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US 6,854,798 B1Granted
Bleacher chair and method of vending same
OwnerThomas Mason, Rosetta Masoninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bleacher chair for use with a bleacher structure having tiers of bleacher seating of a standard width, said bleacher chair comprising a chair portion, two lateral arm members, a forward member, and a rearward member and wherein the chair portion can rest upon a bleacher seat, and the rearward member does not contact the bleacher structure in a way which would interfere with the placement of the chair portion upon a bleacher seat. A method for vending the bleacher chair of the present invention to those attending events with bleacher seating is also provided.
Claims15
In combination with a bleacher structure having tiers of bleacher seating planks of a width W, a collapsible portable disengageable bleacher chair with a plurality of portions including a seat portion having a top and a bottom, said bottom of said seat portion being the only portion of said chair in contact with said bleacher structure, said bottom being juxtaposed on top of one of said seating planks of the bleacher structure, said bleacher chair comprising:
- a chair portion comprising:
- an scannable transmittable unique identification means for uniquely identifying each said bleacher chair;
- an elongated rod;
- a seat portion comprising a seat portion frame further comprising a first peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- a back portion comprising a back portion frame further comprising a second peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- and,
- a seating surface;
- two lateral arm members, each lateral arm member having a midpoint, the two lateral arm members being positioned outward of said chair portion, one on each side, with each rearward end of each arm member-joined to the opposing sides of said back portion frame of said chair portion approximately at their midpoint;
- a forward member comprising a frame forming two opposed forward vertically oriented and forward slanted sides each having a proximal end and a distal end, each having a length F and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each proximal end of said opposed sides closest to said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the forward end thereof, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined by a horizontal bar, and the opposed sides of said forward member joined approximately at their midpoint to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the unopposed side of said seat portion frame;
- and,
- a rearward member comprising a frame forming two opposed rearward vertically oriented and rearward slanted sides each having a length R and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of midpoint of said lateral arm members, and the opposite sides of said rearward member joined at a point proximate to the unopposed side of said rearward member to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the distal ends of said opposed sides of said seat portion frame farthest from the unopposed side of said seat portion frame,
- and wherein, a distance D between the juncture of said forward member with said seat portion frame and the juncture of said rearward member with said seat portion frame is greater than the width W of a bleacher seat plank, said seat portion frame resting upon the bleacher seat plank and said bleacher chair supported solely by said bleacher seat plank,
- and wherein R is substantially less than F, said forward member comprising the frame forming two opposed forward vertically oriented and forward slanted sides each having the length F, the length F representing the length of said forward member, said rearward member comprising the frame forming two opposed rearward vertically oriented and rearward slanted sides each having a length R, the length R representing the length of said rearward member, and wherein the horizontal bar provides a suspended foot rest behind a bleacher seating plank in front of the bleacher seating plank on which the bleacher chair rests.
10 more elements
A method for a rental of a bleacher chair for events having bleacher seating to a customer attending said event, the bleacher seating having a width, which method comprises:
- having a supply of bleacher chairs at a convenient location proximate to said event, each said bleacher chair comprising a unique identification means for uniquely identifying each said bleacher chair, the bleacher chair for the method further comprising:
- a chair portion comprising:
- an elongated rod;
- a seat portion comprising a peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- a back portion comprising a peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- and,
- a seating surface;
- two lateral arm members positioned outward of said chair portion, one on each side, with each rearward end of each arm member joined to the opposing sides of said back portion frame of said chair portion approximately at their midpoint;
- a forward member comprising an aluminum frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the forward end thereof, and the opposed sides of said forward member joined approximately at their midpoint to the opposed sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the unopposed side of said seat portion frame;
- and,
- a rearward member comprising a frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the midpoint of said lateral arm members, and the opposed sides of said rearward member joined at a point proximate to the unopposed side of said rearward member to the opposed sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the distal ends of said opposed sides of said seat portion frame member farthest from the unopposed side of said seat portion frame,
- and wherein, the distance between the juncture of said forward member with said seat portion frame and the juncture of said rearward member with said seat portion frame is greater than the width of bleacher seating, such that said seat portion frame can rest upon said bleacher seating,
- and wherein, the portion of said rearward member extending beyond the junction of said rearward member with said seat portion frame does not contact said bleacher structure in a way which would interfere with the placement of the seat portion frame upon said bleacher seating;
- providing a bleacher chair to a customer for the time period of the event upon payment of a rental fee and provision of a security;
- and,
- returning said security to said customer upon return of the bleacher chair.
13 more elements
In a collapsible, portable lawn chair, said chair comprising:
- a chair portion comprising:
- a unique identification means for uniquely identifying each said bleacher chair;
- an elongated rod;
- a seat portion comprising a peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- a back portion comprising a peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- and,
- a seating surface;
- two lateral arm members positioned outward of said chair portion, one on each side, with each rearward end of each arm member joined to the opposing sides of said back portion frame of said chair portion approximately at their midpoint;
- a forward member comprising a frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the forward end thereof, and the opposed sides of said forward member joined approximately at their midpoint to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the unopposed side of said seat portion frame;
- and,
- a rearward member comprising a frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the midpoint of said lateral arm members, and the opposite sides of said rearward member joined at a point proximate to the unopposed side of said rearward member to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the distal ends of said opposed sides of said seat portion frame member farthest from the unopposed side of said seat portion frame member,
- and wherein, the distance between the juncture of said forward member with said seat portion frame and the juncture of said rearward member with said seat portion frame is greater than a width of a bleacher seat and bleacher support structure,
- an improvement comprising said seat portion frame juxtaposed upon the bleacher seat,
- and wherein, the portion of said rearward member extending beyond the junction of said rearward member with said seat portion frame is substantially shortened and avoids contact with the bleacher support structure and wherein said seat portion frame juxtaposed upon the bleacher seat converts the bottom horizontal bar of said forward member into a foot rest.
11 more elements
In a combination of a bleacher structure having tiers of bleacher seating planks of a width W, a collapsible portable disengageable bleacher chair with a plurality of portions including a seat portion having a top and a bottom, said bottom of said seat portion being the only portion of said chair in contact with said bleacher structure, said bottom being juxtaposed on top of one of said seating planks of the bleacher structure, said bleacher chair comprising:
- a chair portion comprising:
- an elongated rod;
- a seat portion comprising a seat portion frame further comprising a first peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- a back portion comprising a back portion frame further comprising a second peripheral frame forming two opposed sides and one unopposed side of a rectangle, and flexibly joined with said elongated rod to form the fourth side thereof;
- and,
- a seating surface;
- two lateral arm members each lateral arm member having a midpoint, the two lateral arm members being positioned outward of said chair portion, one on each side, with each rearward end of each arm member joined to the opposing sides of said back portion frame of said chair portion approximately at their midpoint;
- a forward member comprising a frame forming two opposed forward vertically oriented and forward slanted sides each having a proximal end and a distal end, each having a length F and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each proximal end of said opposed sides closest to said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of the forward end thereof, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined by a horizontal bar, and the opposed sides of said forward member joined approximately at their midpoint to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the unopposed side of said seat portion frame;
- and,
- a rearward member comprising a frame forming two opposed rearward vertically oriented and rearward slanted sides each having a length R
- and one unopposed side of a rectangle, with each distal end of said opposed sides farthest from said unopposed side joined to one of the lateral arm members in the proximity of midpoint of said lateral arm members, and the opposite sides of said rearward member joined at a point proximate to the unopposed side of said rearward member to the opposing sides of said seat portion frame in the proximity of the distal ends of said opposed sides of said seat portion frame farthest from the unopposed side of said seat portion frame,
- and wherein, a distance D between the juncture of said forward member with said seat portion frame and the juncture of said rearward member with said seat portion frame is greater than the width W of a bleacher seat plank, said seat portion frame resting upon the bleacher seat plank and said bleacher chair supported solely by said bleacher seat plank,
- and wherein R is less than F, said forward member comprising the frame forming two opposed forward vertically oriented and forward slanted sides each having the length F, the length F representing the length of said forward member, said rearward member comprising the frame forming two opposed rearward vertically oriented and rearward slanted sides each having a length R, the length R representing the length of each said rearward member wherein R and F bear a certain ratio relationship to each other, the ratio of R to F approximately 0.667,
- the improvement comprising an elevated horizontal bar extending between each of said rearward members that provides a suspended foot rest behind a bleacher seating plank and in front of another bleacher seating plank on which the bleacher chair rests.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.