U.S. patent application number 10/974067 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-12 for stackable chair with modular slide-on seat back.
This patent application is currently assigned to BERTOLINI INC.. Invention is credited to Bertolini, James, Harlan, Jeffrey Lawrence, Horn, Charles A., Large, Jonathan.
Application Number | 20050099052 10/974067 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34556034 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050099052 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bertolini, James ; et
al. |
May 12, 2005 |
Stackable chair with modular slide-on seat back
Abstract
A stackable chair includes first, second, and third frame
members. Each of the first and second frame members forms a front
and rear chair leg joined by a seat side rail. The third frame
member has opposed side portions respectively joined to the seat
side rails, a transverse front nose portion, and a pair of
upwardly-extending back stiles. A cushioned and upholstered seat
module assembly is attached to the seat side rails. A back module
assembly includes a contoured, cushioned, and upholstered back base
element having a pair of channels formed therein that are
configured and located so as to receive and conceal the stiles when
the back module assembly is slid onto the stiles, whereby the back
module assembly is attachable to the stiles along the channels. A
lower lumbar support element is advantageously attached to the
lower portion of the back base element.
Inventors: |
Bertolini, James; (Covina,
CA) ; Horn, Charles A.; (Moreno Valley, CA) ;
Large, Jonathan; (Sun City, CA) ; Harlan, Jeffrey
Lawrence; (Corona, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KLEIN, O'NEILL & SINGH
2 PARK PLAZA
SUITE 510
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Assignee: |
BERTOLINI INC.
Chino
CA
|
Family ID: |
34556034 |
Appl. No.: |
10/974067 |
Filed: |
October 27, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60515724 |
Oct 30, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/440.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 3/04 20130101; A47C
7/18 20130101; A47C 7/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/440.1 |
International
Class: |
A47C 007/02 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A chair, comprising: a first frame member forming a first front
chair leg and first rear chair leg joined by a first seat side
rail; a second frame member forming a second front chair leg and a
second rear chair leg joined by a second seat side rail; a third
frame member having first and second side portions respectively
joined to the first and second seat side rails, a transverse front
nose portion, and a pair of upwardly-extending back stiles; a seat
module assembly attached to the first and second seat side rails;
and a back module assembly having a pair of channels configured and
located so as to receive the stiles, whereby the back module
assembly is attachable to the styles.
2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the back module assembly
comprises: a back base element having the channels formed therein
and having a lower portion; and a lower lumbar support element
attached to the lower portion of the back base element.
3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the back base element is molded
from a rigid plastic material.
4. The chair of claim 3, wherein the back base element has a
concave front face.
5. The chair of claim 3, wherein the back base element is formed
with an integral structural webbing.
6. The chair of claim 4, wherein the back module further comprises:
a main back cushion attached to the front face of the back base
element; and an upper lumbar cushion attached to front face of the
back base element between the main back cushion and the lower
lumbar support element.
7. The chair of claim 1, wherein the seat module comprises: a rigid
seat base; a lower cushion layer; and an upper cushion layer bonded
to the lower cushion layer.
8. The chair of claim 7, wherein lower cushion layer includes a
front edge, and wherein the upper cushion layer includes a nose
piece that laps down over the front edge of the lower cushion layer
and the transverse front nose portion of the third frame
element.
9. The chair of claim 1, further comprising: a front torsion bar
connecting the first and second front legs; and a rear torsion bar
connecting the first and second rear legs.
10. A chair, comprising: a first frame member forming a first front
chair leg and first rear chair leg joined by a first seat side
rail; a second frame member forming a second front chair leg and a
second rear chair leg joined by a second seat side rail; a third
frame member having first and second side portions respectively
joined to the first and second seat side rails, a transverse front
nose portion, and a pair of upwardly-extending back stiles; a seat
module assembly attached to the first and second seat side rails;
and a back module assembly, comprising: a back base element having
a pair of channels formed therein configured and located so as to
receive and conceal the stiles, whereby the back module assembly is
attachable to the stiles along the channels, the back base element
having a lower portion; and a lower lumbar support element attached
to the lower portion of the back base element.
11. The chair of claim 10, wherein the back base element is molded
from a rigid plastic material, and has a concave front face that
includes an integral structural webbing.
12. The chair of claim 11, wherein the back module further
comprises: a main back cushion attached to the front face of the
back base element; and an upper lumbar cushion attached to front
face of the back base element between the main back cushion and the
lower lumbar support element.
13. The chair of claim 10, wherein the seat module comprises: a
rigid seat base; a lower cushion layer; and an upper cushion layer
bonded to the lower cushion layer.
14. The chair of claim 13, wherein lower cushion layer includes a
front edge, and wherein the upper cushion layer includes a nose
piece that laps down over the front edge of the lower cushion layer
and the transverse front nose portion of the third frame
element.
15. The chair of claim 10, further comprising: a front torsion bar
connecting the first and second front legs; and a rear torsion bar
connecting the first and second rear legs.
16. A chair back module assembly for attachment to a chair frame
having a pair of upstanding stiles, comprising: a back base element
having a pair of channels formed therein configured and located so
as to receive and conceal the stiles, whereby the back module
assembly is attachable to the stiles along the channels, the back
base element having a lower portion; and a lower lumbar support
element attached to the lower portion of the back base element.
17. The chair back module assembly of claim 16, wherein the back
base element is molded from a rigid plastic material, and has a
concave front face that includes an integral structural
webbing.
18. The chair back module assembly of claim 17, further comprising:
a main back cushion attached to the front face of the back base
element; and an upper lumbar cushion attached to front face of the
back base element between the main back cushion and the lower
lumbar support element.
19. The chair back module assembly of claim 18, further comprising
a fabric covering that covers main back cushion, the upper lumbar
cushion, and the lower lumbar support element.
20. The chair back module assembly of claim 19, wherein the fabric
covering includes a pair of tack strips including a plurality of
tacks that are located and oriented to attach the fabric covering
to the back base element.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. Section
119(e), of co-pending provisional application No. 60/515,724, filed
Oct. 30, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated by
reference.
FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] (Not Applicable)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention relates to generally to the field of
commercial and institutional furniture. In particular, the present
invention, in one aspect, relates to a stackable chair having a
modular, fully upholstered, multi-contoured, composite, slide-on
seat back that requires no visible structural supports or fasteners
for its assembly. In another aspect, the present invention relates
to a method for assembling the seat back of the chair.
[0005] 2. Related Art
[0006] Consumers of modern commercial and institutional furniture
demand comfort, durability, and style in their seating choices, and
in view of the highly competitive nature of the furniture industry,
they also require that such choices be cost-effective as well.
Additionally, many consumers want a "modern" appearance in their
furniture, i.e., one that incorporates current styling, materials,
manufacturing processes and assembly techniques. Thus, in
commercial and institutional environments, such as in hotels,
convention centers, hospitals, funeral parlors, restaurants,
auditoriums, sanctuaries, and the like, a premium is placed on the
comfort, durability and style of the furniture deployed
therein.
[0007] For example, a stackable chair must be both comfortable to
sit in, because of the prolonged sitting activities engaged in by
the consumers' clients during business meetings, seminars,
religious services and the like, and at the same time, robust and
rugged, because of the stresses imposed on the chair as a result of
being thrown, slid, kicked, dropped, stood-on, stacked, etc., by
the consumers' employees and clients. The chair must also be
appealing to the eye, affordable, and easily maintainable over many
years of hard service.
[0008] The typical stackable chair commonly found in commercial and
institutional settings uses a composite tubular frame that is
configured to define four legs and two stiles, or uprights for the
back. A seat assembly and a seat back assembly are attached to the
frame. These assemblies typically include a composite (i.e., wood
or plastic) base, a foamed elastomer cushioning material applied to
the bases, and a cloth or plastic sheet type of upholstery covering
applied over the elastomer cushioning. The two assemblies are
respectively attached to the frame above the legs and between the
uprights, typically with screw-type fasteners that extend through
the frame and into the base of the respective assemblies.
[0009] Suppliers to the institutional/commercial furniture customer
thus typically provide a fully assembled and upholstered seat back
assembly having internal tubular channels on either side thereof.
These internal channels are slid down over the composite frame
uprights and attached to it with fasteners. The typical seat back
assembly consists of a composite base (e.g., plywood), a plurality
of captivated nuts (e.g., "T-nuts") disposed in or through the
base, a pair of square composite tubes (defining the bilateral
internal mounting channels of the back), a plurality of fasteners
(e.g., pan head machine screws), an optional lumbar support block
(typically flat wood), a foamed elastomer cushioning material that
has been slotted to accommodate the square composite mounting
tubing, and some form of upholstering material covering the foamed
elastomer cushions.
[0010] Assembly of the prior art seat back consists of cutting the
base to size, drilling holes in the base for the captivated nuts,
and installing the nuts therein. Tabs may be welded or bonded to
the mounting tubes, and the base then attached to the tubes through
the tabs with fasteners. The optional lumbar support block is
attached to a lower portion of the base, again, typically, with a
number of fasteners. The foamed elastomer cushion is glued and/or
stapled to the base, and the entire assembly is then stuffed into
an upholstered fabric covering.
[0011] The foregoing seat back configuration and method of its
assembly provide a stackable chair having compressive and lateral
strengths that are marginally satisfactory at their initial
deployment. However, some problems have been found to exist with
this type of seat back assembly over time or with hard use. For
example, because of the nature of the typical environment in which
a stackable chair is used, including its constant handling and
mishandling over a relatively short period of time, the fasteners
used to hold the seat back assembly to the frame can loosen, and
eventually, migrate out of their installation holes. As will be
appreciated, loose or lost seat back fasteners can result not only
in damage to the chair, but an uncomfortable or even dangerous
sitting experience for the client, as well.
[0012] Another problem with prior art stackable chairs involves
their lack of comfort. Because of the base material typically used
in the seat back (i.e., solid wood or plywood), the back cannot be
easily configured to accommodate the multiple contours of the human
back, particularly the lumbar region. Because of this, the back of
a person sitting in a conventional stackable chair over even a
short period of time can become very stressed and painful.
[0013] Additionally, stackable chairs incorporating current
assembly techniques require the use of relatively dense woods or
composite materials that are too heavy and cumbersome to be lifted
and/or efficiently stacked for storage.
[0014] A long-felt but as yet unsatisfied need therefore exists in
the field of commercial and institutional furniture for a stackable
chair that is easily and inexpensively manufactured and assembled,
and that has a seat back that can be easily and reliably installed
without fasteners that can come loose during hard use. The seat
back should be capable of incorporating multiple contours to
conform ergonomically to the human back, and it should also be
capable of being fully upholstered. Additionally, the upright
supports of the frame of the chair should be completely hidden for
an overall "clean" appearance of the chair.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Broadly, the present invention is a stackable chair having
fully-upholstered, multi-contoured, polymer composite seat back
assembly. The seat back is easily and inexpensively manufactured
and assembled to the frame of the chair in a slide-on manner, with
no structural supports or fasteners being visible after assembly.
The novel chair provides comfort, durability, style and
cost-effectiveness as a result of its incorporation of molded-in
components that reduce material and labor costs. Additionally, the
novel seat back weighs considerably less than those incorporated in
prior art stackable chairs, such that lifting and stacking of the
chair are easier and less strenuous.
[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the chair comprises a plurality
of subassemblies, or modules, that are fastened together to form
the chair, including a frame module, a seat module, and a seat back
module. The frame module comprises a pair of generally inverted
U-shaped tubular side frame members, and a unitary tubular seat and
back frame member. The three tubular members are preferably formed
of steel or aluminum tubes, with open ends.
[0017] Each of the side frame members includes a pair of
substantially vertical portions that form a front chair leg and a
rear chair leg, respectively. The legs are connected by a
longitudinal portion of the side frame member that extends
front-to-back, substantially horizontally or at a slight downward
angle from front to rear, thereby forming a seat side rail.
[0018] The seat and back frame member includes a pair of parallel
elements, the front portions of which extend longitudinally (front
to back) and are oriented substantially horizontal, or at a slight
downward angle from front to rear. The rear portions of the
parallel elements of the seat and back frame member are bent upward
to define a pair of parallel, upstanding stile portions on which
the seat back module of the chair is supported in a slide-on
arrangement, as described below. The parallel elements of the seat
and back frame member are connected at the front by a horizontal
transverse element that defines a nose, or front rail, of the
chair. The longitudinal portion of each of the side frame members
is joined to a longitudinal portion of the seat and back frame
member, such that the latter is rigidly supported therebetween. The
assembly is held in a square, parallel, upstanding relationship by
a pair of front and rear stretchers, or torsion bars, that
respectively extend between the front chair legs and the rear chair
legs. A plastic glide having an arcuate lower end snaps into the
lower end of each the legs to prevent marring of a floor on which
the chair is placed or slid.
[0019] The seat module comprises a molded composite seat base
having a plurality of die cut foamed elastomer, e.g., polyurethane,
layers bonded to it. The upper and side surfaces of the cushion
material are covered by a woven fabric upholstery that overlaps the
seat base, and the assembly is attached atop the substantially
horizontal portions of the side frame members and the seat and back
frame member by conventional threaded fasteners.
[0020] The novel seat back module comprises an arcuate, generally
rectangular, molded composite, tray-like back base structure
incorporating relatively thin, substantially solid back and side
walls, and an open front face. It is internally divided and
reinforced in an egg-crate fashion by a plurality of intersecting,
upstanding webs that extend from the back wall to the open front
face. The base of the back also defines a bilateral pair of tubular
receptacles having open bottom ends and closed top ends which
respectively slide down over respective ones of the upstanding
stiles of the frame to firmly mount the back thereon. The back base
is locked in place on the stiles by a pair of threaded fasteners
that extend through the side of the base and into respective
receptacles in the stiles.
[0021] A molded plastic lower lumbar support, having a
substantially straight lower end and an upper end with a curvature
matching that of the front face of the back structure, attaches to
the lower portion of the front face of the back base by means of a
plurality of molded resilient tabs that engage in corresponding
slots molded into the back base in a snap-in, over-center locking
engagement. The outside face of the lower lumbar support
subassembly is covered with a fabric upholstery. A pair of foamed
elastomer cushions, respectively corresponding to the upper portion
of the front face of the back base and the upper lumbar region of
an occupant of the chair, are bonded to the open front face of the
back structure. The cushions, back surface and sides of the back
structure are then covered in a fabric upholstery that includes
robust tack strips that extend through the back base, such that the
upstanding chair stiles are not visible, and the entire seat back
module presents a finished, upholstered appearance.
[0022] A better understanding of the above and many other features
and advantages of the invention may be had from a consideration of
the detailed description below, in conjunction with the appended
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary
embodiment of a stackable chair in accordance with the present
invention, showing the various modules thereof;
[0024] FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial detail view, as outlined in
the circle "A" of FIG. 1, of a frame module of the chair;
[0025] FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial detail view, as outlined the
circle "B" of FIG. 1, of a glide of the chair;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective detail view of the glide of FIG.
4;
[0027] FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial detail view, as outlined in
the circle "C" of FIG. 1, of an upholstery covering of a back
module of the chair, showing a portion of a tack strip thereof;
[0028] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the chair, showing
a seat module assembled to the frame module, and the back module
before its assembly thereon;
[0029] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the chair similar
to FIG. 6, showing the back module partially assembled to the frame
module, and a lumbar support element before its assembly
thereon;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the chair similar to FIGS. 6
and 7, showing the seat module and the back module fully assembled
to the frame module of the chair;
[0031] FIGS. 9A-9E are perspective views of the chair, showing the
sequential assembly of the structural parts of the back module
thereon;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a detailed perspective view of the structural
elements of the back module attached to the frame of the chair;
[0033] FIG. 11 is front elevational view of back base element of
the chair;
[0034] FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the back base element of the
chair;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 of
FIG. 11;
[0036] FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of the back base element
of FIG. 11;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the lumbar support element
used in the back module of FIG. 10;
[0038] FIG. 16 is a rear elevational view of the lumbar support
element;
[0039] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 17-17 of
FIG. 16;
[0040] FIG. 18 is a rear face perspective view of the lower lumbar
support element;
[0041] FIG. 19 is a front elevation view of the chair, showing the
back base element and the lumbar support element assembled thereto;
and
[0042] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the chair taken along
the line 20-20 of FIG. 19.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0043] An exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a
stackable chair 10 in accordance with the present invention is
illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated therein, the chair comprises
a plurality of assemblies, or modules, including a frame module 12,
a seat module 14, and a back module 16.
[0044] As illustrated in detail A of FIG. 1 and the enlarged view
thereof of FIG. 2, the frame module 12 comprises a pair of
generally inverted U-shaped tubular side frame members 18, and a
tubular seat and back frame member 20. The tubular members 18 and
20 are preferably formed of steel or aluminum tubing, with open
ends, and, as illustrated, they are generally square in
cross-section. It will be appreciated, however, that that other
cross-sectional shapes are possible, and may be preferable,
depending on the application at hand.
[0045] Each of the side frame members 18 includes a pair of
substantially vertical portions, each of which forms a front chair
leg 22a and a rear chair leg 22b. Each front leg 22a and rear leg
22b is joined by a longitudinal (front-to-back) portion 23 of the
side frame member 18 that is oriented substantially horizontally,
or with a slight downward angle from front to rear, thereby forming
a seat side rail.
[0046] The seat and back frame member 20 includes a pair of
parallel elements, the front portions of which extend
longitudinally and are oriented substantially horizontally, or at a
slight downward angle from front to rear. The rear portions of the
parallel elements of the seat and back frame member 20 are bent
upward at an angle to define a pair of parallel, upstanding stiles
24. The front portions of the parallel elements of the seat and
back frame member 20 are joined at the front by a horizontal,
transverse portion that defines a "nose" portion, or front seat
rail 26, of the chair (see also FIG. 10).
[0047] The longitudinal portions 23 of the side frame members 18 of
the frame module 12 are respectively joined to respective ones of
the corresponding longitudinal portions of the seat and back frame
member 20 by a plurality of conventional fasteners (not shown),
such that the seat and back frame member 20 is rigidly supported
between the two side frame members 18, with the nose portion 26
facing forward. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the frame module 12 is
held in a rigid, square, parallel, upstanding relationship by a
pair of front and rear stretchers, or torsion bars 28, that
respectively extend between and couple together the front chair
legs 22a and the rear chair legs 22b of the assembly.
[0048] As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, in a particularly
advantageous embodiment, the chair 10 includes a quartet of molded
plastic leg glides 30, each having a rounded lower end 32, and an
elongated, tapering upper end 34 that is dimensioned to fit snugly
into the opening at the lower end of each of the chair legs 22a,
22b. The upper end 34 of each of the leg glides 30 plugs into a
respective chair leg opening, where it is retained in a frictional
fit, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The leg glides provide a finished
appearance to the lower ends of the chair legs, and they enable the
chair to be to be slid on the surface of a floor without marring
it.
[0049] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6-8, the seat module 14
comprises a rigid molded composite seat base 36 having a plurality
of die-cut or saw-cut foamed elastomer, e.g., polyurethane, cushion
layers bonded to it. In the particular embodiment illustrated,
there are two foamed elastomer cushion layers, a lower cushion
layer 38a and an upper cushion layer 38b bonded to the lower
cushion layer 38a. The upper cushion layer 38b includes a nose
piece 40 that laps down over the front edge of the lower cushion
layer 38a and the front nose portion 26 of the frame module 12. The
upper and side surfaces of the cushion layers 38a, 38b are covered
by a woven fabric upholstery covering 42 that laps over the front,
sides and back of the seat base 36 and the cushion layers 38a, 38b,
and the whole assembly is attached atop the substantially
horizontal portions of the tubular members 18, 20 of the frame by
conventional threaded fasteners (not shown) that extend through the
bottom of the frame.
[0050] As illustrated in the drawings, and particularly FIGS.
11A-11D, the novel back module 16 of the chair 10 comprises an
arcuate, generally rectangular, molded back base element 44 having
relatively thin, substantially solid back and side walls 46 and 48,
and a front face 50 that is formed as a shallow concavity, like a
shallow tray. In one advantageous embodiment, the back base element
44 is molded from a rugged plastic, e.g., ABS. An intersecting,
upstanding web structure 52 is molded into the back base element 44
to extend from the back wall 46 to the open front face 50 thereof,
like an egg crate. The web structure 52 stiffens and reinforces the
back base element 44 without substantially increasing its
weight.
[0051] The back base element 44 also includes a bilateral pair of
tubular receptacles or channels 54 (see FIG. 13) having open bottom
ends and closed top ends. These receptacles or channels 54 have a
cross-sectional configuration that corresponds to that of the
upstanding stiles 24 of the frame module 12, and they are located
so as to receive the stiles 24 when the back base element 44 is
slid down over the stiles 24 to mount the back module 16 firmly to
the frame module 12, as sequentially illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9D and
20. The back module 16 is then locked onto the frame module 12 by
conventional fasteners (not shown), such as screws, that extend
through respective ones of the two lateral side walls 46 of the
back base element 44 and into the stiles 24. The channels 54
enclose and conceal the styles 24 when the back module 16 is
installed, so that the styles 24 can be hidden when the back base
element 44 is covered by a fabric covering, as discussed below.
[0052] The back module 16 further comprises a lower lumbar support
element 56 having a lower end 58 that is substantially straight,
and an upper end 60 that has a curvature that matches the arcuate
curvature of the front face 50 of the back base structure 44 (see
FIGS. 15-18). The lower lumbar support element 56 has a
substantially continuous front face 62 and a rear face 64 on which
is formed a plurality of stiffening webs 65, in a manner similar to
the front face 50 of the back base element 44. As in the case of
the back base element 44, the lower lumbar support webs 65 add
considerable stiffness to the lower lumbar support element 56
without a corresponding increase in its weight. As illustrated in
the drawings, the lower lumbar support element 56 attaches to the
lower portion of the front face 50 of the back base 44 by means of
a plurality of molded resilient snaps, or tabs 66 that extend
rearwardly from the rear face 64 of the lumbar support element 56.
The tabs 66 fit into corresponding slots 68 formed in the back base
element 44 (see FIG. 11B) in a snap-in, over-center locking
engagement. The front face 62 of the lower lumbar support element
56 is covered with a fabric upholstery 70 that laps around its
edges and back face, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6.
[0053] As also illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the back module 16
further comprises main back cushion 72 attached to the upper
portion of the front face 50 of the back base element 44, and an
upper lumbar cushion 74 attached to the front face 50 just below
the main back cushion 72. Both the main cushion back 72 and the
upper lumbar cushion 74 are preferably made of a foamed elastomer,
and they are advantageously attached to the front face 50 of the
back base element 44 by a suitable adhesive. The upper lumbar
cushion 74 thus is located between the main back cushion 72 and the
lower lumbar support element 56, whereby the upper lumbar cushion
74 and the lower lumbar support element 56 will support the upper
and lower lumbar regions, respectively, of a person (not shown) who
sits in the chair.
[0054] The cushions, 72, 74 and the back surface 46 and sides 48 of
the back base element 44 are covered in a fabric upholstery 76 (see
FIGS. 1 and 6) that includes a pair of tack strips 78 (see FIG. 5),
each with a plurality of upstanding tack fasteners 80 that pierce
the rear surface of the back base element 44 to secure the back
upholstery 76 thereon, such that the upstanding chair stiles 24 are
thereby entirely hidden from view, and the entire seat back module
16 presents a clean, finished, decorative appearance.
[0055] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the pertinent
arts that many modifications, substitutions and variations can be
made in the materials, methods, and configurations of the stackable
chair of the invention without departing from its spirit and scope.
Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should not be
limited to that of the particular embodiments described and
illustrated herein, as these are merely exemplary in nature.
* * * * *