CHAIR

Abstract

A chair includes: a frame unit including a pair of spaced-apart leg members, and a pair of side support members that are disposed respectively on the leg members; and a seat unit including a pair of first linking members that are connected respectively to the side support members, and a seat member that interconnects the first linking members. The seat member has opposite coupling end portions. Each of the first linking members has a coupling portion thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions of the seat member.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a chair.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional chair includes a frame unit 4 and a seat unit 5 disposed on the frame unit 4. The frame unit 4 includes a pair of leg members spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction, a pair of seat frames 42 disposed respectively on the leg members 41, and a pair of backrest frames 43 connected respectively to rear ends of the seat frames 42. The seat unit 5 has a seat portion 50 interposed between the seat frames 42, and a backrest portion 51 interposed between the backrest frames 43. Each of the seat portion 50 and the backrest portion 51 has left and right end sections formed respectively with engaging hole units arranged along a direction perpendicular to the left-right direction. Each of the seat frames 42 has a seat support portion 420, and a zigzag engaging member 421 disposed on the seat support portion 420 and interposed between the seat support portion 420 and the seat portion 50. Each of the backrest frames 43 has a backrest support portion 430, and a zigzag engaging member 431 disposed on the backrest support portion 430 and interposed between the backrest support portion 430 and the backrest portion 51. The conventional chair further includes four strings 52, each of which is disposed to tie a corresponding one of the zigzag engaging members 421, 431 to a corresponding one of the seat and backrest portions 50, 51, more particularly to the engaging hole unit of the corresponding one of the seat and backrest portions 50, 51.

However, the zigzag engaging members 421, 431, the seat support portions 420, and the backrest support portions 430 are made as separate components and assembled through welding. Moreover, tying of the seat portion 50 to the zigzag engaging members 421 and tying of the backrest portion 51 to the zigzag engaging members 431 must be manually performed, which may be time- and labor-consuming. Furthermore, the strings 52 may snap after long-term use, which may cause injury.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a chair that is relatively safe and easy to assemble.

Accordingly, a chair of the present invention comprises:

a frame unit including

• • a pair of leg members that are spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction, and
  • a pair of side support members that are disposed respectively on the leg members; and

a seat unit including

• • a pair of first linking members that are connected respectively to the side support members, and
  • a seat member that interconnects the first linking members.

The seat member has opposite coupling end portions in the left-right direction. Each of the first linking members has a coupling portion thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions of the seat member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional chair;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a chair according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a seat unit and two side support members of the preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a backrest unit and two backrest support members of the preferred embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the side support members, the seat unit, and first and second restricting members of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of a chair according to the present invention comprises a frame unit 1, a seat unit 2 and a backrest unit 3.

The frame unit 1 includes a pair of leg members 10 that are spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction. Each of the leg members 10 has a front leg rod 101 and a rear leg rod 102. The front leg rod 101 has a top end connected pivotally to that of the rear leg rod 102. The frame unit 1 further includes a pair of side support members 11 and a pair of backrest support members 12. Each of the side support members 11 is configured as a rod connected to a respective one of the front legs 101. Each of the backrest support members 12 is configured as a rod connected pivotally to a respective one of the rear legs 102.

The seat unit 2 includes a pair of first linking members 21 that are connected respectively to the side support members 11, and a seat member 22 that interconnects the first linking members 21.

Referring to FIG. 3, the seat member 22 of the seat unit 2 has coupling end portions 221 disposed opposite to each other in the left-right direction. Each of the side support members 11 is formed with a first groove 111 extending in a front-rear direction perpendicular to the left-right direction, and having an open front end and a blind rear end. Each of the first linking members 21 has a coupling portion 211 thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions 221 of the seat member 22, a first engaging portion 212 engaging removably the first groove 111 of a corresponding one of the side support members 11, and an elastic portion 213 integrally interconnecting the coupling portion 211 and the first engaging portion 212.

Further referring to FIG. 4, the backrest unit 3 has a configuration similar to that of the seat unit 2, and includes a pair of second linking members 31 that are connected respectively to the backrest support members 12, and a backrest member 32 that interconnects the second linking members 31.

The backrest member 32 of the back unit 3 has coupling end portions 321 opposite to each other in the left-right direction, and each of the backrest support members 12 is formed with a longitudinally-extending second groove 121. Each of the second linking members 31 has a coupling portion 311 thermally bonded to a respective one of the coupling end portions 321 of the seat member 32, a second engaging portion 312 engaging removably the second groove 121 of a corresponding one of the backrest support members 12, and an elastic portion 313 integrally interconnecting the coupling portion 311 and the engaging portion 312.

In this embodiment, each of elastic portions 213, 313 is formed to be corrugated and is configured to have a relatively high toughness. However, implementation of the elastic portions 213, 313 is not limited to such.

Referring back to FIG. 2, and further referring to FIG. 5, the frame unit 1 further includes two restricting members 13. During assembly of the chair of the preferred embodiment, after the coupling portions 211 of the first linking members 21 are thermally bonded with the seat member 22, the first engaging portion 212 of each of the first linking members 21 is inserted entirely into the first groove 111 of the corresponding one of the side support members 11 via the open front end of the first groove 111, thereby engaging the seat unit 2 with the side support members 11. Next, each of the restricting members 13 is coupled to a respective one of the side support members 11 at the front open end for blocking the first groove 111 of the corresponding one of the side support members 11 for restricting sliding movement of the first engaging portions 212 along the first grooves 111. Since the backrest support members 12 and the backrest unit 3 has an assembly relationship backrest support member substantially identical to that of the seat unit and the side support members 11, as described hereinabove, the assembly relationship of the backrest support members 12 and the backrest unit 3 will not be described hereinafter for the sake of brevity.

In summary, assembly of the chair of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is less time- and labor-consuming compared to the prior art. Furthermore, the structures of the side and backrest support members 11, 12 are relatively simple, and may be formed through extrusion without need for further welding. Moreover, since the thermal bonding between the coupling portions 211 and the seat member 22 provides a relatively strong structural strength between the same, and the elastic portions 213, 313 of the first and second linking members 21, 31 have high toughness, the chair of this invention is rather safer for use.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a frame unit including a pair of leg members that are spaced apart from each other in a left-right direction, and a pair of side support members that are disposed respectively on said leg members; and

a seat unit including a pair of first linking members that are connected respectively to said side support members, and a seat member that interconnects said first linking members, and that has opposite coupling end portions in the left-right direction, each of said first linking members having a coupling portion that is thermally bonded to a respective one of said coupling end portions of said seat member.

2. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said side support members is formed with a first groove, each of said first linking members further having a first engaging portion that engages removably said first groove of a corresponding one of said side support members.

3. The chair as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said first linking members further has an elastic portion interconnecting integrally said first engaging portion and said coupling portion thereof.

4. The chair as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said frame unit further includes a pair of backrest support members disposed respectively on said leg members adjacent to a rear portion of said seat unit;

said chair further comprising a backrest unit having a pair of second linking members that are connected respectively to said backrest support members, and a backrest member that interconnects said second linking members and that has opposite coupling end portions in the left-right direction, each of said second linking members having a coupling portion that is thermally bonded to a respective one of said coupling end portions of said backrest member.

5. The chair as claimed in claim 4, wherein each of said backrest support members is formed with a second groove, each of said second linking members further having a second engaging portion that engages removably said second groove of a corresponding one of said backrest support members.

6. The chair as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said second linking members further has an elastic portion interconnecting integrally said second engaging portion and said coupling portion thereof.

7. The chair as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

each of said side support members is configured as a rod;

said first groove of each of said side support members extends longitudinally in a corresponding one of said side support members;

said first engaging portion of each of said first linking members engages removably and slidably in said first groove of the corresponding one of said side support members; and

said chair further comprising a pair of first restricting members, each of which is coupled to a respective one of said side support members and blocks said first groove of the corresponding one of said side support members for restricting slide movement of said first engaging portion of a corresponding one of said first linking members along the first groove of the corresponding one of said side support members.