US20040174050A1

US20040174050A1 - Chair with manually-adjustable mirror

Info

Publication number: US20040174050A1
Application number: US10/445,434
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew Raquet
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-06
Filing date: 2003-05-27
Publication date: 2004-09-09

Abstract

The chair provided comprises three platforms or rounds that are separated by two ball bearing filled turntables. The top platform is a seat, and the bottom platform shall be furnished with a sturdy base or legs to elevate the chair off the floor. From the center or middle platform projects outward and upward an arm which is capable of holding a small appliance, such as a mirror. To this center platform should also be fixed a knob or handle. Thus, the chair provided allows the user to sit first in the chair with the appliance positioned behind the user and then to use the handle or knob to make the appliance rotate clockwise or counter-clockwise around the user. Additionally, the seat rotates freely from the appliance. In this invention both seat and appliance can rotate freely until a useful position is found. This chair is particularly useful when placed in front of another mirror and allowing the user a 360 degree view of themselves.

Description

PARENT CASE TEXT

This application claims the priority of provisional application 60/452,590 filed Mar. 6, 2003.[0001]

(2) References Cited

U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,181 May 1992 Simjian and 5,692,800 Dec. 2, 1997 Perin

(3) This is not Federally sponsored research/development. (5) BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION.

The invention is a chair that arose as a result of extensive development in my career as an interior designer and furniture designer. While I had initially envisioned a mechanical chair with the possibility of a fixed rotation counter-rotation schedule, I discovered several things during the production phase of the chair. The first is that the internal mechanisms can break rather easily and the second which is that there are already existing patents on the these mechanical chairs.

(6) SUMMARY

The chair that I have designed has two distict advantages over the mechanical chairs aforedescribed and referred to: The first and most important being that the function of the chair is increased by its ability to freely rotate as opposed to being subject to fixed positions and counter-positions. The chair does not contain any gears and as a result is less fragile and more easily mass-produced. The utility of the chair is that it provides a way of allowing the person seated in the chair to view all sides of their head and upper body and once positioned in an advantageous position, allows the user to view the rear or side of their head while seated in front of another mirror.

(7) DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

1. Front elevation of chair with drum shaped base. [0005]
2. Rear elevation of chair with 5 legged base. [0006]
3. Exploded partial view of chair. [0007]
4. Angled view of front of chair. [0008]
5. Plan of [0009] middle round # 3 with parts # 2 and #6.
6. Rear elevation of chair with upholstered back and skirt. [0010]

(8) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The prototype based on FIG. 1 was constructed of three round pieces of heavy duty plywood ([0011] 1,3 and 5 in drawings # 1,2 and 6) that are roughly the same diameter. The three rounds are separated yet held together by two 12″ ‘lazy Susan’ style turntables (2 and 4 in drawings # 1 and 2 and 6) made by Shepherd Hardware. The exception being the middle round (3) which is approximately ¼″ smaller in diameter to allow for a decorative molding (3 a in drawing #5) to be applied. This molding also serves as a secure place to mount the knob or knobs that control the movement of the mirror. A pointed piece (6) that holds the arm that holds the mirror extends from this smaller round. This piece (6) is joined to the middle round so as to be structurally integrated. A part of the middle round was excavated to make room for this piece but there are many ways of attaching this arm that should be apparent to those familiar with the mechanical arts. However, the round (3) needn't be smaller as the molding is decorative and therefore unnecessary to the utility of the chair.
The support base or bottom round ([0012] 5) of the chair currently has five screw-in wooden legs as shown in drawing # 2. It is my opinion that the base could be made in a wide variety of configurations, decorative and functional. The prototype has a skirt made of fabric attached to the bottom round (5) of the seat support. Another design for a base is included in Drawing #1. In this variation, the base is constructed of 3 or more legs (14) that are secured by a fourth round (15) of plywood that rests just above the floor (drawing # 1). That which keeps it above the floor are a set of casters (16 in drawing #1). A minimum of four would be necessary for it to be stable. This design for the base has the distinct advantage of having the fourth round as a counterweight to the mirror and riser, which weigh several pounds or more.
The arm ([0013] 7) rising from the triangular extension (6) of the center or middle round (3) will be of metal tubing approximately ¾ to 1 inch in diameter with the expansion, or telescoping arm to which the mirror shall be attached of a suitably smaller diameter so that it shall fit snugly within the fixed arm A knob (9) that screws into the side of the fixed arm near the top of said arm shall be used to hold the telescoping arm (10) at its desired position. In the prototype and plans, this knob also pierces a small decorative molding or lip (8). This lip is made of wider tubing that is soldered on to the arm in the form of a coupling. However, this lip is not absolutely necessary to the function of the chair although it does provide additional strength.
The mirror ([0014] 12) is framed in metal and sits within another slightly larger frame (11) that surrounds approximately 55%-100% of the perimeter of the mirror. The mirror is held in place by a pair of decorative screws (13) that pierce the larger frame and the mirror frame. The larger frame is attached to the telescoping arm.
The prototype has an upholstered seat and back made of fabric over polyester batting over foam as well as a pleated skirt. These are all decorative elements and are subject to change as the chair may eventually be manufactured of metal, resin or plastic, or other materials. [0015]
This chair/seat is designed so that a person seated at it and in front of another can see their head, neck, body from all around without having to use a hand-held mirror or “three way” mirrors. The patent is for the utility of the chair and its ability to allow a 360 degree view of the user seated in the chair. The mirror is able to rotate freely and completely around the chair. However, if needed the chair can be made so that the the mirror only moves partially around the seat (example 180 degrees). The mirror can be adjusted both in height, as the arm is telescoping, and angle as the mirror sits in a frame. This chair is composed of three 19″ round platforms made of plywood, particle board, wood or MDF(medium density fiberboard) or similiar product. The three rounds are separated by a pair of 12[0016] 41 round turntables, lazysusans, etc.
These are attached to the [0017] rounds 1,3 and 5 using very short screws. It is important to drill all rounds first with holes that correspond to the mounting holes on the turntables. Precise dimensions of both the rounds and the turntables are provided as examples and describes accurately the prototype that is shown in the photograph. The patent that I seek will not be limited by size of components. The bottom round shall be the base and will rise from the floor on a support device (legs with or without, casters etc.)
The middle round ([0018] 3) shall have a mirror rising from it that adjusts in height. In the prototype this mirror is made of brass and glass, but the patent shall not be limited by materials employed in the construction. The mirror is controlled by a knob (17 in drawing # 5 and a ¾″ brass sphere in the prototype) that is placed 180 degrees opposite the mirror riser, but can be placed almost anywhere along the middle round, which is mounted in brass in the prototype. Also included is the possibility of two or more knobs or handles placed at unspecified intervals around this middle section (3).
While this chair is similiar in concept to existing U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,692,800 and 5,110,181, it has the important exception being that this chair does not require reciprocal gears, or any gears at all, as there is no fixed counter-rotation activity the necessary reciprocating gears. The chair that I am claiming also has no limit on its range of rotation. both the seat and the mirror (or appliance) can rotate independently of each other, in the same or opposite directions. allowing for a much greater degree of flexibility than the the chairs in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,692,800 and 5,110,181. It also has the advantage of being composed of less expensive parts. This chair operates without the use of gears, but instead with simple ball bearing turntables or “lazy susan” type devices. The possibility of mass production of this chair seems greater than the previous designs of ‘chairs with mirrors’ as a direct result of the simplification. [0019]

Claims

I claim:

1. A chair consisting of:

a round seat the seat, which can be upholstered and that will be attached to another round by using a turntable containing ball bearings.

The second, or middle round shall have an extension projecting from it that holds a telescoping arm to which an appliance can be attached, such as a mirror. Said mirror shall rest in a frame and be able to pivot. Directly opposite (180) degrees the triangle and mirror will be a knob that will be used to directly control the position of the mirror or appliance. This round will be attached to a third round by yet another turntable. The third round will have legs attached to it to provide support, and to elevate it to a suitable height.

3. The chair of claim 1. wherein the arm does not expand or telescope, but is at a fixed height instead.

4. The chair of claim 1 wherin the ballbearing devices are not separate turntables but perform the same function.

5. The chair of claim 1 wherein the attached mirror has a first mirror face in flat mirror and a second mirror that enlarges or magnifies.

The chair of claim 1

6. The chair of claim 1 wherein the mirror doesn't pivot within a frame but is instead fixed to an arm which is hinged to the main arm rising from the middle platform.

7. The chair of claim 1 wherein the seat has not only a back, but arms as well.

8. The chair of claim 1 wherein there are more than one knobs to control the position of the mirror (example 3 knobs placed 90 degrees apart from each other) on the middle round to which the mirror is attached.

9. The chair of claim one wherein the mirror is round.

10. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair is supported by a drum shaped base with or without casters.

11. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair is supported by a central column fixed to a floor as a permanent installation (eg.store fixture or the like).

12. The chair of claim one wherein the seat diameter is not more than 36″.

13. The chair of claim 12 wherein the seat height is not more than 36″.

14. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair is supported by a column with not more than 20 legs radiating out from the base of the column.

15. The chair of claim 14 wherein the legs have casters or wheels.

16. the chair of claim 1 wherein the chair has a base composed of one or more legs and a circular base roughly the size of the seat made of wood or metal with or without casters.

17. The chair of claim 1 wherein the chair has no back at all.

18. The chair of claim 1 wherein the base of the chair is a column that adjusts in height.

19. The chair of claim 1 wherein there is no knob to adjust the mirror, and the arm is used to adjust it.

20. The chair of claim 1 wherein an electric motor is employed to move the mirror or appliance clockwise and counterclockwise.