GB2207344A - Swing seats - Google Patents

Abstract

A swing seat has a cover (1) of elastomeric material reinforced by a rigid insert (2). The cover (1) includes a peripheral skirt (6) and at each end of the front and rear faces a plurality of laterally extending parallel webs (8, 9, 10) joined by the rigid briding elements (12), whereby an impact on the skirt (6) causes the webs (8, 9, 10) to be stressed in tension for gradually absorbing the impact energy. <IMAGE>

Description

Swing Seats This invention relates to swing seats.

Playground accidents are not uncommon and one kind of accident is that due to a swing seat striking a child passing in front of or behind the swing. Serious injury can result if a swing seat of rigid, e.g. wooden construction is in impact against the head of a child.

The dangers can be reduced by making the swing seat of more resilient material, such as rubber, to reduce the impact forces. In this respect a known form of swing seat having particularly good impact absorbing characteristics consists of a used vehicle tyre. Unfortunately, such tyres of suitable construction and size are available only in limited numbers and the cost of new tyres makes them too expensive for use in swings. The aim of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a swing seat which is economic to manufacture and which is safe in use.

A swing seat according to the invention comprises at each of the front and rear faces thereof a skirt of elastomeric material, a plurality of transversely extending parallel webs formed integrally with the skirt and connected thereto at the ends of the webs, and substantially rigid bridging elements interconnecting the skirt and the webs whereby an impact force applied against the outer face of the skirt and deforming the skirt inwardly causes the webs to be stressed in tension for providing a gradual absorption of the impact energy.

In a preferred construction a common unitary body of elastomeric material provides the skirt, webs and bridging elements. The body can conveniently take the form of a hollow cover member of rubber material, which is stiffened by an insert. The insert may take the form of a rigid injection moulded pallet. The cover member can be moulded to provide a contoured upper surface shaped to conform generally to the body of a person sitting on the seat and hence making the seat more comfortable.

A better understanding of the invention will be had from the following detailed description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swing seat embodying the invention and equipped with a chain suspension; Figure 2 shows the seat fitted with a frame for a cradle type swing; Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 and showing the seat parts in section; Figure 4 is a top. plan view of the seat cover; Figure 5 is an underneath view of the seat cover; Figure 6 is a side view of the seat cover; Figures 7 to 10 are sections taken along the lines A-A, B-B, C-C and D-D, respectively, in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 11 is an underneath plan view of the seat insert Figure 12 is a front view of the insert; Figure 13 is a side view of the insert; and Figure 14 is a sectional view through a fastener for use in securing the seat to the suspension bolts.

As may be clearly seen from Figure 3, the illustrated swing seat comprises a cover 1 moulded in one piece of elastomeric material, preferably rubber, and a rigid insert 2. The cover 1 is shown in detail in Figures 4 to 10. It includes a top wall 4 having a contoured upper surface shaped to conform to the shape of - the body of a child sitting on the seat. Drain holes 5.

described more fully below, are provided to avoid rain water collecting in the two shallow depressions formed in the top surface of the seat. Depending from the top wall 4 is a peripheral skirt 6, the depth of which is preferably at least 50 mms, and more preferably in the range of 60 to 100 mms, in order to define relatively large impact areas at the front and rear faces of the seat. The skirt is curved at the front and rear faces and these faces join the sides of the seat through smooth curves of large radius so that sharp corners at which impact forces may become concentrated are precluded.

Adjacent the skirt at each of the front and rear faces is a series of three parallel webs 8, 9, 10 which extend laterally across the seat, each web having its ends integrally attached to the skirt 6, and its upper edge integral with the top wall 4. The skirt and webs are also connected by integral bridging elements 12 which are substantially rigid under compressive loading, these elements 12 being few in number and arranged so that the bridging elements to either side of the same web are spaced apart hy substantial distances longitudinally of the web. The webs and bridging elements in conjunction with the skirt define energy absorbing structures as will be explained further hereinbelow.

The innermost webs 10 and the sections of the skirt 6 at the sides of the seat define a rectangllar recess which receives the rigid insert 2. The insert stiffens the top wall of the cover 1 and also provides firm anchorage points for the seat suspension. As may he seen from Figures 11 - 13, the insert which is formed as an injection moulding of rigid plastics has a planar top 14, stepped at the ends to conform to the shape of the seat cover, a rim 15 and diagonal and transverse reinforcing webs iS. The insert includes solid corner - parts through which extend respective holes 17 which register with corresponding holes 18 provided in the cover 1.Tubular metal lining sleeves 20 (Figure 10) are moulded into the holes 18 and project downwardly from the top wall of the cover 1 to engage in the holes 17 of the insert. Fasteners, such as eye bolts 22 to which suspension chains or the like can be attached, are inserted through sleeves 20 and hence the holes 17, 18 and are secured from below, for example by means of tubular nuts 21 as shown in Figure 14, and in this way the insert 2 and coer 1 are connected securely together.

The insert 2 includes additional holes 24 arranged to register with the aforementioned drain holes 5 in the cover 1, the top wall 4 of the cover having downwardly directed spigots 26 through which the holes 5 pass and which extend through the holes 24 so that water is directed away from under the seat and cannot seep between the insert 2 and the cover 1.

In use the swing seat is suspended from a frame by any suitable means, such as by chains as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 1 the chains are shown attached directly to the eye bolts, but in the embodiment of Figure 2 the bolts serve additionally to secure a frame 25 to the upper side of the seat for providing a cradle swing.

If the swing should become involved in an impact with a child the energy absorbing structures at its front and rear edges substantially reduce the risk of serious injury. Due to the large areas presented by the skirt 6 the impact forces will be distributed over a substantial area. Upon impact, the skirt is deformed inwardly and by virtue of the rigid bridging elements 12 the webs 8 and 9 are deflected locally at the bridging elements and become stretched, thereby absorbing the impact energy. Since the webs become stressed in tension the energy absorption is gradual and continuous in nature during the period of the impact. The innermost web 10 will not deflect inwardly because it is supported on its inner side and over the major part of its height by the insert 2. If required, however, a space could be left between the web 10 and the insert 2 so that web 10 plays a more active role in the energy absorption function.

In the illustrated embodiment the seat cover 1 is formed with additional recesses 28 for material and weight reduction reasons.

It should be noted that the swing seat illustrated in the drawings and described above is dimensioned so that the rear of the seat will project rearwardly beyond the back of a person seated on the swing, and thus provides protection to the lower spine in the event of a collision occurring when the swing is moving backwards. In the particular embodiment the fore-to-aft dimension is of the same order as, and actually slightly greater than, the side-to-side dimension.

Claims (17)

CLAIMS:

1. A swing seat comprising at each of the front and rear faces thereof a skirt of elastomeric material, a plurality of transversely extending parallel webs formed integrally with the skirt and connected thereto at the ends of the webs, and substantially rigid bridging elements interconnecting the skirt and the webs whereby an impact force applied against an outer face of the skirt and deforming the skirt inwardly causes the webs to be stressed in tension for providing a gradual absorbtion of the impact energy.

2. A swing seat according to claim 1, in which the bridging elements attached to opposite sides of the same web are offset with respect to each other along the web.

3. A swing seat according to claim 1 or 2, in which the seat has a single peripheral skirt defining front, rear and opposed side faces of the seat, the skirt being smoothly curved at the regions between the side faces and the front and rear faces.

4. A swing seat according to any preceding claim in which the depth of the skirt is at least 50mm.

5. A swing seat according to claim 4 in which the depth of the skirt is between 60mm and iOOmm.

6. A swing seat according to any of the preceding claims, in which a unitary body of elastomeric material includes the skirt, webs, bridging elements and an upper seat portion.

7. A swing seat according to claim 6 in which the seat portion is contoured to conform generally to the body of a person sitting on the seat.

8. A swing seat according to claim 7, in which drain holes are provided in the upper portion of the seat for draining water from recesses in said upper portion.

9. A swing seat according to claim 8 in which the drain holes are defined by portions of said body extending continuously from the upper side to the underside of the seat.

10. A swing seat according to any of claims 6 to 9, in which a rigid insert is attached to the body to stiffen the seat portion the body.

11. A swing seat according to claim 10, in which the insert is received in a recess defined in the underside of the body.

12. A swing seat according to claim 11, in which the innermost webs are supported by the insert.

13. A swing seat according to claim 10, 11, or 12, in which the body and insert are secured together by fasteners defining anchorage points for attachment of a seat suspension.

14. A swing seat according to claim 13, in which the fasteners also secure a frame to the upper side of the body to form a cradle seat

15. A swing seat according to any of claims 6 to 14, wherein the body is dimensioned to project rearwardly of a person seated correctly on the seat.

16. A swing seat according to any preceding claim, in which the webs and bridging elements extend the full depth of the skirt.

17. A swing seat substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.