Stackable Chair

Abstract

A chair according to the invention is provided. The chair preferably includes a substantially square seat. The seat includes four walls. Each of the walls preferably projects substantially perpendicularly downward from one side of the outer perimeter of the upper surface. Each of the walls preferably includes an interior surface and an exterior surface. Each of the walls preferably includes a stability tab mounted on the interior surface. The stability tab is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath the folding chair. The chair also preferably includes a first rigid portion that is pivotably attached to the seat at a first set of two contact points. The first rigid portion includes a backrest. The second rigid portion is pivotably attached to the seat at a second set of two contact points. Finally, the chair may include a pair of connectors. Each of the pair may be pivotably attached to the first rigid portion and pivotably attached to the second rigid portion.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to chairs. More specifically, this invention relates to increasing stackability of a folding chair or other suitable chair.

Many common, inexpensive chairs are constructed in a way that makes the chairs stackable. Stackability is desirable in a chair because it promotes more efficient storage and eases the movement of multiple chairs from one place to another. More specifically, the chairs, when stackable, may be moved en masse with a single device such as a dolly. As such, when the chairs are stackable on a dolly or other carrying device, a single operant can move many more chairs than he would typically be able to.

It would be desirable to make chairs that are more stackable—i.e., may be stacked in a more stable fashion—than conventional chairs.

It would also be desirable to make stackable chairs that may be stacked and moved with a dolly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to make chairs that are more stackable—i.e., may be stacked in a more stable fashion—than conventional chairs.

It is another object of this invention to make stackable chairs that may be stacked and moved with a dolly.

A chair seat according to the invention preferably includes a substantially square upper surface. The chair seat also preferably includes four walls. Each of the walls preferably projects substantially perpendicularly downward from one side of the outer perimeter of the upper surface. Each of the walls may include an interior surface and an exterior surface. Each of the walls preferably includes at least one stability tab mounted on the interior surface. The stability tab preferably is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath a chair of which the folding chair seat forms a part. Preferably, the stability tabs increase the stability of the stack of chairs. This increased stability allows the chairs to be moved more easily from place to place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a folding chair according to the invention in a deployed position;

FIG. 2 shows a back view of a folding chair according to the invention in a stored position;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view from the underneath of a chair seat according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a dolly holding multiple chairs in a stored position;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from the underneath of another chair seat according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view from the underneath of another chair seat according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a folding chair 100 according to the invention. Folding chair 100 may include a first rigid portion 102 and a second rigid portion 104. First rigid portion 102 and second rigid portion 104 may be pivotably attached to one another by connectors 106 and 108. Folding chair 100 may also include seat 110 and backrest 112. Seat 110 may also include front and back tabs 111 and side tabs 113 distributed about the interior of seat 110.

When folded for storage, chair 100 may preferably present seat 110 to a user. Seat 110 is preferably adapted for sitting at some predetermined height.

When stored, chair 100 may preferably be folded to form a relatively flat apparatus 200 as shown from a back view in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a view of seat 110, backrest 112, first rigid portion 102, and second rigid portion 104. FIG. 2 also shows front and back tabs 201 and side tabs 202. Tabs 202 preferably promote stackability as will be shown in more detail with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 3 shows seat 310. Seat 310 preferably includes side tabs 311 and front and back tabs 312. In one embodiment of the invention, preferably four of side tabs 311 and four of front and back tabs 312 may be distributed around the perimeter of seat 310. Preferably, tabs 312 may be mounted substantially internally to a hollow formed by the walls and underside of seat 310 in order to avoid contact with a user when the seat is deployed. While, in FIG. 3, front and back tabs 312 may be extend from seat 310 a greater distance than side tabs 311 extend from seat 310, nevertheless, embodiments of the invention also contemplate that side tabs 311 may extend a greater distance from seat 310 than front and back tabs 312 extend from seat 310.

Tabs 312 may extend downwardly, and substantially perpendicularly with respect to the top surface of seat 310. Tabs 312 preferably may be used to promote stackability as shown in more detail in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows a dolly 400 for carrying a number of the chairs en masse. Preferably, dolly 400 may move chairs 402 more effectively when chairs 402 form a stable stack. An increase in the stability of the stack increases the ability of the dolly 400 to move chairs 402. An increase in the stability of the stack also increases the speed at which dolly 400 can be used to move chairs 402.

When chairs 402 are stacked as shown in FIG. 4, tabs 302 preferably stabilize the stack of chairs 402 gripping the perimeter of a top layer of seat 110 (shown in FIG. 1) of the chair stacked immediately thereinbelow in the stack. Preferably, the top surface of seat 110 may be slightly recessed or set back from the outer perimeter of seat 110 in order to form a rim to provide a place for tabs from the seat thereinabove in the stack. As such, each chair in stack 402 preferably is stabilized at least by the relationship between the chair's stability tabs and the recessed top surface of the chair immediately below said chair in the stack. A dotted line 318 is shown in FIG. 3 to more particularly signify the recess in the upper surface of seat 310.

It should be noted that to provide sufficient stability, it may be preferable to mount tabs on the interior surface of all four sides of the seat. It may be yet more preferable to mount at least two tabs on the interior surface of each side of the under portion of the seat, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. For maximum stability, the two (or more) tabs on each side of the under portion of the seat should be mounted about a midline of the side of the seat such that one tab on a first side is mounted on one side of the line and a second tab on the first side is mounted on the other side of the line. Midlines 314 and 316 are shown in FIG. 3.

Alternatively, FIG. 5 shows a single wide tab 512 which can be formed to project from the underside of each side of the seat portion 510 of the chair. Such a wide tab may preferably be formed such that a portion of the wide tab falls on one side of the midline 514, 516 and a portion of the wide tab falls on the other side of midline 514, 516. Such a tab may occupy 20%, 30%, 40%, 50% or more of the length of the side of the chair.

FIG. 6 shows an underneath view of another embodiment of a seat 600 according to the invention according to the invention. Seat 600 includes front tabs 602, back tabs 604, side tabs 606, metal stability bar and plastic seat 610. It should be noted that front tabs 602 and back tabs 604 are of different size and configuration. Such an embodiment is within the scope of the invention.

In certain embodiments of the invention, metal stability bar 602 may preferably be riveted or attached in some suitable fashion to plastic seat 610 in order to add stability to the seating surface of seat 610.

In yet other embodiments of the invention, the chair may not be a folding chair but may be some other suitable chair that requires additional stability when stacked, or when place in some other suitable configuration. In such embodiments, the principles of the invention may remain the same—i.e., the seat may include tabs projecting from the underside, said tabs which serve to engage a preferably raised upper portion (or just the upper portion) of the seat thereinbelow in the stack.

Thus, chairs that are adapted for relatively easier, and more stable, stacking have been provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims

1. A folding chair comprising:

a substantially square seat, said seat comprising four walls, each of said walls that projects substantially perpendicularly downward from one side of the outer perimeter of the upper surface, each of said walls that comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of said walls that comprises a stability tab mounted on the interior surface, each of said stability tabs that is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath the folding chair;

a first rigid portion that is pivotably attached to said seat at a first set of two contact points, said first rigid portion that comprises a backrest;

a second rigid portion that is pivotably attached to said seat at a second set of two contact points; and

a pair of connectors, each of the pair that comprises a first end pivotably attached to the first rigid portion and a second end pivotably attached to the second rigid portion.

2. The folding chair of claim 1 wherein the stability tab traverses a plane defined by a bottom edge of the four walls.

3. The folding chair of claim 1 said stability tab further adapted to engage at least a seat portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath the folding chair.

4. The folding chair of claim 1 said stability tab further adapted to engage an upper surface of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath the folding chair.

5. The folding chair of claim 1, said upper surface comprising a recessed top layer that is set back from the perimeter of the upper surface, said recessed top layer that is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately above the folding chair.

6. The folding chair of claim 1, said walls that are joined to form an area enclosed on four sides by the walls and on one side by an underside of the seat.

7. A folding chair seat comprising:

a substantially square upper surface; and

four walls, each of said walls that project substantially perpendicularly downward from one side of the outer perimeter of the upper surface, each of said walls that comprises an interior surface and an exterior surface, each of said walls that comprises a stability tab mounted on the interior surface, each of said stability tabs that is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath a chair comprising the folding chair seat.

8. The folding chair seat of claim 7 wherein one end of each of the stability tabs traverses a plane defined by a bottom edge of the four walls.

9. The folding chair seat of claim 7 each of said stability tabs further adapted to engage at least a seat portion of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath the chair comprising the folding chair seat.

10. The folding chair seat of claim 7 each of said stability tab further adapted to engage an upper surface of a chair that is stacked immediately beneath a chair comprising the folding chair seat.

11. The folding chair seat of claim 7, said upper surface comprising a recessed top layer that is set back from the perimeter of the upper surface, said recessed top layer that is adapted to engage at least a portion of a chair that is stacked immediately above the chair comprising the folding chair seat.

12. The folding chair seat of claim 7, said walls that are joined to form an area enclosed on four sides by the walls and on one side by an underside of the seat.