FOLDING CHAIR

Abstract

A folding chair (20) having an adjustable headrest (30). The chair includes a frame (28) having tubes (50). The headrest (30) includes a head support (62) extending between two tubes (60), the tubes (60) of the headrest slidably connected to the tubes (50) of the frame. Another chair (120) includes a sunshade (130), the sunshade having material extending between two tubes (174). The tubes (174) of the sunshade (130) insert into ferrules (151) attached to the frame (128) of the chair (120). The sunshade (130) may include cords (180) that tension the sunshade towards the chair. Another chair (220) includes at least one pair of crossing cross members (240) attached by a bracket (246). The bracket (246) includes a sleeve (250) and a pair of hooks (252), the hooks mounted to the side of the sleeve. One cross member (240A) is fixed within the sleeve (250) while the hooks (252) selectively engage opposite sides of the other cross member when the cross members are rotated s relative to one another.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/908,618, filed Mar. 28, 2007, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Folding chairs are chairs that can be folded into a collapsed configuration. Folding chairs come in various shapes and sizes, and are very convenient in that they may be easily transported and/or stored when in a folded configuration. Such chairs are often used at picnics, at sporting events, while fishing, while camping, or while engaged in other outdoor activities.

Typically, folding chairs include a frame formed from a series of structural members, such as tubes, rotatably or slidably connected to one another. Often several of the structural members cross each other in order to provide both lateral support and the ability to fold into a compact configuration for storage or easy carrying. Folding chairs also include other structures such as seats, backrests and armrests, which are often supported by the structural members.

A popular conventional version of a folding chair folds so that all four legs are moved to extend adjacent to, and parallel to, one another, permitting the chair to be folded into an elongate, cylindrical arrangement. An example of such a folding chair is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,406. Although such chairs are known, a general description of the chair in that patent is given here for the benefit of the reader.

The chair in U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,406 includes a frame having a pair of front crossed legs, a pair of back crossed legs, and two pairs of side crossed legs. Each pair of crossed legs is pivotally connected together where they cross. The lower ends of the front legs and the lower, front ends of the side legs are pivotally connected to first and second lower, front pads. The lower ends of the back legs and the lower, back ends of the side legs are pivotally connected to first and second lower, back pads. The upper ends of the back legs and the upper, back ends of the side legs are pivotally connected to first and second upper, back pads. The upper ends of the front legs and the upper, front ends of the side legs are pivotally connected to first and second upper, front pads. The upper ends of the front legs connect to first and second upper front pads, and the upper, front, ends of the side legs are pivotally connected to the upper front pads. A flexible seat is connected to the frame with the corners at the four upper pads. By pivoting all of the crossed legs, the chair folds into a cylindrical arrangement.

A variety of other folding chairs are available, and many of the chairs fold into a compact, cylindrical arrangement as described above. Other folding chairs fold flat, or fold into a compact shape that is other than cylindrical.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following presents a simplified summary of some embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of some embodiments that are presented later.

In accordance with an embodiment, a folding chair with an adjustable headrest is provided. The foldable chair may include, for example, a frame, a seat, a backrest, a head rest, and armrests. The frame includes a pair of back support members into which a headrest is slidably mounted. The headrest is adjusted by sliding the headrest relative to the back support members.

In accordance with another embodiment, a folding chair with a sun shade is provided. The chair may include a frame, a seat, a backrest, armrests, and a sun shade. The sun shade includes two pairs of tubes, each pair having a back tube connected to a top tube by an elbow, with the two tubes extending along one side of the sunshade. Fabric extends between the two pairs of tubes. One end of the back tube mounts inside of a ferrule attached to a back support member of the frame. The front of the sun shade and an end of the top tube may be attached by a cord to the armrests.

In accordance with another embodiment, a foldable chair having a bracket for supporting frame cross members is provided. The foldable chair may include, for example, a frame, a seat, a backrest, a head rest, and armrests. The frame includes at least one pair of cross members rotatably mounted to one another. The bracket includes a sleeve onto which is mounted a pair of hooks. The hooks are oriented on opposite sides of the sleeve and open in opposite directions, with concave surfaces facing opposite directions towards a common longitudinal axis. One cross member is mounted in the sleeve. The second cross member is free to rotate relative to the other from a first position, where the two cross members extend adjacent to each other, to a second position, where the cross members are crossed and the second cross member is captured in both of the hooks.

In accordance with another embodiment, a chair having an armrest is included. The armrest has a storage cavity accessible by opening a door.

In accordance with another embodiment, a chair having an armrest is included. The armrest has a panel that is attached by a hinge to the armrest. The panel rests on a flat shelf. The panel rotates about the hinge to create with the flat shelf a flat surface on the upper portion of the armrest. The flat surface may be used as a table.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a folding chair having an adjustable headrest in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the connection between the headrest and a back support member of the folding chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial side perspective view of the connection between the headrest and the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a folding chair having a sun shade in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the chair of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a rear view of the chair of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a bottom perspective view of a mount for connecting the sun shade and the folding chair of FIG. 5 to one another;

FIG. 9 shows a top perspective view of the mount of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a partial view of a connection between tubes of the sun shade of FIG. 5;

FIG. 11 shows a side perspective view of a folding chair incorporating a bracket in accordance with an embodiment;

FIG. 12 shows a front view showing detail of a pair of cross members connected by a bracket for the folding chair of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a front view of the cross members and bracket of FIG. 12 in a collapsed configuration;

FIG. 14 shows a side perspective view of the bracket of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 shows a front view of the bracket of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 shows a side view of the bracket of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 shows a top view of the bracket of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 18 shows a side perspective view of a chair incorporating an armrest compartment and folding table in accordance with an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, various embodiments of the present invention will be described. For purposes of explanation, specific configurations and details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will also be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without the specific details. Furthermore, well-known features may be omitted or simplified in order not to obscure the embodiment being described. In addition, to the extent that orientations of the embodiments are described, such as “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “right,” and the like, the orientations are to aid the reader in understanding the embodiment being described, and are not meant to be limiting.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows a folding chair 20 in accordance with an embodiment. The folding chair 20 includes a seat 22, a backrest 24, armrests 26, a frame 28, and a headrest 30. The seat 22 and the backrest 24 are rectangular pieces of fabric, such as polyester. As shown in FIG. 2, the seat 22 and backrest 24 are approximately perpendicular to each other with the backrest 24 above the seat 22. The armrests 26 are elongated strips of fabric, which also may be polyester, and may extend parallel to the seat 22 above the seat 22.

The frame 28 includes four pairs of cross members 40, a pair of armrest support members 42, and a pair of back support members 44. As shown in FIG. 1, the back support members 44 extend substantially vertically on opposite sides of the rear side of the frame 28. The cross members 40 are tubes, poles, or other elongate elements of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as steel. The cross members 40 of each pair of cross members 40 are pivotally attached to one another at approximately the center of each cross member 40, each pair of cross members 40 forming an X shape. The armrest support members 42 may be made of the same material as the cross members 40. As can be seen in FIG. 1, each pair of cross members 40 is pivotally connected on opposite sides to adjacent pairs of cross members 40 at their ends. The armrest support members 42 may attach to the frame 28 at a suitable location, such as at the ends of cross members 40 located at the front of the chair 20.

As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, each back support member 44 includes a back tube 50, a friction grommet 52, and a notch 54. Each back tube 50, like the cross members 40, is a tube made of material such as steel. The friction grommet 52 is disk-shaped and made from a semi-rigid material, such as rubber, and has a center bore extending completely through the center of the friction grommet 52. The friction grommet 52 may have an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the back tube 50. A flange 53 is positioned on the top of the friction grommet 52 and extends radially outward. The flange 53 has a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the back tube 50. In this manner, the friction grommet 52 may be attached to the top of each back tube 50 by partially inserting the bottom of the friction grommet 52 into the top of the back tube 50 until the flange 53 engages the top of the back tube 50 and the friction grommet 52 cannot be inserted further into the back tube 50. Each notch 54 is a protrusion extending into the interior of the back tube 50 at a location below the friction grommet 52.

The headrest 30 includes a pair of tubes 60 each having a material insert 64 mounted at a lower end. Like the cross members 40, the tubes 60 may be made of a material such as steel. Also, although described as “tubes,” the tubes 60 may be solid rods or other elongate members. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the tubes 60 have an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the back tubes 50. A head support 62 is suspended between the tubes 60. The head support 62 may be an elongated strip of fabric, such as polyester, having a width significantly less than the length of the tubes 60, and extending horizontally between corresponding ends of the tubes 60.

As shown in FIG. 3, the material insert 64 is a cylinder of material, such as plastic, having a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the tubes 60 and having a flange 65 on a bottom end, the flange 65 having a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the back tube 50. A narrow upper end of the material insert 64 is inserted into the end of each tube 60 opposite the head support 62 until the flange 65 prevents the material insert 64 from inserting into the tube 60 further. A screw or other fastener may secure each material insert 64 to each tube 60, or the material insert 64 and the tube 60 may be configured so that the material insert 64 mechanically or frictionally locks to the tube 60, or the material insert 64 may be welded or glued to the tube 60. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the distance of each tube 60 between the head support 62 and the material insert 64 is greater than the distance between the friction grommet 52 and the notch 54.

The tubes 60 are inserted into the back tubes 50 through the central bore of the friction grommet 52, with the material insert 64 oriented downward. To achieve this, the top end of each tube 60 opposite the material insert 64 may be inserted into the lower end of the friction grommet 52 before the lower end of the tube 60 and the friction grommet 52 are inserted into the top end of the back tube 50. In order to pass the material insert 64 beyond the location of each notch 54, each notch 54 may be made after insertion of each tube 60 into each back tube 50, for example, by using a press to punch a notch 54 into each back tube 50. Once the notch 54 is formed, the notch 54 prevents the tube 60 from being pulled out of the back tube 50 because the flange 64 cannot be pulled over the notch.

As an alternative to forming the notch after insertion of the pole 60, the material insert 64 may also have a notch (not shown) that allows the material insert 64 to pass over the notch 54 only when the tube 60 and material insert 64 are rotated at a particular angle, so that the material insert 64 may be passed over the notch 54 and then rotated so that the material insert 64 cannot pass over the notch in the opposite direction.

FIG. 2 shows the headrest 30 fully inserted into the back tubes 50. In this position, the headrest 30 is prevented by the head support 62 from entering further into the back tubes 60. In particular, each tube 60 cannot be inserted further into the corresponding back tube 50 because a portion of the bottom of the head support 62 extending from each tube 60 engages the top of friction grommet 54. An alternate structure, such as a raised ridge, may be attached to the tube 60 to prevent each tube from being inserted further into its corresponding back tube 50.

The headrest 30 may be adjusted to a higher position by pulling the headrest 30 upwards. Pulling the headrest 30 upwards causes each tube 60 to slide relative to its corresponding back tube 50. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the headrest 30 may be pulled upwards until the material insert 64 engages the notch 54 and the headrest 30 cannot be pulled up further. When the headrest 30 is pulled to the desired level, because the tube 60 fits tightly into the central bore of the friction grommet 54, frictional forces between each friction grommet 54 and the corresponding tube 60 prevent the headrest 30 from falling downward. A tight fit between the material insert 64 and the back tube 50 may also provide additional or alternative frictional forces to prevent the headrest 30 from falling downward. A user may push down on the headrest 30 to overcome the frictional forces in order to adjust the headrest 30 downward.

Because the notch 54 prevents the material insert 64 from moving further upward, the headrest 30 is not easily removed from the chair 20, which prevents the headrest 30 from being lost. Other structures or mechanisms may be used to prevent removal of the headrest 30. However, an alternate embodiment permits removal of the headrest 30. There, the use of a notch 54 and a material insert 64 is not necessary. Indeed, without a notch 54 and a material insert 64, the headrest 30 would be removable by pulling the headrest 30 upwards until each tube 60 exits the corresponding back tube 50. When the headrest 30 is removed, the headrest 30 may be stored by wrapping the material of the head support 30 around the tubes 60 to put the headrest 30 into a compact configuration. The chair 20 may include a pocket or other structure (not shown) to store the headrest 30.

Other configurations are possible. For instance, as described above, the back tubes 50 serve to support the backrest 24 as well as provide a mounting for the headrest 30. However, tubes configured similar to the back tubes 50 may be otherwise attached to the frame 28 and need not provide any structural support for the chair 20, other than to provide support for the headrest 30.

In addition, the particular folding chair described above and shown in the drawings need not be used. In general, tubes having a friction grommet or a structure providing a similar function may be mounted to or near the rear side of any folding chair. For example, tubes similar to the back tubes 50 may be directly welded to any frame members located near or on the back of any folding chair. Examples of folding chairs to which tubes similar to the back tubes 50 may be mounted for use with a headrest can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,852, U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,938, U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,210, U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,210, U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,671, U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,661, U.S. Pat. No. 6,817,661, U.S. Pat. No. 6,814,403, U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,433, U.S. Pat. No. 6,637,811, U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,322, U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,128, U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,473, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,857, U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,428, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,849, U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,601, U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,241, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,201, U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,065, U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,591, U.S. App. No. 2003/0111874, U.S. App. No. 2003/0111872, U.S. App. No. 2003/0034675, WO9802064, WO8906102, and WO02069760, as examples.

FIG. 5 shows a folding chair in accordance with a second embodiment. Like the folding chair 20, the folding chair 120 includes a seat 122, a backrest 124, armrests 126, and a frame 128, configured similarly to the seat 22, backrest 24, armrests 26, and frame 28. In accordance with an embodiment, the folding chair 120 includes a shade 130.

As shown in FIG. 6, like the frame 28, the frame 128 includes four pairs of cross members 140, armrest support members 142, and back support members 144. In an embodiment, the cross members 140 and the armrest support members 142 are configured similarly to the cross members 40 and the armrest support members 42, respectively. Each back support member 144 is a tube or other elongate piece of rigid or semi-rigid material such as steel and, as shown in FIG. 7, includes a steel ferrule 151, and a mount 152. Each steel ferrule 151 is a hollow cylinder of steel or other suitable material having a closed bottom end and being attached approximately parallel to a back support member 144 near the upper end of the back support member 144 with the closed end of the steel ferrule 151 oriented downward. In an embodiment, both the steel ferrules 151 and the back support members 144 are made from steel and each steel ferrule 151 is welded to a back support member 144.

As shown in FIG. 8, the mount 152 includes a plate 160, a ferrule 162, and a sleeve 164. The plate 160 is a rectangular piece of material such as plastic or rubber, and may be formed as a unitary piece with the ferrule 162 and the sleeve 164. The ferrule 162 is an elongated piece of material, such as plastic or rubber abutting and parallel to the plate 160 and having a hole 165 extending lengthwise partial distance of the material. The hole 165 is opened to a bottom of the ferrule 162, but is closed at the top. The sleeve 164 is an elongated piece of material abutting and parallel to the ferrule 162 and having a keyhole shaped hole 166 running lengthwise through the sleeve 164. In addition, the keyhole shaped hole 166 is fluidly connected with the hole 165 at the bottom end of the ferrule 162.

Referring to FIG. 7, each mount 152 is attached to a back support member 144 by inserting the upper end of the back support member 144 into the hole 165 and the steel ferrule 151 into the keyhole shaped hole 166 until the top of the back support member 144 engages the top end of the hole 166. During this process, the weld of the steel ferrule 151 to the back support member 144 passes through the narrow portion of the keyhole shaped hole 166. When the mount 152 is in place, the ferrule 151 is surrounded by the sleeve 164. The rear panel 124 may be attached to both mounts 152, perhaps by sewing the rear panel to the plate 160 of each mount 152.

Referring back to FIG. 5, the shade 130 is a canopy having approximately the same width as the seat 122 or backrest 124 and including a rear panel 170, a top panel 172, a pair of rear tubes 174, a pair of top tubes 176, a pair of elbows 178, and a pair of cords 180. The rear panel 170 and top panel 172 are rectangular pieces of fabric such as polyester. The rear tubes 174 and top tubes 176 are elongated poles made from rigid or semi-rigid materials such as steel, fiberglass, or bamboo. Each cord 180 may be a rope that may be elastic or inelastic.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, a bottom end of each rear tube 174 has a diameter that allows the bottom end of the rear tube 174 to fit inside the steel ferrule 151. As shown in FIG. 10, the top end of each rear tube 174 is configured to fit inside one end of an elbow 178, which may be an open cylinder of metal bent approximately ninety degrees in its middle. A rear end of each top tube 176 is configured to fit into the other end of the elbow 178. In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, with the top end of each rear tube 174 connected to the rear end of the respective top tube 176 by an elbow 178, an L-shaped bracket is formed. These two L-shaped brackets form the structure for supporting the shade 130. For example, the rear panel 170 extends between the rear tubes 178 and the top panel 172 extends between the top tubes 176.

The shade 130 is attached to the chair 120 by inserting the bottom end of each rear tube into the hole of the steel ferrule 151 so that, when the rear tubes 174 are inserted into the steel ferrules 151, the front ends of the top tubes 176 point towards the front of the chair 120, that is, towards the side of the chair opposite the backrest 124. A cord 180 connects the front end of each top tube 176 to another location on the chair 120, such as to the outer edge of an armrest support member 142 on the same side of the chair 120. Each cord 180 may be tensioned to pull each top tube 176 outward and away from each other to maintain tension in the top panel 172 so as to suspend the shade 130 over the seat 122.

The shade 130 may be removed from the folding chair 120 by pulling the rear tubes 174 out of the steel ferrule 151 and disengaging the cords 180 from the chair 120. The shade 130 may be put into a compact configuration for storage, for example, by removing the rear tubes 174 and top tubes 176 from the elbows 180, aligning the rear tubes 174 and top tubes 176 parallel and against each other, and then rolling the material of the rear panel 170 and top panel 172 around the rear tubes 174 and top tubes 176. The cords 180 may be wrapped around the rear panel 170 and top panel 172 and tied to one another in order to secure the shade 130 in a compact configuration. The chair 120 may also include a pocket or other structure for storage of the shade 130 when the shade 130 is not in use.

Other variations of the chair 120 and shade 130 are also possible. For instance, a shade 130 may be used with any of the chairs described or listed above. For example, steel ferrules 151 may be welded to any of the chairs described above or in the references listed above so that the canopy 130 can be inserted into the ferrules 151. In addition, a shade 130 can be used with the chair 20, for instance, by configuring the ends of the rear tubes 174 opposite the elbow 178 to fit tightly into the friction grommet 52. In this manner, the rear tubes 174 of the shade 130 can be inserted into the back tubes 44 of the chair 20 and the height of the shade 130 would be adjustable. Also, a shade 130 may also be integrated with a headrest, such as the headrest 30, as one unit.

FIG. 11 shows a folding chair 220 in accordance with a third embodiment. Similar to the chairs 20 and 120, the chair 220 includes a seat 222, a backrest 224, a pair of armrests 226, and a frame 228. Configured similarly to the frames 28 and 128, the frame 228 includes four pairs of cross members 240, a pair of armrest support members 242, and a pair of back support members 244. In accordance with an embodiment, the frame 228 also includes at least one bracket 246.

As can be seen in FIG. 14, the bracket 246 may be formed from a single piece of material such as metal or plastic and includes a sleeve 250, a pair of hooks 252, and a pin hole 254. The sleeve 250 is a hollow cylinder of material having a longitudinal axis 251 running through the center of the cylinder of the sleeve 250. The sleeve 250 has a diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of a cross member 240. Each hook 252 includes a concave surface 253 having a curvature approximately matching the curvature of the outer surface of a cross member 140. Each hook 252 is rigidly attached to opposite sides of the center of the outer surface of the sleeve 250. The concave surfaces 253 of each hook 252 are oppositely oriented and face a common longitudinal axis 255, which extends transverse (e.g., perpendicular, but other angles may be used) to the longitudinal axis 251 of the sleeve 250. As shown in FIG. 14, the axis 255 passes in front of the pinhole 254, which is a hole extending through opposite sides of the sleeve 250. In addition, the hooks 252 are attached to the sleeve 250 such that the concave surfaces 253 of the hooks 252 would engage the outer surface of a cross member 240 with its center aligned with the axis 255.

In accordance with an embodiment, the bracket 246 is attached to one pair of cross members 240A, 240B. In particular, one cross member 240A passes through the sleeve 250 parallel to the axis 251. A pin 256 extends through the sleeve 250 and the cross member 240A. The pin 256 also extends through the other cross member 240B. the As can be seen in FIG. 12, the pin 256 extends through both cross members 240A, 240B, and the sleeve 250 at the crossing of the two cross members 240A, 2403, thereby securing the two cross members 240A, 240B, and the bracket 246 together. The cross member 240B is able to pivot about the pin 256 relative to the sleeve 250 other cross member 240A. The cross member 244E may rotate between a storage position in which the two cross members 240A, 240B extend along and adjacent to one another to a use position where the two cross members 240A, 240B form an “X” and the concave surfaces 253 of the hooks 252 engage opposite sides of the cross member 240B.

As can be seen in FIG. 11, the bracket 246 adds strength to the crossed pair of cross members 240A, 240B. When the chair 220 bears weight on the seat 222, the bracket 246 prevents the pair of cross members 240A, 240B from rotating more than the angle defined between the axes 251, 255, which in an embodiment is approximately ninety degrees. The hooks 252 capture the cross member 240B and prevent its rotation beyond this amount.

As can be seen by comparing FIG. 12 to FIG. 13, when the cross members 240A, 240B are in an “X” configuration, the cross member 240E may be rotated out of and away from the concave surfaces 253 until the cross members 240 are nearly parallel to one another, as in FIG. 13. This position allows the chair 220 to be put into a storage configuration from an open configuration.

While the drawings show the chair 220 having one bracket 246 attached to a front pair of cross members 240, a folding chair may have a bracket on other pairs of cross members 240. In general, a folding chair may have a bracket for any pair of cross members that are pivotally connected to one another. For instance, the chair 220 could have four brackets 246, one for each pair of cross members 240. The chair 220 could also have two brackets 246, or three brackets 246.

The bracket 246 may also be altered for use in other chairs, such as the chairs described or listed in references above. For example, the axes 251, 255 need not be perpendicular, but can be at other angles relative to one another to accommodate chairs having cross members that do not cross perpendicularly.

Other alterations may also be made to the bracket 246. For instance, the hooks 252 need not have concave surfaces 253, but could have flat surfaces, or even convex surfaces in place of the concave surfaces 253. In addition, the sleeve 250 could have a rectangular or other cross section in order to accommodate cross members having a similar cross section, and the hooks 253 could be altered to similarly accommodate such cross members. In addition, the sleeve may be replaced with another structure that rigidly attaches a pair of hooks, such as the hooks 252, to one of the cross members.

FIG. 18 shows a chair 320 in accordance with another embodiment. The chair 320 includes legs 322, a backrest 324, a seat 326, a first armrest 328, and a second armrest 330. The legs 322, backrest 324, and seat 326 may be similar to the legs, seats, and backrests of any particular chair, including the chairs described and shown in the references listed above. In particular, the legs 321 may structurally support the seat 326 and the backrest 324, with the backrest 324 above and approximately perpendicular to the seat 326. The chair 320 may or may not be foldable.

The first armrest 328 is an elongated structure extending above and approximately parallel to the seat 326. The armrest is structurally connected to the chair 320, for example, by being attached to the backrest 324. The first armrest 328 includes a body 340, storage cavity 342, door 344, and hinge 346. The body 340 may be a rectangular elongated structure made from a material such as plastic or wood. The storage cavity 342 is a cavity located on the upper side of the body 340. The door 344 is a substantially flat piece of material, perhaps the same material from which the body 340 is made, configured to completely cover the storage cavity 342. In an embodiment, the door 344 is rectangular. The door 344 may be pivotally connected to the first armrest 328 by a hinge 346, such as a living hinge, which may be located along an outer edge of the body 340. The door 344 may also have a tab 348, located on an edge of the door 344 opposite the hinge 346.

As can be seen in FIG. 18, the first armrest 328 is configurable from a closed configuration, where the door 344 covers the storage cavity 344) to an open configuration, the open configuration visible in the drawing and in which the storage cavity 342 is accessible. In particular, the door 344 is rotated about the hinge 346 away from the body 340 until the storage cavity 342 is accessible. Similarly, the first armrest 328 may be put into the closed configuration by rotating the door 344 about the hinge 346 towards the body 340 until the door 344 covers the storage cavity 342. Rotating the door 344 may be aided by gripping the tab 348.

The storage cavity 342 allows users of the chair 320 to store items in a convenient location. In order to retrieve items stored in the storage cavity 342, a user need not get up from the chair 320, but simply needs to open the storage cavity 342, remove items from the storage cavity 342, and close the storage cavity 342. Items that may be stored in the storage cavity 342 include pencils, pens, headphones, bottles of sunscreen, medicine, digital music players, or, in general, any item capable of fitting in the storage cavity 342.

The second armrest 330 may have a general shape similar to the shape of the first armrest 328 and includes a body 350 and a panel 352. The body 350 is an elongated structure of material, such as plastic or wood, having an upper surface 354 located in the rear of the second armrest 330 and a lower surface 356 located in the front of the second armrest 330. The lower surface 356 is a horizontal surface located a short distance, such as two centimeters, lower than the upper surface 354 and has a hinge 360 located on the side of the lower surface 356.

The panel 352 is a flat piece of material, perhaps the same type of material from which the remainder of the body 350 is made, which is attached to the body 350 by the hinge 360. The panel 352 includes a flat surface 362 which has a shape approximately equal to the shape of the lower surface 356. As shown in FIG. 18, the panel 352 is attached to the body 350 next to the lower surface 356 along the hinge 360 so that both the lower surface 356 and the flat surface 362 face an upward direction.

FIG. 18 shows the second armrest 330 in an open configuration. In the open configuration, a side of the panel 352 engages a side of the body 350 near the lower surface 356 so that the flat surface 362 and the lower surface 356 abut one another to create one large surface 364 having an area equal to the area of the flat surface 362 and the area of the lower surface 356 added together. In this configuration, the surface 364 may be used as a table, for example, to support a pad of paper so that a user of the chair 320 may conveniently write on the pad. The surface 364 may also provide a convenient surface on which to place a newspaper having a crossword puzzle, so that a user of the chair may conveniently fill in the blanks of the crossword puzzle. The second armrest 330 may be placed on the left or the right of the chair in order to accommodate left handed or right handed writers, respectively. In fact, the second armrest 330 may be removable so that a user can choose on which side to locate the second armrest 330. The chair 320 may also have an armrest similar or identical to the second armrest 330 on each side of the chair 320. In addition, the surface 364 may simply provide a convenient surface which is wider than the upper surface of a typical armrest. For instance, the surface 364 may be used to hold a drink or a plate of food.

To put the second armrest 330 into a closed configuration, the panel 352 is simply rotated about the hinge 360 towards the seat of the chair until the flat surface 362 engages the lower surface 356. When the flat surface 362 engages the lower surface 356, the second armrest 330 has a shape similar to that of a typical armrest, that is, an elongated, substantially rectangular piece of material extending towards the front of the chair 320. To put the second armrest 330 into an open configuration, the panel 352 is simply rotated about the hinge 360 until the flat surface 362 and the lower surface 356 are parallel to one another, as shown in FIG. 18.

While the drawings show the hinge 360 on the outer edge of the lower surface 356 so that the panel 352 rotates outwardly, the hinge 360 may be located on the inner edge of the lower surface 356 so that the panel opens inwardly and the surface 364 located partially over the lap of a user sitting in the chair 320.

Other configurations are also possible. For example, while the drawings show the chair 320 with both a first armrest 328 and a second armrest 330, the chair 320 may have only one or the other. For example, the chair 320 may have the first armrest 328, and a typical armrest on the other side of the chair 320, but not the second armrest. It also may have only the second armrest 330 with a typical armrest on the other side of the chair 320. In addition, the features of the first armrest 328 and the second armrest 330 may be incorporated into a single combined armrest, and the chair 320 may have one or two of the combined armrests. Other combinations are also possible.

Other variations are within the spirit of the present invention. Thus, while the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, a certain illustrated embodiment thereof is shown in the drawings and has been described above in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form or forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. The term “connected” is to be construed as partly or wholly contained within, attached to, or joined together, even if there is something intervening. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.

Claims

1. A chair, comprising:

a folding frame configurable between a first arrangement where a user may sit on the chair and a second arrangement where the chair is more compact for transport or storage; and

a headrest slidably mounted to the folding frame.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the headrest comprises at least one post, and wherein the frame comprises at least one tube, and wherein the post is slidably mounted in the tube.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein said at least one tube comprises a back rest support tube.

4. The chair of claim 3, wherein the number of back rest support tubes is two, and wherein the headrest comprises a corresponding two posts, each for sliding along the corresponding back rest support tube.

5. The chair of claim 4, wherein each back rest support tube includes a friction grommet for receiving a corresponding post and resisting sliding of the post relative to the back rest support tube.

6. The chair of claim 4, wherein, for at least one set of a back rest support tube and a post, further comprising a stop for limiting sliding movement of the post with respect to the back rest support tube.

7. A chair, comprising:

a folding frame configurable between a first arrangement where a user may sit on the chair and a second arrangement where the chair is more compact for transport or storage; and

a sunshade mounted to the frame.

8. The chair of claim 7, wherein the sunshade comprises:

a frame extending from a back of the chair toward a front of a seat of the chair; and

a canopy extending over at least a portion of the frame.

9. The chair of claim 8, wherein the sunshade further comprises at least one cord extending from a front part of the frame for the sunshade to a front portion of the folding frame.

10. The chair of claim 9, wherein the cord extends to a front part of an armrest for the folding frame.

11. The chair of claim 8, wherein the frame for the sunshade is connected to back rest support tubes for the folding frame.

12. The chair of claim 11, wherein the back rest support tubes each comprise a ferrule for receiving an end of the frame for the sunshade.

13. The chair of claim 12, further comprising:

a back rest fabric extending between the back rest support tubes and forming a back rest for the chair;

a mount that extends over a top of one of the back rest support tubes, covers an outside portion of the ferrule for the back rest support tube, and is connected to the back rest fabric.

14. A chair, comprising:

a seat;

feet for supporting the chair;

a folding frame configurable between a first arrangement where a user may sit on the seat the chair and the chair rests on the feet, and a second arrangement where the chair is more compact for transport or storage, the folding frame comprising: first and second cross members rotatably connected to one another at a pivot location, the first and second cross members extending extending between one of feet for the chair and the seat; and first and second hooks fixed to the first cross member and mounted on opposite sides of the pivot location, the first and second hooks each defining concave surfaces, with the concave surfaces facing opposite directions towards a common longitudinal axis such that the second cross member is rotatable relative to the first cross member between a first position where the second cross member is seated against the concave surfaces of the two hooks, and a second position where the second cross member is removed from the two hooks.

15. The chair of claim 14, wherein the first and second hooks are mounted on a bracket which is fixed to the first cross member.

16. The chair of claim 15, wherein the bracket comprises a sleeve that fits around the first cross member.

17. The bracket of claim 16.

18. The bracket of claim 15.

19. A chair, comprising:

a folding frame configurable between a first arrangement where a user may sit on the chair and a second arrangement where the chair is more compact for transport or storage; and

an armrest attached to the frame, the armrest having a storage compartment and a door, the storage compartment being accessible by opening the door.

20. The chair of claim 19, wherein the door is hinged to the armrest.

21. The chair of claim 19, wherein the door forms a top surface of the armrest when the door is closed.

22. A chair, comprising:

a folding frame configurable between a first arrangement where a user may sit on the chair and a second arrangement where the chair is more compact for transport or storage;

an armrest attached to the frame, the armrest comprising:

an inset defining an inset top; and

a panel having first and second sides, the panel being hingedly attached to the frame and movable between a first position in which the panel fits inside the inset with the second side of the panel against the inset top and the first side of the panel forming a portion of the armrest, and a second position in which the panel is adjacent to the inset and the second side of the panel and the inset top form a table.