Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6231119
-
Patent Number
6,231,119
-
Date Filed
Friday, September 15, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 15, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Chan; Raymond Y.
- David & Raymond Patent Group
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 297 161
- 297 162
- 297 45
- 297 232
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A foldable dual-chair includes a pair of seat frames and a pair of back frame constructed to support a pair of fabric seats thereon respectively wherein a connecting frame is foldably supported between the two seat frames. The connecting frame includes a pair connecting leg posts each having an outer tube frame and an inner tube frame upwardly extended therefrom in a vertical movable manner. So, the connecting leg posts are capably of slidably adjusting their height in such a manner the foldable dual-chair is capable of folding up into a compact unit for easy storage and carriage.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to foldable chair, and more particularly to a foldable dual-chair which is facilitated to be folded into a compact unit for storage and carriage.
2. Description of Related Arts
Since a conventional foldable chair can be quickly and easily unfolded for use and folded into a compact unit for carriage, a user can carry the foldable chair to everywhere such as campground or beach. However, when two or more person may join together to have an outdoor activity, they must need to bring more foldable chair in order to occupy their own chair. Even though each foldable chair is folded into a compact size, it is difficult for the user to carry two or more foldable chairs at the same time. Thus, the foldable chairs are bulky for storage and transportation especially when the user put them into a limited space of a vehicle's trunk.
Some improved foldable chairs increase their sizes in order to support two people sitting thereon. However, such foldable chairs have their drawbacks. First, the foldable chair may fail to well support the users because of the increase of user's weight. In order to well support the user, the foldable chair must provide a rigid cross-support structure of the construction tubes that may increase the weight of the foldable chair. Second, more metal tubes are needed to be constructed the foldable chair in order to increase its seat frame section for supporting two persons. However, the foldable chair cannot be folded into a compact unit which is bulky and difficult to carriage.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
A main object of the present invention is to provide a foldable dual-chair, which provides a strong frame structure that can well support two users sitting on the foldable dual-chair.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable dual-chair which can be quickly and easily folded into a compact unit for carriage and storage and unfolded for use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a foldable dual-chair, which has a simple construction that every individual is able to fold and unfold the foldable dual-chair in one single motion.
Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a foldable dual-chair, comprising a pair of seat frames and a pair of back frame constructed to support a pair of fabric seats thereon respectively.
Each seat frame comprises an inter-side frame leg, an outer-side frame leg, and a construction frame leg foldably supported between the inter-side frame leg and the outer-side frame leg wherein a connecting frame is foldably supported between the two inter-side frame legs. Each of inter-side and outer-side frame legs comprises a front side crossed leg and a rear side crossed leg pivotally connected together where they cross, a front upper frame joint pivotally connected to a top end of the rear side crossed leg, and a front base frame joint pivotally connected to a lower end of the front side crossed leg.
The connecting frame comprises a pair of connecting leg posts slidably passing through the two front frame joints of the two inter-side frame legs respectively wherein each connecting leg post comprises an outer tube frame having a lower end connected to the front base frame joint and an inner tube frame coaxially and upwardly extended from the outer tube frame in a slidably movable manner and penetrating through the respective front upper frame joint.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a conventional folding chair.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view of a foldable dual-chair according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of a front upper inter-frame joint of the foldable dual-chair according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4
is a perspective view of a front lower inter-frame joint of the foldable dual-chair according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5
is a perspective view of a connecting frame of the foldable dual-chair according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6
is a perspective view of a sliding joint of the connecting frame of the foldable dual-chair according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to
FIG. 2
of the drawings, a foldable dual-chair
1
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which comprises a pair of seat frames
10
and a pair of back frame
30
constructed to support a pair of fabric seats
1
A thereon respectively.
Each seat frame
10
comprises an inter-side frame leg
11
and an outer-side frame leg
12
, and a construction frame leg
13
foldably supported between the inter-side frame leg
11
and the outer-side frame leg
12
. Each of the inter-side frame leg
11
and the outer-side frame leg
12
comprises a front side crossed leg
111
,
121
and a rear side crossed leg
112
,
122
pivotally connected together where they cross.
Each seat frame
10
further comprises a front upper inter-frame joint
21
A pivotally connected to a top end of the rear side crossed leg
112
of the inter-side frame leg
11
, a front upper outer-frame joint
21
B pivotally connected to a top end of the rear side crossed leg
122
of the outer-side frame leg
12
, a front base inter-frame joint
22
A pivotally connected to a lower end of the front side crossed leg
111
of the inter-side frame leg
11
, and a front base outer-frame joint
22
B pivotally connected to a lower end of the front side crossed leg
121
of the outer-side frame leg
12
. Thus, a back upper frame joint
23
A,
23
B is pivotally connected to a top end of the front side frame leg
111
,
121
, and a back base frame joint
24
A,
24
B is pivotally connected to a lower end of the rear lower frame leg
112
,
122
.
The construction frame leg
13
comprises a pair of front crossed legs
131
,
132
pivotally connected together where they cross and a pair of rear crossed legs
133
,
134
pivotally connected together where they cross. Four top ends of the front and rear crossed legs
131
,
132
,
133
,
134
are pivotally connected to the two front upper frame joints
21
A,
21
B and the two rear upper frame joints
23
A,
23
B respectively. Four lower ends of the front and rear crossed legs
131
,
132
,
133
,
134
are pivotally connected to the two front base frame joints
22
A,
22
B and the two rear base frame joints
24
A,
24
B respectively.
Each back frame
30
comprises a pair of back frame legs
31
,
32
slidably penetrating through the two rear upper frame joints
23
A,
23
B of the respective seat frame
10
respectively wherein two lower ends of the two back frame legs
31
,
32
are respectively extended downwardly to connect to the two rear base frame joint
24
A,
24
B.
The foldable dual-chair
1
further comprises a connecting frame
40
foldably supported between the two seat frames
10
wherein the connecting frame
40
is pivotally connected between the two inter-side frame legs
11
of the two seat frames
10
respectively. As, shown in
FIG. 5
, the connecting frame
40
comprises a pair of connecting leg posts
41
each slidably passing the front upper inter-frame joint
21
A of the inter-side frame leg
11
of each seat frame
10
wherein each connecting leg post
41
comprises an outer tube frame
411
having a lower end connected to the respective front base joint
22
A and an inner tube frame
412
coaxially and upwardly extended from the outer tube frame
411
in a slidably movable manner and slidably passing through the front upper inter-frame joint
21
A, wherein the outer tube frame
411
has a diameter larger than a diameter of the inner tube frame
412
such that the inner tube frame
412
is slidably disposed in the outer tube frame
411
in a vertical movable manner. It is worth to mention that the foldable dual-chair
1
is lengthened when it is in a folded state, so that the inner tube frame
412
are capable of increase the height of the connecting leg posts when the inner tube frames
412
are upwardly extended from the outer tube frames
411
respectively. Thus, the inner tube frame
412
is slidably penetrated through a predetermined position of the fabric seat
1
A, so as to hold the fabric seat
1
A in position when the fabric seat
1
A is stretched out in the unfolded state of the foldable dual-chair
1
.
Moreover, a stopper
413
is affixed on a top end of each inner tube frame
412
, which is positioned above the respective front upper inter-frame joint
21
A, for ensuring the respective front upper inter-frame joint
21
A slid along the inner tube frame
412
in a folding process.
The foldable dual-chair
1
further comprises a fabric flap
50
foldably supported between two seat frames
10
. The fabric flap
50
has a predetermined size and shape wherein one of the respective back frame legs
31
from each back frame
30
is slidably penetrated through a rear end of the fabric flap
50
and a front end of the fabric flap
50
is affixed to the two stoppers
413
of the connecting leg posts
41
in such a manner the fabric flap
50
is adapted to be horizontally and flatly stretched out when the foldable dual-chair
1
in the unfolded state such that the fabric flap
50
is capable of forming an arm rest between the two seat frames
10
, so as to support the user's arm when he or she sits on the foldable dual-chair
1
. At least a holder
501
such as cup holder is mounted on the fabric flap
50
. Moreover, a supplementary fabric extension
51
having at least a pocket provided thereon is frontwardly extended from the front end of the fabric flap
50
for storing the user's accessories.
The connecting frame
40
further comprises two pairs of connecting crossed legs
42
foldably supported between the two seat frames
10
wherein each pair of connecting crossed legs
42
pivotally connected with each other to form a “X” structure. The lower pair of connecting crossed legs
421
have two bottom ends pivotally connected to the two front base inter-frame joints
22
A respectively and the upper pair of connecting crossed legs
422
also have two top ends pivotally connected to the two front upper inter-frame joints
21
A respectively, wherein the upper and lower pairs of connecting crossed legs
422
,
421
are pivotally connected together by a pair of sliding joints
43
which are slidably connected with the connecting leg posts
41
respectively.
According to the preferred embodiment, each of the front upper inter-frame joint
21
A has a guiding through hole
211
having a diameter slightly smaller than the respective outer tube frame
411
of the connecting leg post
41
for the inner tube frame
412
of the connecting leg post
41
slidably passing through, as shown in
FIG. 3
, such that the front upper inter-frame joint
21
A is sat on a top end of the respective outer tube frame
411
when the foldable dual-chair
1
is in an unfolded state. In other words, the length of the outer tube frame
411
is the height of the foldable dual-chair
1
in the unfolded state. Each front upper inter-frame joint
21
A comprises three walls
212
downwardly and perpendicularly extended therefrom for pivotally connecting the rear side frame leg
112
, the front crossed leg
131
of the construction frame leg
13
, and the connecting crossed leg
42
of the connecting frame
40
respectively.
As shown in
FIG. 4
, each front base inter-frame joint
22
A has a circular holder
221
having a diameter slightly larger than the respective outer tube frame
411
of the connecting leg post
41
for securely holding the lower end of the connecting leg posts
41
. Each front base inter-frame
22
A comprises three supporting walls
222
upwardly and perpendicularly extended therefrom for pivotally connecting the front side frame leg
111
, the front crossed leg
131
of the construction frame leg
13
, and the connecting crossed leg
42
of the connecting frame
40
respectively.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, each sliding joint
43
comprises a slider body
431
having a slider hole
431
A which has a diameter slightly larger than the respective connecting leg post
41
and vertically extended through the slider body
431
for the respective connecting leg post
41
slidably passing through. Each sliding joint
43
further comprises a pivotal arm
432
integrally extended from the slider body
431
for pivotally connecting both the upper and lower connecting crossed legs
422
,
421
together, and an top wall
433
integrally and perpendicularly extended on a top of the pivotal arm
432
so as to limit the rotation angle of the lower pair of connecting crossed legs
421
.
It is worth to mention that two pairs of connecting crossed legs
42
is used instead of a pair of connecting crossed legs because the pairs of connecting crossed legs
42
can provide a better rotation angle thereof. Thus, the two pairs of connecting crossed legs
42
are slidably connected with the two connecting leg posts
41
so as to provide better support between the two seat frames
10
.
When the foldable dual-chair
1
is folded, each side frame leg
11
,
12
and the connecting crossed legs
42
will rotate to narrow the cross structure thereof to near vertical position, as the circumference of the foldable dual-chair
1
is reduced and the height is lengthened. So, the two front upper inter-frame joints
21
A are rendered to move upwardly by the seat frames
10
, so as to upwardly slide along the inner tube frame
412
of the connecting leg posts
41
respectively by pushing the stopper
43
upward. When the foldable dual-chair
1
is in unfolded state, the front upper inter-frame joints
21
A are downwardly slid along the two inner tube frame
412
and sat on top ends of the respective outer tube frames
411
of the connecting leg posts
41
respectively for partially supporting the foldable dual-chair
1
. In other words, the inner tube frames
412
will respectively guide the two front upper inter-frame joints
21
A in a vertical movable manner.
In order to rigidly support the two seat frame
10
together, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the connecting frame
40
further comprises two pairs of additional connecting crossed legs
44
foldably supported between the two rear upper frame joints
23
A and the two rear base frame joints
24
A of the inter-side frame leg
11
wherein each pair of additional connecting crossed legs
44
pivotally connected each other to form a “X” structure. The lower pair of additional connecting crossed legs
441
have two bottom ends pivotally connected to the two rear frame joints
24
A respectively and the upper pair of additional connecting crossed legs
442
also have two top ends pivotally connected to the two rear upper frame joints
23
A respectively, wherein the upper and lower pairs of additional connecting crossed legs
442
,
441
are pivotally connected together by two sliding joints
43
which are slidably connected with the back frame legs
31
of the back frames
30
respectively.
Claims
- 1. A foldable dual-chair, comprising:a pair of seat frames and a pair of back frame constructed to support a pair of fabric seats thereon respectively wherein each seat frame comprises an inter-side frame leg, an outer-side frame leg, and a construction frame leg foldably supported between the inter-side frame leg and the outer-side frame leg, each of said inter-side and outer-side frame legs comprising a front side crossed leg and a rear side crossed leg pivotally connected together where they cross, a front upper inter-frame joint pivotally connected to a top end of said rear side crossed leg, and a front base inter-frame joint pivotally connected to a lower end of said front side crossed leg, and a connecting frame, foldably supported between said two inter-side frame legs of said pair of seat frame, comprising a pair of connecting leg posts slidably passing through said two front upper inter-frame joints of said two inter-side frame legs respectively, each said connecting leg post comprising an outer tube frame having a lower end connected to said front base inter-frame joint and an inner tube frame coaxially and upwardly extended from said outer tube frame in a slidably movable manner and penetrating through said respective front upper inter-frame joint.
- 2. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting frame further comprises two pairs of connecting crossed legs foldably supported between the two seat frames wherein each pair of connecting crossed legs pivotally connected with each other to form a “X” structure.
- 3. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 2, wherein said connecting frame further comprises a stopper affixed on a top end of each said inner tube frame of said connecting leg post, which is positioned on top of said respective front upper inter-frame joint, for ensuring said respective front upper inter-frame joint slid along said inner tube frame in a folding process.
- 4. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 3, wherein said outer tube frame of said connecting leg post has a diameter larger than a diameter of said inner tube frame thereof such that said inner tube frame is slidably disposed in said outer tube frame in a vertical movable manner.
- 5. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 4, wherein said two pairs of connecting crossed legs comprises a lower pair of connecting crossed legs having two bottom ends pivotally connected to said two front base inter-frame joints respectively and an upper pair of connecting crossed legs having two top ends pivotally connected to said two front upper inter-frame joints respectively, wherein said upper and lower pairs of connecting crossed legs are pivotally connected together by a pair of sliding joints which are slidably connected with said connecting leg posts respectively.
- 6. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 5, wherein each said sliding joint comprises a slider body having a slider hole which has a diameter slightly larger than said respective connecting leg post and vertically extended through said slider body for said respective connecting leg post slidably passing through, and a pivotal arm integrally extended from said slider body for pivotally connecting both said upper and lower connecting crossed legs together.
- 7. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 6, wherein said each of said front upper inter-frame joint has a guiding through hole having a diameter slightly smaller than said respective outer tube frame of said connecting leg post for said inner tube frame of said connecting leg post slidably passing through.
- 8. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 6, wherein said connecting frame further comprises an upper pair of additional connecting crossed legs and a lower pair of additional connecting crossed legs, each of which are pivotally connected each other to form a “X” structure, wherein said upper pair of additional connecting crossed legs having two top ends pivotally connected to two rear upper frame joints respectively and said lower pair of additional connecting crossed legs having two bottom ends pivotally connected to two rear frame joints respectively, and wherein said upper and lower pairs of additional connecting crossed legs are pivotally connected together by two said sliding joints which are slidably connected with said back frame legs of said back frames respectively.
- 9. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 5, wherein said each of said front upper inter-frame joint has a guiding through hole having a diameter slightly smaller than said respective outer tube frame of said connecting leg post for said inner tube frame of said connecting leg post slidably passing through.
- 10. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 5, wherein said connecting frame further comprises an upper pair of additional connecting crossed legs and a lower pair of additional connecting crossed legs, each of which are pivotally connected each other to form a “X” structure, wherein said upper pair of additional connecting crossed legs having two top ends pivotally connected to two rear upper frame joints respectively and said lower pair of additional connecting crossed legs having two bottom ends pivotally connected to two rear frame joints respectively, and wherein said upper and lower pairs of additional connecting crossed legs are pivotally connected together by two said sliding joints which are slidably connected with said back frame legs of said back frames respectively.
- 11. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 5, further comprises a fabric flap having a predetermined shape and size foldably supported between said two seat frames wherein a rear end of said fabric flap is slidably connected to said back frames and a front end of said fabric flap is affixed to said two stoppers of said connecting leg posts in such a manner said fabric flap is adapted to be horizontally and flatly stretched out when said foldable dual-chair in an unfolded state such that said fabric flap is capable of forming an arm rest between said two seat frames, so as to support users' arms while sitting on said foldable dual-chair.
- 12. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 5, further comprises a fabric flap having a predetermined shape and size foldably supported between said two seat frames wherein a rear end of said fabric flap is slidably connected to said back frames and a front end of said fabric flap is affixed to said two stoppers of said connecting leg posts in such a manner said fabric flap is adapted to be horizontally and flatly stretched out when said foldable dual-chair in an unfolded state such that said fabric flap is capable of forming an arm rest between said two seat frames, so as to support users' arms while sitting on said foldable dual-chair.
- 13. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 4, wherein said each of said front upper inter-frame joint has a guiding through hole having a diameter slightly smaller than said respective outer tube frame of said connecting leg post for said inner tube frame of said connecting leg post slidably passing through.
- 14. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 3, wherein said two pairs of connecting crossed legs comprises a lower pair of connecting crossed legs having two bottom ends pivotally connected to said two front base inter-frame joints respectively and an upper pair of connecting crossed legs having two top ends pivotally connected to said two front upper inter-frame joints respectively, wherein said upper and lower pairs of connecting crossed legs are pivotally connected together by a pair of sliding joints which are slidably connected with said connecting leg posts respectively.
- 15. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 14, wherein each said sliding joint comprises a slider body having a slider hole which has a diameter slightly larger than said respective connecting leg post and vertically extended through said slider body for said respective connecting leg post slidably passing through, and a pivotal arm integrally extended from said slider body for pivotally connecting both said upper and lower connecting crossed legs together.
- 16. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 2, wherein said outer tube frame of said connecting leg post has a diameter larger than a diameter of said inner tube frame thereof such that said inner tube frame is slidably disposed in said outer tube frame in a vertical movable manner.
- 17. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 2, wherein said two pairs of connecting crossed legs comprises a lower pair of connecting crossed legs having two bottom ends pivotally connected to said two front base inter-frame joints respectively and an upper pair of connecting crossed legs having two top ends pivotally connected to said two front upper inter-frame joints respectively, wherein said upper and lower pairs of connecting crossed legs are pivotally connected together by a pair of sliding joints which are slidably connected with- said connecting leg posts respectively.
- 18. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 17, wherein each said sliding joint comprises a slider body having a slider hole which has a diameter slightly larger than said respective connecting leg post and vertically extended through said slider body for said respective connecting leg post slidably passing through, and a pivotal arm integrally extended from said slider body for pivotally connecting both said upper and lower connecting crossed legs together.
- 19. A foldable dual-chair, as recited in claim 1, wherein said connecting frame further comprises a stopper affixed on a top end of each said inner tube frame of said connecting leg post, which is positioned on top of said respective front upper inter-frame joint, for ensuring said respective front upper inter-frame joint slid along said inner tube frame in a folding process.
US Referenced Citations (4)