Patent Publication Number: US-7581786-B1

Title: Combination chair

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Technical Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to chairs and more particularly, to a combination chair that has a storage box detachably inserted therein for keeping things. 
     (b) Description of the Prior Art 
     Many storage devices are commercially available. These storage devices include two types, i.e., the fixed type and the collapsible type. Regular fixed type storage devices commonly have a frame structure made of metal, wood, plastics, or other hard or rigid materials. Because a fixed type storage device is not collapsible, it occupies much storage space when not in use. A collapsible type storage device can be received in a collapsed status to reduce space occupation when not in use. Flexible sheet materials may be used for making collapsible type storage devices. Further, hinge means may be used in a collapsible type storage device to connect hard members. Either fixed type or collapsible type, a conventional storage device is simply used to keep things. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a combination chair, which is folding collapsible. It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination chair, which has a storage box inserted therein for keeping things. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination chair with a storage box therein, which provides a bottom buffer space to avoid jamming of the storage box in the chair body. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a combination chair comprises a box-like chair body, a storage box movable in and out of the box-like chair body for keeping things, and a cover covered on the box-like chair body for a person to sit thereon. 
     Further, the box-like chair body comprises a front panel, which has an opening through which the storage box is moved in and out of the box-like chair body, a back panel opposing the front panel, two folding side panels connected between the front panel and the back panel at two opposite lateral sides, and two collapsible flexible bottom panels arranged in a stack and horizontally fastened to the front panel, the back panel and the side panels at a bottom side. Further, each side panel has a vertically extending middle folding line. By means of the folding lines, the box-like chair body can be folded into a collapsed flat manner. 
     Further, a hard bottom board is supported on the two collapsible flexible bottom panels, and two reinforcing plates are inserted into the box-like chair body and detachably connected between the front panel and the back panel in a parallel manner and supported on the hard bottom board. Each reinforcing plate has two end flanges respectively detachably fastened to the front panel and the back panel by hook and loop materials. Further, a hard top board is supported on the collapsible flexible reinforcing plates. 
     Further, the storage box has a folding collapsible structure similar to the box-like chair body. Therefore, the storage box can be folded up and set in a collapsed flat manner when not in use. 
     The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a combination chair in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cutaway view of the combination chair in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the combination chair in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the combination chair in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a combination chair in accordance with the present invention comprises a chair body  1 , which has an opening  10  in its front side, a storage box  6  inserted through the opening  10  into the inside of the chair body  1  and kept in flush with the front side of the chair body  1 , and a cover member  5  covered on the top side of the chair body  1  for a person to sit thereon. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 2  again, the chair body  1  is a top-open type rectangular container having a front panel  11 , a back panel  12  opposing the front panel  11 , and two side panels  13  connected between the front panel  11  and the back panel  12  at two opposite lateral sides, and two flexible bottom panels  15  and  151  arranged in a stack and horizontally fastened to the front panel  11 , the back panel  12  and the side panels  13  at the bottom side. The front panel  11 , the back panel  12  and the side panels  13  can be respectively made of one or two hard boards and wrapped with a cloth. Each side panel  13  has a folding line  14  vertically disposed on the middle. Through the folding lines  14 , the side panels  13  can be respectively folded up to collapse the chair body  1  into a flat manner. Further, the aforesaid opening  10  is formed in the front panel  11 . The chair body  1  further comprises a hard bottom board  2  supported on the upper flexible bottom panel  15 , two reinforcing plates  3  detachably connected between the front panel  11  and the back panel  12  in a parallel manner for guiding sliding of the storage box  6  through the opening  10  in and out of the chair body  1 , and a hard top board  4  supported on the two reinforcing plates  3 . Each reinforcing plate  3  has two end flanges  31 . The end flanges  31  are respectively provided with a male fastening member (or female fastening member)  32 . Further, female fastening members (or male fastening members)  16  are respectively bilaterally provided at the inner wall of the front panel  11  and the inner wall of the back panel  12  for securing the male fastening member (or female fastening member)  32  at the end flanges  31  of the reinforcing plates  3 . The female fastening members (or male fastening members)  16  and the male fastening member (or female fastening member)  32  can be hook and loop materials. Referring to  FIG. 4 , for sitting comfort, the cover member  5  is stuffed with a soft stuffing material  51  under the soft covering thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  again, the storage box  6  is folding collapsible, comprising a front panel  61 , a back panel  62 , two side panels  63  connected between the front panel  61  and the back panel  62  at two opposite lateral sides, and a flexible bottom panel (not shown) horizontally fastened to the front panel  61 , the back panel  62  and the side panels  62  at the bottom side. Each side panel  63  has a vertical folding line  64  on the middle. Through the veitical folding lines  64 , the side panels  63  can be folded up to collapse the storage box  6 . Further, the front panel  61  of the storage box  6  can be provided with a handle. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 4  again, the two flexible bottom panels  15  and  151  provide a buffer space. When a person sits on the cover member  5 , the two flexible bottom panels  15  and  151  can be curved downwards to buffer the pressure, avoiding jamming of the storage box  6  in the chair body  1 . A prototype of combination chair has been constructed with the features of  FIGS. 1˜4 . The combination chair functions smoothly to provide all of the features disclosed earlier. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.