Canopy chair

• US 7,909,395 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2010
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• 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 BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/881,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20100327640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 189 Days
• Field of Search: 297/184.1, 297/184.11, 297/184.15, 297/17
• 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 from 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; and

a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame including;

a first elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the first elongate member, the first end portion of the first elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair;

a second elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the second elongate member, the first end portion of the second elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair; and

a third elongate member pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the first elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the second elongate member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first elongate member is pivotally coupled to the chair via a bracket.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member has a length, the first end portion of the second elongate member has a length less than the length of the first end portion of the first elongate member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member has a length, the second end portion of the first elongate member has a length less than the length of the first end portion of the first elongate member.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the chair includes a back frame member,

the third elongate member having a first configuration and a second configuration, the third elongate member being substantially parallel to the back frame member when in its first configuration, the third elongate member being substantially perpendicular to the back frame member when in its second configuration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy frame includes:

a fourth elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion of the fourth elongate member, the first end portion of the fourth elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair; and

a fifth elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion of the fifth elongate member, the first end portion of the fifth elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member is pivotally coupled to the chair such that the first end portion of the first elongate member is inhibited from sliding with respect to the chair.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy frame has a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration,

the first end portion of the first elongate member and the first end portion of the second elongate member do not intersect in a side view projection when the frame is in its first configuration,

the first end portion of the first elongate member and the first end portion of the second elongate member intersect in a side view projection when the frame is in its second configuration.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the canopy frame has a first configuration and a second configuration different from the first configuration,

the first end portion of the first elongate member and the first end portion of the second elongate member intersect at a first location of the second elongate member along a side view projection when the frame is in its first configuration,

the first end portion of the first elongate member and the first end portion of the second elongate member intersect at a second location of the second elongate member along a side view projection when the frame is in its second configuration, the second location of the second elongate member being different from the first location of the second elongate member.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair; and

a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame including;

a first elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the first elongate member, the first end portion of the first elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair, the first end portion of the first elongate member having a length; and

a second elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the second elongate member, the first end portion of the second elongated member being pivotally coupled to the chair, the first end portion of the second elongate member having a length less than the length of the first end portion of the first elongate member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the canopy frame includes a third elongate member pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the first elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the second elongate member;

the apparatus further comprising a canopy membrane coupled to the third elongate member, the canopy membrane having an overhead position and a behind-the-chair position.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the canopy frame includes a third elongate member pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the first elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the second elongate member, the third elongate member having an first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the third elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the third elongate member.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member is pivotally coupled to the chair at a first location, the first end portion of the second elongate member is pivotally coupled to the chair at a second location different from the first location.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member and the first end portion of the second elongate member are separated by a fixed distance during a range of motion of the first elongate member and the second elongate member between an open configuration of the canopy frame and a closed configuration of the canopy frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the canopy frame includes a third elongate member pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the first elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the second end portion of the second elongate member,

the second end portion of the first elongate member and the second end portion of the second elongate member being separated by a fixed distance during a range of motion of the first elongate member and the second elongate member between an open configuration of the canopy frame and a closed configuration of the canopy frame.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the chair includes a back frame member and a seat frame member, the back frame member defining an axis, the seat frame member defining an axis, the chair has a collapsed configuration, a first expanded configuration, and a second expanded configuration,

the axis defined by the back frame member and the axis defined by the seat frame member being substantially parallel when the chair is in its collapsed configuration,

the axis defined by the back frame member and the axis defined by the seat frame member are non-parallel and collectively form a first angle when the chair is in its first expanded configuration,

the axis defined by the back frame member and the axis defined by the seat frame member are non-parallel and collectively form a second angle when the chair is in its second expanded configuration, the second angle being different than the first angle.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a chair having a collapsed configuration, a first expanded configuration, and a second expanded configuration, the second expanded configuration being different from the first expanded configuration;

a canopy frame coupled to the chair, the canopy frame including;

a first elongate member having a first end portion and second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the first elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the first elongate member;

a second elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the second elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the second elongate member; and

a third elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the first elongate member, the third elongate member being pivotally coupled to the second elongate member; and

a canopy membrane coupled to the third elongate member of the canopy frame, the canopy membrane having an overhead position when the chair is in its first expanded configuration or its second expanded configuration, the canopy membrane having a behind-the-chair position when the chair is in its collapsed configuration, its first expanded configuration, or its second expanded configuration.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the centerline defined by the first end portion of the first elongate member and the centerline defined by the second end portion of the first elongate member collective form an angle of approximately 15 degrees.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the canopy frame includes:

a fourth elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the fourth elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the fourth elongate member, the first end portion of the fourth elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair; and

a fifth elongate member having a first end portion and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end portion of the fifth elongate member having a centerline non-parallel to a centerline of the second end portion of the fifth elongate member, the first end portion of the fifth elongate member being pivotally coupled to the chair.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second end portion of the first elongate member has a length less than a length of the second end portion of the second elongate member.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first end portion of the first elongate member is laterally offset from the first end portion of the second elongate member.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first end portion of the second elongate member is disposed between the first end portion of first elongate member and the chair when the canopy frame is in an overhead position.