US 2010/0237665 A1Published application

Two-way foldable chair

OwnerDaniel R. Graceinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

Folding chair adapted for folding from a set-up position to a selected one of two fold positions including a first position wherein the chair is folded to a substantially flat condition and a second folded position wherein the chair forms a bundle. Another form of said drive link mechanism includes a drive link having an active position wherein said drive link moves said articulated frame to its bundled condition in response to any folding movement of the frame and an inactive position wherein said drive link merely idles without exerting influence on the folding movements of the articulated frame.

Claims1

Dependent claims

Foldable chair comprising:

an articulated foldable frame;
a flexible seat material mounted on said frame;
a flexible back material mounted on said frame;
said frame being adapted to rest on a generally horizontally oriented supporting surface in a set-up position with said flexible seat material defining a generally taut chair seat and said flexible back material defining a generally taut chair back for collectively accommodating a seated chair occupant;
said frame having a pair of side assemblies of opposite hand disposed in generally parallel longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart relation to each other in said set-up position, each of said side assemblies having a plurality of generally rectilinear axially elongated side members, said side members of each of said assemblies being disposed within generally parallel longitudinally extending vertical planes and connected each to another for pivotal movement relative to each other about generally transversally extending pivotal axes;
said frame further having a plurality of generally axially elongated connecting elements extending between and connected to said side assemblies by pivot and slide connections and supporting said side assemblies for transverse movement toward each other and into transversally compressed condition and away from each other and to said transversally spaced apart condition;
said chair being movable from said set-up position to a first folded position wherein said frame has a generally flat configuration and said chair back generally overlies said chair seat;
said chair also being adapted for movement to and from said set-up position to and from a second folded position wherein said chair forms a bundle with all of said side members and all of said connecting elements having generally common directions of extent and said seat material and said back material forming part of said bundle, each having a flacid condition;
and
said frame including at least one drive link assembly mounted on an associated one of said side assemblies, said front leg of said one assembly having an axially elongated slide connecting member telescopically received within and coaxially moveable relative to said front leg between retracted and extended positions, said assembly including a foot connected to an outer end of said side connecting member, said link assembly including a drive link, said drive link having pivotally connecting points at its opposite end, said link being pivotally connected at one of said pivot points to a fixed point of connection on said foot and having its other connecting point pivotally connected at a fixed point of pivotal connection on said seat support member, said drive link assembly being operable to directly drive said articulated frame from said chair set-up position to said second folded position in response to folding movement of chair.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

Foldable chair comprising:

an articulated foldable frame;
a flexible seat material mounted on said frame;
a flexible back material mounted on said frame;
said frame being adapted to rest on a generally horizontally oriented supporting surface in a set-up position with said flexible seat material defining a generally taut chair seat and said flexible back material defining a generally taut chair back for collectively accommodating a seated chair occupant;
said frame having a pair of side assemblies of opposite hand disposed in generally parallel longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart relation to each other in said set-up position, each of said side assemblies having a plurality of generally rectilinear axially elongated side members, said side members of each of said assemblies being disposed within generally parallel longitudinally extending vertical planes and connected each to another for pivotal movement relative to each other about generally transversally extending pivotal axes;
said frame further having a plurality of generally axially elongated connecting elements extending between and connected to said side assemblies by pivot and slide connections and supporting said side assemblies for transverse movement toward each other and into transversally compressed condition and away from each other and to said transversally spaced apart condition;
said chair being movable from said set-up position to a first folded position wherein said frame has a generally flat configuration and said chair back generally overlies said chair seat;
said chair also being adapted for movement to and from said set-up position to and from a second folded position wherein said chair forms a bundle with all of said side members and all of said connecting elements having generally common directions of extent and said seat material and said back material forming part of said bundle, each having a flacid condition;
and
said frame including at least one drive link assembly mounted on an associated one of said side assemblies, said front leg of said one assembly having an axially elongated slide connecting member telescopically received within and coaxially moveable relative to said front leg between retracted and extended positions, said assembly including a foot connected to an outer end of said side connecting member, said link assembly including a drive link, said drive link having pivotally connecting points at its opposite end, said link being pivotally connected at one of said pivot points to a fixed point of connection on said foot and having its other connecting point pivotally connected at a fixed point of pivotal connection on said seat support member, said drive link assembly being operable to directly drive said articulated frame from said chair set-up position to said second folded position in response to folding movement of chair.

7 more elements