U.S. patent application number 11/404669 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for lower chair shelf.
Invention is credited to Frederic McGuire.
Application Number | 20060261646 11/404669 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37447688 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060261646 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
McGuire; Frederic |
November 23, 2006 |
Lower chair shelf
Abstract
The present invention provides a planar member having a
plurality of leg members extending vertically down from the planar
member, and each of the leg members define a clamping
structure.
Inventors: |
McGuire; Frederic;
(Indianapolis, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BAKER & DANIELS LLP
300 NORTH MERIDIAN STREET
SUITE 2700
INDIANAPOLIS
IN
46204
US
|
Family ID: |
37447688 |
Appl. No.: |
11/404669 |
Filed: |
April 14, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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60683569 |
May 23, 2005 |
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60738670 |
Nov 21, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/188.08 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 7/62 20130101; A47C
7/626 20180801 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/188.08 |
International
Class: |
A47C 7/62 20060101
A47C007/62 |
Claims
1. A shelf comprising: a planar member having a plurality of leg
members extending vertically down from said planar member, each of
said plurality of leg members defining a clamping structure.
2. The shelf of claim I wherein said planar member has a flat
surface, said flat surface defining an opening therein.
3. A foldable chair comprising: a plurality of legs including a
first pair of legs and a second pair of legs; a first support
member connected to each leg of said first pair of legs and
extending there between; a second support member connected to each
leg of said second pair of legs and extending there between; and a
planar member having a plurality of leg members extending
vertically down from said planar member, each of said plurality of
leg members defining a clamping structure that attaches to one of
said first and second support members.
4. The foldable chair of claim 3 wherein said planar member has a
flat surface defining an opening therein.
Description
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0001] This application claims the benefits of provisional patent
application No. 60/683,569, filed on May 23, 2005 and provisional
patent application No. 60/738,670, filed on Nov. 21, 2005 and which
are herein incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully
set forth herein.
[0002] The present invention generally relates to a shelf.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Chairs, for example those used in school classrooms, often
contain shelves integrated with the bottom portion of the chair for
use in storing schoolbooks, folders, drinks, lunchboxes and the
like. However, storing these chairs can take up a lot of valuable
storage space because the chairs cannot be folded due to the
integrated shelf. For this reason, a chair shelf is needed in the
art that enables storage space to be conserved when the chair is
stored.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention provides a shelf for use with a
foldable chair, and the shelf can be removed when the chair is
stored. In one form of the present invention, a planar member is
provided, the planar member having a plurality of leg members
extending vertically down from the planar member, and each of the
plurality of leg members defining a clamping structure.
[0005] In another form of the present invention, a foldable chair
is provided, the foldable chair including a plurality of legs
including a first pair of legs and a second pair of legs; a first
support member connected to each leg of the first pair of legs and
extending there between; a second support member connected to each
leg of the second pair of legs and extending there between; and a
planar member having a plurality of leg members extending
vertically down from the planar member, each of the plurality of
leg members defining a clamping structure that attaches to one of
the first and second support members.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The above-mentioned and other features of this invention,
and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the
invention itself will be better understood by reference to the
following description of embodiments of the invention taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective bottom view of one embodiment of the
shelf of the present invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective top view of another embodiment of
the shelf of the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a folding chair displaying
the shelf of FIG. 1 in a position detached from the chair;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a folding chair displaying
the shelf of FIG. 1 in a position attached to the chair; and
[0011] FIG. 5 is a side view of the folding chair of FIG. 4.
[0012] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. Although the drawings represent
embodiments of the present invention, the drawings are not
necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated in
order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0013] The embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be
exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in
the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are
chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may utilize
their teachings.
[0014] Shown in FIG. 1, the shelf of the present invention includes
a planar member 10 having four legs 12, 14, 16, 18 integrally
formed with planar member 10 and each defining a clamping structure
at its end. In other embodiments, instead of being defined by legs
12, 14, 16, 18, the clamping structures may be attached to
respective legs 12, 14, 16, 18. It is also contemplated that other
means of attachably coupling legs 12, 14, 16, 18 to a chair may be
provided at the ends of legs 12, 14, 16, 18, for example, a snap
and fastener mechanism or a screw/bolt member to which a washer/nut
could be secured.
[0015] In another embodiment of the shelf shown in FIG. 2, planar
member 100 forms opening 20 so that a cup, pencil, money, utensils
or other objects may be stored in a more secure setting than the
surface of planar member 100. Opening 20 may include a protruding
end 22 that extends from beneath planar member 100. In an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, opening 20 is circular.
[0016] A chair 20 including planar member 10 is shown in FIGS. 3-5.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, chair 20 is a
folding chair. Chair 20 includes four legs 22, 24, 26, 28, back 27
and sitting portion 29. Support member 32 is connected to leg 22
and extends to connect to leg 28. Support member 34 is connected to
leg 24 (not shown) and extends to connect to leg 26. When the user
of chair 20 desires to attach planar member 10 to chair 20, he/she
may clamp legs 12, 18 on support member 32 and clamp legs 14, 16 on
support member 34. When the user of chair 20 desires to remove
planar member 10 and store chair 20, he/she may then detach legs
12, 14, 16, 18 from respective support members 32, 34, remove
planar member 10 and store chair 20 in a folded position.
[0017] FIGS. 3-5 show planar member 10 being attached to chair 20.
In FIG. 3, planar member 10 is positioned beneath sitting portion
29 and above support members 32, 34. Planar member 10 is then
lowered and attached to chair 20 when legs 12, 14, 16, 18 are
clamped to respective support members 32, 34. In an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, when planar member 10 is
attached to chair 20, planar member 10 is parallel to seating
portion 29 in the horizontal plane represented by dashed line 5-5.
A side view of chair 20 is shown in FIG. 5 with planar member 10
attached thereto. As exhibited, when planar member 10 is attached
to chair 20, legs 12 (not shown), 18 are clamped to supporting
member 32 and legs 14 (not shown), 16 are clamped to supporting
member 34.
[0018] While this invention has been described as having an
exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified
within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is
therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of
the invention using its general principles. Further, this
application is intended to cover such departures from the present
disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to
which this invention pertains.
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