[0001] The present invention relates to a modular settee, particularly suitable for office
furniture or, generally, work environments.
[0002] As more and more often functional and economic needs impose, many offices or work
environments tend to be placed in industrial or civil buildings, having wide spaces
common to several workers. Due to their different plan in respect of conventional
offices having structurally separate spaces, it is possible to furnishing these spaces
only by pieces of furniture purposely designed. Among the features required for furnishing
the above mentioned work environments there would be also the opportunity of reconfiguration
in the layout of the present pieces of furniture, for example when following up a
new project there are formed different work groups in respect of the preceding project
groups and, therefore, it is necessary to reassign spaces and resources within the
office or work environment. From this point of view and with reference only to the
furnishing, each piece of furniture, such as desks, cabinets, bookcases, chairs and
the like has to be easily movable and reconfigurable both inside themselves and in
respect of the remaining pieces of furniture.
[0003] Main object of the present invention is therefore to provide a piece of said furniture,
that is a settee, able to be formed and arranged so as to fit the space and needs
of one or more work groups.
[0004] A detailed description of a modular settee according to a preferred embodiment of
the present invention will be now provided, taken with reference to the annexed drawings,
wherein:
fig. 1 is a perspective view of the main structure, or frame, of the modular settee
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure in fig. 1 also comprising a cushion,
figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the structure in fig. 1 comprising other cushions,
fig. 5 is a perspective view of the modular settee according to the embodiment in
fig. 1 fully assembled, and
fig. 6 is a perspective view of the hooking elements needed for arranging each cushion
or like element on the structure in fig. 1.
[0005] With reference now to fig. 1, a frame 10 is constituted by a generally rectangular
plane 1 having a plurality of holes 2 formed, within the particular embodiment disclosed,
parallel to the two sides of said plane 1. A pair of supports 3 is then placed at
two opposite sides of the plane 1 such that it keeps raised in respect of the floor
at a height sufficient for providing a comfortable seat. In fig. 2 the frame 10 of
fig. 1, on which a cushion 4 provided at the bottom, as best illustrated hereinafter,
with hooking elements for said holes 2 formed on the plane 1 of the frame 10, is shown.
Figs. 3 to 5 illustrate the same frame 10 of the preceding figures, on which other
cushions 4 or backs 5 (see fig. 5) have been mounted, according to a desired arrangement
and, therefore, variable depending on the user needs. Fig. 6, finally, shows a portion
of the bottom face of said cushions 4 or back 5 provided with hooking elements 6,
in the particular embodiment, constituted basically by step shaped sheet-steel wherein
one of the two parallel faces 6a and 6b, laying on different planes, are joined by
a face 6c perpendicular thereto: therefore one of the two parallel faces - for example
the face 6a - is fastened, according to any known system, to the bottom side of said
cushions 4 or back 5 whilst the other face 6b, parallel to the preceding face, abuts
against bottom portion of said plane 1 next to the hole 2 in which it is inserted.
From the just provided description it is clear that different embodiments using the
same principle and which can be different from one another - for example - on the
basis of the size and shape of the frame 10 and/or the arrangement of said holes 2
formed on said frame, may arise; it is also clear that the choice of the arrangement
of the hooking elements 6 would be made so as to fit the arrangement of the holes
2 and the size of the plane 1. Moreover, elements shaped in a different way in respect
of the previously disclosed elements, that is the cushions 4 and/or the backs 5, could
be parts of the modular settee according to the present invention.
[0006] Even though it has been previously envisioned the fact that the modular settee is
particularly suitable for furnishing offices or work environments, it excellently
proves to be also used in waiting rooms of clinics, hospitals, public offices, train
stations, airports and boarding rooms of airports and ports, in general in all the
cases in which the arrangement and the space occupied by setteees, as well as the
number of the relevant seats, for example in a case in which a boarding room of an
airport must serve to board alternatively passengers on an airplane having 100-180
seats rather than one having 300-500 seats, must be readily transformed.
[0007] The same idea of modularity can be applied to the seats for other application such
as relax and rest areas in internal or external environments, gyms, comfort areas,
playgrounds and so on.
1. A modular settee comprising:
(i) a frame (10) provided with a plane (1) and supports (3) for said plane (1),
(ii) a plurality of holes (2) formed on said plane (1), and
(iii) a set of supporting elements or seats (4, 5), provided at the bottom with at
least one hooking element (6) able to be inserted in one of said holes (2), to be
arranged on said plane (2).
2. The modular settee according to claim 1, wherein said hooking element (6) through
any one of said plurality of holes (2) abuts against the bottom portion of said plane
(1) immediately next to said hole (2).
3. The modular settee according to claim 1, wherein said hooking element (6) is constituted
by a member shaped so as to have two faces (6a, 6b) parallel to each other and laying
on different planes and a intermediate face (6c) perpendicular in respect of them.