EP2039266A2

EP2039266A2 - Chair

Info

Publication number: EP2039266A2
Application number: EP08163881A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Xu Jianye
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-18
Filing date: 2008-09-08
Publication date: 2009-03-25
Also published as: WO2009036682A1; US20090072599A1; CN201082038Y; EP2039266A3

Abstract

The present invention provides a chair that comprises: a seat portion (20); two or more front leg members (90, 91) coupled to the seat portion (20), each front leg member (70, 73) comprising at least one first tube member (103, 104); two or more rear leg members coupled to the seat portion (20), each rear leg member (70, 73) comprising at least one second tube member (101, 102); a backrest portion (30) coupled to the two or more rear leg members (70, 73); and two or more leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504), each leg cross member having a first end capable of engaging with said at least one first tube member (103, 104) and a second end capable of engaging with said at least one second tube (101, 102) member, whereby each leg cross member (504, 502, 503, 504) connects a pair of front leg member (90, 91) and rear leg member (70, 73). The chair may be further adapted to facilitate easy and secure stacking wherein the leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504) of an upper chair are supported by the seat portion (20) of a lower chair in a vertical stack.

Description

The embodiments of the invention relate generally to furniture. More specifically, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a chair.
Furniture is a necessary component of modern living. Items such as sofas, tables, chairs, desks, bookcases, and dressers can be found in almost every home to provide comfort and convenience. While chairs are useful, many drawbacks presently exist. One drawback is the lack of simple designs that provide sufficient stability. It is also difficult to assemble multiple parts of a chair prior to usage or transportation.
Therefore, there is a current need for a chair device that provides for a compact, easily storable and easily transportable device that may not be shaky and can be used for a longer time and support greater weight when a person attempts to sit on the chair. There is also need for a chair that can be assembled easily prior to usage and transportation.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in their application to the details of construction or to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practiced and carried out in various ways. In addition, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
An element of the present invention is "integral to" another element of the present invention when the two elements are manufactured or provided as a single piece. An element of the present invention is "separated from" another element of the present invention when the two elements are manufactured or provides as separate pieces.
One exemplary embodiment of the invention provides for a chair that comprises: a seat portion; two or more front leg members coupled to the seat portion, each front leg member comprising at least one first tube member; two or more rear leg members coupled to the seat portion, each rear leg member comprising at least one second tube member; a backrest portion coupled to the two or more rear leg members; and two or more leg cross members, each leg cross member having a first end capable of engaging with said at least one first tube member and a second end capable of engaging with said at least one second tube member, whereby each leg cross member connects a pair of front leg member and rear leg member. The chair may be further adapted to facilitate easy and secure stacking wherein the leg cross members of an upper chair are supported by the seat portion of a lower chair in a vertical stack.
In another embodiment, each of the two rear and two front leg members comprises two tube members. Two leg cross members are connected between the one of front and rear leg members at the right side of the chair. Two leg cross members are connected between another one of front and rear leg members at the left side of the chair. One end of a leg cross member is inserted into a tube member of the front leg members and the other end of the same leg cross member is inserted into another tube member of the corresponded rear leg member.
The backrest portion is attached to the rear leg members and includes a backrest cross member. The backrest portion comprises at least two backrest upright members, a first backrest cross member and a second backrest cross member attached between the two backrest upright members. The first backrest cross member is attached between the backrest upright members on the top ends of the backrest upright members and the second backrest cross member is attached between the backrest upright members on the bottom ends of the backrest upright members. The bottom ends of the backrest upright members are connected to each of top end of the two or more rear leg members. Top ends of the front leg member are attached to a front portion of the seat portion for supporting the seat portion.
In yet another embodiment, the front leg members are structurally connected by a front support member and each of the two backrest uprights members is integral to each of the two rear leg members. A rear support member is crossed and connected between the backrest upright members near to the top ends of the rear leg members. The back panel of the seat portion comprises a front slot portion and a rear slot portion. When the seat portion is engaged onto the leg members, the front slot portion of the seat portion is filled by the front support member and the rear slot portion of the seat portion is filled by the rear support member.
In still another embodiment, the rear support member comprises two or more notches therein, and the rear slot portion comprises two or more male prong corresponding with the notches. When the rear support member is filled in the rear slot of the seat portion, the notches of the rear support member is filled in by the male prong constructed on the seat portion.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, features of the embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the embodiments of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The assembling is simple. The ends of the leg cross members are inserted in the tube members and glued. Catch connections, which simplify the connection, can also be used. Therefore, snap pins at the ends of the leg cross members or on the walls of the tube members can be comprised. These snap pins snap in the congruent holes in the corresponding parts. If the pins are arranged so that they can be shoved out of the holes again by the strength of a spring, the interconnection can be disconnected again. The chair is then demountable which is for example advantageous when moving as the chair can then be packed as a small transport unit.
The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings. While the present invention is described below with reference to exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. Those of ordinary skill in the art having access to the teachings herein will recognize additional implementations, modifications, and embodiments, as well as other fields of use, which are within the scope of the present invention as described herein, and with respect to which the present invention may be of significant utility.
In order to facilitate a fuller understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are referenced with like numerals. These drawings should not be construed as limiting the present invention, but are intended to be exemplary only.

FIG. 1: shows an explosive view of an exemplary chair in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2: shows a front perspective view of an exemplary chair in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3: shows a perspective view of exemplary chairs that are stacked on one another;
FIG. 4: shows a top view of an exemplary leg cross member with two ends in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5: shows a bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the back panel of a seat portion with front and rear slot portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein similar parts are identified by like reference numerals, FIG. 1 shows an explosive view of an exemplary chair 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a front perspective view of the exemplary chair 100.
Device 100 includes a seat portion 20, a backrest portion 30, front leg members 91 and 90, rear leg members 70 and 73, and leg cross members 501, 502, 503, and 504. These components are preferably comprised (mainly) of a wood material, but can also be comprised of a durable plastic material, lightweight metallic material, or other natural or man-made material (or combinations thereof) that provides for a durable and lightweight construction. According to some embodiments of the present invention, the above-mentioned leg members and leg cross members may each be constructed with one or more interconnecting tubes or tube-like components.
Backrest portion 30, as one portion of a back part of the chair, includes two upright members 31 and 32, and each of the upright members has top end 321, 301 and bottom end 322 and 302. A plurality of backrest cross members (such as 35, 36 and 37) are connected between the two upright members 31 and 32. A backrest cross member 38 connects the two upright members at the top ends 321 and 301; a backrest cross member 37 connects the two upright members near the bottom ends 322, 302; and two backrest cross members 35, 36 may connect the upright members at or near the middle of the upright members. Preferably, two or more backrest cross members, such as 331, 332, 333, 334, and 335, are connected between the backrest cross members 38 and 35 so as to form a main backrest potion for supporting the back of a person sitting on the chair. The two rear leg members 70 and 73, as another portion of the back part of the chair, can be integral to the two upright members of the backrest portion 30 as to form the back part of the chair device.
One rear leg member 70 has two or more tube members 101 and 102 substantially at or near the top end 71 of the rear leg member 70. Corresponding, one front leg members 91 also has two or more tube members 103, 104 at or near the top end 901. Similarly, each of the rear leg member 73 and front leg member 90 has two or more tube members with the same position as the tube members of the rear leg member 70 and front leg member 91. The tube members of the rear leg members 70 and 73 are at substantially the same height from the ground as the tube members of front leg members 90, 91.
When assembling a chair, the two front leg members 90 and 91 can be connected to the back portion of the chair 100 by four leg cross members 501, 502, 503, and 504. A pair of leg cross members 501, 502 are coupled to the two tube members 101, 102 of the rear leg member 70 and the two tube members 103, 104 of the front leg member 91. At the same time, another front leg member 90 and another rear leg member 73 also are connected by a pair of leg cross members 503, 504 correspondingly.
An exemplary design of the leg cross members 501, 502, 503, 504 is shown in FIG. 4, where the leg cross member 501 is shown as an example. The leg cross member 501 has a main body 401 having two extended staffs 402, 403 at two ends. For connecting the front and rear leg members irreversibly, the outer diameter of two staffs 402 and 403 of the leg cross member is slightly less than the inner diameter of tube members 101-104. After a leg cross member is inserted into a tube member, it would be difficult to remove the inserted leg cross member from the tube member. Preferably, the length of the staffs 402, 403 of the leg cross member is substantially the same as the depth of the tube member, and the outer diameter of the main body 401 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the tube member into which the leg cross member 501 is to be inserted. After the staffs of the leg cross members are snapped into the tube members, it looks like that the leg cross member and the tube members form an integral part.
After the two front leg members are attached to the two rear leg members, the front leg members cannot be easily detached from the rear leg members. Preferably, the tube members and the leg cross member (or at least the staffs thereon) are made of steel. In another preferred embodiment, the two front leg members are integral to two front leg cross members 122, 123 as to form a front leg portion of the chair device. When assembling a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention, the front portion comprising the two front leg members 90, 91 and the two front leg cross members 122, 123 may be attached to the back portion through the four leg cross members 501, 502, 503 and 504.
A front support member 80 is attached onto the two top ends 901, 900 of the two front leg members 91, 90. A rear support member 40 is coupled between the upright members 31, 32 near the bottom ends of the two upright members 31, 32. The rear support member 40 can be attached to the two upright members 31, 32 by one of several attachment means such as but not limited to gluing, taping, micro-welding, welding, pining, strapping, snapping, clipping and the like. Preferably, each end of the rear support member 40 has an integrated prong (not shown in Figs). Each prong of the rear support member 40 may be inserted into a hole or receptacle in the upright member 31, 32 to keep the rear support member 40 immovable when the rear support member is engaged onto the uprights member. The rear support member 40 may be at substantially the same height as the front support member 80 so as to keep the seat portion in a leveled position. A seat portion 20 is attached to the front support member 80 and the rear support member 40.
FIG. 5 shows one exemplary design of the seat portion 20 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The seat portion 20 has a rear slot portion 21 and a front slot portion 27. The rear slot portion 21 is surrounded by two bars 211, 26 and a part of the seat portion. The rear slot portion can be fully filled by or otherwise engage with the rear support member 40. Correspondingly, the front slot portion 27 of the seat portion 20 can be fully filled by or otherwise engage with the front support member 80 as well. Note the shape of both ends 207, 217 of the front slot portion 27 which match the corresponding parts of the front support member 80. When the seat portion 20 is attached to the support members 40, 80, the seat portion 20 can be kept on the support members 40, 80 and cannot be removed in the horizontal directions. Preferably, the rear support member has two or more female notches 430 for receiving two or more male projections or protruding members or prongs 201, 202, 203 integral to the seat portion 20.
Turning now to FIG. 3, there is shown two like chairs 100, 200 being stacked one above the other. In this embodiment, the width of the seat portion of the chairs 102 is larger than the distance between the two lower leg cross members 50, 50' of the chair 100, such that the two lower leg cross members 50, 50' of the chair 100 is able to rest upon or be supported by the seat portion of chair 102. Two front and rear leg members of chair 100 are engaged by the seat portion of chair 102 in such a position that the chair 100 cannot be easily removed in the horizontal directions.
Referring to FIG. 3 and also referring back to FIG. 5, the seat portion 20 has two openings 22, 23, 24 and 25 (or eclipsed corners and/or edges) at two sides of the seat. When the chair 100 is stacked on the chair 102, the two rear leg members of the chair 100 can be slipped into the opening as to keep the chair 100 on the fixed position. This mating locates the chairs in stacked arrangement and enables a substantial number of chairs to be positioned one above the other to form a single, vertical stack.
In one embodiment, the rear leg member 70 and 73 integrated to the upright member 31 and 32 are bent at or near the position where the rear support member is attached as to form an angel between the leg member 70 and the upright member 32. The angle may be, for example, 100, 110, 120, 130, 160, 165, or 170. The front leg members 90, 91 are not parallel to the rear leg members 71 and 73. The four leg members are connected into this structure that can further improve the stability of the chair device.
While the foregoing description includes many details and specificities, it is to be understood that these have been included for purposes of explanation only, and are not to be interpreted as limitations of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications to the embodiments described above can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, such modifications are considered within the scope of the invention as intended to be encompassed by the following claims and their legal equivalents.

List of reference signs

100: chair
101: tube member
102: tube member
103: tube member
104: tube member
122: front leg cross member
123: front leg cross member
20: seat portion
21: rear slot portion
22: opening
23: opening
24: opening
25: opening
26: bar
27: front slot portion
200: chair
211: bar
201: prong
202: prong
203: prong
207: end
217: end
30: backrest portion
31: upright member
32: upright member
302: bottom end
322: bottom end
35: backrest cross member
36: backrest cross member
37: backrest cross member
38: backrest cross member
331: backrest cross member
332: backrest cross member
333: backrest cross member
334: backrest cross member
335: backrest cross member
40: rear support member
401: main body
402: extended staff
403: extended staff
430: lower notches
50: lower leg cross member
50': lower leg cross member
70: rear leg member
71: top end
72: upper end
73: rear leg member
80: front support member
90: front leg member
91: front leg member
900: top end
901: top end

Claims

A chair comprising:
- a seat portion;

- two or more front leg members (90, 91) coupled to the seat portion (20), each front leg member (90, 91) comprising at least one first tube member (103, 104);

- two or more rear leg members (70, 73) coupled to the seat portion (20), each rear leg member (70, 73) comprising at least one second tube member (101, 102);

- a backrest portion (30) coupled to the two or more rear leg members (70, 73); and

- two or more leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504), each leg cross member having a first end capable of engaging with said at least one first tube (103, 104) member and a second end capable of engaging with said at least one second tube member (101, 102), whereby each leg cross member (501, 502, 503, 504) connects a pair of front leg member (90, 91) and corresponding rear leg member (70, 73).
The chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one first tube member (103, 104) is integral to the front leg members (90, 91).
The chair of claim 1, wherein the at least one second tube member (103, 104) is integral to the rear leg members (70, 73).
The chair of claim 1, wherein each of the rear leg members (70, 73) comprise two integrated tube members (101, 102), and each pair of front and rear leg members (70, 73) are connected by two leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504).
The chair of claim 4, wherein the two leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504) are of unequal length and the longer leg cross member (501, 503) is located below the shorter leg cross member (502, 504) when the chair is fully assembled.
The chair of claim 1, further comprising a front support member (80) attached to the top ends (900, 901) of the two or more front leg members (90, 91), and a front slot portion (27) of the seat portion (20) is fully filled by said front support member (90, 91) when the seat portion is engaged onto the front leg members (90, 91).
The chair of claim 6, further comprising a rear support (40) member attached to the two or more rear leg members (70, 73) for fully filling a rear slot portion (21) of the seat portion (20) when the seat portion (20) is engaged.
The chair of claim 7, wherein the rear support member (40) further comprises one or more notches (430) for receiving one or more prongs (201, 202, 203) of the seat portion.
The chair of claim 8, wherein the rear support member (40) comprises three said notches (430) and three said prongs (201, 202, 203).
The chair of claim 1, wherein the leg cross member (50, 50', 501, 502, 503, 504) is constructed at least in part from a material selected from the group consisting of metal, steel, plastic, bamboo and wood.
The chair of claim 1, wherein the backrest portion (30) comprises:
- two or more upright members (31, 32) that are integral to the two or more rear leg members (70, 73) ; and

- two or more backrest cross members (331, 332, 334, 335) connected between the two or more upright members (35, 38).
The chair of claim 1, wherein an obtuse angle is formed between the rear leg member (70, 73) and the upright member (35, 38).
The chair of claim 1, wherein an area surrounded by the leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504) is smaller than an area of the seat portion (20), such that the leg cross members (501, 503) of a first chair (100) can rest upon the seat portion (20) of a second chair (200) when the first chair is stacked on top of the second chair (200).
The chair of claim 1, wherein the seat potion (20) comprise two or more eclipsed corners or edges or openings (22, 23) to accommodate two or more rear leg members of a second substantially same chair (200) when the second chair is stacked on top of the chair (100) of claim 1.
The chair of claim 1, wherein the ends of the leg cross members (501, 502, 503, 504) are fastened in the tube members (101, 102, 103, 104) by glue or a snap pin fixed on the end or on the tube member and snapped in a hole in both members.