1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to seating arrangements and more particularly to knockdown chairs.
2. Background Art
Knockdown chairs having a pair of opposing semi-rigid or semi-flexible substantially C shaped side members have been known. These chairs have typically have armrests formed at an upper portion of the substantially C shaped side members. The substantially C shaped side members are typically structural elements held in place by fastening the side members substantially C shaped side members to a seating portion, and using bottom reinforcing member toward the rear and bottom front laterally extending between the substantially C shaped side members. The seating portion may comprise a separate light weight tubular or wooden frame encased in a taut fabric sock. The fabric encased frame may then be covered with an optional fabric cushion or the optional fabric cushion may be added for additional seating comfort.
This construction is ideal for a kit, easily assembled by a customer; packaging of the structural portion of the kit in convenient flat box is facilitated by the design selected. When a person is seated on this chair, the side members flex slightly, while supporting the person's weight. It is this flexing that contributes to the comfort afforded.
Scaling down such a knockdown chair for use by children has exposed a problem not encountered in typical adult use of similar chairs. Adults are usually careful when sitting down, and do not present sudden shock loads to the semi rigid or semi flexible side members. Children often bounce up and down on a chair, as a means of play, or suddenly pounce down on the chair, as they sit on the chair. Friends may jump on their laps. Also, other children may sit on the top portion of the side members, which otherwise just serve as armrests. These non-traditional juvenile use modes can cause the side members to fracture and/or break. A strut between the open ends of the substantially C-shaped side members would solve the problem of adding strength to the side members, while still maintaining some degree of semi-rigidity of semi-flexibility and allowing a limited amount of flexing.
Additionally, ASTM standard number F963 for children's chairs require that the chair be constructed to resist downward force, such as by a jumping or bouncing child.
The improved knockdown chair of the present invention is constructed so as to meet ASTM Standard number F963 regarding the knockdown chair being constructed to resist an application of force being exerted upon the knockdown chair by a bouncing child, which resistance exceeds the typical force of a bouncing child upon improved knockdown chair.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a knockdown chair having reinforced side supports. The reinforced side supports should be simple to install either during initial assembly of the knockdown chair or as a retrofit to be installed after the chair has been assembled and already in use. Reinforcements in the form of struts should be durable, light weight, inexpensive, safe to use, attractive, sturdy, and of simple construction.
The present invention is directed to a knockdown chair having reinforced side supports. The reinforced side supports are simple to install either during initial assembly of the knockdown chair or as a retrofit to be installed after the chair has been assembled and already in use. Reinforcements in the form of struts should be durable, light weight, inexpensive, safe to use, attractive, sturdy, and of simple construction.
To reinforce the side members of a scaled down chair of this invention, an elongated curved spring type strut or member may be used, which may be attached to the substantially C shaped side members at the top armrest portion and the bottom base portion of the substantially C shaped side members. This elongated curved spring type strut or member may be substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped, or may be of another suitable shape, and may be used to support the armrest top portion of the side members by transferring load to the base portion, while still affording some degree of flexibility and springiness to the knockdown chair.
The substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member, greatly enhances the load bearing and load-carrying capability of the side members, and, thus, the knockdown chair, without detracting from the curved aesthetic nature of the original design. With the substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member, the armrest deflects to a lesser degree than without the substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member, but enhances the knockdown chair's load bearing and load carrying capacity.
Preferably the substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member, are each made of laminations, i.e., a plurality of laminate plys held together by resin or glue. The laminations combined with the resin or glue promote strength, while maintaining a degree of rigidity and flexibility of the substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member, and, thus, improve comfort, load bearing and load-carrying capacity, and performance of the substantially C shaped side members and the knockdown chair.
The laminations, thus, improve load bearing and load carrying capacity of the improved knockdown chair, while maintaining a degree of rigidity and flexibility necessary for comfort, and result in better strength, performance, rigidity, flexibility, and resistance to fracture than such substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped reinforcements and/or other struts without such laminations. The laminated curved panel plys distribute the flexure better than if formed from a solid piece of wood.
The preferred embodiment uses a bent wood substantially S shaped or substantially C shaped spring type of strut, or other suitable reinforcing strut or member. An alternate embodiment may use a curved metal spring, which can be alternately be fabricated of flat steel or brass stock, which may be tempered after forming. An alternate embodiment for the tubular frame members can be frame members which are releasably interconnectable elongated wooden, plastic or metal frame posts. In a further alternate embodiment, the lamination may contain one or more internal metal core laminate ply layers between adjacent wooden laminate ply layers.
In a knockdown chair having opposing substantially C shaped support arms, a substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement, a sock type seating portion cover, a front reinforcing member, and a bottom reinforcing member, wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms are of laminate construction and have an upper arcuate arm support, a front arcuate portion, and a substantially straight bottom, the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement having a tubular seat back and a tubular sitting portion telescopically interconnected one to the other, the sock type seating portion cover removably fitted about the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement, and wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms is opposingly removably fastened to the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement, the front reinforcing member and the bottom reinforcing member each removably fastened to and therebetween the opposing substantially C shaped support arms, the combination having features of the present invention with each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms of a substantially S shaped reinforcing member of laminate construction removably fastened to the upper arcuate arm support and the substantially straight bottom for reinforcing each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to
Child 36 is shown bouncing on the improved knockdown chair 10 in
The improved knockdown chair 110 having opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112, a substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement 114, a sock type seating portion cover 116, a front reinforcing member 118, and a bottom reinforcing member 120, wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112 are of laminate construction and have an upper arcuate arm support 122, a front arcuate portion 124, and a substantially straight bottom 126, the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement 114 having a tubular seat back 128 and a tubular sitting portion 130 telescopically interconnected one to the other, the sock type seating portion cover 116 removably fitted about the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement 114, and wherein each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112 is opposingly removably fastened to the substantially L shaped tubular seating arrangement 114, the front reinforcing member 118 and the bottom reinforcing member 120 each removably fastened to and therebetween the opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112, wherein the improvement comprises the combination with each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112 of an opposingly directed substantially C shaped reinforcing member 132 of laminate construction removably fastened to the upper arcuate arm support 122 and the substantially straight bottom 126 for reinforcing each of the opposing substantially C shaped support arms 112.
Child 36 is shown bouncing on the improved knockdown chair 110 in
Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein.