Shape adaptable and renewable furniture system

• US 5,775,778 A
• Filed: 02/29/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NEW2 Rinkle LLC
• Original Assignee: Prescient Partners, L.P.
• Inventors: Riley, Paula, Stevens, Kenneth V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US08/608,694
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 297/28.5, 297/219.1, 297/225, 297/226, 297/228, 297/440.1, 297/440.11, 297/440.2, 297/440.14, 297/452.11, 297/452.12, 297/452.38
• US Class Current: 297/440.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 13/005 Modular seating chairs connectible into a row A47C1/124
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/02 Dismountable chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/028 Upholstered chairs, e.g. metal, plastic or wooden chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/425 Supplementary back-rests to be positioned on a back-rest or the like

Abstract

Shape-adaptable furniture has a core element to which interchangeable portions are easily added or removed to alter the appearance and function of the furniture to suit a user'"'"'s tastes. Different seat back coverings, having varied padding and styling are added to the L-shaped core element using fasteners to hold the seat back in place. Two embodiments for armrests are provided. One embodiment uses fastening devices similar to those used for the seat back covering to hold arm rest covers with varied padding and styling which match the back covering style. In a second embodiment, the arm rests are easily interchangeable units separable from the core element. Accessories for use with the furniture are also provided.

Claims

1. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

an L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a single non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

a back shaping module detachably connected to said core element and extending over said back portion, said back shaping module having a front lower edge extending to said intersection;

first shaping module holding means at said intersection for holding the front lower edge of said back shaping module to the intersection of said core element;

at least one arm module detachable connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element, said arm module comprising a full arm module which extends from a lower end of the seat portion to an upper arm rest level; and

a groove connected to one of the core element and full arm module, and a rib connected to the other of the core element and full arm module for engagement into the groove for securing the relative positions between the core element and full arm module.

2. A furniture system according to claim 1, including a plurality of feet connected to a lower surface of the seat portion, at least some of the feet being near the opposite ends of the core element, the full arm module including feet engaging-means for supporting the full arm module at the feet.

3. A furniture system according to claim 2 wherein the feet engaging means comprises a foot plate connected to the full arm module for each foot of the core element at one of the opposite ends of the core element.

4. A furniture system according to claim 1 including a plurality of detachable anchors connected between the full arm module and the core element for detachably connecting the arm module to the core element.

5. A furniture system according to claim 1, including an arm shaping module detachably connected over said full arm module.

6. A furniture system according to claim 5, wherein the arm shaping module includes an inner lower edge and the arm module includes means for detachably holding the inner shaping module edge.

7. A furniture system according to claim 6 wherein the back shaping and the arm shaping modules both include outer lower edges, the system including means on the core element and on the arm module for holding the outer lower edges of the back and arm shaping modules respectively.

8. A furniture system according to claim 1, including means on the core element for detachably holding a rear, lower edge of the back shaping module.

9. A furniture system according to claim 1, wherein the arm module includes a front surface, the system including at least one arm front fastener on the front surface of the arm module for detachably connecting accessories to the arm module.

10. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a single non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

a back shaping module detachably connected to said core element and extending over said back portion, said back shaping module having a front lower edge extending to said intersection;

first shaping module holding means at said intersection for holding the front lower edge of said back shaping module to the intersection of said core element;

at least one arm module detachable connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element; and

the first shaping module holding means comprising means defining a notch in the intersection for receiving a fitting, and a fitting at the front lower edge of the back shaping module, detachably received in the notch.

11. A furniture system according to claim 10, wherein the means defining the notch comprises an elongated C-shaped member fixed to the core element at the intersection and extending along the intersection.

12. A furniture system according to claim 10, wherein said arm module comprises a full arm module having a finished outward shape for an arm of the furniture system extending from a lower end of said seat portion to an arm rest level.

13. A furniture system according to claim 10 including a lower arm portion connected to and forming a single non-detachable structure with said seat portion at one of said opposite ends of the core element, said arm module comprising an upper arm module detachably connected to an upper end of said lower arm portion.

14. A furniture system according to claim 13, wherein said upper arm module and said lower arm portion include front and rear surfaces, and a plurality of arm fasteners connected to at least one of the front and rear surfaces for detachably connecting accessories.

15. A furniture system according to claim 13, including second shaping module holding means in said lower arm portion near an intersection between the lower arm portion and the seat portion, the system including an arm shaping module having an inner lower edge, the arm shaping module covering the upper arm module and lower arm portion and the inner lower edge of the arm shaping module being detachably connected to the second shaping module holding means.

16. A furniture system according to claim 15 wherein each of the first and second holding means comprise means defining a notch and a fitting connected to the lower edge of each of the back and arm shaping modules for detachably engaging into the respective notch of the first and second shaping module holding means.

17. A furniture system according to claim 16 wherein each of the first and second shaping module holding means comprises a C-shaped member extending along one of the intersections and defining a channel, the system including a baton shaped to engage in at least one of the channels for use in holding a slipcover to the furniture system.

18. A furniture system according to claim 13 including an arm shaping module detachably connected over the upper arm module and lower arm portion, the arm shaping module having an inner lower edge detachably connected to the intersection between the lower arm portion and the seat portion.

19. A furniture system according to claim 13 wherein the upper arm module has a selected final outward shape for an arm rest level of the furniture system.

20. A furniture system according to claim 19 including a side module detachably connected to a side of the back portion, above the arm module.

21. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

an L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a single non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

a back shaping module detachably connected to said core element and extending over said back portion, said back shaping module having a front lower edge extending to said intersection;

first shaping module holding means at said intersection for holding the front lower edge of said back shaping module to the intersection of said core element;

at least one arm module detachable connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element; and

the shaping module holding means comprises a C-shaped channel member defining an elongated channel along the intersection, the system including a baton engageable into the channel for holding a slipcover to the furniture system.

22. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

an L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

at least one arm module detachably connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element;

a plurality of feet connected to a lower surface of the core element adjacent both of the opposite ends of the core element;

the arm module comprising a full arm module extending from a lower end of the seat portion to an upper arm rest level, anchor means detachably connected between the full arm module and the opposite end of the core element for detachably fixing the arm module to the core element, and foot engaging means at a lower end of the full arm module for interacting with the feet at the one opposite end of the core element for supporting the full arm module on the feet; and

the anchor means comprising a plurality of anchors detachably connected between the arm module and the core element, and a rib with groove engaged by the rib, connected between the arm module and core element for fixing a relative position between the arm module and core element.

23. A furniture system according to claim 22 including an arm shaping module detachably connected over the full arm module, the arm shaping module having a front lower edge and means at an intersection between the arm module and the seat portion of the core element for detachably holding the front lower edge of the arm shaping module.

24. A furniture system according to claim 22, including a back shaping module detachably connected to the core element over the back portion, and means in the intersection between the seat and back portions for holding a front lower edge of the back shaping module.

25. A furniture system according to claim 22 including an arm top table assembly comprising an arm top table member and a plurality of brackets extending downwardly from the arm top table member and embracing the upper arm module.

26. A furniture system according to claim 22 including an arm member formed at least partly of the arm module, the is arm member having a front surface, at least one arm front fastener at the front surface and at least one accessory detachably connected to the fastener.

27. A furniture system according to claim 26 wherein the accessory comprises a side table engaged to the arm member and a support connected between the side table and the fastener.

28. A furniture system according to claim 26 wherein the accessory comprises a cup holder.

29. A furniture system according to claim 26 wherein the accessory comprises a cane holder.

30. A furniture system according to claim 26 including an arm member at both ends of the core element, both arm members having a front surface and a front arm fastener at the front surfaces, the accessory comprising a bolster connected across the seat portion and detachably connected to each of the fasteners of each of the arm members.

31. A furniture system according to claim 26 wherein the accessory comprises a tablet and means pivotally connecting the tablet to the fastener.

32. A furniture system according to claim 31 wherein the means for pivotally connecting the tablet to the fastener comprise a slide detachably connected at a selected and variable vertical position to the front surface of the arm member, a guide fixed to the slide and a post connected to the tablet and mounted for engagement in the guide in a plurality of rotationally fixed positions.

33. A furniture system according to claim 32 including a channel member detachably connected to the fastener and extending along the front surface of the arm member, the slide being slidably mounted to the channel member.

34. A furniture system according to claim 33 wherein the channel member includes a toothed rail, at least one spring loaded detente movably connected to the slide and movable between a position engaged with teeth of the toothed rail for fixing a relative vertical position between the slide and the channel member, and a second position spaced away from the toothed rail for free vertical movement of the slide.

35. A furniture system according to claim 33 wherein the guide includes an opening for receiving the post, the opening having at least one recess, the post having at least one projection for engagement in the recess for fixing a rotational position between the tablet and the arm member.

36. A furniture system according to claim 33 including a table extension pivotally mounted to the tablet for pivoting between a closed position lying on an upper surface of the tablet and an open position extending adjacent to tablet.

37. A furniture system according to claim 22 including an arm member having a rear surface and formed at least partly by said arm module, a plurality of fasteners connected to said rear surface, a canopy for extending over at least a portion of the core element and a support connected between the canopy and the fasteners.

38. A furniture system according to claim 37 including an extension having a variable length connected between the canopy and the support for adjusting an angle of the canopy.

39. A furniture system according to claim 37 wherein the fasteners comprise openings into the arm member, the support having a plurality of posts detachably engaged into each of the fastener openings.

40. A furniture system according to claim 22 including a form-fitted slipcover over the core element with attached arm modules, shaped to closely fit the core element and attached arm modules.

41. A furniture system according to claim 40 wherein the slipcover includes pockets at each of the intersections for receiving a baton to anchor the slipcover to the core element with arm modules.

42. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

an L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

at least one arm module detachably connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element;

a plurality of feet connected to a lower surface of the core element adjacent both of the opposite ends of the core element;

a back shaping module detachably connected to the core element over the back portion, and means in the intersection between the seat and back portions for holding a front lower edge of the back shaping module; and

a groove in an upper surface of the back portion and a rib on an inner surface of the back shaping module and engageable into the groove for fixing a relative position between the back shaping cover module and the back portion.

43. A furniture system according to claim 42 including a side module detachably connected to a side of the back portion, above the arm module.

44. A furniture system according to claim 42 including a form fitted slipcover and a skirt detachably connected around a lower end of the core element with attached arm module, and over the slipcover, for obstructing a view of the feet.

45. A furniture system according to claim 42 wherein the feet are connected to a lower surface of the lower arm portion for supporting the core element by support of the lower arm portion.

46. A furniture system according to claim 45 wherein each of the feet includes at least a side extension with an upper open recess for receiving a support.

47. A furniture system according to claim 45 wherein each of the feet includes a recess for detachably receiving a support.

48. A furniture system according to claim 47 including a side table assembly, the lower arm portion including a frame element, the table assembly including at least one bracket for engaging the frame element and a support connected between the assembly and the recess in the foot.

49. A shape changeable furniture system comprising:

an L-shaped core element having a horizontally extending seat portion and a vertically extending back portion connected to and forming a non-detachable structure with said seat portion, said seat and back portions being non-detachably connected to each other at an elongated intersection, said core element having opposite ends;

at least one arm module detachably connected to one of said opposite ends of said core element;

a plurality of feet connected to a lower surface of the core element adjacent both of the opposite ends of the core element;

a back shaping module detachably connected to the core element over the back portion, and means in the intersection between the seat and back portions for holding a front lower edge of the back shaping module; and

the means in the intersection including an elongated member defining a notch for receiving a fitting at the front lower edge of the back shaping module, and a nose adjacent the notch around which the front lower edge of the back shaping module is engaged.

50. A furniture system according to claim 49 wherein the elongated member comprises a channel member defining a channel along the intersection adjacent the notch.

51. A furniture system according to claim 50 wherein the channel member is C-shaped in cross-section.