GB2250913A

GB2250913A - Container convertible to table or stool

Info

Publication number: GB2250913A
Application number: GB9025734A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Genevra Margaret Pope
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-11-27
Filing date: 1990-11-27
Publication date: 1992-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 2010-11-27
Also published as: GB9025734D0; GB2250913B

Abstract

A container which can be used as a stool or pouffe comprises a lid on a hollow base which is covered by a layer of padding. The lid consists of a flat rigid member having a layer of padding secured to its upper face and a depending lip which locates about the upper edge of the hollow base to positively locate the lid. The lid can be inverted and placed with the padding layer on the upper edge of the base so that the flat part forms a table.

Description

CONTAINERS TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to containers which double as articles of furniture such as pouffes or stools.

BACKGROUND One form of existing pouffe has a hinged lid by which access can be gained to an interior space within the pouffe for storage purposes.

Another form of existing pouffe does not have an internal space, but it has a soft top and a firm flat base so that it can be inverted to serve as a small table.

A pouffe which also serves as a storage container could not of course be inverted' without disturbing any contents, and an object of the present invention is c provide an article of furniture such as a pouffe will can serve as both a storage container and a table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a container comprising a hollow base and a lid, the base comprising a relatively rigid inner portion having a base wa,L1 and side walls, and a layer of padding surrounding the side walls, and the lid comprising a relatively rigid generally planar part and a layer of padding secured to one side of the rigid part, the rigid part of the lid being arranged 1:'? engage the upper edge of the side walls such as to provide positive lateral location of the lid relative to the base, and the arrangement being such that the lid can be inverted and placed upon the base such that the rigid part provides a firm, generally flat upper surface which can be used as a table.

The rigid part of the lid may contain a recess for reception of the upper edge of the inner portion of the base. However, it is preferred for the rigid part of the lid to have a depending lip which engages internally or externally of the rigid part of the base.

The lip can then serve as an edging lip for the table surface which reduces the risk of objects being knocked off the table.

The padding layers of the base and lid are preferably provided with a removable fabric cover which can thus be changed for a different design or removed for washing.

The container may be provided with a plurality of decorative elements which have a plurality of hooks for attachment thereof to the soft outer padding layer of the-base and lid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a vetical section through a container of the invention, Figure 2 is a side view of the container in a pouffe configuration, and Figure 3 is a side view of the container in a table configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The container is in the form of a pouffe having a lid 1 and a hollow base 2. The container will normally by circular in plan view although it could equally well be square, rectangular, or hexagonal for example.

The base includes a relatively rigid inner portion 3 of pressed cardboard and/or paper, timber, plastics or any other suitable material. This inner portion has a base wall 4 and side walls 5. The side walls 5 are externally covered by a layer of padding 6, and the upper edge 7 of the inner portion projects slightly above the padding layer 6.

The lid 1 includes a relatively rigid generally flat part 8, again or timber or plastics, having a layer of padding 9 secured to its upper face. The padding layer 9 has a slightly convex upper surface 10. The flat part 8 has a depending lip 11 which locates about the upper edge 7 of the base part 2 as in Fig. 2 to provide positive lateral location of the lid 1 relative to the base 2. The container can thus be used as both a container, e.g. a toy box, and a pouffe.

As shown in Fig. 3, the lid 1 can be inverted and placed with the padding layer 9 on the upper edge 7 of the base 2 so that the flat part 8 is uppermost to provide a firm, generally flat upper surface which can be used as a table. The padding tends to sink into the base and prevent lateral movement of the lid.

The padding layers 9, 6 of the lid 1 and base 2 are each covered by a removable fabric cover, which is retained, for example, by resilient bands incorporated in the covers. In addition, a number of decorative play elements 12 which may be in the shape of animals or well known characters for example, can be attached to the fabric covers of the base and lid by means of hooks provided on the rear surface of the elements.

The elements can thus be placed in various positions on the container and moved about at will.

By making the base slightly higher the container could be used as a stool for use with a dressing table or the like.

Claims

1. A container comprising a hollow base and a lid, the base comprising a relatively rigid inner portion having a base wall and side walls, and a layer of padding surrounding the side walls, and the lid comprising a relatively rigid generally planar part and a layer of padding secured to one side of the rigid part, the rigid part of the lid being arranged to engage the upper edge of the side walls such as to provide positive lateral location of the lid relative to the base, and the arrangement being such that the lid can be inverted and placed upon the base such that the rigid part provides a firm, generally flat upper surface which can be used as a table.

2. A container according to Claim 1, in which the rigid part of the lid has a depending lip which engages the side walls of the base to laterally locate the lid.

3. A container according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the rigid part of the lid defines a recess for reception of the upper edge of the side walls.

4. A container according to any preceding claim, in which the padding layers of the base and lid are provided with a removable fabric cover.

5. A container according to any preceding claim, provided with a plurality of decorative elements which are releasably attachable to the padding layers of the base and lid.

6. A container according to Claim 5, in which the decorative elements each have a plurality of hooks for attachment to the padding layers.

7. A container substantially as described with reference to the drawings.