Claims
- 1. A foldable bench comprising:a first leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion; a second leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion; a seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and attachment means for slidably attaching said top portion of said first leg means below said top surface of said seat and pivotally attaching said top portion of said second leg means below said top surface of said seat, so that said attachment means keeps said top portion of each of said leg means attached to said seat so that said top portion of each of said leg means does not separate from said seat when said first leg means pivots and said second leg means slides; a backrest connected to the seat; wherein said seat allows said first and second leg means to move between a first resting position and a second resting position; wherein, in said first resting position, said first and second leg means are substantially disposed adjacent said seat; and wherein, in said second resting position, said first and second leg means generally crisscross each other and generally extend away from said seat.
- 2. The foldable bench according to claim 1 wherein said first and second leg means are pivotally attached to one another intermediate said top and bottom portions.
- 3. The foldable bench according to claim 1 wherein said seat further comprises a stop means disposed below said top surface of said seat for limiting the sliding movement of one of said leg means.
- 4. The foldable bench according to claim 3 wherein said stop means is disposed between said top and bottom surfaces of said seat.
- 5. The foldable bench according to claim 3 wherein said stop means is disposed substantially at said bottom surface of said seat.
- 6. The foldable bench according to claim 1 wherein said attachment means is disposed substantially at said bottom surface of said seat.
- 7. The foldable bench according to claim 1 wherein said attachment means is disposed between said top and bottom surfaces of said seat.
- 8. The bench according to claim 1 wherein said foldable bench further comprises a backrest attached to said seat.
- 9. The bench according to claim 8 wherein said backrest is pivotally attached to said seat.
- 10. The bench according to claim 8 wherein said backrest is adapted to move between a first resting position and a second resting position;wherein, in said first resting position, said backrest is substantially disposed adjacent said seat; wherein, in said second resting position, said backrest is substantially disposed away from said seat; whereby said bench assumes a fully folded state when said backrest and said first and second pairs of legs are in said first resting position.
- 11. A foldable bench comprising:a first leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion; a second leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion; a seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and attachment means for slidably attaching said top portion of said first leg means below said top surface of said seat and pivotably attaching said top portion of said second leg means below said top surface of said seat, so that said attachment means keeps said top portion of each of said leg means attached to said seat in order that said top portion of each of said leg means does not separate from said seat when said first leg means pivots and said second leg means slides; wherein said seat allows said first and second leg means to move between a first resting position and a second resting position; wherein, in said first resting position, said first and second leg means are substantially disposed adjacent said seat; and wherein, in said second resting position, said first and second leg means generally criss-cross each other and generally extend away from said seat; and at least one of said first and second leg means comprises a substantially U-shaped leg member having a bight portion engaged by said attachment means.
- 12. The foldable bench according to claim 11, wherein said attachment means comprises at least one race disposed on said bottom surface of said seat, said race being adapted to allow at least a portion of said second pair of legs to slide therein between said first resting position and said second resting position.
- 13. The foldable bench according to claim 12, wherein said race is arranged substantially parallel to said bottom surface of said seat, so that said bight portion of said second leg means is prevented from movement substantially perpendicular to said bottom surface of said seat.
- 14. The foldable bench according to claim 13 wherein said seat further includes a stop means for stopping said first leg means from moving toward an outer periphery of said seat, and a ridge spaced apart from said stop means and being adapted to prevent translation of an upper portion of said second leg means toward said stop means.
- 15. A foldable bench comprising:a seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a stop means disposed substantially on said bottom surface; a backrest connected to the seat; a first pair of legs slidably mounted to said bottom surface of said seat opposite said stop means; a second pair of legs pivotally mounted to said bottom surface of said seat and pivotally attached to said first pair of legs, wherein said first and second pairs of legs are adapted to move between a first resting position and a second resting position; wherein, in said first resting position, said first and second pairs of legs are substantially disposed adjacent said seat; wherein, in said second resting position, said first and second pairs of legs generally criss-cross each other, said second pair of legs releasably engage said stop means, and said stop means substantially prevents said second pair of legs from moving in at least one direction; whereby said bench assumes a folded state when said first and second pairs of legs are in said first resting position.
- 16. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said stop means substantially prevents said second pair of legs from moving toward the outer periphery of said seat.
- 17. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said seat further comprises at least one race disposed on said bottom surface of said seat, said race being adapted to allow at least a portion of said second pair of legs to slide therein between said first resting position and said second resting position.
- 18. The bench according to claim 17 wherein said race is arranged substantially parallel to said bottom surface of said seat, so that a bight portion of said second pair of legs is prevented from movement substantially perpendicular to said bottom surface of said seat.
- 19. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said stop means further comprises means for releasably locking said second pair of legs to said stop means.
- 20. The bench according to claim 19 wherein said releasable locking means further comprises at least one clamp.
- 21. The bench according to claim 19 wherein said releasable locking means further comprises at least one indentation formed in said stop means.
- 22. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said first pair of legs are attached to each other.
- 23. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said first pair of legs is integrally attached to each other.
- 24. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said first pair of legs further comprises a connecting portion which connects each of said first pair of legs.
- 25. The bench according to claim 24 wherein said first pair of legs has a substantially U-shape.
- 26. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said second pair of legs are attached to each other.
- 27. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said second pair of legs is integrally attached.
- 28. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said second pair of legs further comprises a connecting portion which connects each of said second pair of legs.
- 29. The bench according to claim 28 wherein said second pair of legs has a substantially U-shape.
- 30. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said foldable bench further comprises a backrest attached to said seat.
- 31. The bench according to claim 30 wherein said backrest is pivotally attached to said seat.
- 32. The bench according to claim 30 wherein said backrest is adapted to move between a first resting position and a second resting position;wherein, in said first resting position, said backrest is substantially disposed adjacent said seat; wherein, in said second resting position, said backrest is substantially disposed away from said seat; whereby said bench assumes a fully folded state when said backrest and said first and second pairs of legs are in said first resting position.
- 33. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said stop means is a downwardly extending projection of said seat.
- 34. The bench according to claim 15 wherein said bottom surface of said seat is provided with a recess adapted to receive the top portions of said first and second pairs of legs.
- 35. The bench according to claim 15 further comprising means for preventing lateral movement of said second pair of legs with respect to said seat.
- 36. A foldable bench comprising:a seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a stop means disposed substantially on said bottom surface; a first pair of legs slidably mounted to said bottom surface of said seat opposite said stop means; a second pair of legs pivotally mounted to said bottom surface of said seat and pivotally attached to said first pair of legs, wherein said first and second pairs of legs are adapted to move between a first resting position and a second resting position; wherein, in said first resting position, said first and second pairs of legs are substantially disposed adjacent said seat; wherein, in said second resting position, said first and second pairs of legs generally criss-cross each other, said second pair of legs releasably engage said stop means, and said stop means substantially prevents said second pair of legs from moving in at least one direction; wherein said bench assumes a folded state when said first and second pairs of legs are in said first resting position; wherein said stop means is a downwardly extending projection of said seat; and wherein said bottom surface of said seat further comprises a ridge spaced apart from downwardly extending projection and adapted to prevent translation of an upper portion of said second pair of legs.
- 37. A foldable bench comprising:a seat having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a stop means disposed substantially on said bottom surface; a first pair of legs slidably mounted to said bottom surface of said seat opposite said stop means; a second pair of legs pivotally mounted to said bottom surface of said seat and pivotally attached to said first pair of legs, wherein said first and second pairs of legs are adapted to move between a first resting position and a second resting position; wherein, in said first resting position, said first and second pairs of legs are substantially adjacent said seat, wherein, in said second resting position, said first and second pairs of legs releasably engage said stop means, and said stop means substantially prevents said second pair of legs from moving in at least one direction; wherein said bench assumes a folded state when said first and second pairs of legs are in said first resting position; and said seat further comprises at least one race disposed on said bottom surface of said seat, said race being adapted to allow at least a portion of said second pair of legs to slide therein; and said race is delimited at an upper end by said bottom of said seat and at a lower end by a pair of longitudinal rods substantially parallel to said bottom of said seat.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/906,729, filed Aug. 5, 1997, which was abandoned on Aug. 4, 1999.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
94 00541 |
Feb 1994 |
DE |
292823 |
Jul 1928 |
GB |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08/906729 |
Aug 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/366010 |
|
US |