Chair back for a chair

• US 20050269848A1
• Filed: 06/07/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allseating Corporation
• Original Assignee: Allseating Corporation
• Inventors: Harley, Alexander Petrie
• Granted Patent: US 7,025,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/230.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/02 Upholstery attaching means quilting, quilting means, fastening, fixing or finishing upholstery B68G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back

Abstract

A chair back for a chair that includes a support frame portion having a defined shape and is adapted to attach to a chair base member. The chair back for a chair may also include a tensioning frame portion having a defined shape and a removable elastomeric support sleeve having an opening adapted to receive the defined shape of the support frame portion and the defined shape of the tensioning frame portion. The removable elastomeric support sleeve may be slid first over the support frame portion so as to conform the removable elastomeric support sleeve to the defined shape of the support frame portion. The removable elastomeric support sleeve may then be slid second over the tensioning frame portion thereby conforming the elastomeric support sleeve to the defined shape of the tensioning frame portion. The support frame portion may be adapted to receive and secure the tensioning frame portion, so that the force of connecting the tensioning portion to the support frame portion locks the defined shape of the support frame portion and the defined shape of the tensioning frame portion to one another along with the removable elastomeric support sleeve and therefore forms the chair back.

Claims

1. A chair back for a chair, comprising:

(a) a support frame portion having a defined shape and adapted to attach to a chair base member of said chair;

(b) a tensioning frame portion having a defined shape; and

(c) a removable elastomeric support sleeve having an opening adapted to receive said defined shape of said support frame portion and said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion;

wherein said removable elastomeric support sleeve is first slid over said support frame portion thereby conforming said removable elastomeric support sleeve to said defined shape of said support frame portion, and said removable elastomeric support sleeve is slid second over said tensioning frame portion thereby conforming said removable elastomeric support sleeve to said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion, and wherein said support frame portion is adapted to receive and secure said tensioning frame portion wherein the force of connecting said tensioning frame portion to said support frame portion locks said defined shape of said support frame portion and said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion to one another along with said removable elastomeric support sleeve and forms said chair back.

2. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein said opening of said removable elastomeric support sleeve is positioned at a point on said removable elastomeric support sleeve which has the greatest width.

3. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 2 wherein said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion has a first end and a second end.

4. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 3 wherein said defined shaped of said support frame portion further comprises two openings for receiving said first and second ends of said tensioning frame portion.

5. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 4 wherein said first and second ends of said tensioning frame portion further comprise rubber bushings for friction fitting said tensioning frame portion into said openings of said support frame portion.

6. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 5 wherein said support frame portion has a Y-shaped portion attached to said chair base member.

7. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 6 wherein said defined shapes of said support frame portion and said tensioning frame portion are made from tubing.

8. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 2 wherein said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion is a mirror image of said defined shape of said support frame portion.

9. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 2 wherein said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion is larger that said defined shape of said support frame portion.

10. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 2 wherein said removable elsatomeric support sleeve further comprises a removable lumbar support inserted through said opening.

11. A chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 11 wherein said removable elastomeric support sleeve is a removable elastomeric support mesh sleeve.

12. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair, comprising;

(a) sliding a removable elastomeric support sleeve having an opening over a support frame portion having a defined shape and adapted to attach to a chair base member of said chair;

(b) conforming said removable elastomeric support sleeve to said defined shape of said support frame portion;

(c) sliding said removable elastomeric support sleeve a tensioning frame portion having a defined shape;

(d) conforming said removable elastomeric support sleeve to said defined shape of said tensioning frame portion;

(e) locking said tensioning frame portion to said support frame portion wherein said support frame portion is adapted to receive and secure said tensioning frame portion; and

(f) tensioning said removable elastomeric support sleeve from the force of connecting said tensioning frame portion to said support frame portion thereby forming said chair back.

13. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 12 wherein said tensioning of said removable elastomeric support sleeve occurs horizontally and vertically across said chair back from the force applied to connect said tensioning frame portion to said support frame portion.

14. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 13 further comprising positioning said opening of said removable elastomeric support sleeve at a point on said removable elastomeric support sleeve which has the greatest width.

15. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 14 further comprising locking a first end and a second end of said defined shape of said tensioning frame into two respective openings of said support frame portion for receiving said first and second ends of said tensioning frame portion.

16. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 15 further comprise friction fitting said tensioning frame portion into said openings of said support frame portion using rubber bushings on said first and second ends of said tensioning frame portion.

17. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 16 further comprising inserting a lumbar support into said opening of said removable elastomeric support sleeve.

18. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 16 further comprising providing additional support to said chair back by attaching to said chair base member a Y-shaped portion of said support frame portion.

19. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 16 further comprising positioning and securing said removable elastomeric support sleeve without fasteners.

20. A method of assembling a chair back for a chair as claimed in claim 16 further comprising manufacturing said tensioning frame portion and said support frame portion from tubing.