EP2625986A1

EP2625986A1 - Modular piece of furniture

Info

Publication number: EP2625986A1
Application number: EP13154540.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Isa Pintore; Alessandro Condorelli
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-10
Filing date: 2013-02-08
Publication date: 2013-08-14
Also published as: ITFI20120007U1

Abstract

A modular piece of furniture specially adapted to be used singularly in different ways, or to be used together with other specimens, forming complex pieces of furniture.

Description

Technical field

The present invention refers to the technical field of pieces of furniture, in particular of design modular elements, suitable for satisfying different needs if used singularly and to widen the number of possibilities of use if used in combination with other identical elements.

Background art

In the current panorama of furniture solutions the need to have furniture capable of having different functions on the basis of the circumstances is felt, so as to reduce the number of the furnishings that are necessary in a room.
At the moment there are in the market many different objects, but there does not exist a piece of furniture that can have different functions and that, at the same time, constitutes the base item of an integrated furniture system.

Disclosure of invention

It is the aim of the present invention to provide, with a single element, a solution for the seat of an adult, or a chair for children or also a piece of furniture that is capable of having the function of a table.
Moreover, thanks to is advantageous and practical embodiment, the invention, used in combination with other identical elements, permits to have the following further functions:

a combination of two elements permits to realize a cradle, that is a support for a small mattress with borders;
a combination of two elements, different from the preceding one, permits to realize a deep cradle, that is a support for a small mattress with borders which is sufficiently tall as to hold an unweaned baby in erect position;
a combination of many elements permits to realize a shelving, both of the floor type and of the type suspended to the wall.
said elements can be piled.

Further aims of the invention can be obtained by positioning dedicated accessories on the object of the invention; to this aim, the possibility of realizing specific anchoring spots has been foreseen.

Brief description of drawings

Figure 1 shows an axonometric view of the object of the invention, positioned as a chair for adults, in the configuration in which both flanks (2, 3) present lightening openings.
Figure 2 shows an axonometric view of the object of the invention, positioned upside-down and constituting a chair for children, in the configuration in which both flanks (2, 3) present lightening openings, in the seatback (1) two holes (11, 12) are visible to hang the piece of furniture to a wall or for the anchoring of accessories.
Figure 3 shows an axonometric view of the object of the invention, resting on the ground lain down with the external face of the seatback (1) that can be used as table top.
Figure 4 shows an axonometric view of two elements, arranged according to the positioning for adults, reciprocally faced in such a way that both seats define a single plane whose perimeter is entirely closed superiorly, thus configuring a cradle for unweaned babies; the joining means necessary to guarantee the combination of the two elements are not represented.
Figure 5 shows an axonometric view of two elements, arranged according to the positioning for children, reciprocally faced in such a way that both seats define a single plane whose perimeter is entirely closed superiorly, thus configuring a cradle for standing children; the joining means necessary to guarantee the combination of the two elements are not represented.
Figure 6 shows an axonometric view in which a plurality of elements are arranged on many overlapping files, thus defining a shelving; the joining means necessary to guarantee the maintenance in position of the elements are not represented; the holes (11, 12) of which each element is provided with for the anchoring to the wall behind are however visible.
Figure 7 shows a composition having just an exemplifying and not limiting aim;
Figure 8 shows graphically a piling of one or more elements;
Figure 9 shows clearly an example in which the element is overturned to have the function of top table, while the other elements are in a position of use as chair;
Figure 10 shows schematically how, being the seat 4 placed at a height that is not the half of the element itself, the piece of furniture results a particularly idoneous chair for an adult or for a child according to the direction in which it is rotated;
Figure 11 shows an example in which two pieces of furniture placed side by side form a cradle.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

The object of the present invention is a modular piece of furniture, in the form of an armchair with rigid and flat seatback, arms and seat, comprising two flanks (2, 3), each one of which has a substantially rectangular shape, placed in vertical position, a seatback (1), of a substantially rectangular shape, placed in vertical position, with each one of the two larger sides perpendicularly connected to one of the larger sides of each of said two flanks (2, 3) and a seat (4), of substantially rectangular shape, placed in horizontal position, whose posterior edge and whose lateral edges are respectively connected perpendicularly to said seatback (1) and to said two flanks (2).
In order to permit the upside-down use of the element the long sides of said flanks (2, 3) and of said seatback (1) have the same length.
Advantageously, the length of the minor sides of said flanks (2, 3) is equal or superior to the length of the lateral edges of said seat (4) added to the thickness of said seatback (1); in this way the seat does not protrude with respect to the flanks and this permits to arrange the piece of furniture lain down horizontally, in such a way that the external face of the seatback can serve as table top (see for example also figure 9 or figure 7).
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the external measure of said flanks (2, 3), that is the width of the flanks, is equal or inferior to the internal measure of said seatback (1), that is to the width of the seatback. In this way, after a right angle vertical rotation it is possible to pile a piece of furniture inside another one, as per figure 8.
In order to permit a further interesting possibility of use, said seat (4) can be placed at a distance from the ground inferior to the distance between said seat and the superior edge of said seatback (1) and of said flanks (2, 3), thus configuring an armchair for adults; by overturning the piece of furniture a chair for children is configured, with the seat plane conveniently placed at a minor height from the ground.
Basically, with reference to figure 2 or figure 10, the seat (4) is placed at such a height as not to be found at half of the overall height of the flanks and of the seatback but it is rather placed at a different height from the half. In this way, the element can become, on the basis of the direction in which it is rotated, a chair for adults or for children but anyway in both cases provided with seatback and arms. Basically, when rotated in a direction, the distance of the seat from the ground is such as to render idoneous the chair for an adult, while when rotated in the opposite direction it becomes idoneous for the use of a child.
Moreover, by facing between them two elements arranged both of them in the configuration for adults, the two seats define a single horizontal plane, whose perimeter is completely closed by the superior part of the seatback and of the flanks of the two faced elements; in this way, the two elements together form a cradle for unweaned babies (see for example figure 11); by overturning the assembly described above, constituted of the two faced elements, the plane defined by the two seats is found at an inferior height with respect to the ground, with the perimeter closed for an elevation superior to that of the preceding case, thus configuring a cradle suitable also for standing children.
According to an advantageous and practical embodiment of the invention, lightening openings can be made in the flanks, while in the seatback one or more holes can be made, useful both for hanging the piece of furniture to a wall, and to form a shelving by combining many elements, or comfortable and functional for the fixing of accessories, such as toys for children or lamps, flower stands or other objects.
The lightening holes described above can be advantageously used also with the aim of facilitating the grip of the element for moving it.
Just as a way of example, and not limiting, it is observed that the equilibrium of the shapes of the object of the invention results more pleasant when said seat (4) assumes substantially square shapes.
The present object of the invention can be further placed by overlapping two lain down modules. The underlying one with the seatback (1) on top, in the manner of table top, and the overlying one lain down and upside-down, that is with its own seatback (1) directed downwards. In this further embodiment, the superior part of the seatback of the overlying element can be used as seat, while the original seat (4) serves as seatback.

Claims

Modular piece of furniture, in the form of an armchair with rigid and flat seatback, arms and seat, comprising:
- two flanks (2, 3), each one of which has a substantially rectangular shape, placed in vertical position;

- a seatback (1), of substantially rectangular shape, placed in vertical position, each one of the two larger sides of said seatback (1) being perpendicularly connected to one of the larger sides of each of said two flanks (2, 3);

- a seat (4), of substantially rectangular shape, placed in horizontal position, whose posterior edge and whose lateral edges are respectively connected perpendicularly to said seatback (1) and to said two flanks (2);
characterized in that the long sides of said flanks (2, 3) and of said seatback (1) have the same length.
Piece of furniture as per the preceding claim, characterized in that the length of the minor sides of said flanks (2, 3) is equal or superior to the length of the lateral edges of said seat (4) added to the thickness of said seatback (1).
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the external measure of said flanks (2, 3) is equal or inferior to the internal measure of said seatback (1), such as to permit, after a right angle vertical rotation, to pile a piece of furniture inside another one.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seat (4) is placed at a height different from that coinciding with the half of the overall length of the long sides (2, 3).
Piece of furniture as per the preceding claim, characterized in that the superior edges of said seatback (1) and of both said flanks (2, 3) are also finished off in such a way as to permit the resting on the ground upside-down.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the anterior edges of said flanks (2, 3) are finished off in such a way as to permit their resting on the ground lain down and to allow the use of the external face of said seatback (1) as table top.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said seatback (1) presents one or more holes (11, 12) to hang the piece of furniture to a wall or for the anchoring of accessories.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said one or more holes (11, 12) are placed at a height coinciding with the half of the overall length of the long sides.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flanks (2, 3) present internal lightening openings, which can be used also for the grip of the piece of furniture.
Piece of furniture as per one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises specific joining means to permit the reciprocal facing of two pieces of furniture in such a way that both the seats define a single plane whose perimeter is entirely closed superiorly.
Piece of furniture, as per claim 10, wherein said components rest on the ground in such a way that the seat results at a height from the ground superior with respect to the distance from the superior edge, defining a cradle for unweaned babies.
Piece of furniture, as per claim 10, wherein said components rest on the ground in such a way that the seat results at a height from the ground minor with respect to the distance of the superior edge, configuring a cradle suitable also for standing children.