Patent US4384857A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4384857A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Submersible floatation structure
Assignee: STARMAX INC 452 PORT ROYAL BLVDSATELLITE BEACH FLA
•
Filing: 1980-09-03
•
Granted: 1983-05-24
•
Expires: 2000-09-03
Abstract
Abstract A submersible floatation structure is formed of lengths of tubing which are interconnected by fittings. In one embodiment, the tubing end fittings are formed of a polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride. The tubing lengths and fittings are interconnected to form a selectable configuration, which, in some embodiments, may be in the form of a reclining chair, a raft, a buoy, or a life preserver ring. Valves are provided for allowing water to enter the structure and thereby provide a ballast which serves selectably to submerge the structure, or render the structure for use on land.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles F. Hoy, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:23
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C15/00; A47C15/004; A47C15/006; B; B63; B63B; B63B34/00; B63B34/50; B63B34/52; B63C; B63C9/00; B63C9/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A buoyant chair having adjustable buoyancy such that the chair can selectably float on the surface of the water having a person therein, or support the person in a partially or completely submerged position, the chair comprising: chair frame means formed of a plurality of hollow elongated polyvinyl chloride members joined in substantially airtight connection by a plurality of hollow angular polyvinyl chloride members to form a hollow structural framework, which can support the person in a seated position when placed on a solid surface said framework including back and seat sections for supporting the back and seat of the person; buoyancy adjusting means for controllably adjusting the buoyancy of said chair, said buoyancy adjusting means consists of value means to allow the inflow of water into said hollow framework, and the outflow of air therefrom such that the buoyancy of said chair is decreased, and also to allow the inflow of air into said hollow framework, and the outflow of water therefrom such that said buoyancy is increased; and flexible person support means connected to said back and seat sections to support said person in said chair, said person support means being fastened to and extending between selected ones of said members of said chair frame means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
A buoyant chair having adjustable buoyancy such that the chair can selectably float on the surface of the water having a person therein, or support the person in a partially or completely submerged position, the chair comprising: chair frame means formed of a plurality of hollow elongated polyvinyl chloride members joined in substantially airtight connection by a plurality of hollow angular polyvinyl chloride members to form a hollow structural framework, which can support the person in a seated position when placed on a solid surface said framework including back and seat sections for supporting the back and seat of the person; buoyancy adjusting means for controllably adjusting the buoyancy of said chair, said buoyancy adjusting means consists of value means to allow the inflow of water into said hollow framework, and the outflow of air therefrom such that the buoyancy of said chair is decreased, and also to allow the inflow of air into said hollow framework, and the outflow of water therefrom such that said buoyancy is increased; and flexible person support means connected to said back and seat sections to support said person in said chair, said person support means being fastened to and extending between selected ones of said members of said chair frame means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 1 wherein said chair frame means further includes a leg support section which cooperates with said person support means to support the legs of the person.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 2 wherein said chair frame means further includes arm rests to support the arms of the person in the chair.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 3 further including chair support means for supporting said chair frame means of the chair such that the chair can be used as stationary furniture out of the water.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 4 wherein said back section and said seat section are of generally rectangular configuration, and each of said sections further comprises a pair of rigid elongated hollow members in substantially parallel alignment, the ends of one pair being connected to the ends of the other pair in angular relation, and wherein said person support means is fastened to and extends between said parallel elongated hollow elongated members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 5 comprising a generally rectangularly shaped leg support section, said leg support section comprising a pair of elongated hollow leg support members in substantially parallel alignment connected at their ends in either angular or parallel relation to the ends of said seat section opposite to the ends of angular connection to said back section, and said pair of leg support members connected at their opposite ends by a transversely extending hollow elongated connecting leg member; and wherein said person support means is fastened to and extends between said leg support members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 6 wherein said chair support means comprises: a plurality of chair support members positioned under each of said seat and leg support sections; and a brace and support section for bracing and supporting said back support section, said brace and support section comprising a first and second pair of hollow elongated members, the members of each pair being in substantially parallel alignment, one end of said first pair being connected in angular relationship to an end of said second pair, and the opposite end of said first pair being connected in angular relation to the end of said back section opposite the end of attachment to said seat section, the opposite end of said second pair being connected by a transversely extended elongated hollow member, said second pair being positioned in substantially parallel alignment with said seat section, and having two or more support members positioned thereunder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
100 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 1 comprising: a combination back and arm rest section for supporting the back and arms of said person in said chair, said combination comprising a pair of rigid elongated hollow members connected at their ends by a pair of rigid elongated connecting hollow members; and a seat support section also comprising a pair of rigid elongated hollow members connected at one end in angular relation to said combination back and arm rest section and extending transversely and downwardly therefrom and connected at the other lower end by a rigid elongated hollow seat connecting member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
73 words
A buoyant chair according to claim 8 further comprising a flexible seat which cooperates with said combination back and arm rest section and said seat section to support said person, and said seat being connected at one end to said rigit elongated hollow seat connecting member of said seat support section, and connected at the other end to one of said pair of connecting members of said combination back and arm rest section.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
A submersible floating chair for supporting at least one person in a substantially seated position, said submersible floating chair comprising: back support means for supporting the back portion of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said back support means having at least one length of rigid tubing having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, said tubing being formed of a synthetic polymeric material; seat support means for supporting the seat portion of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said seat support means having at least one length of rigid tubing having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, said tubing being formed of said synthetic polymeric material; coupling means for coupling said back support means and seat support means to one another to form a rigid submersible floating chair frame having at least one air tight chamber formed within said rigid tubing; and valve means for providing fluid communication with said air tight chamber for controllably adjusting the buoyancy of the submersible floating chair by introducing water therein.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
A submersible floating chair for supporting at least one person in a substantially seated position, said submersible floating chair comprising: back support means for supporting the back portion of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said back support means having at least one length of rigid tubing having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, said tubing being formed of a synthetic polymeric material; seat support means for supporting the seat portion of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said seat support means having at least one length of rigid tubing having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration, said tubing being formed of said synthetic polymeric material; coupling means for coupling said back support means and seat support means to one another to form a rigid submersible floating chair frame having at least one air tight chamber formed within said rigid tubing; and valve means for providing fluid communication with said air tight chamber for controllably adjusting the buoyancy of the submersible floating chair by introducing water therein.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein said back support means and said seat support means each have a plurality of lengths of rigid tubing, said rigid tubing being formed of polyvinyl chloride, said lengths of rigid tubing being interconnected by a plurality of angular coupling sections formed of polyvinyl chloride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein there is further provided leg support means for supporting the legs of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said leg supporting means being formed of at least one length of rigid tubing having a predetermined cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 12 wherein said leg supporting means is coupled to said seat supporting means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein there are further provided a pair of arm support means for supporting the arms of the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said arm support means being each formed of at least one length of rigid tubing formed of synthetic polymeric material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 14 wherein said pair of arm support means are coupled at respective first portions thereof to said back support means, and at respective second portions thereof to said seat support means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein said valve means comprises a first fluid flow passage for providing liquid communication with said air tight chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 16 wherein said valve means comprises a second fluid flow passage for providing gaseous communication with said air tight chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 17 wherein said first and second passages are provided with respective fluid flow regulation means for controlling the rate at which fluid communicates through said first and second fluid flow passages.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein there are further provided a pair of pontoon means for providing further buoyancy and structural strength to the submersible floating chair, said pontoon means each being mechanically coupled to respective portions of said seat and back support means of the submersible floating chair.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 19 wherein said pontoon means are formed of respective lengths of tubing formed of said synthetic polymeric material to form at least one air tight pontoon chamber, and are further provided with buoyancy control means for providing fluid communication with said air tight pontoon chamber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The submersible floating chair of claim 10 wherein there is further provided flexible occupant support means for comfortably supporting the person occupying the submersible floating chair, said flexible occupant support means being connected to said back and seat support means, respectively.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB190121907A
Cited
US1555589A
Cited
US2717400A
Cited
US2803839A
Cited
US3084358A
Cited
US3211495A
Cited
US3425231A
Cited
US3620570A
Cited
US3740095A
Cited
US3751030A
Cited
US4115888A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-05-23 | 1986-11-22 | 1987-05-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-05-23 | 1990-11-22 | 1991-05-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-05-23 | 1994-11-22 | 1995-05-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |