Abstract:
A swivel rocker chair connection assembly facilitates construction of a swivel rocker chair and allows for the secure and stable operation of the chair. The chair includes a base portion, a seat portion and a connection assembly having at least one dual washer plate adapted to engage one or more rocker spring members positioned and engaged with the chair base and seat portions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of applicant&#39;s provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/609,924 filed Sep. 15, 2004, entitled “Swivel Rocker Assembly”, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a swivel rocker, and more particularly relates to a swivel rocker connection assembly, chair and method of securing a seat assembly and a base assembly using a swivel rocker connection assembly.  
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Various types of swivel rocker chairs have been known which allow a person seated in the chair to both rotate about a vertical axis and pivot back and forth. While other types of chairs might allow the back of the chair to pivot relative to the seat, swivel rocker chairs are constructed so that the back and seat of the chair pivot and rotate together as a unit. Swivel rocker chairs generally include a base portion and a seat portion, with the seat portion generally including a back portion and potentially armrest portions. Different mechanisms have been employed for securing the base portion of swivel rocker chairs to the seat portion, and these prior art mechanisms have suffered from several deficiencies. First, these prior art mechanisms often fail to provide a secure connection, which can result in the seat falling off of the base and potential injuries to the chair occupant and bystanders. Further, because many chairs are packaged so that they may be assembled on site by the end user, the parts and/or assembly instructions are often not sufficient to ensure that the chair is assembled properly so as to maintain full functionality and stability.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a connection assembly for a swivel rocker chair which allows for simple chair assembly and results in a safely operable chair.  
         [0005]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a swivel rocker chair connection assembly which restricts the method of chair assembly, thereby ensuring the secure and stable operation of the chair.  
         [0006]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a swivel rocker chair having a minimal number of connector parts while maintaining full functionality as well as secure attachment and operation. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  shows a front elevation of the swivel rocker assembly of the present invention affixed atop a base member for a swivel rocker chair.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the swivel rocker assembly and portions of the chair of the present invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  shows a front cutaway elevational view of the swivel rocker connection assembly of the present invention in partial cross-section.  
         [0010]      FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a front elevation and right side view, respectively, of a washer plate member of the swivel rocker assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]      FIGS. 1 through 4 B show a swivel rocker chair connector assembly in accordance with the present invention. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the swivel rocker chair connector assembly  10  connects a chair seat portion  12  to a chair base  14 . The chair seat portion  12  can be, for example, a lower stabilizing member such as U-bar member  16  which extends downwardly from the horizontal seat surface (not shown). The chair base assembly  14  can be provided with a base portion  15  that rests on the ground surface, legs  18  and a shaft  20  maintained in a cylindrical sleeve  22  so as to allow for rotation about a chair base axis, indicated at A. Legs  18  and cylindrical sleeve  22  can be secured to platform  23  by commonly known means, for example. A T-bar member  24  and a pair of substantially flat rocker spring members  26  can be provided as part of chair base assembly  14 . Connector assemblies  27  such as washer plates  28 , bolts  29  and nuts can be provided for securing the rocker spring members at a first end  30  to the T-bar member  24 . Connector assemblies  27  are also provided to secure the other end  32  of the rocker spring members  26  to the chair seat portion  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the connector assembly of the present invention can comprise dual washer member(s)  34  and one or more nut  36  and bolt  38  combinations. The connector assembly may also optionally include the T-bar member and rocker spring members  26 . In one embodiment, the connection of the rocker spring members to the chair seat portion can be accomplished by connecting means such as clamps, glue, or spot welds, for example, as opposed to washer members, nuts and bolts.  
         [0012]     A stem portion  25  of the T-bar member is secured to the chair base shaft, which is rotatably maintained within the chair base by any of various means known in the art. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the T-bar member stem portion  25  is secured in a first substantially horizontal plane B when secured to the chair base  14 . The T-bar member  24  is further provided with a top cross portion  27  secured to the stem portion  25  so as to extend in a second substantially horizontal plane C, as shown in  FIG. 2 , with the T-bar member top cross portion  27  and stem portion  25  being substantially perpendicular to one another. As further shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , T-bar member  24  has an upper surface  40  which can cooperatively engage lower surfaces of respective rocker spring members  26 . It will be appreciated that T-bar member can be part of a chair base assembly or part of the connector assembly of the present invention.  
         [0013]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , each rocker spring member  26  is provided with a first end  30 , a second end  32 , a top face  42 , and a bottom face  44 . The rocker spring members are secured on opposite sides of the chair base axis A and lie in substantially the same horizontal plane when at rest. This arrangement assists in the overall stability of the chair incorporating the swivel rocker assembly of the present invention. The rocker spring members can be substantially flat as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The rocker spring members have holes at each end  30  and  32  that cooperate with appropriate washer plate bolts and washer plates in accordance with the present invention. The first end  30  of the rocker spring member is positioned above the T-bar member top portion  27  such that the bottom face of the rocker spring member cooperatively engages the T-bar member top portion upper face  40 , with the second end  32  being positioned such that the rocker spring member top face rests underneath and cooperatively engages the bottom surface  45  of the chair seat portion  12 .  
         [0014]     It will be appreciated that, in an alternative embodiment, the present invention can operate with a single rocker spring member secured in substantially the middle portion of the T-bar member and in a plane above the chair base shaft, wherein such plane is substantially perpendicular to the chair base axis in the resting position.  
         [0015]     Rocker spring members  26  are secured to T-bar member  24  by bolts, nuts and washer plates in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, rocker spring members  26  are secured to T-bar member  24  prior to shipment of the swivel chair parts to be assembled by the end user. In one embodiment of the invention, rocker spring members  26  are formed of a fiberglass reinforced plastic.  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIGS. 3, 4A  and  4 B, at least one washer plate member  34  is provided having a pair of side walls  52  extending in substantially parallel relation, wherein each of the side walls  52  has an outer edge  54 , an inner  56  and an outer  58  surface and at least two openings  60  therein. The space between the two opposing and parallel side walls is provided so as to cooperate with the combined thickness of the U-bar and rocker spring, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The washer plate member further includes a bridge portion  62  integrally formed with and connecting the side walls  52 , wherein the bridge portion  62  has leg members  64  which extend laterally from the wall outer edges  54  and a joint portion  68  extending substantially perpendicularly from and connecting the leg members  64 . The proper positioning of washer plates and/or a single washer plate member is critical, because omitting them or mis-positioning them will sometimes result in failure of the rocker spring at the points of attachment to the U-bar or seat assembly lower stabilizing element.  
         [0017]     The washer plates  34 , which can be substantially U-shaped in cross section, for example, help secure the second ends  32  of respective rocker spring members  26  to U-bar member  16  or other seat portion stabilizing member. This dual washer plate  34 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , engages on one end the interior surface  19  of the substantially flat portion of U-bar member  16 . As further shown in  FIG. 3 , the washer plates engage, on the other end, the bottom surface  44  of the rocker spring members  26  such that a washer plate bolt  38  passes sequentially through the first wall of the washer plate  34 , the U-bar member  16  of the seat assembly, the rocker spring member  26 , the second wall of the washer plate  34 , a lock washer  35  (optionally), and a nut  36 . It will be appreciated that U-bar member and/or other seat assembly member is provided with openings that mate with the openings in washer plate  34  to allow bolt  38  to pass through.  
         [0018]     In one embodiment of the invention, the washer plate bolt  38  can be provided such that only the end portion of the bolt is threaded. In one embodiment, the threaded portion of the bolt represents approximately 25% of the entire length of the shaft of the bolt.  
         [0019]     The present invention further provides means for securing the rocker spring members to the washer plate members such that the inner surface of one of the washer plate member walls cooperatively engages the seat chair portion in mating relationship therewith, and further such that the inner surface of the second washer plate member walls cooperatively engages and is in mating relationship with the rocker spring member bottom face near the second end of the rocker spring member. The connection or securing means can include a pair of bolts  38  extending through the openings of the washer plate member walls  52 .  
         [0020]     In one embodiment of the invention, each of the bolts includes a shaft which is partially threaded. In one embodiment of the invention, the seat portion lies in a plane which is between the bridge portion of the washer plate member and the T-bar member top portion.  
         [0021]     The present invention makes it nearly impossible to omit or to mis-position the washer plates during installation. The partial threading of the washer plate bolt makes it impossible to attach the u-bar directly to the rocker spring without the dual washer plate.  
         [0022]     Other embodiments may be employed to achieve this result. One such alternative embodiment includes pre-assembling the U-bar, washer plates, spring rocker, T-bar and swivel shaft, thereby eliminating the need for consumer assembly. Another embodiment is to bond the washer plates to the U-bar by welding or glue, for example. Another embodiment involves bonding the washer plate to the rocker spring. Yet another embodiment involves bonding all washer plates into proper position. The embodiment shown in the drawings is preferred and optimizes cost of production, ease of assembly and bulk shipping.  
         [0023]     A method of installing a swivel rocker chair in accordance with the present invention can be accomplished as follows. First, a base assembly can be provided with a connected T-bar member substantially as described above. Then, a seat assembly having a lower stabilizing member can be provided. Next, one or more rocker spring members can be provided, wherein the rocker spring members have a first end and a second end, with the first end cooperatively engaging the T-bar member and the second end cooperatively engaging the seat assembly lower stabilizing element. Next, a dual washer plate member can be provided, wherein the plate has a pair of walls each having an interior surface, such that a first interior surface cooperatively engages an upper surface of the seat assembly lower stabilizing member, and such that a second interior surface cooperatively engages a lower surface of each of the one or more rocker spring members. Next, a bolt member can be passed sequentially through the washer plate, lower stabilizing member, rocker spring member, and again through the washer plate, and the bolt member can be secured in the passed-through position by a nut or other similar object.  
         [0024]     The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims of the application rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.