TIGHTENING ROD FOR SLING CHAIR

Abstract

A chair includes first support comprising a passageway, a second support, a body of material extending from the first support to the second support, a rod extending between the first support and the second support, and a threaded nut. The rod includes a main body and a threaded portion sized to be received by the passageway. The threaded nut is configured to be positioned about and to interface with the threaded portion. Rotating the rod clockwise causes the main body to move laterally away from the support.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a non-provisional conversion of U.S. Pat. App. No. 63/408,233 filed Sep. 20, 2022, entitled “TIGHTENING ROD FOR SLING CHAIR,” the contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes and in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure generally relates to a rod used with a sling chair to increase the tension of the fabric used with the chair.

BACKGROUND

Sling back-style chairs utilize a piece of fabric stretched across a gap to provide the back and/or seat structure of a seat. Due to the relatively high amount force required to apply appropriate tension to the piece of fabric, sling back-style chairs are generally shipped to stores and sold to consumers as fully-assembled chairs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a chair.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a rod mechanism of the chair of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a rear perspective view of the rod mechanism of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3B is a top view of the rod mechanism of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3B, of a first state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of a second state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 4A.

FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of a third state of the rod mechanism of FIGS. 4A and 4B.

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of a first state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of a second state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view of a third state of the rod mechanism of FIGS. 5A and 5B.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a rod mechanism of the chair of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an exploded rear view of the rod mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the rod mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9A is a rear view of a first state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9B is a rear view of a second state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 9C is a rear view of a third state of the rod mechanism of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 10A is a rear perspective view of the rod mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view, taken along line 10-10 in FIG. 10A, of the rod mechanism of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method for assembling a chair.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Traditionally, sling back-style chairs are manufactured by assembling the frame of the chair and then stretching a piece of fabric across the frame. Because the amount of force required to stretch the fabric across the frame is generally higher than what can be reasonably applied by a human, sling back-style chairs are typically fully assembled off-site and then shipped and sold to a consumer. This process may introduce logistical restrictions. For example, shipping fully-assembled chairs it can be undesirably expensive. In another example, a fully-assembled chairs may be too large to fit in an owner's vehicle, limiting the owner's options for transporting the chair.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to the same or similar features in the various views, FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a chair 10. The chair 10 may be a sling-back style chair, and may include a rod mechanisms 100, 200, or 300, a first support 101, a second support 103, a body of material 102, a first leg 104, a second leg 105, a front support bar 106, and a rear support bar 107.

The body of material 102 may be formed of any type of pliable material capable of being stretched while maintaining structural integrity to support a user's weight as a seatback and/or seat bottom. For example, the body of material 102 may be a synthetic fabric or mesh.

The first support 101 and the second support 103 may be mirrored relative to each other, such that the first support 101 and the second support 103 may have the same curvature and may combine, along with the body of material 102, to form a seat. The first support 101 and second support 103 may form the left and right sides of the seat, for example, and may be coupled to and support the body of material 102. The first support 101 and second support 103 may be connected via the rod mechanism 100, which may extend from the first support 101 to the second support 103. As described in more depth below, the rod mechanism 100 may be positioned between the first support 101 and the second support 103 and then be adjusted to increase a functional length of the rod mechanism 100. By increasing the functional length of the rod mechanism 100, the first support 101 and second support 103 may be pushed away from each other to apply tension to the body of material 102.

The first leg 104 may be coupled (e.g., fixed, welded, fastened, etc.) to the first support 101, and the second leg 105 may be coupled (e.g., fixed, welded, fastened, etc.) to the second support 103. In some embodiments, the first leg 104 and second leg 105 may be removably coupled to the first support 101 and second support 103, such as through a screw or bolt. In other embodiments, the first leg 104 and second leg 105 may be permanently coupled to the first support 101 and second support 103, such as through a weld. The first leg 104 and second leg 105 elevate the seat formed by the first support 101, second support 103, and body of material 102 to an appropriate height for seating. As such, the first leg 104 and second leg 105 may be separate components from the first support 101 and second support 103, such that the body of material 102 may not be directly connected to either the first leg 104 or second leg 105.

Front support bar 106 and rear support bar 107 may be inserted between and coupled to each of the first leg 104 and the second leg 105. In some embodiments, the front support bar 106 and rear support bar 107 may have a fixed length substantially equal to the spacing between the first leg 104 and second leg 105 when the body of material 102 is fully stretched (e.g., when the rod mechanism 100 is in a fully-extended state). The front support bar 106 and rear support bar 107 may be positioned and fixed prior to positioning and extending the rod mechanism, or the front support bar 106 and rear support bar 107 may be coupled to the first leg 104 and second leg 105 only after the rod mechanism 100 has been positioned and extended. In other embodiments, at least one of the front support bar 106 or the rear support bar 107 may include the rod mechanism 100 or components similar to the rod mechanism 100. In these embodiments, the front support bar 106 and/or the rear support bar 107 may be, similarly to the rod mechanism 100, positioned between the first leg 104 and the second leg 105 and then expanded by turning a screw included in the mechanism. In this way, the front support bar 106 and/or the rear support bar 107 may assist or replace the rod mechanism 100 in providing a tensioning force to the body of material 102.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the rod mechanism 100. As shown in FIG. 2, the rod mechanism 100 may include a support insert 110, a rod 120, a rod insert 125, a screw 130, and a slip cover 140. The first support 101 may include a support opening 101a formed in an inner (e.g., medial) surface of the first support 101, with a matching opening 101b (shown in FIGS. 4A-4C) formed in an outer (e.g., lateral) surface of the first support 101. A hex-key 150 or other screwdriver and a wrench 160 may be utilized in conjunction with (e.g., for assembly of) the rod mechanism 100. A diameter of an exterior of the support insert 110 may be substantially equal to the diameter of the support opening 101a, such that the support insert 110 may fit within the support opening 101a. The support insert 110 may have a threaded interior that is sized and shaped to receive the screw 130. The support insert 110 may include a flange 112 or other protrusion(s) that extends perpendicular to a central axis of the support insert 110 through which the screw 130 may be received. The flange 112 may prevent the support insert 110 from being completely inserted into the first support 101 by interfacing with the inner surface of the first support 101, for example. The flange 112 may also be configured to interface with the wrench 160 by having one or more flat sides. For example, the wrench 160 may be used to hold the support insert 110 stationary while the screw 130 is rotated. In some embodiments, the support insert 110 may be integrally formed of the same body of mass as or substantially fixed (e.g., welded) with the first support 101, such that the first support 101 may include a threaded passageway without the use of a separate or secondary component.

In some embodiments in which a threaded portion is integrally and/or monolithically formed with the rod, such as the one shown in FIG. 6, a nut (e.g., nut 310) and washer (e.g., washer 312) may function similarly to the support insert 110 and flange 112. The threaded portion (e.g., threaded portion 325) of the rod (e.g., rod 320) may be received into the support (e.g., first support 301) through the nut 310 and washer 312. The nut 310 may be threaded, and the threaded portion 325 may interface with the nut 310. Because the nut 310 and washer 312, like the flange 112, may extend perpendicular to a central axis of the hole in the support 301 through which the threaded portion 325 may be received, the washer 312 (or the nut 310, if the washer 312 is omitted) may interface with an inner wall of the first support 301 and prevent the threaded portion 325 from being completely inserted into the first support 301.

In those embodiments in which the rod 120 and screw 130 are separate components, the rod 120 may be a cylindrical tube that is long enough to extend between the first support 101 and second support 103 without stretching the body of material 102, such that the rod 120 may be positioned between the first support 101 and second support 103 by a user without requiring the user to exert an unreasonable amount of force. For example, the length of the rod 120 may be equal to a distance between the first support 101 and second support when the body of material 102 connecting the two supports is unstretched. As discussed above, the amount of force required to generate an appropriate tension across the body of material 102 for use as a seat may be greater than a user could generate unassisted, so the length of the rod 120 may be small enough that a user can easily place the rod 120 between the first support 101 and second support 103 with the body of material 102 unstretched, then use the other components of the rod mechanism 100 to increase the separation between the first support 101 and second support 103 and stretch the body of material 102. In those embodiments in which the rod 320 may be integrally and/or monolithically formed with the threaded portion 325, the combined length of the rod 320 and threaded portion 325 may be greater than a distance between the first support 301 and second support when the body of material connecting the two supports is unstretched. Because the length may be greater, the threaded portion 325 may be first inserted into the first support 301 (e.g., without a cap 314) to enable the rod 320 to be positioned without stretching the body of material.

The rod 120 may be entirely hollow or hollow for a substantial length of the rod. If the rod 120 is entirely or substantially hollow, the rod insert 125 may be inserted into the rod 120 to provide a stop for the screw 130. As such, an outer diameter of the rod insert 125 may be equal to an inner diameter of the rod 120. The rod insert 125 may be substantially cylindrical with a lip to prevent the rod insert 125 from slipping entirely into the rod 120. In other embodiments, only a portion of the rod 120 may be hollow, and the rod 120 itself therefore may provide a stop for the screw 130. In some embodiments, the rod 120 and/or rod insert 125 may have a smooth interior, such that a threaded object (e.g., screw 130) would not engage with the interior but would instead rotate freely. In other embodiments, the rod 120 and/or rod insert 125 may have a threaded interior, and the rod 120 may be rotatably coupled to the second support 103, such the threaded object would engage with the interior but the rod 120 would rotate freely relative to the second support. The distance (or “hollow depth”) between the stop and the opening of the rod insert 125 or rod 120 may be based on a length of the screw 130, or vice-versa. For example, the hollow depth may be such that the opposite (e.g., relative to the stop in the rod insert 125 or rod 120) end of the screw 130 may be positioned or enclosed (e.g., hidden) within the first support 101 when the rod mechanism is at full functional length.

The screw 130 may be threaded, and may be sized to fit within the support insert 110 and the rod insert 125. As such, the threading of the screw 130 and of the support insert 110 may be configured to enable the screw 130 and the support insert 110 to interface. For example, clockwise rotation of the screw 130 may cause the screw 130 to move laterally towards an interior of the first support 101, while counter-clockwise rotation may cause the screw 130 to move laterally towards an exterior of the first support 101. One or both ends of the screw 130 may be configured to interface with a hex-key (e.g., hex-key 150) or other device for rotating the screw 130 (e.g., screwdriver, Allen key, etc.).

In some embodiments, the rod 120, rod insert 125, and the screw 130 may be formed of a single component, such that the screw 130 extends directly from the rod 120. In these embodiments, the rod 120 may be rotatably coupled to the second support 103 to enable free rotation of the rod, and the screw 130 may be turned by turning the rod 120 itself. This configuration is explained in greater depth with regard to FIGS. 6 and 7 below.

The slip cover 140 may be a cylindrical piece configured to obscure or otherwise hide the amount of the screw 130 that extends between the support insert 110 and the rod insert 125 when the rod mechanism 100 is in an extended state. As such, the slip cover 140 may have an inner diameter that is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the rod 120 to enable the slip cover 140 to move along the rod 120 and, therefore, the rod mechanism 100 generally. For example, the slip cover 140 may be positioned on the rod 120 while the screw 130 is being turned to extend the rod mechanism 100, and then may be moved to a position on the screw 130 once the rod mechanism 100 is extended.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are non-exploded views of the rod mechanism 100. As shown, the screw 130 may be inserted into the first support 101 via an exterior opening and received by the support insert 110. The hex-key 150 may engage with the exterior end of the screw 130. The rod insert 125 may be inserted into the rod 120, and the slip cover 140 may be positioned on the rod 120. From there, as shown in FIG. 4A, the rod 120 may be aligned with the support insert 110 and screw 130. FIG. 4B shows the screw 130 being screwed by the hex-key 150, which may cause the screw 130 to move laterally towards the rod 120 and to engage with the stop of the rod insert 125. Once the screw 130 engages with the stop of the rod insert 125, further lateral movement of the screw 130 (e.g., via screwing by the hex-key 150) presses against the stop of the rod insert 125 and causes the rod 120, via the rod insert 125, to move laterally away from the first support 101, as shown in FIG. 4C. As the rod 120 moves laterally away from the first support 101, the functional length of the rod mechanism 100 increases, which applies a tensioning force to the body of material 102.

FIGS. 5A-C are cross-sectional views of a rod mechanism 200 that may be used with or instead of rod mechanism 100 for the chair 10. As shown, the rod mechanism 200 may include a nut 210, a rod 220, a rod insert 230, and a slip cover 240. The rod insert 230 may include a threaded portion 232, a lip 234, and a smooth portion 236. The rod 220 may be hollow and sized to receive the smooth portion 236. When the smooth portion 236 is inserted into the rod 220, as shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the lip 234 may interface with the opening in the rod 220 and prevent the rod insert 230 from sliding fully into the rod. The nut 210 may be threaded and configured to receive the threaded portion 232, such that the nut 210 may be positioned between the rod 220 and a first support 201. The first support 201 may be equivalent to the first support 101, such that the first support 201 may be a support for a sling-back type chair. The slip cover 240 may be sized and shaped to cover the nut 210 and exposed portion of the rod insert 230.

Because the nut 210 and first support 201 provide a relatively-fixed point of contact for the rod insert 230 and because the threaded interior of the nut 210 interfaces with the threaded portion 232, as the rod insert 230 is rotated (e.g., by rotation of the nut 210), the rod insert 230 may move laterally relative to the rod 220. As the rod insert 230 moves laterally away from the first support 201, the lip 234 may contact the rod 220. From there, further lateral movement of the rod insert 230 away from the first support 201 may push the rod 220 away from the first support 201, thereby increasing a functional length of the rod mechanism 200.

Referring now to FIGS. 6-7, a rod mechanism 300 is shown that may be used with or instead of rod mechanisms 100, 200 for the chair 10. The rod mechanism 300 may include a nut 310, washer 312, cap 314, rod 320, threaded portion 325, and slip cover 330, with the slip cover 330 shown in phantom. The threaded portion 325 and the rod 320 may be monolithic, such that the threaded portion 325 may be formed of the same component as the rod 320. The threaded portion 325 may have an end that is configured and shaped to interface with a hex-key (e.g., hex-key 342 of FIG. 8). The nut 310 may be threaded to receive the threaded portion 325, and the washer 312 may be unthreaded (e.g., smooth) to enable free rotation of the threaded portion 325 within the washer 312. The threaded portion 325 may be inserted into, in order, the slip cover 330, the nut 310, the washer 312, and a support 301 (e.g., first support 101). Like the first support 101, the support 301 may be relatively hollow, and may include an opening on both the interior and exterior of the support 301. By turning the threaded portion 325 (e.g., by turning the rod 320), the rod 320 may move laterally relative to the nut 310, which in turn may cause the rod 320 to move laterally away from the support 301. The rod mechanism 300 is shown in FIG. 6 in an extended state, in which an amount of the threaded portion 325 may not be within the support 301. In the extended state, the functional length of the rod mechanism 300 may be the sum of a length of the nut 310, the exposed length of the threaded portion 325, and the length of the rod 320.

As shown in FIG. 8, a wrench 341 and a hex-key 342 may be utilized with the rod mechanism 300. The wrench 341 may be configured and shaped to position about the nut 310 and to hold the nut 310 stationary as the rod 320 and threaded portion 325 rotate. The hex-key 342 may be configured and shaped to interface with an end of the threaded portion 325 to rotate the threaded portion 325 and the rod 320.

FIGS. 9A-C show the rod mechanism 300 in various states of extension. In FIG. 9A, the rod mechanism 300 is in a first state in which the rod 320 may be initially and substantially flush with the nut 310 and the threaded portion 325 may extend through the first support 301. In a second state shown in FIG. 9B, the threaded portion 325 may rotate relative to the nut 310 (which may be held stationary by the wrench 341), and the rod 320 may move laterally away from the nut 310 and the first support 301. The threaded portion 325 may be rotated by the hex-key 342. As shown in FIG. 9C, in a third state of the rod mechanism 300, the end of the threaded portion 325 configured to interface with the hex-key 342 may be positioned within the first support 301, and the rod 320 may be further distanced from the nut 310 and the first support 301. FIGS. 10A-B show the rod mechanism 300 in the third state, with the slip cover 330 positioned over the amount of the threaded portion 325 exposed between the nut 310 and the rod 320.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for a method 1100 of assembling a sling-back style chair. This chair may be chair 10 of FIG. 1.

The method 1100 includes, at block 1110, providing an assembly for a rod mechanism and side supports for the chair. The rod mechanism may be rod mechanisms 100, 200, or 300 and may be structured to have a variable functional length, such that the rod mechanism may be inserted between the two side supports of the chair before being lengthened to apply tension to a body of material stretched between the two supports. The side supports may be first support 101 and second support 103, and the body of material stretched between the two supports may be body of material 102. In some embodiments, the body of material 102 may already be fixed to the first support 101 and second support 103 prior to method 1100, while in other embodiments, the body of material 102 may be separate from the first support 101 and second support 103 and may require an additional assembly (e.g., sliding the body of material 102 into grooves on the first support 101 and second support 103). The first support 101 and second support 103 may be parallel, such that a first axis defined as a length of the first support 101 and a second axis defined as a length of the second support 103 may be substantially parallel.

The method 1100 further includes, at block 1120, coupling a left leg to the assembly of block 1110 and, at block 1130, coupling a right leg to the assembly of block 1110. The left leg may be first leg 104, and the right leg may be second leg 105. Coupling each of the left leg and right leg may include screwing one or more screws or bolts through each of the left leg and the right leg into the assembly of block 1110, such that the first leg 104 may be screwed to the first support 101 and the second leg 105 may be screwed to the second support 103.

The method 1100 also includes, at block 1140, coupling a front support bar and a rear support bar to the assembly of block 1130. The front support bar may be front support bar 106, and the rear support bar may be rear support bar 107. In those embodiments in which the front support bar 106 and rear support bar 107 have a fixed length, the support bars may be coupled to each of the first leg 104 and the second leg 105 prior to the functional length of the rod mechanism being increased at block 1150. In those embodiments in which at least one of the front support bar 106 or the rear support bar 107 may function as the rod mechanism, the front support bar 106 and/or the rear support bar 107 may be positioned with the rod mechanism at block 1150 and may be manipulated in conjunction or in series with the rod mechanism at block 1160.

The method 1100 also includes, at block 1150, positioning the rod mechanism of block 1110 between the supports of block 1110, such that one end of the rod mechanism may be inserted in a hole on the first support 101 and the other end of the rod mechanism may be inserted in a hole on the second support 103.

The method 1100 also includes, at block 1160, causing a screw of the rod mechanism to move laterally, thereby increasing a functional length of the rod mechanism. As discussed herein, for either rod mechanism 100 or rod mechanism 200, a screw (e.g., screw 130, threaded portion 232) may interface with another component in the rod mechanism such that when the screw moves laterally, the screw causes the rod to move with the screw. In this way, lateral movement of the screw increases the functional length of the rod mechanism, which, in turn, applies a tensioning force to the body of material.

In some embodiments, the coupling of the left and right legs at blocks 1120 and 1130 may be performed before the rod mechanism is extended and the body of material is stretched at block 1160. Particularly in those embodiments in which at least one of the front support bar or the rear support bar functions as the rod mechanism, coupling the legs to the supports prior to applying the tensioning force to the body of material can have various benefits. In other embodiments, the coupling of the left and right legs at blocks 1120 and 1130 may be performed after the rod mechanism is extended and the body of material is stretched at block 1160. In some of these embodiments, the front and rear support bars may be coupled to the left and right legs before the legs are coupled to the supports, which may provide a further tensioning force to the body of material in those embodiments in which the support bars have a fixed length.

In some embodiments, a chair may include a first support including a passageway, a second support, a body of material extending from the first support to the second support, a rod extending between the first support and the second support and including a main body and a threaded portion sized to be received by the passageway, and a threaded nut configured to be positioned about and to interface with the threaded portion. Rotating the rod clockwise may cause the main body to move laterally away from the support.

In some of these embodiments, the threaded nut may be shaped to receive a wrench.

In some of these embodiments, the main body and the threaded portion may be monolithic.

In some of these embodiments, the threaded portion may be configured to interface with a hex key.

In some of these embodiments, the rod may further include a slip cover configured to be positioned over a portion of the threaded portion that extends from the first support to the main body.

In some of these embodiments, the body of material may include a stretchable material, and wherein increasing a distance between the first support and the second support may increase a tension on the body of material. In some of these embodiments, a length of the rod may be greater than the distance between the first support and the second support when the body of material is unstretched.

In some of these embodiments, the rod may be rotatably coupled to the second support.

In some embodiments, an assembly may include a threaded passageway having an inner diameter, a rod in initial contact with the threaded passageway, and a screw having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the threaded passageway and extending through the threaded passageway. Threads of the screw interface with the threaded passageway, such that rotating the screw may cause the screw to move laterally within the threaded passageway, and lateral movement of the screw may cause the rod to separate from the threaded passageway.

In some of these embodiments, the assembly may further include a first support including the threaded passageway, a second support substantially parallel to the first support, and a body of material extending between the first support and the second support. The rod may extend from the first support to the second support, and causing the rod to separate from the threaded passageway increases a distance between the first support and the second support. In some of these embodiments, increasing the distance between the first support and the second support may increase a tension on the body of material.

In some of these embodiments, the screw may be configured to interface with and be rotated by a hex key.

In some of these embodiments, the assembly may further include a first support including the threaded passageway, a second support substantially parallel to the first support, and a body of material extending between the first support and the second support a first support. The threaded passageway may include a nut, the nut may abut the first support, and causing the rod to separate from the threaded passageway may cause the rod to separate from the first support and increase a distance between the first support and the second support. In some of these embodiments, the screw may be monolithic with the rod.

In some embodiments, a method for assembling a chair may include providing an assembly that may include a threaded passageway having an inner diameter, a rod in initial contact with the threaded passageway, and a screw having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the threaded passageway and extending through the threaded passageway. Threads of the screw may interface with the threaded passageway, such that rotating the screw causes the screw to move laterally within the threaded passageway. The method may also include rotating the screw, which causes the rod to move laterally away and separate from the threaded passageway.

In some of these embodiments, rotating the screw may include inserting a hex key into an end of the screw and turning the hex key.

In some of these embodiments, the threaded passageway may include a nut, and the method may further include holding, with a wrench, the nut stationary as the screw is rotated. In some of these embodiments, the screw may be monolithic with the rod, such that the screw and the rod rotate together. In other of these embodiments, the rod may be rotatably coupled to a side support of the chair.

In some of these embodiments, the method may further include moving a slip cover along the rod to obscure a portion of the screw extending between the passageway and the rod

While this disclosure has described certain embodiments, it will be understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to these embodiments except as explicitly recited in the claims. On the contrary, the instant disclosure is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, in the detailed description of the present disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that systems and methods consistent with this disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure various aspects of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a first support comprising a passageway;

a second support;

a body of material extending from the first support to the second support;

a rod extending between the first support and the second support, the rod comprising: a main body; and a threaded portion sized to be received by the passageway; and

a threaded nut configured to be positioned about and to interface with the threaded portion,

wherein rotating the rod clockwise causes the main body to move laterally away from the support.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the threaded nut is shaped to receive a wrench.

3. The chair of claim 1, wherein the main body and the threaded portion are monolithic.

4. The chair of claim 1, wherein the threaded portion is configured to interface with a hex key.

5. The chair of claim 1, wherein the rod further comprises a slip cover configured to be positioned over a portion of the threaded portion that extends from the first support to the main body.

6. The chair of claim 1, wherein the body of material comprises a stretchable material, and wherein increasing a distance between the first support and the second support increases a tension on the body of material.

7. The chair of claim 6, wherein a length of the rod is greater than the distance between the first support and the second support when the body of material is unstretched.

8. The chair of claim 1, wherein the rod is rotatably coupled to the second support.

9. An assembly comprising:

a threaded passageway having an inner diameter;

a rod in initial contact with the threaded passageway; and

a screw having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the threaded passageway, the screw extending through the threaded passageway, wherein threads of the screw interface with the threaded passageway, such that rotating the screw causes the screw to move laterally within the threaded passageway, and wherein lateral movement of the screw causes the rod to separate from the threaded passageway.

10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a first support comprising the threaded passageway;

a second support substantially parallel to the first support; and

a body of material extending between the first support and the second support,

wherein the rod extends from the first support to the second support, and

wherein causing the rod to separate from the threaded passageway increases a distance between the first support and the second support.

11. The assembly of claim 10, wherein increasing the distance between the first support and the second support increases a tension on the body of material.

12. The assembly of claim 9, wherein the screw is configured to interface with and be rotated by a hex key.

13. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a first support comprising the threaded passageway;

a second support substantially parallel to the first support; and

a body of material extending between the first support and the second support a first support, wherein: the threaded passageway comprises a nut, the nut abuts the first support, causing the rod to separate from the threaded passageway causes the rod to separate from the first support and increases a distance between the first support and the second support.

14. The assembly of claim 13, wherein the screw is monolithic with the rod.

15. A method for assembling a chair, comprising:

providing an assembly comprising: a threaded passageway having an inner diameter; a rod in initial contact with the threaded passageway; and a screw having a diameter equal to the inner diameter of the threaded passageway, the screw extending through the threaded passageway, wherein threads of the screw interface with the threaded passageway, such that rotating the screw causes the screw to move laterally within the threaded passageway; and

rotating the screw,

causing the rod to move laterally away and separate from the threaded passageway.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein rotating the screw comprises:

inserting a hex key into an end of the screw; and

turning the hex key.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the threaded passageway comprises a nut, the method further comprising:

holding, with a wrench, the nut stationary as the screw is rotated.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the screw is monolithic with the rod, such that the screw and the rod rotate together.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the rod is rotatably coupled to a side support of the chair.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising moving a slip cover along the rod to obscure a portion of the screw extending between the passageway and the rod.