Patent Grant
10098469
The present invention relates generally to benches, and more particularly to a pivoting bench.
A public seating creates a comfortable, useable, and active public environment where people can rest, socialize, read, or people-watch. Seating creates places where people can see and be seen. This most common furniture used for public seating is benches. Benches of various shapes and sizes are known in the art. Benches have been designed to provide comfortable seating space in public places. Various people friendly designs are available and can be seen installed in malls, airports lounges and parks etc. However, one of main disadvantage of keeping a bench in public places is that they usually utilize a large floor area. The benches of usual size will allow only four to six people to sit comfortably. The benches which are designed to accommodate more people will not be suitable for area where free floor area is a matter of concern. Another major disadvantage of benches is that they allow sitting only in one particular direction. If both the sides of public area have activities of interest then the demand of the area would be to allow people to sit facing in both the directions. This is however not possible with a single bench assembly where the siting position is unidirectional. The available solution to this problem is either to put two benches back to back facing in either directions or to join two benches sideways such that one bench faces in one direction and the other bench in other direction. All other available designs are usual modification of these two basic concepts. However, both these concepts have a major disadvantage of covering a large floor area and use of more number of benches for both side sitting.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pivoting seat bench assembly for public facilities which would allow multiple applications, while being simple to produce and capable of being rotated to allow each side sitting along the central spine and which would overcome the above mentioned drawbacks offering some added advantages.
As a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pivoting seat bench assembly comprising:
two or more stands having an angled configuration;
a plurality of seating slats;
a central spine structure for interlinking said slats along the central spine axis and connected to said stands;
slat-rotating component for rotating the said slats around the central spine structure; and
seating angle position stopper.
Preferably, the stands are placed at regular intervals to hold the seating slats and the central spine structure. The stand preferably has angular V shaped configuration such that the two legs of the stand are extended towards the floor to form the ground support for the bench assembly and the central bend of said stand is provided with a hole to support the central spine structure.
Preferably, the plurality of seating slats is arranged along the central spine axis in such a manner that they together form a seating surface and a back support. The seating slats are preferable boomerang shaped. However, the seating slats can be of any shape suitable for making a seating surface and a back support such as L-shape, J-shape and the like. Preferably, the bend of the seating slat is provided with a hole to support the central spine structure.
Preferably, central spine structure is a cylindrical rod structure which interlinks the seating slats along the central spine axis at regular intervals such that said slats are sitting on the cylindrical rod and can be mechanically rotated around the central spine axis such that the relative rotational displacement of the slats is perpendicular to the central spine axis with the rotation being centered on the central spine axis. However, central spine structure of any suitable shape which allows a rotating motion for the said slats is within the scope of the invention.
Preferably, slat-rotating component is attached to each seating slat such that it forms a mechanical rotation joint between the central spine structure and the seating slats.
The slat-rotating component further comprises a sleeve component and a rotating bearing structure wherein the sleeve component comprises an outer cladding sheet, a movement control slot and a movement control pin and the rotating bearing structure comprises of an external cladding and an internal bearing physically connected to each other such that the internal bearing is physically connected from outside to the external cladding and forms a central spine hole on the inside to allow the central spine structure to pass through. The outer cladding sheet further comprises a hole to support the central spine structure.
Preferably, the slat-rotating component is physically connected to the seating slat such that the said slat is inserted in the cavity of the sleeve component such that the hole of the said slats coincides with the hole of the sleeve component and the rotating bearing structure is placed in the said slats such that the external cladding is firmly fixed into the hole of the seating slat and the central spine hole of the internal bearing is around the central spine structure to allow a mechanical rotational displacement of the seating slats.
Preferable, the seating angle position stoppers includes two or more pipe/rod structures placed symmetrically along the central spine axis to provide structural support to seating slats such that the said slats rest on the pipe/rod structures at the seating level angle to form the seat surface. The seating angle position stopper is preferably fastened on stands by suitable means.
As a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of mechanically rotating the one or more of the seating slats at any rotational displacement angle ranging from 0° to 90° such that rotational displacement of the seating slates is perpendicular to the central spine axis with the rotation being centered on the central spine axis.
Preferably, the rotational displacement of one seating slat is mechanically transferred to the adjacent seating slat by means of movement control pins which allows the adjacent seating slat to rotate at an angular rotational angle which depends on the size of the movement control slot. This rotational displacement is gradually transferred from one seating slat to another seating slat thereby allowing each adjacent slat to gradually rotate in the direction of rotation at a gradually reducing angular rotational angle such that when each adjacent seating slat completes the maximum rotational displacement of 90° the angular rotational angle between the adjacent slat and the previous slat become 0°.
As a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a pivoting bench comprising:
Preferably, the seat slats are boomerang-shaped seat slats.
Preferably, the pivoting bench further comprises a stopper respectively for each side of the bench mountable on the support structure and extending along the longitudinal axis for stopping and supporting the seat slats when they reach a sitting position.
Preferably, the seat slats are configured to have a predefined displacement angle range therebetween while rotating.
Preferably, the seat slats comprise pins and slots adapted to link the seat slats between each other in a manner to enable a coordinated movement therebetween according to the predefined displacement angle range.
Preferably, each seat slat has two pins on a first side of the slat adjacent a first proximity slat and two slots on another side of the slat adjacent a second proximity slat, wherein the pins of the slat are adapted to engage the slots of the first proximity slat and the slots of the slat are adapted to engage the pins of the second proximity slat.
Preferably, the seat slats are adapted to be coupled to the central spine using slat rotating components.
Preferably, the seat slats have bend portions, and wherein the slat rotating components are adapted to enrobe the bend portions of the slats.
Preferably, the predefined displacement angle range is 0-8 degrees.
Preferably, the seat slats are adapted to rotate between 0 and 90 degrees.
Preferably, the 90 degrees rotation of the seat slats results in shifting the seating surface formed by the rotated seat slats from the first side of the bench to the second side of the bench.
Preferably, the central spine consists of a cylindrical shaft extending along the longitudinal axis.
Preferably, the stoppers consist of cylindrical shafts extending along the longitudinal axis.
Preferably, the support structure comprises two or more stands adapted to sit on the ground and to support the central spine and the stoppers.
Preferably, the seat slats are divided into 2 or more groups, such that each group of slats are interlinked independently of the other groups for forming respective 2 or more sitting areas within the bench.
Preferably, the plurality of seating slats are adapted to be connected together in such a manner that the rotation of one or more seat slats triggers the rotation of one or more other seat slats with a predefined angular displacement there between.
Preferably, the seat slats are adapted to rotate between 0 and 90 degrees and wherein a 90 degrees rotation of the seat slats results in shifting the seating surface formed by the rotated seat slats from the first side of the bench to the second side of the bench.
Preferably, the displacement angle range defined between the slats enable for the slats located adjacent the 90 degrees rotated ones to form a gradually inclined slat separator.
Preferably, the seat slats are adapted to be rotated such that 2 or more sitting areas are formed separated by gradually inclined slat separators within the bench.
Preferably, the seat slats are boomerang-shaped seat slats.
The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The pivoting seat bench assembly 2, shown in the drawings, is designed for providing seating facility in public facilities such as parks, streets, waiting rooms, malls, waiting rooms and lounges of airport, subways or the like comprises two or more stands 14 having an angled configuration, a plurality of seating slats 10, a central spine 13 for interlinking said slats 10 along the central spine axis 20 and mounted to said stands 14, a slat-rotating component 24 respectively for each seating slat 10 for enabling a coordinated rotation of the slats 10 around the central spine 13 about the central spine axis 20; and a seating angle position stopper 15 for stopping the rotation of the seating slats 10 and supporting these for forming the seating surface.
The term “bench assembly” as used herein is to be understood to include any sitting installation/furniture, swings and other devices having a seat and a back upon which people sit. The bench assembly may further include a table and other suitable fixtures without deviating from the overall scope of the invention.
Referring to
Each stand 14 preferably has an angular V shaped structure with a central bend portion and two legs adapted to be extended towards the floor surface to form the ground support for the seat bench assembly 2. The central bend portions of the stands 14 have holes 50 for receiving and holding the central spine 13, two or more slots 26 for receiving and holding the seating angle position stoppers 15, and two or more cuts 28 for controlling the rotation of the slat-rotating component 24.
The slat rotating component 24 comprises a sleeve component 11 having outer cladding sheet 11a, movement control slots 11b and movement control pins 11c. The outer cladding sheet 11a has a hole 60 concentric with the hole 40 of the seating slat 10 for receiving holding the central spine 13. The movement control slots 11b are preferably two slots 11b located at a first side of the outer cladding sheet 11a. The movement control pins 11c are preferably two movement control pins 11c located at a second side of the cladding sheet 11a opposing the first side. When the seat slats 10 are mounted on the central spine 13 along the central spine axis 20, the movement control pins 11c associated with first seat slats 10 are secured within the movement control slots 11b of second seat slats 10 adjacent to the first seat slats 10 from a first side along the central spine axis 20. The movement control slots 11c associated with the first seat slats 10 receive and secure the movement control pins 11b of third seat slats 10 adjacent the first seat slats 10 from a second side opposite the first side along the central spine axis 20. This interlinking/interconnection between the seat slats 10 allow for a controlled and synchronized movement of the seat slats 10 such that when one seat slat 10 is rotated, the adjacent seat slats 10 are rotated in consequence.
The sleeve component 11 is adapted to be coupled to the seating slats 10 such the sleeve component 11 enrobes the seating slat 10 bending portion. The sleeve component 11 has a cavity defined by the walls of the sleeve component 11 which is adapted to receive and enrobe the bending portion of the seating slat 10 such that the hole 40 of seat slat 10 coincides with the hole 60 of the outer cladding sheet 11a.
The plurality of the seat slats 10 are mounted on the central spine 13 along the central spine axis 20 such that the plurality of the seat slats 10 are interconnected with each other in such a manner that the movement control pin 11c associated to one seating slat 10 protrudes into the movement control slot 11b associated to an adjacent seating slat 10.
The slat rotating component 24 further comprises a rotating bearing structure 12 having an external cladding 12a and an internal bearing 12b. The rotating bearing structure 12 is adapted to be positioned inside the coinciding holes 40 & 60 of the seat slats 10 and sleeve component 11 such that the external cladding 12a is firmly fixed to the coinciding holes 40 & 60 and the internal bearing 12b is physically connected to the external cladding 12a from the outside and forms a central spine hole 30 on the inside to allow the central spine 13 to pass through.
A slat rotating component 24 is coupled to each one of the seating slats 10 to form a mechanical rotation joint between the central spine 13 and the seat slats 10 such that seat slats 10 can be mechanically rotated at any rotational displacement angle 70 ranging from 0° to 90°. The rotational displacement of the seating slats 10 is perpendicular to the central spine axis 20 with the rotation being centered on the central spine axis 20.
The rotational displacement of one seating slat 10 is mechanically transferred to the adjacent seating slat 10 by means of movement control pins 11c which allow the adjacent seating slat 10 to rotate at an angular rotational angle 80 which depends on the size of the movement control slot 11b. This rotational displacement is gradually transferred from one seating slat 10 to another seating slat 10 along the central spine axis 20 allowing each adjacent slat 10 to gradually rotate at a gradually reducing angular rotational angle 80 such that when each adjacent seating slat 10 completes the maximum rotational displacement of 90°, the angular rotational angle 80 between the adjacent slat and the previous seating slat become 0°.
The rotational displacement angle 70 is the angle formed between the initial position and the final position of the seating slats 10 when the seating slat is applied with mechanical rotational force causing the change in position of the seating slats 10. The rotational displacement angle can vary from 0° to 90°.
The angular rotational angle 80 is the angle formed between two adjacent seating slats 10 when the rotational displacement of one seating slat is mechanically transferred to the adjacent seating slat. The angular rotational angle depends of the size of the seating slat 10 and the size of the movement control slots 11b.
The rotational displacement can range from a partial displacement wherein few seating slats 10 are rotated such that rotational displacement angle 70 ranges from 0° to 90° such that the seating surf ace is now partially shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly or to a full displacement wherein all the seating slats 10 are rotated to a rotational displacement angle of 90° such that the seating surface is now completely shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly.
The rotational displacement can range from a partial displacement wherein some seating slats 10 are rotated partially with rotational displacement angles 70 varying between 90° to 0° resulting in the seating surface being partially shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly, or to a full displacement wherein the seating slats 10 are rotated completely with rotational displacement angles 70 of 90° resulting in the seating surface formed by these completely shifted slats being completely shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly 2.
The rotational displacement is gradually transferred from one seating slat 10 to subsequent seating slats 10 such that the seating slats 10 are arranged to form a second seating surface on the other side of the pivoting seat bench assembly.
The rotational displacement can range from a partial displacement wherein some seating slats 10 are rotated partially with rotational displacement angles 70 varying between 0° to 90° resulting the s eating surface being partially shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly 2, or to a full displacement wherein all the seating slats 10 are rotated completely with a rotational displacement angle 70 of 90° resulting in the seating surface formed by these completely shifted slats being completely shifted to the other side of the seat bench assembly 2.
As illustrated in
Referring to
The mechanical rotational displacement of any one of the seating slats 10 causes the movement control pin 11c attached to that seating slat 10 to move inside the movement control slot 11b of the adjacent slat in the direction of rotation causing the adjacent slat to rotate in the direction of rotation with an angular rotational angle 80 formed between the first slat and the adjacent slat.
The angular rotational angle 80 is formed depending on the size of the seating slat 10 and the size of the movement control slot 11b which decides the available distance for the free movement of the movement control pins 11c before reaching the end of the movement control slot 11b and pulling/forcing the adjacent seating slat 10 to rotate in the same direction.
Preferably, the movement control pin 11c of the terminal seating slats 10 which are physically connected to the stand 14 locks the rotational displacement of seating slat 10 by fixing itself in the cuts 28 available on the stand 14. The seating slats 10 are further structurally supported by the seating angle position stopper 15 which holds the seating slats 10 to form the seating surface on either side of the bench.
Referring to
The seating slats 10 are preferably made by any suitable material which has sufficient strength and comfort to provide a stable seating surface and back surface of the seat bench assembly 2. The suitable examples of the material used for seating slats 10 includes but not limited to metals, wood and hard plastics.
Referring to
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Component 10: (Timber/Plastic/Metal Etc) Boomerang Shape Elements (Seat Slats)
Sub-Components:
Sub-Components:
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 221141 | Smith | Oct 1879 | A |
| 358454 | Johnson | Mar 1887 | A |
| 2674302 | McMorran, Jr. | Apr 1954 | A |
| 3743353 | Lupinsky | Jul 1973 | A |
| 4235473 | Aginar | Nov 1980 | A |
| 4322109 | Thebaud | Mar 1982 | A |
| 4561692 | Yestadt | Dec 1985 | A |
| 5056849 | Norris, Jr. | Oct 1991 | A |
| 6174585 | Miles | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| 6824221 | Tiffany, III | Nov 2004 | B1 |
| 8870277 | Yestadt | Oct 2014 | B2 |
| 9756947 | Lee | Sep 2017 | B2 |
| 20090140568 | Chan | Jun 2009 | A1 |
| 20130033074 | Daly | Feb 2013 | A1 |
| 20170127841 | Lee | May 2017 | A1 |
| 20170238707 | Leathead | Aug 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160302581 A1 | Oct 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62139876 | Mar 2015 | US |
