SOCIAL DISTANCING SUNBED

Abstract

 The present invention relates to a social distancing sunbed (1) comprising a reclining body (2a, 2b) provided with a first portion (2a) and a second portion (2b) joined together by hinge means (3), characterized in that the sunbed (1) also comprises a base (4) having a diameter of at least 1,5 m and which is detachably joined to the reclining body (2a,2b), the reclining body (2a, 2b) being also preferably provided with wheels (8) and the perimeter of base being preferably provided with grooves (7) arranged to releasably lock the wheels (8) of the reclining body (2a, 2b).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of furniture making, more particularly to the manufacture of sunbeds and especially -but not exclusively-to sunbeds intended to be used in leisure and tourism installations, which are open to the public.

[0002] The main advantages provided by sunbeds according to the present invention is that they ensure social distancing for all the customers which use them, as well as privacy, which is particularly welcome in public environments such as beach-clubs, hotels and swimming pools.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The appearance of Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic in 2020 has dramatically changed everyday life of people worldwide.

[0004] In fact, most countries are still trying to restrain the virus propagation until herd immunity is finally achieved by massive vaccination.

[0005] One of the most popular prevention measures that is currently adopted to prevent the spread of Covid-19 is the so call "social distancing", which consists in avoiding direct contact with other people and maintaining a physical distance with them which is considerably greater than usual (in the range of approximately 1,5 - 2 m), in order to minimize exposure and reduce an eventual transmission of the infection.

[0006] Social distancing is also useful against the propagation of other diseases, which can be transmitted -for example- by infected saliva droplets.

[0007] Consequently, the vast majority of business which are open to the public, have been forced -in order to maintain their commercial activity- to develop measures intended to guarantee the required social distancing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention is precisely aimed to satisfy the abovementioned needs by providing a sunbed that ensures social distancing for the customer which uses it.

[0009] More particularly, the object of the present invention is a social distancing sunbed comprising a reclining body provided with two portions joined together by hinge means, characterized in that the sunbed also comprises a base having a diameter of at least 1,5 m and which is detachably joined to the reclining body.

[0010] It is important to point out that a conventional sunbed cannot ensure social distancing since the width thereof usually is less than a meter, so it is up to the client to arrange the sunbed in such a way that it complies with the required social distancing.

[0011] Conversely, in sunbeds according to the present invention, the large diameter of the base forces the person which is using the sunbed to keep a distance of at least 1,5 m with other people, thereby guaranteeing the required social distancing.

[0012] In addition, the fact that the base can be freely detached from the reclining body makes both parts of the sunbed independent from each other, thereby facilitating storage and stacking.

[0013] Obviously, the diameter of the base can be modified in order to meet a specific social distancing (i.e., a particular minimum distance which has to be maintained between individuals). In fact, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the base has a diameter of at least 2 m.

[0014] In the sunbed according to the present invention, the base preferably has a circular shape and more preferably a circular crown shape.

[0015] The base is optionally provided with reinforcing elements. In addition, the base is preferably provided with grooves. Said grooves are preferably disposed radially and can help to evacuate sand particles in those cases which the sunbed is disposed in a sandy environment, for example, a beach.

[0016] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reclining body is provided with wheels configured to be releasably locked in the grooves provided in the base (described in the paragraph above).

[0017] In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the reclining body is provided with legs, and the wheels are attached to said legs. Preferably, each wheel is releasably attached to one leg by means of a threaded joint. To that end, a female thread can be disposed in each leg, while each wheel is provided with a male threaded portion, arranged to be screwed to said female thread.

[0018] In an even more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wheels of the reclining body are made of an elastomeric material, for example rubber, and have a diameter which is at least 2% bigger than the section of the grooves provided in the base.

[0019] This embodiment of the present invention is advantageous, since the wheels - when disposed transversally to the grooves- can only be partially introduced inside the grooves (given that their diameter is bigger than the section of said grooves). Consequently, the wheels are locked in the grooves (since they are partially introduced inside them), but they can be released from the grooves if the user imparts an appropriate rotation movement to the sunbed.

[0020] Therefore, this particular embodiment has the advantage that customers will be able to rotate the sunbed, for example for a better harnessing of the sunlight, by performing a simple movement with their feet, without standing up, bending themselves or moving a heavy sunbed. The wheels, which are stuck in the grooves provided along the perimeter of the base, allows a safe locking of the reclining body to the base.

[0021] In other particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wheels of the reclining body are made of an elastomeric material, for example rubber, and have a thickness which is at least 1 mm bigger than the section of the grooves provided in the base. This embodiment is similar to the previous one, described above but -in this case- wheels are stuck in the grooves also when they are disposed longitudinally with regard to the grooves. This embodiment also enjoys of the advantage that customers can rotate the sunbed by imparting an appropriate rotation movement to it. In this embodiment of the invention, the diameter of the wheels is, more preferably, similar to the extension of the grooves along the radial direction of the base (i.e. the diameter of the wheels is between 85% and 115% of the total extension of the grooves along a radial direction).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0022] To complete the present description and with the aim of a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, this description is provided with a series of drawings constituting an integral part of the same, which show, for purely illustrative purposes and by no means limitation, the following:

Fig. 1. is a plan view of a first embodiment of a social distancing sunbed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the social distancing sunbed shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base that forms part the social distancing sunbed shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a cross section view which schematically shows how a wheel of the reclining body is locked in one of the grooves provided on the base.

NUMERICAL REFERENCES OF THE FIGURES

[0023] A list of the different elements that form part of the present invention and are represented in the figures, as well as the corresponding numerical references that have been designated to them, is provided below:

1.

Sun bed;

2a.

First portion of the reclining body;

2b

Second portion of the reclining body;

3.

Hinge means;

4.

Base;

5.

Reinforcing elements;

6.

Armrests;

7.

Grooves;

8.

Wheels.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Throughout the present invention, as well as in the figures, the elements with equal or similar functions will be designated with the same numerical references.

[0025] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a first embodiment of a social distancing sunbed (1) according to the present invention.

[0026] As it can be clearly seen from those figures, the sunbed (1) comprises two main elements: a reclining body (2a, 2b) and a base (4), to which the reclining body is releasably locked.

[0027] The reclining body is provided with a first portion (2a) and a second portion(2b) joined together by hinge means (3). In this particular embodiment of the invention the reclining body, is also provided with armrests (6) intended to improve the comfort of the person using the sunbed (1).

[0028] In this particular embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 3, the base (4) has a circular crown shape having an external diameter of 2 m. In addition, a plurality of grooves (7) are provided In the perimeter of the base (4) and two reinforcing elements (5) extend radially along the base (4).

[0029] Finally, Fig. 4 schematically shows how reclining body is releasably locked to the base. To that end, each wheel (8) of the reclining body is partially inserted in a corresponding groove (7) provided on the base (4). This is possible since the diameter of the wheels (8) is bigger than the section of said grooves (7).

[0030] In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4, the base (4) has a circular crown shape, whose width (i.e., extension along the radial direction) is approximately 9 cm. In turn, grooves (7) radially extend along the whole width of the base (4) and have a section (i.e., extension along the tangential direction) of 0,5 cm. The distance between neighboring grooves (7) is approximately between 4 and 5 cm. Finally, the wheel (8) shown therein has diameter of approximately 9 cm and a thickness which is 1mm bigger than the section of the groove (7).

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the reclining body is also provided with legs (not visible in the figures) and one wheel is attached to each of those legs, for example by means of a threaded joint.

[0032] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments herein disclosed. For a person skilled in the art, other possible different embodiments will be evident in light of the present description. As a result, the scope of protection of the present invention is exclusively defined by the following set of claims.

Claims

1. Social distancing sunbed (1) comprising a reclining body (2a, 2b) provided with a first portion (2a) and a second portion(2b) joined together by hinge means (3), characterized in that the sunbed (1) also comprises a base (4) having a diameter of at least 1,5 m and which is detachably joined to the reclining body (2a, 2b).

2. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to claim 1, wherein the base (4) has a diameter of at least 2 m.

3. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the base (4) has a circular shape.

4. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the base (4) is provided with reinforcing elements (5).

5. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the base (4) is radially provided with grooves (7).

6. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to claim 5, wherein the reclining body (2a, 2b) is provided with wheels (8) configured to be releasably locked in grooves (7) of the base (4).

7. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to claim 6, wherein the wheels (8) of the reclining body (2a, 2b) are made of an elastomeric material and have a diameter which is at least 2% bigger than the section of the grooves (7) provided in the base (4).

8. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to claim 6, wherein the wheels (8) of the reclining body (2a, 2b) are made of an elastomeric material and have a thickness which is at least 1 mm bigger than the section of the grooves (7) provided in the base (4).

9. Social distancing sunbed (1) according to claim 8, wherein the diameter of the wheels (8) is between 85% and 115% of the total extension of the grooves (4) along a radial direction of the base (4).

Drawing