Chairs and seats – With holder or receptacle for disparate article
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-09
2001-02-13
Nelson, Jr., Milton (Department: 3624)
Chairs and seats
With holder or receptacle for disparate article
C297S188110, C248S465000, C248S464000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186593
ABSTRACT:
This invention is in the field of art supplies and more specifically deals with a combined chair and easel for mobile use by an artist.
BACKGROUND
Standard equipment for painters, illustrators and other artists are an easel to hold their canvas or work media and a chair. While this equipment is very simply constructed and used in a studio or an easily accessible remote location, nature artists or others who need to carry such equipment to remote locations have the problem of lugging such equipment into their work environment. In many cases such equipment is not terribly comfortable to use.
This invention deals with the problem of portability of painting equipment for artists who work in the outdoors or away from their studio, as well as providing a comfortable combined set of equipment for use indoors as well. The present invention is borne of the need to simplify and increase the comfort of painting both indoors and outdoors.
Particularly in the case of artists working outdoors in remote locations it would be preferable to provide a lightweight combined chair and easel set which could be easily transported to the location, and might also contain the various art supplies needed so that a single unit could be transported.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a self-contained chair and easel combination for use by an artist or the like which can be easily transported between locations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a transportable chair and easel set which is collapsible.
The present invention, an easel, accomplishes these objects comprising a media frame with a top and bottom end; a stand having a top and ground-engaging end, the top end of said stand being pivotally attached to the bottom end of the media frame; and an adjustable chair attached to the stand, said chair including a seat; wherein the easel has an erect position which is achieved by pivoting the stand away from the media frame into a standing position and optionally pivoting the chair into a sitting position, and a transport position wherein the easel can be folded down into a compact unit for transport or storage.
Means of attaching various art media to the media frame might also be included. For example, media attachment means such as clamps adjustable along an axis extending between the top and bottom ends of the media frame, or a media rest attached near the bottom end of the media frame upon which rigid art media could be rested, could be used. It will be understood that other types of media attachment means could also be used without departing from the scope and intent of the present invention, and are thus contemplated here within.
The easel might further improved by adding a supply box. Such a supply box could contain art supplies or other materials required during use of the easel. The supply box might be mounted anywhere on the unit, such that the folding motion of the stand and the media frame are not impeded. One particular place where it is contemplated that the supply box might be mounted would be under the seat of the chair. Positioning the supply box between the seat and the media frame would provide for a convenient location.
In one embodiment, the media frame would comprise two media frame members joined together in a spaced apart parallel relationship by a plurality of media frame cross braces.
Where the ground-engaging end of the stand has a plurality of ground-engaging points, the ground-engaging end of the stand could be rendered adjustable to conform to various terrain. Such ground-engaging points might each consist of an individually extensible and adjustable foot.
In one embodiment of the invention, the stand could comprise two stand frame members joined together in a spaced apart parallel relationship by a plurality of stand cross braces, the stand frame members thus being pivotally joined to corresponding points on the media frame and the free ends of the stand frame members at one end of the stand are the ground-engaging points.
The chair of the present invention, and particularly where the stand consists of the frame arrangement outlined above, might comprise two chair members joined in parallel by the seat. Said chair members then pivotally join to corresponding points on the two stand frame members.
The seat of the chair could be cushioned to make it more comfortable in use. Such cushion might be removable for cleaning purposes.
The chair might be strengthened by adding one or more chair supports which would hold the chair in its sitting position in relation to the stand while the chair is in use in the erect position of the easel. The chair supports might be pivotally attached to the chair or the chair members at corresponding points and extend downwards from the chair towards the stand, the chair supports and the stand being adapted to provide for a number of locking positions for the chair supports in relation to the stand.
In one embodiment of the supply box, it might actually be slidably mounted between the two chair members such that it slides under the seat for storage and slides out from under the seat for access.
To add further stability and to hold up the easel when it is being used, a leg might be added and pivotally attached to the easel such that it will pivot in the opposite direction of the stand in relation to the media frame and the free end of the leg would then be a ground-engaging end. The ground-engaging end of such a leg might be also rendered adjustable to conform to various terrain.
The leg might comprise two leg members, each pivotally attached to a corresponding point on the stand frame member on the top end of the stand. These leg members might be joined at their furthest ends in an apex.
Leg retaining means could be added to hold the leg in position in relation to the stand when the easel is in its erect position. The leg retaining means might be adjustable straps or some other method or means of retaining the leg in place in relation to the stand.
It would also be necessary to hold the media frame in place in relation to the stand when the easel is in its erect position. This might be done in the case of the member/cross brace stand embodiment discussed above by adapting the media frame and joining it to the stand such that when the easel is in its erect position the media frame will engage the stand cross brace closest to the top end of the stand and, thus, be held in its erect position.
Various types of carrying hardware could also be added to assist in the carriage and movement of the easel in its folded-down transport position. These carrying hardware might include carrying handles, wheels, or a set of straps for carriage of the easel on the person of an artist or other user thereof.
While the easel of the present invention provides for an easily foldable and transportable combination of an easel and a chair for use by an artist and the like, the ease of transport is not the only advantage enjoyed by embodiments of the present invention. By attaching the chair to the easel, the stability of the easel during use is increased over the stability of an easel separate and apart from a chair.
REFERENCES:
patent: 762512 (1904-06-01), Busse
patent: 779202 (1905-01-01), Burgess
patent: 2530785 (1950-11-01), Rocca
patent: 3117816 (1964-01-01), De Sena
patent: 3244450 (1966-04-01), Boutin
patent: 4103965 (1978-08-01), Engman
patent: 5308035 (1994-05-01), Ross
patent: 5330248 (1994-07-01), Smyly et al.
patent: 5547246 (1996-08-01), Lambert
patent: 670180 (1964-10-01), None
Frost Brown Todd LLC
Jr. Milton Nelson
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