BODY-SUPPORTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FORMING SUCH A DEVICE

Abstract: A body-supporting device, particularly a piece of furniture, includes an openable and closable cover (1) of untransparent, essentially in-elastic soft material, which cover is adaptedly formed after the shape of the furniture and which in un-filled state is flat. The piece of furniture is formed by filling the cover with balloons (2) of the type toy-balloons, which before their insertion into the cover are blown up to a part of their maximum volume.

Description: BODY-SUPPORTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FORMING SUCH A DEVICE The present invention relates to a body-supporting device in the form of a piece of furniture or the like comprising a cover and air-filled separate bodies positioned within the cover. The invention also relates to a method for forming said body-supporting device. Body-supporting devices- consisting of a cover and air- filled bodies positioned within the cover are previously known in several different embodiments. Thus/ air mattres¬ ses are known, which consist of several air tubes which are fixed and fastened in separate sections in a cover and are at the ends provided with sockets for blowing air into the tubes. Moreover, a body-supporting device with air-filled bodies arranged in a cover is previously known, said device be¬ ing like the present invention particularly designed to be a furniture or the like. As distinguished from above- mentioned known devices, this device has air tubes mutual- ly movable in the cover, whereby, compared with said de¬ vices having fixed air tubes immovable relative each other, certain advantages have been achieved, such as for instan¬ ce improved load distribution. The tube material is poly- vinylchloride which has been welded together -for forming the tube and has been filled with air via a valve arranged at one of the tube ends, whereupon the tubes have been inserted into the cover. However, this known device has proved to be accompanied by several disadvantages, which has resulted in a far worse economy than expected. The tube consisting of polyvinylchloride give bad resilience. A non-resilient position is obtained after a certain de¬ pression. Leakage and also fracture can arise already af¬ ter relatively short use, particularly in the weld joints in the tubes. For reasons of manufacture and due to the leakage and fracture risk in the weld joints there is al¬ so a limitation in designing possibilities. Moreover,^-^tJ E leakage or fracture can generally only be repaired by skilled workers, which is expensive. For the user of such a furniture having these tubes it can upon leakage not only be a comprehensive work to discover the leakage but accordingly also difficult to seal the leakage satis¬ factorily. The result of this is consequently, that the - furniture will often be rejected. Body-supporting devices having air-filled bodies posi¬ tioned in a cover have for above-mentioned reasons proved to be not anywhere near as interesting as from the begin¬ ning was assumed to be the case. In an attempt to create some sort of a "pop-furniture" it is also previously known to arrange balloons in diffe¬ rent colours within a transparent cover..No measures whatsoever are taken to meet the above mentioned problems existing in connection with air-filled bodies arranged in a cover, i.e. above all leakage and fracture. The co¬ ver is completely closed and the balloons are rather • balls. The furniture will probably have lost its shape already-after a short time even if a very expensive material for the cover and the balloons have been used. The present invention provides a solution on above-men¬ tioned problems. Moreover, the problems have according to the invention been solved in a very economic way. Thus, a body-supporting device according to the inven¬ tion can be manufactured in a simple and cheap way and it can after certain deformation in a simple way be restored to original shape. The body-supporting device consists of a simple and cheap cover, which can be deli- vered in flat state meaning small transport and storage volumes and also simple fetching for the buyer. The co¬ ver can be filled with cheap balloons of the type toy- balloons by the buyer in situ. Moreover, balloons are at need in a simple way replacable. Upon possible leakage or fracture of a balloon a simple and cheap restoration to original shape is accordingly possible. A body-supporting device according to the invention compared with- above described known devices has the further advantages of better load distribution and in¬ creased comfort. With balloons arranged in accordance with the invention, as distinguished from a depression to non-resilient position when using tubes, resilience is obtained responding to existing load. It is essential for the strength and load distribution, that the balloons are not blown up to a maximum, but only to certain approp- riate degree. A piece of furniture according to the in vention particularly compared with now often manufactured pieces of ' furniture having filling materials (waddings) consisting of plastic, usually polyether, has furthermore the advantage of being fire-proof. The characteristics of the invention to achieve above- mentioned advantages appear from the following claims. Some embodiments of the invention are in the following described more in detail with reference to the accompa¬ nying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly cut up, of a body- supporting device according to the invention in the form of an arm-chair. Fig. 2 is a view of the arm-chair according to Fig. 1 seen from below, Fig. 3 is a perspective view, partly cut up, of another embodiment of a body-supporting device according to the invention in the form of an arm-chair. Fig. ' 4 is a view of the. arm-chair according to Fig. 3 seen from below, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of. a body-supporting de- vice, according tothe invention in the form of. a cushion which in illustrating purpose is shown with one end cut up. Fig. 6 is a side, view, partly cut up, illustrating one way of arranging balloons in a wrapping in a body-supporting device according to the invention. Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 illustrating another way of arranging balloons in a wrapping. Fig. 8 is a plane view illustrating the joining of seve- ral wrappings according to Fig. 6 or Fig. 1 , Fig. 9 is a view schematically illustrating still another way of arranging balloons. The body-supporting device according to the invention con¬ sists of a cover 1 of untransparent essentially non-elas- tic soft material, preferably fabric, and of balloons 2 of the type toy-balloons, i.e. balloons which can be manu- ally blowed up and closed. In order to form the body-suppor¬ ting device air-filled balloons are inserted in the cover. Fig. 1 shows a body-supporting device in the form of an arm-chair, which is divided into sections, namely back rest 3, seat 4 and arms rests 5. Although not shown, each section is in a simple way openable and closable in order to be able to fill the section with balloons in an easy way and also,: after leakage in one or several balloons or possibly fracture, in. an easy way be. able to replace such balloons with new balloons. Fig. 3 shows another body-supporting device in the form of an arm-chair. The balloons, are here inserted in wrap¬ pings 6 , which are. vertically, arranged in the cover.,and OMP have. a. height corresponding to the different parts of the. arm-chair. Fig. 2 shows the arm-chair from below and illustrates: a simple way of making the cover of the arm¬ chair openable and closable, namely by being cut up as shown with the lines 7 and tied up by cords 8. Fig. 5 illustrates a body-supporting device in the form • of a cushion. As appears from the figure, the middle wrapping has somewhat larger dimension than the outer wrappings in order to create the form of the cushion. Fig. 6 illustrates one type of..wrapping. It consists of gauze .9 which is closed at the ends 10. Loose spacing pieces 11, preferably of fabric, for instance gauze, are inserted between the balloons. Fig. 7 illustrates another type of wrapping 12 consisting of another kind of fabric material. Spacing pieces 11 are also here in¬ serted betweeen the balloons. Fig. 8 illustrates how the wrappings according to Figs. 6 or 7 can be sewed together in the longitudinal direc¬ tion. By arranging wrappings and spacing pieces, for instance as shown in Figs. 6-8, possibly arising noice caused by mutual movement between the balloons are eliminated. Al¬ so the risk for friction wear is hereby decreased. By the present invention the problems existing in σonnec- tion with leakage in balloons as well, as the fact, that balloons can burst, have been taken into consideration. The comparatively cheap balloons can easily be replaced by new ones or the balloons can after certain volume decrease, be taken out and again be blown up. ' Fig. 9 illustrates schematically a device for supplying : air from outside to the balloons, after a certain volume • decrease. The balloons: are here via : connections 13 coup¬ ledto an. air hose 14. As should be evident from the description above, a body- supporting device according to the invention can be manu- 5 factured in a simple and cheap way and it can after cer¬ tain deformation in a simple way be restored to original shape. The body-supporting device consists of a simple and cheap cover, which can be delivered in flat state meaning small transport and storage volumes and also 10. simple fetching for the buyer. The cover can be filled with cheap balloons of the type toy-balloons by the buyer in situ. Moreover, balloons are at need in a simple way replacable. Upon possible leakage or fracture of a balloon a simple and cheap resotration to original shape is accor- 15 dingly possible. A body-supporting device according to the invention compared with above described known devices has the further advantage of better load distribution . and increased comfort. With balloons arranged in accor¬ dance with the invention, as distinguished from a depres- 0 sion to non-resilient .position when using tubes, resilien¬ ce is obtained responding to existing load. It is essentia for the strenght and load distribution, that the balloons are not blown up to a maximum, but only to certain approp¬ riate degree. A piece of furniture according to the inven- 25 tion particularly compared with now often manufactured pieces of furniture having filling materials (waddings) consisting of plastic, " usually polyether, has furthermore the advantage of being fire-proof.

Claims: CLAIMS ; 1. Body-supporting device in the form of a piece of fur¬ niture or the like comprising a cover and air-filled sepa¬ rate bodies consisting of elastic balloons arranged within the cover, said cover consisting of an untransparent, - essentially in-elastic soft material and being openable and closable, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the cover (1) is at least almost entirely filled with balloons (2) of the type toy-balloons and of substantially the same size, said balloons being blown ' up to a part of their • maximum volume. 2. Body-supporting device according to claim 1, c h a r a c¬ t e r i z e d in partition pieces arranged within the cover (1) for dividing the interior of the cover into dif¬ ferent sections (3-5) . 3. Body-supportin ¬ g device according to claim 2 for for¬ ming an arm-chair, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the sections (3-5) form back rest, seat and arm rests of the arm-chair. 4. Body-supporting device according to claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a sound and/or fric¬ tion damping spacer (9,11,12) of soft material ' is posi¬ tioned between surfaces of adjacent balloons (2) facing each other. 5. Body-supporting device according to claim 4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in ' that the balloons (2) are arran¬ ged stacked and fill up a tube-like wrapping (9,12) c osed, at the ends and openable at at least one end (10). 6. Body-supporting device according to claim 5, ' e h a - r a c t e r i z e d in that the tube-like wrapping (9, 12) consists of. a fabric material, preferably gauze. OMPI 7.. Body-supporting device: according to claim 5 or 6, c h a r. a c t e. r i z e d in that loose spacers (11). are . arranged between the balloons (2) in the wrapping. 8. A method for forming a body-supporting device in the form of a piece of furniture or the like having an ope¬ nable and closable cover of an untransparent, essentially in-elastic soft material, the outer contour of which is adaptedly formed after the shape of the piece of furniture, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in blowing up balloons of the type toy-balloons to substantially the same size and to a part of maximum volume; - 7 closing the balloons; " inserting the balloons into the cover to fill the cover at least almost entirely; closing the cover.

Inventors: DRANGER JAN
Applicants: DRANGER JAN
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A47C4
IPC codes: A47C7, A47C27