CHAIR

Abstract

A lightweight chair includes an entirely polystyrene foam base support member, a compressible foam overlay member disposed over the base support member, and a cover secured entirely over the overlay member and the base support member. The chair has integral seat and back portions that are configured to prevent the chair from being easily lifted and/or tossed.

Description

BACKGROUND

Chairs are typically constructed of metal rods, wooden beams, springs, etc., that are secured to each other with some type of fasteners (e.g., rivets, nails, screws, etc.). Sometimes, chairs may also be constructed from molded plastic for weather resistance, durability and/or ease of stacking (e.g., patio chairs). Depending on the application, chairs may also be constructed to enable reclining and/or height adjustment features.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a lightweight chair includes an entirely polystyrene foam base support member, a compressible foam overlay member disposed over the base support member, and a cover secured entirely over the overlay member and the base support member. The chair has integral seat and back portions that are configured to prevent the chair from being easily lifted and/or tossed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present application, the objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a chair according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a support base of the chair of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a partial assembly of the chair of FIGS. 1 and 2 according to the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a side view of the chair of FIG. 3 according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a chair that provides comfort, safety and portability while also making it difficult for the intended user of the chair to lift the chair. For example, embodiments of the present invention include a chair that is lightweight such that the chair will not cause bodily harm if the chair is struck against an individual or cause damage to property. The chair is also ergonomically designed to make it difficult for the intended user of the chair to lift or otherwise use the chair for other than its intended purpose (e.g., making it difficult for an intended user of the chair to pick up and throw the chair).

With reference now to the Figures and in particular with reference to FIGS. 1-4, diagrams illustrating a chair 10 according to the present disclosure is illustrated. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a chair according to the present disclosure; FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a support base of the chair of FIG. 1 according to the present disclosure; FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a top perspective view of a partial assembly of the chair of FIGS. 1 and 2 according to the present disclosure; and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a side view of the chair of FIG. 3 according to the present disclosure.

In the illustrated embodiment, chair 10 includes a base support member 12, an overlay member 14, and a cover 16. In FIG. 1, a portion of cover 16 is broken away to better illustrate a position of cover 16 relative to base support member 12 and overlay member 14. Cover 16 extends about the entire exterior surface of chair 10 and may be constructed from vinyl, leather, cloth or other suitable material to provide aesthetic, durability, cleanability or other desired features. In some embodiments, cover 16 may comprise a single piece of material that is slid over base support member 12 and an overlay member 14 (e.g., from the top) and secured along a bottom portion of chair (e.g., using hook/loop fasteners or another type of securing mechanism). However, it should be understood that cover 16 may be constructed from multiple pieces of material and secured together over base support member 12 and overlay member 14.

In the illustrated embodiment, chair 10 comprises an arm-less and leg-less chair 10 such that chair 10 is configured without armrests or separate leg members that extend downwardly from a seating portion of the chair to a floor or other support surface. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a bottom surface 20 of chair 10 is configured to rest directly against a floor or other support surface. Chair 10 is configured without armrests or separate leg members to avoid using such armrests or leg members as a means for holding/lifting chair 10, thereby preventing chair 10 from being lifted thereby and thrown/tossed.

Referring to FIG. 2, base support member 12 comprises an integral seat portion 22 and back portion 24. Base support member 12 is configured as a unitary structure (e.g., a single piece). In some embodiments, base support member is configured completely of polystyrene foam (e.g., STYROFOAM) to enable a lightweight chair 10 to be provided. Chair 10 is also configured to be difficult to lift and, if lifted, difficult to control if attempted to throw/toss. For example, seat portion 22 and back portion 24 are configured having a lateral width (measured in a direction indicated by reference number 26), back portion 24 is configured having a thickness (measured in a direction indicated by reference number 28), and/or an upper region 30 of back portion 24 is arcuately formed having a radius making chair 10 difficult to grasp/lift (e.g., having an enlarged radius or a radius larger than a hand of an intended user of chair 10 would be able to easily grasp). For example, in some embodiments, region 30 may be formed such twice the radius (2×) of region 30 is approximately equal to the thickness 28. Thus, region 30 is arcuately formed having a radius large enough to make it difficult for an intended user to grasp region 30 with a user's hand(s). Region 30 is also configured without a handle or other type of opening/feature that would enable chair 10 to be easily grasped therewith. Further, width 26 and thickness 28 may be defined such that an intended user, if desirous to lift chair 10, must apply palm pressure by a user's hands onto sides 34 and 36 of chair. In doing so, chair is difficult to lift, and if a user attempts to throw/toss chair 10, the center of gravity of chair and the aerodynamic characteristics of chair 10 results in a user's loss of control of chair 10 if attempting to throw/toss chair 10. For example, the thickness 28 of back portion 24 causes the center of gravity of chair to be a greater distance away from a rear surface/portion of chair 10 (greater than a chair having a thinner back), resulting in greater difficulty in controlling a user's grasp of chair 10 if attempting to throw chair 10, and also making chair 10 less likely to tip/fall over backwards (e.g., center of gravity is moved from seat aft to more seat centred). Also, the shapes and sizes of seat portion 22 and back portion 24 result in chair 10 being difficult to move through the air rapidly by a user. Additionally, a transition region 40 of back portion 24 to bottom surface 20, a transition region 42 from bottom surface 20 to a forward-facing surface 44 of seat portion 22, and a transition region 46 from surface 44 to an upwardly-facing seating surface 48 are arcuately formed such that if chair 10 makes contact with a person or structure, any potential damage is minimized (similarly for region 30).

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, overlay member 14 extends entirely from a front portion of chair 10 to a rear portion of chair 10. For example, overlay member 14 has a first end 50 located proximate bottom surface 20 near surface 44 and extends upwardly over surface 44, over region 46 and rearwardly onto surface 48, over an arcuately formed transition region 52 between surface 48 and a forward-facing surface 54 of back portion 24, upwardly onto surface 54, over region 30, and downwardly onto a rearward-facing surface 56 of back portion 24, having a second end 58 thereof terminating proximate bottom surface 20. Overlay member 14 is configured entirely of a foam material, preferably a compressible foam material. Overlay member 14 is configured having a width corresponding to a width of chair 10 (e.g., width 26).

In an assembled condition of chair 10, cover 16 secures overlay member 14 in place over base support member 12. Additionally, cover 16, when secured in place, causes a slight compression of overlay member 14 near lateral/side edges of base support member 12 (e.g., along sides 34 and 36) to reduce/eliminate any sharp corners/edges on chair 10. It should be understood that the sides/edges of base support member adjacent sides 34 and 36 may also be arcuately formed.

Thus, in operation, chair 10 is configured without objects that may be removed and/or disassembled therefrom that could be used as a potential destructive or harmful object (e.g., no nails, screws, metal, etc., that may have a sharp portion). Further, chair 10 is configured having ergonomic and aerodynamic aspects/features that make chair 10 difficult to lift and/or toss/throw, thereby providing a chair 10 that may be safely used in a variety of different applications/environments.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosure in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the disclosure and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims

1. A chair, comprising:

an arm-less and leg-less base support member;

an overlay member disposed over the base support member; and

a cover secured entirely over the overlay member and the base support member.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the base support member comprises an entirely polystyrene foam base support member having integral seat and back portions.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the overlay member comprises a compressible foam overlay member.

4. The chair of claim 1, wherein the overlay member extends from a front, bottom surface of the base support member to a rear, bottom surface of the base support member.

5. The chair of claim 1, wherein the overlay member is disposed over:

a forward-facing surface of a seat portion of the base support member;

a seating surface of the seat portion; and

a rearward-facing surface of a back portion of the base support member.

6. The chair of claim 1, wherein the cover is configured to compress edge portions of the overlay member when secured over the overlay member.

7. The chair of claim 1, wherein the base support member is configured without a handle.

8. A chair, comprising:

an entirely polystyrene foam base support member;

a compressible foam overlay member disposed over the base support member; and

a cover secured entirely over the overlay member and the base support member.

9. The chair of claim 8, wherein the overlay member comprises a width corresponding to a width of the base support member.

10. The chair of claim 8, wherein the overlay member is disposed over:

a forward-facing surface of a seat portion of the base support member;

a seating surface of the seat portion; and

a rearward-facing surface of a back portion of the base support member.

11. The chair of claim 8, wherein the overlay member extends from a front, bottom surface of the base support member to a rear, bottom surface of the base support member.

12. The chair of claim 8, wherein the cover is configured to compress edge portions of the overlay member when secured over the overlay member.

13. The chair of claim 8, wherein a transition region extending between a forward-facing surface of a back portion of the base support member and a rearward-facing surface of the back portion is arcuately formed to prevent lifting of the chair by the transition region.

14. The chair of claim 13, wherein a thickness of the back portion is configured to create a chair-centered position of a center of gravity of the chair.