastic material may also be used to make the bean bag 10. 25 The length, position and elasticity of individual elastic members 30, 42 are selected so that they extend generally vertically from the base piece 32 to the front and inner side pieces 24, 40 when the bean bag 10 is filled. The expansion of the bean bag 10 during filling tensions the elastic members 30, 42 sufficiently to bias each of the back and arm portions 12, 14 inwardly towards an upright position relative to the seat portion 16 to support one or 30 more persons, for example young children (not shown), in a sitting position on the seat portion 16. The elastic forces applied by the tensioning of the elastic members 30, 42 C:\NRonb\DCC XL\263494X_ .DOC-22/12/2tX19 -4 control the shape of the back and arm portions 12, 14 against the forces of gravity and external forces applied, for example, by young children sitting or laying on the bean bag 10. 5 When empty, the tension in the elastic members 30, 42 is insufficient to prevent the bean bag 10 from hanging or lying generally flat. This allows the empty bean bag 10 to be displayed hanging, for example in hang-sell packaging or on hang-sell hangars, in retail stores. Retailers can therefore stock and display a wide range of differently decorated bean bags 10 in a space-efficient manner. 10 Embodiments of the invention provide an alternative construction for children's flip out sofas that gives adequate upper support for young children, yet reduces the amount of retail space required to display a variety of differently decorated sofas. 15 The embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims (6)

1. A bean bag fillable via a reclosable opening therein, the bean bag having intercommunicating back, arm and seat portions connected together, wherein elastic 5 members extend internally between the seat portion and each of the back and arm portions so that, when the bean bag is filled, the elastic members are tensioned sufficiently to bias each of the back and arm portions inwardly towards an upright position relative to the seat portion to support a person in a sitting position thereon. 10

2. A bean bag according to claim 1, wherein the seat portion has a base, and the back and arm portions each have an inner lower edge, and wherein the elastic members extend generally vertically between the base of the seat portion and the inner lower edges of the back and arm portions when the bean bag is filled. 15

3. A bean bag according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the elastic members are tensioned insufficiently to prevent the bean bag from hanging or laying generally flat when empty.

4. A bean bag according to any preceding claim, further including an overlying, outwardly foldable footrest portion hingedly connected to the seat portion. 20

5. A bean bag according to any preceding claim, wherein the bean bag can be displayed hanging when empty.

6. A bean bag according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the bean bag forms a flip out sofa 25 for one or more children when filled.