COLLAPSIBLE CHAIR

Technical Field

This invention relates to a collapsible chair which, when folded up, becomes a small convenient package for carrying and can be readily unfolded to a usable chair without requiring assembly of separate component parts. Background Art

A large number of collapsible chairs are available for use by the public, but unfortunately these chairs remain awkward to carry and store and often require assembly activities before the chairs can be utilized. A number of U.S. patents are pertinent to, but do not suggest, the present invention. These are U.S. Patent Nos. 4,889,383; 4,890,882; 3,285,654; 3,475,050; 3,947,903; 4,577,901; 4,614,377; and 5,058,949. Other relevant references are U.S. Patent Nos. 4,784,436, 4,889,383, 3,228,724 and 5,058,949; French Patent Nos. 1135102, 1161907, 1187222 and 1245366; Canada Patent No. 673237; and Italy Patent No. 424573. Disclosure of Invention

The present invention is for a chair that can be collapsed into a compact volume that is convenient to transport and store. The principal objective of this invention is to provide a chair capable of being collapsed to a convenient package for carrying and be easily unfolded for immediate use without requiring assembly of separate components. In preferred embodiments of this invention, the overall volume of the chair is such that it can be easily inserted into a carrying bag, or has carrying straps directly attached to the chair itself for convenience of transportation.

The presently preferred embodiment of the collapsible chair of this invention comprises: an elongated first sea ^τ , support member; an elongated second seat support member having approximately the same length;

a sling seat means for receiving and suspending weight with first and second approximately parallel sides attached at the first side to the first seat support member and attached at the second side to the second seat support member (so that the sling seat means is suspended between the seat support members when the seat support members are positioned approximately parallel to each other and spaced apart by a seat width) ; an elongated front stretcher member, permanently pivotably mounted at a pivot end on the front end of the first seat support member to pivot approximately perpendicular to the first seat support member (so that the front stretcher member can pivot to be parallel to the first seat support member and so that the free connector end can pivot to be adjacent to the front end of the second seat support member when the seat support members are positioned approximately parallel to each other and spaced apart by a seat width); an elongated rear stretcher member permanently pivotably mounted at a pivot end on the rear end of the second seat support member to pivot perpendicular to the second seat support member (so that the rear stretcher member can pivot to be parallel to the second seat support member and so that the free connector end can pivot to be adjacent to the rear end of the first seat support member when the seat support members are positioned approximately parallel to each other and spaced apart by a seat width); a front detachable connector means for detachably connecting the connector end of the front stretcher member to the front end of the second seat support member; a rear detachable connector means for detachably connecting the connector end of the rear stretcher member to the rear end of the first seat support member (so that connecting the connector end of the front

stretcher member to the front end of the second seat support member and connecting the connector end of the rear stretcher member to the rear end of the first seat support member positions the seat support members approximately parallel and spaced apart from each other by approximately a seat width and suspends the sling seat means between the seat support members ) .

Other objectives and advantages of this invention will herein become obvious from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of this invention. Brief Description of Drawings

Figure 1 shows a perspective drawing illustrating a presently preferred embodiment of the chair of this invention in the expanded position for use. Figure 2 shows a rear elevational cutaway view of a pivoting leg connector.

Figure 3 shows a perspective drawing illustrating the chair collapsing to its compact shape, or conversely expanding for use. Figure 4 shows a perspective drawing illustrating the chair (with optional carrying handles) in a collapsed configuration.

Figure 5 shows a perspective drawing illustrating an alternative preferred embodiment of the chair collapsing to its compact configuration, or conversely expanding for use.

Figure 6 shows a top elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 5 in the collapsed configuration. Figure 7 shows a side elevational view of the embodiment of Figure 5 in -che collapsed configuration. Best Mode for Carrying Out Invention

Figure 1 shows the presently preferred embodiment of the chair in its usable expanded configuration 10 with a front leg and stretcher tube 21 pivotably attached at a pivot end to a front leg pivoting connector 22, and a rear leg and stretcher tube 31 pivotably attached at a pivot end to a rear leg pivoting connector 32, for

pivoting approximately perpendicular to the seat support tubes 51. Each of the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 comprises an elongated stretcher portion with two leg portions that function as legs attached to either side of the stretcher portion. Free connector ends of the front leg and stretcher tube 21 and ^' rear leg and stretcher tube 31 are locked into position into the opposite front leg receiver connector 23 and the opposite rear leg receiver connector 33 by the stud connectors 12 and the stud receiver slots 14, forming a rigid connection. Endcaps 18 on the connector ends are shaped to mate with "U" shaped portions of the leg receiver connectors 23, 33. The front leg connectors 22, 23 are rigidly attached to the seat support tube 51 by securement means 17. The rear leg connectors 32, 33 are also rigidly attached to the seat support tube 51 by securement means 17. Back support tubes 41 with endcaps 42 are connected to the rear leg connectors 32, 33, and pivot upward providing support for the fabric sling backrest 43 which wraps around the back support tubes 41 and is preferably sewn to itself. The seat support tubes 51, which have endcaps 52, provide support for the fabric sling seat 53 which wraps around the seat support tubes 51 and is preferably sewn to itself. With the chair expanded, the fabric sling seat 53 and the fabric sling backrest 43 are suspended to receive weight.

Figure 2 illustrates the stop means 16 interfacing with the flanges of pivoting connectors 22, 32 providing a positive rotational stop. The stop means 16 also cooperates with the connector bushings 24, 34 to lock the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 to the pivoting leg connectors 22, 32.

Figure 3 illustrates the chair in a perspective view, showing the action of the components in the process of expanding the chair for use or folding the chair into a compact configuration. When folding the chair into a compact configuration, stud connectors 12

are released from the stud receiver slots 14. The front leg and stretcher tube 21 and the rear leg and stretcher tube 31 swivel within the front leg pivoting connector 22 and the rear leg pivoting connector 32. The front leg and stretcher tube 21 and the rear leg and stretcher tube 31 swivel ninety degrees to be in alignment with the seat support tubes 51 to which they are attached. The back support tubes 41 pivot downward to become parallel with the seat support tubes 51. Figure 4 illustrates, in a perspective view, the chair configured in its compact configuration, wherein all of the support tubes are parallel with one another. The fabric slings 43, 53 are folded so that the support tubes are closely stacked together. In expanding the preferred embodiment of the chair (as shown in Figure 3), the front leg and stretcher tube 21 and the rear leg and stretcher tube 31 swivel within the leg pivoting connectors 22, 32, which have a "U" shaped housing configuration, with connector bushings 24, 34 secured through the "U" shaped housing, thereby forming a space in which the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 swivel. Fastened to the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 is a stop means 16 (as shown in Fig. 2) which cooperates with the connectors' "U" shape, allowing only a ninety degree rotation. This stop means 16 also cooperates with connector bushings 24, 34 to retain the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 vertically within the connector assembly. As the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 swivel ninety degrees in relationship to the seat support tube 51 to which they are connected by way of the leg pivoting connectors 22, 32, the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 swivel into the open portion of the "U" shaped leg receiver connectors 23, 33 on the opposite sides of the chair. As the connector ends of leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 continue into the connector housings, stud connectors 12 on the connector ends enter into stud receiver slots 14 in the connector

housings (which have a narrowing interlock configuration). The stud connectors 12 protrude through the receiver slots 14 with the heads of the stud connectors locking into the narrow portion of the stud receiver slots 14. The endcaps 18 on the connector ends of the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 are configured to mate with the "U" shape of the connector housing, thereby limiting rotational movement. Diagonal racking action or wobbling of the chair is controlled by the rotation limiting stop means 16 and by the stud connector 12 attachment as well as the configuration of the endcap 18 of the leg interfacing with the "U" shaped connector housing. The leg connectors 22, 23, 32, 33 are thus firmly attached to the seat support tubes 51 forming a rigid frame.

The rear leg connectors 32, 33 have in their upward portion, pivoting connector means for securing the back support tube 41. The back support tubes 41 pivot about the rear leg connectors 32, 33 from a position parallel to the seat support tube 51 to an upward position. In the upward position, the bottom of the back support tube 41 bears against the endcap (not shown) of the seat support tube 51, providing a positive stop for the back support tube 41. From the back support tubes 41, a fabric sling backrest 43 is attached by wrapping the fabric around the tube and preferably sewing the fabric to itself. From the seat support tubes 51, a fabric sling seat 53 is supported which wraps around the seat support tubes 51 and is preferably sewn to itself. In the expanded configuration (as shown in Figure 1), the front and rear leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 have been swiveled to a position ninety degrees from the seat support tubes 51 and interlocked with the opposite leg connectors 23, 33 which creates a seat width distance between the seat support tubes 51, thereby forming a spaced apart frame from which the fabric sling seat 53 is suspended. From this expanded frame

configuration, the back support tubes 41 are pivoted upward to a substantially vertical position, thereby providing supports, spaced a seat width apart, from which a fabric sling backrest 43 is suspended. In collapsing the chair (as shown in Figure 3), the back support tubes 41 swivel about a pivdt connector on the upper portion of the rear connectors 32, 33, and the back support tubes 41 swivel so that they are parallel and adjacent to the seat support tubes 51. The front leg and stretcher tube 21 is then released from the stud receiver slots 14 and swivels toward the rear, ninety degrees until it is parallel with and adjacent to (under) the seat support tube 51 to which it is attached. The rear leg and stretcher tube 31 is then released from the stud receiver slots 14 and swivels in a forward direction ninety degrees until the rear leg support tube 31 is parallel with and adjacent (under) the seat support tube 51 to which it is attached. With the support and stretcher tubes thus aligned, adjacent and parallel, the fabric sling backrest 43 and fabric sling seat 53 are wrapped around the tubes. Thus, the chair collapse into a compact configuration 11 (as shown in Figure 4), wherein the overall width of the chair in the collapsed configuration is the width of two of the connectors. For ease in carrying the collapsed chair, carrying straps 19 optionally could be incorporated into the design of the fabric sling backrest. Alternatively, the compact assembly could easily slip into a carrying bag for ease of handling. Figure 5 illustrates, in a perspective view, an alternative preferred embodiment of the chair of this invention in which both the front and back leg and stretcher tubes swivel from the front and rear ends of one seat support tube. Except as specified otherwise, the parts correspond to the parts in the embodiment described previously and have accordingly been similarly labelled.

One side of the chair comprises a connector seat support tube 51-1 with a front pivoting connector 22 attached at the front and a rear pivoting connector 32 attached at the rear. A front leg and stretcher tube 21 is pivotably attached to the front pivoting connector 22 at one end and pivots forward from a position substantially aligned under the connector seat support tube 51-1 approximately ninety degrees to a position approximately perpendicular to the connector seat support tube 51-1. A rear leg and stretcher tube 31 is pivotably attached to the rear pivoting connector 32 at a pivot end and pivots rearward from a position substantially aligned under the connector seat support tube 51-1 approximately ninety degrees to a position approximately perpendicular to the connector seat support tube 51-1. Fastened to the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 is a stop means 16 (as shown in figure 2) which cooperates with the pivoting connectors 22, 32 allowing a maximum approximately ninety degree rotation. This stop means 16 also cooperates with the connectors 21, 31 to retain the leg and stretcher tubes 21,31 vertically within the leg connectors 22, 32.

Positioned on the opposite side of the chair, substantially parallel to seat support tube 51-1 and spaced apart by the length of- the stretcher tubes 21, 31, is a receiver seat support tube 51-2 with a front receiver connector 23 attached to the front of the tube 51-2 and a rear receiver connector 33 attached at the rear of the tube 51-2. The free connector end of the front leg and stretcher tube 21 is mated with the front leg receiver connector 23 attached to the seat support tube 51-2 and the connector studs 12 are locked into the stud receiver slots 14. The free connector end of the rear leg and stretcher tube 31 is mated with the rear leg receiver connector 33 attached to the rear end of the seat support tube 51-2

and the connector studs 12 are locked into the stud receiver slots 14. Between the seat support tubes 51-1 and 51-2, a fabric sling seat is suspended by wrapping the fabric around the seat support tubes and sewing the fabric to itself.

When folding this alternative embodiment into a compact configuration, the back support tubes 41 pivot downward to become parallel with the connector seat support tube 51-1 and receiver seat support tube 51-2. Stud connectors 12 are released from the stud receiver slots 14 in the front receiver connector 23, and the rear receiver connector 33. The front leg and stretcher tube 21 swivels within the front leg pivoting connector 22 and the rear leg and stretcher tube swivels within the rear leg pivoting connector 32 with both connectors being attached to seat support tube 51-1.

The front leg and stretcher tube 21-1 swivels rearward to be in substantial alignment with and under the seat support tube 51-1. The rear leg and stretcher tube 31 swivels forward to a position parallel to front leg and stretcher tube 21 substantially under support tube 51-1.

The fabric sling backrest 43 and the fabric sling seat 53 are wrapped around the connector seat support tube 51-1 and the receiver seat support tube 51-2 and the front and rear leg and stretcher tubes 21 and 31 collapsing the chair to a dimension easily carried similar in configuration as illustrated in figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates the alternate preferred embodiment from a top view, the front and rear leg and stretcher tubes swiveled to a compacted position about the seat support tube with pivoting connectors at each end 51-1. The front leg and stretcher tube 21 swivels within front leg pivoting connector 22, rearward under seat support tube with pivoting connectors at each end 51-1. The rear leg and stretcher tube 31 is swiveled forward until it is parallel with the front leg and

stretcher tubes 21 and substantially under the seat support tube 51-1.

Figure 7 illustrates the alternative preferred embodiment in a side view, with the front and rear stretcher tubes swiveled to a compacted position about the seat support tube with pivot connectors at each end 51-1. The front elongated leg and stretcher tube 21 increases the height of the front of the chair. The rear shorter leg and stretcher tube 31 reduces the height of the back of the chair. The front legs being taller than the rear legs creates a preferred rearward slope to the seat support tubes 51-1 and 51-2 when the chair is the use position. The ninety degree relationship between the leg portion of the leg and stretcher tube and the seat support make possible the compact folding configuration. The length of the leg and stretcher tubes 21 and 31 are shorter than the seat support 51-1 and 51 -2 for compact folding with the leg and stretcher tubes folding under and substantially aligned with the seat support tube 51-1.

The chair in its usable expanded position has seat support tubes 51-1, 51-2 parallel to one another spaced apart a seat width approximately equal to the length of the stretcher portion of the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31. The leg portions of the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 pivot around an axis perpendicular to the seat support tubes 51-1, 51-2 until the stretcher portions of the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 are perpendicular to the support tubes 51-1, 51-2. The rear leg connectors 32, 33 have in their upward portion pivoting connector means for securing the back support tube 41. The back support tubes 41 pivot about the rear leg connectors 32, 33 from a position parallel to the seat support tubes 51-1, 51-2 to an upward position. In the upward position the bottom of the back support tube 41 bears against the end cap (not shown) of the seat support tube 51-1, 51-2 providing a stop for

back support tubes 41. A fabric sling backrest 43 is attached by wrapping the fabric around the back support tubes 41 and sewing the fabric to itself.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the front leg and stretcher tube with an elongated leg portion 21-1 increases the height of the front of the chair. Similarly the rear leg and stretcher tube with a shortened leg portion 31 reduces the height of the back of the chair. The connectors between the seat support tubes 51-1, 51-2 and the leg and stretcher tubes 21, 31 occur at the horizontal and vertical ends of those tubes. Accordingly, the height, width and depth of the chair can be varied simply by varying the lengths of the various tubes.

It should now be apparent that the collapsible chair described above possesses unique attributes as set forth in the summary of the invention. Because the chair can be modified to some degree without departing from the principles as they have been outlined and explained in this specification, this invention should be understood to encompass all such modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the following claims. Accordingly, no limitations shall be implied or inferred except as specifically and explicitly set forth in the attached claims .