The present disclosure relates in general to furniture, and in particular to assembled sofas for personal residences and commercial buildings.
Furniture is almost always found in buildings frequented by people, such as households and office buildings. Furniture helps people utilize the interior of a building for specific purposes. For instance, a table can be used for eating a meal, a bookshelf can be used for storing books, or a sofa can be used for resting. Sofas are typically designed to be soft yet supportive so that people may comfortably sit on them without collapsing the sofa. Industry leaders are constantly developing ways to distinguish their products from their competitors.
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for an assembled sofa. In an embodiment, the sofa includes a cover having inner compartments and a plurality of dividers. Cushions are confined in the inner compartments by the plurality of dividers. The plurality of dividers hold the cushions in the inner compartments such that the cushions erect and maintain the structure of the assembled sofa.
In an embodiment, an assembled furniture includes a cover including a plurality of inner compartments and a plurality of dividers and a plurality of cushions disposed within respective inner compartments of the cover, where the plurality of cushions are confined in the inner compartments by the plurality of dividers.
The plurality of inner compartments may include a back inner compartment, a left arm inner compartment adjacent to an end of the back inner compartment, a right arm inner compartment adjacent to an opposite end of the back inner compartment, and a bottom seat compartment disposed below at least the back inner compartment, left arm inner compartment, and the right arm inner compartment. In embodiments, the plurality of cushions fill the plurality of inner compartments to form the assembled furniture including a backrest, a right armrest, a left armrest, and a base. The bottom seat compartment may be adjacent to the back inner compartment, left arm inner compartment, and the right arm inner compartment.
The divider may be directly attached to the cover. In embodiments, the divider is formed of two flaps having complementary attachment mechanisms. The complementary attachment mechanisms may be complementary parts of a Velcro attachment mechanism. Additionally, in embodiments, the divider may be formed of one flap that has one end that is permanently attached to the cover, and another end that has a detachable attachment mechanism to attach to the cover. The divider may be coplanar with at least a portion of the cover. The plurality of dividers may confine the plurality of cushions to their respective inner compartments.
In embodiments, each cushion of the plurality of cushions include an outer skin and filling. The outer skin may include a perforated region, wherein the perforated region is more perforated than other regions of the outer skin. The filling may include a plurality of foam blocks.
In embodiments, a method of forming a packaged assembled furniture includes forming a cover containing a plurality of inner compartments and a plurality of dividers, forming a plurality of cushions, the plurality of cushions designed to fit inside the plurality of inner compartments, sealing the plurality of cushions in an air-tight bag, and removing the air from inside the air-tight bag to decrease the size of the plurality of cushions.
Removing the air from inside the air-tight bag may include vacuuming the air through an outlet valve in the air-tight bag with a vacuuming device. Forming the plurality of cushions may include blowing air and filling material into an inner cavity of an outer skin until additional filling material can no longer fit in the inner cavity.
In embodiments, a method of forming a cushion for an assembled furniture includes providing an outer skin having a perforated region, the outer skin having a sealable opening to an inner cavity, and blowing air and filling material into the inner region through the sealable opening, wherein the perforated region separates the air from the filling material by allowing air to exit out of the inner cavity but preventing the filling from exiting out of the inner cavity.
The inner region may be filled until filling material can no longer fit into the inner cavity. The filling material may include foam material. The perforated region may be more permeable than the non-perforated region.
Numerous benefits are achieved by way of these apparatuses over conventional apparatuses. Benefits provided by the present invention include a sofa that is highly portable. The cushions can be removed from the cover and vacuum packed to minimize the footprint of the sofa during transportation. Additionally, the confined cushions provide sufficient structural support so that a rigid frame is not required for structural support. These and other details of embodiments along with many of their advantages and features are described in the following description, claims, and figures.
In the following description, numerous examples and details are set forth in order to provide an understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be evident to one skilled in the art, however, that certain embodiments can be practiced without some of these details, or can be practiced with modifications or equivalents thereof.
Typically, sofas are constructed using a rigid frame and a plurality of cushions. The frame is designed to maintain the structural integrity of the sofa when the sofa is being used, and the plurality of cushions are placed on the frame to provide comfort during use. Although using the frame ensures that the sofa is structurally sound, the frame makes it difficult to transport. Additionally, the size of the frame may increase the weight of the sofa and impede the portability of the sofa. In light of these difficulties, industry leaders have created different types of sofas to address these problems. For instance, air sofas and bean bags have been created. Air sofas are sofas that are formed of an inflatable, non-permeable shell that maintains its structural integrity with air pressure. Bean bags are sofas that are formed of a fillable shell that maintains its structural rigidity with filler material, such as a large number of small compressible beads. These types of sofas utilize complex and durable seals to minimize leakage. However, inevitable leakage of air or beads requires constant re-filling.
Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for an assembled sofa that maintains its structural integrity without the use of a rigid frame or the need for constant re-filling. The assembled sofa includes a breathable cover having a plurality of inner compartments and a plurality of dividers. The dividers confine a plurality of cushions within the inner compartments. The cushions may be formed of a breathable skin filled with small expandable foam blocks. When confined to respective inner compartments, the cushions erect and structurally support the assembled sofa. According to embodiments of the present invention, the assembled sofa does not require use of a rigid frame to form the assembled sofa, nor does it require a complex and durable seal to prevent leakage of filler material. Additionally, the assembled sofa can be disassembled and shrunk for ease of transportation. Although embodiments disclosed herein relate to sofas, any suitable furniture upon which people may sit or rest, such as, but not limited to, couches, love seats, and lounge chairs, are envisioned herein.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the assembled furniture 100 includes a breathable cover 101 and a plurality of cushions encased within the cover 101. The plurality of cushions may form the structural composition of the assembled furniture 100. Any suitable permeable material that is soft to the touch and difficult to tear may be used to form the breathable cover 101. For instance, the cover 101 may be formed of a woven fabric or a porous leather. In an embodiment, the cover 101 is formed of a material containing polyester and cotton.
Portions of the U-shaped cavity may be separated from the base inner compartment 208D by a plurality of dividers 210. For instance, dividers 210 may separate the base inner compartment 208D from the backrest inner compartment 208C and the left arm and right arm inner compartments 208A and 208B. In embodiments, the dividers 210 are designed to confine cushions within the inner compartments 208A, 208B, and 208C to form the assembled furniture 100. The dividers 210 may be permanently attached to portions of the inner surface of the cover 101. Although
According to embodiments of the present invention, the dividers 210 may be a contraption that can engage and disengage to confine and release a cushion in a respective inner compartment. For instance, the dividers 210A, 210B, and 210C may be formed of two flaps that are capable of engaging with one another to confine cushions into inner compartments 208A, 208B, and 208C, respectively. The ends of the flaps may engage with one another by any suitable non-permanent attachment method. For instance, the ends of the dividers 210 may engage by a Velcro attachment method. Accordingly, each flap of a divider 210 may have one end that is permanently attached to the cover 101 and an opposite end that is not permanently attached to the other flap of the divider 210. Other suitable attachment methods include, but are not limited to, zipper attachment methods and buckle attachment methods. One skilled in the art understands that any suitable detachable attachment method may be used to engage the two flaps to one another. When the cushions are confined, the dividers 210 prevent the cushions from slipping out of the respective inner compartments. Embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to dividers 210 having two flaps. For instance, embodiments may have dividers 210 formed of more or less than two flaps. In an embodiment, the dividers 210 are formed of one flap is capable of confining a cushion according to embodiments disclosed herein. In such embodiments, the divider 210 may have one end that is permanently attached to the cover 101, and an opposite end that is not permanently attached to the cover 101. The non-permanent attachment may be formed by any suitable attachment method mentioned herein, such as by Velcro, zipper, or buckle attachment mechanisms.
Arrangement of the cushions for an assembled furniture 100 are illustrated in
Although the right arm cushion 304, left arm cushion 306, and backrest cushion 308 may be separate cushions, embodiments having different cushion arrangements are envisioned herein as well. For instance,
An exemplary method of forming the assembled furniture 100 is illustrated in
Once the cushions are in the inner compartments, the cushions may be confined in the inner compartments by the dividers 210. The dividers 210 may confine the cushions when the dividers 210 are engaged, for instance, by attaching the two flaps together with a Velcro attachment. In an embodiment, divider 210A confines the left arm cushion 306 into the left arm inner compartment 208A, divider 210 B confines the right arm cushion 304 into the right arm inner compartment 208B, and divider 210C confines the backrest cushion 308 into the backrest inner compartment 208C. The dividers 210 prevent the cushions from sliding out of the inner compartments. In an embodiment, the dividers 210 are substantially coplanar with a portion of the cover 101. For example, the dividers 210 may be substantially coplanar with an inner seat portion 402 of the cover 101.
Following insertion of the backrest, left arm, and right arm cushions, the base cushion 302 may be inserted into the base inner compartment 208D as illustrated in
According to embodiments of the present invention, the combination of the dividers 210, bottom flap 203, and the cushions 302, 304, 306, and 308 provide a structurally firm piece of furniture. The dividers 210 confine the cushions 304, 306, and 308 in place to erect the backrest 108 and right and left armrests 104 and 106. The confined cushions are stable enough to provide structural rigidity for the assembled furniture 100. In embodiments, a separate rigid frame, such as a wooden or metal frame, is not needed to erect and support the assembled furniture 100.
The plurality of cushions may be compressible, yet possess a degree of structural rigidity suitable to support the weight of a standard human being. For instance, the cushions may be stiff enough to support the weight of a person weighing approximately 150 pounds without completely compressing the cushion. A completely compressed cushion may be uncomfortable for a person to sit on. Details of the plurality of cushions are discussed herein with respect to
The perforated region 506 may be disposed at any region of the outer skin 502. For instance, the perforated region 506 may be disposed near an end of the cushion opposite of the sealed opening 504. In embodiments, the perforated region 506 is more perforated than other regions of the breathable outer skin 502 such that air can more easily pass through the perforated region 506 than other regions of the outer skin 502. The sealed opening 504 may be a permanently sealed opening that was once opened, or a non-permanently sealed opening that can repeatedly open and close. In an embodiment, the sealed opening 504 is a non-permanently sealed opening that is sealed by a zipper attachment. The opening 504 allows a filling material to be placed in the outer skin 502, as discussed in the method of forming a cushion 500 illustrated in
In an embodiment, a portion of a filling mechanism, such as a tube 604, is inserted into the opening 602. The tube 604 may be a part of a machine that can blow filling material out of the tube 604. In an embodiment, the machine uses air pressure to blow filling material 606 into the breathable skin 502. Because the filling material 606 is blown into the breathable skin 502, the tube 604 may also be delivering air 608 into the cover 502. As air 608 and filling material 606 enters into the skin 502, the skin 502 may trap the filling material 606 in the skin 502 and allow excess air 610 to escape. In embodiments, the perforated region 506 allows excess air to more easily escape out of the skin 502 than other regions of the skin 502. As excess air 610 continually escapes out of the skin 502, the filling material continually fills the inside of the skin 502. Due to the perforated region 506, the excess air 610 does not substantially exit out of the opening 602. Accordingly, filling material 606 does not blow out of the skin 502 during filling. The operation of the perforated region 506 is advantageous because it minimizes fill time and increases filling efficiency. Once the filling material 606 completely fills the breathable skin 502, the tube 604 is removed and the opening 602 is sealed, thereby completing the formation of the cushion 500.
Having a breathable outer skin 502 enables the cushions 302, 304, 306, and 308 to be easily transportable. The breathable skin 502 allows the cushions to be shrunken in size prior to transportation, as shown in
As shown in
Once the cushions are placed in the bag 802, air may be sucked out of the bag 802 through the valve 804 by a vacuum 808, as illustrated in
In certain embodiments, the cover 101 may be left outside of the air-tight bag 802 because the cover 101 does not take up much volume when it is not filled with cushions. In other embodiments, the cover 101 may be disposed inside the bag 802 to keep all the components of the furniture together during transportation.
It should be appreciated that the specific steps illustrated in
The above description illustrates various embodiments of the present invention along with examples of how aspects of the present invention may be implemented. The above examples and embodiments should not be deemed to be the only embodiments, and are presented to illustrate the flexibility and advantages of the present invention as defined by the following claims. For example, although certain embodiments have been described with respect to particular process flows and steps, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the scope of the present invention is not strictly limited to the described flows and steps. Steps described as sequential may be executed in parallel, order of steps may be varied, and steps may be modified, combined, added, or omitted.
The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. Other arrangements, embodiments, implementations and equivalents will be evident to those skilled in the art and may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2014 2 0649977 U | Nov 2014 | CN | national |
2015 2 0097038 U | Feb 2015 | CN | national |
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/715,344, filed May 18, 2015, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201420649977.1, filed Nov. 4, 2014 and Chinese Patent Application No. 201520097038.5, filed Feb. 11, 2015. Each of these applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20190014917 A1 | Jan 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14715344 | May 2015 | US |
Child | 16045194 | US |