Shroud for the underside of a chair, and a molded seat frame for use therewith

• US 6,409,267 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph J. Pietrzak
• Original Assignee: Joseph J. Pietrzak
• Inventors: Pietrzak, Joseph J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/713,690
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.55, 297/440.22, 297/463.1, 297/445.1
• US Class Current: 297/440.22
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/02 Seat parts adaptation of seats to mounting in tubular chairs A47C5/06; such parts not restricted to chairs A47C23/00; removable upholstered units or cushions A47C27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/16 Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats

Abstract

A rigid molded shroud is provided to cover the underside of the seat of a chair. The shroud has a generally flat bottom panel and a lip projecting upwardly from the periphery of the panel. The lip may include cutouts for accommodating the legs of the chair when the shroud is assembled to the chair. Connecting members on the shroud engage corresponding connecting members on the seat to enable the shroud to be easily connected to and removed from the seat.

Claims

1. A shroud for a chair of a type having a seat and a plurality of legs connected to an underside of the seat, comprising

a generally flat panel adapted to overlie a major portion of the underside of the seat;

a lip projecting from a peripheral edge of said panel; and

at least one connecting member on said panel adapted to engage a complementary connecting member on the underside of the seat to removably join said shroud to the seat, said at least one connecting member including first and second fingers projecting from said panel, said first finger having a shoulder formed on a free edge thereof so as to project in a direction away from said second finger, said second finger having a shoulder formed on a free edge thereof so as to project in a direction away from said first finger, said first and second fingers being resiliently deformable so as to move said free ends toward one another.

2. The shroud as claimed in claim 1, wherein sections of said lip include a first wall member extending in a first direction from said panel, a second wall member extending from said first wall member in a direction transverse to said first direction, and a third wall member extending from said second wall member in said first direction, said first, second and third wall members together defining a reinforcing step in said lip.

3. The shroud as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lip includes at least one opening sized and shaped to receive at least one of the plurality of legs.

4. A shroud for a chair of a type having a seat and at least one leg connected to an underside of the seat, comprising

a generally flat panel having a first portion adapted to overlie one portion of the underside of the seat, said first portion having a mating edge with a recess formed in said mating edge, and a second portion adapted to overlie another portion of the underside of the seat, said second portion having a mating edge with a recess formed in said mating edge;

a lip projecting from a peripheral edge of said panel; and

each of said first and second portions having at least one connecting member adapted to engage a complementary connecting member on the underside of the seat for removably connecting said first and second portions in an assembled position to the seat, said recesses in said first and second portions in said assembled position being aligned with one another to define an aperture in said panel to receive the at least one leg of the chair.

5. The shroud as claimed in claim 4, further comprising a channel in said panel having an open end, said channel being adapted to receive the at least one leg of the chair.