Abstract:
A bench is provided for use by at least two persons of similar or differing heights. The bench includes a seat, a back, pivotal members and a support. The pivotal members are held in a substantially vertical position adjacent to the back by a release mechanism. Unlocking the release mechanism results in the pivotal member pivoting to a substantially horizontal position adjacent to the seat. The pivotal member may be locked in this position by a locking mechanism. In addition, in one embodiment of the invention, the back may be horizontally displaced towards the front of the seat, when the pivotal member is in the substantially horizontal position. Thus, the bench may accommodate two persons simultaneously, such as an adult and a child.

Description:
This invention generally relates to benches and more specifically relates to benches capable of accommodating at least two persons of similar or differing heights at a single workstation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known that chairs for use with a workstation or desk, commonly known as office chairs or computer chairs, are typically built to accommodate a single person working at the desk or working on a computer at the desk. Such chairs often have wheels to make them mobile so that a person may sit as close to the desk as desired. The common office chair further typically comprises arm rests. In addition, the common computer chair is usually height adjustable, so that different persons may use the chair at a comfortable height. 
     Currently available office chairs are typically built to the specifications for accommodating an adult. Since these chairs are commonly used in a home office setting, often times a child wishes to use the chair to access a computer on a desk or at a workstation. Thus, a child wishing to use the chair for access to a computer typically has to sit on pillows or other means for increasing the height of the seat portion of the chair, even when the chair is adjusted to its greatest height. This proves to be an inefficient and often dangerous method for allowing a child to use a computer at an adult-sized desk, since pillows or commonly used telephone books are unstable, especially when the chair also includes wheels. 
     Moreover, often times in a home setting, more than one person may wish to use a single workstation in order to view a computer on a desk, since it is common for a household to only have a single computer. In addition, a classroom may have a limited number of computers for smaller children. This results in two or more children working together at a single computer or a child working with an adult such as a teacher. Thus, two or more persons often having substantially different heights may need to sit in close proximity to view a single computer screen at a single workstation. The currently available office chairs do not accommodate more than one person at a single time. Thus, if more than one person wishes to view a single computer, a second chair is necessary. 
     A second chair is undesirable because it occupies an excessive amount of space. Moreover, utilizing two chairs at a single workstation does not allow for optimum viewing of the computer screen simultaneously by both persons due to the awkwardness or bulk associated with two separate chairs. Moreover, even if a common type of bench is used to accommodate two persons, a child will still need to be situated on pillows or other items to be positioned at the proper height which is dangerous due to its instability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a bench is provided that is capable of accommodating at least two persons of similar or differing heights. The bench includes a seat, a back, pivotal members corresponding to each seating position, and a support for supporting the bench. The pivotal members pivot between a horizontal position and vertical position. A pair of attachment mechanisms may be provided at each seating position for maintaining the corresponding pivotal member in a vertical position. Uncoupling the pair allows the corresponding pivotal member to pivot to a horizontal position. The invention further contemplates the use of adjustable foot rests. The bench may further include flip members which may be adjusted to comfortably support the back of a child or shorter person. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention a bench is provided that is capable of accommodating at least two persons. The bench includes a seat with two seating positions and at least two backs. The backs are horizontally adjustable. Pivotal members are adjacent to the backs and pivot to a horizontal position adjacent to the seat. Pairs of attachment mechanisms are provided for locking the pivotal members to the back and allowing the pivotal members to pivot when the pair is uncoupled. The seat has a support. 
     The bench according to the present invention may accommodate more than one person at a time. Moreover, the invention allows for persons of differing heights to be seated simultaneously on the bench at the appropriate height in order to reach a desk or a computer on a desk. Thus, it is not necessary to use two chairs to accomplish this goal. Moreover, the bench easily and neatly accommodates a shorter person or a child without the need for additional support in the form of pillows or a phone book to place the person at the proper height for viewing a desktop computer. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bench according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the bench taken along line  2 — 2  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the bench taken along line  3 — 3  in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bench according to one embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bench taken along line  5 — 5  in FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the bench taken along line  6 — 6  in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a bench  10  capable of accommodating at least two persons of similar or differing heights working at a single workstation such as a desk having a computer terminal thereon is shown. The bench  10  comprises a seat  12  extending substantially horizontally. The seat  12  is supported by support members  14 . In a preferred embodiment, the support members  14  comprise a plurality of legs attached to and extending from an underside  16  of the seat  12 . The support members  14  may further include wheels  32  at an end remote from the seat  12  to facilitate movement of the bench  10  to different locations. Of course, the present invention also contemplates the use of other types of support members. For example, only two legs extending along opposite sides of the seat  12  may be utilized, or the legs may extend from other points on the underside of the seat. 
     The bench  10  further comprises a back  18  attached to the seat  12 . The back  18  extends substantially vertically from the seat  12 . The back  18  is substantially the same length as the seat  12 . First and second pivotal members  20 ,  22  are also attached to the seat  12 . The first pivotal member  20  corresponds to a first seating position  24  and the second pivotal member  22  corresponds to a second seating position  26  of the bench  10 . Thus, the bench  10  can accommodate two persons at a time, one person at each seating position. Of course, the present invention contemplates a bench that may be used by more than two people. Thus, a bench to accommodate three persons would have three seating positions with three corresponding pivotal members attached to the back member and so on. 
     The pivotal members  20 ,  22  are attached to the seat  12  at junction  23  via a shared piece of material. The material is thin at the junction  23  to allow the pivotal members  20 ,  22  to pivot between a substantially horizontal position adjacent to a top side  13  of the seat  12  and a substantially vertical position adjacent to a front side or first side  17  of the back  18 . A first attachment mechanism  28  is located on each of the pivotal members  20 ,  22  and a second attachment mechanism  30  is located on the first side  17  of the back  18  at each seating position. When one of the pivotal members  20 ,  22  is in the substantially vertical position the first and second attachment mechanisms  28 ,  30  are coupled. Therefore, the pivotal member maintains the vertical position. Since FIG. 1 illustrates pivotal member  20  in the vertical position, the first and second attachment mechanisms  28 ,  30  at seating position  24  are coupled. The attachment mechanisms may be, for example, a Velcro system or a hook and latch system. When the first and second attachment mechanisms are uncoupled, as at second seating position  26 , the pivotal member  26  pivots to the substantially horizontal position adjacent to the top side  13  of the seat. As shown in the figures, the first seating position  24  has the pivotal member  20  in the substantially vertical position and the second seating position ahs the pivotal member  22  in the substantially horizontal position. 
     The bench further includes arm rests  34  located at either end of the seat  12 . An additional arm rest (not shown) may be located between each seating position. The arm rests may possess work areas (not shown) attached thereto to provide space for a keyboard, mouse or the like. 
     The bench  10  further comprises first and second flip members  38 ,  40  attached to a top of the back  18 . The first flip member  38  is substantially vertical and positioned adjacent to a back side or second side  21  of the back  18 , opposite the pivotal member  20 . The second flip member  40  is substantially vertical and positioned adjacent to the front side  17  of the back  18 . Thus, the flip members  38 ,  40  may be rotated about the top of the back  18  to change between a position adjacent to a first side  17  of the back  18  and a position adjacent to a second side  21  of the back  18 . 
     The bench  10  further includes foot rests  36  corresponding to each seating position. The foot rests  36  are slidably mounted to the underside of the seat  16 . 
     In operation, the bench  10  can be modified to accommodate two children; two adults or one child and one adult. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the bench  10  has been modified to accommodate an adult at the first seating position  24  and a child at a second seating position  26 . The first pivotal member  20  is in the substantially vertical position adjacent to the first side  17  of the back  18 . The first and second attachment mechanisms  28 ,  30  are coupled to secure the pivotal member  20  in the vertical position. The first flip member  38  rests adjacent to the second side  21  of the back  18 . At the second seating position  26 , the first and second attachment mechanisms  28 ,  30  have been uncoupled to allow the second pivotal member  22  to pivot about the junction  23  to the substantially horizontal position adjacent to the top side  13  of the seat  12 . The second flip member  40  is then rotated about the top of the back  18  to be positioned adjacent to the first side  17  of the back  18 . The corresponding foot rest  36  may then be slid out. Thus, the height of the seating area of the second seating position has been increased to afford a child or shorter person the ability to be comfortably seated at an adult-sized desk next to an adult in the first seating position. Moreover, the second flip member  40  provides the child with adequate back support and foot rest  36  provides an area for the child to place his or her feet. Therefore, a child or shorter person may be seated simultaneously next to an adult at an appropriate height so that the child may easily view a computer screen, without the need for a second chair and pillows to increase the height of the second chair. 
     FIGS. 4-6 show another embodiment of the invention. The bench  110  comprises a seat  112  having support members  114  extending from the underside  116 . The bench  110  further includes first and second substantially vertical backs  118 ,  119  connected to the seat at first and second seating position  124 ,  126 , respectively. The backs define a first side  117  and a second side  121  and are attached to the seat  112  via first and second connecting members  142 ,  143  and extendible rods  144 ,  145 . The connecting members  142 ,  143  extend substantially vertically from the seat  112  and support the extendible rods  144 ,  145 . The extendible rods attach the connecting members  142 ,  143  to the second sides  121  of the backs  118 ,  119 . The extendible rods  144 ,  145  allow the backs to be displaced along the horizontal axis. 
     First and second pivotal members  120 ,  122  correspond to the first and second seating positions  124 ,  126 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 4, the pivotal members  120 ,  122  define a bore  146  extending substantially horizontally through a lower end of the pivotal members  120 ,  122 . Rods  148  are positioned in the bores  146 . The rods  148  have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the bores  146 . 
     The bench  110  further has arm rests  134  located at opposite ends of the seat and interior arm rests  135  located in between first and second seating positions  124 ,  126 . The arm rests  134 ,  135  define a recess on its interior side or a hole therethrough, coaxially situated with the bores  146  of the pivotal members  120 ,  122 . The rods  148  rest in the recess or hole of the arm rests  134 ,  135 . Thus, rods  148  allow the pivotal members to pivot between a substantially horizontal position adjacent to a top side  113  of the seat  112  and a substantially vertical position adjacent to the first side  117  of the backs. 
     A first attachment mechanism  128  is located on each of the pivotal members  120 ,  122  and a second attachment mechanism  130  is located on the first side  117  of each of the backs  118 ,  119 . In addition, foot rests  136  are slidably mounted to the underside  116  of the seat  112 . As illustrated, the bench  110  is positioned to accommodate an adult in the first seating position  124  and a child in the second seating position  126 . At the first seating position  124 , the first and second attachment mechanism  128 ,  130  are coupled, therefore pivotal member  120  is in a substantially vertical position. At the second seating position  126  the first and second attachment mechanisms have been uncoupled, allowing the second pivotal member  122  to pivot about the rod  148  to the substantially horizontal position adjacent to the top side  113  of the seat  112 . The extendable rod  143  is then expanded to move the second back  119  forward along the horizontal axis over the horizontal pivotal member  122 . The foot rest  136  is also slid forward to provide an area for the child to place his or her feet. Thus, the second seating position  126  is arranged to have a seating area with an increased height to accommodate a child comfortably. Moreover, the back  119  provides the child with adequate back support since it is forwardly displaced. 
     Of course, the present invention contemplates a bench having more than two seating positions. The invention further contemplates a bench wherein all, some or none of the seating positions be arranged to accommodate a child. Thus, the bench of the invention may accommodate only children, only adults, or any combination of children and adults to fill each seating position. 
     Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.