Seating unit with convertible storage table

A multi-functional furniture component has a frame, with a seat portion and a backrest portion, first motion means connected to the frame and connected to a conversion member. The conversion member has a first upholstered side and a second substantially planar side. Actuation of the first motion means enable arcuate movement of the conversion member between a first orientation to service a backrest and a second orientation in which the planar side is generally horizontal. The conversion member may also include a container member with a top panel, a bottom panel spaced apart from the top panel, and at least one side panel interconnecting the top and bottom panels and defining an interior storage region. Preferably, access to the interior storage region is provided by arcuate motion of the top of the container. A horizontally oriented upholstery roll is connected to the upper terminus of the backrest by a live hinge and in a first orientation, partially covers a pocket which may receive the conversion member and in the second orientation, expose the pocket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a furniture component and, in particular, 
relates to a reversibly convertible furniture component having a variety 
of configurations which in turn provide for multiple uses. 
Furniture components which provide comfortable seating have been known 
since ancient times. In modern times a desire for economical space 
utilization has been partially satisfied by dual-purpose seating 
components, such as sofas which convert to beds, chairs which recline or 
incline, and storage units under seating surfaces. 
Another trend in modern furniture is the provision of modular furniture. 
Modular furniture units afford consumers economical semi-custom furniture 
adapted to a particular individual floor plan. For example, modular sofas 
are formed from combinations of linear or corner subsections each 
typically providing a single seating unit. Selecting and combining 
appropriate subsections can yield a sofa which is semi-custom adapted to a 
particular room and capable of seating a number of people. 
It would be particularly desirable to provide new furniture components, 
suitable for use in modular furniture, which function in a first 
orientation as a seating unit and in a second orientation provide 
additional space-saving functions. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention includes a multi-functional furniture component 
including frame, first motion means connected to the frame and a 
conversion member connected to the first motion means. The frame of the 
present invention has a seating portion with a generally upwardly directed 
occupant support surface and a backrest portion substantially upstanding 
from adjacent an edge of the seating portion. The conversion member has 
two sides, a first, upholstered side and a second, substantially planar 
side. 
Actuation of the first motion means enables a partially arcuate movement of 
the conversion member, about a pivot axis, between a first orientation and 
a second orientation. In the first orientation, the conversion member is 
characterized by a substantially upstanding first side of the conversion 
member situated adjacent the backrest portion of the frame and in position 
to serve as an upholstered backrest for an occupant seated on the occupant 
support surface. The second orientation of the conversion member is 
characterized by a generally horizontal and upwardly facing second side of 
the conversion member in a position at least partially overlying the 
occupant support surface. 
In a preferred embodiment, the conversion member includes a container 
member having a top panel, a bottom panel spaced apart from the top panel 
and at least one side panel interconnecting the top and bottom panels. 
Together the top, bottom and side panels define an interior storage 
region. Preferably, the container member includes a second motion means 
for moving one of the panels of the container relative to another panel of 
the container in order to provide access to the interior storage region. 
Preferably, the second motion means includes a pivot axis parallel to the 
pivot axis of the conversion member. Preferably, a live-hinged upholstery 
roll is connected to the upper terminus of the backrest by a live hinge. 
Most preferably, such an upholstery roll in a first orientation covers a 
pocket which is receptive of the conversion member in its first 
orientation. In a second orientation of the upholstered roll, the pocket 
is exposed. 
In a most preferred embodiment, the second motion means further includes 
control means for regulation of movement between the panels of the 
container. Especially preferred is an embodiment in which the control 
means includes a damper or counter balance means which controls the motion 
of the top panel of the storage container. An advantage of the control 
means is the prevention of a rapid and precipitous drop of the top panel. 
This in turn prevents the undesirable result of causing injury to a person 
whose limb is accessing the interior storage region of the container 
member. 
The second, substantially planar side of the conversion member may be used 
as a writing table or may be used to hold a beverage container. These uses 
are particularly advantageous for a user seated upon an adjoining seat 
module, when the present invention is a subsection of a modular sofa. It 
should also be recognized that the storage container is particularly 
useful to one seated upon an adjoining seat module. Further, the storage 
unit is relatively undetectable when folded out of the way and covered by 
the upholstery roll in its first orientation because the present invention 
then serves as a seating unit in a module sofa.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the first embodiment, the present invention 20, shown in FIG. 1, 
includes a frame, 22 and a conversion member 24 connected to the frame 22 
through a first motion means. 
The frame 22 includes a seat portion 26 with a generally upward directed 
upholstered occupant seat support surface 28 and a backrest portion 30 
which is substantially upstanding from adjacent a rear edge or juncture 32 
of the seat portion 26 with the backrest portion 30. 
The frame 22 may be constructed from plywood by providing (as shown in FIG. 
4 in an exploded perspective view) a right side panel 34 with an integral 
upstanding right wing 36, a left panel 38 with an upstanding left wing 40 
joined together by a front panel 42 and a rear panel 44. Rear panel 44 
connects the rear edge of the right and left side panels 34 and 38 as well 
as extending upward to connect the right wing 36 with the left wing 40. 
Appropriate joining methods for joining such frame panels are well known 
in the furniture industry and well within the skill of the furniture art. 
Resilient webbing or plywood serve to support the occupant support cushion 
28 (shown in FIG. 1) on the seat portion 26. Again, such structure and 
methods for supporting a seating cushion 28 are well known in the 
furniture art. Together, the right wing 36, upper portion of the rear 
panel 44 and left wing 40 define a pocket 46. 
The conversion member 24 includes a right side panel 60 and left side panel 
62, a front panel 64, a rear panel 66, a top panel 68 and a bottom panel 
70. Preferably, the right side panel 60 and left side panel 62 are 
symmetrical and trapezoidal or alternatively nearly triangular in shape 
such that the front panel 64 is shorter than the rear panel 66. The top 68 
and bottom 70 panels are preferably rectangular in shape. The top 68 and 
bottom 70 panels along with the various side panels form a container 
member with an interior storage region. Preferably, the top panel 68 is 
joined to the rear panel 66 by a hinge 69, 71 or pivot which enables 
arcuate motion of the top panel relative to the conversion member 24 about 
a pivot axis 72. Alternatively, a continuous or piano-type hinge may be 
employed to connect top panel 68 to rear panel 66. 
Additionally, the motion of the top 68 relative to the rear panel 66 is 
controlled by a mechanism 74 which may alternatively be a damping 
mechanism or a counterbalance spring. The control mechanism 74 prevents 
inadvertent dropping of the top 68 which might result in an unfortunate 
pinching or crushing of hands which might be, for example, atop the front 
panel 64. Appropriate damping mechanisms are available from numerous 
hardware suppliers. A wide variety of damping rates may be used. Typically 
appropriate damping units would be lighter duty units than those used in 
the automotive industry to support hoods and trunk lids. Control mechanism 
74 is most preferable connected to the underside of top panel 68 by a 
bracket 75 and the inside face of rear panel 66 by a bracket 77. 
Additionally, the conversion member 24 includes a pair of nuts 80 and 82 in 
the lower rear corner of each of the right side panel 60 and left side 
panel 62. A pair of apertures 84 and 86 adjacent the leading edge of the 
right wing 36 and left wing 40 near the juncture 32 with the right side 
panel 34 and left side panel 38 allow passage of a pair of bolts 88 and 90 
are passed through apertures 84 and 86 and tightened into nuts 80 and 82, 
respectively, to form a pivot axis 100 for the conversion member 24 to 
move relative the frame 22. The nuts 80 and 82 may be T-nuts which have 
prongs allowing attachment into apertures in the conversion member 24. 
Further, the bolts 88 and 90 may be self locking bolts by employing 
threads of increasing thickness. These details of the pivot forming the 
first motion means between the frame and the conversion member facilitate 
economical assembly of the present invention. A stop 92 on the inside 
surface of wing 40 limits rotation of the conversion member 24 about pivot 
axis 100 to establish a second orientation of the conversion member 24 
such that the top panel 68, when closed against the front panel 64 is 
generally horizontal. Specifically, the stop member 92 intercepts the 
motion of side panel 62. 
The conversion member 24 may occupy in a first orientation, the rear pocket 
44 such that it is substantially upstanding from adjacent the upper rear 
edge 32 of the seat portion 26 (i.e. adjacent the juncture between the 
seat portion and the backrest portion of the frame). In this orientation, 
the bottom panel 70 of the conversion members 24 is generally in a 
vertical orientation. The exposed first side of the bottom panel 70 is 
preferably upholstered and may serve as a backrest for an occupant seated 
on the occupant support surface cushion 28. 
In the second orientation (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the conversion member 
24 has a generally horizontal and upward facing second side, i.e. the 
outside of the top panel 68, in a position at least partially overlying 
the occupant support surface cushion 28. 
A rolled upholstery cushion 110 is joined by a live hinge portion of fabric 
112 to the upper terminus of the backrest portion 30. The rolled cushion 
110 may be moved about the live hinge 112 such that it either exposes 
(FIG. 1) or partially covers (FIG. 2) the rear pocket 44. The outside 
surface of the bottom 70 of the conversion unit 24 may also be upholstered 
by a horizontally oriented rolled cushion of upholstery 120 joined to the 
surface by live hinge 122. When the conversion member 24 is in the first 
orientation (FIG. 2), i.e. received with the pocket 44, rolled cushion 110 
may be moved to cover the front panel 64 and a portion of the bottom 70 
which is most distal from the pivot access 100. Similarly, the rolled 
cushion 120 pivots on live hinge 122 so as to provide a comfortable 
backrest for an occupant seated upon the occupant support cushion 28. In 
this first orientation (FIG. 2), the present invention 20 appears as an 
ordinary seat, and blends into a group of modular seats employing a 
similar upholstery approach on their seating cushions and backrest 
portions (FIG. 3). Such upholstery appearances may be also employed, for 
example, on motion furniture such as recliners or incliners or 
alternatively, on hide-a-bed units. 
In the second orientation, the conversion unit 24 provides a tabletop-like 
surface to a user seated adjacent the invention 20. The top surface 68 may 
include beverage container receptacles 130. Additionally, when beverage 
container receptacles 130 are not in use, the top panel 68 may be raised 
by rotation about the pivot axis 72 to provide access to more storage for 
the storage container defined within. The control mechanism 74 serves to 
protect from pinched fingers or hands when the top has been raised by 
prevent precipitous fall of the container top panel 68. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the 
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that 
changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.