SLATS FOR SEATS AND BENCHES

SLATS FOR SEATS AND BENCHES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to improvements to slats for seats or benches. In particular, the invention concerns slats for seats or benches normally used in public places.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to seats for parks and bus stops. It should be appreciated that this description is by way of example only and that the slats of the invention may be also used for other types of seats.

Seats or benches for parks and bus stops are generally of two basic configurations. The first configuration consists of two supports arranged on a support surface or the ground. The supports have slats extending between them forming a backrest and a seat portion upon which a user may sit. The second basic configuration is similar to the first except that no back rest is present.

The seat portion of the two basic seat configurations consist of a plurality of longitudinal slats arranged spanning between the supports and with slight spaces between the slats. The slats typically extend parallel to each other. The slats are often made of wood or from hollow metal sections or metal extrusions. The slats may have a flat or profiled upper periphery upon which the user may sit.

When the slats are made of metal extrusions, aluminium is usually employed as a preferred metal for their construction. Aluminium is relatively soft and the slats are prone to damage.

In recent years skateboard and BMX bicycle riding have become particularly popular. Skateboard and BMX bicycle riders have a propensity to perform riding tricks which involve manoeuvres which require the skateboard or bicycle to contact and/or move along the slats of the seat or the backrest. This contact leads to damage to the slats. A skateboard consists of a board or deck upon which the rider stands and pairs of axles with wheels arranged at spaced locations on the underside of the deck. These axles and wheel assemblies are called "trucks".

Skateboard manoeuvres which, in the vernacular of skateboard riders, called "grinds", "board slides", "tail slides" and "nose slides" are popular. A "grind" involves causing one or both axles to contact and slide along an elongate member or object. When a "grind" is performed along a slat of a seat portion or backrest of a seat or bench, contact between the axle and the slat causes damage to the slat.

A "board slide" involves causing the underside of the board to contact and slide along an elongate member or object. Likewise a "nose" or "tail" slide requires that the nose or tail of the deck of a skateboard contact and move along an elongate member or object. When these tricks are performed along a slat of a seat portion or backrest, damage is invariably caused to the slats.

Some BMX bicycles have metal stunt pegs which form extensions to the axles about which the wheels are journalled to the frame of the bicycle. Manoeuvres which, in the vernacular of BMX bicycle riders called "stalls", "pops" and "ollies" are popular. These tricks involve launching the bicycle and rider so that the stunt pegs come to rest on an elevated object or member. Where these tricks are performed relative to a bench or seat, the pegs come into contact and rest upon an edge of a slat of the seat portion and cause damage to the slats of the seat.

Damage to the slats of seats of this type is clearly undesirable and gives rise to maintenance issues and costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide slats for seats and benches which minimise the disadvantage mentioned above. BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect the invention provides a slat for a seat or bench, the slat having an elongate upper surface provided with a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinally extending wear resistant members secured to the slat and extending outwardly of the upper surface whereby a member brought into contact with adjacent wear resistant members and extending transversely of the slat is prohibited from contacting the upper surface of the slat by the wear resistant members.

The slat may be made as a solid or hollow slat of any suitable material. Preferably, the slat is made from metal. The wear resistant members are made from a material having a hardness greater than the hardness of the material from which the slats are made. It is preferred that the slat be made of aluminium although other materials are not excluded. Where the slat is made from aluminium it is preferred that the slat be a hollow aluminium extrusion. At least two wear resistant members extend along the slat. Preferably three such members are present on the slat.

The upper surface of the slat may be substantially flat or may be generally curved.

The wear resistant members typically are of a length corresponding to the length of the slat. If desired each wear resistant members may consist of a plurality of discreet members either arranged end to end or arranged at spaced intervals along the slat with spaces between them. The wear resistant members are preferably made from stainless steel. The members may have any suitable transverse cross sectional shape. It is preferred that the members be substantially circular in transverse cross sectional shape.

In an attempt at discouraging skateboard riders from using benches and seats as a platform for performing tricks, the invention also provides for seat dividers to be located along a leading slat or along outermost slats of a seat portion or back rest. The dividers may be positioned at spaced locations along a slat. The dividers extend part way around a slat and on an edge of the slat and present protuberences which ensure that edges of slats no longer provide a continuously straight edge along which "slide" manoeuvres may be performed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a slat according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end view of the slat of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a seat or bench which may incorporate slats of the type of figures 1, 2 and 4;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a slat which does not have wear resistant members according to the invention;

Figure 4A is a perspective view of a slat according to another embodiment;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bench or seat incorporating slats of the type shown in figures 4 and 4A;

Figure 6 is an end view of a portion of the slat of figure 4; and,

Figure 7 is an end view of the slat of figure 1 useful in understanding how it prohibits flat objects from contacting the upper surface of the slat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a curved slat 10 and figures 4 and 4 A show a flat slat 11. Both slats 10 and 11 are made from extruded aluminium and a hollow.

Slat 10 has an upper surface 12 terminating in curved or profiled edges 13 and 14 and an underside 15. The upper surface 12 is provided with ribs 16 which extend along the length of the upper surface 12 of the slat. A plurality of longitudinally extending channels 17 extend along the surface 12. Wear resistant members 18 are located within the channels and project beyond the upper surface 12. Before the members 18 are positioned within the channels a suitable bonding agent may be applied to either the member 18 or the channel 17 and the member 18 is then inserted into the channel 17. Excess bonding agent may then be wiped away. The bonding agent may, for example, be silicone.

The slat 11 of figure 4 may also have channels like channels 17 formed in it for receiving members like members 18. Such a configuration is shown in figure 4 A.

Figure 3 shows a bench or seat 20 having spaced supports 21 between which a plurality of slats 11 and 10 are arranged to extend. The supports have a seat portion and a back portion to which the slats are mounted to provide a seat portion and a backrest. Not all of the slats used in the seat 20 need have wear resistant members 18. For example only slat 10 of the seat portion and slat 10 of the back rest may have wear resistant members.

As shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, a slat 10 has seat dividers 25 secured to it at spaced intervals along its length. These dividers 25 discourage "slides" and may be attached to slats 22 and 23 by any suitable means. For example, the dividers 25 may be riveted in place and a bonding agent such as silicone may be applied between the divider and the slat. As shown in figures 1 and 2, the divider 25 extends around an edge of a slat and has a profile which matches the grooves 16 extending along the upper surface 12 and those parts of the members 18 which project beyond the upper surface 12. The dividers 25 have reduced thickness ends 26 and 27 (see figure 2).

The slat 11 of figure 4 has an upper surface 12 with grooves 16 and curved edges 13 and 14. The slat 11 of figure 4 does not have channels 17 with members 18 as shown in figure 1 and has a flat profile rather than the curved configuration of the slat of figures 1 and 2. The slat 11 of figure 4 has seat dividers 25A (only one is shown) arranged along its length. The underside of the divider 25A matches the profile presented by the grooves 16.

The slat 11 of figure 4 has rounded edges 48 and 49.

Figure 4A shows a slat 11 like the slat of figure 4 except that channels 17 are present and wear resistant members 18 are located in the channels. If desired seat dividers similar to dividers 25 A may extend around edge 49 of the slat. The underside of these dividers may have a profile which not only matches grooves 16 but also mates with those parts of members 18 which extend above the upper surface 12 of the slat.

Figure 5 shows a seat or bench 40 having two slats 11 secured to spaced supports 41, 42. As shown in figures 4, 5 and 6, seat dividers 25A are secured to edges of the slats 11 and at spaced intervals along the slats. These dividers prohibit "slides" from being performed along edges of the slats. Although not shown in this figure the slats 11 may also be provided with wear resistant members like members 18 shown in earlier figures. This is shown in figure 4 A.

As shown in figure 6 the slat 11 has dividers 25A mounted to edges thereof. The slats 11 have grooves 16 and the dividers 25 A have formations 45 on an under surface which match the grooves 16. The divider 25 A has reduced thickness ends 46, 47.

Figure 7 shows a slat 10 and a flat object 50 (representative of the underside of a skateboard deck or a stunt peg of a BMX bicycle for example) is shown contacting and bridging between two adjacent members 18. Flat object 50 does not touch the upper surface 12 of the slat.

The presence of the wear resistant members 18 and the way that they project from the surface 12 ensures that flat objects 50 such as parts of skateboards contact members 18 and not the surface 12. The seat dividers discussed above ensure that a free edge of an outermost slat of a seat portion or of a backrest of a seat no longer present a straight edge along which a "slide" might otherwise be performed. The provision of the wear resistant members and seat dividers offer the slats of a seat or bench some protection against damage.