Folding chair
A folding chair includes a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other for relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions. The frame members of the front and rear portions of the base frame respectively define front and rear legs providing standing support for the chair in the opened condition. The base frame includes first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of first and second frame members of the base frame rear portion. Each mount includes a wall adapted to nestingly receive the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition. Each mount defines an opening at the connection location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.
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The present invention is related to and claims priority from U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/253,845, filed Feb. 14, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to folding chairs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONOne type of folding chair includes a leg assembly that collapses upon itself when a seat and back of the chair are moved towards each other. In a typical construction, a U-shaped member defines the front legs and a portion of the back of the chair.
In another type of folding chair, more than one movement is required to collapse the chair from the opened condition. U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,383 (Jones), for example, discloses a folding chair frame including a base portion having front and rear leg members rotatably connected to a seat member of the base frame for relative movement therebetween and a back portion rotatably connected to the base portion for independent movement of the back frame. The base portion of the chair frame includes hinge means for rotatably connecting the leg members to the seat member. The hinge means includes pins received in aligned openings in the seat member and in spaced tabs provided at terminal ends of the leg members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect of the invention, a folding chair comprises a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other. The front portion includes first and second frame members each defining a front leg. The rear portion includes first and second frame members each defining a rear leg. The front and rear legs are adapted to provide standing support for the chair when the chair is in the opened condition.
The base frame includes first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion. The first and second frame members of the base frame front portion are rotatably connected to the first and second mounts at a connection location. Each mount has a wall adapted to nestingly receive the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition. Each mount defines an opening at the connection location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the chair further comprises a back frame rotatably connected to the base frame.
According to another aspect of the invention, a folding chair comprises a seat frame and a back frame rotatably coupled to the seat frame. The seat frame includes front and rear portions. The seat frame front portion includes first and second frame members each defining a front leg of the chair and the seat frame rear portion includes first and second frame members each defining a rear leg of the chair.
The seat frame of the folding chair includes first and second mounts respectively located at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the seat frame rear portion. The first and second frame members of the seat frame front portion are rotatably coupled to the first and second mounts at a location on the mount for relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions. Each mount includes a wall adapted to nestingly receive the first and second frame members of the seat frame front portion in the opened condition. The wall of each mount defines an opening at the mount location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the seat frame front portion in the collapsed condition.
The foregoing and other features of the invention and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFor the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred. However, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is illustrated in the figures a folding chair 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The folding chair 10 is shown in
The front portion 18 of the base frame 12 includes first and second frame members 24, 26. Each of the frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18 preferably includes a bend to form a front leg 28 for the folding chair 10 from a part of the frame member. The rear portion 20 of base frame 12 includes first and second frame members 30, 32. Each of the frame members 30, 32 of base frame rear portion 20 also preferably includes a bend to form a rear leg 34 for the folding chair 10 from a part of the frame member. As shown in
The base frame 12 includes front and rear cross members 36, 38 extending between the first and second frame members 24, 26 of the base frame front portion 18, and the first and second frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20, respectively. In addition to interconnecting the frame members 24, 26, 30, 32 of base frame 12, the cross members 36, 38 provide reinforcement for a support member, such as cushion 40 (
The base frame 12 includes first and second mounts 42, 44 for pivotally connecting the front and rear portions 18, 20 of base frame 12 to each other. Referring to
Each of the mounts 42, 44 includes a wall 46 extending from the end of one of the frame members 30, 32 of base frame rear portion 20. As shown in
As shown in
The back frame 14 includes a substantially U-shaped member 54. The back frame 14 also includes brackets 56 secured to the ends of the U-shaped member 54. Preferably, the brackets 56 are secured to the member 54 by welding/brazing the brackets 56. To pivotably connect the back frame member 54 to the base frame 12, pin members 58 are used to attach the brackets 56 to the back frame member 54 at locations 16.
Referring to
The depicted folding chair 10 described above includes separate mounts 42, 44 that are secured to the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20. It is not a requirement of the invention that the mounts comprise separate members secured to the frame members. It is contemplated, for example, that the mounts could be integrally formed at the end of the frame members 30, 32 of the base frame rear portion 20.
The foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.
Claims
1. A folding chair having opened and collapsed conditions, the folding chair comprising:
- a base frame having front and rear portions rotatably coupled to each other, the front portion including first and second frame members each defining a front leg, the rear portion including first and second frame members each defining a rear leg, the front and rear legs adapted to provide standing support for the chair when the chair is in the opened condition;
- the base frame including first and second mounts respectively disposed at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion, the first and second frame members of the base frame front portion being rotatably connected to the first and second mounts at a connection location, each mount having a wall adapted to nestingly receive a portion of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the opened condition, each mount including an opening to permit passage of a portion of a terminal end of the associated frame member of the base frame front portion when the chair is in the collapsed condition.
2. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein the first and second mounts are secured to the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the base frame.
3. The folding chair according to claim 2, wherein the securement of the first and second mounts to the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the base frame is by welding.
4. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the base frame is substantially cylindrical and wherein the wall of the associated mount that nestingly receives the frame member is substantially semi-cylindrical.
5. The folding chair according to claim 1 further comprising front and rear cross members respectively extending between the first and second frame members of the front and rear portions of the base frame.
6. The folding chair according to claim 5, wherein the folding chair is adapted to support a cushion when the chair is in the opened condition, the cushion at least partially supported on the front and rear cross bars of the base frame.
7. The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the base frame is rotatably connected to the first and second mounts by a pin received by the mount member and the frame member at the connection location.
8. The folding chair according to claim 1 further comprising a back frame rotatably connected to the base frame.
9. The folding chair according to claim 8, wherein the back frame is connected to the rear portion of the base frame.
10. The folding chair according to claim 8, wherein the back frame includes first and second brackets each secured to a member of the back frame adjacent a terminal end of the back frame member, each bracket rotatably connected to the base frame.
11. The folding chair according to claim 10, wherein each bracket of the back frame is welded to the back frame member.
12. A folding chair comprising:
- a seat frame; and
- a back frame rotatably coupled to the seat frame,
- the seat frame having front and rear portions, the front portion including first and second frame members each defining a front leg of the chair and the rear portion including first and second frame members each defining a rear leg of the chair,
- the seat frame including first and second mounts respectively located at terminal ends of the first and second frame members of the rear portion of the seat frame, the first and second frame members of the front portion of the seat frame pivotably connected to the first and second mounts at a location on the mount for permitting relative movement between opened and collapsed conditions, each of the mounts including a wall adapted to nestingly receive a portion of the first and second frame members of the front portion of the seat frame in the opened condition, the wall of each of the mounts including an opening at the mount location to accommodate a terminal end of the associated frame member of the front portion of the seat frame in the collapsed condition.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 21, 2007
Applicant:
Inventor: Ryan Quicoy (Shenzhen City)
Application Number: 11/393,015
International Classification: A47D 1/02 (20060101);