Protected furniture

Abstract

 The present invention concerns a piece of furniture, or a part thereof, comprising a supporting surface and at least one leg, the surface and the at least one leg being surrounded at least partially by a load-bearing covering structure made with a rigid material, said structure comprising at least the following components: a sheet that covers at least partially the upper surface of said supporting surface (P), and at least one supporting element that surrounds said at least one leg at least for the whole of the length of the leg. Said sheet and said supporting element are integrally connected to one another and are made of transparent or translucent material.

Description

[0001] The present invention concerns a piece of furniture, or a part thereof, enclosed in a protective shell in order to continue using it while protecting the integrity thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a piece of furniture, or a part thereof, enclosed in a protective shell that allows it to be used for the same purpose and simultaneously allows it to remain visible.

[0002] Hereinafter, in the continuation of the present description, the terms "piece of furniture" and "furniture" are used interchangeably and, for brevity, are to be intended as also referring only to a part of the piece of furniture, as well as to the piece of furniture in its entirety, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0003] The invention can refer to furniture from any period, but mainly regards the furnishing sector concerning antique furniture, or furniture from the past in general; these are often prestigious pieces of furniture, usually in relation to the crafting and/or to the materials used.

[0004] It is well-known that over the course of time and of continuous use, furniture is subject to wear and/or damage. Therefore, progressive use thereof could irreparably compromise its integrity or functionality, or both.

[0005] After deterioration or damage has occurred, this can be irreparable or, otherwise, the furniture can be restored. In both cases, the furniture undergoes a modification in relation to its initial condition, mostly changing its appearance and, at times, losing its original value.

[0006] In any case, even following renovation, this period furniture is generally more fragile and delicate, compared to modern furniture.

[0007] The invention proposed herein is aimed at resolving or limiting all the aforesaid problems caused by wear and/or (further) damage of the piece of furniture, so as to prevent it from being ruined.

[0008] According to the present invention, a piece of furniture in its entirety, or a part thereof, to be protected is enclosed between components, generally load-bearing and rigid, connected to one another to form a structure, in turn load-bearing and rigid, around the furniture to be protected. This structure is conceived specifically to withstand the mechanical and static stresses normally produced during the use of furniture. Therefore, the furniture to be protected is relieved of these stresses, which cause, at least partly, wear or damage thereto. Said structure reproduces, at least approximately, the shape of the furniture to be protected, possibly with its specific use, so that the furniture can once again be used for the same purpose.

[0009] Not secondarily, said structure does not conceal the furniture to be protected, but is conceived so that the furniture enclosed is still visible.

[0010] Therefore, due to this solution, contrasting requirements are fulfilled, i.e., on the one hand the furniture continues to be used in conformity with its original function and its shapes and any embellishments can continue to be appreciated, while on the other hand, the furniture is protected from wear and/or from damage caused by the use thereof.

[0011] An advantage of this invention is that it is also able to protect the furniture from attack by physical agents, such as humidity, and/or harmful microorganisms, such as woodworm, etc.

[0012] Moreover, the conceived structure is, preferably, made of a relatively light material and, if necessary, provided with suitable means for handling. Therefore, according to type, the piece of furniture protected can be easily lifted and moved, allowing it to be easily placed wherever required.

[0013] Therefore, the present invention relates to a piece of furniture, or a part thereof, comprising a supporting surface and at least one leg, the surface and the at least one leg being surrounded at least partially by a load-bearing covering structure made of a rigid material, said structure comprising at least the following components:

• a sheet that covers at least partially the upper surface of said supporting surface, and
• a supporting element that surrounds said at least one leg, at least for the entire length of the leg.

[0014] Said covering structure has a load-bearing function.

[0015] More in detail, said sheet and said supporting element are integrally connected to one another, are preferably integral and are made of transparent or translucent material.

[0016] For example, said sheet and said supporting element can be connected directly, or a rigid element can be interposed between them. Said rigid element is a further component of said load-bearing structure and may or may not have features or transparency or translucency.

[0017] In this way, mechanical loads or stresses applied to the sheet, which acts as supporting surface of the piece of furniture covered, are transmitted directly to the supporting element without weighing and/or creating stress on the piece of furniture.

[0018] Said load-bearing structure is preferably formed by at least two rigid components connected to one another.

[0019] The surface of the furniture can be in contact with or be spaced from one or more of said components. Preferably, the components are spaced from it. The distance of each component from said surface varies, typically, from a few millimeters, for example 3 mm, to several centimeters, for example 15 cm, typically from 0.2 cm to 15 cm and preferably from 1 to 10 cm.

[0020] Said component preferably has a constant thickness for the whole of its length. Said thickness typically varies from 3 mm to 20 mm.

[0021] Said component has a profile that can be curved or, usually, planar.

[0022] This component typically has the shape of a parallelogram, preferably regular, or has a curved shape, for example a circle or an oval, or a shape mixed between said shapes.

[0023] The profile and the shape of said component are also selected based on the line of the furniture to be protected.

[0024] Said component is preferably a panel or a sheet.

[0025] Two or more components are integrally connected to one another, for example by gluing or welding, or with fastening means, such as nails or the like, or in one piece.

[0026] However, it would also be possible for at least one component to be removable, i.e., easily detached from the structure without causing damage thereto. In this case, the fastening means of this removable component can be screws, interlocking profiles or equivalent means.

[0027] With particular reference to said components, the invention is advantageously completed with the following features, taken alone or in any combination thereof that is technically possible:

• their perimeter can be of the same or different shape;
• their surface is generally smooth;
• they can be of the same or different thickness.

[0028] Typically, this piece of furniture is partially, mainly or completely made of a natural material, preferably selected from wood, woven material and textiles, or has embellishments, such as a painted or inlaid surface.

[0029] The woven material is, for example, bamboo, rattan or wicker.

[0030] It is preferable for handling means to be provided on said structure to facilitate movement of the present invention. The handling means can be fixed to the structure, for example in the case of a handle or knob or the like, or produced in the structure, for example in the case of a groove or recess.

[0031] Further features and advantages of the invention can be better understood from the description below, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of furniture (table) according to an embodiment of the present invention;
• Fig. 2 is lateral sectional view of the table of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a piece of furniture (chair) according to the present invention.

[0032] With reference to the accompanying figures, the number 1 indicates the piece of furniture surrounded by said load-bearing structure 2.

[0033] In the figures, the structure 2 is composed of sheets, which can be flat or curved.

[0034] Generally, there is an upper sheet L1, which covers at least partially the upper surface of said supporting surface P.

[0035] According to a particular embodiment, the covering structure comprises a further sheet L2, which covers at least partially the lower surface of said supporting surface P.

[0036] According to embodiments, the sheet L2 can be connected to the sheet L1 or to the supporting element.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the sheets L1 and L2 are connected to each other by sheets L3, which are positioned crosswise, for example perpendicularly to the sheets L1 and L2.

[0038] In this variant, the sheets L3 are one example of said rigid element.

[0039] Other examples are pins, sheets, profiles or the like, preferably made of metal, plastic or wood.

[0040] Said rigid element has the task of transmitting the stresses applied to the upper sheet L1 to the lower sheet L2. In turn, the lower sheet L2 transmits the stresses to the supporting element ES.

[0041] The sheets L3 also perform the task of increasing insulation of the part of the piece of furniture between the sheets L1 and L2, particularly if the sheets L3 are sealed over the sheets L1 and L2. This insulation provides the piece of furniture with protection against various agents, such as dust, humidity, air, mold, etc.

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said structure has the appearance of a solid polyform, i.e., as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 3, said structures enclose the furniture to be protected by completely or at least partially following the outline thereof. Therefore, according to the particular case, each component of said load-bearing covering structure can reproduce at least partially the outline of the piece of furniture it surrounds.

[0043] In particular, in an embodiment, if the piece of furniture has two or more legs G, each leg is surrounded by a proper supporting element, as can be seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0044] According to an embodiment of the present invention, said structure has the appearance of a regular solid, such as a polyhedron, i.e., as can be seen in Fig. 3, said structure encloses the furniture to be protected without necessarily following the outline thereof.

[0045] According to this embodiment, if the piece of furniture has two or more legs G, the same supporting element can surround two or more legs, as can be seen in Fig. 3.

[0046] Preferably, said supporting element is provided with a base F on which said at least one leg rests.

[0047] Typically, said supporting element has a tubular shape, or the shape of a parallelepiped with planar faces. The tubular shape can have a polygonal, curved or mixed section.

[0048] It is understood that said components can have variable dimensions according to the type of furniture to be protected.

[0049] Typically, said component has a thickness between 3 and 20 mm.

[0050] Said components are formed of transparent or translucent material. Said material can be colored or, preferably, uncolored.

[0051] Typically, the structure is made of a plastic material, such as polycarbonate, polymethylacrylate, polyethylene or the like or, alternatively, of glass. The structure can be made of a uniform material or a combination of the aforesaid materials.

[0052] These materials are well known to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in detail below.

[0053] Moreover, those skilled in the art can make modifications or variants, all to be considered as included in the scope of protection granted by the content of the appended claims

Claims

1. A piece of furniture (1), or a part thereof, comprising a supporting surface (P) and at least one leg (G), the surface and the at least one leg being surrounded at least partially by a load-bearing covering structure (2) made of a rigid material, said structure (2) comprising at least the following components:

- a sheet (L1) that covers at least partially the upper surface of said supporting surface (P), and

- at least one supporting element (ES) that surrounds said at least one leg (G) at least for the whole length of the leg (G);

said sheet (L1) and said supporting element (ES) being connected to each other and being made of transparent or translucent material.

2. The piece of furniture according to claim 1, wherein two or more legs (G) are surrounded by a same supporting element (ES).

3. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sheet (L1) and the supporting element (ES) are connected by a rigid element.

4. The piece of furniture according to claim 3, wherein the rigid element is a lateral sheet (L3).

5. The piece of furniture according to claim 3, wherein the rigid element is selected from a pin, a plate or a profile.

6. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the load-bearing structure (2) further comprises a sheet (L2) that covers at least partially the lower surface of said supporting surface (P).

7. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one component is in contact with the surface of the furniture or spaced from the surface of the furniture by 2 mm to 15 cm.

8. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting element (ES) is provided with a base (F) on which said at least one leg (G) rests.

9. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said supporting element (ES) has a tubular shape with a polygonal, curved or mixed section.

10. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said component of said structure reproduces at least partially the outline of the piece of furniture it surrounds.

11. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more components are integrally connected to one another.

12. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one component is removable.

13. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said structure reproduces at least partially the outline of the piece of furniture it surrounds.

14. The piece of furniture according to any one of the preceding claims wherein this piece is selected between a chair and a table.

Drawing