Chair-boat Structure

Abstract

A buoyant structure adapted to be supported on a solid supporting surface and to float on water with an occupant therein has an elongate buoyant upper portion with a generally horizontal concave upper surface adapted to support an occupant thereon with the buoyant structure being proportioned for stability while supporting the occupant. Support portions in the form of legs depend from the upper portion for engaging the solid surface for supporting the upper portion and the occupant thereon in a position above the solid surface. A back portion extends upwardly and rearwardly from a rearward end of the upper portion and arm portions extend upwardly from opposite sides of the upper portion adjacent the rearward end thereof.

Description

The present invention relates to buoyant structures and more particularly to buoyant chairs, lounges, supports, toys, and the like for use in water or on a solid surface.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide a buoyant structure adapted to support an occupant therein when the chair is on a solid surface or floating in water; to provide such a buoyant structure wherein the occupant may assume a comfortable seated and reclining or lounging position; to provide such a buoyant structure adapted to support the occupant in a dry position while the structure is floating in water; to provide such a buoyant structure of unitary and sturdy construction which is safe from loss of buoyancy and particularly stable in use to permit an occupant therein to move as desired and as necessary to manually propel the structure; to provide such a unitary buoyant structure of novel shape formed of unicellular buoyant material which is economical to manufacture, durable in use, light weight in construction so as to be easily transported between solid supporting surfaces and bodies of water, and particularly well adapted for the proposed use.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buoyant structure embodying features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side-elevational view of the buoyant structure.

FIG. 3 is a front-elevational view of the buoyant structure.

FIG. 4 is a rear-elevational view of the buoyant structure.

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the buoyant structure.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 6--6, FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified buoyant structure formed of hollow members.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a further modified buoyant structure.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a buoyant structure adapted to be supported by solid supporting surface 2 and to float on water (not shown) with an occupant 3 therein. The buoyant chain 1 has an elongate buoyant deck portion 4 having a generally horizontal concave upper surface 5 adapted to support the occupant 3 thereon. The buoyant structure 1 is proportioned to position a center of buoyancy for stability when the occupant 3 is supported thereon and for stability when on the surface 2. The buoyant structure 1 has support portions 6 depending from the deck portion 4 for engaging the surface 2 for supporting the deck portion 4 and the occupant 3 thereon in a position above the surface 2.

The buoyant structure 1 may be formed in a plurality of shapes such as in the form of buoyant toys, chairs and the like. In the preferred embodiment, the buoyant structure 1 is illustrated as a chair having back portion 7 extending upwardly and rearwardly from a rearward end of the deck portion 4 to permit the occupant 3 to assume a comfortable position, such as a reclining or lounging position, therein. Arm portions 8 and 9 extend upwardly from opposite sides of the deck portion 4 adjacent the rearward end thereof to increase the comfort of the occupant 37 within the buoyant chair 1. The support portions are illustrated as a front leg 10 and a pair of rear legs 11 and 12 depending from the deck portion 4 for engaging the supporting surface 2 to support the chair 1 and occupant 3 therein.

In the illustrated structure, the elongate deck portion 4 has a forward end 14 and a rearward end 15 joined by the back portion 7 and the deck portion 4 has opposed side edges 16 and 17 extending between the forward and rear ends 14 and 15. The arm portions 8 and 9 extend upwardly from each of the side edges 16 and 17 adjacent the rearward end 15 of the deck portion 4. The deck portion 4, back portion 7, and the arm portions 8 and 9 are sized to support the occupant 3 in comfortable position, such as reclining position with their legs 18 supported on the deck portion 4.

The back portion 7 intersects the deck portion 4 to form an obtuse angle 19 with the generally horizontal deck portion 4 thereby permitting the occupant 3 to assume a reclining or lounging position intermediate an upright position and a supine position. The back portion 7 also has a concave interior surface 20 merging with the concave upper surface 5 of the deck portion 4 to provide a smooth transition between the deck and back portions 4 and 7.

The arm portions 8 and 9 each have an upper surface, 21 and 22 respectively, which extends substantially normal or perpendicular to the back portion 7 whereby the occupant 3 in the chair 1 may support their arms 23 and 24 in a natural or comfortable position while reclining or lounging therein.

Each of the arm portions 8 and 9 has an arcuate interior surface, 25 and 26 respectively, which merges with the concave upper surface 5 of the deck portion 4 and the concave interior surface 20 of the back portion 7 to provide a smooth transition between the back portion 7, deck portion 4, and the arm portions 8 and 9.

The buoyant chair structure 1 is adapted to support the occupant 3 in a completely dry position while the chair 1 is floating in water (not shown) and the deck portion 4 has a length sufficient to support the legs 18 of the occupant 3 maintain same above the water, however, the arm portions 8 and 9 terminate at a point sufficiently rearwardly of the forward end 14 of the deck portion 4 to permit the occupant 3 to place their legs 18 into the water while remaining in the reclining position.

It is desirable to provide a substantially streamlined shape for the buoyant structure 1 to direct the water therearound in smooth unbroken flow, therefore, the front leg 10 and the forward end 14 of the deck portion 4 are shaped to part the water when the chair 1 is suitably propelled in a forward direction, as by a paddle (not shown). The front leg 10 has a planar bottom surface 27 for engaging the supporting surface 2 and the front leg 10 is illustrated as a generally conical structure tapering rearwardly from the forward edge 14 of the deck portion 4 to form a bowlike portion of the structure 1.

The rear legs 11 and 12 are transversely spaced apart and depend from the rearward end 15 of the deck portion 4 adjacent the rearward portion of the side edges 16 and 17. The rear legs 11 and 12 also have planar bottom surfaces 28 and 29 respectively to engage the supporting surface 2 and in cooperation with the front leg 10 provide a triangular three-point support for the buoyant chair structure 1. Forward edges of the rear legs 11 and 12 are also arcuate and conically shaped to part the water when the chair 1 is suitably propelled in a forward direction.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the buoyant chair 1 is formed of a suitable rigid, lightweight plastic foam material, such as polystyrene plastic or other suitable thermoplastic material of closed cell or unicellular construction which is light weight and rigid. It is desirable that the surface be specially treated, as by heating or coating same to provide a hard, waterproof surface and to protect the exterior surface of the structure 1.

To use the buoyant structure 1 for floating in a body of water (not shown) the structure 1 is placed therein and the occupant 3 assumes a lounging or reclining position with their legs 18 supported on a forward portion of the deck portion 4. The chair and occupant may be permitted to float in an uncontrolled random manner while the occupant relaxes or the chair 1 may be suitably propelled, as by a paddle (not shown), to move the chair to a desired location within the body of water. When it is desired to place the chair 1 on a suitable supporting surface 2, such as on a floor, patio, a dock, a walk adjacent a swimming pool, or the like, the chair is simply removed from the water and positioned with the bottom surface 27 of the front leg 10 and the bottom surfaces 28 and 29 of the rear legs 11 and 12 engaging the respective supporting surface 2. The occupant 3 may then assume a sitting or reclining position therein.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modified buoyant structure 30 formed of hollow members to provide the necessary buoyancy to float on water (not shown) with an occupant therein. The modified buoyant structure 30 has a buoyant upper portion 31 which is a hollow structure having an upper member 32 shaped to provide a concave upper deck surface 33. Sidewalls 34 are substantially normal to the upper member 32 and extend from the peripheral edges thereof. End walls 36 and 37 extend from opposite ends of the upper member 32 and are connected to the sidewalls 34 to form a continuous wall member normal to the upper member 32. A bottom member or wall 38 is substantially parallel to the upper member 32 and is secured to lower or outer edges of the sidewalls 34 and the end walls 36 and 37 to provide an enclosed buoyant chamber 39.

In the illustrated structure, one end of the buoyant upper portion 31 is upperwardly inclined to form a back portion 40 and the generally horizontal deck portion 32. Arm portions 42 are formed by transversely spaced walls 44 and 45 extending from the upper member 32 and closed by an upper wall 46 and an end wall 47.

Support portions 48 are illustrated as a front leg 49 and transversely spaced rear legs 50 each being hollow members and depending from the bottom wall 38 of the deck portion 32.

FIG. 8 illustrates a further modified buoyant structure 52 particularly useful as a floating toy having a buoyant deck portion 53, having a generally horizontal concave upper surface 54 adapted to support an occupant, such as a child, thereon. The deck portion 53 is proportioned to position a center of buoyancy (not shown) for stability when the occupant is supported thereon. The buoyant structure 52 is adapted to be supported on a solid surface 55 and to float on water (not shown) with an occupant therein and in the illustrated structure support portions 56 depend from the deck portion 53 for engaging the solid surface 55 for supporting the deck portion 53 and the occupant thereon in a position above the solid surface 55.

The buoyant surface 52 may assume the shape of some living creature, such as an animal, reptile or the like, having legs 57 depending from the deck portion 53 to support an occupant thereon in a position above the solid surface 55.

It is to be understood that while we have illustrated and described certain forms of our invention, it is not to be limited to these specific forms or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

Claims

What we claim and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A buoyant structure adapted for support on a solid surface as a lounge chair, and to float on water with an occupant therein as a boat comprising: a. an elongate deck portion having a forward end and a recessed concave upper surface extending from adjacent said forward end and longitudinally of said deck portion said concave upper surface providing leg- and seat-supporting portions, for a person; b. a back portion inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the deck portion, said back portion having a recessed concave upper and forward surface merging at its lower end with the concave upper surface of the back portion providing back support for a person therein; c. a support leg depending from the deck portion and generally tapering downwardly therefrom; d. spaced support legs depending from the seat portion of the deck portion and generally tapering downwardly therefrom; e. said deck portion, back portion and support legs all being of substantially rigid buoyant material wherein the support legs contribute to the buoyancy and the center of buoyancy is substantially under the seat-supporting portion.

2. A buoyant structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. the deck portion, back portion and supporting legs are all an integral monolithic structure of lightweight synthetic resin foam;

3. A buoyant structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein: a. arm portions are on and extend upwardly from the deck portion at sides of concave the seat-supporting surface said arm portion extending forwardly of the back portion at sides of the concave surface thereof;

4. A buoyant structure as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said concave supporting surface of the deck portion and the back portion and inner surfaces of the arm portions all merge in smooth transition curves; b. the deck, back and arm portions and the supporting legs are all an integral monolithic structure of rigid lightweight synthetic resin foam.