INTERFITTING PIECES OF FURNITURE

Abstract: Interpolated piece of furniture consisting of the coupling of at least two elementary pieces of furniture (52a, 52b), each of them having a supporting part (54a, 54b) and all supporting parts being at equal height from the floor and each of them being formed by a plurality of elongated elements (58a, 58b) defining separation intervals (60a, 60b) which are substantially occupied by the corresponding elongated elements of the supporting part of other elementary pieces of furniture. The interpolated piece of furniture offers a possibility of spreading out which is compatible with its utilization both in its spread out configuration and prior to such spread out configuration.

Description: The invention relates to interfitting furniture, formed by coupling together at least two elementary pieces of furniture, each of which comprises a supporting portion and support means for the supporting portion on the floor, in which the supporting portions of all the elementary pieces of furniture are at the same height above floor level and each of said supporting portions is formed by a plurality of elongate members, each of which defines with the adjacent ones a space which is substantially occupied by the corresponding elongate members of the supporting portion of other elementary pieces of furniture. There is an increasing trend to reduce the size of dwellings owing to the increasing cost of building. This reduction is immediately reflected in the size of the rooms, whereby there is the need to make the most advantage of the available space. Part of this space is occupied by furniture, whereby the interest that the design of new furniture should respond to the above need to make the most of the space, is appreciated. Several embodiments are already known in this direction: some relate to the convertibility between different types of furniture, such as the so-called bed settee; the prototype of others is to be found in the so-called pull-out bed, in which an upper bed is superimposed on a lower bed of a much lower height; and others are based on nested piled furniture, although it should be noted that the latter may not be used when they are piled. From the Swiss Patent No. 269750, there is known an extensible chair, which includes a basic element provided with a quadrangular frame supported by four legs. The seat of the chair is formed by parallel bars, separated between themselves and fastened to two crossbeams of the frame. The chair shows two lateral extensible elements, each one resting inwardly on said frame and outwardly on two lateral legs. The seats of the extensible elements of the chair are formed also with parallel bars, separated between themselves and fastened at one end to a crossbeam which is integrated on the lateral legs of the extensible elements. As a whole, when the extensible chair is folded up, it looks like a unique chair, but it may be extended by one or both ends, forming a double or triple bench, however, the extensible elements may never be removed from the central body. It is an object of the invention to provide a piece of furniture which may be subdivided into two or more pieces, all in such a way that the piece of furniture may be used for its specific function both when subdivided and before being subdivided. This is achieved with a piece of furniture of the type first mentioned above, which is characterized in that the supporting portion and the support means of each elementary piece of furniture are independent of those of the other elementary pieces of furniture and allow complete separate use exempt of the other elementary pieces, all the elongate members belonging to the supporting portion of each elementary piece being joined solidly to at least one crossmember, which transmits the weight supported by the elongate members only to the support means of the elementary pieces, all this adapted in such a way that all the elementary pieces of the piece of furniture can be connected and disconnected, to total separation and mutual independence, by mere movement in a horizontal plane. Said elongate members are orientated rectilinearly in the direction defined by the spaces and are disposed generally parallel, and the straight elongate members of each elementary piece of furniture are attached to a single central crossmember disposed transversally to the elongate members with said central crossmembers being generally juxtaposed when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture. Also, the elongate members of each elementary piece of furniture are attached to a single crossmember disposed transversally to the elongate members, or they are attached to two or more crossmembers, disposed transversally to the elongate members, with a crossmember of one elementary piece of furniture being preferably generally juxtaposed to a crossmember of another elementary piece of furniture when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture. Each elementary piece of furniture is provided with a backrest portion formed by one or more parallel horizontally extending boards, each of which defines with the possibly adjacent ones a space which is occupied by the corresponding boards of the backrest portion of other elementary pieces of furniture; and in that the horizontal boards of each of elementary piece of furniture are associated with at least one rod which is a bent extension of a corresponding transverse central crossmember. Similarly, each elementary piece of furniture can be provided with an elementary side arm, the respective side arms of the elementary pieces being horizontally offset in such a way that when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together one complex side arm resulting from the juxtaposing of the elementary side arms is obtained. Said support means comprise respective legs generally emerging from end areas of said central crossmember. Each of said legs rests on an elongate foot generally parallel to said elongate member. Said elongate feet are provided with support tips respectively situated at the end portions of the elongate feet. In case said elongate members are arcuated and disposed concentrically, said arcuate elongate members of each elementary piece of furniture are connected by at least one diagonal crossmember, said diagonal crossmembers being substantially juxtaposed when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture. In this case, the supporting portion of each elementary piece of furniture is substantially square, the support means comprise legs extending from vertices or areas adjacent the vertices of each supporting portion, and the elementary pieces comprise a front elementary piece of furniture and at least one first rear elementary piece of furniture, which, in turn, is a front piece relative to a possible second rear elementary piece of furniture, the elongate members of each elementary piece being attached to a front stringer and to a rear stringer. Said rear stringer of a front elementary piece of furniture is fully above the upper surface of the elongate members, and the front stringer of a rear elementary piece of furniture does not extend upwardly beyond the lower surface of the elongate members, in such a way that the elongate members of a rear elementary piece of furniture are adapted to slide between the elongate members of a front elementary piece of furniture to form the interfitted piece of furniture. The elongate members of one elementary piece can also be attached to a lower plate by way of vertical members extending from below each elongate member. Further advantages and features of the invention will be appreciated from the following description in which there are given preferred embodiments of the invention without any limiting nature, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an interfitted piece of furniture of the invention. Figures 2 and 3 are respective views of two elementary pieces of furniture forming the interfitted piece of furniture of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the interfitted piece of furniture of Figure 1. Figures 5 and 6 are respective perspective views of two elementary pieces of furniture forming the interfitted piece of furniture of Figure 4. Figure 7 is a schematic plan view from above of a further embodiment of a piece of interfitted furniture. Figure 8 is a schematic plan view from above of the elementary pieces of furniture forming the interfitted piece of furniture of Figure 7; in both figures the elongated arcuate members of each elementary piece of furniture have been shaded differently. Figure 9 is a perspective schematic view of the frame of the elementary pieces of furniture of Figure 8. Figure 10 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of two elementary pieces of furniture. Figure 11 is a side elevation view showing how the elementary pieces of furniture of Figure 10 are interfitted. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a particularly simple embodiment of an interfitted piece of furniture having the appearance of a stool 2. There is to be seen a supporting portion 4, which term is used herein to mean the part of the piece of furniture serving as to support the user of the piece of furniture, such as the seat portion of a piece of furniture for sitting (stool, chair, armchair, etc.) or the space on which the user of a bed, divan, table, etc., lies, lays or uses. The supporting portion 4 is associated with the floor by floor support means 6. The interfitted piece of furniture is shown in connection with axonometric axes x, y, z, which are iniciated in one vertex of the supporting portion 4. Figure 2 is a similar view of an elementary piece of furniture 2a, which is provided with a supporting portion 4a formed by a plurality of elongate members 8a, which in this case are straight, although it is contemplated that they may be orientated in straight line but have a vertically curved or wavy portion. Between each two elongate members 8a there is a space 10a, the width of which is substantially that of the elongate members, or slightly wider. The elementary piece of furniture 2a is provided with the corresponding support means 6a. Figure 3, in turn, shows a perspective view of a second elementary piece of furniture 2b, with the corresponding supporting portion 4b also formed by straight elongate members 8b, between which there are defined spaces 10b; the piece of furniture 2b also comprises support means 6b of the same length as the means 6a, so that both supporting portions 4a and 4b are at the same height above floor level. Both elementary pieces of furniture 2a, 2b are also shown in connection with axonometric axes x, y, z, which allows the offset between the elongate members 8a and 8b to be defined, so that these elongate members correspond respectively with the spaces 10b and 10a. When the elementary piece of furniture 2a is caused to slide horizontally relative to the piece 2b in the appropriate direction, the spaces 10a, 10b are occupied by the elongate members 8b and 8a, whereby the interfitted piece of furniture 2 is formed. In the example described each elementary piece of furniture is provided with a single central crossmember 12a, 12b disposed transversely to the respective elongate members 8a, 8b. Both central crossmembers are juxtaposed when the interfitted piece of furniture 2 is formed, forming the complex crossmember thereof which is not shown in the drawings. Nevertheless, it is contemplated that each elementary piece of furniture may have a single off-centre crossmember or two or more crossmembers. In the latter case, it is preferred that one crossmember of one elementary piece of furniture be juxtaposed with one crossmember of the other when the elementary pieces of furniture are combined to form the interfitted piece of furniture. In the example shown, the support means 6a, 6b are legs which emerge from end portions of the central crossmembers 12a, 12b and said support means are also juxtaposed when the pieces are combined to form the interfitted piece of furniture. The two centre crossmembers are slightly staggered to make the juxtaposing of the crossmembers compatible with the juxtaposing of the floor support means. In the embodiment described, the legs are vertical and rest on respective elongate feet 14a, 14b generally parallel to the respective elongate members 8a, 8b. From the above, it is easy to imagine a further solution in which each leg 6a, 6b is divided into two sloping legs whereby the pieces of furniture would be provided with four bearing points. It is to be noted that in the embodiment described, each of the elementary pieces of furniture has the same essential functionality, which is substantially the same as that of the interfitted piece of furniture. Therefore, when an interfitted piece of furniture (fully adequate for its intended use) is owned, there is the possibility of immediately obtaining a multiplication thereof (duplication in this case), whereby the corresponding elementary pieces of furniture which are also suitable for the same use as the interfitted piece of furniture itself is obtained. The interfitted piece of furniture obviously represents a great saving in space, without prejudice either to its use or to the decorative aspect thereof. Figures 4 to 6 show another embodiment of an interfitted piece of furniture 22, formed by the coupling together of two elementary pieces of furniture 22a and 22b. In all these drawings the same reference numbers have been used for like members to those shown in Figures 1 to 3. The pieces of furniture of Figures 4 to 6 are more complex. In them, each crossmember is provided with a bent extension defining a bar 16a, 16b, which bars are juxtaposed when coupled together to form the complex piece of furniture 22, forming the complex bar 16. If there is more than one crossmember, it is contemplated that each of them be associated with a bar such as described. To each bar there is attached a backrest portion 18a, 18b formed by one or more horizontal boards 20a, 20b which may define spaces 24a, 24b, which may be occupied by the horizontal boards of the other elementary piece of furniture. In this way, there is provided an interfitted piece of seat furniture, provided with a backrest and therefore more comfortable. Furthermore, possibly independently of the backrest portions, there is contemplated the provision of an elementary side arm 26a in the elementary piece of furniture 22a, which is horizontally staggered relative to the elementary side arm 26b of the elementary piece of furniture 22b, said staggered position being shown offset in phantom line in each case. Said elementary arms 26a, 26b are respectively attached to rods 28a, 28b which may be attached to corresponding elongate members 8a, 8b. It may be noted how the interfitted piece of furniture 22 may be divided into elementary pieces of furniture; to this end, the side on which the arm 26 is mounted is pulled in the direction of the elongate members. On the contrary, for coupling the interfitted piece of furniture 22 together from the elementary pieces of furniture, the piece 22a is situated to the left of the piece 22b and the elongate members 8a are inserted in the spaces 10b at the same time as the horizontal boards 20a penetrate in the spaces 24b. In this embodiment, the elongate feet 14 are provided with support tips 30a, 30b to facilitate their stability. In this case, it is also contemplated that each vertical leg 6 may be replaced by two sloping legs providing a total of four bearing points. In the above described cases, it is contemplated that the elongate members 8a, 8b be provided on the upper surface thereof with padding for greater comfort. Preferably, the padding is of considerable height and is elastically deformable; under these conditions, when one sits on an elementary piece of furniture, the padding deforms horizontally and thereby attenuates the sensation of discontinuity caused by the spaces 10a, 10b. This horizontal deformation is almost non-existent in the interfitted piece of furniture, since each padding bears against the padding of another elementary piece of furniture. A further embodiment is shown in Figures 7 to 9. The interfitted piece 32 of furniture is formed by the coupling together of the elementary pieces 32a and 32b of furniture. Each of the latter is provided with a supporting portion 34a, 34b formed by arcuate elongate members 38a, 38b, separated by spaces 40a, 40b, also obviously arcuate. The members 38a and the spaces 40a are offset relative to the corresponding members 38b and spaces 40b, although all are at the same height above floor level. A rotary movement of one elementary piece of furniture relative to the other, couples them together and forms the interfitted piece 32 of furniture. Preferably, the two elementary pieces 32a, 32b are pivoted to the same hinge 42 and each is provided with the single diagonal crossmember 44a, 44b, as well as other strips 46a, 46b forming a frame on which the elongate members rest. Support means are formed by legs 36a, 36b, together with a common leg 36. In the foregoing embodiments, the invention has been defined in terms of a piece of furniture for sitting on. Nevertheless, other embodiments having, for example, the form of a divan or bed, are contemplated by the invention. The perspective view of Figure 10 shows a front elementary piece 52a of furniture and rear elementary piece 52b of furniture defining supporting portions 54a, 54b of sufficient dimensions to form a bed. As in the previous cases, said supporting portions are formed respectively by elongate members 58a defining therebetween spaces 60a and by further elongate members 58b defining in turn other spaces 60b. All the elongate members are at the same height above floor level and the spaces of one of the elementary pieces of furniture may be substantially filled by the elongate members of the other elementary piece of furniture. Said elongate members 58a are attached to a front stringer 62a and to a rear stringer 64a; similarly, the elongate members 58b are attached to a front stringer 62b and to a rear stringer 64b. Nevertheless, it is to be noted that the rear stringer 64a of the front elementary piece 52a of furniture is fully above the upper surface 66 of the elongate members. In turn, the front stringer 62b of a rear elementary piece 52b of furniture is in no place higher than the lower surface 68 of said elongate members. It is thereby possible for the rear elementary piece 52b of furniture to be inserted in and interfitted with the piece 52a, without either the rear stringer 64a of the front piece 52a or the front stringer 62b of the rear piece 52b interfering with the elongate members 58a, 58b. Under these conditions, it is possible to form the interfitted piece 52 of furniture in which the elongate members 58a, 58b are alternately located and where both front stringers 62a, 62b are juxtaposed. Preferably, all the stringers are mounted on support means or legs 56, although the legs 57 of the rear stringer 64a of the front piece 52a define a longer span than the legs of the front stringer 62a, to allow for the passage of the latter. The invention also contemplates that the rear elementary piece 52b may be a front piece relative to a second rear elementary piece of furniture, not shown in the drawing. In this case, the features relating to the rear and front stringers should be repeated. In many of the above cases, the elongate members of one of the elementary pieces of furniture are attached to a lower plate. They are attached by means of vertical members extending from below each elongate member. All the embodiments described provide the important advantage of affording a piece of furniture which occupies the space of one single piece of furniture, which is in condition to be used, and which may be converted into two or more pieces of furniture of identical functionality. It is obvious that the interfitting furniture of the invention responds to a reality other than the simple piling of furniture, since the component parts of such piles may only be used when they have been removed individually from the pile. Furthermore, the interfitting furniture of the invention are quite compatible with the decoration of an environment without giving the idea of provisionality of a pile and without the unpleasant appearance of such piles. In the case of the so-called pull-out beds, that is, beds where one is stored below the other, it should be noted that each bed has a different height, whereas the interfitting piece of furniture of Figures 10 and 11 provides two or more beds or divans of the same height.

Claims: A piece of interfitted furniture (2,22,32,52), formed by coupling together at least two elementary pieces of furniture (2a,2b; 22a,22b; 32a,32b; 52a,52b), each of which comprises a supporting portion (4a,4b; 34a,34b; 54a,54b) and support means (6a,6b; 36a,36b; 56,57) for the supporting portion on the floor, in which the supporting portions of all the elementary pieces of furniture are at the same height above floor level, and each of said supporting portions is formed by a plurality of elongate members (8a,8b; 38a,38b; 58a,58b), each of which defines with the adjacent ones a space (10a, 10b; 24a,24b; 40a,40b; 60a,60b) which is substantially occupied by the corresponding elongate members of the supporting portion of other elementary pieces of furniture, characterized in that the supporting portion and the support means of each elementary piece of furniture are independent of those of the other elementary pieces of furniture and allow complete separate use exempt of the other elementary pieces, all the elongate members belonging to the supporting portion of each elementary piece being joined solidly to at least one crossmember (12a,12b; 44a,44b; 64a,64b), which transmits the weight supported by the elongate members only to the support means of the elementary pieces, all this adapted in such a way that all the elementary pieces of the piece of furniture can be connected and disconnected, to total separation and mutual independence, by mere movement in a horizontal plane. The piece of furniture (2,22) according to claim 1, in which said elongate members (8a,8b) are orientated rectilinearly in the direction defined by the spaces (10a,10b) and are disposed generally parallel, characterized in that the straight elongate members of each elementary piece of furniture (2a,2b; 22a,22b) are attached to a single central crossmember (12a,12b) disposed transversely to the elongate members with said central crossmembers being generally juxtaposed when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture (2,22). The piece of furniture (52) according to claim 1, characterized in that the elongate members (8a,8b) of each elementary piece of furniture (52a,52b) are attached to two or more crossmembers (62a,62b; 64a,64b), disposed transversely to the elongate members (58a,58b), with a crossmember of one elementary piece of furniture being preferably generally juxtaposed to a crossmember of another elementary piece of furniture when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture (52). The piece of furniture (2,22) according to claims 2 or 3, characterized in that each elementary piece of furniture (2a,2b; 22a,22b) is provided with a backrest portion (18a,18b) formed by one or more parallel horizontally extending boards (20a,20b), each of which defines with the possibly adjacent ones a space (24a,24b) which is occupied by the corresponding boards of the backrest portion of other elementary pieces of furniture; and in that the horizontal boards of each of elementary piece of furniture are associated with at least one rod (16a,16b) which is a bent extension of a corresponding transverse central crossmember (12a,12b). The piece of furniture (22) according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each elementary piece of furniture (22a,22b) is provided with an elementary side arm (26a,26b), the respective side arms of the elementary pieces being horizontally offset in such a way that when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together one complex side arm resulting from the juxtaposing of the elementary side arms is obtained. The piece of furniture (2,22) according to claim 2, characterized in that said support means comprise respective legs (6a,6b) generally emerging from end areas of said central crossmember (12a,12b). The piece of furniture (2,22) according to claim 6, characterized in that each of said legs (6a,6b) rests on an elongate foot (14a,14b) generally parallel to said elongate member (8a,8b). The piece of furniture (22) according to claim 7, characterized in that said elongate feet (14a,14b) are provided with support tips (30a,30b) respectively situated at the end portions of the elongate feet. The piece of furniture (32) according to claim 1, in which said elongate members (38a,38b) are arcuated and disposed concentrically, characterized in that said arcuate elongate members of each elementary piece of furniture (32a,32b) are connected by at least one diagonal crossmember (44a,44b), said diagonal crossmembers being substantially juxtaposed when the elementary pieces of furniture are coupled together to form the interfitted piece of furniture. The piece of furniture (32) according to claim 9, characterized in that the supporting portion (34a,34b) of each elementary piece of furniture (32a,32b) is substantially square. The piece of furniture (32) according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the support means comprise legs (36a,36b) extending from vertices or areas adjacent the vertices of each supporting portion (34a,34b). The piece of furniture (52) according to claim 3, characterized in that said elementary pieces (52a,52b) comprise a front elementary piece of furniture (52a) and at least one first rear elementary piece of furniture (52b), which, in turn, is a front piece relative to a possible second rear elementary piece of furniture, the elongate members (58a,58b) of each elementary piece being attached to a front stringer (62a,62b) and to a rear stringer (64a,64b); in that said rear stringer of a front elementary piece of furniture is fully above the upper surface (66) of the elongate members, and in that the front stringer of a rear elementary piece of furniture does not extend upwardly beyond the lower surface (68) of the elongate members, in such a way that the elongate members of a rear elementary piece of furniture are adapted to slide between the elongate members of a front elementary piece of furniture to form the interfitted piece of furniture. The piece of furniture (2,22,32,52) according to any of the foregoing claims, characterized in that the elongate members of one elementary piece are attached to a lower plate by way of vertical members extending from below each elongate member.

Inventors: MESTRE BOIX LUIS, MESTRE BOIX, LUIS
Applicants: MESTRE BOIX LUIS, MESTRE BOIX, LUIS
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A47B3
IPC codes: A47B3, A47C17