Cushioned sling chair

• US 5,318,348 A
• Filed: 11/19/1991
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Winston Furniture Co., Inc. (Brown Jordan, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Winston Furniture Co., Inc. (Brown Jordan, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hess, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US07/794,068
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 297/440.1, 297/440.11, 297/218, 297/226, 297/219.1, 297/452.1, 297/452.11, 297/452.16, 297/445, 297/446, 297/447, 297/452.12, 5/402, 5/407, 5/122, 5/406, 5/470, 5/653, 5/471, 5/448, 5/420, 5/401
• US Class Current: 297/440.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/023 connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 5/06 Special adaptation of seat upholstery or fabric for attachment to tubular chairs

Abstract

A chair having a skeletal frame and a pliable seat and backrest having first and second superposed and interconnected fabrics. The first and second fabrics have looped fabric portions that define opposite side edges of the fabrics. Each of the looped fabric portions in the first fabric contains an elongate flexible member. The skeletal frame has a pair of elongate members that support the seat and backrest. The elongate members on the chair frame have lengthwise extending passageways and longitudinal slots for receiving the looped fabric portions of the first fabric and the elongate flexible members to secure the seat and backrest to the chair frame. The looped fabric portions of the second fabric overlie the elongate members and looped fabric portions of the first fabric to enhance the appearance of the chair. The first fabric substantially supports the tensile forces imposed on the seat and backrest by the weight of a person seated in the chair. The second fabric may be decorated with a printed pattern.

Claims

1. A pliable seat and backrest portion for a chair, comprising:

first and second superposed fabrics, said first fabric being of heavier weight than said second fabric for supporting tensile loads, and said second fabric being of lighter weight than said load-bearing first fabric and being suitable for having a decorative appearance and smooth surface;

a batt of cushioning material between said fabrics;

looped portions in said first fabric and looped portions in said second fabric defining opposite side edges of said first fabric, and an elongate flexible member received within each said looped first fabric portion, such that said looped first fabric portions may be secured to slots in a chair frame to retain said seat and backrest portion tightly stretched across the frame, and said looped second fabric portions overlying said looped first fabric portions, whereby said second looped fabric portions obscure said looped first fabric portions when said seat and backrest portion is installed on a chair frame;

stitching at intermediate positions in said seat and backrest portion to secure said first and second fabrics to each other and to stabilize said batt of cushioning material; and

said first and second fabrics being woven of polymeric fibers, whereby said first fabric is woven of a blend of vinyl and acrylic monofilament fibers and wherein said second fabric is woven of a blend of polyester and acrylic fibers.

2. A pliable seat and backrest portion according to claim 1 wherein said first fabric is approximately one-third acrylic fibers and two-thirds vinyl fibers and wherein said second fabric is approximately one-third polyester fibers and two-thirds acrylic fibers.

3. A pliable seat and backrest portion according to claim 1 wherein said batt of cushioning material is formed of entangled polyester fibers.

4. A pliable seat and backrest portion according to claim 1 wherein said elongate flexible member has a substantially round cross sectional shape.

5. A pliable seat and backrest portion for a chair, comprising:

first and second superposed fabrics, said first fabric being of heavier weight than said second fabric for supporting tensile loads, and said second fabric being of lighter weight than said load-bearing first fabric and being suitable for having a decorative appearance and smooth surface;

a batt of cushioning material between said fabrics;

looped portions in said first fabric and looped portions in said second fabric defining opposite side edges of said first fabric, and an elongate flexible member received within each said looped first fabric portion, such that said looped first fabric portions may be secured to slots in a chair frame to retain said seat and backrest portion tightly stretched across the frame, and said looped second fabric portions overlying said looped first fabric portions, whereby said second looped fabric portions obscure said looped first fabric portions when said seat and backrest portion is installed on a chair frame;

stitching at intermediate positions in said seat and backrest portion to secure said first and second fabrics to each other and to stabilize said batt of cushioning material;

said first and second fabrics being woven of polymeric fibers;

said batt of cushioning material being formed of entangled polyester fibers;

said elongate flexible members having a substantially round cross sectional shape; and

said first and second fabrics being joined along said side edges by stitching which also closes said first and second looped fabric portions.

6. A chair, comprising:

a frame having opposite side structures;

an elongate member supported by each said side structure so as to define a seating area, each said elongate member having a lengthwise extending passageway of generally uniform width and a longitudinal slot of lesser width leading to said passageway, each said slot opening generally perpendicular to said seating area;

a pliable seat and backrest portion stretched between said elongate members and being formed of first and second superposed fabrics and a batt of cushioning material between said fabrics, said first fabric being of heavier weight than said second fabric for supporting tensile forces created by a person seated in said chair, and said second fabric being of lighter weight than said load-bearing first fabric for having a decorative appearance and smooth surface;

looped portions in said first fabric and looped portions in said second fabric, each said looped first and second fabric portions defining opposite side edges of said seat and backrest portion; and

an elongate flexible member encased within each said looped first fabric portion and having a width greater than said longitudinal slots, each said looped first fabric portion and enclosed elongate flexible member being retained within one said lengthwise passageway to suspend said seat and backrest portion between said elongate members;

said looped second fabric portions overlying said looped first fabric portions and said longitudinal slots so as to obscure said slots and looped first fabric portions, whereby the appearance of said chair is enhanced.

7. A chair as defined in claim 6 wherein said second fabric is suitable for imprinting with a decorative pattern.

8. A chair as defined in claim 6 further comprising stitching at intermediate positions in said seat and backrest portion to secure said first and second fabrics to each other and to stabilize said batt of cushioning material.

9. A chair according to claim 6 wherein said elongate flexible members have a substantially round cross sectional shape.

10. A chair according to claim 6 wherein said first and second fabrics are joined along said opposite side edges by stitching which closes said first and second looped fabric portions.

11. A chair according to claim 6 wherein said first and second fabrics are woven.

12. A chair according to claim 11 wherein said first and second fabrics are made of polymeric fibers.

13. A chair according to claim 12 wherein said seat and backrest portion is a unitary member.

14. A chair according to claim 12 wherein said seat and backrest portion is formed of separate members.

15. A chair according to claim 12 wherein said batt of cushioning material is formed of entangled polyester fibers.

16. A chair according to claim 12 wherein said first fabric is a blend of vinyl and acrylic monofilament fibers.

17. A chair according to claim 16 wherein said first fabric is approximately one-third acrylic fibers and two-thirds vinyl fibers.

18. A chair according to claim 16 wherein said second fabric is a blend of polyester and acrylic fibers.

19. A chair according to claim 18 wherein said second fabric is approximately one-third polyester fibers and two-thirds acrylic fibers.