CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/143719, filed on Jan. 9, 2009, and entitled Collapsible Swivel Chair, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to a chair. More particularly the present invention relates to a portable, collapsible, swiveling chair that is lightweight.
BACKGROUND Portable chairs are useful in a variety of settings. For example, portable chairs are often used for hunting, fishing, watching sports, tailgating, or other activities. In many cases the portability of a chair is provided by an ability of the chair to collapse. In many cases, a bag may be provided with a carrying handle or strap for further assisting the user in transporting the chair to a destination.
In many of the above mentioned settings, users of portable chairs may desire to change the direction they are facing. For example, a hunter may desire to change direction to follow game or scan the landscape for wildlife. For ice fishing, the fisherman may wish to address one or more ice holes surrounding a seated position. During sporting events, such as soccer, for instance, the onlooker may wish to direct the viewing direction toward a given end of the field where sporting activity is occurring.
In each of these cases, while the user may wish to change direction, the given instance calling for a change in direction may not warrant standing up and changing the direction of the chair. As such, users may merely twist their bodies or necks causing discomfort. Additionally, such movements can be noisy. In hunting, for example, this noise may scare away game.
SUMMARY In one embodiment, a collapsible, swiveling chair can include a support base configured to be collapsible, a swivel portion connected to a swivel mechanism so that the swivel portion is swivelably arranged on top of the support base and the swivel portion further being configured to be collapsible, a seat portion, attached to the swivel portion and configured to be collapsible, and a chair stabilizing mechanism associated with the support base and the swivel portion and configured to control the relative tipping motion there between.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES FIG. 1 shows a chair in a collapsed state inside a bag according to one embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows the chair of FIG. 1 removed from the bag.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the chair of FIG. 1 opened or expanded and including a seat, back support, and arm rests.
FIG. 4 shows a perspective view thereof with the seat, back support, and arm rests removed.
FIG. 5 shows a close-up perspective view of a portion of the lower support of the chair of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 shows a close-up perspective view of another portion thereof.
FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a swivel portion of the chair of FIG. 1 in a partially collapsed state.
FIGS. 8-10 show a close-up perspective view of a hinge between the swivel portion and the back support of the chair of FIG. 1.
FIG. 11 shows a front view of the back support of the chair of FIG. 1.
FIG. 12 shows a close-up view thereof.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show additional close-up views thereof.
FIG. 15 shows a diagram of a swivel mechanism of the chair of FIG. 1 with lower and upper leg members not shown.
FIG. 16 is another view of the swivel mechanism of the chair of FIG. 1.
FIG. 17 is a perspective top/front view of the chair of FIG. 1 showing the arm rests, the seat, and the back support.
FIGS. 18-20 show several views of an attachment mechanism for the seat of FIG. 16.
FIG. 21 shows a view of an attachment mechanism for the back support of FIG. 16.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show two views of an attachment mechanism for the arm rests of FIG. 16.
FIGS. 24-31 show several progressing stages of expansion or opening of the chair of FIG. 1, as it is transitioned between a collapsed state and an opened or expanded state.
FIG. 32A shows a diagram of a chair stability mechanism of the chair of FIG. 1.
FIG. 32B and 32C depict the position of upper bracing members of the chair of FIG. 1 just prior to and at a fully opened or expanded position.
FIG. 32D shows a diagram of the stability forces acting on the stability mechanism.
FIG. 33 shows a diagram of a swivel mechanism configured to tilt, according to some embodiments.
FIG. 34 shows a bottom view of the chair of FIG. 1 in a collapsed state.
FIG. 35 shows a perspective view of a chair having a cable wrapped around the chair near a seat portion, according to some embodiments.
FIG. 36 shows a side and top view of a disk hub assembly, according to some embodiments.
FIGS. 37, 37a, and 38 show several side views of a chair with an offset swivel portion according to some embodiments.
FIGS. 39 and 40 show side views of a chair with an opening assist mechanism, according to some embodiments.
FIGS. 41 and 42 show top views of the collapsed size of a chair having two different arrangements reflecting the advantageous nesting arrangement.
FIG. 44 shows a perspective view of another embodiment of the chair
FIG. 45 shows a perspective view thereof with the seat, back support, and arm rests removed.
FIG. 46 shows a close up of the chair support portion according to some embodiments.
FIG. 47 shows a perspective view of the upper or lower support attachment to the upper or lower leg members according to some embodiments.
FIG. 48 shows a top view of a hub for use with a space minimizing bracing member, according to certain embodiments.
FIG. 49 shows a top and a side view of a space minimizing bracing member, according to certain embodiments.
FIG. 50 shows a collapsed view of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIG. 50A shows a semi-collapsed view of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIGS. 51-52 shows a close up view of a connection between a swivel portion and a back support of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIG. 53 shows a connection between a swivel portion and a portion of the arm rest of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIG. 54 shows a close up view of a foot of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIG. 55 shows a perspective view of the back of the chair of FIG. 44.
FIG. 56 shows the chair of FIG. 44 in a partially collapsed position.
FIG. 57-60 shows several progressing stages of expansion or opening of the chair of one particular embodiment, as it is transitioned between a collapsed state and an opened or expanded state.
FIG. 61-62 shows a hinged support member according to one embodiment.
FIGS. 63-65 shows diagrams of molded parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure relates to a chair. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a collapsing portable chair that can be stored in a bag as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The collapsible nature of the chair can allow for easy transportation and storage. The chair can include a swiveling mechanism that allows the seat of the chair to swivel while the base remains stationary and stable. Other features relating to cup holders, foot rests, and seat configurations are also disclosed.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a first embodiment of a chair 100 is shown. The chair can include a support base 101 configured to support the chair, a swivel portion 102 adapted to swivel relative to support base 101, a swivel mechanism 103 configured to swivelably connect the swivel portion 102 to the support base 101 and a chair portion 104. The chair 100 can also have cup holders, armrests and a back support portion.
Regarding the support base 101, the support base 101 can be any means for supporting the remaining portion of the chair off the ground and for resisting racking and/or tipping forces. The support base 101 can include a ground contacting surface, an opposing swivel mechanism support surface and a means for connecting the two. The support base can include a frame structure. The frame structure can include a number of chair legs adapted to both support the rest of the chair structure and also to be collapsible. The support base can also be a collapsible rigid cardboard box or other collapsible form configured to provide a solid foundation for the chair. For example, the support base 101 can also be a cylindrical form placed on end, or any other collapsible means for holding up a chair.
Referring to FIG. 4, the support base 101 can be in the form of a frame structure including lower leg members 105 that can be relatively elongate hollow or solid structures having a ground contacting end and a chair support end. The lower leg members 105 can have a rectangular, square, triangular, round, or other cross section. In the embodiment shown, the lower leg members 105 have an annular cross section creating a round hollow tube. In some embodiments, the lower leg member can be built up from multiple members.
As shown in FIG. 4, the frame structure can include four lower leg members 105. However, more or fewer leg members 105 can be used. The lower leg members 105 can be arranged to form a generally pyramidal shape with the ground contacting ends near the base of the pyramid and the chair support ends near the apex of the pyramid.
The lower leg members 105 can be attached via a hinge to the swivel mechanism 103 at the apex of the pyramid shape allowing the lower leg members each to pivot about their respective chair support ends to collapse the pyramid and approach a parallel position relative to one another. In the embodiment shown, the hinge is a pivot pin. Other hinged connections can be provided that allows for the lower leg members 105 to transition between a pyramidal shape in an opened or expanded condition and a generally parallel position in a collapsed condition allowing for the base support 101 to collapse into a relatively small footprint.
Still referring to FIG. 4, the frame structure can also include a lower support brace mechanism configured to guide and/or control the shape of the frame structure, particularly as it transitions from a collapsed state to an open or expanded state. The lower support brace mechanism can include lower support brace bracket 107 and lower support brace members 108. The lower support brace members 108 can be relatively elongate hollow or solid structures with a lower leg member contacting end and a center post contacting end. The lower support brace members 108 can have a rectangular, square, triangular, round, or other cross section. The lower support brace members 108 shown have a generally annular cross section creating a round hollow tube. In some embodiments, the support brace members 108 can be built up from multiple members.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the center post contacting end of the lower support brace members 108 can be attached to the lower support brace bracket 107 positioned on a lower portion of the center post 106. The brace member 108 can be connected to the lower support bracket by means of a pivot pin or other hinged connection as described with regard to the lower leg member 105 attachment to the swivel mechanism 103. As shown, the lower support brace bracket 107 can include a generally tubular collar that is configured to have an inside diameter substantially similar to the outside diameter of center post 106. The brace bracket 107 can include a series of tabs arranged around the circumference of the collar. The tabs can extend from the collar in pairs, each pair configured to receive the center post contacting end of the brace member 108 there between. The tabs can be fixed to the collar via welding, fusing, adhering, or other connections. In other embodiments, the collar and the tabs can be molded as a single piece. Each pair of tabs can participate in securing a lower support brace member 108 as each lower support brace member 108 is secured by two parallel faces of adjacent tabs. A hinge pin can be positioned through one of the pair of tabs, through the lower support brace member 108, and through the opposing tab in the pair of tabs. The lower support brace bracket 107 can be configured to slide freely on center post 106 but can be prevented from traveling past the one end of the post by a collar bracket 109 and at the other end by the swivel mechanism 103. The pivoting attachment and the sliding arrangement allows the lower support brace members 108 to fold up inside the lower leg members 105 when the chair 100 is collapsed.
The other end, the lower leg member contacting end, of the lower support brace members 108 can be attached to the lower leg members 105 through a hinge collar 110. With reference to FIG. 6, the hinge collar 110 can be a narrow strip of metal or aluminum with a generally U-shaped bend with the round end of the U-shaped bracket adapted to fit over the lower leg member 105 and the straight end of the U-shape adapted to receive the lower support brace member 108. It is noted here that FIG. 6 shows the connection of an upper support brace member 113 to an upper leg member 111, but the connection can be the same at the lower brace member 108 connection to the lower leg member 105 as described here. The hinge collar can be secured to the lower leg member 105 to avoid pivoting of the hinge collar 110 relative thereto by a weld, pin, bolt, or other connection. In some embodiments, the straight end portion of the hinge collar 110 can be molded together with the lower leg member 105 or tabs can be welded to the lower leg member 105 to receive the brace members 108. The lower support brace member 108 can be held to the hinge collar 110 with a hinge pin.
Regarding the swivel portion 102, the swivel portion 102 can be configured to be swiveled about an axis of rotation perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the ground contacting surface of the support base (hereinafter “axis of rotation”). The swivel portion 102 can be any means for supporting the chair surface on top of the swivel mechanism 103 and for resisting racking and tipping forces. The swivel portion 102 has a chair support surface, an opposing swivel mechanism attachment surface and means for connecting the two. The swivel portion 102 can include a swivel frame structure for supporting the chair portion 104. The swivel portion 102 can also be configured to have a back support and arm rests. The swivel portion 102 can be a series of tubes extending in a pyramidal fashion where the base of the pyramid forms the chair support surface and the apex of the pyramidal portion forms the swivel mechanism attachment surface. The swivel portion 102 could also be configured to be a stool or a post structure.
One embodiment of the swivel portion 102 is shown in FIG. 4. The swivel portion 102 shown can include a plurality of upper leg members 111 that can be generally elongate hollow or solid structures with a swivel mechanism attachment end and a chair support end. The upper leg members 111 can have a rectangular, square, triangular, round or other cross section. The upper leg members 113 shown have an annular cross section creating a round hollow tube. In other embodiments, the leg members 111 can be built up from one or more elements. The upper leg members 111 can project radially outward from the swivel mechanism attachment end. The upper leg members 111 can be arranged to form an inverted pyramidal or near pyramidal shape with the apex of the pyramid contacting or attached to the swivel mechanism 103 and the base of the pyramid facing away from the swivel mechanism 103. In this embodiment there are four upper leg members 111, but more or fewer can be used. The upper leg members 111 can be attached via a hinge to the swivel mechanism 103 at the apex of the pyramid shape. The hinge in this example can be a pivot pin, but can also be any other connection that sufficiently allows for the upper leg members 111 to pivot between a generally pyramidal shape and a shape where the upper leg members are generally parallel to one another, where the pivoting motion is generally about the attachment to the swivel mechanism 103. As such, the base of the pyramid of the swivel portion 102 can be collapsed into a much smaller footprint as shown in FIG. 2, for example.
The embodiment of the swivel portion 102 shown in FIG. 4 shows a swivel portion 102 that includes an upper support brace mechanism configured to guide and control the position of the upper leg members 111, particularly as they transition between a collapsed position and an expanded or open position. The upper support brace mechanism can include upper support brace members 113 and an upper support brace bracket 112. The upper support brace members 113 can be generally elongate hollow or solid structures with an upper leg member contacting end and a center post contacting end. The upper support brace members 113 can have a rectangular, square, triangular, round or other cross section. The upper support brace members 113 shown have an annular cross section creating a round hollow tube. In other embodiments, the brace members 113 can be built up from one or more elements.
Referring to FIG. 7, the center post contacting end of the upper support brace members 113 can be attached to a telescopically positioned inner center post 114 by an upper support brace bracket 112 by means of a pivot pin as shown. The inner center post 114 is positioned telescopically inside the center post 106 and its outside diameter is substantially the same as the inside diameter of the center post. The inner center post 114 can include a hidden end, which stays inside the center post 106 in both a collapsed and expanded or opened position of the chair 100. The inner center post 114 can also include an exposed upon collapse end which generally is hidden when the chair is expanded, but is generally exposed when the chair 100 is collapsed. The exposed upon collapse end can be positioned generally near the chair portion 104. The upper support brace bracket 112 can be attached to the exposed upon collapse end face of the inner center post 114 with a screw or other attachment device. The upper support brace members 113 can be connected to the upper support brace bracket 112 similarly to the lower support brace member 108 connection to the lower support brace bracket 107. As such, the pivoting attachment can allow the upper support brace members 113 to guide or control the radial expansion of the upper leg members as the upper support bracket 112 moves along the axis and the upper support brace members 113 can further fold up into a generally parallel position inside the upper leg members 111, when the swivel portion is collapsed. The upper leg member contacting end of the upper support brace members 113 can be attached to the upper leg members 111 through the same or similar hinge collar mechanism as the lower support brace members 108 are attached to the Lower Leg Members 105 as illustrated in FIG. 6 and described herein.
The embodiment of the swivel portion 102 shown in FIG. 4 further shows a back support mechanism comprising two back support upright members 115 and a hinge 116 for attaching each back support upright member 115 to one of the upper leg members 111 that is at the desired rearward orientation of the chair. The back support upright members 115 can be generally elongate hollow or solid structures, and can include a lower leg member contacting end and a free outward end. The upright members 115 can have a rectangular, square, triangular, round or other cross section. As shown, the back support upright members have a generally annular cross section creating a round hollow tube. The back support upright members 115 can extend in a generally vertical plane generally parallel to the center post 106 and can be collapsible about the hinge 116. A back support, made of cloth (shown for example in FIG. 3) can be attached to the back support upright members 115.
Referring now to FIGS. 8-10, the hinge 116 is shown in detail. The hinge 116 can include a U-shaped bracket whose side is attached to the rear facing upper leg members 111. The attachment may be done at an angle to the upper leg members 111 as shown to allow the back rest to be angled back from the seat for maximum comfort or to allow the seat to collapse in a smaller space. The void in the bracket can be sized such as to receive the back support upright member 115. The back support upright member 115 can be collapsibly attached via a hinge pin at one end of the bracket opposite the end attached to the upright leg member 111. As such, and as shown by the progression from FIG. 8 to FIG. 10, the back support upright member 115 can be pivoted about a pivot pin from a collapsed position as shown in FIG. 8 to an expanded or open position as shown in FIG. 10. It is also noted that the back support upright member 115 can nest within the U-shaped bracket causing the pivoting motion to be arrested and defining the angle of the back support mechanism.
Referring again to FIG. 4, the embodiment shown can further include back support cross members 117 and a back support cross member hinge 118. With particular reference to FIGS. 11-14, the back support cross members 117 can be generally elongate hollow or solid structures similar to those previously described. The cross members 117 can include a back support upright member contacting end and a back support cross member center hinge contacting end. The back support cross members can be connected to the back support upright members 115 at the back support upright member contacting end with a swiveling collar bracket 119. The swiveling collar bracket 119, shown best in FIG. 12, can be a generally ring shaped collar that has a through hole whose inside diameter is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the back support upright member 115. The bracket 119 can be positioned so that the back support upright member 115 passes through the through hole. Additionally the swiveling collar bracket 119 can include a slide groove cut out through the ring shaped collar for receiving a roll pin attached to the back support upright member 115. The roll pin positioned in the slide groove together can function to keep the swiveling collar bracket 119 from moving along the length of the back support upright member 115, but can allows the bracket 119 to rotate around the back support upright member 115 facilitating collapse into a smaller area.
The back support cross member center hinge contacting end of the back support cross members 117 can be connected to the back support cross member hinge 118. In the present embodiment, as seen in greater detail in FIGS. 13 and 14, the back support cross member hinge 118 can include a metal bracket with a bottom face and two side faces connected to the bottom face at right angles and parallel to each other forming a u-shape. The distance between the two side faces can be substantially equal to the diameter of the back support cross member 117. Each side face can be bent slightly along its length in a convex fashion to allow the back support upright members 115 to be angled away from the seating surface slightly to form a recess in the back support for a person's back. The back support cross member 117 can be positioned inside the recess formed by the distance between the two side faces of the center support hinge and can be held in place by a hinge pin, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, for example, by a bolt.
The back support can also be a flexible, yet stiff, flat metal which can slightly bow backwards. This can be installed up higher on the back support upright members 115 to provide additional support against collapsing forces on the back support upright members 115.
Referring back to FIG. 3, the chair can also include a swivel mechanism 103, designed to allow the swivel portion 102 of the chair to swivel about the axis of rotation relative to the base portion 101. The swivel mechanism 103 can include a swivel portion attachment mechanism and a support base attachment mechanism in addition to a swiveling means that facilitates swiveling of these mechanisms relative to one another. The swiveling means can be any means by which to allow the swivel portion attachment mechanism to swivel about the axis of rotation relative to the support base attachment mechanism. For example, the swivel means can include a friction reducing plastic washer sandwiched between the swivel portion attachment mechanism and the support base attachment mechanism allowing the attachment mechanisms to move relative to each other. Other swiveling means are possible and contemplated including a bearing assembly between, or incorporating the swivel portion attachment mechanism and the support base attachment mechanism. The support base attachment mechanism and swivel portion attachment mechanism can include mechanisms such as hinge pins or swivel collars designed to allow the respective portions to collapse if that is necessary to the collapsibility of that portion.
The embodiment of the swivel mechanism shown in FIG. 4, and a close up depicted in FIGS. 15-16 shows the swivel portion attachment mechanism in the form of a upper leg attachment bracket. The bracket can include an upper disk hub 120. The upper disk hub can include a generally tubular collar whose inside diameter is similar to the outside diameter of center post 106, leaving room for bushings and the like. The tubular collar can include a lower leg attachment facing edge and a swivel portion facing edge. Tabs can be arranged around the circumference of the upper disk hub 120 similar to those described with respect to bracket 107. The tabs can extend from the tubular collar and pairs of tabs can be adapted to receive the upper leg members 111. A hinge pin can be inserted through one of the pair of tabs, through the upper leg member 111 and through the opposing tab of the pair tabs forming a hinge mechanism.
The lower leg attachment bracket facing edge of the upper disk hub 120 collar can sit on top of a swiveling means in the form of a friction minimizing mechanism that facilitates swiveling. As shown in FIG. 15, in one embodiment, the friction minimizing mechanism can include two plastic washers 121 positioned between the upper disk hub 120 and the support base attachment mechanism in the form of a lower leg attachment bracket. Other friction reducing mechanisms can include a ball or roller bearing plate. Other friction reducing mechanisms can be provided.
In the present embodiment, the lower leg attachment bracket can include a lower disk hub 122. The lower disk hub 122 comprises the same or similar configuration as the upper disk hub 120 in one embodiment as described above. The lower disk hub 122 and upper disk hub 120 can be rotationally positioned around center post 106 and can be held together in a sandwich arrangement with the plastic washer or other friction reducing means by a sleeve bushing 123 that fits between the disk hubs 120 and 122 and the center post 106 and includes a shoulder at each end that prevents the upper and lower disk hubs from separating, yet allows for movement of the disk hub assembly up and down the center post 106.
A chair portion 104 is shown in FIG. 17 and can be configured to support a load above the ground and be positioned on the swivel portion 102 so as to allow the chair portion 104 to swivel along with the swivel portion 103. The chair portion 104 can include a seating surface, a back rest surface, and an arm rest surface and can be configured to collapse along with the other members of the chair into a compact footprint. The chair portion 104 can also include a footrest. The arm rests can also include cup holders as shown in FIG. 17.
In a particular embodiment as shown in FIG. 17, the chair, arm rests and back rest is made of a durable cloth fabric. The seating surface can be a fabric seat 124 which contains openings for attachment to the swivel portion 102 at each of the corners of the seat 124. The openings can include grommets 125. Other opening reinforcing mechanisms can be used such as reinforcing stitching or additional material, for example. FIG. 18 shows a close-up of the grommets 125. The rear grommets 125 can slip over the back support upright members 115 if present as illustrated by FIG. 19. The front grommets 125, and the rear grommets 125 if there is no back support upright members 115, can be fastened to the upper leg members 111. In this particular embodiment, upper leg members 111 can include an insert 126 shown in detail in FIG. 20, that receives and holds a screw whose head engages the grommet 125 and whose threads engage the insert 126 thus securing the fabric seat 124.
Referring now to FIG. 21, the back rest surface can be a fabric back support 127 which attaches to the back support upright member 115. In this particular embodiment the fabric back support 127 can include two sleeves on each end that are formed by sewing a pocket to receive the back support upright member 115. The pocket can include a slot opening, as shown, to accommodate the back support cross members 117.
Referring again to FIG. 17 and more particularly to FIGS. 22 and 23, the chair 100 can include armrests with cup holders. In this embodiment, an armrest support member 129 can be included and can extend from the swivel portion 102. The armrests can be fabric arm rests 128 and can include a pocket sewn in the underside of the front of the armrest along its width for receiving the arm rest support member 129. The armrest support member 129 can be a generally L-shaped hollow or solid structures with a rectangular, square, triangular, round or other cross section. The section can be bent or otherwise formed along its length to form a generally L-shaped member. The arm rest support member 129 can have an arm rest engaging end and an upper leg member engaging end. The distance between the arm rest engaging end and the bend can define the width of the arm rest. At the upper leg member engaging end, a spring ball 130 can be provided protruding through a small hole in the arm rest support member 129. A female collar 131 can be attached to one of the forward facing upper leg members 111. In this particular embodiment, the female collar 131 can be welded to one of the forward facing upper leg members 111 just below where the fabric seat 124 is attached. In other embodiments, the female collar 131 can be pinned to the upper leg member 111 and be pivotally arranged to allow the arm rest support member to pivot and collapse relative to the swivel portion 102. The female collar 131 can be a generally tubular collar whose inside diameter corresponds to substantially the outside diameter of the arm rest support member 129. The female collar 131 can also include a hole drilled in the side for receiving the spring ball 130. The end of the arm rest support member 129 with the spring ball 130 can be inserted into the female collar 131 and the spring ball 130 can engage the receiving hole in the female collar 131 so that the arm rest support member 129 is locked into place. To remove the arm rest support member 129, the spring ball 130 can be depressed at the same time force is applied in an upwards direction to free the arm rest support member 129. This can facilitate collapsing of the chair. In other embodiments, the female collar 131 can be omitted and the arm rest support member 129 can be pivotally pinned to the upper leg member 111. In some further embodiments, the arm rest support member can be both pivotally and rotationally connected to allow the support member 129 to pivot and rotate relative to the upper leg member 111 further facilitating collapse of the chair. The rear of the fabric arm rests 128 can be supported by using a clip looped around the back support upright member and a fabric loop sewn into the fabric arm rest 122. In other embodiments, a rubber circular grommet can encircle the back support upright member 115 and can resist slipping by gripping the upright member 115 particularly when rotated or pivoted out of plane.
Referring now to FIGS. 24-31 a method of setup will be described. It is noted that while a particular order may be described, the steps can be performed in any order. FIG. 24 shows the chair 100 collapsed. As one lower leg member 105 is grasped and pulled outward from the folded chair assembly, the chair support end of the lower leg member 105 pivots on the pivot pin in the lower disk hub 122 causing the ground contacting end to pivot outwardly from the lower disk hub 122 . As this happens, the lower support brace members 108 are pulled from their near vertical position to a near horizontal position. This causes the other lower legs to expand because the lower support brace bracket 107 slides down the center post 106. This motion forces the ends of the lower support brace members 108 to pivot against both the lower leg members 105 and the lower support brace bracket 107. The lower support brace members 108 will push the corresponding lower leg member 105 outward, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26. Once the collar bracket 109 is reached, the support base 101 can be positioned in a substantially open or expanded position as shown in FIG. 27.
The back support mechanism and the swivel portion 102 can be expanded as shown in FIGS. 27-31. The back support upright member 115 can pivot about the hinge 116 going from a folded state to an unfolded state and continue to travel until the back support upright member 115 is received into the void of the U shaped bracket hinge 116. The bracket thereby serves as both a hinge and a support to prevent the back support upright member 115 from continuing backward upon application of force.
As shown best in FIG. 28, as the back support upright members 115 pivot outward, the generally radial orientation of the hinge 116 causes the upright members to separate causing the back support cross members 117 to pivot outward from the back support upright member 115 and pivot against the back support cross member hinge 118 and go from nearly touching each other in the collapsed position to a nearly 180 degree orientation to each other. It is noted here that the bracket 116, in some embodiments may, be configured to rotate relative to the upper leg members 111 and the back support upright members 115 can be rotated relative to the upper leg members 115 to suitably position them in a generally vertical position.
An upper leg member 111 can be grasped and pulled outward from the center post 106. The application of this force results in the upper support brace member 113 upright leg member receiving end swiveling on the collar bracket 110 and pulling the upper support brace bracket 112 down. The downward motion of the upper support brace bracket 112 pushes the inner center post 114 down into the center post 106 until the upper support brace bracket 112 prevents any further travel, as this happens the other upper leg members are forced outwards by their respective upper support brace members 113. Where a cloth seat is in place, the travel of the upper ends of the upper leg members 111 can be limited by such a seat. The seat can be sized to stop or inhibit the travel of the upper leg members 111 at a point where the support brace members are just short of horizontal. As such, once the upper support brace members 113 reach a nearly perpendicular position relative to the center post 106, their slight over sizing tends to put them in compression relative to one another. A user can force the chair open causing the upper support brace members 113 to travel just beyond this point through the horizontal position and locking into a position on the other side of horizontal, thus locking the upper brace members 113 into position as the compressive forces naturally resist any upright movement.
One unique aspect of the embodiment displayed in FIG. 32 and the current invention is the chair stability mechanism. The chair stability mechanism can be configured to resist forces applied to the chair and maintain the orientation of the swivel portion 102 relative to the base portion 101. The chair stability mechanism can include a center post and bracing mechanism, or guy wires, or other means.
Referring particularly to FIG. 32A, a chair stability mechanism is shown. The chair stability mechanism of this embodiment can include elements contained in several parts of the chair—the swivel portion 102, the swivel mechanism 103 and the support base 101. In this embodiment, the stability mechanism includes the center post 106, including the inner center post 114, and the lower and upper support braces and brace brackets (107, 108, 112, 113 respectively). The upper and lower support braces 108, 113 prevent either the lower or upper leg members 105, 111 from collapsing under chair loading. For example, where downward force through the hubs 120,122 may cause the lower leg members 105 to tend toward spreading out, the lower support brace members 108 will prevent the lower leg members 105 from spreading out flat beyond the pyramidal base shape desired for the height of the chair due to the tension developed therein. This keeps the support base frame structure in a suitable support shape.
Referring now to FIGS. 32B and 32C, a more detailed discussion of the locking ability of the chair 100 can be described. FIG. 32B shows a view of the chair just prior to a fully expanded position. Note that the upper bracing members are oriented just short of horizontal and the distance between the respective attachment of the upper brace members 113 to the upper leg members 111 at each side can be defined by the distance D. This distance can be limited by the size of the seat, which can limit the outward travel of the upper ends of the upper leg members 111. Referring now to FIG. 32C, the chair has been forced fully open causing the upper support brace members 113 to snap or pop through the horizontal position under the compressive force provided by the tension in the seat. This can lock the chair in this positioned allowing the chair to maintain its shape until the user, wishing to collapse the chair, applies sufficient force to pass the upper support brace members through the horizontal position in the opposite direction. Alternatively, a leverage type lever could be installed on the side of either the upper or lower hub which would pry the two hubs apart and unlock the swivel portion, rather than having to push down on the upper support members. This action would be similar to sticking a screwdriver between the 2 hubs and prying them apart. A center hub can be molded to accommodate this type of mechanism. This locking action resists swivel portion collapsing forces, allowing the chair to remain expanded until the user volitionally collapses the swivel section by grasping the upper support members and bending them against the compressive force. The chair can be lifted, repositioned, inverted, or otherwise manipulated and the chair can maintain its opened or expanded shape.
Referring now to FIG. 32D, the lateral or off center vertical forces on the swivel and chair portions can be resisted by the center post 106 whose height spans a large portion of the base support 101 and the swivel portion 102. Lateral forces can be transferred to the center post 106 through both the swivel mechanism 103 and the upper support members 113. As shown in FIG. 32D, the lateral forces or off center vertical forces can create a bending moment in the center post. This moment can be resisted by the anchoring points of the center post at the lower bracing bracket 107 and the swivel mechanism 103. As such, the moment can be resisted by the lever arm defined by the distance 170 extending there between. Additionally, the section modulus of the center post defined by the cross-section properties of the post can further contribute to the resistance of these forces. In some embodiments, the center post 106 can have a relatively large diameter to assist in resisting these forces. The relatively large lever arm together with a relatively stiff center post can provide for a stable chair while also accommodating the swiveling nature of the chair.
Referring now to FIG. 33, the chair, in addition to being able to collapse and swivel can also be made to tilt so that a user can lean back or forward in the chair. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 33, the center post 106 is bifurcated into an upper swivel base center post and a lower swivel base center post. Furthermore, the upper disk hub 120 is made of two pieces, a top upper disk hub and a bottom upper disk hub. The two sections have a tilt hinge 132 that connects them and allows them to tilt, but are otherwise separated by the thickness of a suitably chosen biasing mechanism in the form of tilt springs 133 that function to return the swivel portion 102 and the chair portion 104 to a horizontal position relatively parallel to the support base ground contacting surface upon the release of the backward or forward leaning force applied to the chair portion 104 by the user. It is noted here that the rigidity of the biasing mechanism in the tilting direction replaces the stiffness of the center post as a contributing factor in the stability of the chair.
In another embodiment, FIG. 34 shows plastic or rubber feet 133 which have a narrow end and a wide end. The narrow end is configured to have an appropriate outside diameter to slip inside the hollow portion at the ground engaging end of the lower leg members 105. The wide end is configured to increase the surface area of the ground engaging end of the lower leg members 105 and thus provide more stability.
In one embodiment, the connection between the back support upright member 115 and the upper leg members 111 can be a fixed connection making use of the same connection method disclosed that the arm rest support member 129 uses to connect to the upper leg member 111.
In another embodiment, the arm rest support members 129 can be telescoping members to allow for adjustable height arm rests. The arm rests can lock in the desired height by using a spring ball placed in the arm rest support member 129 and a corresponding series of adjustment holes in the female collar 131 or other sleeve member. A user can select which hole to allow the spring ball to engage in order to choose the desired height. It is noted that this can be used in a fixed collar 131 system or a hinge system.
In another embodiment, hinge 116 could include a locking mechanism such as a spring ball that would lock the back support upright members 115 into the fully upright positions.
In another embodiment, the upper leg members 111 or lower leg members 105 can be telescoping in order to make the chair's collapsed size shorter and to provide height adjustment features. In this embodiment, the upper and lower leg members 111, 105, can include an outer leg member and one or more inner leg members nested inside each other. When a leg is expanded, as each inner leg member reaches its maximum travel, it can lock to the next successive leg member. This locking mechanism can be a spring ball that is pushed inward in the collapsed state, but pops outward into a receiving hole in the next successive leg member, thus locking the leg in place. This locking mechanism can allow the next successive leg member to be pulled out from its nested position until the entire leg mechanism is fully expanded.
In another embodiment, the swivel portion 102 can separate from the base support 101 at the swivel mechanism 103, allowing for a more portable configuration. In this embodiment, the upper disk hub is not locked to the lower disk hub via sleeve bushing 123, instead it freely travels up and down center post 106. Upper support brace bracket 112 can be releasably attached to inner center post 114 by means of a spring ball located in the inner center post 114 that engages in a hole in the upper support brace bracket 112. To separate the sections, the user can depress the spring ball and pull the whole swivel portion 102 away from the center post 106.
In another embodiment, a leg rest can be attached to the chair. The leg rest could comprise two leg rest support members and a leg rest support hinge for attaching each leg rest support member to one of the upper leg members 111 that is at the desired forward orientation of the chair. The leg rest support members can be a generally L shaped hollow or solid structures having a rectangular, square, triangular, round or other cross section. The leg rest support members can be bent or otherwise formed along its length to form a generally L-shaped member with an upper leg member engaging end and a leg rest engaging end. As viewed from a side perspective, the leg rest support members can form a roughly backwards L shape, angling from the upper leg members 111 towards the ground contacting ends of the lower leg members 104. Because of the L-shape of the leg rest support members, the leg rest engaging end can terminate roughly parallel with the chair portion 104, but can be much closer to the ground contacting ends of the lower leg members 104. The leg rest support members can be collapsibly attached by a hinge to the upper leg members in the same or similar fashion as the back support upright members are attached to the upper leg members. This allows the leg rest support members to collapse, and at the same time, the bracket portion of the hinge can support the leg rest support members from further travel when in a fully expanded position, providing a stable foot rest surface. The fabric leg rest can include a pocket sewn along its length on the back side for receiving the leg rest engaging ends of the leg rest support members. The fabric leg rest can simply be slipped over the leg rest engaging ends of the leg rest support members. Other embodiments and methods of attachment can be used. For example the leg rest can be attached to any part of the upper portion including the armrests and the upper disk hub 120 or a combination of these. The leg rest can also be attached via a spring ball, screw knob, strap and buckle, etc.
In another embodiment, a gun rest can be attached to the chair. In this embodiment, U-shaped brackets can be attached to the arm rest support member 129 and the back support upright member 115 of the corresponding side. The u shape would be sized appropriately to allow the barrel and butt of a common hunting firearm to comfortably rest inside. Other gun rest embodiments can be used, for example a vertically extending Y shaped member attached to the chair in such a way to allow a gun to be rested in the crook of the Y and allow the gun to be swiveled to sight game.
Referring to FIG. 35, in another embodiment, a cable 181 can be wrapped around and attached to the upper leg members 111. This cable 181 can provide additional support against racking forces. One embodiment of this concept is shown in FIG. 35. A wire cable 181 is wrapped around the ends of the upper leg members 111 and around the back support upright members 115. This provides additional rigidity to the seat of the chair. Additionally, a cable can be attached between the two hinges 116 providing further support against collapsing forces on the back support upright members 115. In another embodiment other cable like elements can be placed to provide additional lateral support in the form of cross bracing between adjacent leg members and support members or in other positions that will help stiffen the structure.
In another embodiment, wheels, such as casters can be attached to the bottom ends of the lower leg members 105. The casters could be attached to the sides of the lower leg members, or could be adapted to be received in the hollow portion of the ground contacting end of the lower leg members 105.
Referring to FIG. 36, in another embodiment, the swivel mechanism 103 can include lower leg member attachment brackets, and upper leg member attachment brackets that can be made from a mold and be able to receive leg members with pin or ball and socket form. In this embodiment, the attachment brackets can be molded with one piece and are adapted to fit the upper and lower leg members. The upper and lower leg members would pivot upon a tube pin 137 inserted into the mold and held in place by a recessed washer 138. Mold bridges 136, both upper and lower would be configured to support the upper and lower leg members and to prevent over-travel in addition to or apart from the bracing members 108 and 113.
In another embodiment the swivel mechanism 103 can be comprised of a single piece instead of separate disk hubs through the use of an inner bushing, a flanged bushing, a locking bushing sleeve or a snap ring. Other swivel means can also be used.
In another embodiment, in lieu of oversized bracing members 113, the swivel portion 102 can lock into its expanded position through means of a spring ball, threaded knob, lever or other means. The upper support members 111 can be locked in a horizontal or approximately horizontal parallel plane relative to the ground contacting surface of the support base 101.
In another embodiment, in lieu of oversized bracing members 113 , the swivel portion 102 can be prevented from collapsing as a result of upward pressure on the center post 106. This upward pressure can be created by angling the lower support brace members 108 so that the center post contacting end of the lower support brace members is closer to the ground contacting surface of support base 101 than the lower leg member contacting end. The force of an individual sitting on the chair portion 104 is transferred through upper and lower disk hubs 120 and 122 respectively to the lower leg members 105. Due to the angled nature of the lower leg members, part of this force is translated into a spreading force on the lower leg members 105. This movement causes the lower support brace members 108 to pivot about the hinge collar 110 toward the swivel portion 102. This creates upward pressure on the center post 106 and preventing the upper support brace members 113 from collapsing downward and thus preventing the upper leg members 111 from collapsing.
In another embodiment, the chair portion 104 might be offset in a forward or backward direction in relation to the support base 101 and the swivel portion 102. This is to create an optimal balance point for different activities. For example, in a confined space, such as a hunting blind, a backward shift might be desirable to create more space for sitting. This could be accomplished in several ways. One way can be through the selective lengthening and shortening of the upper leg members 111 and the upper support brace members 113.
Referring to FIGS. 37, 37a and 38 for example, when a backward shift is desired, the front pair of upper leg members 111 and upper support brace members 113 can be made shorter and the backward pair can be made longer. The upper support brace bracket 112 can be offset to accommodate the new lengths as diagrammed in FIGS. 38 and 38a. FIG. 38 shows the collapsed view of such an embodiment. One half of the upper support brace bracket 112 can be attached to the inner center post 114 and the other half is attached to the center post 106 allowing the chair to compactly fold up.
In another embodiment, the seat portion could be attached through a fabric sewn on strap rather than a grommet.
In another embodiment, the seat portion could function as a table or other furniture.
In another embodiment, the arm rests can include fabric armrests 128 and a fabric strap. The fabric strap can be attached to the back support upright members 115 and can be adjustable in length. The adjustability of the strap can allow for adjustment of the back support. In this embodiment, the fabric armrests 128 can be attached as before to the arm rest support members 129. The hinge 116 can be attached to the upper leg members 111 at a steeper angle allowing the upright members 115 to recline more. If the user desires a shallower angle (or less reclined), the user can shorten the length of the fabric strap which then pulls the back support uprights to the shallower angle. If the user desires a steeper angle (or more reclined), the user can simply increase the length of the fabric strap and thus lets gravity and the force of the user's back lean the uprights back further.
Referring now to FIG. 39, in another embodiment, the upper and/or lower support brace members could pivotally hinge upwards when expanding from a collapsed position rather than downwards as per FIGS. 26-30. Other pivot orientations and arrangements can be possible.
Referring now to FIG. 39, in another embodiment, the chair can include an opening assist feature. In this embodiment, the upper and lower support members pivotally hinge upwards when expanding from the collapsed position. To expand the chair, a person can place the collapsed chair in a vertical position with the expansion foot 139 touching the ground or floor. The user then forces the upper leg members 111 outwards while pushing downwards. The expansion foot 139 is coupled to the bottom end of an inner center post 114 which is positioned in this embodiment in the support base section of the center post 106. The inner center post 114 has a lower spring ball 140 protruding outwards. As downward pressure on the chair is applied, upward force on the expansion foot 139 forces the inner center post 114 upwards. The lower spring ball 140 in turn will force the center post 106 upwards until the collar bracket 109, which is placed higher on center post 106 in this embodiment, bottoms out on the lower disk hub 122. At this point the upper support members 113 will have traveled beyond a parallel position creating a locked position because of the compressive forces as shown in FIG. 40. The lower spring ball 140 may now be depressed to allow the inner center post 114 and its attached expansion foot 139 to travel yet further upwards to the position shown in FIG. 40. To collapse the chair a person can push downwards on either the lower support brace bracket 107 or the upper support brace bracket 112 so that the upper support members 113 travel beyond a parallel position unlocking the chair, and the chair can be folded up to a collapsed position.
In order to make the collapsed size of the chair smaller, different methods and locations of attaching the support brace members may be used. Referring now to FIG. 42, one embodiment shows the lower support brace members 108 and the upper support brace members 113 attached to the upper and lower leg members 105 and 111 respectively at an attachment point ninety degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise around the circular surface of the lower or upper leg members from the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. This allows the upper and lower support brace members 108 and 113 to collapse in the space between the lower and upper leg members as shown in FIG. 42, instead of between the center post and upper and lower leg members as shown in FIG. 41.
Referring now to FIGS. 44-55, a second embodiment of a chair 200 is shown. As shown in FIG. 44, the chair includes a support base 201 configured to support the chair, a swivel portion 202 adapted to swivel relative to support base 201, a swivel mechanism 203 configured to swivelably connect the swivel portion 202 to the support base 201 and a chair portion 204. The chair 200 can also have cup holders, armrests and a back support portion. All the elements of chair 200 have been renumbered as 200 series numbers but all elements can be the same or similar to the chair 100 elements, wherein similar elements have been numbered as a corresponding series 200 number.
Referring now to FIGS. 44-55 and chair 200, the upper and lower support brace members 208 and 213 can be the same or similar as the upper and lower support brace members 108 and 113 and of chair 100. Upper and lower support brace brackets 207, 212 can be the same or similar as the upper and lower support brace brackets 107,112. Upper and lower brace members 208 and 213 and upper and lower support brace brackets 207,212 can also be configured to be space minimizing as shown in FIG. 45. As detailed in FIG. 49, the space minimizing support brace members 208, 213 can comprise of a pitch-fork shaped structure having an open end whose faces are separated by a distance approximately the same width as the upper and lower leg outside diameter. The open end, also called the leg attachment end can receive each upper or lower leg members 211, 205. A thru-pin can collapsibly connect the upper or lower legs to the space minimizing support brace members 208, 213 at the leg attachment end as shown in FIG. 47. At the other, closed end, called the bracket attachment end, the space minimizing support brace members 208, 213 can end with a hinge pin attached to the forward face of the pitchfork shape in a T shape. The hinge pin can engage the space minimizing support brace bracket 207, 212. The space minimizing support brace brackets 207,212 in this embodiment is shown in FIG. 48 and can consist of a circular disk with a hole in the middle that has substantially the same inside diameter as the outside diameter of center post 206. The space minimizing support brace brackets 207, 212 can engage the center post 206 as described in relation to chair 100. The space minimizing support brace bracket 207,212 can include a series of tabs arranged around the circumference of the disk. The tabs can extend from the disk in pairs, each pair configured to have a hole to receive the hinge pin of each space minimizing support brace member 208,213. The tabs can be fixed to the disk via welding, fusing, adhering, or other connections. In other embodiments, the disk and the tabs can be molded as a single piece. Each pair of tabs can participate in securing a space minimizing support brace member 208,213 as each space minimizing support brace member 208,213 is secured by two parallel faces of adjacent tabs. In this embodiment, the lower or upper leg members 205, 211 can pivot into the open portion of the space minimizing support brace member 208,213 when the chair is collapsed, thus saving space when collapsed as demonstrated in FIG. 50.
Chair 200 as shown in one embodiment in FIG. 50A can be configured such that both the upper and/or lower support brace members could pivotally hinge upwards when expanding from a collapsed position. In this embodiment, the locked positions shown in FIG. 32B and 32C could be reversed such that the locked position could be shown in FIG. 32B and the unlocked position could be shown in FIG. 32C.
Referring back to FIG. 45 and chair 200, the hinge 216 can be the same or similar as the hinge 116 of chair 100, or, and as best shown in FIG. 51-52 hinge 216 can be configured to be a swivel hinge that allows for the back support upright members 215 to collapse into a smaller footprint, but also allows the back support upright members 215 to extend at a more perpendicular angle to the seating portion 204. Swivel hinge 216 can be a generally tubular collar that can fit over or can be positioned to the side of the upper leg members 211. The swivel hinge 216 can have a slot cut along the outside radius for receiving a roll pin attached to the upper leg members 211. This roll pin allows the swivel hinge to rotate about the upper leg members 211, but not travel axially along the upper leg members 211. Furthermore, a bracket can be attached to the collar for receiving and supporting the back support upright leg members 215. As best shown in FIGS. 51 and 52 the bracket can comprise two generally flat plates attached by suitable means tangentially to the radius of the collar. The plates can have a distance between them substantially the same as the diameter of the back support upright members 215 and are configured to receive the back support upright members 215. A through pin or other hinge mechanism can be positioned through both plates and the back support upright member 215. Swivel hinge 216 can also have a back support upright member receiving plate attached therebetween and configured to support the back support upright members at a desired angle. The receiving plate can be radiused along the distance between the two plates in order to fit the back support upright member 215 better.
Referring back to FIG. 45 and chair 200, the arm rest support attachment mechanism can be a female collar 231 and be the same or similar as the female collar 131 of chair 100, or, and as best shown in FIG. 53, the arm rest support attachment mechanism can be configured to be both swiveling and collapsible. In this embodiment, the arm rest support member 229 can be attached to the upper leg member 211 with a swiveling hinge collar 231 that allows the arm rest to collapse instead of being removable. The swiveling hinge collar 231 can be the same or similar to the swivel hinge 216 that connects the upper leg members 211 with the back support upright members 215. This swiveling hinge collar 231 will allow the arm rests to collapse with the chair rather than be removed when the chair is collapsed.
This hinge mechanism can include a locking mechanism such as a spring ball that locks the armrest support members 129 in their fully upright positions. For example a spring ball can be positioned inside the armrest support members 229, and the receiving hole for the spring ball can be located on the side of the u-shaped receiving hinge collar.
Referring back to FIG. 45 and chair 200, the foot 234 can be the same or similar as the foot 134 of chair 100, or, and as best shown in FIG. 54 can be configured to facilitate additional outward force on the lower leg members 205. The foot 234 can be configured to be a circular collar whose inside diameter is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the lower leg member 205. The collar is open on one end and closed on the other as it is terminated by a shoulder attached to the collar on an appropriate angle such that the shoulder is parallel or substantially parallel with the ground contacting surface of the support base 201. The shoulder extends approximately radially from the collar in an optimally configured shape for the purposes of enabling the lower leg members to experience additional outward force when the user sits on the chair portion 204 or when the chair is being forced open with downward force. In the embodiment shown, the foot 234 has a ski shape with an sloped upturned outer edge allowing the foot to smoothly pass across the ground surface and reduce catching or grabbing. This has the advantage of allowing the feet 234 to readily slide outward under downward force thereby facilitating expansion of the lower leg members. An additional advantage can include increasing the resistance of the support base 201 to collapsing forces as additional forces must be overcome to push the lower leg members 205 inward to collapse the chair when someone is sitting on it. Furthermore, when combined with the previously mentioned alternative locking mechanism for the swivel portion 202 it increases the locking power of the swivel portion 202 by increasing the outward pressure on the lower leg members 205.
Referring now to FIG. 55, the back rest of chair 200 can be the same or similar structure disclosed for chair 100, or as best shown in FIG. 55 can comprise a fabric back support 227 substantially the length of the entire back support upright members 215. This fabric support can be stitched or otherwise attached to fabric seat 124. The bottom of fabric back support 227 can contain a radiused cut-out at the bottom portion to prevent shock and injury to a tailbone of a user attempting to sit down.
A method of setup for chair 200 will now be described. Lower leg members 211 can be grasped and pulled apart. This causes the lower support brace members to pivot about their respective connections to the lower leg members 211. In turn, this forces the inner center post 214 to travel into the center post 206. The lower leg members 211 can only be spread out partially as shown in FIG. 56 because the lower support brace bracket 207 bottoms out on center post 206.
The back support upright member 215 can pivot about the hinge 216 going from a folded state to an unfolded state and continue to travel until the back support upright member 215 is received into the bracket portion of the hinge 216. The bracket thereby serves as both a hinge and a support to prevent the back support upright member 215 from continuing backward upon application of force. As this is happening, the hinge 216 can swivel around the upper leg member 211 in order to orient the back support upright member 215 to be positioned in a generally perpendicular arrangement with respect to the center post 206.
The arm rests and arm rest support members can be unfolded by pivoting them from their collapsed position away from the upper leg member 211 about the collapsible female collar 231 until they are prevented from further movement by the bracket in the collapsible female collar, securing them in place. The collapsible female collar 231 thereby can serve as both a hinge and a support to prevent the arm rest support members from traveling beyond the desired orientation.
The swivel portion can be expanded by grasping an upper leg member 211 and pulling outward from the center post 206. The application of this outward force results in the upper support brace member 213 upright leg member receiving end swiveling on the collar bracket 210 and putting upwards force on the upper support brace bracket 207 and pulling center post 206 upwards through disk hubs 220 and 222 and plastic washer 221. The center post 206 does not pull the lower support brace bracket 207 upwards because the inner center post 214 slides out.
As the upper leg members 211 travel from a near vertical position into an angled position relative to center post 206, the force component being applied also begins to direct force downwards. This force is transferred from the upper disk hub 220 to the lower disk hub 222 which transfers to the lower leg members 205. At this point, the force spreads out the lower leg members 205. As this happens, because the lower leg members 205 spread out, the chair sinks toward the ground contacting surface of the support base 201. The inner center post 214 is pushed inside the center post 206 due to this downward motion.
Once the center post bottoms out on the lower support brace bracket 212 the continued downward force on the upper leg members 211 continues to spread out the lower leg members 205. This spreading force on the lower leg members 205 then pulls the lower disk hub downward. Since the lower disk hub is in a sandwich arrangement with the upper disk hub by the sleeve bushing 223, the upper disk hub is also moved downward. This causes the upper support brace members 213 to spread out and lock into place. Any further downward motion on the chair is stopped by the collar bracket 219.
Referring now to FIGS. 57-60, another embodiment can omit the sleeve bushing 223 allowing for easier setup as the upper and lower disk hubs 220 and 221 can separate. This allows the support base 201 to expand fully prior to opening the swivel portion 202. A user simply pulls up on the swivel portion 201 as shown in FIG. 57 which pulls the center post up through the lower disk hub 222 finally bottoming out on the collar bracket 209. Because the position of the lower support brace bracket 212 is fixed due to the collapsed nature of the chair, the inner center post 214 is telescopically expanded. This allows for the support base 201 to be fully expanded before the center post bottoms out on the lower support brace bracket 207. This also allows for easier locking of the swivel section 202 as the swivel section 202 rides down the center post 206 without having to push down the rest of the chair 200 as shown in FIGS. 58-59. This is advantageous when for example, the chair is being setup in rough terrain where friction and other obstacles work against the spreading action of the lower legs 205 when the swivel portion is being setup.
Upper and lower support brace bracket 107,112, 207,212, collar bracket 110, 210, hinge collar 110, 210, hinge 116, 216, swiveling collar bracket 119, upper and lower disk hub 120, 122, female collar 131, 231 can be made out of molded plastics, steel, aluminum, or other manufacturing techniques.
In another embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 61-62, the support members (upper support brace member 113 or lower support brace member 108) can hinge or fold within themselves. This would allow the support base 101 or the swivel portion 102 to fold or unfold without the disk hubs having to slide up or down center post 106. In some embodiments, this can take place of the inner center post 114. Additionally, where a particular embodiment involves compression in these members, a locking mechanism can be provided to prevent or reduce the chance of buckling of these members. The locking mechanism can include a slidable sleeve that can be positioned over the hinge or a spring ball or other locking mechanism can be used.
FIG. 63 shows a bottom view of another embodiment of a lower disk hub 122 or 222, or a top view of an upper disk hub 120 or 220. This particular embodiment represents a disk hub utilizing a tripod for either the support base 101 or 201 or the swivel portion 102 or 202. The disk hub can be made with a two piece plastic mold in which the mold would accommodate a ball and socket joint between the disk hub and the lower leg member 105 or 205 or the upper leg member 111 or 211. The leg members can be locked into place by a corresponding complementary cover mold that is attached to the mold through screws or other attachment devices.
FIGS. 64 and 65 shows a support brace member mold in various perspectives.
FIG. 64 also shows a top and side view of a plastic bushing
From the above description and drawings, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the particular embodiments shown and described are for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. References to details of particular embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
