Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6659543
-
Patent Number
6,659,543
-
Date Filed
Thursday, April 18, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, December 9, 200320 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Ogilvy Renault
- Mitchell; Robert
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 297 124
- 297 118
- 297 125
- 297 127
- 297 119
- 040 320
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A convertible bench comprises a seat, a backrest and a pair of armrests extending between the seat and the backrest. Each armrest has a first end portion extending from the backrest and a second opposed end portion pivotally mounted to the seat for allowing the backrest to be swung about the armrests between a backrest position and a tabletop position. A stopper cooperates with the second end portion of each armrest for supporting the backrest in the backrest and tabletop positions thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to furniture and, more particularly, to a bench having a backrest that may be positioned to either serve as a backrest or as a tabletop.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years various convertible benches have been developed. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,292,172 and 6,241,312 both issued to Watts et al. on Mar. 8, 1994 and Jun. 5, 2001 respectively, disclose a convertible bench/table apparatus having a backrest pivotable between a backrest configuration and a tabletop configuration. The apparatus further includes a seat and a pair of armrests. The backrest is supported in its backrest and tabletop positions by abutting a surface of the armrests against the top surface of the seat. Although such an arresting structure is efficient, it represents a risk of personal injuries in that the operator may drop the armrests on his/her fingers when pivoting the backrest between its backrest and tabletop positions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a convertible bench that is adapted to minimize the risk of injury while the backrest of the bench is being positioned to either serve as a backrest or as a tabletop.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a convertible bench that is easily and quickly convertible between a bench configuration and a table configuration.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a convertible bench comprising a seat, a backrest supported by a pair of armrests articulated to the seat for allowing the backrest to be pivoted between a backrest position and a tabletop position, wherein each of the armrests is articulated to the seat via a pivot, and a stopper integrated to the pivot for providing structural support to the backrest in its backrest and tabletop positions.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a convertible bench comprising a seat, a backrest, a pair of armrests extending between the seat and the backrest, each armrest having a first end portion extending from the backrest and a second opposed end portion pivotally mounted to the seat for allowing the backrest to be swung about the armrests between a backrest position and a tabletop position, and a stopper cooperating with the second end portion of each armrest for supporting the backrest in a selected one of the backrest and tabletop positions thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a convertible bench shown in a bench configuration in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of the convertible bench shown in a picnic table configuration;
FIG. 3
is side elevation view of the convertible bench; and
FIG. 4
is an exploded view of one end portion of the convertible bench shown in FIG.
1
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Now referring to the drawings, and in particular to
FIG. 1
, a convertible park type bench embodying the elements of the present invention and generally designated by numeral
10
will be described.
As will be seen hereinafter, the convertible bench
10
comprises a backrest
12
that can be positioned to either serve as a backrest (
FIG. 1
) or as a tabletop (FIG.
2
).
The convertible bench
10
further includes a seat
14
comprising a seat board
16
supported on a support frame
18
. The support frame
18
includes a pair of side frame members
20
adapted to receive therebetween the seat board
16
.
00015
Each side frame member
20
has an inner mounting surface
21
and a relatively smooth outer surface
23
. As best seen in
FIG. 4
, each side frame member
20
includes a pair of legs
22
extending integrally downwardly from opposed ends of a seat mount
24
. A C-shaped brace
26
extends between the lower end portions of the legs
22
to increase the structural rigidity thereof. The seat mount
24
has a top surface
27
and a bottom surface
28
defining therebetween a compartment
30
open on the inner side of the frame member
20
for receiving one end portion of the seat board
16
. Holes
32
are defined in the bottom surface
28
of the seat mount
24
for receiving screws (not shown) in order to secure the seat board
16
in the compartment
30
. Stiffening walls
34
extend from the outer surface
23
between the top surface
27
and the bottom surface
28
for engagement in corresponding grooves
31
defined in the adjacent end face of the seat board
16
. A beam-receiving cavity
36
is defined centrally of each side frame member
22
underneath the compartment
30
thereof for captively receiving one end of a reinforcing beam
33
. Hollow cylinders
38
extend from the outer surface
23
in the C-shaped brace
26
for receiving fasteners (not shown) in order to secure a bottom horizontal reinforcing member (not shown) between the side frame members
20
.
The backrest
12
includes a backrest board
40
extending between a pair of armrests
42
pivotally mounted to the support frame
18
. The armrests
42
are supported at one end only in a cantilevered fashion. As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, a recess
44
can be defined in each side of the backrest board
40
to removably receive interchangeable advertising panels
46
.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, each armrest
42
has a backrest-mounting portion
48
defining a longitudinal compartment
50
for captively receiving one end of the backrest board
40
. The compartment
50
is circumscribed by a pair of sidewalls
52
and a pair of end walls
54
extending integrally from an outer facing side surface
56
of the armrest
42
. Stiffening members
58
extend between the sidewalls
52
to reinforce the backrest-mounting portion
48
. The stiffening members
58
are received in corresponding grooves (not shown) defined at the ends of the backrest board
40
. Holes (not shown) are defined through the outer facing side surface
56
of each armrest
42
for receiving screws
60
or the like in order to secure the backrest board
40
to the associated armrest
42
. Each armrest
42
further includes a forward arm portion
62
extending integrally forwardly from the backrest mounting portion
48
and an angled arm portion
64
depending at an angle from the forward arm portion
62
. The forward arm portion
62
and the angled arm portion
64
are integral to one another and to the backrest-mounting portion
48
. The forward arm portion
62
and the angled arm portion
64
are bounded by a top wall
66
and a bottom wall
68
extending integrally from the outer facing side surface
56
of the armrest
42
. The forward arm portion
62
and the angled arm portion
64
are preferably open on an inner facing side of the armrest
42
. Various stiffening members
67
extend from the outer side-facing surface
56
between the top and bottom walls
66
and
68
for increasing the structural integrity of the armrest
42
. The forward arm portion
62
extends generally at right angles from the backrest-mounting portion
48
.
The angled arm portion
64
terminates in a flattened disc end portion
70
having a central through bore
72
for receiving a pivot pin
74
and a curved slot
76
extending about the central through bore
72
along an arc of circle centered relative to the through bore
72
for receiving a stop pin
78
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1
to
4
, a pair of spaced-apart parallel ears
80
extends integrally upwardly from a forward half portion of the top surface
26
of each side frame member
20
for receiving therebetween the flattened disc end portion
70
of the associated armrest
42
. As shown in
FIG. 4
, two sets of registering holes
82
and
84
are defined in each pair of ears
80
for respectively receiving the pivot pin
74
and the stop pin
78
. Each armrest
42
is pivotally mounted to its associated side frame member
20
by simply placing the flatted disc end portion
70
thereof between the ears
80
of the associated side frame member
20
so that the through bore
72
be in registry with the holes
82
and the curved slot
76
aligned with the holes
84
. Once properly positioned, the pivot pin
74
and the stop pin
78
are respectively inserted through the holes
82
and the central through hole
72
, and the holes
84
and the curved slot
76
. The pivot pin
74
and the stop pin
78
are then secured in position by means of nuts or the like. Disposable wear discs
90
can be provided on either sides of the flattened disc end portion
70
to prevent premature wear thereof.
As opposed to known convertible benches wherein the movement of the armrests is limited by the abutment of the armrest against the top surface of the seat mount, the pivotal movement of the armrest
42
relative to its associated side frame member
20
is limited by the stop pin
74
in the slot
76
. Since access to the slot
76
is prevented by the eats
80
, a user cannot pinches his fingers while pivoting the backrest
12
between a backrest position (
FIG. 1
) and a tabletop position (FIG.
2
). By so integrating a stopper in the pivot itself, the risk of injury during the conversion process of the bench
10
into a table is greatly minimized. It is understood that the stopper is not limited to a stop pin engaged in a slot enclosed in a housing. For instance, a protrusion extending from the top surface
26
of the side frame member
20
between the ears
80
for engagement in a peripheral groove or recess defined in the flatted disc end portion
70
could be used as well. Any stopper enclosed in a housing could in fact be used.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, the park bench
10
can be readily converted into a picnic table (
FIG. 2
) by simply pivoting the armrests
42
thereof in a forward direction until the stop pin
74
engages the closed end
92
of the slot
76
. To convert the table back into a bench configuration, the user simply pivots the backrest
12
about the armrests
20
in the opposite direction until the stop pin
74
engages the opposed closed end
94
of the slot
76
.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each side frame member
20
is formed as one integral piece, and each armrest
42
is formed as one integral piece. The side frame members
20
and the armrests
42
can be molded from various moldable materials, such as plastic, metal (e.g. aluminum), vinyl, or any other suitable material.
Claims
- 1. A convertible bench comprising a seat, a backrest supported by a pair of armrests articulated to the seat for allowing said backrest to be pivoted between a backrest position and a tabletop position, wherein each of said armrests is articulated to said seat via a pivot, and a stopper integrated to said pivot for providing structural support to said backrest in said backrest and tabletop positions thereof; wherein said pivot comprises a female portion and a male portion in received in said female portion, and wherein said stopper is received in a slot defined in said male portion.
- 2. A convertible bench as defined in claim 1, wherein said pivot includes a support structure, and wherein said stopper includes a stop pin held in a stationary position internally of said support structure.
- 3. A convertible bench as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said armrests has an end portion received between a pair of armrest mounting portions extending from said seat, said end portion defining a through borc for receiving a pivot pin mounted to said armrest mounting portion.
- 4. A convertible bench as defined in claim 3, wherein said stopper is provided between said armrest mounting portions and is received in a stopper receiving portion defined in said end portion of each of said armrests, said stopper receiving portion having opposed closed ends for engagement with said stopper in order to limit the pivotal movement of the armrests and support said backrest in said backrest and tabletop positions thereof.
- 5. A convertible bench as defined in claim 4, wherein said stopper receiving portion includes a curved slot defined in said end portion of each of said armrests.
- 6. A convertible bench as defined in claim 3, wherein said end portion of each armrest is provided in the form of a disc.
- 7. A convertible bench as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said armrest includes an end portion pivotally mounted between a pair of ears extending upwardly from said seat, said stopper being received in a curved slot defined in said end portion.
- 8. A convertible bench as defined in claim 7, wherein said stopper includes a stop pin extending transversally through said ears.
- 9. A convertible bench as defined in claim 7, wherein said ears extend from a forward half portion of said seat.
- 10. A convertible bench as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of said seat and said backrest is provided with an advertising panel receiving portion for releasably receiving interchangeable advertising panels.
- 11. A convertible bench as defined in claim 1, wherein each said armrest is supported at one end only in a cantilever fashion irrespective of a position of said; backrest.
- 12. A convertible bench as defined in claim l, wherein said female portion forms part of said seat, and wherein said male portion forms part of each of said. armrest.
- 13. A convertible bench as defined in claim 12, wherein said slot extends along an arc of circle centered relative to a pivot axis of said armrests.
- 14. A convertible bench as defined in claim 13, wherein said stopper includes a stop pin extending in parallel to said pivot axis.
- 15. A convertible bench comprising a seat, a backrest, a pair of armrests extending between said seat and said backrest, each said armrest having a first end portion extending from said backrest and a second opposed end portion pivotally mounted to said seat for allowing said backrest to be swung about said armrests between a backrest position and a tabletop position, and a stopper cooperating with said second end portion of each of said armrest for supporting said backrest in a selected one of said backrest and tabletop positions thereof; wherein said stopper is received in a slot concealed within a surrounding structure.
- 16. A convertible bench as defined in claim 15, wherein each said armrest is supported at said second end portion only in a cantilever fashion irrespective of a position of said backrest.
- 17. A convertible bench as defined in claim 15, wherein said stopper includes a stop pin extending in parallel to a pivot axis of said armrests, said stop pin being received in a slot extending along an arc of circle centered relative to said pivot axis.
- 18. A convertible bench as defined in claim 15, wherein said second end portion of each of said armrests is received between a pair of ears projecting upwardly from the seat, said slot being defined in said second end portion.
US Referenced Citations (9)