Chairs and seats – Bottom or back – Contoured back
Utility Patent
1999-04-15
2001-01-02
Brown, Peter R. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Bottom or back
Contoured back
C297S452100, C297S452550, C297S452650
Utility Patent
active
06168239
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to chairs, and in particular to the structure of the chair back. In the past, chair backs have been manufactured which use a pair of structural shells. An inner structural shell is typically used which provides the foundation for the chair back, and provides the structure to which the upholstery is attached. An outer structural shell can optionally be attached to the back of the inner structural shell to conceal the attachment of the upholstery to the inner structural shell. In the past, the inner and outer structural shells have been typically made of plywood. In order to satisfy the customer's desire for a variety of models to choose from, manufacturers have been forced to produce a variety of different chair back models. When the chair backs have utilized inner and outer structural shells, producing a variety of models has required production of both different sets of outer structural shells and different sets of inner structural shells. Production of these different structural shells increases the cost and complexity of manufacturing the chairs.
Prior chair backs have typically had a three-dimensionally curved front surface to provide more comfort to the user of the chair. In the past, in order to create a chair back having a three-dimensionally curved front surface, either the entire plywood shell (front and back) had to be molded into a three-dimensional shape, or molded cushioning or foam had to be attached to the plywood. Molded cushioning or foam, however, is more expensive than unmolded slab foam or cushioning. Molding plywood into a three-dimensionally curved shape is also not only expensive, but technically difficult. Ensuring that the curvature of the plywood is acceptably consistent from one chair back to the next is difficult. The storage of three-dimensionally curved plywood shells is also difficult because stacking the shells tends to bend the plywood out of its desired shape. Further, in the past, to use an outer shell with a three-dimensionally curved inner shell has required that the outer shell also be three-dimensionally curved. Molding a plywood outer shell to also be three-dimensionally curved adds further difficulty to making the chair.
The desirability of a chair back having a structure which can simply and inexpensively be altered to produce a variety of chair back models can therefore be seen. The desirability of a chair back having a three-dimensionally curved front surface which does not use expensive molded foam and which overcomes the above difficulties can also be seen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally overcomes the disadvantages of the prior chair backs as described above. The chair back of the present invention includes a structure which can be used to produce a variety of different models of chair back with minimal complexity and cost.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a chair back includes an inner shell having a three-dimensionally curved front surface and a two-dimensionally curved back surface. The three-dimensionally curved front surface allows relatively inexpensive unmolded slab foam to be attached thereto while still providing the comfort of a three-dimensionally curved surface to the user. A two-dimensionally curved back surface allows a two-dimensionally curved outer shell to be attached thereto. The two-dimensional curvature of the outer shell allows the outer shell to be manufactured more easily and inexpensively.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chair back includes a plastic inner shell having a top edge configured in a first shape. The inner shell includes at least one internal rib adjacent the top of the shell. The internal rib is configured in a shape which is different from the shape of the edge of the inner shell. The internal rib allows the plastic chair back to be cut adjacent the internal rib between the edge of the inner shell and the internal rib to the shape corresponding to the internal rib. If multiple internal ribs are utilized, the chair back can be customized to a plurality of different shapes. In this manner, a single inner shell is produced which can be easily adapted to yield a variety of differently shaped chair back models.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a chair back includes a body having a front and back, a top, and a pair of sides. Each of the sides joins the top and defines a corner at the junction of the side and top. The body includes an indentation adjacent each of the corners in the back of the body. The indentation is dimensioned to accommodate overlapping fabric which extends around both the side and the top of the body adjacent the corner. The indentations allow an outer shell to be evenly secured to the back of the body without gaps caused by the extra thicknesses of fabric on the back of the body adjacent the corners.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a chair back includes a plastic body having a front and back. The body defines a plurality of holes extending between the front and back. Adjacent each of the holes is a unique indicia molded into the body. The indicia uniquely identifies each hole and facilitates the manufacturing of different chair backs which utilize the holes for different patterns of ornamentation on the front of the chair back.
These and other objects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art in light of the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 201433 (1965-06-01), Platner
patent: 1800097 (1931-04-01), Nuberg
patent: 2499112 (1950-02-01), Roman
patent: 2549902 (1951-04-01), Hibbard et al.
patent: 2553042 (1951-05-01), Hoven et al.
patent: 2892489 (1959-06-01), Hurley
patent: 3170729 (1965-02-01), Grant
patent: 3182377 (1965-05-01), Hoven et al.
patent: 3233885 (1966-02-01), Propst
patent: 3288529 (1966-11-01), Koch
patent: 3407001 (1968-10-01), Minsker
patent: 3501197 (1970-03-01), Burton
patent: 3655239 (1972-04-01), Agosti
patent: 3669496 (1972-06-01), Chisholm
patent: 3722950 (1973-03-01), Harnick
patent: 3734561 (1973-05-01), Barecki et al.
patent: 3797887 (1974-03-01), Barecki et al.
patent: 3807800 (1974-04-01), Morrison
patent: 3841704 (1974-10-01), Platner et al.
patent: 4073539 (1978-02-01), Caruso
patent: 4088367 (1978-05-01), Atkinson et al.
patent: 4123105 (1978-10-01), Frey et al.
patent: 4368917 (1983-01-01), Urai
patent: 4418958 (1983-12-01), Watkin
patent: 4498702 (1985-02-01), Raftery
patent: 4519651 (1985-05-01), Whitwam
patent: 4555139 (1985-11-01), Leib
patent: 4556254 (1985-12-01), Roberts
patent: 4572578 (1986-02-01), Perkins
patent: 4603903 (1986-08-01), Moscovitch
patent: 4660887 (1987-04-01), Fleming et al.
patent: 4746168 (1988-05-01), Bracesco
patent: 4753482 (1988-06-01), Warren
patent: 4776633 (1988-10-01), Knoblock et al.
patent: 4783121 (1988-11-01), Luyk et al.
patent: 4795215 (1989-01-01), Shimada
patent: 4832408 (1989-05-01), Bertsch et al.
patent: 4835801 (1989-06-01), Walpin et al.
patent: 4840430 (1989-06-01), Shimada
patent: 4856846 (1989-08-01), Lohmeyer
patent: 4892356 (1990-01-01), Pittman et al.
patent: 4898425 (1990-02-01), Mundy
patent: 4900085 (1990-02-01), Tobler
patent: 4995926 (1991-02-01), Urai
patent: 5050931 (1991-09-01), Knoblock
patent: 5085488 (1992-02-01), Dal Monte
patent: 5102196 (1992-04-01), Kaneda et al.
patent: 5152582 (1992-10-01), Magnuson
patent: 5294181 (1994-03-01), Rose et al.
patent: 5297851 (1994-03-01), Van Hekken
patent: 5314240 (1994-05-01), Ishi et al.
patent: 5326155 (1994-07-01), Wild
patent: 5333934 (1994-08-01), Knoblock
patent: 5338099 (1994-08-01), Ishi et al.
patent: 5403066 (1995-04-01), Drum
patent: 5407248 (1995-04-01), Jay et al.
patent: 5487591 (1996-01-01), Knoblock
patent: 5662381 (1997-09-01), Roosien et al.
patent: 5681093 (1997-10-01), Pfister
patent: 2723722 (1978-07-01), None
Exhibit A is a History of Movie Theatre Seating Product Development, 1 page; all seats depicted herein include plywood inte
Coffield Tim
Conner John P.
Finney Steven E.
Russell Robert L.
Thalen Richard A.
Brown Peter R.
Irwin Seating Company
Van Dyke Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
LandOfFree
Seat back with shaped internal ribs does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Seat back with shaped internal ribs, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Seat back with shaped internal ribs will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2542073