WO2000005999A1

WO2000005999A1 - Weather-proof furniture system mainly for outdoor use

Info

Publication number: WO2000005999A1
Application number: PCT/IB1998/001165
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gulserene Dastur
Original assignee: Gulserene Dastur
Priority date: 1998-07-30
Filing date: 1998-07-30
Publication date: 2000-02-10
Also published as: AU8238298A

Abstract

Furniture system (1) comprising two pieces of furniture (3), characterized in that each of said pieces of furniture comprises a shell (9) whose shape is essentially convex and can be paired with another piece of furniture of the same type placed upside down to form a waterproof structure.

Description

WEATHER-PROOF FURNITURE SYSTEM MAINLY FOR OUTDOOR USE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For durability reasons, furniture meant to be used outdoor has to be either stored in a dry place when not in use, or made of weather-proof materials such as plastic. The first of these approaches requires important personal and labor expenses to store the furniture daily. The second approach requires to use either furniture with waterproof cushions, which need to be dried after every rain shower or even every morning, furniture without cushions, which are hard and unyielding and still need to be dried in the same circumstances, or furniture with cloth cushions, which require daily storage in a dry place. Moreover, furniture left outside for the night is exposed to vandalism and thieves. All these drawbacks are especially relevant to beach and ski resorts, hotels, restaurant, or any other outdoor facility requiring seating or lying furniture as well as other outdoor furniture such as tables and benches.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention consists in a furniture system comprising two pieces of furniture, characterized in that each of said pieces of furniture comprises an outer shell whose shape is essentially convex and can be paired with another piece of furniture of the same type placed upside down to form a waterproof structure. When the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system are used as such, their respective outer shell faces the ground. When the furniture system is closed and the pieces of furniture are paired together, the outer shell of one of the pieces of furniture faces the ground, and the outer shell of the other faces the top.

By furniture, one means essentially seating and lying furniture, tables, benches as well as any other furniture usable mainly in outdoors settings.

The invention presents the following advantages over the prior art: * the waterproof design does not require daily storage in a dry place of the furniture or cushions.

• thanks to the internal disposition of the seating or lying area inside the structure, comfortable cloth cushions can be used. • by equipping the furniture system with a locking means, the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system can be tied together, protecting said pieces of furniture and their content against vandalism and thieves. Even though the furniture system could still be stolen as a whole, it would be bulky to carry and of little use unless the unauthorized person breaks the locking means.

In a first aspect of the invention, identical pieces of furniture are paired together upside down, their edges being matched to form a waterproof seal protecting the content of the furniture system such as cushions and padding, as well as any other objects left inside. In another aspect of the present invention, the piece of furniture forming the top of the furniture system is slightly larger than the piece of furniture forming the bottom of said furniture system, resulting in a roof-like protection of the content of the furniture system such as cushions, padding, and other objects. In still another aspect of the invention, at least one of the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system comprises a locking means keeping said furniture system from being opened and said pieces of furniture from being separated from each other by unauthorized persons. Depending on the particular needs, the locking means might be operated by coins or any other paying means. Regardless of whether the furniture system is equipped with locking means or not, the two pieces of furniture forming the furniture system can be hold together in open or closed position by a hinge system, latchable or fixed. This disposition is especially useful for couples.

In yet another aspect of the invention, at least one of the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system comprises in its upper side fixing means for one or more cushions or other padding devices. This allows the cushions or padding to remain attached to the piece of furniture even if the latter is placed upside down. Preferably, at least the outer shell of the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system is made of plastic or other lightweight, waterproof material. In addition to be waterproof, the surface of the outer shell can be used as a convenient support for advertising.

Preferably, each piece of furniture forming the furniture system has a internal cavity corresponding to the convexity of the outer shell, which is designed to receive cushions, padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of the piece of furniture. Also preferably, part of the outer shell may be flattened in order to improve stability of the pieces of furniture or of the closed furniture system. Depending on the internal disposition of the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system (seat, couch, table, others...), once closed the furniture system can have 5 essentially the shape of an eggshell or a cylinder oriented vertically, essentially the shape of an eggshell or a cylinder oriented horizontally, or essentially a spherical shape .

Of course, the pieces of furniture forming the furniture system can also be used alone, as single units. Simply reversing the unit upside down on the ground provides o weather-protection to the seating, lying or otherwise usable areas.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following description and drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention.

5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the furniture system constructed according to the present invention, showed closed.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a piece of furniture which is part of the embodiment shown in 0 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section according to line Ill-Ill of the piece of furniture shown in Fig.

2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the furniture system constructed according to the present invention, showed closed. 5 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the piece of furniture forming the lower part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the piece of furniture shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the piece of furniture shown in fig. 5, with a cushion placed in the piece of furniture. 0

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Refer now to Fig. 1 wherein it is shown a preferred embodiment of the furniture system constructed according to the present invention, and generally designated by reference number 1. In Fig. 1 the furniture system is shown closed, the edge 2 of each pieces of furniture 3 which are part of the furniture system 1 forming a seal. The outer shell of each of the pieces forming the furniture system is referenced by number 9. The dotted line shows the limit 4 of the cavity containing cushions, 5 padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of the furniture.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a piece of furniture 3 which is part of the furniture system 1 shown in Fig. 1 , where 5 represents internal cushions or padding. Fig. 3 is a cross-section according to line Ill-Ill of the piece of furniture shown in Fig. o 2. Reference number 4 represents the limits of the cavity containing cushions 5, padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of the furniture.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the furniture system constructed according to the present invention, showed closed. In this embodiment, 5 the piece of furniture 3' forming the top of the furniture system is slightly larger than the piece of furniture 3" forming the bottom of said furniture system. Accordingly, its outer edge 6 forms a roof-like protection of the underlying elements. A locking means 7 may keep the furniture system 1 from being opened and the pieces of furniture 3' and 3" from being separated from each other. Fig. 5 is a perspective 0 view of the piece of furniture forming the lower part of the embodiment shown in Fig. 4. The dotted line 4 shows the limits of the cavity containing cushions, padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of the furniture. The locking means 7 is shown in open position. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the piece of furniture shown in Fig. 5. Inside the circle formed by the dotted line 4 showing the 5 limits of the internal cavity of the piece of furniture, fixing means for the cushions, padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of the piece of furniture are referenced by number 8. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the piece of furniture shown in fig. 5, with a cushion 5 placed inside. The above description and drawings are only illustrative of preferred embodiments 0 which achieve the objects, features and advantages of the present invention, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. Any modifications of the present invention which comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims is considered part of the present invention.

Claims

1. Furniture system (1) comprising two pieces of furniture (3), characterized in that each of said pieces of furniture comprises an outer shell (9) whose shape is

5 essentially convex and can be paired with another piece of furniture of the same type placed upside down to form a waterproof structure.

2. Furniture system (1 ) as set forth in claim 1 , characterized in that the piece of furniture (3') forming the top of the furniture system is slightly larger than the piece of furniture (3") forming the bottom of said furniture system.

o 3. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one of the pieces of furniture forming said system comprises, in an internal cavity corresponding to the convexity of said outer shell, fixing means (8) for one or more cushions (5), padding or any other internal structure necessary to the final purpose of said pieces of furniture.

5 4. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the outer shell (9) of the pieces of furniture forming said system is made of plastic or other lightweight, waterproof material.

5. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the pieces of furniture (3, 3', 3") forming said 0 system comprises a locking means (7) keeping said furniture system from being opened and said pieces of furniture from being separated from each other.

6. Furniture system (1) as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that the locking means is operated by coins or any other paying means.

7. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of the preceding claims, 5 characterized in that when closed it has essentially the shape of an eggshell or of a cylinder oriented vertically.

8. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when closed it has essentially the shape of an eggshell or of a cylinder oriented horizontally.

0 9. Furniture system (1) as set forth in anyone of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that when closed it has essentially a spherical shape.

10. Piece of furniture (3,3',3") which is part of the furniture system as set forth in anyone of the preceding claims.