Chair

Abstract

A chair having the appearance of being bent from a blank cut from a single sheet of material has a back, arms extending forward from the sides of the back, and seat halves extending inward from lower edges of the arms. In addition, two pedestal portions may extend downward from the inner adjacent edges of the seat halves and base portions may extend outward from the bottoms of the pedestal portions.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A chair is partially or completely formed by cutting a blank from a single sheet of material and bending it into shape. The blank may form the back, arms, and seat of a chair or it may also form a pedestal and base of the chair and thus form a complete chair. While the chair may be bent from sheet material such as sheet aluminum or sheet steel, it may also be formed by cutting out several thin blanks of sheet material and bonding them as layers or laminates in the form of a complete chair. Thus the chair may be formed of wood veneer, thin layers of leather, or other suitable material bonded together. The chair could also be formed of fiberglass reinforced plastic.

The aesthetic appeal inherent in the design of a functional object such as a chair is difficult to define. The chair of this invention has a unique aesthetic and intellectual appeal as the beholder observes its sculptured form and realizes that it appears to be bent from a blank cut from a single sheet of flat material. In addition, the chair of this invention is comfortable and practical.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a chair according to my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the chair of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a flat blank of sheet material from which the chair of FIG. 1 may be bent, portions of the blank which are bent being indicated by dotted lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the Drawing in detail, FIG. 4 shows a blank 10 cut from sheet material. Blank 10 has upper back portion 11, lower back portion 12, arm portions 13 and 14 extending laterally from the sides of lower back portion 12, seat halves 15 and 16 extending downward from arm portions 13 and 14, pedestal portions 17 and 18 extending from the seat portions 15 and 16, and the base portions 19 and 20 extending from the pedestal portions 17 and 18. Arm rests 21 and 22 extend upward from the arm portions 13 and 14. Areas in which bends are made or formed in fabrication are indicated by dotted lines. Such an area is indicated at 23 between the back portions 11 and 12, at 24 and 25 between the lower back portion 12 and the arm portions 13 and 14, at 26 and 27 between the arm rests 21 and 22 and the arm portions 13 and 14, at 28 and 29 between the arm portions 13 and 14 and the seat halves 15 and 16, at 30 and 31 between the seat halves 15 and 16 and the pedestal portions 17 and 18, and at 32 and 33 between the pedestal portions 17 and 18 and the base portions 19 and 20.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, blank 10 may have the arms 13 and 14 bent forward from lower back portion 12, and the seat halves 15 and 16 bent inwards from the lower edges of the arms 13 and 14. Arm rests 21 and 22 may be bent outward from the tops of the arms 13 and 14. The upper back portion 11 may be bent backward to a comfortable angle from the lower back portion 12. If desired, these elements of my chair may be mounted on conventional or other legs (not shown).

If the chair is to be completely formed from a single sheet of material, pedestal portions 17 and 18 are bent downward from the adjacent inner edges of the seat halves 15 and 16 and the base portions 19 and 20 are bent outward from the lower edges of the pedestal portions 17 and 18.

While the chair has been described as being bent from a blank 10, the term bent is intended to also include a chair laid up or otherwise formed to give the finished appearance of being bent from a single sheet of material. The pedestal portions 17 and 18 are spaced apart as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to clearly indicate that the pedestal portions 17 and 18 are separate portions of the same sheet of material. If they were touching or directly joined, they would tend to appear as a single element of double thickness. If desired a brace, stiffener, or spacer (not shown) may be inserted between the pedestal portions 17 and 18 and below the base portions 19 and 20. Such brace means should be disposed well back from the visible edges of the pedestal portions 17 and 18.

While my invention has been shown and described in the best form known, it will nevertheless be understood that this is purely exemplary and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

I claim:

1. A single blank from which a chair may be bent comprising, in combination, a lower back portion, an upper back portion, an area between said upper and lower back portions in which a bend may be made, arm portions extending laterally from said lower back portion, areas between said lower back portion and said arm portions in which said arm portions may be bent relative to said lower back portion, seat halves extending downward from said arm portions, an area between each adjacent arm portion and seat half in which said seat halves may be bent relative to said arm portions, pedestal portions extending downward from said seat halves, an area between each adjacent pedestal portion and seat half in which said pedestal portions may be bent relative to said seat halves, base portions extending downward from said pedestal portions, an area between each adjoining base and pedestal portion in which said base portions may be bent relative to said pedestal portions, arm rests extending upward from said arm portions, and an area between each adjoining arm portion and arm rest in which said arm rest may be bent relative to said arm portion.

2. A chair having at least the appearance of being bent from a blank cut from a single sheet of material, said chair comprising, in combination, a lower back portion having sides, an upper back portion bent backwards from said lower back portion, arms bent forward from the sides of said lower back portion, seat halves bent inward from lower portions of said arms, said seat halves having adjacent central portions, pedestal portions bent downward to extend downward adjacent to each other from the adjacent central portions of said seat halves, and base portions bent outward from the lower ends of said pedestal portions supporting said chair.

3. The combination according to claim 2 with the addition of arm rests bent outwards from the upper edges of said arms.