Chairs and seats – Collapsible chair; i.e. – relatively folding bottom – back,... – Collapsed to a compact bundle having all rigid elongated...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-19
2001-06-19
Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Collapsible chair; i.e., relatively folding bottom, back,...
Collapsed to a compact bundle having all rigid elongated...
C297S045000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06247749
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to folding chairs using an X-frame folding design, and more specifically the addition of a telescopic support, which allow the use of an X-frame folding design to substantially support a person of above average weight, without bending the frame structure under regular and harsh use.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lightweight, foldable stools and chairs are used in camping and other outdoor uses because they can easily be carried, stored compactly and are quick and easy to setup.
Some of the simplest devices for portable seating have been triangular or square seats stools with 3 and 4 legs. These simple designs are light compact, but lack strength and also comfort because they cannot easily have a back support.
There are many varieties in prior art, showing a constant trend to improve upon weight, foldability, portability and comfort. One such variety is illustrated in FIG.
1
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Inventor is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,184,711 issued to Wakimoto Jan. 22, 1980, a four-legged chair with the legs pivotally-coupled by an external center hinge and two back support uprights each hinged separately to a leg. Wakimoto's patent offers improved compactness by eliminating the horizontal seat supports. However, the external center hinge and back support tubes would not adequately support the weight of a large person.
Inventor is also aware U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,643 issued to Logan Sep. 22, 1981, a folding chair comprising a complicated network of eight rigid members, six tension cables, and a complex fabric cover. Although the closed bundle folds in a substantially parallel arrangement for collapsibility, the complex fabric cover can easily be stressed, especially after the material has been exposed to the sunlight over time. Also, it is not seen as an improvement over prior art in regards to ease of assembly.
Inventor is also aware U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,232 to Glenn et al. Jun. 17, 1986 which shows a four-legged chair with legs put together as two front-to-back X-shaped frames, two side-to-side horizontal seat supports connecting the X-frames, and two posts extending upright from leg sockets to hold a fabric backrest. A “spacer bar” reinforces the posts above the backrest to eliminate the flex of Wakimoto's art but adds a hard surface causing user discomfort. However, this design does not improve the collapsibility or lightweight features of existing art. Also, the frame design would not be stable under a heavy person.
Inventor is also aware U.S. Pat. No. 4,807,930 to Helfrich Feb. 28, 1989, which shows a four-legged chair with legs, put together using four X-shaped frames, supporting a fabric seat and a fabric backrest, but would be limited in its ability to handle the weight of a large person or the abruptness of a person dropping or plopping down onto the chair.
Inventor is also aware U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,473 issued to Lynch Feb. 17, 1998, which is lightweight and collapsible chair, but would also be limited in its ability to handle the weight of a large person or the abruptness of a person plopping down onto the chair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a folding chair, which collapses to a compact package for carrying.
It is another object of this invention to provide a folding chair, which is lightweight and convenient for carrying, yet strong enough to support a person of above average weight, without bending the frame structure under normal use.
It is another object of this invention to provide a folding chair, which can be fixedly deployed so that the seat is held taut.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a folding chair, where the seat is held taut and as such can be used as a stool or a small table.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a folding chair that is inexpensive to manufacture and consequently cost effective for a wide number of recreational activities.
A folding chair of the type having a frame constructed of pivotally connected scissors-like “X”-shaped structure strut members supporting a sling seat, the lower ends of which form two front feet and two rear feet and the upper ends of which form two front seat corners and two rear seat corners of the chair. The folding chair includes a pair of upright telescopic supports attaching at the two front seat corners towards the two front feet, where upright telescopic supports extend when the frame is folded and withdraw into themselves when the chair is deployed, thereby allowing the frame to support greater weight in use without adding bulk to the folded frame for simple storage or transport. The chair quickly deploys by spreading the front feet, thereby causing the rear feet to spread apart and to extend rearwardly from the front feet. There may also be a pair of uprights extending up from the rear feet and extending through the rear seat corners to extend above the rear of the seat to function as upright supports for a chair seat backrest.
In summary the folding chair of the present invention includes “X”-shaped collapsible front and rear structures, and “X”-shaped collapsible left and right side structures.
The front, rear, left side and right side structures are pivotally mounted to each other at adjoining corners of the “X”-shaped structures so that the front and rear structures are parallel and spaced apart and so that the left and right side structures are parallel and spaced apart, and so that the front, rear, left and right side structures when so mounted to each other define a rectangular parallelepiped symmetric about an axis of symmetry. The rectangular parallelepiped is expandable or collapsible symmetrically about the axis of symmetry by simultaneous corresponding expansion or collapsing of the “X”-shaped structures about pivots in the center of each the “X”-shaped structure and about the pivotable mounting at the adjoining corners. The adjoining corners form the vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped. The improvement of the present invention resides in at least one telescopic member mounted between vertically aligned vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped. The telescopic member is sized so that when it is fully telescopically retracted, that is, an extendible rod is retracted into a sleeve of larger diameter, the rectangular parallelepiped is fully expanded so as to tension a flexible seat suspended between upper vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped,
Advantageously, at least one telescopic member is mounted between vertically aligned front vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped.
Further advantageously, the at least one telescopic member may be a pair of parallel linearly telescopic members telescopically extendable and retractable between fully extended positions when the rectangular parallelepiped is fully collapsed about the axis of symmetry, and fully retracted positions when the rectangular parallelepiped is fully expanded.
The folding chair of the present invention may also be summarized as including:
a) a front transverse “X”-shaped structure formed by first and second rigid members pivotally coupled scissor-like together at midpoints along the first and second members and extending downwardly to front feet and upwardly to front seat corners of the chair;
b) a rear transverse “X”-shaped structure formed by third and fourth rigid members pivotally coupled scissor-like together at midpoints along the third and fourth members and extending downwardly to rear feet and upwardly to rear seat corners of the chair;
c) left and right side “X”-shaped structures each a scissor-like pivotally coupled pair of crossed rigid members, each pair of crossed rigid members having upper and lower oppositely disposed ends pivotally mounted to corresponding ends of the first, second, third and fourth rigid members when the front and rear transverse “X”-shaped structures and the left and right “X”-shaped structures are mounted to one another so as to define a rectangular parallelepiped between the corresponding ends, a sling seat mounted between upper vertices thereof;
wherein the
Brown Peter R.
Edmonds Anthony C.
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