Canopy chair

• US 7,566,095 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2008
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spin Master Incorporated (Spin Master Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Swimways Corp. (Spin Master Corp.)
• Inventors: Reeb, David, Robinette, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): White; Rodney B
• Application Number:
  US12/246,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20090026809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• Field of Search: 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 297/184.15, 297/17, 135/95, 135/96, 135/115, 135/150
• US Class Current: 297/184.15
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0265 positioned under the arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/00 Foldable, collapsible or dismountable chairs of tubular metal type A47C5/10; children's foldable chairs A47D1/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/66 Means to protect against weather

Abstract

An exemplary embodiment providing one or more improvements includes a frame which attaches to outdoor furniture, in particular to a chair, and a canopy. Embodiments can be moved from an overhead position to a behind the chair position. The frames can be moved form a collapsed to a fully extended position. In embodiments the canopy can be positioned to contain the collapsed frame and chair in the carrying position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair having a back member and a seat member, the chair configured to be disposed on a support surface when and an expanded configuration;

a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame having a range of motion between an overhead position and a behind-the-chair position; and

a canopy membrane coupled to the canopy frame, at least a portion of the canopy membrane being movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration about an axis normal to the support surface such that the canopy membrane wraps around the axis, when the canopy frame is in the behind-the-chair position,

the canopy membrane defining an interior region when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration such that at least a portion of the chair is disposed within the interior region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portion of the canopy membrane wraps about the axis along a substantially arced path when moved between the expanded configuration and the collapsed configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chair has a width and a length when the chair is in its expanded configuration, the chair having a width and a length when the chair is in its collapsed configuration, the width of the chair in the collapsed configuration being less than the width of the chair in the expanded configuration, the length of the chair in the collapsed configuration being less than the length of the chair in the expanded configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the canopy membrane has a substantially square shape or a substantially rectangular shape when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy membrane defines a first opening and a second opening different from the first opening when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration, the interior region extending from the first opening to the second opening,

a plane defined by the canopy membrane defining the first opening, a plane defined by the canopy membrane defining the second opening and a plane defined by the support surface being substantially parallel when the chair is disposed on the support surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy frame is slidably coupled to the chair.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy frame is telescopically coupled to the chair.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy membrane has a first width when the canopy membrane is in the expanded configuration, the canopy membrane having a second width when the canopy membrane is in the collapsed configuration, the second width being less than the first width.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair; and

a canopy having a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame including an upper first side elongated member and an upper second side elongated member, the canopy frame having a first configuration and a second configuration different than the first configuration, the upper first side elongated member and the upper second side elongated member being separated by a first distance when the canopy frame is in the first configuration, the upper first side elongated member and the upper second side elongated member being separated by a second distance different from the first distance when the canopy frame is in the second configuration,

the canopy including a canopy membrane and a coupling member, the coupling member being coupled to the canopy membrane such that the upper first side elongated member is disposed between the coupling member and the canopy membrane.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling member is a first coupling member, the canopy membrane has a front end portion and a back end portion opposite the front end portion, the first coupling member being coupled at the front end portion of the canopy membrane,

the canopy including a second coupling member coupled to the back end portion of the canopy member such that the upper second side elongated member is disposed between the coupling member and the back end portion of the canopy membrane.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the canopy membrane and the coupling member collectively form a sleeve or a pocket.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the coupling member is constructed of a membrane material or a substantially rigid material.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a lumen collectively defined by the coupling member and the canopy membrane has a width at least a third of the distance between the upper first side elongated member and the upper second side elongated member when the canopy frame is in the first configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the upper first side elongated member moves laterally from a first position associated with the first configuration of the canopy frame to a second position associated with the second configuration of the canopy frame when the canopy frame moves from the first configuration to the second configuration.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the canopy membrane is configured to envelop at least a portion of the chair when the canopy membrane is in a collapsed configuration.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the canopy membrane includes a plurality of substantially rectangular segments, each substantially rectangular segment from the plurality of substantially rectangular segments being hinged to at least one other substantially rectangular segment from the plurality of substantially rectangular segments.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair;

a frame coupled to the chair, the frame having a range of motion between an overhead position and a behind-the-chair position; and

a canopy coupled to the frame, the canopy having a plurality of segments, the plurality of segments including at least one substantially rectangular segment, each segment from the plurality of segments being hinged to at least one other segment from the plurality of segments,

the canopy having an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the canopy being configured to define an internal region when the canopy is in the collapsed configuration such that at least a portion of the chair is disposed within the internal region.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the plurality of segments includes at least one non-rectangular segment hinged to the at least one substantially rectangular segment.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein each segment from the plurality of segments is constructed of rigid material covered by fabric, the rigid material being constructed of plastic, paper, foamed plastic, or fiberglass.

20. The canopy of claim 17, wherein the each segment from the plurality of segments is constructed of a fabric covered frame.

21. The canopy of claim 17, wherein the canopy is configured to retain the chair within the internal region when the canopy is in the collapsed configuration.

22. The canopy of claim 17, wherein the frame has first elongate member and a second elongate member, the first elongate member being substantially parallel to the second elongate member,

the first elongate member being separated from the second elongate member by a first distance when the canopy is in the collapsed configuration, the first elongate member being separated from the second elongate member by a second distance when the canopy is in the expanded configuration, the first distance being less than the second distance.

23. The canopy of claim 17, further comprising:

a coupling member coupled to the canopy such that the coupling member and the canopy collectively define a lumen configured to be slidably coupled to the frame.