U.S. patent application number 10/040354 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-10 for folding chair with safety latch device.
Invention is credited to Liu, Lausan Chung-Hsin.
Application Number | 20030127886 10/040354 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21910541 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030127886 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liu, Lausan Chung-Hsin |
July 10, 2003 |
FOLDING CHAIR WITH SAFETY LATCH DEVICE
Abstract
A safety latch device for children folding chairs includes an
anchor unit which has two ends pivotally engaged with a rear leg
and a backrest bracket, and a slide unit coupled with the rear leg.
The anchor unit and the slide unit have respectively a latch finger
and a latch opening corresponding to with each other to form a
latched relationship. The slide unit further has a release opening
to allow users to undo the latched relationship only through a tool
such that a child sitting on the chair may be prevented from
falling down resulting from abrupt folding of the chair caused by
incidental release of the latched relationship.
Inventors: |
Liu, Lausan Chung-Hsin;
(Hsin-Tien City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BACON & THOMAS, PLLC
625 SLATERS LANE
FOURTH FLOOR
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
|
Family ID: |
21910541 |
Appl. No.: |
10/040354 |
Filed: |
January 9, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 16/528 20150115;
A47C 4/04 20130101; Y10T 292/294 20150401; Y10T 292/286 20150401;
A47C 4/18 20130101; Y10T 292/304 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/35 |
International
Class: |
A47D 001/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A safety latch device for a children folding chair, comprising:
an anchor unit having two ends pivotally engaged with a rear leg
and a backrest bracket, the pivotal engaging end on the backrest
bracket having a harness section which has an extended latch
finger; and a slide unit slidably coupled with the rear leg having
a harness trough corresponding to and engageable with the harness
section, the harness trough having a latch opening to allow the
latch finger to insert into for establishing a latched relationship
therebetween, the slide unit further having an exterior with a
release opening formed therein for releasing the latched
relationship; wherein the latched relationship between the latch
finger and the latch opening is undone through users utilizing a
tool to insert into the release opening thereby to prevent the
latched relationship from undoing incidentally and resulting in
abrupt folding of the folding chair and incurring injury to a child
sitting on the chair.
2. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the anchor unit has at least one swivel side wing which has
two ends formed respectively a first axis section and a second axis
section to pivotally engage with the backrest bracket and the rear
leg.
3. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 2,
wherein the swivel side wing has an anchor element corresponding to
a folding displacement location of the rear leg to aid positioning
of the rear leg.
4. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the latch opening has a retain flange located therein to
prevent the latch finger from breaking loose.
5. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the latch finger has a top end formed an inverse hook.
6. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the latch finger and the anchor unit are integrally
formed.
7. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the latch finger is elastic.
8. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 4,
wherein the retain flange is elastic.
9. The safety latch device for a children folding chair of claim 1,
wherein the slide unit has two sides each having a reinforced
section to add the strength of the harness trough.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a safety latch device for a
children folding chair and particularly to a latch device for a
folding chair that can prevent latch means from unfastening when a
child seats thereon to avoid incidental folding of the chair.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Folding chairs are chairs with turnable and foldable frames
to shrink the size of the chairs. They may be folded when not in
use to facilitate storage, and may be extended for use when
desired. They are a good deign and give people many benefits.
[0003] However, the turning and folding function of folding chairs
could cause the chairs to tumble incidentally due to unbalance of
loading when people sitting thereon. Hence safety and stability
have become very important issues for folding chairs. This is
especially true for folding chairs designed for children use. As
children usually are very active, guarding mechanisms and measures
should be more thorough and comprehensive.
[0004] In the known prior art, the main structure of a folding
chair generally includes a seat bracket, backrest bracket, and
front and rear legs that can form relative and pivotal turning and
folding relationship. Safety and stability mechanism is a latch
device located between the rear legs and backrest bracket. In order
to prevent children from pinch injury, applicant has disclosed a
design in U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,848, granted Oct. 8, 1991, entitled:
"Folding Chair Frame Tube Position Device". Its structure includes
a slide unit coupled to the rear leg and a positioning element
having two ends pivotally and respectively engaged with the rear
leg and backrest bracket. The slide unit and the positioning
element have respectively a harness trough and a harness section
located at corresponding positions to engage with each other. When
the folding chair is extended, the slide unit may be moved
downwards to contact the positioning element, and the harness
trough and the harness section may form a latched condition to make
the folding chair steady in the extended condition without abrupt
tumbling or folding.
[0005] However, such a folding chair still has potential risks when
seating a child. As any child can easily move the slide unit away
from the positioning element to disengage the harness section from
the harness trough, as a result, the folding chair becomes open and
unfastened. A slight movement of people sitting thereon could cause
the seat bracket, backrest bracket and front and rear legs turning
and folding because of unbalanced loading. The chair could be
tumbled down and cause accidents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The primary object of the invention is to resolve aforesaid
disadvantages. The invention aims to provide a safety latch device
for a folding chair that won't be unfastened easily under the
latched condition to prevent a child sitting thereon from falling
down.
[0007] To achieve the foregoing objects, the safety latch device of
the invention mainly includes an anchor unit and a slide unit. The
anchor unit has two ends pivotally engaging with the rear leg and
the backrest bracket. The pivotal end on the backrest bracket has a
harness section to allow the folding chair extending and
positioning. The harness section has an extended latch finger. The
slide unit is coupled to the rear leg and has a harness trough
corresponding to and engageable with the harness section. The
harness trough has a latch opening to allow the latch finger
passing to form a latched relationship. On the exterior of the
slide unit, there is a release opening for releasing the latched
relationship between the latch finger and latch opening mentioned
above. Hence the chair may be prevented from incidental tumbling
and hurting the child sitting thereon.
[0008] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the
invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the invention.
[0011] FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of the invention in
use.
[0012] FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic views of an embodiment of the
invention in use.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, for an embodiment of the
invention, the folding chair on which the safety latch device of
the invention is installed includes a seat bracket 10, a backrest
bracket 20, and two front legs 40 and two rear legs 50 pivotally
engaged with two sides of the seat bracket 10. The elements set
forth above form a turnable and foldable relationship among one
another. The invention mainly includes an anchor unit 70 which has
two ends respectively and pivotally engaging with the rear leg 50
and backrest bracket 20, and a slide unit 60 coupling to the rear
leg 50. The pivotal end of the anchor unit 70 on the backrest
bracket 20 has a harness section 73 for the folding chair to extend
and position. The harness section 73 has an extended and elastic
latch finger 71. The slide unit 60 may be slid on the rear leg 50
and has a harness trough 62 corresponding to and engageable with
the harness section 73. The harness trough 62 has a latch opening
63 allowing the latch finger 71 to insert into to form a latched
relationship therebetween. The slide unit 60 further has a release
opening 65 formed on the exterior thereof for releasing the latched
relationship set forth above. Users must utilize a tool to insert
into the release opening 65 to disengage the latched relationship
between the latch finger 71 and the latch opening 63. Thereby the
chair with a child sitting thereon may be prevented from abrupt
folding because of incidental unfastening of the latch.
[0014] The anchor unit 70 has two ends formed respectively a first
axis section 74 and a second axis section 76 for pivotally engaging
with the backrest bracket 20 and the rear leg 50. The first and
second axis sections 74, 76 have at least one swiveling side wing
75 which has an anchor element 77 corresponding to a folding
displacement location of the rear leg 50 to aid positioning of the
rear leg 50. The latch finger 71 and the anchor unit 70 may be
integrally formed. The latch finger 71 has a top end formed an
inverse hook 72.
[0015] The slide unit 60 has two sides each has a reinforced
section 66 to strengthen the structure of the harness trough 62 so
that the harness trough 62 and the harness section 73 may be
engaged more securely. In the latch opening 63 of the slide unit
60, there is an elastic retain flange 64 for pressing the latch
finger 71 to prevent the latch finger 71 from breaking loose.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, when in use, the anchor unit
70 may be swiveled about the second axis section 76 through the
side wing 75 to allow the harness section 73 located on the outer
rim of the first axis section 74 resting on the rear leg 50. Then
the slide unit 60 and the anchor unit 70 are on a same linear line.
Users may direct the harness trough 62 of the slide unit 60 towards
the harness section 73 of the anchor unit 70, and move the slide
unit 60 to the anchor unit 70 to make the harness section 73
latching the harness trough 62. In the mean time, the latch finger
71 of the harness section 73 is inserted into the latch opening 63,
and is depressed by the retain flange 64 in the harness opening 63.
And the inverse hook 72 on the top end of the latch finger 71 is
latched in the release opening 65 to form a latched relationship.
By means of aforesaid construction, the slide unit 60 cannot be
separated easily from the anchor unit 70, therefore can prevent the
chair from incidental folding, and prevent the child sitting on the
chair from falling. When there is desire to undo the latched
relationship, a thin tool with a pointed front end must be used to
insert into the release opening 65 to move the inverse hook 72 of
the latch finger 71 away from the latch opening 63.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B for an embodiment of the
invention, the folding chair mainly includes a seat bracket 10 and
a backrest bracket 20, and with two front legs 40, two rear legs 50
and two armrests 30 pivotally engaged with two sides of the seat
bracket 10. The elements set forth above form a turnable and
foldable relationship among one another. After applying forces on
the front and rear legs 40, 50 to extend the folding chair, the
anchor unit 70 may be swiveled about the second axis section 76
through the side wing 75, and the rear leg 50 is driven to move
close to the backrest bracket 20. In the mean time, the first axis
section 74 is moved and rested on the rear leg 50 and is located on
a same linear line with the slide unit 60. Applying a force on the
slide unit 60, the slide unit 60 may be moved towards the anchor
unit 70 to make the latch opening 63 in the harness trough 62
latching on the latch finger 71 of the harness section 73. Thereby
the chair may be positioned and anchored in an extended condition
without folding or swiveling. When people seat on the chair, the
load exerting on the seat bracket 10 and backrest bracket 20 is
distributed through the anchor unit 70 to the rear legs 50. The
anchor unit 70 can be securely fastened without loosening easily to
protect the safety of the child sitting on the chair. Only by using
a pointed article to insert into the release opening 65 to move the
latch finger 71 away from the latch opening 63 can the chair be
folded and stored.
[0018] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set
forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed
embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof
may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended
claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart
from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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