Abstract:
A fold out fishing chair for providing an easily portable seating and rod holding apparatus that provides shade for daytime fishing and illumination for nighttime fishing. The fold out fishing chair includes a base seat with an integral holder assembly and an integral shade assembly, each of which can be selectively moved into a deployed position. The holder assembly defines a fold out fishing rod holding structure that can hold fishing rods at a desirable angle without requiring ongoing user attention. The shade assembly includes a roll out shade having integrated lighting elements so as to improve comfort in direct sunlight and low lighting conditions. The holder assembly and shade assembly can both be moved to a retracted position in which the base seat can be folded into a closed configuration sized substantially the same as a folded conventional fold out chair.

Description:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in an open configuration with its shade and holder assemblies each in a deployed position. 
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in an open configuration with its shade and holder assemblies each in a deployed position. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial side elevational view of a holder assembly of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a deployed position. 
       FIG. 4  is a partial side elevational view of a holder assembly of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a retracted position. 
       FIG. 5  is a partial bottom plan view of a holder assembly of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a spaced position. 
       FIG. 6  is a partial bottom plan view of a holder assembly of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a narrow position. 
       FIG. 7  is a top plan view of a shade device of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a shading position. 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of a shade device of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in a wrapped position. 
       FIG. 9  is a partial side elevational view of a shade assembly of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown with the shade device in a wrapped position and the shade poles in an elongated position. 
       FIG. 10  is side perspective view of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in an open configuration with its shade and holder assemblies each in a retracted position. 
       FIG. 11  is a front perspective view of a fold out fishing chair built in accordance with the present invention shown in an partially closed configuration with its shade roller detached and its holder assembly in a retracted position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and in particular  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a fold out fishing chair  100  is shown in its open configuration in which it is suitable for a user to be seated. Similar to conventional foldout chairs (or “folding camping chairs”), the fold out fishing chair  100  built in accordance with the present invention includes a base seat  101  that is selectively configurable in this open configuration as well as a narrow, closed configuration suitable for storage and transportation. The fold out fishing chair  100  additionally includes an integral holder assembly  110  and an integral shade assembly  120 , each of which can be moved between a deployed position and a retracted position. When in use, it is contemplated that the shade assembly  120  and holder assembly  110  would be maintained in their respective retracted positions while the fold out fishing chair  100  is in its closed configuration and may be selectively moved to their respective deployed positions when the fold out fishing chair  100  is in its open configuration, as desired by a user. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 , the holder assembly  110  defines a pair of fold out fishing rod holders  111  that are each positioned on a holder extension  112  so as to hold a conventional fishing rod upright, angulared away from base seat  101  when the holder assembly  110  is in its deployed position. The proximal end of each holder extension  112  is hingedly attached to respective front legs  102  of the base seat  101 , thereby enabling the holder extension  112  to swing between a horizontal position illustrated by  FIGS. 1 and 2  and a vertical position illustrated by  FIG. 10 . The rod holders  111  are each connected to the holder extension  112  through an extension slider  113  that slides horizontally along the holder extension  112  and a holder support leg  114  that extends from the distal end of the holder extension  112  relative to the base seat  101 . As the extension slider  113  moves away from the base seat  101 , the associated rod holder  111  is moved up into an elevated position illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As the extension slider  113  moves towards the base seat  101 , the associated rod holder  111  is moved down into a level position illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The holder support leg  114  is connected to the rod holder  111  through a holder slider  115  that slides along the rod holder  111  so as to provide added support as the rod holder  111  moves between the elevated position and level position and when the rod holder  111  is fixed in the elevated position. 
     It is contemplated that either the extension sliders  113  or the holder sliders  115  (or both) include clamp fasteners so as to enable the to be selectively fixed in place by a user to hold the rod holders  111  in a desired position. 
     Connecting the two holder extensions  112  are two intersecting holder connectors  116 . The holder connectors  116  are each fixed at one end to the distal end of one of the holder extensions  112  and at the other end to the extension slider  113  on the opposite holder extension  112 . Accordingly, sliding the extension sliders  113  along the holder extensions  112  away from the base seat  111  causes the holder connectors  116  to be moved in a direction that moves the holder extensions  112  away from one another into a spaced position, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Conversely, as the extensions sliders  113  are moved towards the base seat  101 , the holder connectors  116  are moved in a direction which causes the holder extensions  112  move closer together into a narrow position, as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     As such, the extension sliders  113  on each holder extension  112  are central to the movement of the respective rod holders  111  between the elevated position and level position as well as the respective holder extensions  112  between the spaced position and narrow position. It is appreciated that when the rod holders  111  are in the elevated position and the holder extensions  112  are in the spaced position, the holder assembly  110  has an angled holding apparatus and a sturdy base that enables it to hold and support conventional fishing rods. Similarly, as when the rod holders  111  are in the level position and the holder extensions  112  are in the narrow position, the holder assembly  110  defines a narrow, compact structure that, when placed against the legs  102  of the base seat  101 , can be easily stored with the folded base seat  101 . 
     In one embodiment, the holder assembly  110  includes a tackle box holding net  117  disposed over the holder connectors  116 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, and 10 , the shade assembly  120  includes a roll out shade device  121  removably attachable at each end to a telescoping shade pole  122 . Each shade pole  122  is attached to one side of the base seat  101 . In the preferred embodiment, each shade pole  122  is lashed to the side bar that defines the edge of the seat back of the base seat  101  in two locations. 
     In the preferred embodiment, each shade pole  122  includes three discrete poles nested together so as to be telescopically moved between an elongated position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  and a nested position as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     The shade device  121  defines a cylindrical, rotary dispensing member  123  with an integrated shade body  124  and folding frame. The dispensing member  123  includes opposing end sections  125  for connecting to one of the shade poles  122 . When the shade device  121  is attached to the shade poles  122 , the fixed nature of the end sections provides stationary connection about which the dispensing member  123  can rotate. The shade body  124  is integral with the dispensing member  123  such that it can wrap and unwrap around the dispensing member  123  to move between a shading position illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 7  and a wrapped position illustrated in  FIGS. 8, 9, and 10 . 
     The folding frame defines two mirror image side frame sections  127 , each having a central hinge, and a rigid opposing member  128 , with the frame sections  127  connected at one end to the end sections  125  of the dispensing member  123  and at the other end to the opposing member  128 . The frame sections  127 , along with a pair of diagonal supports  126  hinged to the shade poles  121  and connected to the ends of the opposing member  128 , enable the opposing member  128  to move laterally on the same plane as the dispensing member  123 . With shade body  124  attached to the opposing member  128 , when the opposing member  128  is moved away from the dispensing member  123 , it moves the shade body  124  into the shading position, suspended horizontally between the opposing member  128  and the dispensing member  123 . Conversely, when the opposing member  128  is moved towards the dispensing member  123 , it allows the shade body  124  to retract around the dispensing member  123  and move to its wrapped position. 
     In one embodiment, the dispensing member  123  includes an internal spring loaded roller from which the shade body  124  is extended from and around which it wraps. The spring loaded roller biases the shade body  124  to return to the wrapped position such that manual force in a shading direction  129  is required to move the shady body  124  to the shading position and the positioning of the side frame sections  127  linearly, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , is required to hold the shade body  124  in the shading position once such manual force has been removed. 
     In one embodiment, the shade body  124  includes perimeter flaps  124 ′ which extend down around the perimeter of the shade body  124  when in the shading position. Integrated into such flaps are a plurality of LED lighting elements  130  electrically connected to a conventional solar panel  131  positioned on the top of the shade body  124  and an internal battery. It is contemplated that the solar panel  131  is operative to produce electricity from sunlight and the battery stores electricity produced by the solar panel  131  for use by the lighting elements  130 . The lighting elements  130  are thereby enabled to selectively provide light using electricity from the battery to supply illumination during lower lighting conditions, such as at night. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , moving the fold out fishing chair  100  to the closed position requires positioning the holder assembly  110  in its retracted position, moving the shade poles  122  to their nested position, and detaching the shade device  121  from the shade poles  122 . With the holder assembly  110  narrowed and adjacent to the legs of the base chair  101  and the shade poles  122  adjacent to the side bars that define the edge of the seat back of the base seat  101 , the fold out fishing chair  100  can be folded into its closed configuration sized substantially the same as a folded conventional fold out chair. 
     The present invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.