Flip-up bolster chair

A chair assembly comprising:

• a seat shell including a seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a back section extending upwardly from the seat section, a pair of first coupler portions, and a pair of arms positioned on substantially opposite sides of the seat section, each arm including one of the first coupler portions, each first coupler portions including a circularly shaped aperture extending at least partially through the associated arm, each aperture of the first coupler portions including at least one radially inward extending first stop, and wherein each aperture of the first coupler portions includes a select one of a group consisting of at least one locking notch and at least one detent adapted to be received within the locking notch;
• and
• a bolster including a support section, a first arm section and a second arm section, the first and second arm sections positioned on substantially opposite sides of the support section, each arm including a second coupler portion matable with the first coupler portions wherein each second coupler portions includes a circularly shaped boss adapted to be received within the apertures the first coupler portions, each boss of the second coupler portions includes at least one radially outward extending second stop that is adapted to abut the first stop, and wherein each boss of the second coupler portions further includes the select one of the group consisting of the locking notch and the detent that is not included within the apertures of the first coupling portions;
• and
• wherein at least a select one of the first and second coupler portions are laterally flexible with respect to one another between a first position that allows for the first and second coupler portions to be coupled together and a second position that prevents the first and second coupler portions to be uncoupled from one another, the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a first height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a second height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height, the circularly shaped aperture allows the bolster to be rotated between the first and second position by rotating the bosses of the second coupler portions within the apertures of the first coupler portions, the first and second stops limit the range of rotation of the bolster to between the first position and the second position, and wherein the detent engages the locking notch when the bolster is in the second position, therby requiring the user to exert a force on the bolster to rotate the bolster from the second position to the first position.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a back section extending upwardly from the seat section, a pair of first coupler portions, and a pair of arms positioned on substantially opposite sides of the seat section, each arm including one of the first coupler portions, and wherein each first coupler portions includes a circularly shaped aperture extending at least partially through the associated arm;
• and
• a bolster including a support section, a first arm section and a second arm section, the first and second arm sections positioned on substantially opposite sides of the support section, each arm including a second coupler portion matable with the first coupler portions, wherein each second coupler portions includes a circularly shaped boss adapted to be received within the apertures of the first coupler portions;
• and
• wherein the arms of the bolster are flexible between an unflexed position wherein the bosses of the second coupler portions define a first distance between one another, and a flexed position wherein the bosses define a second distance between one another that is less than the first distance, therby allowing the first and second coupler portion, aligning the bosses of the second coupler portions with the apertures of the first coupler portions, and returning the arms of the bolster to the unflexed position, and wherein the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a first height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a second height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height.

A chair assembly comprising:

• a seat shell including a seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a back section extending upwardly from the seat section, a pair of first coupler portions, and a pair of arms positioned on substantially opposite sides of the seat section, and wherein each arm includes one of the first coupler portions, the first coupler includes a circularly shaped aperture extending at least partially through the associated arm, each aperture includes at least one radially inward extending first stop, and wherein at least one first stop of the first coupler portions includes two first stops positioned on substantially opposite sides of each aperture;
• and
• a bolster including a support section, a first arm section and a second arm section, the first and second arm sections positioned on substantially opposite sides of the support section, each arm including a second coupler portion matable with the first coupler portions, wherein each second coupler portion includes a circularly shaped boss adapted to be received within the apertures of the first coupler portions, and wherein each boss of the second coupler portions includes at least one radially outward extending second stop adapted to abut the first stop, and wherein at least one second stop of the second coupler portions includes two second stops positioned on substantially opposite sides of each boss;
• and
• wherein at least a select one of the first and second coupler portions are laterally flexible with respect to one another between a first position that allows for the first and second coupler portions to be coupled together, and a second position that prevents the first and second coupler portions to be uncoupled from one another, the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a first height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a second height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height, and wherein the first and second stops limit the range of rotation of the bolster to between the first position and the second position.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a back section extending upwardly from the seat section, and a pair of first coupler portions, wherein each first coupler portions includes a circularly shaped aperture that includes a select one of a group consisting of at least one locking notch and at least one detent adapted to be received within the locking notch;
• and
• a bolster including a support section, a first arm section and a second arm section, the first and second arm sections positioned on substantially opposite sides of the support section, each arm including a second coupler portion matable with the first coupler portions, wherein each second coupler portion includes a circularly shaped boss received within the apertures of each first coupler portions, and wherein each boss includes the select one of the group consisting of the locking notch and the detent that is not included within the apertures;
• and
• wherein at least a select one of the first and second coupler portions are laterally flexible with respect to one another between a first position that allows for the first and second coupler portions to be coupled together, and a second position that prevents the first and second coupler portions to be uncoupled from one another, the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a first height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a second height with respect to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height, and wherein the detent engages the locking notch when the bolster is in the second position, thereby requiring the user to exert a force on the bolster to rotate the bolster from the second position to the first position.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a substantially hollow seat section adapted to support a user thereon and a substantially hollow back section extending upwardly from the seat section, the seat shell including a first coupler portion;
• and
• a bolster including a substantially hollow support section, a pair of substantially hollow arms positioned at opposite ends of the support section, and a second coupler portion coupled to the first coupler portion;
• and
• wherein the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is positioned to support a user thereon, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a substantially hollow seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a substantially hollow back section extending upwardly from the seat section, and a first coupler portion;
• a bolster including a substantially hollow support section, a pair of substantially hollow arms, and a second coupler portion coupled to the first coupler portion;
• and
• a seat insert supported on the seat section of the seat shell and abutting at least a select one of the first coupler portion and the second coupler portion, thereby preventing the first and second coupler portions from being uncoupled from one another;
• and
• wherein the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a substantially hollow seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a substantially hollow back section extending upwardly from the seat section, a first coupler portion that includes a pair of apertures, and a pair of arm sections positioned on substantially opposite sides of the seat section, each arm including one of the apertures of the first coupler portion therein;
• and
• a bolster including a substantially hollow support section, a pair of substantially hollow arms, and a second coupler portion coupled to the first coupler portion, the second coupler portion including a pair of bosses received within the apertures of the first coupler portion, each bolster including one of the bosses thereon, and wherein each bolster arm is flexible between a flexed position that defines a first distance between the bosses and allows the bosses to be into axial alignment with the apertures, and an unflexed position that defines a second distance between the bosses greater than the first distance and prevents the bosses from being removed from axial alignment with the apertures;
• and
• wherein the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height.

A chair assembly, comprising:

• a seat shell including a substantially hollow seat section adapted to support a user thereon, a substantially hollow back section extending upwardly from the seat section, and a first coupler portion that includes a pair of apertures, each aperture of the first coupler portions including a select one of a group consisting of at least one locking notch and at least one detent adapted to be received within the locking notch;
• and
• a bolster including a substantially hollow support section, a pair of substantially hollow arms, and a second coupler portion coupled to the first coupler portion, the second coupler portion including a pair of bosses received with the apertures of the first coupler portion, each boss of the second coupler portions further including the select one of the group consisting of the locking notch and the detent that is not included within the apertures of the first coupling portions;
• and
• wherein the bolster is rotatable between a first position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position wherein the support section of the bolster is at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height, and wherein the detent engages the locking notch when the bolster is in the second position, thereby requiring the user to exert a force on the bolster to rotate the bolster from the second position to the first position.

A method for constructing a chair, comprising:

• providing a seat shell that includes a seat section, a back section extending upwardly therefrom, and a pair of first coupler portions;
• providing a bolster that that includes a support section and a pair of longitudinally flexible supporting arms, each supporting arm including a second coupler portion and defining a distance therebetween;
• placing a flexure force on the supporting arms, thereby elastically deforming the supporting arms and decreasing the distance between the second coupler portions;
• aligning the first and second coupler portions;
• and
• releasing the flexure force on the supporting arms, thereby allowing the first and second coupler portions to positively engage, such that the bolster is rotatable between a first position, wherein the support section of the bolster is at a first height relative to the seat section of the seat shell, and a second position, wherein the support section of the bolster is located at a second height relative to the seat section of the seat shell and is above the first height.