WO2012013385A1

WO2012013385A1 - Booth with variable configuration usable as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, portable and storable in small spaces

Info

Publication number: WO2012013385A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/058340
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donatella Meneghini
Original assignee: Donatella Meneghini
Priority date: 2010-07-27
Filing date: 2011-05-23
Publication date: 2012-02-02
Also published as: TW201207210A; ITMI20101383A1

Abstract

A booth (1 ) with variable configuration, usable as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, which is portable and can be stored in small spaces, the booth (1 ) comprising a booth body (2) which can be deformed from a configuration for use, in which it has a substantially cylindrical or frustum-like shape and delimits a compartment (3) adapted to accommodate a person at least partially, to an inactive configuration, in which the end faces of the booth body (2) are closer, and vice versa, the lateral surface (4) of the booth body (2) being composed of material in sheet form which can be folded and is connected to at least one elastic element (5) that can be compressed along the axis of the booth body (2) to activate the transition of the booth body (2) from the active configuration to the inactive configuration and is extendable by elastic reaction so as to return the booth body (2) to the active configuration.

Description

BOOTH WITH VARIABLE CONFIGURATION USABLE AS A SCREEN, CHANGING BOOTH, SHOWER CUBICLE, TOILET, PORTABLE AND STORABLE IN SMALL SPACES

Technical Field

5 The present invention relates to a booth with variable configuration, usable as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, which is portable and storable in small spaces.

Background Art

In everyday life there are often conditions in which there is the need 10 to be private, to hide from public view.

One of such situations is when one wishes to try on an item of clothing before purchasing it. For this purpose, in shops there are usually adapted fitting rooms in which it is possible to try on easily the items of clothing being sold.

15 Trying on items of clothing is less easy in local markets, which by being usually located outdoors and in limited spaces do not have adapted fitting rooms available. In many cases, the retailer tries to make up for this shortcoming by providing a makeshift compartment inside the goods transport van or by arranging a folding screen in the selling area. Such 0 solutions, however, are hardly satisfactory, since the use of the van as a fitting room is awkward for the prospective customer because of the limited space available and the screen very often is unable to offer adequate concealment of the person.

Similar needs arise when one wishes to undress and put one's cloths

25 back on after bathing at seaside resorts and there are no dedicated facilities or one does not wish to use, for hygienic and economic reasons, the public facilities dedicated to this purpose.

Even more strongly felt is the need to be safely hidden from public view when there is the need to perform one's bodily functions and no usable

30 sanitary facilities are available on site. Disclosure of the Invention

The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems cited above by providing a booth with variable configuration, which can be used as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, and can be transported easily so as to be quickly available in case of need.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a booth that, when it does not need to be used and has to be transported, can be stored in a small space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a booth, composed of a limited number of components that are easy to produce and assemble, which can be manufactured at low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide a booth that is extremely easy and practical to use.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a booth with variable configuration, usable as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, characterized in that it comprises a booth body which can be deformed from a configuration for use, in which it has a substantially cylindrical or frustum-like shape and delimits a compartment adapted to contain a person at least partially, to an inactive configuration, in which the end faces of said booth body are closer, and vice versa, the lateral surface of said booth body being composed of material in sheet form which can be folded and is connected to at least one elastic element that can be compressed along the axis of said booth body for activating the transition of said booth body from said active configuration to said inactive configuration and is extendable by elastic reaction so as to return said booth body to said active configuration.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment, of the booth according to the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the booth according to the invention, with the booth body in the configuration for use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged-scale view of a detail of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is an axial sectional view of the booth body in the inactive configuration;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a possible use of the booth according to the invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another possible use of the booth according to the invention.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

With reference to the figures, the booth according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , comprises a booth body 2 that can be deformed so as to pass from an active configuration, in which it has a substantially cylindrical or frustum-like shape and delimits a compartment 3 adapted to accommodate a person at least partially, to an inactive configuration, in which the end faces of the booth body 2 are closer, and vice versa.

The lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2 is composed of a material in sheet form which can be folded, for example a fabric made of natural or synthetic fiber, a sheet of synthetic material, of adequate strength, which is connected to at least one elastic element 5 that can be compressed along the axis of the booth body 2 to activate the transition of said booth body 2 from the active configuration to the inactive configuration and is extendable by elastic reaction so as to return the booth body 2 to the active configuration.

Conveniently, the elastic element 5 is shaped like a cylindrical or conical helix and is connected to the inner face of the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2.

Advantageously, the elastic element 5 has, at each one of its axial ends, a complete loop 5a, 5b, shaped like a ring, which is arranged on a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the helix traced by the elastic element 5 so as to achieve, for the booth body 2, a steady resting end face at each one of its axial ends.

The elastic element 5, which can be made of metallic material or preferably of synthetic material of low relative density so as to improve the portability of the booth 1 according to the invention, can be fixed to the inner face of the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2 by means of loops 6 which are fixed, for example by sewing, adhesive bonding or thermal bonding depending on the materials, to the inner side of the material in sheet form that constitutes the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2.

As an alternative, it is possible to apply to the inner side of the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2 a strip of cloth or other material so as to define a helical channel into which the elastic element 5 can be inserted.

Advantageously, the booth 1 according to the invention also comprises means 7 for retaining the booth body 2 in the inactive configuration in contrast to the action applied by the elastic element 5.

Such retention means 7 preferably comprise hooks 8, which are associated with the elastic element 5 proximate to one of the end faces of the booth body 2, i.e., with the annular loop 5a or 5b of the elastic element 5 arranged at one of the end faces of the booth body 2, and can engage regions of the elastic element 5 that are located proximate to the other end face of the booth body 2, i.e., regions of the annular loop 5a or 5b of the elastic element 5 that is arranged at the other end face of the booth body 2.

As an alternative, the retention means 7 may be constituted simply by straps or hook-and-loop tapes, of the type commercially known by the trademark "VELCRO"^®, which pass inside the booth body 2 and are closed onto themselves so as to keep the booth body 2 with its end faces as mutually close as possible.

The booth 1 may also be provided with resting feet for the booth body 2, which are associated with said booth body 2 at its end face that, in use, defines the lower end face of the booth body 2. The resting feet can be provided similarly to the hooks 8 described above or can be constituted by said hooks 8, as illustrated, and be connected to the annular loop 5a or 5b of the elastic element 5 arranged at the lower end face of the booth body 2.

Optionally, the material in sheet form that constitutes the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2 may be folded around the annular loop 5a, 5b located at each one of the axial ends of the elastic element 5. In this case, the hooks 8 and/or the resting feet might be associated with the annular loop 5a or 5b of the elastic element 5 covered by the material in sheet form or may be associated directly with the annular loop 5a or 5b of the elastic element 5 by the provision of adapted openings 9 in the material in sheet form at the hooks 8 or resting feet, as illustrated.

Conveniently, an element 10 for closing at least one of the end faces of the booth body 2 is provided.

This closure element 10 is constituted by a disk-like element 1 1 which has, in plan view, a shape that corresponds to the shape of the corresponding end face of the booth body 2 to be closed and a perimetric rim 12 that rises from said disk-like element 1 1 and can be superimposed on a portion of the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2 proximate to the corresponding end face.

This closure element 10 is preferably associated detachably with the booth body 2 so that it can be removed if needed, as will become better apparent hereinafter. The detachable connection of the closure element 10 to the booth body 2 can be provided, in a manner known per se, for example by means of hook-and-loop tapes 13, of the type commercially known by the trademark "VELCRO"^®, or by means of press-studs, or by means of other conventional detachable connection means.

It should be noted that preferably the closure element 10 is designed to be associated with the end face of the booth body 2 that lies opposite with respect to the end face to which the hooks 8 are connected. In this manner, the closure element 10 can be kept associated with the booth body 2 even when the hooks 8 engage said opposite end face in order to keep the booth body 2 in the inactive configuration.

It being understood that the booth body 2 might also have a frustum- like shape designed to have, in the active configuration, the lower end face directed upward, the booth body 2 preferably has a cylindrical shape with a circular end face and a height that is greater than the average height of a person. However, the booth body 2 might also have a lower height, so as to conceal only partially a person placed inside the booth body 2, for example for people who suffer from claustrophobia.

The diameter of the booth body 2 is preferably larger than 80 cm so as to allow a person inside the booth body 2 to move easily.

Use of the booth 1 according to the invention is as follows.

The booth 1 according to the invention, with the booth body 2 in the inactive configuration, may be transported easily inside a vehicle, such as for example a car or a van, and optionally may be carried even manually so as to be immediately available if needed. In the inactive configuration, the two end faces of the booth body 2 are mutually close and are held in this position by the engagement of the hooks 8, which mutually couple the two end faces in contrast to the elastic reaction of the elastic element 5, as shown in Figure 3.

When the user needs to hide from public view, he rests the booth 1 on the ground, arranging one of the end faces of the booth body 2 on the ground.

Subsequently, the user accommodates himself inside the booth body 2 and, by disengaging the hooks 8 from one of the two end faces, causes, by elastic reaction, the extension of the elastic element 5 that pushes the upper end face of the booth body 2 upward, extending all of the lateral surface 4 of the booth body 2, which is brought to the active configuration, thus surrounding the user and hiding him from the view of any people who might be in the immediate vicinity.

At the end of usage, the user moves the two end faces of the booth body 2 mutually closer again and engages them by means of the hooks 8 so as to return the booth body 2 to the inactive configuration, in which it can be easily transported and stored in small spaces.

If the booth 1 according to the invention is used as a changing booth or fitting room, it is preferable to use, as the lower end face of the booth body 2, the end face on which the closure element 10 is arranged, so as to prevent direct contact of the user's feet with the ground, as shown in Figure 4. In this case, the detachability of the closure element 10 makes it possible to clean the booth 1 quickly at the end of its usage.

If, however, the booth 1 according to the invention is used to perform bodily functions, the open end face is used as the lower end face of the booth body 2 and the closure element 10 is arranged on the upper end face of the booth body 2 so as to protect the user. In this case, the lower end face of the booth body 2 is kept spaced from the ground by the feet or hooks 8, as shown in Figure 5. In practice, in order to use the booth 1 according to the invention for this use it is sufficient to turn the booth upside down with respect to its use as changing booth or fitting room.

In practice it has been found that the booth according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim, since it can be easily transported and stored in small spaces so as to be immediately available if needed.

The booth thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2010A001383 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A booth (1) with variable configuration, usable as a screen, changing booth, shower cubicle, toilet, characterized in that it comprises a booth body (2) which can be deformed from a configuration for use, in which it has a substantially cylindrical or frustum-like shape and delimits a compartment (3) adapted to accommodate a person at least partially, to an inactive configuration, in which the end faces of said booth body (2) are closer, and vice versa; the lateral surface (4) of said booth body (2) being composed of material in sheet form which can be folded and is connected to at least one elastic element (5) that can be compressed along the axis of said booth body (2) so as to activate the transition of said booth body (2) from said active configuration to said inactive configuration and is extendable by elastic reaction to return said booth body (2) to said active configuration.

2. The booth (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said elastic element (5) is shaped like a cylindrical or conical helix and is connected to the inner face of said lateral surface (4) of said booth body (2).

3. The booth (1) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said elastic element (5) has, at each one of its axial ends, a complete annular loop (5a, 5b) which is arranged on a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the helix traced by the elastic element (5),

4. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means (7) for retaining said booth body (2) in said inactive configuration in contrast to the action of said elastic element (5).

5. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said retention means (7) comprise hooks (8), which are associated with said elastic element (5) proximate to one of the end faces of said booth body (2) and can engage regions of said elastic element (5) that are arranged proximate to the other end face of said booth body (2).

6. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an element (10) for closing at least one of the end faces of said booth body (2).

7. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said closure element (10) is connected detachably to one of the end faces of said booth body (2),

8. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said closure element (10) comprises a disk-like element (1 1) which has, in plan view, a shape that corresponds to the shape of the corresponding end face of the booth body (2) and a perimetric rim (12) that rises from said end face of the closure element (10) and can be superimposed on a portion of the lateral surface (4) of said booth body (2) proximate to the corresponding end face.

9. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises resting feet (8) of said booth body (2) which are associated with said booth body (2) at its lower end face.

10. The booth (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said booth body (2) has a substantially cylindrical shape with a circular end face.