Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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1 FLEXIBLE FURNITURE SYSTEM
2
3 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
4 [0001] The present invention relates to flexible furniture components
and methods of making
such components.
6 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
7 [00021 Furniture is a staple product used in domestic, working and
public environments.
8 Furniture may be used to facilitate the use of space, such as in a seat
or table, or to divide space,
9 such as in a partition. By way of example, partitions are frequently used
to subdivide spaces, or
to create more intimate spaces. Typically such partitions are rigid, or have
rigid frames, or are
11 formed from rigid interconnected panels and they are relatively large,
heavy, and cumbersome,
12 and therefore difficult to set-up, take down, store, and transport.
Similarly other items of
13 furniture, such as seating structures, are typically of a rigid, or
permanent nature that, at most, are
14 moveable to alternative locations.
[00031 Moreover, the inherent rigidity of such items of furniture limits
the extent to which
16 they can be dynamically resized (extended or contracted) and reshaped to
suit varying spaces and
17 requirements, or readily moved around for relocation, or storage.
18 100041 Additionally, such furniture items, particularly in the form
of partitions are typically
19 formed from opaque panels which inhibit the transmission of light,
therefore necessitating
increased use of, or rearrangement of artificial lighting to restore adequate
lighting levels.
21 100051 In domestic, working, and public environments it is frequently
desirable to be able to
22 subdivide and reshape space on a temporary basis. For example, visitors
may require a
23 temporary sitting or sleeping area, office workers may need to convert
an open plan area into
24 subdivided working space or temporary meeting space, trade show
participants may need to
demarcate a temporary display area, and designers may need to create and shape
a temporary
26 area for an event, or a backdrop for a designed area, such as in a
window display in a retail
27 setting, in a showroom, or in a theatrical setting. For these types of
applications, furniture
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1 components that are rigid, heavy, and/or cumbersome may be costly to
transport, difficult to set
2 up/take down, and may require significant storage space. Furniture in the
form of a partition that
3 is rigid will also place significant constraints on the ways in which a
given space can be
4 partitioned, limiting its functionality, and a partition that is fully
opaque will severely disturb
natural lighting.
6 [0006] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide articles of furniture in
7 which the above disadvantages are obviated or mitigated.
8 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
9 100071 According therefore to one aspect of the present invention
there is provided an article
of furniture having a core formed from a plurality of laminar panels of a
flexible flaccid material.
11 Each panel has a pair of oppositely-directed major faces with faces of
adjacent panels being
12 inter-connected to provide a cellular structure upon movement of the
faces away from each
13 other. A respective one of a pair of supports is provided at opposite
ends of the core and
14 connected to respective ones of the faces. The supports are self-
supporting to provide rigidity to
the article of furniture and/or to provide connectivity between like articles
of furniture. In this
16 way, the supports may be moved apart to expand the cellular structure
and extend the overall
17 length of the article of furniture, and/or be used to connect any of
more than one of such articles
18 together in series.
19 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example
only with
21 reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
22 100091 Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a partition;
23 [0010] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing three of the panels
used to form the partition
24 of Figure 1;
[0011] Figure 3 is a view on the line of Figure 1;
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1 [0012] Figure 4 is a series of views showing the sequential operations
required to erect the
2 panel of Figure 1;
3 [0013] Figure 5 is a detailed view of the portion shown in circle A in
Figure 4;
4 [0014] Figure 6 is a view showing the sequential steps to join a pair
of panels shown in
Figure 1 end-to-end;
6 [0015] Figure 7 is a detailed view of the inter-connection of the
panels shown in Figure 6;
7 [0016] Figure 8 is a top perspective view showing the arrangement of a
panel within a living
8 area;
9 [0017] Figure 9 is a top perspective view showing an alternative
configuration of panel;
[0018] Figure 10 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment
of connection
11 applied to a partition;
12 [0019] Figure 11 is a view on the line XI-XI of Figure 10;
13 [0020] Figure 12 is a view in the direction of arrow XII of Figure
11;
14 [0021] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of
the connection of
Figure 10 with different size partitions;
16 [0022] Figure 14 is a top perspective view of a seat arrangement
incorporating the
17 connection of Figure 10;
18 [0023] Figure 15 is a view on the line XV-XV of Figure 14;
19 [0024] Figure 16 is a front elevation of a light incorporating a
connection similar to Figure
10; and
21 100251 Figure 17 is a section on the line XVII-XVII of Figure 16.
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1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
2 100261 Referring therefore to Figure 1, a partition 10 comprises a
core 12 and a pair of
3 supports 14, 16 at opposite ends of the core 12. As can best be seen from
Figures 2 and 3, the
4 core 12 is formed from a plurality of panels 18. The panels 18 each have
a pair of oppositely-
directed major faces 19, 20, and are formed from a flexible flaccid material.
In the preferred
6 embodiment, the material forming the panels 18 is standard white, flame
retardant tissue paper,
7 having a weight of approximately 13.5Ibs (500 sheets @ 24"x 36" =
13,5lbs). Each panel has a
8 major dimension or height h and a width w which may be adjusted to suit
particular
9 environments. Typically the height will be in the order of 1-2 metres but
could range from 0.5-3
metres when used as a partition, or 0.1 metres to 0.5 metres when used as a
seat. A seat height of
11 0.45m has been found particularly beneficial. The width is typically in
the order of 30
12 centimetres but could range from 10-100 centimetres. Adjacent panels 18
are inter-connected to
13 one another at spaced intervals that alternate across the width of the
face of the panel 18. As
14 indicated in Figure 2, the connection between panels 18a and 18b is
through a series of parallel,
laterally-spaced strips 24 on the face 19 of panel 18b. The strips 24 are
defined by stripes of
16 adhesive, which connects the panels 18a, 18b to one another, as shown in
Figure 3.
17 100271 Similarly, the inter-connection between a panel 18b and 18c is
through spaced
18 parallel strips 28 on the face 19 of panel 18c which are offset from the
strips 24. Each of the
19 panels 18 is therefore alternately connected to the panel 18 on opposite
sides so that, as shown in
Figure 3, upon extension of the panel in a horizontal direction, a cellular
structure having voids
21 30 is formed within the core. The voids 30 extend vertically from top to
bottom of the core 12
22 with the panels 18 providing a continuous transverse barrier. The
lateral outer ends of each of
23 the panels 18 are connected so as to form vertical pleats on the
exterior faces of the core 12.
24 100281 An end panel 18d of the core is connected to respective ones
of the supports 14 and
16 over its entire width. The supports 14 and 16 are made from a self-
supporting material,
26 typically a non woven felt material, which has a degree of flexibility
but also has sufficient
27 rigidity to resist collapse of the core 12. In a typical application,
the felt is a 1.95 nominal
28 pounds per square yard felt having a thickness in the order of 3
millimetres, although other
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1 weights and thicknesses may be utilized as appropriate depending upon the
overall dimensions of
2 the partition 10. The supports 14 and 16 extend laterally beyond the core
as indicated at 32 and
3 are adhered to respective ones of the end panels 18d.
4 [0029] Fasteners in the form of a pair of loop and hook strips 34,
such as that sold under the
trade name "Velcro" are stitched to the felt supports 14 and 16, and extend
vertically from one
6 end to the other.
7 [0030] The core 12 is collapsible so that the major faces of adjacent
panels 18 lay parallel to
8 one another and in abutment. In this position, as shown in Figure 4a, the
partition 10 may be
9 stored in a flat, collapsed position. When the partition 10 is required,
it can be oriented vertically
(figure 4b) and the opposite supports 14 and 16 used to manipulate the
partition. The supports
11 14 and 16 are moved away from one another as shown in Figure 4c to
expand the core so that the
12 cellular structure is opened within the core 12. The lateral extension
of the supports 14, 16
13 beyond the core 12 provides marginal tabs that may be grasped to
facilitate manipulation of the
14 core without direct contact with the panels 18.
[0031] Once partially extended, the supports 14 and 16 may be folded along
a vertical axis to
16 provide enhanced rigidity at each end of the partition 12. This may be
seen in more detail in
17 Figure 5 where it will be seen that the opposite edges of the supports
14 and 16 may be brought
18 together so that the loop and hook strips 34 are brought into abutment.
The loop and hook strips
19 34 engage one another and thus hold the support in a folded tubular
configuration. This
movement is accommodated by the flexible nature of the cellular structure
which expands
21 towards the lateral edges to accommodate the folding of the supports 14
and 16. With the
22 supports 14 and 16 folded into a tubular support, extension of the core
12 continues as shown in
23 view (e) of Figure 4, until the desired overall length is reached.
24 [00321 With the partition 10 expanded, it has sufficient width to
remain stable in a vertical
position with the rigidity provided by the end supports 14 and 16. The
material forming the
26 panels 18 is preferably translucent so that a pleasing transmission of
light through the panel may
27 occur, while still providing a degree of privacy.
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1 100331 The extended partition as shown in Figure 4e may be adjusted to
different
2 configurations as illustrated by the open curve shown in Figure 1 and the
wrapped curve shown
3 in Figure 8. The core 12 has a surprising degree of flexibility to
accommodate different
4 configurations and allow an appropriate shaped and sized partition to be
installed in an otherwise
open space. By varying the overall dimensions, additional functionality may be
obtained. The
6 extended partition shown in Figure 4e may also be made with a lower
height, for example 1
7 metre and a wider base, for example 0.5 metres so that the top surface of
the partition may be
8 used as an area to display objects. Such an arrangement is illustrated in
Figure 9. Where
9 appropriate, the terminal portions of the voids 30 may be used as a
pocket to support a container,
such as a vase, or similar object. In this embodiment. the height would be
between 0.5 and 1.5
11 metres.
12 100341 The provision of the supports 14 and 16 also permits a pair of
partitions 10 to be
13 joined end-to-end as shown in Figure 6. As may be seen from Figure 6a, a
pair of partitions 10 is
14 erected and positioned with supports 14, 16 at opposite ends of each
partition adjacent one
another. The loop and hook strips 34 in adjacent supports 14, 16 are then
brought into contact
16 with one another as shown in Figure 7 so that the partitions 10 are
joined in seriatim. The
17 additional thickness provided by the double support at the intersection
enhances rigidity, with the
18 supports 14, 16, at the free ends of the partition being folded upon
themselves to provide stable
19 support.
100351 After use of the partition 10, it is simply necessary to reverse the
procedure by
21 moving the ends towards one another, unfolding the supports 14 and 16,
and collapsing the core
22 12 to its minimum size. It may then be stored and used when subsequently
required.
23 100361 In the above embodiments, the core has been made from a light
weight paper
24 material, although it will be apparent that alternative materials may be
used that fulfil the same
functional requirements. For example, it is possible to utilize a heavier
weight paper material,
26 such as Kraft paper. or a non-woven textile material such as a plastic
material known as TyvekTM
27 from DuPont TM which is both tear and water resistant. Alternatively, a
paper laminated with a
28 plastic film to provide a composite material may be used. With such a
core material, the
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1 supports 14 may be made of a felt or may be made from a material similar
to the core material
2 but with increased thickness. The felt used in the support would be
sufficiently flexible to allow
3 folding to define the tubular support structure at each end with
fasteners such as the loop and
4 hook strips 34 incorporated on the support. In some applications, the
inherent stiffness of the
material used in the core is such as to provide sufficient rigidity to the
core when the cellular
6 structure is expanded for the core to be self supporting when expanded.
Kraft paper or plastics
7 material has provided sufficient rigidity for this purpose. In this case
the supports may be
8 provided to permit connectivity if multiple units are to be joined end to
end.
9 100371 Whilst a translucent material is preferred, it will be
apparent that opaque or different
coloured materials may also be utilized, The dimensions of the void 30 and the
number of voids
11 in the lateral direction may be adjusted to suit particular
applications. It has been found in
12 practise that a spacing between stripes 24, 28 in the order of 5-10
centimetres (when
13 unexpanded) is appropriate, although spacing as low as lcm. may be used,
and that the width of
14 the stripes 24, 28 is between 1 and 10 millimetres. This arrangement
provides a flexible
structure with extensive elongation to provide maximum functionality.
16 [00381 An alternative form of connection for articles of flexible
furniture is shown in Figure
17 10 -12, in which like reference numerals will be used to denote like
components with a prefix 1
18 added for clarity. In the embodiment of Figure 10, a pair of partitions
110 are arranged to be
19 joined end-to-end in a manner similar to that shown in Figure 6. The end
panel 118d of the core
112 is secured to supports 114, 116. The supports 114, 116 are made from a
self-supporting
21 material, which in this embodiment are preferably made from a rigid
material such as a
22 millboard. The supports 114, 116 lay within the periphery of the end
panel 118d so that the end
23 panels 118d overlap by a margin in the order of 20 millimetres around
the millboard.
24 [00391 Each of the supports 114, 116 has a series of holes 140,
best seen in figure 11 formed
through the millboard. The holes are arranged in a regular pattern, as will be
described more
26 fully below with respect to Figure 13, and are arranged to receive rare
earth magnets 142. The
27 magnets 142 are typically in the order of 3 millimetres thick and 25
millimetres diameter. The
28 magnets are a tight sliding fit in the holes 140 so as to be
frictionally retained by the millboard.
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1 The millboard itself is chosen to be of the same thickness as the magnet
142 so that the face of
2 the magnet 142 is flush with the surface of the millboard.
3 [00401 The magnets 142 are oriented such that a common polarity is
present for all magnets
4 on one face. Thus the magnets in the support 114 shown in Figure 10 are
oriented such that the
north pole is exposed and those of the support 116 in the adjacent partition
110 are arranged such
6 that a south pole is exposed. The exposed end face of the millboard is
wrapped by a cover 144
7 of the same material as used to produce the core 112 for aesthetic
purposes and to retain the
8 magnets in situ. The cover 144 extends over the edges and each face of
the millboard to provide
9 self containd end supports 114, 116 to facilitate manufacture as well as
enhance the aesthetics.
[0041] With the magnets in situ, the partitions 110 may be connected to one
another by
11 relying upon the magnetic attraction between the opposite poles of
adjacent partition. The rare
12 earth magnets 142 have sufficient force to retain the supports 114, 116
in abutment with one
13 another. However the supports may be readily separated by sliding the
partitions relative to one
14 another or pulling them apart axially to release the magnets. The margin
of the end panel 118d
provides a flexible tab to permit manipulation of the core 112.
16 [00421 As can be seen in Figure 13, the arrangement of magnets 142 on
the support 114, 116
17 provides a grid that allows different size partitions to be connected in
seriatim. The magnets 142
18 are arranged in two columns in rows uniformly spaced such that a
relatively tall partition may be
19 attached to a relatively small partition with the magnets 142 in
alignment. The grid also allows
partitions to be stacked on top of one another and connected in seriatim to a
taller partition to
21 form a continuous wall.
22 [0043] Whilst it is convenient that the supports 114, 116 are formed
from rigid millboard to
23 carry the magnets, it will also be apparent that a similar arrangement
may be achieved using the
24 self-supporting flexible supports 114, 116 such as the felt shown in the
embodiments of Figures
1 through 9. The end panel 118d and the covering panel 144 secures the magnets
142 within the
26 flexible support 114, 116 so as to be retained within the hole 140. This
arrangement would also
27 allow the end panels to be folded as shown in Figure 5 provided that the
orientation of the
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I magnets is such that one column has a north polarity and the other column
has a south polarity.
2 A complimentary arrangement on the support of an adjacent partition will
still permit the
3 partitions to be joined to one another in seriatim as well as folded.
4 [00441 The embodiments are described above in the context of a
partition. However, the
ability to dimensionally resize the core 12 provides for its use in
alternative articles of flexible
6 furniture, such as those shown in Figures 14 through 17. In the
embodiment of Figure 14, a
7 circular seat 210 is provided having a concave upper surface 211. As seen
in Figure 15, the
8 lower surface 213 of the core 212 is planar to sit against the floor and
the upper and side surfaces
9 smoothly curved. The opposite end faces 218d of the core are secured to
supports 214, 216 that
carry a series of magnets 242. The magnets are wrapped by a cover 244 of the
material used to
11 form the core to provide a pleasing aesthetic as well as secure the
magnets 242 within the
12 supports 214, 216. The seat 210 may be stored in a collapsed flat
position and when needed
13 expanded into a circular array with the supports 214,216 in abutment.
The magnets 242 secure
14 the supports 214, 216 to one another and hold the core 212 in the
circular configuration
presenting an upper concave surface 211. For storage, the supports are
separated and the core
16 collapsed to a flat configuration.
17 100451 As shown in figure 14, the seat 210 is formed from three cores
212 joined end to end
18 to make a torus. It will be apparent that the overall diameter of the
seat 210 may be increased by
19 expanding the inner diameter of the torus and thereby further expanding
the cores 212.
Alternatively, a single core 212 may be used with the supports 214,216
connected to one another,
21 provided there are sufficient laminated panels to permit extension of
the core over the required
22 circumference. In this case, the diameter will be similar to that shown
in figure 14.
23 100461 A simple seat may be provided in a similar manner by having an
expanded core 212
24 with a planar upper surface 211, arranged either in a cylindrical form
with supports 214,216 in
abutment, or in the form of a bench with said supports not in abutment. In
each case, multiple
26 units may be joined end to end to increase the diameter of the
cylindrical seat, or the length of
27 the bench, which can be arranged linearly, or in an undulating manner,
and which can act as a
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1 form of partition, as shown in figures 1 to 9, and may be stacked one on
top of the other to
2 increase the overall height..
3 100471 When used in a seating embodiment, the dimensions of the
cellular structure and the
4 stiffness of the material used is adjusted to provide an increased
structural rigidity and increased
weight bearing capacity. kraft paper has been found to have the requisite
properties and it has
6 been found preferable to reduce the spacing between the glue stripes to
2.5 cm so that the
7 maximum dimension of each void 30 in a collapsed state is 5cm.
8 [0048] A similar arrangement of flexible furniture is used with
respect to a light as shown in
9 Figures 16 and 17 in which like reference numerals will be used to denote
like components with
a prefix 3 for clarity. In the embodiments of Figures 16 and 17, a light 310
is formed with a core
11 312 with end panels 318d secured to respective supports 314, 316. In
this arrangement the axis
12 of the voids is radial although an axial orientation may be used if
preferred. The supports, as
13 shown in Figure 17, carry an array of magnets 342 so that the supports
may be joined to one
14 another as described above. A bulb 350 is located within the centre
chimney formed by the
fanning of the core 312. The bulb 350 illuminates the core 312 to provide a
pleasing effect and
16 the heat may escape through the central aperture provided by the core.
Naturally the core is
17 formed from a fire-resistant material, or the light source produces only
a small amount of heat.
18 The light 310 may be collapsed and stored in a flat configuration and
deployed as required in
19 different locations.
[0049] It will be apparent from the various embodiments described above
that the provision
21 of the cellular structure to form the core and the releasable fastenings
provided at the end panels
22 allow for a variety of configurations to be provided. The provision of
the magnets or other
23 fasteners in a pre-defined grid permits different components to be
joined to one another to
24 increase a variety of configurations that may be utilized. As indicated
above, the dimensions of
the core may be adjusted to suit particular requirements, ranging from a
single row of voids to
26 provide a thin or narrow partition, to a relatively wide cellular
structure with multiple rows of
27 voids to provide seating or table like surfaces.
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1 [0050] Although the invention has been described with reference to
certain specific
2 embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those
skilled in the art without
3 departing from scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended
hereto.
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