Portable folding lounging recliner

Abstract

A sturdy foldable lounging recliner with foldable trapezoidal legs, which when unfolded, forms a trapezoidal base to provide adequate chair support even when placed on uneven ground.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of the provisional patent application entitled “Portable Folding Lounging Chair”; Ser. No. 60/923,126 filed Apr. 12, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to chairs and recliners. In particular, it relates to a portable folding lounging recliner employing trapezoidal legs forming a fulcrum base.

2. Description of Related Art

Various recliners are known. Nagan et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,265 issued Sep. 21, 1993 is a lounge chair with a continuous fabric cover covering a hinged frame, with folding legs and adjustable joints, which doesn't have trapezoidal shaped leg supports, or leg supports held at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom of the seat so that the contact area is wider than the seat support segment to provide additional lateral support. Pedemonte, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,231, issued Jun. 11, 2002 is a Multi-Function Transportable Recreation Chair of box-like folding construction with a similar leg support construction as Nagan et al. '265. Williams, U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,874 issued Aug. 27, 1991 is a folding beach lounge without legs with seat and leg rests lying on the ground, when unfolded. Wallace, U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,479, issued Aug. 15, 2000 is a locking pivot connection for a cot-chair. Ryan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,561 issued Sep. 7, 1999 is an adjustable tanning chair apparatus with face support rollers with folding legs, which don't form a trapezoidal base, or leg supports held at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom of the seat. Levy et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,413 issued Jul. 4, 1995 is a folding lounge chair with crossed leg construction. Nation, U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,034, issued Aug. 8, 2003 is a maternity beach chair of a unique covered frame design structured to accommodate pregnant women lying on their face. Chu, U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,605, issued Sep. 28, 2004, is a folding recliner of a complex frame construction.

None of these patents provide a portable foldable lounging recliner with a trapezoidal shaped leg supports held at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom of the seat.

The present invention described below provides a sturdy foldable lounging recliner with foldable trapezoidal shaped legs, which when unfolded, and held at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom of the seat segment of the frame provides adequate support even when placed on uneven ground.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a foldable lounging recliner. It comprises a foldable lounging recliner or chair with a tri-segmented tubular frame. The tri-segmented tubular foldable frame has a tubular U-shaped frame torso segment with open ends sized to accommodate the head and upper torso of a user. The ends of this U-shaped frame torso segment are hingedly attached to the first ends of a pair of sides with first and second ends, the sides of a length to accommodate the seat and posterior of a user. The second ends of the sides are hingedly attached to the ends of a corresponding tubular U-shaped frame leg support segment with open ends and sides sized to accommodate the legs of a user. These hingedly connected frame segments are secured with releaseable locking hinges to hold them open at various angles for a user to sit or recline at a desired angle. Thus, each frame segment is positioned relative to one another and then releasably locked into position, when the frame segments are unfolded for use. For transport and storage, they fold against one another for releasable locking in a storage position.

The lightweight tubular frame segments are covered with a fabric cover affixed to each tubular frame segment to form a head and upper torso support surface, a seat support surface, and a leg support surface to hold a user, when sitting or lying on the covered frame segments.

A pair of tubular trapezoidal shaped open top legs with ends and feet is hingedly attached to the sides forming the seat support surface. Each trapezoidal leg has a shorter open top segment than its wider foot, which is structured to maintain better contact with a support surface segment. The tubular trapezoidal shaped leg ends are foldably attached to each side of the U-shaped frame seat segment to form a support base. The tubular trapezoidal shaped legs are restrictively secured to fold open at a maximum obtuse angle of approximately 110 degrees relative to the seat support surface. Thus spread in an open position, the feet contact the ground or support surface at points wider than the seat segment to prevent lateral rolling. For storage and transport, each tubular trapezoid leg is folded flat against the seat support surface in a storage and transport position.

For added rigidity, the trapezoidal shaped tubular legs may have a closed top segment, which are hingedly attached to the bottom of the frame second segment.

A preferred embodiment of the locking hinges has a slotted base with slots affixed to the seat edges of the frame in contact with the leg support and head and torso support frame sections. The slots are sized such that a corresponding release rod of a spring retainer assembly attached to the head and torso support and the leg support frame sections releasably slide therein to lock the hinges at the desired angle. A handle is attached to the release rod, which can then be manually pulled to remove the release rod from a desired slot in the slotted bases to allow the hinged frame to be positioned at different angles or folded.

The portable lounging recliner thus folds open for use and closed for storage. In the stored position, the lounge chair frame folds flat with its trapezoidal shaped legs folding under the seat segment, the leg support segment folding on top of the seat, and the head and torso support segment folding over the leg support segment.

In the open position, the trapezoidal shaped legs form a sturdy trapezoidal or pyramidal base to support the segmented frame.

The present invention thus provides a sturdy foldable lounging recliner with foldable trapezoidal legs, which when unfolded, provides adequate support even when placed on uneven ground. In addition the head and torso and leg support segments may be positioned at the desired elevation to accommodate the lounging preferences of a user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention frame.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with covering.

FIG. 4 is a hinge assembly of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment of the hinge assembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6a is a top view of the unlocked hinge assembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6b is a side view of the locked hinge assembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6c is a top view of the handle attached to the lock pin of the unlocked hinge assembly shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a back view of the head and torso support attached to the seat frame.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the folded legs of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the unfolded legs of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the unfolded legs of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention comprises a portable folding lounge chair 10 with a tubular tri-segmented frame 11 with trapezoidal legs 12 covered with fabric 13, which unfolds as shown in FIGS. 3. FIG. 1 is a top view of the tri-segmented frame 11. It is constructed of a top U-shaped tubular frame 18a with open ends 18b sized to accommodate the support torso and head of a user. Tubular Sides 14a with ends 14b and 14c have their ends 14b hingedly connected to the open ends 18b of the top U-shaped tubular frame 18a with locking hinges 20 to form a seat segment sized to accommodate the posterior of a user. A bottom U-shaped tubular frame 16a with open ends 16b sized to accommodate a user's legs are hingedly connected to the other side ends 14c.

Trapezoidal legs 12 are foldably attached to the sides 14a with a restrictive hinge system such that when they are opened fully, they form an obtuse angle as shown in FIG. 2 with the seat segment.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 illustrating how the trapezoidal shaped legs 12 are held at an obtuse angle relative to the seat segment.

A fabric cover 13 is attached to the segmented frame 11 as shown in FIG. 3 and forms seat 14, leg support 16 and head and torso support 18 segments. The fabric 13 is preferably of a durable washable construction and is decorated or patterned to suit the preferences of a user.

The tri-segmented frame 11, in one preferred embodiment, is constructed of 1 1/16″ OD aluminum tubing bent and welded into shape. The dimensions of the head and torso support segment 18 are approximately 21.5″×25″ OD. The dimensions of the seat segment 14 are approximately 20″×25″ OD. The dimensions of the leg support segment 16 are approximately 19″×25″ OD. Thus constructed, the head and torso support segment 18 is the widest, and each successive segment 14 and 16 are progressively narrower so that the hinged segments do not bind when folded for storage.

The joints of the frame 11 have locking hinges 20 shown in FIGS. 4 and FIG. 5 to secure the leg support segment 16 and head and torso support segment 18 at the desired position and angle relative to the seat segment 14. The locking hinges 20 have a slotted base 22 with slots 24. The slots 24 are sized such that a corresponding release rod 26 of a spring retainer assembly with spring 27 attached to the head and torso support 18 and the leg support 16 releasably slides in the slots 24 to lock the hinge 20 at the desired angle. A handle 25 is attached to the release rod 26 via a connector 28, and can then be manually pulled to remove the release rod 26 from a desired slot 24 in the slotted bases 22 to allow the hinged frame 11 to be repositioned at different angles or folded.

FIG. 6a, 6b, and 6c show the manner in which the locking hinges 20 are structured and activated in a preferred embodiment FIG. 6a shows a top view of a rubber handle cover 25 placed over a metal sliding sleeve 28a. The metal sliding sleeve 28a is associated with the connector 28 and sliding pin 26. As shown in FIG. 6a, the sliding pin 26 is unlocked with the spring 27 in tension.

FIG. 6b is a side view of the rubber handle cover 25 placed over a metal sliding sleeve 28a positioning the sliding pin 26 to fit within a slot 24 of the slotted base 22 in a pin locked position with the spring 27 relaxed.

FIG. 6c is a side view of the rubber handle cover 25 placed over a metal sliding sleeve 28a moving the sliding pin 26 in the opposite direction to unlock and remove the sliding pin 26 from the slot 24, freeing the hinge 20 to rotate with the spring 27 in tension.

FIG. 7 is a back view of the head and torso support 18 section attached to the seat frame 11 with various hinging design options shown on the left side of the drawing as a spot welded hinge pin centered to hold the ends of the U-shaped frame 11 to the first ends of the sides 14 together. Shown on the right side of the drawing, is a pin retainer nut & washer construction, comprising a pin and 2 pronged keeper inserted into two pre-drilled holes in the tubing ends of the U-shaped frame 11 and the first ends of the sides 14.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the folded legs 12 beneath the seat segment 14 of the invention shown in FIGS. 1. The lounge chair 10 folds flat for storage and transport, when not in use, with the trapezoidal shaped legs 12 folding under the seat segment 14, the leg support segment 16 folding on top of the seat segment 14, and the head and torso support segment 18 folding over the leg support segment 16. In the open position, the trapezoidal shaped legs 12 form a sturdy trapezoidal base to support the opened segmented frame 11 even when placed on uneven ground.

The trapezoidal shaped legs 12 have different two position locking hinges 29, with either open or closed locking structure as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the unfolded legs 12 supporting the segmented frame 11 of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the unfolded legs 12 supporting the segmented frame 11 of the invention shown in FIG. 1 showing how the legs from an obtuse angle with the seat segment 14 of approximately 100 degrees to provide lateral support to prevent rolling.

The above description and specification should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. The claims themselves recite those features deemed essential to the invention

Claims

1. A foldable lounging recliner, comprising:

a tri-segmented tubular foldable frame, with

i. a U-shaped frame torso segment with open ends sized to accommodate the head and upper torso of a user,

ii. a pair of seat sides with first and second ends with the first ends hingedly connected to the U-shaped frame torso segment open ends to form a rectangular shaped frame seat segment sized to accommodate the seat posterior of a user,

iii. a U-shaped frame leg support segment with open ends sized to accommodate the legs of a user hingedly connected to the second ends of the sides to be held open at various angles when in an open position for user support, and to fold against the seat segment for storage in a storage position,

b. a fabric cover affixed to each tubular frame segment to form a head and upper torso support surface, a seat support surface, and a leg support surface to hold a user sitting or lying on the cover,

c. locking means associated with each hinged frame connection to releaseably lock and secure each respective frame segment in a desired position relative to the other, and

e. a pair of trapezoidal shaped tubular legs having a shorter open top segment than a wider foot to contact a support surface segment; each top segment restrictively hinged in longitudinal alignment to each seat side of the rectangular shaped frame seat segment to form an obtuse angle relative the seat support surface when held in an open position to spread the feet wider than the frame second segment so that the spread feet contact the support surface in a manner to prevent lateral rolling; and fold at a zero angle when each leg is folded flat against the seat support surface in a storage position

2. A foldable lounging recliner or chair according to claim 5, wherein the trapezoidal shaped tubular legs have a closed top segment.

3. A foldable lounging recliner or chair according to claim 1, wherein the locking means include locking hinges with spring releasable locking pins.

4. A foldable lounging recliner or chair according to claim 1, wherein the cover is patterned or colored to suit the preference of a user.