GB2297246A

GB2297246A - Children's furniture with shaped recesses for inserts

Info

Publication number: GB2297246A
Application number: GB9501290A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard Allen Ross
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-01-24
Filing date: 1995-01-24
Publication date: 1996-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 2015-01-24
Also published as: GB9501290D0; GB2297246B

Description

CHILDREN' S FURNITURE DESCRIPTION This invention relates to furniture, particularly for use by children.

According to the present invention there is provided an article of furniture comprising a substantially flat surface arranged to be substantially horizontal in use, the surface having an indentation, and at least one insert arranged to fit closely within the indentation and be removable therefrom, the insert having a substantially flat face arranged to be uppermost and to be substantially coplanar with the said surface when received in the indentation.

Thus the article may serve both as a article of furniture, for example a table or stool, and as a toy. If the indentation and insert(s) are in the shape of numbers, or of letters of the alphabet, so as for example to spell a child's name, then the toy may also have educational value.

Alternatively there may be a single insert in the shape of an animal, a character from a children's book or any other appealing shape.

The insert(s) is/are preferably shaped so as to be supportable on a side thereof, which side is substantially perpendicular to the face which is arranged to be uppermost when received in the indentation. Where there is a plurality of inserts, these are preferably shaped so as to closely abut or interlock with each other such that they are held in place when inserted.

The uppermost face of the insert(s) may have a different colour from that of the surface of the article of furniture, so as to provide a decorative effect. For example, each insert may have a different colour. The insert(s) and surface may be of the same material, such as wood, as may be the entire article of furniture. The article of furniture is preferable of a size suitable for use by a child.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stool according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of another stool according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a stool 2, which for example is made of wood, comprises a flat upper surface 4 mounted on four legs 6. An indentation 8 in the surface is shaped as the outline of a name, in this example 'Tom'. The indentation 8 has sides 7 perpendicular to the surface 4 of the stool 2, and a base 9 parallel to the surface 4.

Inserts 10, 12, 14 are shaped as the letters of the name, to fit closely within the indentation, and to abut each other, so as to be held in place when inserted. The inserts are shaped so that the upper faces 16, 18, 20 thereof are substantially coplanar with the stool surface 4 when inserted. Thus the upper and lower faces are substantially parallel, and the sides 22, 24 are substantially perpendicular thereto, and have about the same depth as the indentation 8. The inserts 10, 12 14 are shaped such that they may stand on their sides and thus be used as a toy independently of the stool (see insert 'T' 10).

The upper faces 16, 18, 20 of the inserts 10, 12, 14 may be coloured differently from the stool, and/or differently from each other. Alternatively each insert may be completely coloured.

In Figure 2, the surface 25 of a stool 26 has an indentation 27 in the shape of the outline of an animal, in this example an elephant. Inserts 28, 30, 32, 34 interlock in the manner of a puzzle to form the animal shape.

A table may also be provided to match the stool, with an indentation and inserts for example of the same shape and size as those of the stool, perhaps provided in a corner of the table.

Claims

1. An article of furniture comprising a substantially flat surface arranged to be substantially horizontal in use, the surface have an indentation, and at least one shaped insert arranged to fit closely within the indentation and to be removable therefrom, the insert having a substantially flat face arranged to be uppermost and to be substantially coplanar with the said surface when received in the indentation.

2. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1, in which the indentation and insert(s) are in the shape of letters of the alphabet or numbers.

3. An article of furniture as claimed in claims 1 or 2, in which the inserts are shaped so as to be supportable on a side thereof which is substantially perpendicular to the said face.

4. An article of furniture as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the said face of the insert has a different colour from that of the surface.

5. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the insert is formed from the same material as the surface.

6. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the surface comprises wood.

7. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a table or a chair of a size suitable for use by a child.

8. An article of furniture as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of inserts which are shaped so as to closely abut each other when inserted into the indentation.

9. An article of furniture substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings.