Abstract:
A foldable, deployable chair for video game controller presentation has a folding frame supporting a chair seat, a back support, and left and right armrests, a substantially planar hand controller support surface extending from the forward end of one of the left and right armrests to the forward end of the other left and right armrest, the controller support surface pivoted to a frame extension at one end, and resting on a frame extension at the other end, surface is substantially horizontal and may be raised and rotated about the pivot at the frame extension at the one end, allowing a user to be seated and then lowered about the pivot, presenting the controller support surface the seated user in a position within comfortable reach of a user&#39;s hands, and a fastening interface on the hand controller support surface adapted to fasten the hand-operable controller devices to the support surface.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/325,484, filed on Apr. 19, 2010. The 61/325,484 application above is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the area of supports for game controllers, and pertains more specifically to a folding chair supporting one or more game control interfaces. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Video games and controllers for same are well-known in the art, and controllers are known in the art that are adapted to be foldable or portable, for example, to be held in a user&#39;s lap, to be hand-held, or to be supported on a table, for example. There is a need for a more comfortable, configurable and flexible support for controllers and also for the persons that may be using the controllers. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Having considered the problems of providing support surfaces for hand and foot controller devices to a user for use in playing video games, the inventor has developed a unique solution. A foldable, deployable chair for video game controller presentation is provided, comprising a folding frame supporting a chair seat, a back support, and left and right armrests, each armrest having a rearward end proximate the chair back and a forward end in the unfolded, deployed mode, a substantially planar hand controller support surface extending from the forward end of one of the left and right armrests to the forward end of the other left and right armrest, the controller support surface pivoted to a frame extension at one end, and resting on a frame extension at the other end, such that the surface is substantially horizontal and may be raised and rotated about the pivot at the frame extension at the one end, allowing a user to be seated in the chair, and then lowered about the pivot, presenting the controller support surface to a seated user in a position within comfortable reach of a user&#39;s hands, and a fastening interface on the hand controller support surface adapted to fasten one or more hand-operable controller devices to the support surface. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment the foldable, deployable chair has a hand controller support surface mounted to the framework in a manner that the substantially planar support surface may be rotated from horizontal about an axis extending from the frame extensions at the forward ends of each armrest. The chair seat, back support and armrests may be made of fabric material. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment the foldable, deployable chair further comprises frame elements extending forward and down, supporting a substantially planar foot controller support surface at a position within comfortable reach of a user&#39;s feet, at an angled orientation substantially facing the chair, and a fastening interface on the foot controller support surface adapted to fasten one or more foot-operable controller devices to the support surface. There may be adjustable strap elements extending from the foot controller support surface to the frame, enabling a user to adjust the position and distance of the foot control support surface to accommodate user&#39;s leg length and position preference. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment the foldable, deployable chair may also include one or more hand controller devices fastened to the hand controller support surface, and in another embodiment may include one or more foot controller devices fastened to the foot controller support surface as well. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a portable game controller folding chair according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of a hand controller interface and a hand controller base of the chair of  FIG. 1  with the hand controller interface presented in a position of elevation above the hand controller base. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an overhead view of the hand controller base further illustrating connection to chair frame elements according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an elevation view of a foot controller base and modular foot controller interface of the chair of  FIG. 1  with the foot controller interface presented in a position of elevation above base  30 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an overhead view of the foot controller base and attached foot controller interface of the chair of  FIG. 1  mounted to frame extensions  32  according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The inventor provides a portable and collapsible gaming chair that incorporates one or more game controller devices adapted to work with one or more video game systems. The present invention is described in enabling detail using the following examples which may represent more than one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  of the accompanying drawings, a portable game controller folding chair  10  is illustrated in perspective view. Folding chair  10  is, in this embodiment, a collapsible chair comprising a rigid but collapsible frame that supports a fabric seat and back rest  12 , fabric armrests  14  (right and left), and fabric footrest  16 . 
         [0017]    Chair  10  includes, in one embodiment, an adjustment system for adjusting footrest proximity relative to the chair body. The adjustment system includes frame members  31  connected to footrest  16  and adjustment straps  37  connected to the frame members  31 . Adjustment straps  37  each include a strap adjustment mechanism  38  (one per strap) that are manually configurable by a user to adjust the proximity of footrest  16  closer or further away from the chair body in order to accommodate different users. In this embodiment chair  10  is a fabric folding chair that can be collapsed and stowed inside a fabric enclosure. The use of fabric, however, for portions of the folding chair is not a limitation in the invention. Other materials may be used as well. 
         [0018]    A hand controller carrier base  20  is provided and is adapted to be attached to chair using supporting frame extensions  24 . Frame extensions  24  may be attached to frame portions  22  of the collapsible chair frame that support armrests  14 . Hand controller base  20  supports a modular hand controller interface  26  that may be mounted to the carrier using a variety of optional techniques including but not limited to riveting, snapping, nut and bolt, clamping, screws, hook and loop connector, plug-in, or other known methods. 
         [0019]    Hand controller base  20  and hand controller interface  26  may be fabricated of a lightweight and durable plastic, metal or another durable material. Molding and other known fabrication techniques may be used in production of controller base  20  and controller interface  26 . Hand controller interface  26  has one or more video game hand controllers  25  coupled thereto in operable fashion. In one embodiment hand controller interface  26  supports a variety of different hand controller devices that might be used to play a video game including but not limited to a steering wheel, a joy stick, an acceleration controller, a braking controller, shift lever, handle bars, functional buttons, functional switches, and like devices used in video game play or simulation systems. In one embodiment hand controller base  20  and attached interface  26  are adjustable as a unit to enable ergonomic tilt according to user height while seated within the folding chair. 
         [0020]    A foot controller carrier base  30  is provided and is adapted to be attached to chair  10  using supporting frame extensions  32 . Frame extensions  32  may be attached to frame portions  31  of the collapsible chair frame that support footrest  16 . Foot controller base  30  supports a modular foot controller interface  33  that may be mounted to the carrier using a variety of optional techniques including but not limited to riveting, snapping, nut and bolt, clamping, screws, hook and loop connector, plug-in, or other known methods. 
         [0021]    Foot controller base  30  and foot controller interface  33  may be fabricated of a lightweight and durable plastic, metal or another durable material. Molding and other known fabrication techniques may be used in production of controller base  30  and controller interface  33 . 
         [0022]    In one embodiment foot controller interface  33  supports a variety of different foot-operated controller devices that might be used in conjunction with hand controllers to play a video game including but not limited to a gas pedal, an acceleration controller, a braking controller, functional buttons, functional switches, and like foot-operated devices used in video game play. It is noted herein that in one embodiment foot controller base  30  and foot controller interface  33  are not absolutely required in order to practice the present invention. Foot controller devices, if any are required, may be modularly added to hand controller interface  26  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , hand controller interface  26  and hand controller base  20  are illustrated in elevation view with interface  26  presented in a position of elevation above base  20 . Hand controller interface  26  includes all of the electronic circuitry, ports, and wiring connections required to enable interface  26  to host one or more video game controllers. In some embodiments wireless components and infrared components may also be included in the electronics of the interface. Contact surface  29  may include any type of connective feature described previously for attaching the interface to the base component. 
         [0024]    In one embodiment hand controller base  20  is pivotally mounted to frame extensions  24 . Also in one embodiment hand controller base  20  is attached to frame extensions  24  via a sleeve  27   a  and a resting surface channel or indentation  27   b . In such an embodiment a user may pivot the assembled unit (base  20 , interface  26 ) up and out of the way to accommodate exiting and reentering the chair. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , hand controller base  20  is viewed from above further illustrating connection to chair frame elements. Base  20  includes contact surface  28 , which may include any connective features previously described above for enabling attachment of the hand controller interface. In this example, hand controller base  20  is pivotally mounted at connection point  27   a , which may be a sleeve. Base  20  rests over extension  24  on the opposite end. Extensions  24  may be attached to frame elements  22  using clasps, clamps, sleeves, ties, nuts and bolts, or other secure methods. Fabric armrests  14  are visible in this overhead view. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , foot controller base  30  and modular foot controller interface  33  are illustrated in elevation view with interface  33  presented in a position of elevation above base  30 . In this embodiment foot controller interface  33  includes one or more foot-operated controller devices  35 , which are in the form of one or more pedals, and may be referred to hereinafter as controller pedals  35 . Contact surface  34  may include any connective features previously described above for enabling attachment of the foot controller interface  33  to foot controller base  30 . 
         [0027]    Foot control carrier  30  attaches to frame extensions  32 , which in turn may be attached to frame portions  31  of the collapsible chair frame that supports footrest  16 . Foot control base  30  includes a contact surface  34 , which may include any of the connective features described above for attaching foot controller interface  33  to foot controller base  30 . In one embodiment foot controller base  30  may be attached to frame extensions  32  as described above for hand controller base  20  by using a sleeve  36  at one end of the base element whereby foot controller base  30  has a channeled surface that may rest upon the opposing frame extension  32 . 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , foot controller base  30  and attached foot controller interface  33  are illustrated in overhead view mounted to frame extensions  32  via bores or sleeves  36 . In this example pedals  35  are fully in view. Foot controller base  30  and foot controller interface  33  include all of the electronic circuitry, ports, and wiring connections required to enable interface  33  to host one or more video game controllers, in this case foot pedals  35 . 
         [0029]    Set-up of the collapsible video gaming chair of the present invention entails removing it and any detached components from a case or tote bag and then opening the folded chair into the gaming position. The hand controller interface and base may then be connected together if not already connected. The base and controller may then be assembled to the chair frame. The foot controller interface and base may then be connected together if not already connected. The foot base and controller may then be assembled to the chair. A user may then pivot the hand controller assembly up and out of the way about the connecting sleeve or other pivotal attachment to sit in the chair and then may return the assembly to its level position for play. The footrest adjustment straps can be physically adjusted if need be to bring the foot controller assembly into comfortable reach for operation. Alternatively, in one embodiment the system comes with a generic wiring harness for use with the hand and foot control interfaces that require wiring between them and or to a video game system. 
         [0030]    In one embodiment the footrest portion is excluded in its entirety to adapt to gaming platforms that do not require controls that would normally be controlled with the user&#39;s feet or those that may be incorporated into the hand controller interface. One with skill in the art of device integration will appreciate that the video game controller chair of the present invention may be created or assembled using a controller kit that includes the hand and foot controller carriers and interface units and all of the accompanying attachment hardware, wiring, and stock controller devices without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0031]    In another embodiment the video gaming chair of the present invention may be manufactured with the controller hardware and components wholly or partly assembled whereby a user finishes the assembly by attaching the controller interfaces and the desired controller devices before game play. The video game controller interfaces may support wired and wireless communications capability and may be set up to be compatible with any type of video game systems that require the use of hand and or foot operated controller devices, including, but not limited to Wii gaming systems, PlayStation™ gaming systems, and X-Box 360™ gaming systems. 
         [0032]    In a preferred embodiment the video game folding chair of the present invention may be efficiently disassembled, collapsed, and stowed when not in use. When the system is collapsed, the components thereof including the hand and foot controller interfaces and carrier bases may be inserted into a case or tote bag for storage or travel. 
         [0033]    The hand controller interface and the foot controller interface along with their corresponding carriers may also be collapsible or may otherwise be geometrically reduced in footprint to allow for efficient transport in the same or a separate case or tote bag. 
         [0034]    It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the collapsible video gaming chair system of the invention may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention which may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.