U.S. patent application number 16/385409 was filed with the patent office on 2020-10-22 for folding chair.
The applicant listed for this patent is TAIWAN SHIN YEH ENTERPRISE CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hung-Tsun LIU.
Application Number | 20200329872 16/385409 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005132177 |
Filed Date | 2020-10-22 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200329872 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LIU; Hung-Tsun |
October 22, 2020 |
FOLDING CHAIR
Abstract
A folding chair includes a seat, a front leg unit, a rear leg
unit, at least one coupling rod unit, and a safety mechanism. The
folding chair is convertible between a folded state and an unfolded
state. When the folding chair is in the unfolded state, a blocking
member of the safety mechanism is switchable between a locked
state, in which the blocking member abuts against a first coupling
rod for blocking movement of the at least one coupling rod unit to
maintain the folding chair in the unfolded state, and an unlocked
state, in which the first coupling rod is not obstructed by the
blocking member, such that conversion of the folding chair to the
folded state to the folded state is permitted.
Inventors: |
LIU; Hung-Tsun; (Chiayi
City, TW) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TAIWAN SHIN YEH ENTERPRISE CO., LTD. |
Chiayi Hsien |
|
TW |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005132177 |
Appl. No.: |
16/385409 |
Filed: |
April 16, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 4/20 20130101; A47C
4/10 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47C 4/20 20060101
A47C004/20; A47C 4/10 20060101 A47C004/10 |
Claims
1. A folding chair comprising: a seat; a front leg unit pivotally
connected to a front end portion of said seat; a rear leg unit
pivotally connected to a rear end portion of said seat; a chair
back connected to a top end of said rear leg unit; at least one
coupling rod unit including a first coupling rod that has opposite
ends pivotally and respectively connected to said seat and said
rear leg unit, a second coupling rod that has opposite ends
pivotally and respectively connected to said front leg unit and
said first coupling rod, and a third coupling rod that has opposite
ends pivotally and respectively connected to said second coupling
rod and said rear leg unit, said folding chair being convertible
between a folded state and an unfolded state, said first coupling
rod being disposed under said seat when said folding chair is in
the unfolded state, and being downwardly pivotable relative to said
seat to convert said folding chair from the unfolded state to the
folded state via pivotal movements of said second and third
coupling rods; and a safety mechanism including a blocking member
that is disposed in proximity to said first coupling rod of said at
least one coupling rod unit; wherein, when said folding chair is in
the unfolded state, said blocking member is switchable between a
locked state, in which said blocking member abuts against a bottom
of said first coupling rod for blocking movement of said first
coupling rod to maintain said folding chair in the unfolded state,
and an unlocked state, in which said bottom of said first coupling
rod is not obstructed by said blocking member, such that conversion
of said folding chair to the folded stated is permitted; wherein
said blocking member of said safety mechanism has a blocking
portion that abuts against said bottom of said first coupling rod
when said blocking member is in the locked state, and a control
portion that is connected to said blocking portion and that is
operable for switching said blocking member from the locked to
unlocked states; wherein said safety mechanism further includes a
hollow blocking base that is mounted to said seat, and a resilient
member that is mounted in said blocking base for pushing
resiliently said blocking portion of said blocking member toward
the locked state; wherein said blocking portion of said blocking
member extends through said blocking base and is in contact with
said resilient member; and wherein said control portion of said
blocking member is disposed outside of said blocking case and has a
connecting portion that is pivotally connected to said blocking
portion and that abuts against said blocking base, and an access
portion that is connected transversely to said connecting
portion.
2. (canceled)
3. (canceled)
4. The folding chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein: said blocking
portion has a first end section connected to said control portion
of said blocking member, and a second end section opposite to said
first end section; said second end section of said blocking portion
of said blocking member has a blocking surface abutting against
said bottom of said first coupling rod when said folding chair is
in the unfolded state, and a guiding surface opposite to said
blocking surface; when said folding chair is in the folded state,
said first coupling rod is at a side of said blocking portion which
is opposite to said blocking surface; and a thickness of said
second end section of said blocking portion between said blocking
surface and said guiding surface decreases in a direction away from
said first end section of said blocking portion.
5. The folding chair as claimed in claim 4, wherein said guiding
surface is a curved surface.
6. The folding chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said seat is
formed with a groove that is engaged with said first coupling rod
when said folding chair is in the unfolded state; said first
coupling rod is blocked by said blocking member from being
disengaged from said groove when said blocking member is in the
locked state; and said first coupling rod is permitted to move
outside of said groove when said blocking member is in the unlocked
state.
7. The folding chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least
one coupling rod unit includes two coupling rod units that are
spaced apart in a left-right direction, said safety mechanism being
disposed in proximity to one of said coupling rod units.
8. The folding chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein: said front leg
unit includes two front legs that are spaced apart in the
left-right direction and that are pivotally connected to said front
end portion of said seat, and a cross brace that interconnects said
front legs; said rear leg unit includes two rear legs that are
spaced apart in the left-right direction; for each of said coupling
rod units, said opposite ends of said second coupling rod are
pivotally and respectively connected to said cross brace and said
first coupling rod; and for each of said coupling rod units, said
opposite ends of said third coupling rod are pivotally and
respectively connected to said second coupling rod and a
corresponding one of said rear legs.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The disclosure relates to a chair, and more particularly to
a foldable chair.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A conventional folding chair includes a seat, two front
legs, two rear legs, and a chair back. When the folding chair is
folded, the components the folding chair are essentially aligned to
be proximate to and parallel to each other, such that the folding
chair takes less space and becomes portable for many occasions.
Despite its convenient traits, the folding chair may still pose
safety concern for small children, as they may get clamped by the
folding movement of the folding chair while handling the folding
chair as apart of the play.
SUMMARY
[0003] Therefore, an object of the disclosure is to provide a
folding chair that can alleviate the drawback of the prior art.
[0004] According to the disclosure, the folding chair includes a
seat, a front leg unit pivotally connected to a front end portion
of the seat, a rear leg unit pivotally connected to a rear end
portion of the seat, a chair back connected to a top end of the
rear leg unit, at least one coupling rod unit, and a safety
mechanism. The at least one coupling rod unit includes a first
coupling rod that has opposite ends pivotally and respectively
connected to the seat and the rear leg unit, a second coupling rod
that has opposite ends pivotally and respectively connected to the
front leg unit and the first coupling rod, and a third coupling rod
that has opposite ends pivotally and respectively connected to the
second coupling rod and the rear leg unit. The safety mechanism
includes a blocking member that is disposed in proximity to the
first coupling rod of the at least one coupling rod unit.
[0005] The folding chair is convertible between a folded state and
an unfolded state. The first coupling rod is disposed under the
seat when the folding chair is in the unfolded state, and is
downwardly pivotable relative to the seat to convert the folding
chair from the unfolded state to the folded state via pivotal
movements of the second and third coupling rods.
[0006] When the folding chair is in the unfolded state, the
blocking member is switchable between a locked state, in which the
blocking member abuts against a bottom of the first coupling rod
for blocking movement of the first coupling rod to maintain the
folding chair in the unfolded state, and an unlocked state, in
which the bottom of the first coupling rod is not obstructed by the
blocking member, such that conversion of the folding chair to the
folded stated is permitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become
apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiment
with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a folding
chair according to the disclosure;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment, illustrating the
embodiment in an unfolded state;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the embodiment,
illustrating a blocking member of a safety mechanism in a locked
state;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the embodiment;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view of the
embodiment, illustrating the blocking member in the locked
state;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the
blocking member in an unlocked state;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment, illustrating the
folding chair being converted from the unfolded state toward a
folded state; and
[0015] FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment, illustrating the
folding chair in the folded state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an embodiment of a folding chair
according to the disclosure includes a seat 1, a front leg unit 2
pivotally connected to a front end portion of the seat 1, a rear
leg unit 3 pivotally connected to a rear end portion of the seat 1,
a chair back 4 connected to a top end of the rear leg unit 3, two
coupling rod units 5 that are spaced apart in a left-right
direction (X), and a safety mechanism 6.
[0017] The seat 1 includes a base frame 11, and a seat cushion 12
mounted to the base frame 11. In this embodiment, the base frame 11
may be made of either plastic or metallic material, and the seat
cushion 12 is made from a soft material. The base frame 11 has a
rear portion formed with two grooves 111 that are spaced apart in
the left-right direction (X).
[0018] The front leg unit 2 includes two front legs 21 that are
spaced apart in the left-right direction (X) and that are pivotally
connected to the front end portion of the seat 1, and a cross brace
22 that interconnects the front legs 21. The rear leg unit 3
includes two rear legs 31 that are spaced apart in the left-right
direction (X). In this embodiment, the chair back 4 integrally
extends from the top end of the rear leg unit 3.
[0019] The coupling rod units 5 interconnect the front leg unit 2
and the rear leg unit 3. Each of the coupling rod units 5 includes
a first coupling rod 51 that has opposite ends pivotally and
respectively connected to the seat 1 and the rear leg unit 3, a
second coupling rod 52 that has opposite ends pivotally and
respectively connected to the front leg unit 2 and the first
coupling rod 51, and a third coupling rod 53 that has opposite ends
pivotally and respectively connected to the second coupling rod 52
and the rear leg unit 3. Specifically, in this embodiment, for each
of the coupling rod units 5, the opposite ends of the first
coupling rod 51 are pivotally and respectively connected to the
base frame 11 of the seat 1 and the corresponding one of the rear
legs 31, the opposite ends of the second coupling rod 52 are
pivotally and respectively connected to the cross brace 22 and the
first coupling rod 51, and the opposite ends of the third coupling
rod 53 are pivotally and respectively connected to the second
coupling rod 52 and the corresponding one of the rear legs 31. In
other embodiments, the folding chair may have only one coupling rod
unit 5 instead of two.
[0020] The safety mechanism 6 is disposed in proximity to one of
the coupling rod units 5, and includes a hollow blocking base 61
that is mounted to the bottom end of the base frame 11 of the seat
1 and that is in proximity to one of the grooves 111, a blocking
member 62 that is mounted to the blocking base 61 and that is
disposed in proximity to the first coupling rod 51 of the one of
the coupling rod units 5, and a resilient member 63.
[0021] The blocking member 62 has a blocking portion 621 that
extends through the blocking base 61 in the left-right direction
(X), and a control portion 622 that is connected to the blocking
portion 621 and that is disposed outside of the blocking case
61.
[0022] The blocking portion 621 has a first end section connected
to the control portion 622, and a second end section opposite to
the first end section. The second end section of the blocking
portion 621 has a blocking surface 626 and a guiding surface 625
opposite to the blocking surface 626. A thickness of the second end
section between the blocking surface 626 and the guiding surface
625 decreases in a direction away from the first end section of the
blocking portion 621. In this embodiment, the guiding surface 625
is a curved surface.
[0023] The control portion 622 has a connecting portion 623 that is
pivotally connected to the first end section of the blocking
portion 621 and that abuts against the blocking base 61, and an
access portion 624 that is connected transversely to the connecting
portion 623 and that extends in a direction away from the blocking
portion 621.
[0024] The resilient member 63 is mounted in the blocking base 61.
In this embodiment, the resilient member 63 is a spring that is
sleeved on the blocking portion 621 of the blocking member 62. The
resilient member 63 has two opposite ends respectively in contact
with and abutting against an inner surface of the blocking base 61
and the second end section of the blocking portion 621 of the
blocking member 62.
[0025] The folding chair is convertible between a folded state
(FIG. 7) and an unfolded state (FIGS. 1 and 2). When the folding
chair is in the unfolded state, the first coupling rod 51 of each
of the coupling rod units 5 is disposed under the seat 1 and is
engaged with a respective one of the grooves 111. To maintain the
folding chair in the unfolded state, the blocking member 62 is
switched to a locked state (see FIGS. 3 and 5), in which the
blocking surface 626 of the blocking portion 621 of the blocking
member 62 abuts against a bottom of the first coupling rod 51 of
the one of the coupling rod units 5 for blocking the first coupling
rod 51 from being disengaged from the respective one of the grooves
111.
[0026] Before the folding chair is to be folded into the folded
state, a user can operate the control portion 622 of the blocking
member 62 to switch the blocking member 62 from the locked state to
an unlocked state (see FIG. 6) by pressing upwardly the access
portion 624 of the control portion 622, such that the control
portion 622 functions as a lever (since the connecting portion 623
abuts against the blocking base 61) to move the blocking portion
621 away from the first coupling rod 51 of the one of the coupling
rod units 5. At this time, the bottom of the first coupling rod 51
is not obstructed by the blocking surface of the blocking portion
621, and is permitted to be downwardly pivoted relative to the seat
1 to convert the folding chair from the unfolded state to the
folded state via pivotal movements of the second and third coupling
rods 52, 53 of the coupling rod units 5. The resilient member 63 is
disposed for pushing resiliently the blocking portion 621 of the
blocking member 62 toward the locked state. Once the upward force
applied to the access portion 624 is gone, the resilient member 63
automatically biases the blocking portion 621 of the blocking
member 62 to the locked state.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 6 to 8, when the blocking member 62 is in
the unlocked state, the first coupling rod 51 of each of the
coupling rod units 5 is operable to move outside of the respective
one of the grooves 111. Specifically, the user can pull upwardly
the rear end portion of the seat 1 away from the chair back 4, such
that the first coupling rod 51 of each of the coupling rod units 5
is disengaged from the respective one of the grooves 111 of the
seat 1 and at a side of the blocking portion 621 which is opposite
to the blocking surface 625, and such that the pivotal movement of
the coupling rod unit 5 is initiated. When the folding chair
reaches the folded state, the seat 1 becomes substantially vertical
and the front leg unit 2 is adjacent to the rear leg unit 3 (see
FIG. 7).
[0028] Referring back to FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, the user can revert the
folding chair back to the unfolded state by pulling the front end
portion of the seat 1 upwardly, such that the seat 1 becomes
substantially horizontal and that the front leg unit 2 is moved
away from the rear leg unit 3. During the reverting process, when
the first coupling rod 51 of the respective one of the coupling rod
units 5 moves to the blocking portion 621 of the blocking member
62, and is in contact with the guiding surface 625 of the blocking
portion 621, the first coupling rod 51 would slide along the
guiding surface 625 to push away the blocking portion 621 against
the resilient force of the resilient member 63 to be engaged with
the groove 111 of the groove 11 once again (see FIG. 4).
[0029] In summary, the folding chair can be folded via the pivotal
movement of the coupling rod units 5. The implementation of the
safety mechanism 6 ensures that the folding chair would remain in
the unfolded state unless the blocking member 62 of the safety
mechanism 6 is switched to the unlocked state, ensuring that the
folding chair cannot be folded unintentionally.
[0030] In the description above, for the purposes of explanation,
numerous specific details have been set forth in order to provide a
thorough understanding of the embodiment. It will be apparent,
however, to one skilled in the art, that one or more other
embodiments may be practiced without some of these specific
details. It should also be appreciated that reference throughout
this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," an
embodiment with an indication of an ordinal number and so forth
means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic may
be included in the practice of the disclosure. It should be further
appreciated that in the description, various features are sometimes
grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description
thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding
in the understanding of various inventive aspects, and that one or
more features or specific details from one embodiment may be
practiced together with one or more features or specific details
from another embodiment, where appropriate, in the practice of the
disclosure.
[0031] While the disclosure has been described in connection with
what is considered the exemplary embodiment, it is understood that
this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is
intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit
and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all
such modifications and equivalent arrangements.
* * * * *