U.S. patent application number 10/780892 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-03 for piece of seating and/or reclining furniture for the outside.
Invention is credited to Kettler, Heinz, Kettler, Joachim, Rocholl, Reinhard.
Application Number | 20050046264 10/780892 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34105616 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050046264 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kettler, Heinz ; et
al. |
March 3, 2005 |
Piece of seating and/or reclining furniture for the outside
Abstract
A piece of seating and/or reclining furniture for the outside,
includes at least one cover and a framework having at least two
struts. The at least one cover extends or can extend at least in
some sections between the at least two struts. The piece of seating
and/or reclining furniture is designed in such a manner that the at
least two struts can be moved relative to one another at least in
some sections and can be fixed relative to one another at least in
a tensioned position of the cover.
Inventors: |
Kettler, Heinz; (Ense,
DE) ; Kettler, Joachim; (Ense, DE) ; Rocholl,
Reinhard; (Soest, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Stewart L. Gitler, Esq.
HOFFMAN, WASSON & GITLER, PC
Suite 522
2461 South Clark Street
Arlington
VA
22202
US
|
Family ID: |
34105616 |
Appl. No.: |
10/780892 |
Filed: |
February 19, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/445.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 5/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/445.1 |
International
Class: |
A47C 001/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 29, 2003 |
DE |
203 13 541.5 |
Oct 27, 2003 |
DE |
203 16 540.3 |
Claims
1-11. Cancelled
12. A piece of furniture, comprising at least one cover, a
framework having at least two struts between which the at least one
cover extends, the at least two struts can be moved relative to one
another at least in some sections and can be fixed relative to one
another via at least one cross strut at least in a tensioned
position of the cover, at least one of the struts or the at least
one cross strut have at least one bevel which makes it possible,
when the struts are connected to the at least one cross strut, for
the cover to be tensioned.
13. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
struts have a groove which extends in their longitudinal direction
and into which a thickened end of the cover can be placed.
14. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut can be released.
15. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut is a screw connection.
16. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least
one of the connecting means has a pin which can engage in a
corresponding hole in the at least one cross strut.
17. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
piece furniture has a cross connecting bow with two lower
projections which can be placed into upper openings of the at least
two struts.
18. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
piece of furniture is a folding chair or stacking chair for the
outside or a garden lounger.
19. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
cover consists essentially of textiles.
20. A piece of furniture for the outside, comprising at least one
cover and a framework having at least two struts, between which the
at least one cover extends or can extend at least in some sections,
the at least two struts can be moved relative to one another at
least in some sections and can be fixed relative to one another via
at least one cross strut at least in a tensioned position of the
cover, the furniture includes additional connecting means having at
least one bevel, said connecting means contributing to the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut in such a manner that the cover can be tensioned when
the struts are connected to the at least one cross strut.
21. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
struts have a groove which extends in their longitudinal direction
and into which a thickened end of the cover can be placed.
22. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut can be released.
23. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut is a screw connection.
24. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least
one of the connecting means has a pin which can engage in a
corresponding hole in the at least one cross strut.
25. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
piece of furniture has a cross connecting bow with two lower
projections which can be placed into upper openings of the at least
two struts.
26. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
piece of furniture is a folding chair or stacking chair for the
outside or a garden lounger or the like.
27. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 20, wherein the
cover consists essentially of textiles.
28. A piece of furniture for the outside, comprising at least one
cover and a framework having at least two struts, between which the
at least one cover extends or can extend at least in some sections,
the at least two struts can be moved relative to one another at
least in some sections and can be fixed relative to one another via
at least one cross strut at least in a tensioned position of the
cover, the connection between at least one of the struts and the at
least one cross strut is a screw connection, at least one of the
struts and the at least one cross strut have at least two bevels
operatively connected to each other, while tightening of the screw
connection causes the at least two bevels to slide along one
another in such a way that the cover is tensioned.
29. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
struts have a groove which extends in their longitudinal direction
and into which a thickened end of the cover can be placed.
30. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut can be released.
31. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein at least
one of the connecting means has a pin which can engage in a
corresponding hole in the at least one cross strut.
32. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
piece of furniture has a cross connecting bow with two lower
projections which can be placed into upper openings of the at least
two struts.
33. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
piece of furniture is a folding chair or stacking chair for the
outside or a garden lounger or the like.
34. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 28, wherein the
cover consists essentially of textiles.
35. A piece of furniture for the outside, comprising at least one
cover and a framework having at least two struts, between which the
at least one cover extends or can extend at least in some sections,
the at least two struts can be moved relative to one another at
least in some sections and can be fixed relative to one another via
at least one cross strut at least in a tensioned position of the
cover, the connection between at least one of the struts and the at
least one cross strut is a screw connection, the furniture includes
additional connecting means having at least two bevels operatively
connected to each other, while tightening of the screw connection
causes the at least two bevels to slide along one another in such a
way that the cover is tensioned.
36. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein the
struts have a groove which extends in their longitudinal direction
and into which a thickened end of the cover can be placed.
37. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein the
connection between at least one of the struts and the at least one
cross strut can be released.
38. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein at least
one of the connecting means has a pin which can engage in a
corresponding hole in the at least one cross strut.
39. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein the
piece of furniture has a cross connecting bow with two lower
projections which can be placed into upper openings of the at least
two struts.
40. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein the
piece of furniture is a folding chair or stacking chair for the
outside or a garden lounger or the like.
41. The piece of furniture as claimed in claim 35, wherein the
cover consists essentially of textiles.
42. A piece of furniture, comprising a pair of lateral struts, a
cover extending between and attached to said pair of lateral
struts, at least one cross strut extending between and releasably
attached to said pair of lateral struts, the at least one cross
strut separating said pair of lateral struts from one another to
keep said cover in tension, and a connector releasably attaching
said at least one cross strut to said pair of lateral struts, said
connector having at least one bevel, said bevel biasing said pair
of lateral struts apart.
43. The piece of furniture of claim 42, wherein said connector has
two bevels.
44. The piece of furniture of claim 42, further comprising grooves
in said pair of lateral struts, edges of said cover retained in
said grooves.
45. A piece of furniture, comprising a pair of lateral struts, a
cover extending between and attached to said pair of lateral
struts, at least one cross strut extending between and releasably
attached to said pair of lateral struts, the at least one cross
strut separating said pair of lateral struts from one another to
keep said cover in tension, and a connector releasably attaching
said at least one cross strut to said pair of lateral struts, said
connector having means for biasing said pair of lateral struts
apart.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a piece of seating and/or
reclining furniture for the outside.
[0002] Pieces of seating and/or reclining furniture of the
abovementioned type are designed, for example, as a chair and can
be provided with a textile cover, two lateral struts which have a
groove into which thickened ends of the textile cover are placed in
each case being provided. If the textile cover is damaged, it can
generally only be repaired at the factory due to the great tension
under which the cover is attached to the struts, a repair of this
type thus being associated with high costs.
[0003] A problem addressed by the present invention is the
provision of a piece of seating and/or reclining furniture which
can be more easily repaired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] This is achieved, according to the invention, by a piece of
seating and/or reclining furniture of the type mentioned by the
defining features.
[0005] Owing to the fact that the struts, in particular the lateral
struts, can be moved relative to one another at least in some
sections, the tensioning of the cover can be reduced in such a
manner that the user can remove the cover and replace it for a new
cover.
[0006] In this connection, provision can be made for the struts to
have a groove which extends in their longitudinal direction and
into which, in particular, a thickened end of the cover is placed
or can be placed.
[0007] Furthermore, provision can be made for the struts to be
connected to one another via at least one cross strut.
[0008] Provision can be made for the connection between at least
one of the struts and the at least one cross strut to be
releasable. Release of the connection between the cross strut and
at least one of the struts enables the tensioning of the cover to
be reduced using extremely simple means in such a manner that the
cover can be exchanged.
[0009] For example, provision can be made for the connection
between at least one of the struts and the at least one cross strut
to be designed as a screw connection. A screw connection of this
type can easily be released and produced again by the user.
[0010] One preferred embodiment can make provision for at least one
of the struts and/or the at least one cross strut to have at least
one bevel which makes it possible, when the struts are connected to
the at least one cross strut, for the cover to be tensioned. This
at least one bevel or at least two bevels which are operatively
connected to each other can be arranged in such a manner that, for
example when the screw connection is being tightened, the bevels
slide along one another in such a way that the cover is tensioned.
This enables the cover to be tensioned using extremely simple
means.
[0011] An alternative embodiment can make provision for the piece
of seating and/or reclining furniture to include additional
connecting means with at least one bevel, said connecting means
contributing to the connection between at least one of the struts
and the at least one cross strut in such a manner that the cover
can be tensioned when the struts are connected to the at least one
cross strut. The arrangement of the at least one bevel on
additional connecting means can afford the same functional
advantages as the arrangement of the bevels directly on the at
least one cross strut and/or at least one of the struts.
[0012] In this connection, provision can be made for at least one
of the connecting means to have a pin which can engage in a
corresponding hole in the at least one cross strut. This pin
enables at least one of the connecting means to be positioned at
the desired location on the cross strut using extremely simple
means.
[0013] Provision can be made for the piece of seating and/or
reclining furniture to have a cross connecting bow with two lower
projections which can be placed into upper openings of the at least
two struts. The projections can, in particular, taper conically
downward, with the result that the insertion of the projections
into the openings can cause the upper ends of the struts to be
pressed apart, so that the cover is tensioned.
[0014] Examples of the piece of seating and/or reclining furniture
within the meaning of the invention can include a folding chair or
stacking chair for the outside or else a garden lounger or the
like.
[0015] In the case of the piece of seating and/or reclining
furniture according to the invention, the cover can also consist
essentially of textiles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] Further advantages and features of the present invention
will become clear through the following description of preferred
exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached figures, in
which
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a first embodiment of
a piece of seating and/or reclining furniture according to the
invention in the form of a chair;
[0018] FIG. 2 shows a section through the rear part of the chair
depicted in FIG. 1 in the untensioned state of the cover;
[0019] FIG. 3 shows a section corresponding to FIG. 2 in the
tensioned state of the cover;
[0020] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a
piece of seating and/or reclining furniture according to the
invention in the form of a chair;
[0021] FIG. 5 shows a view from the behind of the chair according
to FIG. 4;
[0022] FIG. 6 shows a side view of the chair according to FIG.
4;
[0023] FIG. 7 shows a plan view of a cross strut of the chair
according to FIG. 4;
[0024] FIG. 8 shows a side view of the cross strut according to
FIG. 7 with lateral struts shown by dashed lines;
[0025] FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the cross strut according
to FIG. 7;
[0026] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view according to the arrows X-X
in FIG. 7;
[0027] FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of the embodiment according
to FIG. 4 with the cross connecting bow taken off; and
[0028] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view according to the arrows
XII-XII in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] The chair which can be seen in FIG. 1 is designed as a
folding chair. The chair has a backrest 1 which can be pivoted
relative to a seat part 2 about an axis 3. Armrests 4 and chair
legs 5 are attached pivotably in a customary manner to the backrest
1 and the seat part 2.
[0030] Both the backrest 1 and the seat part 2 are provided with a
cover 6 which is designed, in particular, as textile upholstery.
The cover 6 can be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Both the rear part 1
and the seat part 2 comprise outer lateral struts 7, 8 to which the
cover 6 can be attached. For this purpose, the struts 7, 8 have a
groove 9 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the struts
7, 8 and into which a thickened end 10 of the cover 6 can be placed
from one end, for example. The thickened end can be realized, for
example, by means of a rod, in particular a flexible rod, around
which the end of the cover 6 extends.
[0031] The struts 7, 8 are connected to each other via cross struts
11 in the usable state of the chair. It can be seen from FIG. 1
that two cross struts 11 are arranged in the region of the backrest
1 and three cross struts 11 are arranged in the region of the seat
part 2, the central cross strut of the cross struts 11 serving in
the region of the seat part 2 at the same time for coupling to the
chair legs 5.
[0032] The usable state of the chair is illustrated in FIG. 3, in
which the cover 6 is in the tensioned state. In this state, the
cross strut 11 is connected fixedly via a screw 12 and a blind
rivet nut 13 to the struts 7, 8, which are designed as longitudinal
struts. To exchange the cover 6, the screws 12 can be released on
one side, for example, so that the strut 7, for example, can be
taken off the cross struts 11. On this side, the thickened end 10
of the cover can then easily be pulled out of the groove 9 because
the cover 6 is then no longer under tension. Following this, the
thickened end 10 can then also be pulled out of the groove 9 of the
opposite strut 8.
[0033] After insertion of a new cover, the strut 7 can again be
connected to the cross struts 11. Tightening of the screws 12
causes the cover to be tensioned. The tensioning action is
undertaken, in particular, by means of the bevels 14 (which are
clearly apparent in FIG. 2) on the cross struts 11, said bevels
interacting with corresponding bevels 15 on the struts 7, 8.
[0034] The chair which is depicted in FIG. 4 to FIG. 12 is designed
as a "stacking chair" having a continuous framework. In the
figures, identical parts are, in particular, provided with the same
reference numbers as in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3.
[0035] The chair which can be seen, for example, in FIG. 4 likewise
has a backrest 1 and a seat part 2 and also armrests 4 and chair
legs 5. Furthermore, the backrest 1 and seat part 2 are provided
with a continuous cover 6. The cover 6 is secured by lateral struts
16, 17 which are bent in a L-shape. In the exemplary embodiment
depicted, said struts are connected to each other at the upper end
of the backrest 1 by means of a removable cross connecting bow 18
(see, for example, FIG. 4 and FIG. 11 in this respect). The chair
legs 5 arranged on one side are connected to each other to form a
framework by the armrests 4 running above and essentially parallel
to the lateral struts 16, 17 of the seat part region.
[0036] In the region of the seat part 2, the chair legs 5 arranged
on one side are connected in each case to the chair legs 5 arranged
on the other side via cross struts 19 which are welded fixedly to
the framework of the chair legs 5. These cross struts 19 are
clearly apparent in detail in FIG. 7 to FIG. 10. The cross struts
19 and those sections of the lateral struts 16, 17 which are
arranged in the region of the seat part 2 can be connected to one
another via connecting means 20, 21. A bevel 22, 23 is arranged
both on the connecting means 20 and on the connecting means 21,
these two bevels 22, 23 being able to slide on each other and
therefore interacting in order to tension the cover 6 arranged
between the lateral struts 16, 19.
[0037] The connecting means 20, 21 can be manufactured, for
example, from plastic, in particular in the form of shaped plastic
parts. The lower connecting means 21 in FIG. 8 can, in particular,
have a pin 24 which can engage in a corresponding hole in the cross
strut 19.
[0038] The connecting means 20, 21 can be connected to each other
in a manner similar to how the strut 7 is connected to the cross
struts 11, via a screw 25 and a blind rivet nut 26 (see, for
example, FIG. 8, FIG. 10 and FIG. 12 in this respect).
[0039] The cross connecting bow 18 has two projections 27, 28 which
taper conically downward and can be inserted into corresponding
upper openings 29, 30 of the lateral struts 16, 17 (see FIG. 11 in
this respect). After the cross connecting bow 18 has been pulled
out, the upper ends of the lateral struts 16, 17 can be moved
toward each other. In contrast, the conicity of the projections 27,
28 means that the lateral struts can be pressed apart by the
insertion of the projections 27, 28 into the upper openings 29,
30.
[0040] To remove the cover 6, the connecting means 20, 21, for
example on one of the two lateral struts 16, 17, can therefore be
released. As a result, the lateral struts 16, 17 can be moved
toward each other in such a manner that the tension is taken away
from the cover 6. This makes it easily possible for the cover to be
taken out of the corresponding grooves of the lateral struts 16,
17.
[0041] After a new cover 6 has been placed into the corresponding
grooves of the lateral struts 16, 17, the connecting means 20, 21
can be connected to each other again, the cover 6 being tensioned
again by the interaction of the bevels 22, 23. Furthermore, the
cross connecting bow 18 can be re-attached, so that, as a result,
the upper ends of the lateral struts 16, 17 are also pressed apart
to tension the cover 6.
[0042] As an alternative to the abovementioned embodiments, there
is the possibility of also using the invention on garden loungers
or the like.
* * * * *