GB2439917A

GB2439917A - Bean bag seat with supplementary occupant support

Info

Publication number: GB2439917A
Application number: GB0613447A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Mcquilton
Original assignee: SPECIALISED ORTHOTIC SERVICES
Current assignee: SPECIALISED ORTHOTIC SERVICES
Priority date: 2006-07-06
Filing date: 2006-07-06
Publication date: 2008-01-16
Anticipated expiration: 2026-07-06
Also published as: GB2439917A8; GB0613447D0; GB2439917B; GB2439917B8

Abstract

A bean bag seat 12 comprises a profiled support member 22 selectively mountable on the seat 12. The support member 22 is shaped to provide appropriate support for a handicapped person, with different shapes being provided for different persons. The support is designed to prevent an occupant from rolling or falling off the bean bag.

Description

I

SEAT ASSEMBLY

This invention concerns a seat assembly, and particularly, but not exclusively a seat assembly usable by handicapped persons.

Bean bag seats are popular items of furniture in that people can sit or lie on them in a required position and inclination, and the shape of the seat can readily be altered as required to improve comfort and/or alter one's posture. Handicapped people can also enjoy sitting on a bean bag seat.

However, in many instances such seats do not provide sufficient support for a handicapped person, in that a person is not supported correctly or sufficiently.

Also, there may be a danger of a handicapped person being able to fall or roll off such a seat.

The term bean bag seat" when used in this specification is to be understood as meaning an item which can be sat upon. The bean bag seat includes an outer cover which contains a relatively large number of freely movable particulate pieces such that the item can adopt a wide range of shapes, by relative arrangement of the particulate pieces in the cover. Whilst the particulate pieces may be beans, more usually they would be spheres or other shape pieces of a foamed plastics material such as polystyrene.

According to the present invention there is provided a seat assembly, the assembly including a bean bag seat as hereinbefore defined, and a support member selectively mountable on an upper part of the bean bag seat such that a person can sit or lie on the support member whilst mounted on the bean bag seat, the support member being contoured to provide appropriate support thereon, and substantially prevent a person thereon from rolling or falling thereoff.

The support member may include a shaped member and a selectively removable cover, which cover may be washable. The shaped member may be substantially rigid, or may be semi-rigid, and may be moulded from a plastics material.

The bean bag seat may include a washable outer cover, and may include a base of a more durable material than the remainder of the cover.

An upper part of the bean bag seat substantially upon which the support member lie when mounted on the bean bag seat, may be of a more durable material than the remainder of the cover.

Mounting means may be provided for mounting the support member on the bean bag seats. The mounting means may be in the form of respective strips of fleece and hook fastener.

An additional support member may be mountable on the bean bag seat beneath a part of the support member such that in use a person on the support member is supported in or towards a seated position. The additional support member may Include a removable washable cover.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig 1 is a perspective view of first and second components of a seat assembly according to the invention; Fig 2 is a perspective front view of the first component with the second component removed therefrom; Fig 3 is a perspective view from beneath of the first component of Fig 1; Fig 4 is a perspective front view of the second component of Fig 1; Fig 5 is a perspective front view of a seat assembly incorporating the first and second components of Fig I and also a third component; and Fig 6 is a perspective view from beneath of the third component.

The drawings show a seat assembly 10 suitable for supporting a handicapped person. The assembly 10 includes a bean bag seat 12 with an outer textile cover 14 in which it is located a large number of "beans" in the form of substantially spherical polystyrene particles (not shown). These particles are located in a bag (also not shown) within the cover 14. The bag and particles located therein can be removed from the cover 14 to permit the latter to be washed. A selectively operable opening (not shown) is provided in the cover 14 to permit this to take place.

A base 16 of a highly durable matenal is provided extending across the underside of the cover 14. An upper central part 18 of the cover 14 is also made of a more durable material than the remainder of the cover 14. A number of strips 20 of a first part of fleece and hook fastener are provided on the cover 14 adjacent the outer penmeter of the upper part 18.

The assembly 10 also includes a support member 22 in the form of a profiled piece of relatively rigid plastics material, over which is provided a cover 24 which can be removed to be washed. Five fingers of material 26 extend from the cover 24 at spaced intervals around its perimeter. Provided on the underside of the fingers 26 are second parts of fleece and hook fastener (not shown). The support member 22 is shaped to provide appropriate support for a handicapped person, and individual shapes can be supplied for different persons to provide them with the support they require.

The support member 22 is shaped to substantially prevent a person sifting or lying thereon from being able to fall or roll thereoutof.

As shown in Figs I and 5, the support member 22 can be mounted on the seat 12 with at least a majority of the support member engaging against the upper part 18, and the fleece and hook fastener on the fingers 26 engaging with the strips 20 to retain the support member 22 in position. The seat 12 can obviously be shaped to whatever profile is required, whilst the support member 22 is securely held thereon by the fleece and hook fastener strips 20.

A further support member 28 is also provided which can locate under an upper part in use of the support member 22 as shown in Fig 5. The further support member 28 can provide the support member 22 at a required inclination for a person thereon to be substantially seated. Three strips 30 of a second part of fleece and hook fastener are provided on the underside of the further support member 28. Corresponding strips of a first part of fleece and hook fastener (not shown) are provided on the seat 12 at appropriate locations.

There is thus described a seat assembly usable by handicapped people to provide the advantages and pleasures of a bean bag, whilst providing appropriate support for the handicapped person, and also substantially preventing them from being able to fall or roll off the bean bag.

The support member 22 of the seat assembly 10 can be shaped as required to suit the dimensions of a particular person, and any specific needs they may have for support. As indicated, washable covers are provided on the various parts of the seat assembly to permit the assembly to readily be washed.

Replacement covers could be provided to enable the assembly to be used whilst washing of covers takes place.

Various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, different means may be provided for mounting the support member on the seat. The seat may have a different shape. A different and/or additional further support members can be provided.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A seat assembly, the assembly including a bean bag seat as hereinbefore defined, and a support member selectively mountable on an upper part of the bean bag seat such that a person can sit or lie on the support member whilst mounted on the bean bag seat, the support member being contoured to provide appropriate support thereon, and substantially prevent a person thereon from rolling or falling thereoff.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, in which the support member includes a shaped member and a selectively removable cover.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, in which the cover is washable.

4. An assembly according to claims 2 or 3, in which the shaped member is substantially rigid. * * * ***

5. An assembly according to claims 2 or 3, in which the shaped member **20 is semi-rigid. *.*** * S

*: * 6. An assembly according to any of claims 2 to 5, in which the shaped **.

member is moulded from a plastics material.

*.*..S * S 7. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the bean bag seat includes a washable outer cover.

8. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which the bean bag seat includes a base of a more durable material than the remainder of the cover.

9. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which an upper part of the bean bag seat substantially upon which the support member lies when mounted on the bean bag seat, is of a more durable material than the remainder of the cover.

10. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which mounting means is provided for mounting the support member on the bean bag seat.

11. An assembly according to claim 10, in which the mounting means is in the form of respective strips of fleece and hook fastener.

12. An assembly according to any of the preceding claims, in which an additional support member is mountable on the bean bag seat beneath a part of the support member such that in use a person on the support member is supported in or towards a seated position. * . U. *

13. An assembly according to claim 12, in which the additional support member includes a removable washable cover.

_I U I. *

14. A seat assembly substantially as hereinbefore described and with * reference to the accompanying drawings.

IS e*.S * 15. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.