Claims
- 1. A floating chair assembly comprising a substantially U-shaped float portion having a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced arms having rear and forward ends and connected at their rear ends by a laterally extending base wall so as to define a longitudinally oriented opening between said arms and a longitudinally oriented primary body support portion flexibly and articulatively mounted at least partially within said opening, said primary body support pivotally connected to said float portion at first and second longitudinally separated connections, said first connection being at said base wall and said second connection being at the forward ends of said float arms, said primary body support portion including a central sling portion formed of flexible material and adapted to contact and support middle sections of a human occupying the chair, wherein said second connection between the float and primary body support portions comprises a rigid laterally extending pole having opposed ends in turn fastened to the forward ends of said arms and in turn centrally extending across said longitudinally oriented float portion opening and through a pocket formed at the forward terminal end of said central sling portion, said float portion arms including arm extensions having forward and rear ends pivotally attached to said arm forward ends, said pole attached to said arm extension forward ends.
- 2. A floating chair assembly comprising a substantially U-shaped float portion having a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced arms having rear and forward ends and connected at their rear ends by a laterally extending base wall so as to define a longitudinally oriented opening between said arms and a longitudinally oriented primary body support portion flexibly and articulatively mounted at least partially within said opening, said primary body support pivotally connected to said float portion at first and second longitudinally separated connections, said first connection being at said base wall and said second connection being at the forward ends of said float arms, said primary body support portion including a central sling portion formed of flexible material and adapted to contact and support middle sections of a human occupying the chair, wherein said float portion is shape supporting yet flexible and includes a buoyant foam core having a fabric covering thereover, wherein said float portion arms including arm extensions having forward and rear ends with the rear ends thereof pivotally attached to said arm forward ends, said second connection between the float and primary body support portions comprising a rigid laterally extending pole having opposed ends in turn fastened to the forward ends of said arm extensions, said fabric covering extending across both said arms and said arm extensions and forming the pivotal connection therebetween.
- 3. The method of folding a floating chair assembly to a flat storage position, said floating chair assembly comprising a substantially U-shaped float portion having planar opposed upper and lower surfaces and having a pair of longitudinally extending laterally spaced arms having rear and forward ends and connected at their rear ends by a laterally extending base wall so as to define a longitudinally oriented opening between said arms and a longitudinally oriented primary body support portion flexibly and articulatively mounted at least partially within said opening, said primary body support pivotally connected to said float portion at first and second longitudinally separated connections, said first connection being at said base wall and said second connection being at the forward ends of said float arms, said primary body support portion including a central sling portion formed of flexible material and adapted to contact and support middle sections of a human occupying the chair, said primary body support portion including an upper backrest portion having forward and rear edges with the forward edge thereof connected to the rear end of said sling portion, said backrest portion being buoyant and having planar opposed upper and lower surfaces, said primary body support portion further including a lower footrest portion having forward and rear edges with the rear edge thereof pivotally connected to the forward end of said sling portion, said footrest portion being buoyant and having opposed planar upper and lower surfaces, said method comprising initially downwardly inwardly pivotally folding said footrest portion with respect to said float portion so as to position the footrest portion underneath the float portion, thereafter pivotally folding said headrest portion forwardly downwardly inwardly to a position wherein the headrest rear edge is positioned forwardly between said float arms partially within said float opening and the headrest forward edge is positioned between said footrest and said float portion base wall, wherein said second connection between the float and primary body support portions of said floating chair assembly further comprises a rigid laterally extending pole having opposed ends in turn fastened to the forward ends of said arms and in turn centrally extending across said longitudinally oriented float portion opening and through a pocket formed at the forward terminal end of said central sling portion, said float portion arms including arm extensions having forward and rear ends pivotally attached to said arm forward ends, said pole attached to said arm extension forward ends, said method comprising downwardly inwardly folding said arm extensions with respect to said arms so as to position said arm extensions and said pole beneath said arms prior to downwardly pivotally folding said footrest portion.
Parent Case Info
Reference is made to applicant's Provisional Application Serial No. 60/060,282 filed Sep. 22, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (8)