Patent Application
20050258320
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chair base and more particularly, to an aesthetically pleasing, versatile and relatively inexpensive decorative chair base for swivel type chairs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Office type chairs typically ride on a five-legged base mounted to casters to provide facilitated chair mobility. Chair bases are typically made of metal, plastic covered metal, wood or metal with wood cladding. These bases are also typically unobstrusive by having a black matted surface or slightly decorative with a high gloss wood finish. More recently chairs with external metal frame members have complementing metal bases.
There continues to be a desire to integrate the base design with styling features of the chair to more closely tie the aesthetics of the chair together, but to do so in an easily assembled and relatively inexpensive manner.
What is described here is a decorative swivel base for a chair comprising a metal substructure having a central hub and radiating leg portions, a plastic cover attached to the substructure and having a hub portion disposed around the central hub of the substructure and leg portions overlaying the radiating leg portions of the substructure, the cover leg portions overlaying the radiating substructure leg portions, each including a recess, and a plurality of decorative inserts, each of the decorative inserts placed in a corresponding recess of the plastic cover.
There are a number of advantages, features and objects achieved with the present invention which are believed not to be available in earlier related devices. For example, one advantage is that the base is more decorative and more stylistically integrated with the chair mounted to the base. Another object of the present invention is to provide a decorative base which is very easily assembled. Further features of the base disclosed here is simplicity of construction, robust structure and relative inexpensiveness.
A complete understanding of the present invention and other objects, advantages and features thereof will be gained from a consideration of the present specification which provides a written description of the invention and of the manner and process of making and using the invention, set forth in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same in compliance with Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (first paragraph). Furthermore, the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing provided herein represent examples of the invention in compliance with Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (first paragraph), but the invention itself is defined in the Claims section attached hereto.
While the present invention is open to various modifications and alternative constructions, the preferred embodiments illustrating the best mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention are shown in the various figures of the drawing and will be described herein in detail, pursuant to Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (first paragraph). It is understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the particular embodiments, forms or examples which are disclosed herein. To the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalent structures and methods, and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended Claims section attached hereto, pursuant to Title 35 U.S.C. section 112 (second paragraph).
An office chair 10 is shown in
Referring now to
The swivel base 12 is assembled of three main parts, a bottom metal substructure, a plastic cover and a plurality of decorative inserts. The bottom metal substructure 31 which is formed into a hub portion 32 and five radiating leg portions 34, 36, 38, 40, 42. Mounted over the metal substructure is the one piece molded plastic cover 44 which also includes a hub portion 46 and five leg portions 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 radiating outwardly from the hub portion and mounted to cover the five leg portions of the metal substructure.
Mounted to each of the leg portions of the plastic cover are the decorative inserts 60, 62, 64, 66, 68.
The robust but simple structure of the decorative base is illustrated in
Referring now to
The upper surface of the insert may have any one or more of a variety of finishes and surface textures depending upon the stylistic approach used in the chair mounted to the base. For example, a preferable insert may be wood having a highly polished surface as shown in insert 60, 62, 64 and 68,
The plastic cover 44 may be molded from one piece as shown in
Mounting the inserts flush into the recesses of the plastic cover provides an enhanced appearance and also provides protection of the decorative insert from the accidental scuffing and the like by the feet of a chair user. Each leg portion also includes two screw openings 96, 98 for receiving screws, such as the screws 84, 86, that pass through the plastic cover screw openings 96, 98 and into the openings 80, 82 formed in the inserts. As mentioned, this arrangement provides a secure attachment of the inserts to the plastic cover.
The plastic cover also includes opposing clip flaps, such as the clip flaps 100, 102,
Each leg portion of the plastic cover is attached to a corresponding leg portion of the metal substructure by use of attachment clips, such as attachment clips 110 and 112,
Assembly of the decorative base is relatively simple and straight forward. After forming the inserts, molding the plastic cover, and welding the substructure, the inserts are attached to the plastic cover by screws. Thereafter, the combination of the inserts and the plastic cover are connected to the metal substructure by use of the attachment clips. The attachment clips frictionally engage the metal substructure along inside surfaces of each clip and at the same time frictionally engage the plastic cover along outside surfaces of each clip so that the configuration shown in
The above specification describes in detail preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other examples, embodiments, modifications and variations will, under both the literal claim language and the doctrine of equivalents, come within the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. For example, changing the number of legs or the shapes of the substructure, or of the plastic cover, or of the inserts will be considered equivalent structures and will also come within the literal language of the claims. Also altering the material or upper surfaces of the inserts will also be considered equivalent structures. Still other alternatives will also be equivalent as will many new technologies. There is no desire or intention here to limit in any way the application of the doctrine of equivalents nor to limit or restrict the scope of the invention.
