Abstract:
A reclining beach chair incorporating a frame having pairs of crossed front, rear and side legs, with each leg including a pair of bends in opposing directions in bringing the seat level of the chair closer to the ground, and with connectors for the legs and a tilt-locking mechanism for stabilizing the chair and positively fixing it at the reclining angle set when opened or folded, and for collapsing the chair to a compact package when closed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field Of The Invention 
     This invention relates to foldable chairs, in general, and to a collapsible chair especially useful at a beach or seashore location, in particular. 
     2. Description Of The Related Art 
     Folding or collapsible chairs in the nature of furniture have been described in such U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,635,520 (Roher et al) and 5,984,406 (Lee). In a multiple seat arrangement, they are also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,928 (Staunton et al). For outdoor use, in camping and watching sports games, chairs of this type have been illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,605 (Chang). When a reclining chair is desired for camping, hiking, fishing, and concert events, a construction of the type shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,068 (Levine) is said to be useful. 
     While chairs of these types may prove adequate to suit their intended purposes, they have proven deficient when employed at beaches or seashore locations where users prefer low seat heights, typically no more than 6″ to 10″ above ground. While adjustments for multiple reclining positions in these chairs are highly desirable, the need for adjusting the position safely and easily is equally as important. As the reclining chair is oftentimes left unoccupied when open, it is almost as important, if not more so, for the beach chair to have a degree of stability about it, so as to limit its propensity to be blown about by wind gusts, as well as when being sat upon by a user. These various features, however, are not readily available with the type of folding chair arrangements that typify the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     As will become clear from the following description, the reclining beach chair of the invention replaces the straight leg “X” tubing which characterizes standard designs by an “X” shape tubing incorporating pairs of bends to allow for bringing the seat level of the chair closer to the ground. By replacing the oftentimes used “brake lock” (for free-hand adjustment in sliding the chair back to the desired incline position) with a “positive” slide lock in which a “snap” is secured within a capturing aperture, a true, predetermined locking position results once the recline is set. As will be further described, to increase stability, the beach chair of the invention is constructed to effectively push forward its center of gravity, as by making the rear legs of the chair longer than the front legs. Where desired, a bar can also be fixed between opposing left and right sides of the chair frame back to further stabilize the chair when extended to an open position. In accordance with the invention, both the chair and the stabilizer bar are easily collapsible into a compact package to facilitate the carrying about and storage of this recliner. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the collapsible reclining beach chair of the invention in an unfolded position, with its seating fabric removed; 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the reclining beach chair in its unfolded position; 
     FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the chair as it is being collapsed; 
     FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the beach chair when fully collapsed, ready for storage; 
     FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the collapsible reclining beach chair in its unfolded position, with the seating fabric in place; 
     FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B,  7 A &amp;  7 B,  8 A &amp;  8 B,  9 A &amp;  9 B,  10 A &amp;  10 B,  11 A &amp;  11 B,  12 A &amp;  12 B, and  13 A &amp;  13 B are top and bottom perspective views respectively of various component parts of the beach chair of the invention, which allow the chair to be opened, low to the ground when in use, and to be collapsed for storing away (in a duffle-type bag, for example) once the chair is fully collapsed; 
     FIGS. 14A &amp; 14B and  15 A &amp;  15 B are top perspective views of components helpful in an understanding of the operation of the optional stabilizer bar of the invention; 
     FIG. 16A and 16B pictorially illustrate two of the eight “X” shaped tubing legs of the reclining beach chair with the bends which allow for bringing its seat near to the ground, while allowing the chair to be eventually collapsed compactly; and 
     FIG. 17 pictorially illustrates a manner for securing the “X” shaped tubing legs together. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As with the folding chair of U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,406, the collapsible reclining beach chair of the present invention is constructed out of tubular members. In particular, the frame of the beach chair  10  includes eight crossed legs in pairs of two each—front legs  12 ,  14 , rear legs  16 ,  18 , and side legs  20 ,  22  and  24 ,  26 . As illustrated, each of the pairs  12  &amp;  14 ,  16  &amp;  18 ,  20  &amp;  22  and  24  &amp;  26  are joined together by pivot pins  25 . The frame  10 , furthermore, includes a pair of side supports  28 ,  30 —which, like the crossed legs  12  &amp;  14 ,  16  &amp;  18 ,  22  and  24  are tubular, and are constructed of aluminum or steel. The side legs  20  and  26 , on the other hand, are constructed of extruded aluminum tubing, the reason for which is explained below. 
     A pair of front connectors  35  join the crossed legs  14  &amp;  20  and  12  &amp;  26  together at their upper ends. A pair of front pad connectors  40  join the crossed legs  12  &amp;  22  together, as well as the crossed legs  14  &amp;  24 , at their bottom ends. Similarly, two rear connectors  45 ,  50  respectively connect the upper ends of crossed legs  16  &amp;  22  and  18  &amp;  24  at their upper ends. Two rear pad connectors  55 ,  60  respectively join the lower ends of the crossed legs  18  &amp;  20  and  16  &amp;  26 . As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the side supports  28 ,  30  respectively extend downwardly through apertures  33 , in the rear connectors  45 ,  50 , to couple with a sliding lock mechanism  37  arranged to move linearly along the legs  20  and  26 . As will be described below, the position of the lock mechanism along the legs  20 ,  26  sets the angle of recline of the chair frame  10 , where it is positively secured in place. 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 16A &amp; 16B, the cross leg members  12  (also  16 ,  20 ,  24 ) and  14  (also  18 ,  22 ,  26 ) are fabricated with a pair of opposing “bends” at  17 ,  19  rather than being of “straight” length as are the legs of U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,406. An aperture  27  is provided mid-way between the bends  17 ,  19  to receive the pivot pin  25  (FIG.  17 ). Additional apertures  29 ,  31 ,  39  and  41  receive rivets or similar such fasteners in coupling the crossed legs  12  &amp;  14 ,  16  &amp;  18 ,  20  &amp;  22  and  24  &amp;  26  to the various connectors  35 ,  40 ,  45 ,  55  and  60  of FIG.  1 . 
     In particular, the lower end  101  of the crossed legs  12  &amp;  14  are fastened by rivet or other appropriate manner to the front wall  77  of the front pad connector  40  shown as having a perpendicular side wall  78  (FIG.  7 A), the fastener passing through its aperture  79 A. Similarly, the lower end  102  of the crossed legs  22  &amp;  24  also are riveted, or otherwise fastened, tc the perpendicular wall  78 , by means of its aperture  79 B. As illustrated, both front pad connectors  40  are identical, with one of the lower ends  101  being on one side of the front wall  77 , the other lower end being on the opposite side, and with the two lower ends  102  being on opposing faces of the side wall  78 . 
     In like manner, the lower end  103  of the crossed legs  18  &amp;  20  and the lower end  104  of the crossed legs  16  &amp;  26  are fastened by rivets, or otherwise, to the rear pad connectors  55 ,  60  respectively, with the rear pad connector  55  being shown in FIGS. 9A &amp; 9B, and with the rear pad connector  60  being shown in FIGS. 10A &amp; 10B. Each of the connectors  55 ,  60  similarly include a pair of perpendicular walls  81 ,  82  and  83 ,  84 , each with their own apertures  85 A &amp;  85 B and  86 A &amp;  86 B. As indicated, the lower end  103  of leg  20  is fastened to one side of the wall  81  via aperture  85 A while the lower end  103  of leg  18  is fastened to one side of the wall  82  via aperture  85 B. Correspondingly, the lower end  104  of leg  26  is fastened to the opposing surface of wall  83  of connector  60  via aperture  86 B, while the lower end  104  of leg  16  is fastened to the opposing surface of wall  84  via aperture  86 A. 
     In accordance with the invention, the dimension L 1  (FIGS. 9B &amp; 10B) between the front and rear surfaces of the connectors  55  and  60  is greater than the dimension L 2  (FIG. 7B) between the front and rear surfaces of the connector  40  (a diameter in the embodiment of FIGS. 7A &amp; 7B) so as to effectively move the center of gravity of the frame  10  forward. This provides a greater stability to the reclining beach chair, a safety feature. Also to enhance stability and safety, a plurality of spaced, compressible pins  91  are included along the lower portion of legs  20  and  26  for fitting within the sliding lock mechanism  37  (FIGS.  8 A and  8 B). An aperture  92  in mechanism  37  receives the lower portion of the leg, with a second aperture  93  available to accept and capture the pin  91  by snap action to form a positive locking securement. A tab  94 , of any desired cross-section, runs along the length of aperture  92  from front to back so as to slide within a linear groove  95  cut along the lower portion of legs  20  and  26  to secure and lock legs  20 ,  26  against sideways rotation—with the legs fabricated of extruded aluminum, which can be formed with the linear groove  95  as part of the extrusion. As will be appreciated, it is not generally an easy matter to make steel tubing with the groove  95  as required. 
     The upper end  111  of leg  20  and the upper end  113  of leg  14  are fastened together in front connector  35  in manner identical to the fastening in connector  32  of upper end  115  of leg  12  and upper end  117  of leg  26 . The connectors  35  are illustrated in FIGS. 6A &amp; 6B with one of the legs ( 20  or  12 ) being fastened through the apertures  121 A and  121 B of two parallel walls  122 ,  123 , and with the other of the legs ( 14  or  26 ) being fastened through the aperture  124  of the perpendicular wall  125 . The aperture  126  will be understood as receiving a screw or like fastener extending upwardly through the connector  35  to join with a cap  130  which holds the fabric liner  131  of the chair in place along the front of the seat (FIG.  5 ). 
     The upper end  141  of the leg  22  is similarly coupled with the upper end  142  of leg  16  within the connector  45 , designed as a mirror image of the connector  50  which receives the upper end  143  of leg  18  and the upper end  144  of leg  24 . These connectors  45  and  50  are illustrated in FIGS. 12A &amp; 12B and  11 A &amp;  11 B, respectively, with one leg fastened through each aperture  145 ,  146  of the perpendicular walls  147 ,  148 , and with the aperture  149  corresponding to the aperture  33  in the connectors  45  and  50  of FIG.  1 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 1, to complete the basic frame  10  of the reclining beach chair, the side supports  28  and  30  pass through the aperture  33  in the connectors  45  and  50  to fasten by rivets or otherwise to the slide locking mechanism  37 , and more particularly between the apertures  151 — 151  or  152 — 152 —as illustrated in FIGS. 8A &amp; 8B. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the manner of attaching the fabric liner  131  to the chair frame  10 . As previously mentioned, a cap  130  secures the front of the liner to the front of the frame. A strap  132  is sewn at left and right undersides  133  of the fabric liner  131 , and is provided with an opening defined by a grommet (not shown), through which the side supports  28 ,  30  pass. A sleeve  134  is included at the rear underside of the fabric liner  131 , to slip over the top  135  of the side supports  28 ,  30 , reinforced in any desired manner. As shown, the strap  132  rests atop the rear connectors  45 ,  50 . 
     With the frame  10  incorporating a pair of bends  17 ,  19  spaced about the pivot point  27 , the seat level of the chair can be brought lower to the ground, to as low as six inches above it, as many users at a beach or seashore location prefer. By providing a slide locking mechanism  37  along the legs  20  and  26 , the beach chair can be reclined to the desired angle, and with the snap provided through the multiple push pin positions with its capturing aperture  93 , a secure lock at the desired position results. By making the rear pad connectors  55 ,  60  longer than the front pad connectors  40 , further increased stability follows. With the position locking arrangements typifying the prior art, freeways rotational turning of the frame was experienced because of the “roundness” of the tubing employed in the lock—a possibility which is virtually eliminated through the scoring of the cross legs  20  and  26  at the groove  95 , in receiving the tab  94  of the snap lock  37 . In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bends  17 ,  19  extend on either side of the pivot pins  25  a distance of 2 to 4 inches, depending upon how low to the ground the seat level of the frame  10  is to go. At the same time, the position to which the recline is set is adjustable either before or after the chair is opened. 
     While the reclining beach chair as so far described performs quite well, a further feature of the design offers even greater stability in windy conditions, through the use of a bar  160  hinged between the supports  28 ,  30 . Shown in FIG. 1, such bar  160  may be of a 2-piece tubular construction, fitted at one end “A” onto a rotatable extension  161  of a roller hinge  162  (FIGS. 14A &amp; 14B showing the limits of rotation). At the opposite end “B” of the bar construction, a hinged bracket  163  is provided with its own rotatable extension  164  to fit within the tubular length (FIGS. 15A &amp; 15B illustrating the rotational limits of this hinge). As shown in FIGS. 1,  13 A and  13 B, one rotatable extension  164  on each hinge  163  fits within an opening  165  in a coupler  166 , a second opening  167  of which goes over the upper end  171  of the side supports  28 ,  30 , where it is held by a press fit. When fabricating the bar  160  of aluminum or other stiffening material, not only is back support provided for the fabric of the chair, but stability of the side supports  28 ,  30  is present against ensuing wind. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the first step in collapsing the reclining beach chair after use, where the stabilizer bar  160  is employed. Namely, the roller hinge  162  is lifted upwardly, as shown by the arrow  200 , which exerts a pressure on the side supports  28 ,  30 , in the direction of the arrows  201  pulling the supports toward each other. The motion rotates the locking mechanisms and the various legs and connectors inwardly, to take on the compact configuration of FIG.  4 . Such action raises the rear connectors  45  and  50 , to lift the fabric liner  131  which rests thereon, to collapse it as well, wherein the beach chair, then in a collapsed condition, can be placed in a duffle bag and carried about, or otherwise stored. Where the stabilizer bar  160  is not employed, only a gentle pressure on the supports  28 ,  30  in the direction of the arrows  201  is all that is necessary to begin the collapsing action. 
     While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For example, whereas compressible pins  91  are set out to snap the slide lock mechanism  37  in secured position, other manners of fastening the mechanism in place can be utilized instead—such as by a lever and actuating spring to force a pin as part of the mechanism itself into the extruded tubing. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.