GB2394891A

GB2394891A - Portable legless seat

Info

Publication number: GB2394891A
Application number: GB0223679A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ronald Stuart Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-10-11
Filing date: 2002-10-11
Publication date: 2004-05-12
Also published as: GB0223679D0

Abstract

A portable seat comprises a ground engaging legless seat portion 3 and a backrest 6, wherein ground engaging seat portion projects from the rear of the backrest to form a stabiliser 2 which prevents the seat from tipping over under the occupants weight. In one embodiment a plurality of seats can be stacked upon one another.

Description

239489 1

PORTABLE SEAT

The present invention relates to a portable seat for use directly upon the ground or other horizontal surfaces.

Portable seats for use directly upon the ground or other horizontal surfaces, such as a bench in a sports arena, are known. One particular example consists of two sets of wooden slats which are joined together by canvas strips so that one set of slats can open to form a back rest. The two sets of 0 slats are joined together by a canvas connecting piece which is so shaped as to limit the angle between the seat and back rest portions when the seat is in an operative state. However, canvas is susceptible to stretching and rotting, which could lead to tearing and collapse of the backrest of the seat when it is subjected to the weight of a user of the seat.

Also known are backrests for use on a beach. These backrests consist of aboard which is supported by a strut. However, these have the disadvantage that when a person leans against them they tend to move away from the person.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved portable seat.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable seat comprising a ground-engaging seat portion and a backrest wherein the 2s ground-engaging seat portion extends to the rear of the backrest sufficiently to prevent movement of the seat portion when a user of the seat leans against the backrest.

Preferably, the backrest is adapted to fold forwardly.

l Alternatively the seat can be made as a single entity with integral webs between the seat portion and the backrest.

s The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which, Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of a second embodiment of the invention.

lo Referring to Figure 1, a portable seat embodying the invention comprises a seat portion 1 consisting of a rectangular tubular frame 2 to which there is fastened a seat 3, which may be made of canvas, plywood or a plastic material pivotally attached to the frame 2 is a second frame to which is attached a sheet of material 5 which again may be made of canvas plywood 5 or a plastic material, so as to form a back rest 6.

The back rest 6 is held in position by hinged members 7, which preferably are arranged to lock the back rest 6 in position by an over centre action. The pivot points 8 for the frame 4 are so positioned that the frame 2 projects beyond the back rest 6 when it is in its operative position by an amount to which is sufficient to prevent any tendency of the seat to tip backwards when someone sits on the seat 3 and leans against the backrest 6. As the backrest 6 is supported by tension forces in the members 7, the rearward extension of the frame 2 beyond the pivot points 8 of the frame 4 does not need to be large, some 10 centimetres should be sufficient. The forward :5 projection of the seat 3 also is not critical, some 40 or 50 ems being suitable.

Thus it can be seen that when folded, the seat is compact and easy to carry.

If so desired, the frame 2 or the frame 4 could be provided with a series of attachment points for the side members 7, so enabling the rake of the backrest 6 to be adjusted to suit a user of the portable seat.

Figure 2 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the invention which is in the form of a single plastics moulding 21 of a rigid plastics material such as high density polyvinyl chloride or that known by the acronym ABS.

Alternatively the seat may be made from a fibre- reinforced plastics s material. The side-members 7 are replaced by integral webs 22.

Preferably, the width of the portion of the moulding 21 which forms a backrest is less than the portion 24 which forms a seat, so enabling a number of the portable seats to be stacked on top of one another.

Furthermore a slot can be included in the upper region of the back rest 23 to lo provide a carrying handle.

Claims

1. A portable seat comprising a ground-engaging seat portion and a back rest wherein the ground-engaging seat portion extends to the rear of the back rest sufficiently to prevent movement of the seat portion when a user of the seat leans upon the back rest.

2. A portable seat according to Claim 1 wherein the back rest is adapted to fold

forwardly.

3. A portable seat according to Claim 3 wherein the back rest is retained in its operative position by tension members.

4. A portable seat according to Claim 3 wherein there is provided a plurality of attachment possitions for the tension members so as to enable the rake of the back rest to be adusted.

5. A portable seat according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the tension members include a locking mechanism to retain the back rest in its operative position.

6. A portable seat according to Claim 1 wherein the seat comprises a moulding of a plastics material.

7. A portable seat according to Claim 6 wherein the width of the back rest portion of the moulding is less than that of the seat portion whereby a plurality of the seats can be stacked upon one another.

8. A portable seat substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.