GB2225938A

GB2225938A - Seats fitted with removable covers

Info

Publication number: GB2225938A
Application number: GB8927525A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Baumgarten Jean-Pierre
Original assignee: CREATIONS INOVA
Current assignee: CREATIONS INOVA
Priority date: 1988-12-09
Filing date: 1989-12-06
Publication date: 1990-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 2009-12-06
Also published as: GB2225938B; GB8927525D0; FR2640129A1; FR2640129B1

Abstract

In seats fitted with removable covers, of the type where the supporting surface (2) is fixed onto lugs or brackets (3) forming pant of the exposed tubular uprights (1) bordering the said surface, each side of the cover (6, 7) extending along the uprights (1) is reinforced by a rigid frame (8) of hairpin shape, each leg being integral with the corresponding face of the cover and the ends of the said legs being in the direction of the side which includes a sliding fastener. <IMAGE>

Description

Seat Fitted with Removable Cover This inventicn relates to seats fitted with removable covers.

Seats which include removable covers have already been produced. However, up to the present time, for reasons which will become apparent later, it was not possible to produce removable covers for seats which include the use of an exposed frame.

For example, seats have been designed which are, in particular, intended for collective use, these comprising a tubular frame, the surface used for seating and the back being formed by panels or boards, generally made from wood, associated with a cushion made from foam and fitted with a cover made from a fabric or similar material, the said panels being fixed between the tubular frames by means of lugs or brackets which have been welded onto the frame.

In its most simple form, a cover comprises two pieces of fabric which are assembled along three sides, closing of the fourth side being assured, for example, by means of a sliding fastener.

A cover of this kind cannot be used in tne case of a seat of the type described above, because of the presence of the said lugs or brackets.

One solution to this problem would consist of producing a cover which is open on three sides and with one side only, that is, the side located between the other two open sides, being fitted with a sliding fastener.

Experience has shown that this solution is not satisfactory. In fact, it has been noted that the cover could not be stretched fully taut over its support and also, in particular, the cover tends to "gape" opposite the fixing lugs or brackets and allows the foam cushion to show.

This invention eliminates these disadvantages and is remarkable in that the two sides of the cover, adjacent to the side which includes the sliding fastener, are each reinforced by means of a rigid frame of hairpin shape, the ends of the legs being located on the side which includes the said sliding fastener.

The invention will be more fully understood on reading the description which follows and by referring to the appended figures, these being provided for information only and where : - Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing the back of a seat equipped with the cover comprising the invention (rear view); - Figure 2 is a view, similar to Figure 1, showing the method used to fit the cover (front view); - Figure 3 is a view in perspective showing, to a larger scale, detail A of Figure 2; - Figure 4 is a view, with partial sectioning, similar to Figure 1; - Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, to a larger scale, in accordance with a plane basically perpendicular to the back.

On referring to Figure 1, it may be seen that the upper part of the seat comprises, in its most simple form, two tubular uprights 1, these being exposed and joined together, with no break cr discontinuity, by a back identified in accordance with the general reference 2, this forming the supporting surface.

As is normal in these cases, each upright 1 is provided with a lug or bracket 3 for holding a rigid panel 4 forming the frame of the supporting surface.

A cushion made from a synthetic foam 5 is fixed to the panel 4, using any of the normal methods, for example, adhesive bonding.

In the case of seats of this type, the problem consists of covering the supporting surface by means of a removable cover.

As may be determined from the figures, the supporting surface has a basically rectangular contour formed by four sides, two of these extending along the uprights 1.

In accordance with the invention, the two faces 6 and 7 of the cover are assembled along one side, this corresponding to the upper edge 4 of the panel a 4, the two adjacent sides of the cover being open and the fourth side may be closed by means of a sliding fastener G.

The open sides are bordered by a rigid frame 8 of hairpin shape, its legs being basically parallel and each leg being integral with the corresponding face of the cover.

As may be seen from Figure 5, the distance between the legs of the frame 8 is basically equal to the thickness of the lugs or brackets 3.

The side edges 4b of the panel 4 do not extend up to the uprights 1, a space being left between the said side edges and the said uprights, this space forming, in conjunction with the corresponding lug or bracket 3, a channel or slot which receives and locates one of the legs of the frame, this fitting inside the fabric or other material comprising the cover.

This arrangement is applicable irrespective of whether the panel 4 is positioned in front of or behind the lugs or brackets 3 or whether these are combined with the said panel 4.

In order to fit the cover, it is presented as shown in Figure 2 and the corresponding legs of the frames 8 are inserted into the channels or slots formed between the uprights, the side edges 4b and the lugs or brackets 3.

When the cover is in position, it should be noted that the sliding fastener G is arranged along the lower side edge of the panel 4 and that, therefore, it is virtually invisible to any user not aware of the arrangement.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the method of construction described and represented but also extends to include any kind of variant in form and dimension.

For example, among others, a cover of this type may be used for covering the supporting surface of the seat.

Again, for example, the two faces of the cover may be manufactured from different fabrics or materials and the sliding fastener G may be replaced by any other equivalent method.

Claims

1. Improvements to seats fitted with removable covers, of the type where the supporting surface (2) is fixed onto lugs or brackets (3) forming an integral part of the exposed tubular uprights (1) bordering the said surface, characterised in that each side of the cover extends along the uprights (1) and is reinforced by means of a rigid frame (8) of hairpin shape, each leg being integral with the corresponding face of the cover, the ends of the said legs being in the direction of the side which includes the sliding fastener G.

2. Improvements to seats fitted with removable covers, in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the side edge (4b) of the panel (4) comprising the frame of the supporting surface does not extend up to the corresponding upright (1) but a space is left between the side edge and the upright, this forming a channel or slot in conjunction with the lug or bracket (3) used to fix the said panel to the said upright.

3. Improvements to seats fitted with removable covers, in accordance with claim 2, characterised in that the distance between the arms of the frame (8) is basically equal to the thickness of the corresponding lug or bracket (3).