Patent Application
20080116727
The present invention generally relates to chairs, and more specifically, to a stackable chair.
Chairs for extended seating applications, such as conference rooms and school classrooms are preferably durable and comfortable. Often times, these chairs are stackable or nestable for storage and transportation purposes. Typical stackable and/or nestable chairs are formed from a generally L-shaped molded shell that is defined by a generally horizontal seat and a generally vertical back support and includes a pair of inverted U-shaped leg members attached to the generally L-shaped shell.
A stackable chair is stacked by placing the inverted U-shaped leg members of one chair on top of the leg members of another chair such that the seat of the upper chair is supported just above the seat of the lower chair. The rear surface of the back support of the upper chair can be spaced apart from the front surface of the back support of the lower chair. Alternatively, the rear surface of the back support of the upper chair can be rested against the front surface of the back support of the lower chair when in the stacked configuration.
Stackable chairs are generally formed of hard plastic, or other similar material, and are designed to be rigid so that they can be properly stacked. However, these hard shells are uncomfortable to a user when used in extended seating applications and are not aesthetically pleasing to consumers and users of the chairs. In an effort to improve comfort and create aesthetically pleasing design features, the shells can be ergonomically designed and can include, among other things, an intentional flex between the seat and back support. However, while the ergonomic design and intentional flex may improve design and comfort, it creates instability when multiple chairs are stacked on top of each other. Therefore, the rigid chairs fail to provide comfort while the flexible shells do not permit multiple chairs to be stacked safely. The present invention is provided to solve these and other problems.
The present invention relates to a chair assembly adapted to be nested with a second chair assembly identical to the chair assembly. The chair assembly comprises a seating portion and a back support. The seating portion includes a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface generally parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge. The back support is generally perpendicular to the seating portion and includes an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface generally parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge. A first return flange is disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support and a second return flange is disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support.
A first recess can be disposed on the inner surface of the back support, and is adapted to receive a first return flange of a second chair assembly nested with the unitary shell. A second recess can be disposed on the inner surface of the back support and is adapted to receive a second return flange of the second chair assembly nested with the unitary shell.
The chair assembly may further comprise a first inverted U-shaped leg member secured to the outer surface of the generally horizontal seating surface and a second inverted U-shaped leg member, secured to the outer surface of the generally horizontal seating surface.
When the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly and the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly.
While the present invention is susceptible to embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described an example of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the invention to the examples illustrated.
The shell 11 is preferably formed from an integral piece of resilient material, such as a polymeric material, and is molded to include a generally horizontal seating portion 17 and a generally vertical back support 19. The shell 11 may also be constructed of other materials such as wood, steel, or such other material known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The seating portion 17 and back support 19 have respective inner surfaces 23, 49 defining a seating surface 20 against which the user is seated. The seating area 20 has a generally concave contour to facilitate engagement with the body of a user seated thereon.
Preferably, the shell 11 is molded to combine the features of rigid and flexible chairs and ensure comfort, performance, and durability. In that manner, the contour of the shell 11 may be manufactured to include an intentional flex between the seating portion 17 and the back support 19 such that the back support 19 flexes rearwardly with respect to the seating portion 17 when it is leaned against by a user. Further, in order to assist balancing structural rigidity with the comfort of flexibility, the shell 11 may include a tall return flange 21 disposed around the perimeter of the shell 11 to ensure the angle between the seating portion 17 and back support 19 will not open far enough to cause failure and/or cause permanent damage to the chair. This allows the stackable chair assembly 10 to be used in a range of postures, including, for example, sitting at a work surface and reclining in a lecture posture.
As shown in
As discussed above, a return flange 21 is disposed on the first side edge 29, the front edge 27, and the second side edge 31. The return flange 21 around the edges of the seating portion 17 is generally vertical and perpendicular to the top surface 23 of the seating portion 17. In one example, the first side edge 29, the front edge 27, and the second side edge 31 are molded to form the return flange 21. Typically, the area where the seating portion 17 intersects with the back support 19, also known as the hip area 33, is the area of highest stress when a user is sitting in the chair 11. Therefore, in order assist with structural integrity, the return flange 21 may be formed such that it is has the highest height at the hip area 33 and transitions to a substantially lower height near the front edge 27. In addition, the seating portion 17 may transition from the generally horizontal top surface 23 to the generally vertical return flanges 21 on the periphery of the seating portion.
As shown in
As described above, the chair assembly 10 is molded to include a back support 19 that flexes rearwardly with respect to the seating portion 17 when it is leaned against by a user. As illustrated in
The return flange 21 is disposed on the top edge 43, the first side edge 45, and the second side edge 47 of the back support 19. The return flange 21 around the edges of the back support 19 is generally perpendicular to the inner surface 49 of the back support 19. In one example, the back support 19 transitions from the generally vertical back support 19 to the generally perpendicular return flange 21 on the periphery of the back support 19. As with the seating portion 17, the return flange 21 can be taller in the hip area 33 and can transition to a substantially lower height near the top edge 43. In addition, as with the return flange 21 disposed on the seating portion, 17, the top edge 43, the first side edge 45, and the second side edge 47 may be molded to form the return flange 21.
As shown in
A cross bow rib 55 may be disposed on the outer surface 51 of the back support 19 and cross-sectionally traverses the plurality of longitudinal ribs 53 on the outer surface 51 of the back support 19. The outer surface 51 of the back support 19 may be molded to form the cross bow rib 55, or the cross bow rib 55 may be attached by suitable means, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The cross bow rib 55 may be a U-shape rib with one end being substantially near the first side edge 45 and the other end being substantially near the second side edge 47. Although a single cross bow rib 55 is shown, any number of cross bow ribs 55 may be used. Along with the return flange 21, the longitudinal ribs 53 and the cross bow rib 55 assist in balancing the structural rigidity, while still providing the intentional flex between the seating portion 17 and the back support 19.
The inner surface 49 of the back support 19 may include a concave stacking recess 63, as shown in
The back support 19 may also include a hand hole 57 to provide assistance when the chair assembly 10 is lifted. The hand hole 57 is of a generally oval shape and includes a lip 59 around the periphery of the hand hole 57. A company name, or other such logo or indicia, may also be included on the chair assembly 10. For example, the name of the manufacturer 61 of the chair assembly 10 may be molded on the back support 19 above the hand hole 57.
As shown in
The back leg member 13 may include a first leg 67 and a second leg 69 that is separated from the first leg 67 by a generally horizontal member 65. The lower ends of the first leg 67 and the second leg 69 may include contacting ends 71 that contact the floor, or other such surfaces. The generally horizontal member 65 extends between and interconnects the upper portions of the first leg 67 and the second leg 69. The back leg member 13 may be a continuous piece of tubing which is bent into the generally inverted U-shaped member. In addition, the first leg 67 and the second leg 69 of the back leg member 13 may be at an outward angle relative to the vertical back support 19.
Similar to the back leg member 13, the front leg member 15 may include a first leg 75 and a second leg 79 that is separated from the first leg 75 by a generally horizontal member 77. The lower ends of the first leg 75 and the second leg 79 may also include contacting ends 71 that contact the floor, or other such surfaces. The generally horizontal member 77 extends between and interconnects the upper portions of the first leg 75 and the second leg 79. As with the back leg member 13, the front leg member 15 may be continuous piece of tubing which is bent into the generally inverted U-shaped member. In addition, the first leg 75 and the second leg 79 of the front leg member 15 may be at an angle generally perpendicular to the bottom surface 25 of the seating portion 17.
With reference again to
Similarly, the back leg member 113 of the second chair assembly 100 nest on top of the back leg member 13 of the chair assembly 10 when the second chair assembly 100 is placed on top of the chair assembly 10. Specifically, the first leg 175 of the second chair assembly 100 is nested on the first leg 75 of the bottom chair assembly 10 and the second leg 179 of the second chair assembly 100 is nested on the second leg 79 of the bottom chair assembly 10. The stacking configuration creates two points of contact on the back leg member 13.
The two stacking recesses 63, the back leg members 13, and the front leg members 15 allow the chair assembly 10 to stack with six points of contact without distorting the shell 11. Each point of contact improves stack stability and allows for safer transportation and storage of chairs. This configuration can allow for chair assemblies 10 to be stacked and bundled in a safe manner. This further allows more chair assemblies 10 to be placed and transported on a trailer, or other similar storage container, thereby resulting in cost and space savings.
While the foregoing has described what is considered to be the best mode and/or other examples, it is understood that various modifications may be made therein and that the subject matter disclosed herein may be implemented in various forms and examples, and that they may be applied in numerous other applications, combinations and environments, only some of which have been described herein. Those of ordinary skill in that art will recognize that the disclosed aspects may be altered or amended without departing from the true spirit and scope of the subject matter. Therefore, the subject matter is not limited to the specific details, exhibits and illustrated examples in this description. It is intended to protect any and all modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the advantageous concepts disclosed herein.
