Patent Publication Number: US-2018049554-A1

Title: Tomzan armored chair

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority from prior provisional application Ser. No. 62/494,844, filed Aug. 22, 2016 which application is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention(s). It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art, or material, to the presently described or claimed inventions, or that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of anti-ballistic chair device and more specifically relates to an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Every year, 3 million young people in the United States fall victim to crimes at school. Almost 2 million of these incidents involve violence. Although most school violence takes the form of minor assaults, some episodes are far more serious. Some end in tragedy. For example, in two recent academic years, a total of 85 young people died violently in U.S. schools. Seventy-five percent of these incidents involved firearms. Whenever a violent incident occurs on a campus, there usually are calls to institute stricter security. Many school districts are turning to security measures such as metal detectors, surveillance cameras, X-ray machines, high fences, uniformed security guards, and increased locker searches. Machines similar to those that line airports now stand in many school entrances. Video cameras common to convenience stores now monitor hallways of some schools, and about one-fourth of all large school districts routinely use metal detectors to keep guns off campuses. A few years ago, New York purchased X-ray machines to scan student purses and book bags for weapons. 
     These security measures definitely deter some violence, but they also have drawbacks. Take metal detectors as an example. First of all, they are expensive. Second, it takes a long time to scan every student. One Brooklyn, New York, high school has students arrive in shifts to get through the metal detectors. Third, metal detectors cannot deter anyone determined to carry a weapon. As a report for Dade County School Board stated: “Students become creative. They pass weapons in through windows to friends, hide knives and other sharp instruments in shoes and in girlfriend&#39;s hair. They manage to find creative ways to bring weapons to school.” Unfortunately, it is not just the students who pose danger to America&#39;s schools. On Dec. 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza entered Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., fatally shooting twenty defenseless children. The gunman was able to simply walk in and commit a senseless, horrific crime that is still reverberating across the country. More recently, mass shootings have not only targeted children; nine parishioners were gunned down at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., on Jun. 17, 2015, and almost exactly a year later, 49 innocent people were systematically murdered at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. While these senseless massacres have spawned heated debates for gun control for and against, the fact remains that the nation&#39;s children and adults must be better protected against gun violence. 
     Various attempts have been made to solve problems found in snow removal cover devices art. Among these are found in: U.S. Patent No. 2014/0084646 to Mark E. Benden; U.S. Pat. No. 8,579,367 to Fred E. Peters et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,688,554 to Roy L. Weekly. This prior art is representative of snow removal cover devices. 
     Ideally, an anti-ballistic chair device should be user-friendly and safe in-use and, yet should operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks comprised of bulletproof material structured and arranged to provide both children and adults with optimal protection against attack by gunfire, whether seated in the chair, crouched down for protection, or by detaching the chair-back to use as, and wear as, a shield against gunfire, or for charging at the gunman in an effort to stop them and to avoid the above-mentioned problems 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known anti-ballistic chair device art, the present invention provides a provide an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks (Entitled Tomzan Armored Chair). The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail is to provide an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks comprised of bulletproof material structured and arranged to provide both children and adults with optimal protection against attack by gunfire, whether seated in the chair, crouched down for protection, or by detaching the chair-back to use as, and wear as, a shield against gunfire, or for charging at the gunman in an effort to stop them. 
     An armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks, comprising: a base member; a seat member; and a backrest member. The base member is adapted to be placed upon a supporting surface. The seat member is attached to the base portion and is adapted to support a person sitting thereon. The backrest member includes at least one panel and at least one strap member. The at least one panel is formed from a bullet-resistant material. The at least one strap member is attached to the at least one panel and adapted to be used to hold the at least one panel. The backrest member is releasably attached to the seat member and is adapted to be removed and used as a protective shield by a person upon any attack. 
     The present invention holds significant improvements and serves as an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks. For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, Armored Chair for Use In Repelling Projectiles And Offering Protection Against Physical Attacks (Entitled Tomzan Armored Chair)., constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present invention. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view illustrating an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating a backrest member releasably attached to a seat member of the armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3A  is a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of the backrest member of the armored chair worn in front using strap members as shoulder straps according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3B  is a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of the backrest member of the armored chair worn in back using strap members as shoulder straps according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3C  is a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of the backrest member of the armored chair using strap members as forearm strap members according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3D  is a perspective view illustrating an in-use condition of the backrest member of the armored chair using strap members as hand strap members according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to anti-ballistic chair device and more specifically relates to an anti-ballistic chair device art, the present invention provides a provide an armored chair for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks (Entitled Tomzan Armored Chair) comprised of bulletproof material structured and arranged to provide both children and adults with optimal protection against attack by gunfire, whether seated in the chair, crouched down for protection, or by detaching the chair-back to use as, and wear as, a shield against gunfire, or for charging at the gunman in an effort to stop them 
     Generally speaking, the Tomzan Armored Chair comprises a wearable bag/chair-like apparatus that doubles as a bulletproof shield, ready to deploy when confronted with a shooter to protect the wearer when running away or charging toward the gunman The unit would be sized appropriately for use by children as well as adults. 
     The Tomzan Armored Chair would be sized appropriately for use by children as well as adults. The Tomzan Armored Chair could be held comfortably over the back, or the front as a shield, by way of reinforced, adjustable straps, appropriately positioned on the sides of the pack. Additionally, two (2) sets of horizontal straps would be positioned below, also to allow a user to hold the Chair in front of him or her. Panels of Kevlar material would be inserted into the rear and sides, as well as the added front section, of the chair-back. 
     Kevlar is the most common element used by law enforcement and military personnel to protect themselves from gun projectiles, shrapnel from explosives, and knife attacks. Further, the top of the unit would offer an easily extended section of bulletproof glass to shield the head when the Chair is in use. The chair back will feature a rough yet attractive surface to create a painful impact on the gunman, should one charge at him in an effort to stop him In addition, the protective chair back, or shield, could be made to rotate to offer protection from various angles when necessary, before detaching the chair-back. As the unit is envisioned as a chair, it would function as one as well. A seat and rotating base would also be included. Thus, when confronted with danger, the users could either remain in their seats, and rotate to the safest position, lean the adjustable chair back over them, and crouch over for protection, or, users could quickly detach the chair back, and wear it as a shield on their back when escaping, or on their front, if charging towards the gunman in an effort to stop others from getting injured or killed. This product will be offered in various colors and styles depending on its use and location. 
     Clever and creative, the Tomzan Armored Chair would provide school-age children, teens, and adults of all ages a significant means of defense against firearm attack. A fully functional chair and wearable shield that offers complete protection of the torso and head, the Tomzan Armored Chair would ensure that Americans are guarded against bullets fired by fellow students or by unbalanced strangers off the streets. By having access to this protective safety tool, users can go to school, place of worship, work, restaurants or theaters, without worrying about losing their lives just trying to achieve an education, serve their God, earn a living, have a nice dinner out, or see a movie. 
     With a product such as the Tomzan Armored Chair in classrooms, offices, restaurants and more, horrific tragedies such as Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston, and Orlando, among too many others, could possibly be prevented or stopped. While politicians may debate gun control for years, this product could be on hand long before to ensure against further massacres. And, by providing public officials with a non-dangerous device with which to defend against or subdue a dangerous gunman, the danger of arming them is also solved. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 , showing perspective views illustrating armored chair  100  for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Armored chair  100  for use in repelling projectiles and offering protection against physical attacks is disclosed herein comprising: base member  110 ; seat member  140 ; and backrest member  170 . Base member  110  is adapted to be placed upon a supporting surface. 
     Seat member  140  is attached to base member  110  and is adapted to support a person sitting thereon. Seat member  140  includes two spaced connector members  150  extending therefrom; and wherein back rest member  170  includes two spaced engagement members  174  adapted to releasably engage two spaced connector members  150  and thereby releasably hold back rest member  170  to seat member  140  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Seat member  140  is pivotally attached to base member  110 . Seat member  140  includes post member  160  extending downwardly therefrom that is adapted to slidably attach to base member  110  at a plurality of spaced points thereon, such that seat member  140  is adjustable in height with respect to base member  110 . 
     Backrest member  170  includes at least one panel  180  and at least one strap member  190 . At least one panel  180  is formed from a bullet-resistant material. At least one panel  180  is formed from bulletproof glass. At least one panel  180  is formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of KEVLAR, LEXAN, graphite, graphene, carbon fiber, carbon fiber composite, titanium, and steel. At least one panel  180  further includes at least one hand grip  184  thereon adapted to allow person  310  to grip at least one panel  180  with hand  320 . 
     Two panels  200  are formed from bulletproof glass. Two panels  200  are telescopically connected to one another and adapted to be extended with respect to one another to expand a protective surface area of protective shield  350  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The bulletproof glass is transparent. Two panels  200  are formed from a material chosen from a group of materials consisting of KEVLAR, LEXAN, graphite, graphene, carbon fiber, carbon fiber composite, titanium, and steel. 
     At least one strap member  190  is attached to the at least one panel  180  and adapted to be used to hold the at least one panel  180 . At least one strap member  190  is adjustable. Backrest member  170  comprises two strap members  190  connected to opposite sides of at least one panel  180  and are adapted to be used to hold at least one panel  180 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3A-3D , show various views illustrating various methods of holding backrest member  170  of armored chair  100  using strap members  190  according to an embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 1 . 
     Backrest member  170  is releasably attached to seat member  140  and is adapted to be removed and used as a protective shield  350  by person  310  upon any attack as shown in in-use condition  300  of  FIG. 3 . Backrest member  170  comprises two panels  200  slidably connected to one another and adapted to be extended with respect to one another to expand a protective surface area of protective shield  350 . Two spaced connector members  150  each include connector portion  154  thereon adapted to releasably connect with each respective engagement member; and said two spaced engagement members  174  each includes release button  178  thereon adapted to release each respective connector portion  150 , such that when release buttons  178  are pushed back rest member  170  can be detached from seat member  140  and used as protective shield  350 . Backrest member  170  is adjustably and pivotally attached to seat member  140  via two spaced connector members  150 . 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.