GB2522676A

GB2522676A - Folding table/chair

Info

Publication number: GB2522676A
Application number: GB1401749.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Eren Stone
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-02-02
Filing date: 2014-02-02
Publication date: 2015-08-05
Also published as: GB201401749D0

Abstract

An item of furniture is disclosed that provides a chair having a rotatable back rest 3 that folds down to form a table. The convertible chair comprises a seat portion and a back portion co-rotating about a rod pivot 5. Both the seat and back portion are formed form parallel slats 3, 4 so that when the chair back is lowered, the back portion and seat portions interconnect to form a coplanar table surface. A bench design of two or more chair widths in length, with a single connecting pivot rod and each unit able to be raised or lowered independently, provides a larger item of furniture able to offer a range of seating and table combinations. Items can be manufactured in wood, metal, plastic or a combination of these.

Description

Folding tablet chair

Many social situations require different or additional furniture that isn't needed everyday in the home.

Additional dining chairs are regularly needed for guests and outdoor furniture often requires different combinations of seating and tables e.g for eating outdoors, guests and children's parties. This can result in the extra items, particularly chairs, having to be stored or taking up space when they are not required. Dining chairs are not useful when they are not being used as chairs, but coffee and side tables can be needed in many rooms. With living space limited in small flats and starter homes, every item of furniture must be as useful as possible.

To help overcome this, the present invention proposes a coffee table that can easily be converted into a dining chair.

Thus, according to the invention, there is provided an item of furniture comprising a fixed component supported by a floor-engaging structure to be horizontal in use and a movable component rotatably connected to the fixed element about a lateral axis to be rotatable between a lowered position wherein the item of furniture forms a table and a raised position wherein the item of furniture forms a seat, characterised in that each said component is slatted, with slats of the fixed component mutually intercalated with those of the movable component and configured and arranged so that in its lowered position the slats of the movable component are coplanar with the slats of the fixed component.

The invention also includes a bench version which composes of 2 or more units, each able to be a table or chair providing a range of different combination of

seating and tables.

This invention allows furniture used in one form for the majority of the time, to be easily converted to a different use. This would negate the need for additional items of furniture which would usually be unused or have to be stored until needed.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and examples of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 show the coffee table! chair.

Figures 4 and 5 show the bench combination seating.

A coffee table (figure 1) with solid slated top (1) and detachable legs (2) , which, when one end of the table is raised, converts into a dining chair with open slated back (3) and seat (4), (figure 2) The table transforms into the chair around a rod pivot (5), which runs alternatively though both back and seat slats at one end and about which the back slats rotate into the upright position. (figure 3 The slats of the seat back (3) are joined by a support beam at each end (6), holding the slats in position and forming the ends of the table when lowered.

Slats can run in ether front to back or side to side direction with the slat support beam position changing accordingly.

This mechanism, with a single long pivot rod, can be incorporated into a bench design, two or more chain widths in length, (figure 4), to provide a combination of bench seating and side tables (figure 5), with each unit being able to be raised or lowered independently.

Single units can also be connected together to form rows of seating or benching of various lengths.

These items of dual functional furniture can be manufactured in wood, metal, plastic or a combination of these.

Claims

Claims 1 An item of furniture comprising a fixed component supported by a floor-engaging structure to be horizontal in use and a movable component rotatably connected to the fixed element about a lateral axis to be rotatable between a lowered position wherein the item of furniture forms a table and a raised position wherein the item of furniture forms a seat, characterised in that each said component is slatted, with slats of the fixed component mutually intercalated with those of the movable component and configured and arranged so that in its lowered position the slats of the movable component are coplanar with the slats of the fixed component.
2 An item of furniture as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the floor-engaging structure comprises four legs extending downwards of the fixed component.
3 An item of furniture as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 characterised in that the movable component comprises a first and a second rail which form ends of the table when the movable component is in its lowered position.
4 An item of furniture as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that one of said rails abuts the floor-engaging structure when the movable component is in its raised position and thereby braces it to support a user's back.
An item of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the slats of said components extend longitudinally of the table when the movable component is in its lowered position.
6 An item of furniture as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the slats of said components extend laterally of the table when the movable component is in its lowered position.
7 An item of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that said item of furniture comprises a plurality of fixed components laterally conjoined and an equal plurality of movable components mutually cooperative therewith, alternatively raised or lowered to form a mixture of seats and tables.
8 An item of furniture as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that the fixed component and the movable component and the floor-engaging structure are formed of wood or metal or synthetic plastics material.
9 An item of furniture substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.