US3845986A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Stackable seating units
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-09-07
•
Granted: 1974-11-05
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Expires: 1993-09-07
Abstract
Abstract A compactly stacking chair with a spring-resilient seat. The chair has a frame constructed to enable compact stacking. It also has a seat assembly and a back assembly, each having a series of arcuate, continuous, sinuous wires, each wire closely approaching each of its immediately adjacent wires at frequent intervals, and a thin sleevelike plastic coating surrounding the wires, following their sinuosity and joining the wires together where they closely approach each other. The approaches are close enough for effective bridging between them by the coating, and the wires and plastic coating comprise a unitary assembly defining a cylindrical arc. The seat and back assemblies are each secured to rigid frame portions across a space that flattens their arcs to flatter arcs and places these assemblies in tension along their flatter cylindrical arcs, the seat arc being convex upwardly, and the back arc being convex rearwardly. When a plurality of these chairs is stacked, each seat nests over the seat of the chair below, and the backs nest too with part of the lower surface of each seat lying within the chord across the seat of the chair above and part of the forward surface of each back lying within the chord across the back of the chair below.
Inventors
- 👤 D Rowland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 11:03
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C7/00; A47C7/02; A47C7/28; A47C3/00; A47C3/04; A47C5/00; A47C5/04; A47C5/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
271 words
A stacking chair, including in combination: a. a frame having at least two spaced-apart rigid side frame portions, two front legs, two rear legs, and two spaced-apart rigid back frame portions, said front legs and said rear legs being spaced apart at different distances and being operatively connected with their respective frame portions to enable compact stacking, b. a seat assembly and a back assembly, each having a series of arcuate, continuous, sinuous wires, each having two ends, each said wire closely approaching each of its immediately adjacent said wires at frequent intervals, and a thin sleevelike stretchable plastic coating surrounding said wires, following the sinuosity of said wires and joining said wires together where they closely approach each other, said approaches being close enough for effective bridging between them by said coating, whereby said wires and plastic coating comprise a unitary assembly defining a cylindrical arc, c. first mounting means for securing said seat assembly to said rigid side frame portions across a space that flattens said arc to a flatter arc and places said seat assembly in tension along the flatter cylindrical arc, which is convex upwardly, and d. second mounting means for securing said back assembly to said rigid back frame portions across a space that flattens said arc to a flatter arc which is convex rearwardly, each said seat assembly, when a plurality of said chairs are stacked, nesting over said seat assembly of the chair below, with part of the lower surface of each lower seat assembly lying within the chord across the seat assembly of said chair immediately above, the back assemblieS being similarly nested.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
271 words
A stacking chair, including in combination: a. a frame having at least two spaced-apart rigid side frame portions, two front legs, two rear legs, and two spaced-apart rigid back frame portions, said front legs and said rear legs being spaced apart at different distances and being operatively connected with their respective frame portions to enable compact stacking, b. a seat assembly and a back assembly, each having a series of arcuate, continuous, sinuous wires, each having two ends, each said wire closely approaching each of its immediately adjacent said wires at frequent intervals, and a thin sleevelike stretchable plastic coating surrounding said wires, following the sinuosity of said wires and joining said wires together where they closely approach each other, said approaches being close enough for effective bridging between them by said coating, whereby said wires and plastic coating comprise a unitary assembly defining a cylindrical arc, c. first mounting means for securing said seat assembly to said rigid side frame portions across a space that flattens said arc to a flatter arc and places said seat assembly in tension along the flatter cylindrical arc, which is convex upwardly, and d. second mounting means for securing said back assembly to said rigid back frame portions across a space that flattens said arc to a flatter arc which is convex rearwardly, each said seat assembly, when a plurality of said chairs are stacked, nesting over said seat assembly of the chair below, with part of the lower surface of each lower seat assembly lying within the chord across the seat assembly of said chair immediately above, the back assemblieS being similarly nested.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
124 words
The stacking chair of claim 1 wherein each said assembly includes: a rim defining a closed area of a cylindrical surface arched in one direction and straight in another direction normal to said arched direction, and having springy flexing action along said arched direction, said series of sinuous wires each being positively anchored at opposite ends to said rim and extending across said rim in a generally circular arc parallel to the arching of said rim, the longitudinal axes of said wires being parallel to each other, said thin sleevelike plastic coating surrounding said rim, linking said wires to said rim in a unitary assembly shaped as a cylindrical arc having a curvature of less radius than that desired in said seat or back.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The stacking chair of claim 2 having means for mounting said rim on said frame members, and for flattening said wires somewhat to place the wires in tension along said flatter cylindrical arc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The stacking chair of claim 1 having mounting means for securing, separate from said coating, each said assembly to its said rigid frame portions, thereby preventing relative sliding movement of said wires therealong, said frame portions being so spaced apart that installation flattens said arc to a flatter arc and places the assembly in tension.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The stacking chair of claim 4 wherein said mounting means comprises means for anchoring each of said wires adjacent their ends, the tension under which the wires are placed helping to retain them in place.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The stacking chair of claim 5 wherein each said mounting means engages the actual wire ends to prevent movement of the two ends of each said wire toward each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The stacking chair of claim 4 wherein said wire ends lie in the same arc as the remainder of their wire.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The stacking chair of claim 7 wherein said mounting means comprises a member having transversely outwardly extending tongues to which said wire ends are engaged, said tongues being bent down over said wires.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The stacking chair of claim 8 wherein said mounting means is an integral portion of said frame, said tongues being bent out portions of said frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The stacking chair of claim 1 wherein said frame is curved and said assembly is attached to the frame curve and is imparted a compound curvature.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The stacking chair of claim 1 wherein the wires in the seat lying closest to the forward edge of the chair are of lighter gauge than the wires of the seat in the central portion thereof, thereby imparting increased comfort.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The stacking chair of claim 1 wherein some of said wires have a different vibration frequency from other wires, in order to dampen bounce.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The stacking chair of claim 12 wherein some of the wires are of different thickness than others, to afford the bounce dampening to said assembly.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The stacking chair of claim 12 wherein some of the wires are of different configuration and arc-cycle length than others, to afford the bounce dampening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The stacking chair of claim 12 wherein some of the wires are of different spring temper from others, to afford the bounce dampening.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-04 | 1978-05-06 | 1978-11-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-04 | 1982-05-06 | 1982-11-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-04 | 1986-05-06 | 1986-11-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |