GB2231787A - Chair with insulated container - Google Patents

Abstract

The combination of a seat and an insulated carrying bag for food or liquids comprises a base framework 1 which defines a recess for a complementarily shaped insulating bag 3. Over the framework there is a seat 21, which can be raised about a rear transverse axis 26. There is also located a seat back 23, which is also raisable about axis 26. The seat back journals an arm structure 27, 28, 29, which can be located in any one of the grooves 7 depending on the angle of the seat back desired. The seat is folded up by raising the seat portion 21 and folding tho back portion 23 downwards, so that the integral arms structure lies along the edges and down the front face of the base framework. <IMAGE>

Description

CHAIR THIS INVENTION relates to a foldable chair for leisure use.

There are many outdoor uses for which a foldable chair is needed. For example, angling is often carried out from a foldable canvas seat. Beaches or country picnics frequently involve the use of foldable wooden or tubular chairs of a greater or less degree of complexity.

There is frequently moreover a requirement in outdoor leisure for a suitable carrying bag or case, either for the accoutrements of the leisure pursuit or for food and drink. In this latter case it is commonplace to provide a carrying bag of thermally insulated material, in many instances having within its structure an internal pocket or pockets to carry blocks of frozen material held, for example, within synthetic polymer envelopes.

The present invention is based upon the realisation that the characteristics and requirements of these respective categories of articles can be combined in a novel and useful fashion to produce a hitherto unknown leisure artefact.

The invention sets out therefore to provide a combination of a folding chair and a container in which the structure of the chair encloses and protects the container during transport and the nature of the container assists in forming or supporting a seat portion of the chair.

In one aspect the invention consists in a foldable chair for leisure use having a seat portion capable of supporting the weight of a user without substantial deformation and constituted by, or capable of receiving, a container with generally straight walls.

Preferably the container has thermally insulating walls, over at least part of its external surface, and so as to define within its periphery a thermally insulated compartment. Optionally, the container may include more than one compartment, preferably with at least one being thermally insulated in this way.

In a preferred form the chair will have a back portion which is foldable up from, or towards, an upper face of the seat portion. The arrangement may be such that the back portion is either vertical, or inclined to the vertical, in relation to the plane of the seat.

In such an embodiment it is valuable if the seat has arms which are themselves foldable into a generally convenient folded configuration.

Typically, the seat portion will include a container, or be constituted as such a container, which has a readily openable and closable opening to one side of the seat for access to the stored contents. It is less preferred for the container to open at the back of the seat or the front, since both of these are more difficult to reach.

In a particularly preferred form of the invention, the chair is constituted by a tubular metal framework defining beneath a seat location a holding location for an insulated bag with rectangular faces and sides, and with an access opening at one or other side of the chair beneath the seat.

The foldable chair, as defined in the preceding paragraphs, can be further provided with a cushioning seat layer, located in use above the container or container location.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which shows in perspective and somewhat exploded view one form of chair in accordance with the invention.

In the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows in perspective view the unfolded seat ready for use, with the insulated bag in place; and Figure 2 shows a similar view with the seat folded, ready for carrying.

The seat consists of a base framework 1, a foldable chair structure 2, and an insulated bag 3.

The base framework 1 can be made for example, of lightweight metal or of rigid synthetic polymeric material optionally reinforced with metal. From the side it is generally trapezoidal. It, and possesses a front face 4 and a rear face not shown but of similar nature. A bar 5 connects the lower portions of the front and rear face and has a counterpart bar along the parallel side, not shown. An upper bar 6 of the base, which again possess a similar parallel bar, not shown, on the other side, is provided with three transverse grooves 7, which are present upon the upper parallel side at the same position. At the top of the base framework and towards the rear thereof is located suitable pivotable mounting structure, not shown in detail. Across the rear edge of the base framework extends a transverse rod 10 of which the end can be seen in Figures 1 and 2.

The chair structure 2 consists of a seat member 20 with a downwardly turned front edge at 21 which in use forms a continuation of the front face 4 of the base structure. The chair structure is pivoted about an axis parallel to and adjacent the back of the seat, between the upstanding pivotal mounting structure of the base, not shown in detail. The seat further possesses a back portion 23, with side walls 24 and a padded back surface 25. This back portion is also pivoted at 26 to the pivotal mounting structure on the base 1.

The chair further possesses arms 27 pivoting at 28 with each respective side wall 24 of the back, and padded at 29 for the comfort of the user. These arms are portions on a integral structure which extends beneath the seat 21 and fits in one or other of the selected grooves 7.

The insulated bag portion 3 has the trapezoidal side faces 30 with finger recesses 31 and slides under the seat from one side. It is accordingly more rectangular in end view, and is held upon the bars 5. The opening in the bag is not shown, but could either be located at of the side surfaces or the end surface at the back of the seat.

The mode of use of the seat is thus easy to establish. Prior to a journey, the insulated bag 3 is filled with food and drink as required, and slid into its recess in the base framework 1. The seat structure 2 is folded down. To achieve this the base portion 21 of the seat is lifted slightly and the integral arms are lifted from their grooves 7 and allowed to come forward, out from under the seat base, to lie down the front of the framework 1 as shown in Figure 2. The back 23 of the seat folds forward over the base 20 of the seat to give a neat and unified product. The transverse bar 10 at the back of the base framework is a convenient carrying bar, and the folded construction does not present any protruberant arms or feet.

Moreover, when the seat is in use, the weight of the user can ensures good engagement between the arms 27 and the grooves 7, so that the back of the seat stays in a desired orientation. The user can moreover reach underneath the seat and slide the bag 3 in and out of its desired space.

The man in the art will realise that there are many ways of embodying the chair framework so that it can stand easily upon soft ground and sand and define beneath the seat level a generally rectilinear space.

Moreover, the exact position and nature of other pockets or openings or other frameworks or cushionings can be varied.

The container is typically a thermally insulated bag with more or less rectangular top and bottom faces and vertical sides. It should be resistant to crushing or deformation. As shown, the bag is a separate entity with a side opening, but if desired a bag structure could be built in beneath the seat and provided with suitable thermal insulation.

Also as an option there may be provided a padded seat, typically comprising a synthetic polymer foam within a textile fabric typically adhered at the seat portion of the device as shown.

In use, when the chairback is folded to its vertical or past-vertical position, the chair provides a comfortable seat for a picnic or beach party. It is customary to have seats close to the ground in such environments. On the other hand, when the seat is folded up as shown by arrow A the configuration of the frame, or an additional handle on the bag e.g. at 13, can be utilised to provide ready carrying of the combined chair construction and food bag.

Claims (11)

CLAIMS:

1. The combination of a folding chair and a container in which the structure of the chair encloses and protects the container during transport and the nature of the container assists in forming or supporting the seat portion of the chair.

2. A foldable chair for leisure use having a seat portion capable of supporting the weight of a user without substantial deformation and constituted by or capable of receiving a container with generally straight walls.

3. A foldable chair as set forth in claim 2 in which the container has thermally insulated walls over at least part of its external surface so as to define within its periphery a thermally insulated compartment.

4. A chair as claimed in claim 2 or 3 which has a back portion foldable upwards from or downwards towards an upper face of the seat.

5. A chair as claimed in claims 2, 3 or 4 in which the seat further comprises foldable arms which can be folded into a non-protruding configuration.

6. A chair as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 which includes, or is constituted as, a container with a readily openable and closeable opening to one side of the seat.

7. The combination of a seat and insulated bag, comprising (i) a seat base framework capable of supporting the weight of a seated user and defining a recess beneath the seat open to at least one side of the seat; (ii) an insulated bag shaped to slide into and be held within the said recess; (iii) a seat overlying the base framework and recess; (iv) a seat back hinged for movement between a back position and a downwardly folded position parallel and overlying the seat; and (v) a grasping handle by which a combination of the foldable seat and bag within said recess can be jointly carried.

8. The combination claimed in claim 7 in which arms are pivoted to the sides of the back of the seat, the arms having at each a downwardly extending portion which extends down the a forward face of the base framework when the seat back is folded onto the seat.

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8 in which the arms comprise is an integral structure extending transversely beneath the seat and selectively positionable in retaining grooves so as to adjust and immobilise the arms and seat back.

10. A combination as claimed in claim 9 in which the seat is pivoted about an axis parallel to and adjacent its rearward edge, whereby it can be lifted to permit the transverse portion of the integral arms structure to pass forward of its forward edge and lie along a front face of the base framework when the seat back is folded down to the seat.

11. A combination as claimed in claim 7, 8 or 9 in which the handle portion is constituted by a transverse member extending across the base framework at the rear thereof.