Methods of making a furniture product and the product formed thereby

A furniture product comprising:

• a) a frame with front and rear legs supporting a seat frame, the front legs having leg portions extending upwardly above the seat frame;
• b) a generally U-shaped back and arm rest frame fixed to and supported by the front and rear legs;
• c) the seat frame being formed with inwardly extending, generally horizontal perimetrally positioned flange surfaces and perimetrally positioned vertical flange surfaces;
• d) the back and arm rest frame being formed with inwardly extending, generally horizontal, upper flange portions and downwardly extending vertical flange portions generally aligned with said perimetrally positioned vertical flange surfaces of the seat frame;
• e) a laterally compressed back shell component having a curvilinear back portion with forwardly extending side portions, the back portion and side portions being configured and vertically sized to span said downwardly extending flange portions of the back and arm rest frame and the said perimetrally positioned vertical flange surfaces of the seat frame, the back shell component being formed of a resilient plastic material with a plastic memory which seeks to return to uncompressed configuration and bears against the vertical flange surfaces of the seat frame, and the downwardly extending flange portions of the arm rest and back frame, and;
• f) a seat member with a rigid perimetral frame part resting on the said generally horizontal flange surfaces of the seat frame and engaging the back and side portions of the back shell component.

In a method of making a furniture product having a frame comprising front and rear legs supporting a seat frame, the front legs having leg portions extending upwardly above the seat frame, and a generally U-shaped, integrated back and arm rest frame assembly;

• the seat frame being formed with perimetrally positioned vertical surfaces and generally horizontal perimetrally positioned surfaces extending inwardly of said vertical surfaces;
• the back and arm rest frame assembly being formed with vertical surfaces generally vertically aligned with the said vertical surfaces of said seat frame, the steps of:
• a) exerting compressive force to laterally compress a back shell component having a curvilinear back portion with forwardly extending side portions, the back portion with side portions being configured and vertically sized to span the vertical surfaces of said back and arm rest frame assembly and the said vertical surfaces of the seat frame, the back shell component being formed of a resilient material with a plastic memory which returns it to its uncompressed configuration,
• b) positioning said back shell component within said vertical surfaces of said seat frame and releasing the said compressive force exerted to permit the back shell component to expand laterally into engagement with said seat frame and back and arm rest frame assembly vertical surfaces, the shape of the back shell portion in uncompressed condition causing the back shell component to bear against the said vertical surfaces of the seat frame and said back and arm rest frame assembly which hold said back shell component from returning to completely uncompressed condition;
• and
• c) inserting a drop-in seat part to a position resting on the inwardly extending surfaces of said seat frame, the drop-in seat part being sized to substantially engage the back portion and side portions of the said back shell component.

A furniture product comprising:

• a) a frame with front and rear legs supporting a seat frame, the front legs having leg portions extending upwardly above the seat frame;
• b) a generally U-shaped back and arm rest frame fixed to and supported by the front and rear legs;
• c) the seat frame being formed with perimetral vertical surfaces and inwardly extending, generally horizontal, perimetrally positioned surfaces;
• d) the back and arm rest frame being formed with vertical surfaces generally aligned with said perimetral vertical surfaces of the seat frame;
• e) a laterally compressed back shell component having a curvilinear back portion with forwardly extending side portions, the back portion with side portions being configured and vertically sized to span said vertical surfaces of the back and arm rest frame and the said perimetral vertical surfaces of the seat frame, the back shell component being formed of a resilient material with a plastic memory which seeks to return to uncompressed configuration and bears against the said vertical surfaces of the seat frame, and the vertical surfaces of the arm rest and back frame;
• and
• f) a seat part supported by the said generally horizontal surfaces of the seat frame to lie adjacent the back and side portions of the back shell component.