Abstract:
A chair with a chair back pivotally attached to a seat. The chair back can be moved from a collapsed position located directly adjacent the seat to an upright position. When in the upright position, a spring biased latch assembly attached to chair seat allows engagement with the chair back and can be adjusted to several, adjustable positions selected by the user. In addition to providing a range of adjustment, this latch system also provides structural integrity to the design of the pivoting chair invention.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.: Application Ser. No. 60/722,265 FILING DATE Sep. 30, 2005. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The field of this invention relates to a chair where the back of the chair can be pivoted from a fully collapsed position, for packing and shipping purposes, located directly against the seat of the chair to an upright, adjustable position, that is within the normal position of usage. Armrests attach independently of the pivoting mechanism and allow the design to have a range of flexibility as it applies to the armrest style and functionality. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A typical chair has a seat and a back rest. This configuration of a chair is not conducive to shipping after being manufactured for the reason that an assembled chair inherently occupies a substantial amount of space. It is common for chairs to be manufactured in overseas manufacturing facilities meaning that the chairs are required to be put into cartons and then shipped by shipping containers to the United States or their final destination. The size of the shipping carton for a chair, which contains a back fastened to a seat in the normal upright manner, is of a significant size and therefore limits the number of shipping cartons that can be placed within a shipping container. This increased carton size directly correlates with the shipping cost and results in significantly higher cost per chair. 
   On the other hand, to save freight costs, it is common to ship the chair in a fully knocked down fashion. Shipping in this manner requires the consumer to have to assemble the chair which is time consuming and often complicated. 
   In today&#39;s manufacturing environment, it is common practice to detach the chair back from the seat. The back can then be placed against the seat and packaged with the other chair components with the resulting in a significantly more compact unit for purposes of shipping. Once the disassembled chair reaches the retailer or end user, either the retailer or the consumer is required to then assemble the chair. Assembly usually requires properly positioning the chair components and using several bolt type fasteners to be installed and tightened. End users find this process to be undesirable, time consuming and even difficult for those certain individuals that have a minimal amount of mechanical aptitude. 
   The invention creates a solution to a common shipping issue by reducing its shipping cube size and more importantly provides a quick, easy and time saving method for the consumer to set up the chair without the use of tools or fasteners. This is a very desirable product attribute for the consumer and an advantageous feature for the manufacturing facility and retailer. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Both the trade and consumer benefits substantially from the chair design of the present invention.
         The trade/retailer benefits from attractive manufacturing and shipping cost structures.   The trade/retailer can offer an easy to set up chair to the consumer—a benefit that is very appealing and offers a unique marketing appeal.   The trade/retailer benefits from reduced inventory space requirements for this style chair.   The consumer can quickly and easily assemble the chair without the need for tools or fasteners. This design allows the user to begin its use very quickly and easily.   The consumer has the ability through this invention to pivot the backrest to a position that is conducive to their work environment and comfort range.   The consumer benefits from a chair design that has the flexibility to add armrests in a range of styles.       

   The primary objectives of this invention is to construct a chair that is collapsible for purposes of shipping, but upon reaching the retailer or end user, the chair can be moved from its collapsed position to a normal usage position without requiring the using of any fasteners or the use of any tools. 
   The present invention pertains to a chair. The chair comprises a seat having adjustable armrests. The chair comprises a back which is connected to the seat and which pivots relative to the seat while it is connected to the seat between a collapsed state where the seat and the back are essentially parallel with each other and the back defines a plane, and an open state with the back and the seat are essentially perpendicular. The armrests, the back and the seat collapsed to a compact level which allows the chair to be packed in its most compact form with the height of the armrests even or lower than the plane of the back and its collapsed position. 
   The present invention pertains to a chair. The chair comprises a seat. The chair comprises a back. The chair comprises means for pivoting the back between a collapsed state and an open state with the seat. The chair comprises means for locking and unlocking the back relative to the seat. 
   The present invention pertains to a method for using a chair. The method comprises the steps of pivoting a back relative to a chair while it is connected to the seat to a collapsed state where the seat and the back are essentially parallel with each other, and the back defines a plane. There is the step of moving adjustable armrests of the seat to a collapsed state so the armrests, the back and the seat are collapsed to a compact level which allows the chair to be packed in its most compact form with the height of the armrests even or lower than the plane of the back in its collapsed state. There is the step of pivoting the back relative to the seat while it is connected to the seat to an open state while the back and the seat are essentially perpendicular. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     In the accompanying drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention and preferred methods of practicing the invention are illustrated in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a view showing the chair with pivotable back of the present invention in the fully engaged, upright position. 
       FIG. 2  is a view similar to  FIG. 1  but with the chair with pivotable back of this invention in the collapsed position; armrests are fully collapsed for compact shipment and shown is a disassembled compact state for shipping. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of the chair from the back, underneath side showing the latch mechanism fully engaged, the adjustable armrests in place and the hinged brackets mounted to the seat and backrest. 
       FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  but shows the pivot brackets that are separate from the armrest assembly. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the chair with an enlarged view of the spring biased latch assembly mounted on the underside, back side of chair seat and a receiving bracket on the chair back. 
       FIG. 6  is an underside perspective view of the chair. 
       FIG. 7  is an underside perspective view of the seat of the chair. 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the chair in a closed state. 
       FIG. 9  is an underside perspective view of the chair with an alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of the alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly with an enlarged view of the spring biased latch assembly mounted on the underside, back side of chair seat and a receiving bracket on the chair back. 
       FIG. 11  is an underside perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly of the chair. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to  FIGS. 1 and 2  thereof, there is shown a chair  100 . The chair  100  comprises a seat  10  having adjustable armrests  18 . The chair  100  comprises a back  29  which is connected to the seat  10  and which pivots relative to the seat  10  while it is connected to the seat  10  between a collapsed state where the seat  10  and the back  29  are essentially parallel with each other and the back defines a plane  60 , and an open state with the back  29  and the seat  10  are essentially perpendicular. The armrests  18 , the back  29  and the seat  10  collapse to a compact level which allows the chair  100  to be packed in its most compact form with the height of the armrests  18  even or lower than the plane  60  of the back  29  and its collapsed position. 
   Preferably, the chair  100  includes a pivot assembly  40  attached to the seat  10  and the back  29  about which the back  29  pivots, locks and unlocks relative to the seat  10 . The adjustable armrests  18  preferably operate independent of the pivoting of the back  29 . Preferably, the pivot assembly  40  includes support brackets attached to the seat  10  and pivot brackets attached to the back  29  and respective support brackets about which the back  29  pivots relative to the seat between the open and collapsed state. 
   The pivoting assembly  40  preferably includes a spring bias latch assembly mounted to the seat, and a locator tab located on the back that engages with the latch assembly allowing the usage position the back in several adjustable upright positions. Preferably, each armrest  18  has pads. The chair  100  preferably includes a pedestal  50  upon which the seat is supported. Preferably, the pedestal  50  or star base has wheels on which the pedestal  50  moves. 
   The present invention pertains to a chair  100 . The chair  100  comprises a seat. The chair  100  comprises a back  29 . The chair  100  comprises means for pivoting the back  29  between a collapsed state and an open state with the seat  10 . The chair  100  comprises means for locking and unlocking the back  29  relative to the seat  10 . 
   The present invention pertains to a method for using a chair  100 . The method comprises the steps of pivoting a back  29  relative to a chair  100  while it is connected to the seat  10  to a collapsed state where the seat  10  and the back  29  are essentially parallel with each other, and the back  29  defines a plane  60 . There is the step of moving adjustable armrests  18  of the seat  29  to a collapsed state so the armrests  18 , the back  29  and the seat  10  are collapsed to a compact level which allows the chair  100  to be packed in its most compact form with the height of the armrests even or lower than the plane  60  of the back in its collapsed state. There is the step of pivoting the back  29  relative to the seat  10  while it is connected to the seat to an open state while the back  29  and the seat  10  are essentially perpendicular. 
   Preferably, the pivoting to an open state step includes the step of pivoting pivot brackets on the back about support brackets on the seat. The pivoting to an open state step preferably includes the step of adjusting the armrests independent of the pivoting of the back. 
   The pivoting means and the locking and unlocking means are shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   In the operation of the invention, the invention provides a very simple, easy to use solution for building a chair  100  which commonly requires full assembly by the user. The pivot brackets mount to the underside of the seat surface in several points and are constructed separately from the armrests  18 . The armrests  18  which can be optional and separate from this design incorporate into the pivot brackets to provide additional strength to the bracket design. 
   The armrest design allows for the armrest to adjust in several user adjustable positions and also in a fully collapsed position that allows for a very compact shipping cube. The top of the armrest positions in its fully collapsed state, at the level or lower than the seat back in its fully collapsed state as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
   Referring particularly to the drawings,  FIG. 6  of this invention. The chair  100  includes a substantially planar seat  10 . A person&#39;s buttocks (not shown) is adapted to be located on the upper surface of the seat  10 . The seat  10  has side edges  11  and  12 . Fixedly mounted to the side edge or underneath edge  11  is a first support bracket  13 . A second support bracket  14  is fixedly mounted to the side edge or underneath edge  12 . Armrest  18  includes a cushioned pad  22 . Armrest  20  includes a similar cushioned pad  23 . Normally, the cushioned pads  22  and  23  will be constructed of a rigid material covered with a cushioning material made of leather and plastic combined with foam or some other similar cushioning material. 
   Mounted within the chair back  29  and connecting with the side edge is a pivot bracket  24 . Also mounted within the chair back  29  and connecting with the side edge is a second pivot bracket  25 . Each pivot bracket  24  and  25  is constructed in precisely the same manner. The pivot brackets  24  and  25  attach to support bracket  13  and support bracket  14  via a bushing and shoulder screw and provide a free moving pivot joint that allows the chair back  29  to be pivoted above seat surface. 
   Referring particularly to the drawings, and  FIG. 7  of this invention. The chair  100  has a bottom surface  27  whereas a spring biased latch assembly  28  is located at the rear edge of surface  27 . The back  29  has an integrated locator tab  30  which engages with the spring biased latch assembly  28  when the backrest is pivoted from a collapsed position to upright position. The engagement provides several adjustable locations and locks the pivoting back  29  in place for use. In the alternative embodiment of the hinge shown in  FIGS. 9-11 , a pin of the latch assembly fits into a desired hole in the tab  30  to hold the back  29  to the seat  10 . By varying which hole the pin is in, it changes the position of the back  29  and how much the back  29  is able to pivot. This provides structural integrity to the chair  100  and adjustability for the user unique to this design. 
   As the chair back is moved from the collapsed position, to the upright position, when the chair back  29  has been moved about 80 degrees, the locator tab  30  will come into contact with the spring biased latch assembly  28 . As the chair back  29  continues to move toward the upright position, the user will press/pull on the spring biased latch assembly to allow the locator tab to locate within several positions. It is to be noted that spring latch assembly  28  exerts a constant upward bias tending to maintain via holes in tube the locator tab in the fixed position. 
   Referring particularly to  FIG. 8  of this invention. This view shows the invention in its collapsed state. The locator tab  30  can be seen along with the spring biased latch assembly  28 , side edge bracket assembly  24 , side edge bracket assembly  25 . 
   The adjustable armrest  18  and adjustable armrest  20  can be seen in their fully collapsed position. This fully collapsed position allows the chair  100  to fully collapse to its most compact, space efficient form. 
   Patents incorporated by reference herein: 
   
       
       Grove U.S. Pat. No.- 6,786,553 Chair with Pivotable Back 
       Grove U.S. Pat. No.- 6,464,300 Collapsible Chair 
     
  
   Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be described by the following claims.