Chairs and seats – Seating device reorients as unit
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-13
2001-08-07
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Seating device reorients as unit
C297S118000, C005S655900, C005S657000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270155
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a folding chair with ottoman, and more particularly relates to a chair and ottoman capable of folding into a compact cube for storing and transport.
2. Description of Related Art
The broad concept of a chair which can be folded into a compact shape for storage and transport is known, being disclosed by Luttio, U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,846, Ashworth, U.S. Pat. No. 2,896,695, Larsen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,469,882, Wilson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,720, Lyons, U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,023, and Monteforte et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,902,759. Luttio and Ashworth show a chair folding into a cube, and while Wilson does not mention a cube shape, his chair could be so designed. Larsen, Lyons, and Monteforte et al. teach the use of fabric hinges.
Luttio and Ashworth, supra, disclose chairs having wooden frames with sharp edges and corners and exposed metal hinges, all of which are dangerous to the safety of children and other people for whom their chairs are designed. Luttio's chair folds into an ottoman for use with another chair, but it lacks an ottoman for supporting the feet of the user of the disclosed chair. Also, the contours of Luttio's chair are defined by wooden slats, are lumpy, particularly in the seating area, which renders the chair somewhat uncomfortable. Ashworth's chair, when unfolded, has a low flat seat and an inclined flat back rest meeting at a sharp, concave corner, providing for uncomfortable seating.
The many embodiments of chairs disclosed by Wilson share the common attribute of a deep trough in the upper surface of a large, resiliently deformable, foamed cushion. A bolster, unconnected to the cushion, is shaped complementary to the trough to fit therein to complete the rectangular shape of the cushion when both are assembled for storage. A chair with a limited, unconnected back is disclosed, but there is no leg or footrest provided.
The chairs of Larsen, Lyons, and Monteforte et al., supra, are complex structures composed of many parts, e.g., 9 for Lyons, which are relatively expensive to manufacture and complicated to fold and store. Although they are suitable for their intended purposes, namely, to provide low lying supports primarily for lounging on floors to watch television, they are too low for normal seating comfort.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the difficulties described above by providing a chair having a minimal number of parts which fold and stack together to form a compact cube which is easy to store and transport.
The present invention accomplishes the above by providing a chair having a back and a gently contoured, concave seat. Attached to the front edge of the seat by an elongated fabric hinge is a leg rest. The leg rest has a gently contoured, convex side which complements the concave contour of the seat. The opposite side of the leg rest is concavely contoured to complement the upper contour of an ottoman. The ottoman is a separate piece. When folded, the leg rest nests within the concave seat, and when the ottoman is placed within the concave contour of the leg rest, the assemblage forms a cube. When opened, the seat and leg rest combine to form a chaise lounge having a gentle, lazy, S-shaped body supporting surface which provides a comfortable, ergonomic support for the user's body and legs. The ottoman is movable relative to the seat and leg rest and can be placed at the foot of the leg rest to support the user's feet or can be stored beneath the leg rest.
It is an object of the invention to provide a lightweight, durable, attractive, comfortable chair and ottoman that can be easily shipped, stored and moved about.
REFERENCES:
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patent: 2108241 (1938-02-01), Wallace
patent: 2593319 (1952-04-01), Levitin et al.
patent: 2672921 (1954-03-01), Herrick
patent: 2693846 (1954-11-01), Luttio
patent: 2896695 (1959-07-01), Ashworth
patent: 2966205 (1960-12-01), Blaschko
patent: 3469882 (1969-09-01), Larsen
patent: 3672720 (1972-06-01), Wilson
patent: 3736023 (1973-05-01), Lyons
patent: 3829913 (1974-08-01), Bernard
patent: 3902759 (1975-09-01), Monteforte et al.
patent: 4518203 (1985-05-01), White
patent: 4635306 (1987-01-01), Willey
patent: 5299337 (1994-04-01), Venza
patent: 5597199 (1997-01-01), Hoffman et al.
Cuomo Peter M.
SAIDMAN DesignLaw Group
Umbra Inc.
Vu Stephen
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