Chairs and seats – Collapsible chair; i.e. – relatively folding bottom – back,... – With folding armrest
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-12
2003-10-21
Nelson, Jr., Milton (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Collapsible chair; i.e., relatively folding bottom, back,...
With folding armrest
C297S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634705
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible chair, and more particularly to an armrest arrangement for a collapsible chair, wherein the armrest arrangement not only provides a substantial arm support for a user but also enhances the rigid structure for the collapsible chair.
2. Description of Related Arts
Generally speaking, there are two types of chair, which are the foldable chair and the collapsible chair, adapted to be folded up for use and unfolded for storage. A foldable chair comprises a chair frame and a seat frame pivotally connected to the chair frame. The distinctive feature of the foldable chair is that it can provide a substantial seat support for the user such that the user is able to sit on the foldable chair comfortably. However, the foldable chair cannot be folded up into a compact unit so that the foldable chair requires a relatively larger storage space.
A conventional collapsible chair comprises a collapsible chair frame constructed by metal tubes and a seat fabric. The collapsible chair frame comprises a plurality of construction tubes to construct a back frame and a sear frame for supporting the fabric seat. The seat frame comprises a front pair, a back pair and two side pairs of construction tubes, wherein each pair of the construction tubes are pivotally connected together where they cross so that the chair frame can be easily unfolded to provide a cross-support for use and be folded up for storage.
Because such a conventional collapsible chair can be quickly and easily unfolded for use and folded into a compact for carriage, a user can carry the collapsible chair to everywhere such as campground or beach. However, the cross-support of the seat frame cannot substantially support the weight of the user.
Accordingly, the collapsible chair further comprises a plurality of frame joints pivotally connecting the ends of the construction tubes to form the seat frame wherein the frame joints are capable of not only distributing the weight of the user through the seat frame but also retaining the collapsible chair frame in an unfolded position. Therefore, when the user sits on the seat frame, all the stresses will be created around the frame joints. As s result, the frame joints will be distorted or even permanently misshapen over a period of continued use. Furthermore, since the bottom frame joints have a flat bottom surface, the collapsible chair can only be set up on a flat ground surface. In other words, when the collapsible chair is set up on the non-flat group surface, the collapsible chair is in an unstable manner.
In addition, when the user sits on the collapsible chair, the downward pulling force is applied on the seat fabric such that the seat fabric will be stretched to the center thereof. Therefore, most of the users of the conventional collapsible chair have an intention to plunge into the chair frame downwardly.
Moreover, due to the originally structural design of the collapsible chair frame, the conventional collapsible chair cannot incorporate with an armrest support. In order to provide the armrest support, the collapsible chair frame must be altered to fit the structure of the armrest support. In addition, when the armrest support is incorporated with the collapsible chair frame, the structure of the seat frame will be weakened. Thus, the armrest support may affect the folding operation of the collapsible chair, so that the collapsible chair cannot be folded up into a compact unit anymore.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, wherein an armrest arrangement of the foldable chair not only provides a substantial arm support for a user but also evenly distribute and support the downward pulling force and stress applied by the user's weight.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, which not only substantially enhances the supporting area of the chair seat to more evenly distribute the weight of the user but also provides a cushion effect of the chair seat without using any foaming material so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the foldable chair.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, wherein the lower portion of the user's thigh can be well supported without increasing the front frame and the rear frame, i.e. the folding size of the chair frame. In other words, the chair frame of the present invention is more comfortable and capable of supporting more weight in comparison with the conventional chair frame having the same frame structure and size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, wherein the chair frame provides four ground supporting posts such that the foldable chair is capable of stably setting up on a non-flat ground surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, wherein the chair frame provides an angled-side enhancement structure instead of using the cubic structure of the conventional collapsible chair frame so as to enhance the rigid structure of the foldable chair.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable chair, which is adapted for being folded into a compact unit for easily storage and carriage. Moreover, the foldable chair has a simple construction that every individual is able to fold and unfold the foldable chair in one single motion.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a foldable chair comprising a chair frame and a chair seat supported by the chair frame, wherein the chair frame has a seat portion and a ground portion, and comprises:
a front frame comprising a first front frame leg and a second front frame leg pivotally connected with each other to form a “X” structure;
a rear frame comprising a first rear frame leg and a second rear frame leg pivotally connected with each other to form a “X” structure;
two side frames, each comprising a seat side support, a front side frame leg upwardly and rearwardly extending to pivotally connect with the seat side support, and a rear side frame leg upwardly and frontwardly extending to pivotally to connect with the seat side support, wherein the first and second front frame legs of the front frame are pivotally connected between a front side the side frames and the first and second rear frame legs of the rear frame are pivotally connected between a rear side of the side frames to define the seat portion of the chair frame, wherein a bottom portion of each of the front and rear side frame legs defines the ground portion of the chair frame and forms as a ground supporting post for supporting the chair frame; and
means for retaining the chair frame at an unfolded position, wherein at the unfolded position, the front side frame leg is pivotally moved to the rear side frame leg of each of the side frames at a predetermined folding angle while the front and rear frames are pivotally folding to lengthen a distance between the side frames, and at a folded position, the front side frame leg is pivotally moved toward the rear side frame leg of each of the side frames to minimize the folding angle thereof while the front and rear frames are pivotally folding to minimize the distance between the two side frames.
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patent: 4014591 (1977-03-01), Gittings
patent: 4685725 (1987-08-01), Helfrich
patent: 6082813 (2000-07-01), Chen
patent: 6179374 (2001-01-01), Tang
patent: 6454348 (2002-09-01), Wu
Chan Raymond Y.
David and Raymond Patent Group
Jr. Milton Nelson
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