Backpack chair

• US RE39,022 E1
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rio Brands LLC (ShelterLogic Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Kerry L. Welsh
• Inventors: Welsh, Kerry L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K.
• Application Number:
  US10/093,903
• Time in Patent Office: 1,474 Days
• Field of Search: 224/153, 224/154, 224/155, 224/156, 297/27, 297/28, 297/40, 297/129, 297/423.27, D 3/217, D12/416
• US Class Current: 224/155
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 4/02 Sacks or packs convertible into other articles or into objects for other use
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0265 positioned under the arm-rests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 4/52 Trunk chairs, i.e. chairs collapsible to self contained carrying case, e.g. trunk shape trunk tables A47B3/10

Abstract

A backpack unit comprising a frame of a material selected from a metal alloy, including, but not limited to, aluminum, aluminum alloy, steel, and steel alloy or plastic. The frame includes a U-shaped seat frame pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back frame through a cross-member, a U-shaped front leg frame pivotally coupled to the seat panel and pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back leg frame. The frame is capable of being folded such that the back frame, the seat frame, the front leg frame, and the back leg frame folds substantially parallel and adjacent to one another.

Claims

1. A backpack unit comprising:

a frame of a material selected from one of a metal alloy and a plastic in the form of a folding chair including a U-shaped seat frame pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back frame through a cross-member, a U-shaped front leg frame pivotally coupled to the seat frame and pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back leg frame, the frame capable of being folded such that the back frame, the seat frame, the front leg frame, and the back leg frame fold substantially parallel and adjacent to one another;

a pair of arm rests pivotally coupled to the back frame and positionally coupled along a first diagonal between the ends of the front leg frame and the back leg frame, the pair of arm rests having a plurality of adjustment positions, a pivotal coupling of the ends of the front leg frame and the back leg frame disposed through one of the plurality of adjustment positions;

at least one support panel to support a user coupled about the back frame and the seat frame and associated with the cross-member;

a back rest panel adapted to rest against the back of a wearer of the unit coupled to a back side of the at least one support panel adjacent the seat frame;

shoulder straps coupled to the back rest panel;

a container having a forward wall panel coupled to the back side of the at least one support panel adjacent the back frame,

wherein the position of the arm rests is adjusted by the displacement of the arm rests to a second diagonal, the rotation of the back frame, and the return of the arm rests to the first diagonal,

wherein the at least one support panel is at a tension such that with the weight of a user on the support panel about the seat frame, the back frame rotates when the pair of arm rests are displaced to the second diagonal.

2. The backpack unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of adjustment positions are defined by a plate coupled to a base of each arm rest, each plate having an opening substantially extending about its length that defines the second diagonal and a plurality of laterally extending openings, the top of each laterally extending opening defining the first diagonal.

3. The backpack unit of claim 2, wherein the ends of the front leg frame and the ends of the back leg frame are respectively coupled by a pair of leg cross-members and the arm rest plates extend and are respectively coupled about the leg cross-members between the ends of the front leg frame and the ends of the back leg frame.

4. The backpack unit of claim 1, wherein the support panel comprises a seat support panel and a back support panel.

5. The backpack unit of claim 1, wherein the width of each of the seat frame, the back frame, and the back leg frame have a different width.

6. The backpack unit of claim 5, wherein the width of the front leg frame and the back frame are substantially similar.

7. The backpack unit of claim 6, wherein the width of the back leg frame is greater than each of the width of the seat frame and the width of the back frame.

8. The backpack unit of claim 1, further comprising a container cover coupled to the back side of the support panel and extending over a portion of the container, the container cover having fasteners to releasably engage the container cover to the container.

9. The backpack unit of claim 1, further comprising one of a male and a female fastener coupled to the back side of the support panel at an apex of the seat frame and the other of a male and female fastener coupled to the back side of the support panel at an apex of the back frame to releasably engage the one fastener.

10. A backpack unit comprising:

a frame of material selected from one of a metal alloy and a plastic in the form of a folding chair including a U-shaped seat frame pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back frame through a cross-member, a U-shaped front leg frame pivotally coupled to the seat frame and pivotally coupled at its ends to ends of a U-shaped back leg frame, the frame capable of being folded such that the back frame, the seat frame, the front leg frame, and the back leg frame fold substantially parallel and adjacent to one another;

a pair of arm rests pivotally coupled to the back frame and positionally coupled along a first diagonal between the ends of the front leg frame and the back leg frame, the pair of arm rests having a plurality of adjustment positions, a pivotal coupling of the ends of the front leg frame and back leg frame disposed through one of the plurality of adjustment positions;

a first panel coupled to the back frame;

a second panel coupled to the seat frame;

a pair of shoulder straps coupled to the second panel; and

a container having a forward wall panel coupled to a back side of the first panel adjacent the back frame,

wherein the position of the arm rests is adjusted by the displacement of the arm rests to a second diagonal, the rotation of the back frame, and the return of the arm rests to the first diagonal,

wherein the second panel is at tension such that with the weight of a user on the second panel about the seat frame, the back frame rotates when the pair of arm rests are displaced to the second diagonal.