Patent Application
20230263303
The present invention relates generally to the field of outdoor furniture. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel convertible Adirondack-style chair with, for example, an entirely wood construction and capable of converting between a chair and an individual-sized table. The chair can be assembled without nails, screws, and the like and includes a pivotable back support for transitioning between a slanted upright position and a substantially horizontal position using fulcrums. The chair has supporting members for providing a stable and secure transition between the chair and the table. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, outdoor dining spaces are used by individuals to enjoy, have dine, get together with family and friends and more. Examples of such outdoor dining spaces are patios, backyards, campsites, terraces, balconies, and more. Such outdoor dining spaces are small and compact, especially in cities and urban areas, and furniture is typically arranged to accommodate a maximum number of individuals. Conventional patio furniture includes chairs, tables, and other accessories that are placed in the spaces for comfortable, functional, and stylish outdoor furnishings.
Commonly, chairs and picnic tables are separately placed and used in outdoor spaces that occupy a lot of space. Typically, chairs can be folded when not required but individuals still require separate tables. Also, individuals are required to purchase separate chairs and tables, which is not only expensive but is also difficult to store. Individuals desire a chair that can be folded to an individual-sized combination chair and table, i.e., similar to a picnic table, wherein a portion of the chair can be used for sitting, thereby reducing overall space occupied by furniture.
Folding chairs can be difficult to fold and can have nails and screws, or other hardware, enabling folding of the chairs. Further, folding may not be performed by individuals with illnesses, limited dexterity and strength, and elderly individuals. Therefore, individuals desire chairs that can be easily folded with minimal effort.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved chair capable of converting between a chair and an individual-sized table. There is also a long-felt need in the art for an improved chair that can be transformed to a personal picnic table for optimal enjoyment while relaxing outdoors. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a modern chair that is assembled without nails, screws, and more. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved ergonomic chair that features rear support arms to reposition the chair in a reclining or table position. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved chair that saves space by enabling users to use the chair as a table. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a reclining chair that is used as a relaxing chair and assists in creating a personal picnic table for optimal enjoyment while relaxing outdoors.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a convertible Adirondack-style chair capable of converting between a chair and an individual sized table. The chair includes wood construction and can be assembled without nails, screws, and the like. The chair further comprising a seat; a back supporting portion; a pair of front legs for supporting the chair; a pair of arm rests; a pair of rear legs for supporting the chair; a pair of chair-supporting members wherein each chair-supporting member is positioned at an angle and is fastened to a front leg and corresponding rear leg and extends to a free end positioned at rear of the back supporting portion to touch a surface; the first rear leg has a channel therein having a curved top end, the first rear leg further has a fulcrum configured to move along the channel; the second rear leg has a channel therein having a curved top end, the second rear leg further has a fulcrum configured to move along the channel; the channels of both the rear legs are aligned and the fulcrums are connected to each other and pass along the bottom surface of the back supporting portion; the back supporting portion is pivotable about the fulcrums thereby transitioning the back supporting portion into a substantially horizontal position extending rearwards from the top ends of the rear legs; and, the chair further has a pair of back supporting members extending vertically from the free end of the chair-supporting members for supporting the horizontally positioned back supporting portion.
In this manner, the novel Adirondack-style chair of the present invention accomplishes all of the foregoing objectives and provides users with an improved chair with an entirely wood construction capable of converting between a chair and individual-sized table. The chair saves space by enabling users to use the chair as a table and assists in creating a personal picnic table for optimal enjoyment while relaxing outdoors. The chair can be used at any outdoor or indoor space and can be used by individuals of all ages.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a convertible Adirondack-style chair. The chair is configured to be convertible to an individual-sized picnic table and further comprising a seat configured to support a user sitting thereon; a back supporting portion configured to support a user's back when a user is seated on the seat; a pair of front legs for supporting the chair, a pair of arm rests configured to support arms of a user when the user is seated on the seat; a pair of rear legs for supporting the chair; a pair of chair-supporting members wherein each chair-supporting member is positioned at an angle and is fastened to a front leg and corresponding rear leg and extends to a free end positioned at rear of the back supporting portion to touch a surface; the first rear leg has a channel in the form of a cut-out having a curved top end, the first rear leg further has a fulcrum configured to move along the channel; the second rear leg has a channel in the form of a cut-out having a curved top end, the second rear leg further has a fulcrum configured to move along the channel; the channels of both the rear legs are aligned and the fulcrums are connected to each other and pass along the bottom surface of the back supporting portion; the back supporting portion is pivotable about the fulcrums thereby transitioning the back supporting portion into a substantially horizontal position extending rearwards from the top ends of the rear legs; the chair further has a pair of back supporting members extending vertically from the free end of the chair-supporting members for supporting the horizontally positioned back supporting portion.
In yet another embodiment, an Adirondack-style chair capable of transitioning into a picnic table is disclosed. The chair comprising a pivotable back support, the back support is positioned in a slanted upright position relative to a horizontal seat; the back support is positioned between a pair of rear legs; each rear leg has a fulcrum configured to move along a channel positioned inside the leg; the fulcrums are attached together along the bottom end of the back support wherein the back support is configured to be raised allowing fulcrums to move vertically up along the channels and is further configured to be pivoted to transition to a substantially horizontal position with fulcrums locked into the top end of the channels; a pair of supporting bars extending from the angled chair supporting members are configured to support the back support wherein a pair of extreme braces of the back support abut against the supporting bars for enabling use of the substantially horizontal back support as a picnic table wherein a user sits on the seat facing the table with the legs accommodated in a gap created between the bottom end of the back support and rear end of the seat by raising and pivoting the back support.
In yet another embodiment, the chair is made of wood and preferably engineered wood.
In yet another embodiment, the chair has pivotable and hingedly coupled supporting arms extending between the angled chair supporting members for supporting the picnic table.
In yet another embodiment, a method of converting an Adirondack-style chair into a combination of a chair and an individual-sized table is described. The method includes the steps of pivoting a slanted back support of the chair to a substantially horizontal position by raising the back support and pivotally moving along fulcrums positioned along the bottom end of the back support; vertically raising supporting bars from the chair supporting members such that the horizontally positioned back support abuts against the supporting bars enabling use of the back support as a table surface; and, wherein a gap having a size equaling the length of the back support is created for accommodating the legs of a user sitting on a seat of the chair facing the horizontally positioned back support.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved chair capable of converting between a chair and an individual-sized table. There is also a long-felt need in the art for an improved chair that can be transformed to a personal picnic table for optimal enjoyment while relaxing outdoors. Additionally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a modern chair that is assembled without nails, screws, and more. Moreover, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improved ergonomic chair that features rear support arms to reposition the chair in a reclining or table position. Further, there is a long-felt need in the art for improved chair that saves space by enabling users to use the chair as a table. Finally, there is a long-felt need in the art for a reclining chair that is used as a relaxing chair and assists in creating a personal picnic table for optimal enjoyment while relaxing outdoors.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, comprises an Adirondack-style chair capable of converting into a picnic table and chair combination. The chair features a pivotable back support, the back support is positioned in a slanted upright position relative to a horizontal seat when the chair is used as an Adirondack-style chair; the back support is positioned between a pair of rear legs; each rear leg has a fulcrum configured to move along a channel positioned inside the leg; the fulcrums are attached together along the bottom end of the back support wherein the back support is configured to be raised allowing the fulcrums to move vertically up along the channels and is further configured to be pivoted to transition to a substantially horizontal position with the fulcrums locked into the top end of the channels for converting the chair to a table and chair combination; a pair of supporting bars extending from the angled chair supporting members are configured to support the back support wherein a pair of extreme braces of the back support abut against the supporting bars for enabling use of the substantially horizontal back support as a picnic table.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The chair 100 is comprised of a pair of front legs 110,112 extending from the front of the seat 102, and a pair of rear legs 106,108 extending from the rear of the seat 102. The right front leg 110 and the right rear leg 106 are supported by a first common horizontal bottom support bar 114 attached at bottom of the legs 110,106. Similarly, the left front leg 112 and the left rear leg 108 are supported with a corresponding common horizontal bottom support bar (opposite to the support bar 114). It should be noted that the left-side view and right-side view of the chair 100 are mirror copies of each other as the structure of the legs and arms of the chair 100 are symmetric.
The arm rests 118,120 are provided for supporting the arms of a user sitting on the chair 100 and are attached to the front legs 110,112 and rear legs 106,108. The arm rest 118 is attached to the legs 110,106 using mechanical screws, fasteners, and the like for a secure arrangement. Similarly, the arm rest 120 is attached to the legs 112,108 using mechanical screws, fasteners, and the like. The fulcrums are positioned at the end of the arm rests 118,120 and are aligned at the junction of the arm rests and the rear legs so that the back supporting portion 104 is able to pivot around the fulcrums for converting the chair into an individual-sized table.
The Adirondack-style foldable chair 100 has a wooden construction and is lightweight and portable. However, the chair 100 can be made from other material including, but not limited to, polywood lumber, lightweight metal, and more. The chair 100 may come in a variety of colors and finishes.
A pair of chair-supporting members 122,124 are positioned at an angle and extend from the front legs 110,112 rearwards to support the chair on a surface. The chair-supporting members 122,124 are fastened to the front legs and rear legs for providing compact, secure, and strengthened characteristics to the chair 100.
The chair-supporting members 122,124 have back supporting members 126 which are used for supporting the back supporting portion 104 when pivotally moved along the fulcrums for conversion to the picnic table and chair combination. The chair-supporting members 122,124 of chair 100 define an inside width into which the back supporting members 126 nest, such that the members 126 are pivotally moved from the hinged end 128 of the chair-supporting members 122,124 to support the back portion 104 in a pivotable configuration. Each of the rear legs 106,108 has a fulcrum cover 116,130 for protecting the fulcrum from physical damage.
For transitioning the back portion 104 from a slanted original position (as shown in
The back supporting members 126 are configured to pivotally extend out from the internal width of the chair-supporting members 122,124 using the hinge 206 for supporting the back portion 104 of the chair when the back 104 is positioned substantially horizontal. The back portion 104 has two extreme braces 1040,1042 that assist in easy pivotal movement of the back portion 104. The extreme braces 1040,1042 abut against the back supporting members 126 and, as a result, the back portion 104 is provided support for converting the chair 100 into an individual-sized picnic table and chair. The fulcrum covers 116,130 further prohibits the lateral movement of the back supporting members 126 when supporting the extreme braces 1040,1042.
The supporting members 122,124 are comprised of hingedly coupled supporting arms 208 that extend therebetween for supporting the back supporting members 126. The supporting arms 208 provide additional strength and stability to the back portion 104 when positioned horizontally to be used as a picnic table and can be slotted into any of the slots 210 positioned on the supporting members 122,124. The chair 100 as configured in
It should be noted the conversion of the chair 100 to table only requires transitioning of the back portion 104 to a horizontal position and extension of the back supporting members 126. The seat 102 is automatically adjusted and further, no adjustments are required to be made in the front legs and the rear legs of the chair, as a result, making the conversion and use of the chair 100 easy, convenient, and safe for users.
When transitioning into a table, the back portion 104 is pivoted to form a substantially horizontal surface positioned behind the seat 102. The back supporting members 126 are manually taken out of the width of the chair-supporting members 122,124 to become substantially vertical and abut the braces of the back portion 104. The fulcrums as described in
The Adirondack-style chair 100 features a complete wood construction and can be made of engineered wood or polywood and can be assembled without nails, screws and more for a safe and secure use.
A plurality of slots 210 that are configured to support the hingedly coupled supporting arms 208 are positioned on the inner surface of the member 122. The slots 210 allow the hingedly coupled supporting arms 208 to be aligned at different inclinations to support the back supporting member 126 when the back portion 104 is in a substantially horizontal position.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “convertible Adirondack-style chair”, “Adirondack-style foldable chair”, “combined chair and picnic table”, and “Adirondack chair” are interchangeable and refer to the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the convertible Adirondack-style chair 100 be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/313,491, which was filed on Feb. 24, 2022 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63313491 | Feb 2022 | US |
