Stabilized inflatable chair

• US 6,161,902 A
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alvimar Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alvimar Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Lieberman, Marvin S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US09/111,654
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.41, 297/DIG. 3, 5/654, 5/681, 5/710
• US Class Current: 297/452.41
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/54 Inflatable chairs connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

An inflatable chair having a seat with front, rear, top, bottom and opposite side portions, a back at the rear of the seat, a pair of armrests at the sides of the seat, the seat, back and armrests defining inflatable first air chambers, a first valve for inflating the first air chambers, the bottom having front, rear and opposite side parts the chair further including generally tubular inflatable second air chambers at the front and rear and side parts respectively of the seat, and a second valve for inflating the second air chambers independently of the first air chambers for providing a stabilizing support to resist tipping of said chair.

Claims

1. An inflatable chair comprising a seat part including a top and a bottom, said bottom having front, rear and sides,

a pair of armrests extending upward from said top, and

a back part at the rear of said seat part,

said seat part, back part and armrests defining inflatable first chambers,

first valve means for inflating said first air chambers,

said inflatable chair further comprising inflatable second air chambers having generally tubular form at said front and sides of said bottom of said seat part and situated only beneath said bottom of said seat part, and second valve means for inflating said second air chambers, said second air chambers being inflatable independently of said first air chambers for providing a stabilizing support to resist tipping of said chair.

2. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein each of said second air chambers defines a generally straight tube having length substantially greater than its diameter.

3. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein said second air chambers are in fluid communication with each other thus defining a single air chamber.

4. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein said second air chambers when inflated are substantially firmer than said first chambers.

5. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein each of said second air chambers has diameter in the range of two inches to five inches.

6. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein said second air chambers define a U-shape situated at said front and side parts respectively and a separate rear part.

7. A chair according to claim 6 wherein said second air chambers situated at said front, rear and side parts define a rectangle and comprise a single air chamber.

8. A chair according to claim 6 wherein each of said second air chambers extends substantially the full dimension of the front, rear and side parts respectively.

9. A method of inflating a chair according to claim 1 wherein said second air chambers are inflated firmly before said first air chambers are inflated.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein said second air chambers are inflated to a higher pressure than said first air chambers.

11. An inflatable chair according to claim 1 wherein said back part has opposite sides and a bottom portion extending the distance between said sides, and said second air chambers further comprise a tubular air chamber at said bottom portion and extending the distance between said sides.

12. An inflatable chair formed of thin flexible plastic sheet, the chair comprising a seat part having a bottom surface and arms on the sides of the seat part, and a back which has a rear surface having top and bottom portions thereof, valve means for inflating said seat and back parts, a first stabilizer beam comprising an elongated inflatable air chamber extending generally horizontally along only said rear surface of said back at the bottom portion thereof, and valve means for inflating said first stabilizer beam independently of said seat and back parts,

wherein said first stabilizer beam comprises a strip of thin flexible plastic sheet having peripheral edges heat sealed to a first portion of said plastic sheet of said back to define said elongated air chamber between said strip and said portion of said sheet, said first portion of said sheet projecting inwardly into said back when said elongated air chamber is inflated before inflation of said back, said first portion of said sheet continuing to project inwardly after inflation of said back.

13. An inflatable chair according to claim 12 wherein said second stabilizer beam means comprises a second strip of thin flexible plastic sheet having peripheral edges heat sealed to a second portion of said plastic sheet of said seat to define said second elongated air chamber between said second strip of said second portion of said sheet, said second portion of said sheet projecting inwardly into said seat when said second elongated air chamber is inflated before inflation of said seat, said second portion of said sheet continuing to project inwardly after inflation of said seat.