WO2023092029A2

WO2023092029A2 - Frame for furniture seat

Info

Publication number: WO2023092029A2
Application number: PCT/US2022/080074
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chin YAP
Original assignee: Noble House Home Furnishing Llc
Priority date: 2021-11-18
Filing date: 2022-11-17
Publication date: 2023-05-25
Also published as: WO2023092029A3

Abstract

A chair frame comprises an assembly bracket having a connector bar, a first lateral bracket fastened on a first side of the connector bar, and a second lateral bracket fastened on a second side of the connector bar. A seat portion having side edges is mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively. A back portion is mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket. At least a portion of the chair frame is comprised of extruded or 3D printed plastic material.

Description

FRAME FOR FURNITURE SEAT

Field and Background of the Invention

[001 ] This invention relates to a frame for a furniture seat. Further, the invention relates to such a frame for a furniture seat wherein the frame may be molded or 3D printed from plastic parts or components or materials, and wherein the various components can be assembled together to provide the furniture seat.

[002] The invention may utilize plastic parts which are themselves printed, such as by 3D printing methods. Different components may be used in specific areas, such as the arm or side of the furniture seat, so that the combination of parts used in the assembly may create a seat which is somewhat unique and customized to a user's preferences and to fit into a setting with the user's other furniture pieces.

[003] The invention relates to a furniture seat frame, but this is intended to be a broad description and would cover, at the least, chairs, sofas, loveseats, benches and any other type of furniture item which is or includes as a part thereof a portion designed for seating or sitting on.

Summary of the Invention

[004] According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a chair frame comprising: an assembly bracket having a connector bar, a first lateral bracket fastened on a first side of the connector bar, and a second lateral bracket fastened on a second side of the connector bar; a seat portion having side edges which are mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively; and a back portion mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket.

[005] Preferably, at least one of the seat portion and the back portion are comprised of plastic, and may be manufactured by one or more of the following processes: molding, injection, extrusion or 3D printing. [006] The chair frame may comprise a first lateral armrest and a second lateral armrest each of which is adjacent a side edge of the seat portion respectively. These may be attached to the respective side edges of the seat portion, or they may be attached to the first lateral bracket and second lateral bracket respectively.

[007] The back portion may comprise a frame component defining a space and a back panel portion which attaches to the frame component and fills at least a part of the space. The seat portion may comprise a four-sided frame, a plurality of spring members extending from a front of the seat portion to a back of the seat portion, the seat portion having connector tabs for connecting the spring members thereto.

[008] In one embodiment, the assembly bracket is configured so as to allow selected movement of the seat portion between variable substantially horizontal positions and selected movement of the back portion between a generally upright position and a generally inclined position.

[009] The chair frame may further comprises a footrest portion movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which it is located in front of the seat portion. The footrest portion may also comprise a scissor frame and at least one panel mounted on the scissor frame.

[010] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a chair frame comprising: an assembly bracket having a connector bar, a first lateral bracket fastened on a first side of the connector bar, and a second lateral bracket fastened on a second side of the connector bar; a seat portion comprised of plastic and having side edges which are mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively; a back portion comprised of plastic and mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket; and a pair of first and second lateral armrest portions comprised of plastic and mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively, the assembly bracket being configured so as permit relative movement between at least the seat portion and the back portion of the chair frame when assembled.

[Oi l] According to yet a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making a chair comprising: providing an assembly bracket including a connector bar, fastening the connector bar to a first lateral bracket on a first side of the connector bar, and fastening the connector bar to a second lateral bracket on a second side of the connector bar;mounting a seat portion having side edges on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively; and mounting a back portion on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket. The seat portion and back portion may be comprised of extruded or 3D printed plastic material.

[012] The method may comprise the further comprising the steps of: mounting first and second armrests on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket; mounting a footrest on the assembly bracket, the footrest being movable between a retraced position and an extended position; and wherein the first and second armrests are comprised of extruded or 3D printed plastic material. The the assembly bracket may be configured to as permit relative movement between at least the seat portion and the back portion of the chair frame when assembled.

[013] The invention, therefore, is in one aspect for a frame for a furniture seat. The frame has a number of components which are fastened together to form the frame. The components may all be 3D printed, or injection molded, or a combination, and comprised of a plastic material. All or at least some of the components may be created in this manner, and the furniture seat may thus be a hybrid made of such materials and components as described above in combination with components otherwise configured, such as those made of wood or wood-based material, metal, or a combination thereof.

[014] The frame of the furniture seat of the invention will in most instances comprise a seating structure and a backrest structure, which may be joined together during assembly, either directly to each other, or indirectly. The frame of the furniture seat may further comprise lateral structures, or armrests, one on each side of the seating structure, and a footrest structure. At least one or more of the various structures, when assembled, may be able to move relative to each other, such as the seating structure relative to the backrest structure, and the seating structure relative to the footrest structure, so that the user can select a comfortable seating position to suit many different situations, including sitting somewhat upright, partly or fully reclining, or with the footrest structure location chosen relative to the seating structure anywhere between a fully retracted or a fully extended position.

[015] In one embodiment, the seating structure comprises a single molded part, while the backrest structure comprises two molded parts. The backrest structure may have a generally rectangular frame with side walls and an open center, and a grid panel which attaches to the rectangular frame and fills all or some of the open center. The seating structure and the backrest structure are connected to each other, either directly or by means of a bracket or bracket system, which may be movable or adjustable to allow the relative movement between the structures, as described above.

[016] The shape of each part or component may be modified to construct generally customizable furniture pieces. In another embodiment, there maybe add-on portions or features, such as onto the lateral structures, which operate as armrests, to provide the armrest or a portion thereof with shapes or configurations which may be varied to suit a particular user for comfort and practical usage purposes.

[017] The frame of the furniture seat may include a plurality of legs, upon which the frame stands, and legs may be appropriately positioned to achieve stability and a secure fastening. In one version of the invention, the legs may be positioned on the arms or armrests so that the legs will be between the frame and the surface on which it is located in normal use and application of the frame.

[018] The frame of the furniture seat of the invention will typically be covered in cushioning, fabric or leather surfaces, and other material as needed to give the furniture seat a partly or fully upholstered and finished appearance which may be ready for use. Further, other supplemental structures may be added, either in a permanent context or removable as desired by the user, and such structures may include, as examples, lateral back wings or head rests, and the frame of the invention may be constructed so that these and other components may be easily attached to or removed from the frame seat during construction and assembly, as selected.

Brief Description of the Drawings [019] In the drawings:

[020] Figure 1 is a front perspective view of an assembled seat frame in accordance with one aspect of the invention;

[021] Figure 2 is a side perspective view of the assembled seat frame shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, in the generally upright position;

[022] Figure 3 is a right side perspective view of the assembled seat frame shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, in the generally near fully reclined position;

[023] Figure 4 is a left side perspective view of the assembled seat frame shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, in the generally near fully reclined position;

[024] F igure 5 A shows details of the armrest structure of the invention and its components, with both inner and outer portions thereof illustrated, as well as the top portion and front and back plates;

[025] Figure 5B shows details of armrest in accordance with one aspect of the invention which can vary by shape modification options, and the front and rear shape and components of the armrest;

[026] F igure 6 of the drawings shows a side perspective view of the seat frame of the invention, showing the attachment of a component of the armrest to a variable position connecting bracket; [027] Figure 7A of the drawings shows a front perspective view of the armrest and a generally upright backrest of the seat frame of the invention;

[028] Figure 7B shows a rear perspective view of the seat frame of the invention including the two components of the backrest connected to each other;

[029] Figure 8 of the drawings is a further perspective view of the backrest of the seat frame of the invention, when connected to the variable position connecting bracket and its relationship with the armrests and the seat;

[030] Figure 9 A is a top perspective view of the seat frame of the invention, also showing the springs and webbing for holding the springs on two sides;

[031] Figure 9B is a detail perspective view of an s spring hook and its form of connection to the seat area of the seat frame of the invention;

[032] Figure 10 of the drawings shows the footrest of the seat frame of the invention, when in the retracted or folded position for storage when not required; and

[033] Figure 11 is a detail view of the armrest of the invention, including legs attached to the bottom end thereof for supporting the seat frame of the invention on a surface.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[034] Reference is now made to the plurality of drawings and illustrations which show the various components of the seat frame of the invention, their mechanism for construction and fastening to each other, and other details.

[035] Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a chair frame 10. Note that while the drawings show a chair, the invention is not limited to such an article of furniture, and any other type of furniture piece or other object may utilize the features of the invention where applicable. Examples include sofas, loveseats, tables, bookshelves, to name a few without being in any way definitive.

[036] The chair 10 comprises a first lateral bracket 12 and a second lateral bracket 14, spaced from each other and joined together by a pair of connector bars 16 and 18. There may be more than two connector bars, or a single form of connection, where the objective of maintaining the first and second lateral brackets 12 and 14 is achieved. The first and second lateral brackets 12 and 14 when connected by the connector bars 16 and 18 may be referred to in the specification as the bracket assembly 20.

[037] The connector bars 16 and 18 may be such that they can each be attached at multiple locations on the bracket assembly 20. In this regard, the bracket assembly 20 may have a plurality of receiving holes for attaching to a connector bar 16 or 18. In this way, too, each of the connector bars 16 and 18 may also be appropriately spaced from each other in the assembled chair frame 10 to optimize strength and provide the best configuration for the integrity of the other components which form the chair frame 10.

[038] A seat portion 24 is mounted on the bracket assembly 20, fastened thereto by bolts, screws or other hardware, or by snap together structures between the seat portion 24 and the bracket assembly 24 so that the assembly of the chair frame 10 may be more efficient and intuitive. A back portion 28 is also mounted on the bracket assembly 20, fastened thereto by bolts, screws or other hardware, or by snap together structures between the seat portion 24 and the bracket assembly 24 so that the assembly of the chair frame 10 may be more efficient and intuitive.

[039] The bracket assembly 24 holds the seat portion 24 and the back portion 28 relative to each other to form a conventional sitting piece configuration. In certain embodiments of the invention, as will be mentioned below, the first and second lateral brackets 12 and 14 are pivoted and hinged in a way that will allow the seat portion 24 and the back portion 28 to move relative to each other so that the user may adjust the positions of these portions between a generally upright position, a reclined position, or some other position between these two limits.

[040] The connector bars 16 and 18 may each be placed in one or more positions, or selectively connected to the bracket assembly 20, for optimal force bearing effect. The positioning of the connector bars 16 and 18 relative to the bracket assembly 20 will thus be based on the nature of the seat itself, as well as the loadbearing capabilities for which it may be designed and constructed.

[041] The chair frame 10 as shown in several of the drawings further comprises a first lateral armrest 30 and a second lateral armrest 32, one on each side of the seat portion 24 and a part of the back portion 28. These first and second lateral armrests 30 and 32 maybe connected to the first and second brackets 12 and 14 respectively in different chair frame 10 arrangements, or they may be connected to the sides of the seat portion 24. The choice of the location of such connection of the armrests 30 and 32 may impact the type of relative movement between the various components of the chair frame 10, and the selection will thus of course factor in the nature and functions which the chair frame 10 is able to perform.

[042] The chair frame 10 may incorporate legs 36 attached to the underside of the armrests 30 and 32, at or near the front and rear ends thereof so that the chair frame 10 is maintained in a stable and firm manner on the surface on which it is placed.

[043] The chair frame 10 of the invention as illustrated may also comprise a footrest portion 40, which may preferably be movable between a retracted position, an extended position, or some positions between these limits as they may be selected for comfort by the user of the chair. It should be noted that other embodiments of the chair frame 10 of the invention may not incorporate the footrest portion 40.

[044] All or some of the portions of the chair frame 10 are preferably comprised of plastic which may be extruded, 3D printed or otherwise manufactured as is known in the industry. The use of extruded or printed plastics facilitates the improved costs and accuracy of the manufacturing process, which can be programmed to make pieces or components of different sizes, varieties and functions to provide greater choices and multiple models for consumers in a relatively easy manner which non-plastic components may find difficult to emulate. They may also be lighter, stronger, and more durable in the long term than, for example, a frame comprised of wood.

[045] The seat portion 24 comprises a generally rectangular or four-sided platform 44 which, as mentioned above, is connected to the bracket assembly 20. A least three springs 46 (see, for example, Figure 9A) extend between the front piece of the seat portion 24 and the rear piece thereof. In one embodiment, the springs 46 are connected to the rear piece of the platform 44, such as by fastening, while the springs 46 are connected to the front piece of the platform 44 in a releasable manner. In this regard, the front piece of the platform 44 has three connector tabs 50 by means of which the springs 46 can be attached to the platform 44, and in one embodiment the form of connection is a hook or an S-hook which engages the tab 50. The connection of the springs 46 to the rear piece of the platform 44 may be same or different, as the nature and purpose of the chair or furniture piece may require.

[046] The lateral springs 46, that is, those springs 46 near the side pieces of the platform 44, may be held in position by webbing 54 or other types of fasteners or stabilizers to ensure that these springs 46 do not stray in any significant way from their designated positions. The springs 46 will ultimately support a cushion and/or filling or fabric which will be placed on the top of the seat portion 12 in the fully constructed and upholstered chair of which the chair frame 10 is a part, providing the skeleton or support structure of the chair frame 10. [047] The back portion 28 of the chair frame 10 generally comprises a frame portion 60 and a complementary back panel portion 62 which fits with and connects to the frame portion 60. The frame portion 60 is rectangular or four-sided in shape and defines an interior space 64. The back panel portion 62 snaps onto, or otherwise connects with, the frame portion 60 to fully or partially fill the open space 64, thereby providing a solid back structure which can support fabric and upholstery and provide a comfortable back portion. In one embodiment, the back panel portion 62 may have a selected thickness near the base thereof closer to the seat portion 24, and which tapers to a smaller thickness at the top of the back panel portion 62. This provides the back portion 28 with a somewhat triangular profile which will be seen when the chair is fully assembled and upholstered.

[048] As seen in Figure 7B of the drawings, the front portion 60 of the back portion 28 may have lateral slots 70, which may be optionally used for attaching back wings or other hardware to the back portion 28, in case this is a preferred style. Further, other slots, apertures, tabs, and forms of connection maybe built into the main components, namely, the seat portion 24, the back portion 28 and the armrests 30 and 32, in order to add features or structures to the assembled chair, but may only be used in certain version of the chair to provide a variety of styles and model options.

[049] Further, the height of the back portion 28 can be varied or adjustable according to the style and the proposed purpose of the chair. For example, certain chairs have a back portion height ranging from about 36 inches to 41 inches. In on embodiment of the invention, the height may be set at about 38 inches which will almost enable unification wherein one mold size fits nearly all items of furniture.

[050] Referring to the first and second lateral armrests 30 and 32, each of such armrests may comprise an inner panel 76 and an outer panel 78 connectable to the inner panel 76. (See for example Figures 5A, 5B and 6 of the drawings.) The inner panel 76 comprises a grid formation 80 providing a strong scaffold, and internal panels 82 with multiple apertures over or in the grid formation. The outer panel 78 is generally flat and also comprises of grids and internal panels. The armrests 30 and 32 thus have cross bracing to provide additional strength and resilience to the armrest. The outer panel 78 may be connected to the inner panel 76 in any effective and convenient fashion, but in one embodiment there is provided a plurality of snap on tabs and a snap in apertures on one of the inner panel 76 and the outer panel 78 respectively in order to secure these parts to each other. The top of the armrests 30 and 32 may have a selected shape, some of them being flat or squared off on the top, while others are curved or rounded at the top, such as seen in Figure 5 A of the drawings. Other shapes are possible within the scope of the invention.

[051] The armrests 30 and 32 can, in various embodiments, be made by 3D printing, injection molding, or other processes, as mentioned, and this in fact applies to all of the components which maybe used in this invention to construct the chair frame 10. The armrests 30 and 32 may have multiple shape modifications to provide different styles and configurations for both aesthetic appeal and comfort preferences which may differ from one user to another.

[052] The footrest portion 40 is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, in this case in the near fully extended position. The footrest portion 40 comprises a first foot panel 82 and second foot panel 84, both of which are connected in a spaced apart configuration from each other on a scissor frame 86. When the scissor frame 86 is opened, the first and second panels 82 and 84 thereon will move toward the extended position as seen in Figure 3, wherein these panels 82 and 84 are generally in a horizontal position. These will provide a surface on which the feet and the lower legs of the user can be optionally placed when such a comfort is desired. When the scissor frame 86 is closed, the panels 82 and 84 will move to their stowed or retracted position, as can be seen, for example, in Figure 1 of the drawings.

[053] The scissor frame 86 may be a part of the bracket assembly 20, in which case the footrest portion 40 may move between its retracted and the extended positions in coordination with associated movement of the seat portion 24 and back portion 28 of the chair frame 10. In another embodiment, the scissor frame may be a part of the bracket assembly 20, but operate independently of other movements which the bracket assembly allows, such as the position of the back portion 28 and the seat portion 24. In yet another version, the scissor frame 86 may be completely separate from the bracket assembly, and operate totally independently of movement of other portions of the chair frame 10.

[054] Even though the first and second foot panels 82 and 84 may be of different lengths, it is possible that one mold be used in the manufacture of both, since they are otherwise identical except for length. This helps in minimizing costs and equipment in the manufacturing process.

[055] Once the chair frame 10 has been assembled, it forms the scaffold or structure upon which the remainder of the chair can be fixed. Cushioning, fabrics, fillings and other materials and hardware necessary to create the final version of the chair may be easily attached to the chair frame 10, and the final product will in most instances reveal no information or visible portions which are plastic. The plastic frame, whether extruded, molded, 3D printed, injected, or otherwise made, provides a strong and easily adaptable frame which can efficiently fit together to form a quality and long-lasting product which is esthetically pleasing and stable. Chairs comprising the frame seat which have been upholstered in the gamut of shapes and colors are possible. Some include the presence of lateral wings, and there are armrests of different shape and size, all of which are possible within the scope of the invention.

[056] Throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than limitations on the apparatus and procedures disclosed or claimed. Although many of the examples presented herein involve specific combinations of method acts or system elements, it should be understood that those acts and those elements may be combined in other ways to accomplish the same objectives. Acts, elements and features discussed only in connection with one embodiment are not intended to be excluded from a similar role in other embodiments.

[057] As used herein, "plurality" means two or more. As used herein, a "set" of items may include one or more of such items. As used herein, whether in the written description or the claims, the terms "comprising", "including", "carrying", "having", "containing", "involving", and the like are to be understood to be open-ended, i.e., to mean including but not limited to. Only the transitional phrases "consisting of' and "consisting essentially of', respectively, are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases with respect to claims. Use of ordinal terms such as "first", "second", "third", etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or the temporal order in which acts of a method are performed, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having a same name (but for use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. As used herein, "and/or" means that the listed items are alternatives, but the alternatives also include any combination of the listed items.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A chair frame comprising: an assembly bracket having a connector bar, a first lateral bracket fastened on a first side of the connector bar, and a second lateral bracket fastened on a second side of the connector bar; a seat portion having side edges which are mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively; and a back portion mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket.

2. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of the seat portion and the back portion are comprised of plastic.

3. A chair frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein the seat portion and the back portion are manufactured by one or more of the following processes: molding, injection, extrusion or 3D printing.

4. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a first lateral armrest and a second lateral armrest each of which is adjacent a side edge of the seat portion respectively.

5. A chair frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first lateral armrest and the second lateral armrest are attached to the respective side edges of the seat portion.

6. A chair frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein the first lateral armrest and the second lateral armrest are attached to the first lateral bracket and second lateral bracket respectively.

7. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the back portion comprises a frame component defining a space and a back panel portion which attaches to the frame component and fills at least a part of the space.

8. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat portion comprises a four-sided frame, a plurality of spring members extending from a front of the seat portion to a back of the seat portion, the seat portion having connector tabs for connecting the spring members thereto.

9. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the assembly bracket is configured so as to allow selected movement of the seat portion between variable substantially horizontal positions and selected movement of the back portion between a generally upright position and a generally inclined position.

10. A chair frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of the first and second lateral armrests is comprised of an inner panel and an outer panel, the outer panel being connectible to the inner panel.

11. A chair frame as claimed in claim 10 wherein at least one of the inner panel and outer panel is comprised of plastic and comprises a cross bracing grid to provide additional strength.

12. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a footrest portion movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which it is located in front of the seat portion.

13. A chair frame as claimed in claim 12 wherein the footrest portion comprises a scissor frame and at least one panel mounted on the scissor frame.

14. A chair frame as claimed in claim 1 further comprising additional connection structures for attaching accessories to the chair frame.

15. A chair frame comprising: an assembly bracket having a connector bar, a first lateral bracket fastened on a first side of the connector bar, and a second lateral bracket fastened on a second side of the connector bar; a seat portion comprised of plastic and having side edges which are mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively, a back portion comprised of plastic and mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket; and a pair of first and second lateral armrest portions comprised of plastic and mounted on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively, the assembly bracket being configured so as permit relative movement between at least the seat portion and the back portion of the chair frame when assembled.

16. A chair frame as claimed in claim 15 further comprising a foot portion connected to the assembly bracket, the foot portion being movable between a retraced position and an extended position.

17. A method of making a chair comprising: providing an assembly bracket including a connector bar, fastening the connector bar to a first lateral bracket on a first side of the connector bar, and fastening the connector bar to a second lateral bracket on a second side of the connector bar; mounting a seat portion having side edges on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket respectively; and mounting a back portion on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the seat portion and back portion are comprised of extruded or 3D printed plastic material.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the steps of: mounting first and second armrests on the first lateral bracket and the second lateral bracket; mounting a footrest on the assembly bracket, the footrest being movable between a retraced position and an extended position; and wherein the first and second armrests are comprised of extruded or 3D printed plastic material.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the assembly bracket is configured to as permit relative movement between at least the seat portion and the back portion of the chair frame when assembled.

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