Interference fit support bracket for a portable folding chair

• US 20010033100A1
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Published: 10/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lifetime Products (Lifetime)
• Original Assignee: Lifetime Products (Lifetime)
• Inventors: Haney, Thayne B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,543,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/55
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/20 with legs pivotably connected to seat or underframe
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/02 Molded

Abstract

A lightweight, inexpensive folding chair may have a seat with an interference fit support bracket maybe provided. The seat may have a lightweight seat member constructed of a lightweight material, such as a blow-molded plastic, that is generally supported by two such support brackets. The support brackets may be affixed to the lightweight seat member by sliding the lightweight seat member into interference engagement with the support brackets. Thus, the lightweight seat member is supported against bending when the chair is in use, in a way that does not concentrate stresses in the lightweight seat member to cause deformation and failure. The support brackets may have an enclosing shape so that the lightweight seat member is unable to move laterally or transversely out of engagement with the support brackets. The support brackets may thus have lips extending into the lightweight seat member to provide the enclosing shape. The support brackets may also have an arcuate shape to strengthen the support brackets against bending.

Claims

1. A folding chair comprising:

a first leg assembly extending generally upward;

a second leg assembly extending generally upward;

a lightweight seat member suspended between the first and second leg assemblies; and

a first support bracket pivotally attached to a leg of the first leg assembly, the first support bracket being configured to grip the lightweight seat member without any mechanical fasteners used to connect the first support bracket to the lightweight seat member.

2. The folding chair of

claim 1

, further comprising a second support bracket pivotally attached to a leg of the second leg assembly, the second support bracket being configured to grip the lightweight seat member without any mechanical fasteners used to connect the second support bracket to the lightweight seat member.

3. The folding chair of

claim 1

, wherein the first support bracket comprises a longitudinally arcuate shape configured to resist bending of the first support bracket.

4. The folding chair of

claim 1

, wherein the first support bracket comprises an enclosing cross-sectional shape to resist lateral and transverse motion of the first support bracket with respect to the lightweight seat member.

5. The folding chair of

claim 4

, wherein the first support bracket further comprises:

a first lip extending inward with respect to the lightweight seat member to restrain transverse motion of the lightweight seat member away from the bracket; and

a second lip extending upward to restrain lateral motion of the lightweight seat member away from the bracket.

6. The folding chair of

claim 5

, wherein the lightweight seat member comprises a lateral ridge configured to receive the first support bracket into gripping engagement.

7. The folding chair of

claim 6

, wherein the lateral ridge comprises an engagement groove configured to receive the first lip.

8. The folding chair of

claim 7

, wherein the lightweight seat member further comprises a slot configured to receive the second lip.

9. The folding chair of

claim 6

, wherein the lateral ridge cooperates with the first support bracket to produce a static friction between the lateral ridge and the first support bracket sufficient to prevent removal of the first support bracket from the lightweight seat member during normal use of the folding chair.

10. The folding chair of

claim 6

, wherein the first support bracket is configured to be pressed into engagement with the lateral ridge in a generally longitudinal direction.

11. The folding chair of

claim 1

, wherein the first support bracket comprises a tab configured to be engageable within a tab engagement slot formed in the lightweight seat member to restrain longitudinal motion of the first support bracket with respect to the lightweight seat member.

12. A folding chair comprising:

a first leg assembly extending generally upward;

a second leg assembly extending generally upward; and

a lightweight seat member, constructed of a polymeric material, suspended between the first and second leg assemblies without metal supports in contact with the lightweight seat member extending laterally across the lightweight seat member to connect the first and second leg assemblies.

13. The folding chair of

claim 12

, further comprising:

a first support bracket pivotally attached to a leg of the first leg assembly, the first support bracket being configured to grip the lightweight seat member; and

a second support bracket pivotally attached to a leg of the second leg assembly, the second support bracket being configured to grip the lightweight seat member.

14. The folding chair of

claim 13

, wherein the first and second support brackets grip the lightweight seat member without additional mechanical fasteners.

15. The folding chair of

claim 13

, wherein the first and second support brackets are shaped to resist deformation during bending of the lightweight seat member so that the first and second support brackets continue to grip the lightweight seat member during repeated use of the folding chair.

16. A support bracket for supporting a lightweight seat member of a folding chair, the bracket comprising:

a supporting flange disposed underneath the lightweight seat member;

a first lip extending inward with respect to the lightweight seat member to restrain transverse motion of the lightweight seat member away from the bracket; and

a second lip extending upward to restrain lateral motion of the lightweight seat member away from the bracket.

17. The support bracket of

claim 16

, wherein the second lip is affixed to the supporting flange, the second lip extending upward from and substantially perpendicular to the supporting flange.

18. The support bracket of

claim 17

, further comprising an attachment flange affixed to the supporting flange, the attachment flange extending upward from and substantially perpendicular to the supporting flange to form an L-shape in combination with the supporting flange.

19. The support bracket of

claim 18

, wherein the first lip is affixed to the attachment flange, the first lip extending inward from the attachment flange at an angle of less than 90°

with respect to the attachment flange.

20. The support bracket of

claim 19

, wherein the first lip extends at an angle ranging from about 40°

to about 60°

with respect to the attachment flange.

21. The support bracket of

claim 20

, wherein the first lip, the second lip, the supporting flange, and the attachment flange are each configured to contact the lightweight seat member to restrict motion of the lightweight seat member laterally and transversely with respect to the support bracket.

22. The support bracket of

claim 21

, wherein the first lip, the second lip, the supporting flange, and the attachment flange are configured to exert sufficient gripping force to prevent lateral motion of the lightweight seat member with respect to the support bracket during normal use of the folding chair.

23. The support bracket of

claim 16

, wherein the supporting surface is bent to form an arcuate shape configured to slide onto the seat portion in an arc-shaped path.

24. A method of manufacturing a folding chair, the method comprising:

providing a first leg assembly and a second leg assembly;

affixing a first support bracket to the first leg assembly;

affixing a second support bracket to the second leg assembly; and

pressing a lightweight seat member into engagement with the first and second support brackets such that the first and second support brackets grip the lightweight seat member.

25. The method of

claim 24

, further comprising aligning the leg assemblies and support brackets prior to pressing the lightweight seat member into engagement so that the lightweight seat member can simultaneously be pressed into engagement with the first and second support brackets.

26. The method of

claim 24

, further comprising attaching a backrest to an upper end of each of the leg assemblies.

27. The method of

claim 24

, wherein pressing the lightweight seat member into engagement with the support brackets comprises:

aligning the seat with the support brackets laterally and transversely;

applying an engagement force in the longitudinal direction, the engagement force urging the support brackets and the lightweight seat member together; and

wherein the engagement force is sufficient to keep the support brackets attached to the lightweight seat member during normal use of the folding chair.

28. The method of

claim 24

, further comprising engaging tabs of the first and second support brackets within corresponding tab engagement slots of the lightweight seat member to restrain longitudinal motion of the support brackets with respect to the lightweight seat member.