EP0872199A2

EP0872199A2 - Disposable seat cover for stadium seats

Info

Publication number: EP0872199A2
Application number: EP98830137A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Annibale Taddei
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-04-16
Filing date: 1998-03-13
Publication date: 1998-10-21
Also published as: ITPR970007U1; EP0872199A3; IT242908Y1

Abstract

The invention falls within the sector of disposable hygienic products and more precisely refers to a seat cover for stadium seats, consisting of a single sheet of recyclable material formed so as to cover the base (3), the inside part of the backrest (4) in contact with the body of the user of the seat (2), and at least the outside part of the backrest (4).

Description

The present invention relates to a disposable seat cover for stadium seats, which may also be used in closed areas.

Open-air stadiums or theatres where sports events of any kind or musical concerts are held often have seats of the type consisting of a base and a backrest.

The main drawback of said seats lies in the fact that they are easily dirtied, both owing to careless and uncivilized behaviour on the part of the spectators and as a result of atmospheric agents (in particular when they are situated in zones which do not possess adequate protective roofing or coverings).

The spectators who sit on the seats are therefore likely to dirty their clothes.

The solution adopted hitherto in order to overcome this drawback is that of taking along a foldable foam-rubber seat or cushion which, however, is inconvenient and bulky (it is not pocket-size and needs to be held in one hand) and in any case does not protect the backrest but only the base of the seat.

Another solution is that of placing on the seat a newspaper or sheets of advertising material which are normally distributed inside the stadiums, but these have the defect that they contain ink and therefore may stain one's clothes.

They are also not suitable for covering the backrest of the seat.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the abovementioned drawbacks and provide a seat cover which allows both the base and the backrest of the seat to be protected in a hygienic and disposable manner.

Another object is to provide the user with optimum insulation from the seat.

A further object is to provide a seat cover which has a very low cost and which can be easily distributed in the vicinity of or inside the stadiums.

A further object is that of providing a seat cover which is formed such that it is able to display information or advertising messages, visible to the spectators seated behind.

Said objects are fully achieved by the seat cover according to the present invention, which is characterized by the contents of the claims indicated below and in particular by the fact that it comprises a single sheet of recyclable material formed so as to be able to cover the base, the inside part of the backrest in contact with the body of the seat user, and at least partially the outside part of the backrest.

The seat cover may be provided with a layer of polyethylene on the side which makes contact with the seat or it may be provided with a plastic-coated surface on the visible side intended also to come into contact with the user.

The seat cover is moreover preferably provided with an opening formed so as to facilitate fitting of the said cover onto the seat.

The seat cover comprises preferably at least three portions: a first portion of substantially quandrangular shape, which covers the base; a second portion with substantially the shape of an isosceles trapezium, which covers the inside of the backrest; a third portion of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers at least partially the outside of the backrest.

These and other characteristic features will emerge more particularly from the following description of some preferred embodiments illustrated purely by way of a non-limiting example in the accompanying plates of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the seat cover;
Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of the seat cover fitted to a seat;
Figure 3 shows a plan view of the seat cover, according to a variation of embodiment;
Figures 4 and 5 show a plan view of the seat cover fitted to a seat according to a further variation of embodiment;
Figure 6 shows the seat cover fitted to a seat, in a further variation of embodiment.

With reference to the Figures, 1 denotes in its entirety a disposable seat cover of the type designed specifically for covering seats 2 installed in open-air stadiums and theatres or in sports halls and closed areas.

The seat cover 1 is of the disposable type, which is made of recyclable material such as paper or cardboard or also non-woven fabric.

Preferably it is made using embossed paper which ensures a sufficient rigidity and better fit to the seat.

The seat cover 1 is in fact made in the form of a single sheet consisting of at least three portions:

a first portion 1a of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers the base 3 of the seat 2;
a second portion 1b with substantially the shape of an isosceles trapezium, which covers the inside of the backrest 4 of the seat 2 or the part of the backrest making contact with the body of the seat user;
a third portion 1c of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers at least partially the outside of the backrest 4, namely that part of the backrest facing the spectators sitting behind.

In an original manner the portion 1e comprises messages which are printed or applied by means of labels and which can be easily read by the users of the seats situated behind.

In this way the seat cover is able to perform the dual function of a disposable and hygienic system for protection of the seat and a means for the transmission of advertising or public information messages, which can be easily read by the spectators present in the stadium (except for those sitting in the first row, although they have the possibility of reading this information when they purchase the seat cover).

In order to facilitate application of the sheet to the seat, the sheet has weakening lines 5 along which folding of the sheet itself is made easier.

There are at least two weakening lines or zones 5 for allowing folding of the sheet into at least three

parts

1a, 1b and 1c.

In the variation of embodiment shown in Figure 3, there are at least three weakening lines, two of which are situated substantially in the region of that part of the sheet intended to be positioned astride the backrest 4 of the seat 2, so as to make the sheet easier to fit to the seat.

The seat cover 1 according to the present invention may be distributed by automatic dispensers installed inside or in the vicinity of the stadiums or may be provided already spread out individually in stacks.

The automatic dispensers may be ordinary dispensers of the known type, for dispensing reel-wound film material.

The sheets which form the seat covers are in fact formed such that they can be stored rolled-up on reels. During supplying of the sheet, or purchase of the seat cover, separation is performed by means of tearing or by means of a cutter.

In the variation of embodiment according to Figure 4, the seat cover has a substantially rectangular shape and is provided with a shaped incision or opening 6 which terminates in two eyelets 7 which prevent further tearing of the seat cover.

The incision has the purpose of facilitating fitting of the seat cover onto the backrest of the seat so that it can be fixed thereon, allowing securing of the seat cover to the seat.

The area 1b, shown in broken lines in Figure 4, covers the front part of the backrest of the seat, while the part 1c is folded onto the back part of the backrest, as shown in Figure 5.

In all the examples of embodiment illustrated, the seat cover may be provided with a layer of polyethylene on the side making contact with the seat or else it may be provided with a plastic-coated surface on the visible side, which is also intended to come into contact with the user.

In the case where the layer of polyethylene is used, printing of the messages on the seat cover is performed using inks which do not stain, or do not dirty the user of the seat, for example inks treated with UV rays.

In the case where the plastic coating is used, this has the function of both isolating the user from the dirt or residual moisture present on the seat (the plastic coating makes the seat cover waterproof) and protecting the user against inks used for printing messages on the seat cover. All the zones in which the messages are present are in fact plastic-coated in the manner already described.

In this way it is possible to apply messages using any type of ink (without having to worry about using "stain-free" inks), positioning them also in the

zones

1a and 1b of the base and the backrest.

In the variation according to Figure 6, the sheet is provided with a kind of hood 8 for fixing it to the seat.

The hood 8 is obtained by joining together the side ends of the second portion 1b to that of the third portion 1c by means of bonding or also simple punching of the material using known techniques for joining the material forming the sheet.

Claims

Disposable seat cover for stadium seats of the type having a base (3) and a backrest (4), characterized in that it consists of a single sheet formed so as to cover the base (3), the inside part of the backrest (4) in contact with the body of the user of the seat (2), and at least partially the outside part of the backrest (4).
Seat cover according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is made of recyclable material and comprises three portions:

a first portion (1a) of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers the base (3);

a second portion (1b) of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers the inside of the backrest (4);

a third portion (1c) of substantially quadrangular shape, which covers at least partially the outside of the backrest (4).
Seat cover according to Claim 1, in which at least one of the portions (1a, 1b, 1c) of the seat cover (1) is formed so as to contain messages which are printed or applied by means of labels.
Seat cover according to Claim 1, in which the single sheet has weakening lines (5) which facilitate folding of the sheet into at least three portions intended to cover respectively base (3), inner backrest and outer backrest.
Seat cover according to Claim 4, in which a double weakening line (5) is present in the part of the sheet intended to be placed astride the backrest (4) and to cover the top end thereof.
Seat cover according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a layer of polyethylene on the side of the sheet facing the seat.
Seat cover according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sheet, on the visible surface, is plastic-coated at least in zones on which printed information or messages are applied.
Seat cover according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an incision or opening (6) shaped so as to embrace the top part of the backrest (4) of the seat during fitting of the seat cover onto the seat, the backrest (4) penetrating at least partially into the incision or opening (6).
Seat cover according to Claim 2, characterized in that the second portion (1b) and the third portion (1c) are joined together along their side edges so as to form a hood (8) which covers at least partially the backrest (4) of the seat (2).
Automatic dispenser for products in sheet form, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of seat covers according to any one of the preceding claims, said seat covers being obtained by means of tearing or with the aid of a cutter from a continuous sheet of material wound on a reel and housed inside the dispenser.