Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6612654
-
Patent Number
6,612,654
-
Date Filed
Friday, January 4, 200222 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, September 2, 200321 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Cuomo; Peter M.
- D'Adamo; Stephen
Agents
- Thorpe North & Western LLP
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 297 4401
- 297 44011
- 297 4402
- 297 44022
- 297 4191
- 297 55
- 297 56
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
An upholstered folding chair includes a chair frame, a base member permanently attached to the frame, and an upholstered insert configured to slide into and removably interlock with either the base member or the chair frame. The base member includes a retaining rim, which covers and protects at least some of the edges of the upholstered insert, and the base member and upholstered insert may have interlocking members which become hidden between the base and insert when the two are interlocked together. The base can be either a back base for receiving and supporting an upholstered chair back insert, or a seat base for receiving and supporting an upholstered chair seat insert.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to upholstered chairs. More particularly, the present invention relates to a chair having upholstered inserts which require very little labor to assemble.
2. Related Art
Folding chairs are often used in situations where it is desirable or necessary to provide varying numbers and/or varying layouts of chairs, such as during conventions, seminars, conferences, etc. In addition, folding chairs are often used in multipurpose areas, in which chairs are used for some functions, but must be cleared away and stored to provide a large open space for other functions.
Naturally, it is desirable that folding chairs be capable of being folded and stacked or aligned for storage in the smallest possible space. Accordingly, a variety of types and designs of folding chairs have been developed which can be unfolded and placed in a desired configuration for use, then folded and stacked for storage in a relatively small space. It also is desirable that folding chairs be comfortable. One disadvantage of many prior art folding chairs is that there tends to be a trade off between comfort and foldability: the chairs either fold well and are uncomfortable, or are comfortable without folding well. For example, typical prior art folding chairs have rigid metal seats and seat backs, which can be hard and uncomfortable. Fortunately, folding chairs with cushioned seats and cushioned seatbacks have also been developed. Unfortunately, these chairs still tend to utilize the rigid metal or wood seat bottoms and seatbacks, and the cushions tend to make the chairs quite bulky when folded. More recently, some cushioned folding chairs have been better designed with comfort and ergonomic considerations in mind-such as better lower back support, a more comfortable sitting recline angle, etc.-making them more tolerable for users.
Unfortunately, some prior art cushioned folding chairs still suffer from various drawbacks. For example, many designs require significant manual labor to apply the upholstery. Many upholstered folding chairs have the upholstery separately attached to a backing material, with the backing material then fixedly attached to the chair frame with fasteners such as screws, rivets, etc. Obviously, a large amount of labor is required to assemble these, including significant labor to apply the fasteners, and to hide unsightly edges of the upholstery fabric, etc. Additionally, the screws, rivets, etc., which secure the upholstery backing to the chair frame are generally exposed, and can be subject to tampering and vandalism. This tends to reduce the useful life of chairs, and presents unwanted costs and aggravation for the owner.
It also is desirable that folding chairs be durable and strong. It will be appreciated that a typical folding chair will be stored and used, folded and unfolded, innumerable times during its usefull life. Likewise, the chair must be able to support persons of various weights, and also withstand potentially abusive conditions. Unfortunately, when assembled, the upholstered portions of some folding chairs present many exposed upholstered edges, which are very prone to wear, particularly with frequent handling and use. For example, many folding chairs are stored merely by leaning one chair against a wall, and placing subsequent chairs in a series against the first chair. It will be appreciated that when handled in this way, the top and side upholstered edges of adjacent chairs will tend to rub against each other, in addition to contact with the persons doing the folding and stacking, all of which will tend to cause wear to the edges of the upholstery. Additionally, a plurality of folding chairs stacked against a wall can have a potential domino effect, causing additional damage to upholstered edges when they are knocked over. Finally, where the upholstery fabric is vinyl or other similar material, the upholstery edges are particularly prone to cracking, even as early as during construction of the chair. It will be apparent that there are many other ways in which the upholstered edges of these chairs may become damaged or worn.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop an upholstered chair wherein upholstery edges are hidden and protected.
It has also been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop a tamper-proof removable cushion for a folding chair, which has hidden connectors and a hidden interlocking mechanism.
It has also been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop an upholstered chair with upholstered inserts that are removable from the frame of the chair by one with proper tools and knowledge.
It has also been recognized that it would be advantageous to develop an upholstered cushion which easily slides into a frame of a folding chair, for efficient assembly.
In accordance with one aspect thereof, the invention advantageously provides an upholstered folding chair, comprising a base, permanently attached or secured to the chair frame, which can removably slidably receive an upholstered insert. In one embodiment, the base comprises a back base for receiving and supporting an upholstered chair back insert, and in another embodiment the base is a seat base for receiving and supporting an upholstered chair seat insert.
In accordance with another more detailed aspect thereof, the invention provides an upholstered chair, comprising a frame, a base member permanently attached to the frame, and an upholstered insert configured to slide into and removably interlock with either the base member or the chair frame.
In accordance with another more detailed aspect of the invention, the base member includes a retaining rim, which covers and protects at least some of the upholstered edges of the insert.
In accordance with still another more detailed aspect of the invention, the base member and upholstered insert include interlocking members which become hidden between the base and insert when the two are interlocked together.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a folding chair with removable upholstered inserts in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2
is a front perspective view of the chair of
FIG. 1
with the upholstered inserts removed.
FIG. 3
is a rear perspective view of the chair of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 4A
is a front perspective view of the back insert.
FIG. 4B
is a rear perspective view of the back insert, showing the method of attachment of the upholstery fabric to the insert.
FIG. 5A
is a top perspective view of the seat insert.
FIG. 5B
is a bottom perspective view of the seat insert, showing the method of attachment of the upholstery fabric thereto.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view showing the procedure for inserting the back insert into the back base.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view showing the procedure for inserting the seat insert into the seat base.
FIG. 8
is a front perspective view of a prior art non-upholstered folding chair.
FIG. 9
is a rear perspective view of a prior art chair similar to that of
FIG. 8
, having upholstery attached to the chair back and seat.
FIG. 10
is an enlarged perspective view of the back base.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, an upholstered folding chair
10
in accordance with the present invention is shown in a first, open, unfolded position. The folding chair of the present invention is designed to fold or collapse into a minimum thickness, such that the chairs have a very high storage density, particularly in comparison to many other upholstered folding chairs, while still providing strength, comfort, and durability. When folded, the chair is thin and presents a minimal profile. The thin profile of the chair may also be shaped or configured to facilitate nesting or indexing with adjacent chairs. It will be appreciated, however, that while the present invention is shown with respect to folding chairs, the present invention is not limited to folding chairs, and other types of chairs may be provided with upholstered inserts as disclosed herein.
The chair
10
of
FIG. 1
is similar in many respects to a prior art folding chair
200
shown in
FIG. 8. A
similar chair is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,234,571, 6,279,991, and 6,305,742, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The folding chairs
200
of
FIG. 8 and 250
of
FIG. 9
are largely similar to each other, the primary difference being that the chair of
FIG. 8
is non-upholstered, while the chair of
FIG. 9
is upholstered. The overall construction and configuration of these two chairs are otherwise the same.
Both chairs have a rigid tubular support frame
202
having an upper back support portion
204
forming the back of the chair, and a lower front leg portion
206
formed integrally and continuously with the upper back support portion. The chairs also include a rear leg portion
208
, which includes left and right rear legs
210
,
212
, which are pivotally coupled to the support frame
202
at leg pivot points
214
. The support frame
202
may be a single integral member with a broad curved back member
216
formed at its top, as shown. As depicted, the support frame may be shaped to form a curved spline profile for easy stacking of folded chairs. Other shapes and designs are also possible Referring still to
FIGS. 8 and 9
, the prior non-upholstered chair
200
has a back support
218
coupled to the upper back support portion
204
. The back support
218
has a generally concave curved surface to conform to a user's back, and is flexible and bends or flexes inwardly or rearwardly as force is applied, as indicated by arrow
220
, such as when a person leans back against the back support. It includes a lower lumbar support region
222
which extends downwardly from the back support
218
to a lumbar region of a user's back. This provides additional cushioning for a user because in addition to the flexibility of the back support
218
, the lumbar support member
222
also displaces rearwardly with respect to the back support. The lumbar support member may also have a reduced cross sectional area for providing greater flexibility.
The upholstered chair
250
is structurally similar to the non-upholstered chair
200
, and includes a flexible back support
224
with a lower lumbar support region
226
. However, the upholstered chair
250
includes an upholstered back cushion
230
. For both chairs, the back supports
218
,
224
are attached to the support frame by fasteners
228
, such as rivets, as shown in FIG.
9
.
The prior non-upholstered chair
200
also includes a seat portion
238
pivotally coupled to the support frame
202
at seat pivot points
240
. The seat portion
238
includes a seating surface
242
secured to a seat frame
244
. The seat frame is of the same material as the support frame
202
, typically metal, and extends generally around the perimeter of the seat, or along the sides, front and back of the seat, the latter case providing an advantage where the seat may flex in response to the weight of its load.
With the chair of
FIG. 8
, the non-upholstered seating surface
242
is formed of a flexible material, and flexes, bends, or deflects downwardly and into the seat frame in response to, and proportional to, a user's weight. The upholstered chair
250
of
FIG. 9
similarly has a seat portion
238
including a seat frame
244
with a flexible seating surface
242
attached thereto. However, this chair also includes an upholstered seat cushion
232
attached to the seating surface
242
. In both the upholstered and non-upholstered configurations, seating surface is flexible in part because of the perimeter location of the seat frame
244
, which allows the seating surface to cup or curve, and thus conform to the user for a custom fit. The flexible seat and back support combine to provide a chair which is both comfortable and foldable.
However, the prior folding chairs
200
,
250
require significant manual labor to apply upholstery, if desired. To attach the upholstery to the back of the chair
250
of
FIG. 9
, the upholstery
230
is likely to be separately attached to a backing material or substrate (not shown), with the backing material or substrate then fixedly attached to the back support
224
with fasteners
234
, such as screws, rivets, etc. Similarly, to attach the seat upholstery
232
to the seating surface
242
, fasteners
236
are generally required.
Obviously, a large amount of labor is required to assemble these, including significant labor to apply the fasteners, and to hide unsightly edges of the upholstery fabric, etc. Additionally, because they are exposed, the fasteners which secure the upholstery backing to the chair can be subject to tampering and vandalism, in addition to the exposed fasteners
228
which affix the back support
218
,
224
to the chair frame
202
. These factors tend to reduce the useful life of chairs, and presents unwanted costs and aggravation for the owner. It would thus be desirable to have a tamper-proof removable cushion for a folding chair, which has hidden connectors and a hidden interlocking mechanism, yet is removable from the frame of the chair by one with proper tools and knowledge, such as for maintenance or reupholstering.
It will also be appreciated that a typical folding chair will be stored and used, folded and unfolded, stacked and unstacked, innumerable times during its useful life. With this use, the upholstered edges are highly exposed to wear and tear. It would thus be advantageous to have an upholstered chair wherein upholstery edges are hidden and protected.
Referring to
FIGS. 1-3
, the present invention advantageously provides an upholstered chair
10
, comprising base members which are secured to the chair frame, and removable upholstered inserts which can be inserted into and removed from the base members. Like the prior art chairs, the upholstered chair
10
includes a rigid tubular support frame
12
, having an upper back support portion
14
forming the back of the chair, and a lower front leg portion
16
formed integrally and continuously with the upper back support portion. The chair also includes a rear leg portion
18
, which includes left and right rear legs
20
,
22
, which are pivotally coupled to the support frame
12
at leg pivot points
24
.
As with the prior art chairs, the support frame
12
may be shaped to form a curved spline profile for easy stacking of folded chairs. It may also have a broad curved back member
26
formed at its top, with a corresponding indentation
27
formed in the top of the back base
30
, thus providing a handle space
29
for allowing a user to manually grasp the chair. The handle is thus formed by the support frame itself at the top of the chair. It will be apparent that the chair may be produced without this indentation, and that the chair frame, back base, and handle may take other forms. For example, additional support structures may extend from the sides of the frame to form a handle.
With reference to
FIGS. 1-3
and
10
, the chair
10
includes a back support
28
coupled to the upper back support portion
14
. The back support
28
comprises a back base
30
, which provides a base into which an upholstered insert
32
may be inserted and fastened. The back base may also be termed a base member or mounting member. The back base
30
generally comprises a back plate
34
, with a front face
36
and a back face
38
, an upper perimeter flange
40
for connecting to the upper frame portion
14
of the chair frame
12
, and a retaining rim
42
extending inwardly and also slightly outwardly from the top and side portions of the perimeter flange
40
. The back base is preferably made of injection molded plastic, but other materials may also be used, including metal. It preferably has a generally concave curved surface to conform to a user's back, and is flexible and bends or flexes inwardly or rearwardly as force is applied, as with the prior art chairs. Also as with the prior art chairs, the back base
30
includes a lower lumbar support region
44
, which extends downwardly from the back base to flexibly support the lumbar region of a user's back.
The perimeter flange
40
includes several attachment openings, including mounting slots
46
and mounting holes
48
, for allowing the back base to be fixedly attached (such as by blind rivets) to the upper frame portion
14
of the chair frame
12
. These are most clearly visible in the view of FIG.
10
. The inventors have found that having at least two round mounting holes
48
(one on each side of the back base
30
) is desirable for ensuring accurate alignment of the back base with the chair frame. However, because of the curved shape of the upper perimeter flange
40
, making all attachment openings round is difficult and complicated in an injection molding process for a back base having this curved shape. Additionally, having mounting slots
46
, rather than holes only, reduces the needed level of accuracy of placement of corresponding attachment openings in the chair frame and back base, making assembly and fabrication easier and cheaper.
The retaining rim
42
extends inwardly a small distance from both sides of the perimeter flange
40
, and also extends outwardly a small distance over the upper portion
14
of the support frame
12
. The retaining perimeter flange
40
and rim
42
provide a channel or track (
52
in
FIG. 6
) into which the upholstered back insert
32
may be slid, as described below. The rim
42
serves to cover and protect the edges of the upholstered insert when it is in place, while also helping to securely retain the insert within the back base, and to cover the joint between the perimeter flange
40
and the upper portion
14
of the chair frame.
Disposed on each side of the front face
36
of the back plate
34
are locking ramps
54
and locking slots
56
, shown most clearly in FIG.
10
. These are designed to provide an interlocking point for the locking wedges (
58
in
FIG. 4B
) of the upholstered back insert
32
, as described below. In the lower center portion of the back plate
34
, adjacent to the lumbar support region
44
, are receiving slots
60
configured for receiving the locking tabs
62
of the upholstered insert, also described below.
Referring to
FIGS. 4A and 4B
, the upholstered back insert
32
comprises an insert panel
64
having locking tabs
62
at its lower end, a pair of locking wedges
58
on either side, and spacers
68
disposed at various locations along the back face
70
of the panel. The spacers
68
are shown as hollow circular protrusions, but may take many other shapes and forms. Among other functions, the spacers provide positive contact between the back panel
34
of the back base
30
, and the insert panel
64
, which has a greater degree of curvature. Like the back base, the back insert panel is preferably formed of a resilient plastic material, such as polyethylene or polypropylene, though other materials may be used. The locking tabs
62
and locking wedges
58
, together with the receiving slots
60
and locking slots
56
of the back base, collectively comprise interlocking members, which are configured to securely fasten the upholstered insert
32
to the back base
30
.
Shown in
FIG. 6
is a pictorial view of the completed back insert
32
being inserted into the back base
30
. Generally, the insert is inserted into the back base by sliding it upwardly into the track or channel
52
formed by the retaining perimeter frame
40
and retaining rim
42
. As the insert is inserted upward into the back base, as indicated by arrow
72
, the spacers
68
push the panel outward against the underside of the retaining rim
42
, and the locking wedges
58
ride up on the locking ramps
54
until they reach the location of the locking slots
56
. Upon reaching that point, the locking wedges resiliently snap into the locking slots, thus preventing the insert from sliding or being pulled downward and out of the back base. At the same time, the locking tabs
62
slide into the receiving slots
60
, the opposing angled faces of these two structures contacting each other and acting to draw the insert toward the back base, preventing the upholstered insert from being pulled forward, away from the back base, particularly in the lower lumbar support region
44
. The retaining rims
42
also assist in this function. When the insert is properly and fully inserted into the back base, the interlocking members are thus disposed between the back base and the insert panel, being hidden from view and giving a neat appearance.
The upholstery
74
for the seat back is disposed over the front face
76
of the insert panel
32
, with the fabric wrapped around the edges of the panel and secured along the perimeter of the back face
70
with staples, adhesive, or any other suitable method, as shown in FIG.
4
B. This configuration produces upholstery edges
78
, which could be susceptible to damage if not properly protected. However, the retaining rims
42
advantageously cover and protect the upper and side portions of the upholstery edges, as shown in FIG.
1
. Specifically,
FIGS. 1 and 6
show that the retaining rim wraps around the edge of the upholstered insert to cover both the edge of the upholstery and a portion of the front face
75
of the upholstery. This helps the chair last longer and look better.
When desired, the upholstered back insert
32
can be removed from the chair
10
, such as for reupholstering, cleaning, repair, etc. Viewing
FIG. 3
, disposed on the back face
38
of the back panel
34
of the back base
30
are a pair of access markings
80
, which indicate the location of insert removal access points. These access points are aligned with the locking slots
56
of the back base, and comprise covered holes into which an elongate object, such as an awl, may be inserted to push the locking wedges
58
forwardly, out of the slots, thus allowing the insert to be pulled downwardly out of the back base.
The access markings
80
preferably comprise small dimples or circular indentations, which are integrally formed with the back panel
34
at the location of the access points. The covering of the access points may be a thinned or weakened region of material on the back panel, which allows a user to push the elongate object through, or which may be easily drilled out to allow insertion of the elongate object. The nature of the access markings gives the back face a neat appearance, without providing any indication to an untrained or unknowing observer that a means of removing the upholstered insert exists. This helps prevent tampering or vandalism of the chairs.
Referring back to
FIGS. 4A and 4B
, the back insert panel
32
also includes small gap filler panels
84
at the sides of the lower extremity of the panel. These are primarily for appearance, and fill the gap between the lower edge of the panel and the back plate
34
at the lower end of the back base, providing a transition from the relatively thin cross-section of the lower lumbar support region
44
, to the thicker cross-section at the edges.
The chair
10
also includes a seat portion
86
pivotally coupled to the support frame
12
at seat pivot points
88
. The seat portion and related structures are shown clearly with reference to
FIGS. 1-3
and FIG.
6
. The seat portion
86
includes a seat frame
90
, to which is attached a seat base
92
, which is configured to receive a seat insert
94
. As with the prior art chairs, the seat frame extends generally around the perimeter of the seat, or along the sides, front and back of the seat.
The seat base and seat insert are shown in
FIGS. 2
,
5
A-B and FIG.
7
. The seat base generally comprises a slightly cupped base panel
96
, with a perimeter flange
98
and retaining rim
100
on the top, the retaining rim extending inwardly from the sides and back of the panel. The perimeter flange and retaining rim together create a channel or track
101
into which a seat insert may be inserted, as described below. The front edge
102
of the base panel
96
curves downwardly for comfort, and includes fastener slots
104
and wedge slots
106
for allowing passage of corresponding elements of the upholstered seat insert
94
, described below. The front edge
102
of the seat base
92
also includes a forward lip
110
on each side, for protecting the sides of the forward edge of the upholstered insert. The forward lips
110
perform a function similar to the gap filler panels
84
of the seat back insert
32
.
Referring particularly to
FIG. 3
, the underside
112
of the seat base
92
includes a perimeter bearing rib
114
and locating gussets
116
. The bearing rib is designed to bear directly on the chair seat perimeter frame
90
, while the gussets help keep the frame in proper alignment with the rib. The bearing rib is designed to provide a substantially flat bearing surface for the chair seat frame, while allowing for the curved profile of the chair seat. At the rear of the bottom of the seat base are two rear fastening tabs
118
for permanently affixing the seat base to the seat frame, such as with rivets.
Referring to
FIGS. 3
,
5
A,
5
B, and
6
, the upholstered seat insert
94
generally comprises an insert panel
120
having a downwardly curved front edge
121
, and a general shape which is comparable to the seat base
92
, and which is designed to mate therewith. The bottom
122
of the seat insert panel includes front fastening tabs
124
, and locking wedges
126
. The fastening tabs and locking wedges together comprise interlocking members for attaching the seat insert to the seat frame
90
. The front fastening tabs are configured to be removably fastened, such as with screws, to the front face
128
of the front of the seat frame. The locking wedges are designed to pass over the front of the seat frame, and snap into place against the back face
130
of the front of the seat frame. As in the case of the back insert
32
, the upholstery fabric
74
of the seat insert
94
simply wraps around the edge of the insert panel
120
, as shown in
FIG. 5B
, where it is fastened with staples, adhesive, or any other suitable method. Also, as with the back insert, the retaining rim wraps around the edge of the seat insert so as to cover both the edge of the upholstery and a portion of the front face
75
of the upholstery.
Shown in
FIG. 7
is the procedure for inserting the seat insert
94
into the seat base
92
. The user first aligns the sides of the back edge
108
of the insert with the channels or tracks
101
below the front of the retaining rims
100
, while holding the front edge
121
of the insert. The user then pushes the insert toward the back, in the direction of arrow
131
, sliding it in the track under the retaining rims, until the front fastening tabs
124
and locking wedges
126
pass through the corresponding slots
104
,
106
on the front edge
102
of the seat base.
The entire procedure for attaching the seat base and seat insert to the chair frame may be done in more than one way. As one option, the seat insert may first be inserted into the seat base in the manner described above, then the assembled seat base and insert may be attached to the seat frame
90
as a unit. In this process, the front fastening tabs
124
of the seat insert and the rear fastening tabs
118
of the seat base are both placed in their respective positions at basically the same time, and fastened to the seat frame. Alternatively, the seat base may first be put in place and attached to the chair frame via the rear fastening tabs. Then the seat insert is inserted into track
101
of the seat base, the such that the locking wedges pass over the front of the chair seat frame
90
and drop into position against the back
130
of the seat frame, while the front fastening tabs are disposed against the front
128
of the seat frame.
Once inserted, the back edge
108
of the seat insert
94
will have nested below the back portion of the retaining rim
100
, and the seat insert will substantially conform to the shape of the seat base
92
, including the downwardly curved front edge
102
. Referring to
FIGS. 3 and 5B
, the front fastening tabs
124
may then be secured to the front
128
of the seat frame
90
, securing the front of the insert directly to the seat frame. Removal of the seat insert from the seat base simply requires removal of the screws or other fasteners (
132
in
FIG. 3
) which connect the front fastening tabs
124
to the chair frame
90
, then sliding the seat insert forwardly out of the seat base.
Notwithstanding the addition of the upholstered inserts and support structure therefore, the upholstered chair of the present invention still provides a flexible and lightweight seat and back support, which combine to provide a chair which is both comfortable and foldable. Advantageously, the upholstered inserts are removable, the interlocking mechanism is hidden, and the upholstered edges are protected from wear.
It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application for the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements can be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and arrangements. Thus, while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiment(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications can be made without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.
Claims
- 1. An upholstered chair, comprising:a. a foldable chair frame having back and seat portions; b. an upholstered insert, comprising an insert panel, having upholstery edges and an upholstered front face; and c. at least one of the back and seat portions comprising a base having a track mounting structure configured to slidably receive the upholstered insert, the track mounting structure further comprising oppositely disposed retaining rims configured to wrap around the edge of the upholstered insert to cover both the edge of the upholstery and a portion of a front face of the upholstery.
- 2. A chair in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a locking wedge associated with the insert panel, configured to interlock with at least one of the chair frame and the base.
- 3. A chair in accordance with claim 2, wherein the base comprises a seat base, the upholstered insert comprises a seat cushion, and the locking wedge is configured to interlock with a seat frame member, the seat base being permanently attached to the seat frame member.
- 4. A chair in accordance with claim 2, wherein the base comprises a back base, the upholstered insert comprises a back cushion, and the locking wedge is configured to interlock with the back base.
- 5. A chair in accordance with claim 4, further comprising:a locking tab, and spacer members associated with the insert panel; and b. a receiving slot and a locking slot, associated with the back base, the spacer members configured to bias the insert away from the back base, the receiving slot configured to interlock with the locking tab, and the locking slot configured to receive and interlock with the locking wedge to fasten the insert to the back base.
- 6. A chair in accordance with claim 5, wherein the locking tab, the locking wedge, the spacer members, and the locking slot are disposed on facing sides of the upholstered insert and the back base, and thereby hidden from view when the upholstered insert is fastened in the back base.
- 7. A chair in accordance with claim 6, further comprising insert removal access points, disposed on the back base, configured to allow a user to insert an elongate object through the back base to release the locking wedge from the locking slot, so as to allow removal of the upholstered insert from the back base.
- 8. A chair in accordance with claim 7, wherein the insert removal access points are covered by tabs, integrally formed with the back base, such that the existence and location of the access openings is not readily apparent to an uninformed observer.
- 9. A chair in accordance with claim 8, further comprising insert removal access markings, indicating the location of the insert removal access points.
- 10. A chair in accordance with claim 8, wherein the tabs which cover the insert removal access points may be removed by a method selected from the group consisting of: pressing an elongate object against the tab to puncture it; and drilling through the tab.
- 11. An upholstered chair, comprising:a. a chair frame; b. a base member, secured to the chair frame, and having an insert track; and c. a removable upholstered insert, having upholstered edges and an upholstered front face, configured to be inserted into and removed from the insert track of the base member, the insert track being further configured to (i) wrap around and cover and protect at least a portion of the upholstered edge and the front face of the upholstery, and (ii) secure the removable insert to the base member.
- 12. An upholstered chair in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:a. interlocking members, configured to interlock and draw together the base member and the removable insert; and b. biasing members, configured to bias the base member and the removable insert away from each other, such that the removable insert is securely attachable to the base member.
- 13. An upholstered chair in accordance with claim 12, further comprising means for releasing the interlocking members, so as to allow removal of the removable insert from the base member.
- 14. An upholstered chair in accordance with claim 13, wherein the means for releasing the interlocking members is substantially hidden from view, such that the existence and location of the means for releasing the interlocking members is not readily apparent to an observer.
- 15. An upholstered folding chair, comprising:a. a folding chair frame, having an upper frame portion and a seat frame portion; b. a back base, permanently attached to the upper frame portion of the chair frame, having a locking slot, and oppositely disposed retaining rims on upper and side portions thereof; c. a seat base, permanently attached to the seat frame portion of the chair frame, having oppositely disposed retaining rims on side and rear portions thereof; d. an upholstered back insert, having upholstery edges, spacer members, and a locking wedge, the back insert configured to slide into the back base between the oppositely disposed retaining rims, the rims covering and protecting at least some of the upholstery edges, the spacer members and locking wedge configured to (i) bias the insert against the rims, and (ii) fasten the insert to the back base; and e. an upholstered seat insert, having upholstery edges, a plurality of locking wedges, and a fastening tab, the seat insert configured to slide into the seat base between the oppositely disposed retaining rims, the rims covering and protecting at least some of the upholstery edges, the locking wedges being configured to bias the insert against the lower pivoting frame portion of the chair to thereby hold it within the seat base, and the fastening tab being configured to allow the insert to be fastened to the lower pivoting frame portion.
- 16. A method for adapting a folding chair with a cushioned seat and back, comprising the steps of:a. securing a base member to a chair frame; b. inserting an upholstered insert having upholstery edges and an upholstered front face into retaining rims of the base member, such that the retaining rims wrap around and cover and protect at least a portion of the upholstery edges and the upholstered front face; and c. connecting interlocking members between the upholstered insert and at least one of the base member and the chair frame, so as to fasten the upholstered insert to the chair.
- 17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the step of securing the base member to the chair frame further comprises the steps of:a. securing a back base to an upper portion of the chair frame; and b. securing a seat base to a lower portion of the chair frame.
- 18. A method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising the step of removing the upholstered insert from the base member by inserting an elongate object through an insert removal access point in the base member, so as to disconnect the interlocking members.
US Referenced Citations (21)