Patent Publication Number: US-2007102987-A1

Title: Meshed seat cushion for chair

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      (a) Technical Field of the Invention  
      The present invention generally relates to chairs, and more particularly to a meshed seat cushion for a chair.  
      (b) Description of the Prior Art  
      The seat cushion and/or backrest of a chair are sometimes designed to be meshed ones so as to facilitate ventilation and to enhance the comfort of a user.  FIG. 1  is a perspective diagram showing a conventional chair having meshed seat cushion and backrest. As illustrated, the chair  1  mainly contains a backrest  11 , a seat cushion  12 , and a stand  13 .  
      The backrest  11  has a frame  111  and a meshed member  112  wrapping up the frame  111  and fixed to the frame  111  by bolts. The seat cushion  12 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , contains a seat bottom  121  having an open top and a number of bolt holes  1211  around its top rim, a meshed member  122 , and a rim member  123 . The meshed member  122  is configured to cover the open top of the seat bottom  121  and is fixed to the rim member  123  by screwing the bolts S through the bolt holes  1211  and the meshed member  122 . The stand  13  has a number radial legs  131  with rollers  132  at the ends to support the seat cushion  12  and the backrest  11  on the ground and for easy moving.  
      Conventionally, the meshed member  122  is elastic to fit the specific posture of a user. However, as the user&#39;s entire weight is placed upon the seat cushion  12 , the meshed member  122  would deform after a period of usage and the comfort provided by the chair  1  is seriously impaired.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a novel meshed seat cushion to obviate the disadvantages of conventional designs. The meshed seat cushion contains at least a bottom member, a meshed member, a rim member, and a number of elastic members. The bottom member has a basin shape with a number of bolt holes around its top rim and, inside the bottom member, there are a number of supporting elements along two opposing sides of the bottom member so as to suspend the elastic members across the top of the bottom member and beneath the meshed member. Each of the elastic members has at least an elongated flexible element with locking elements at its two ends. The meshed member covers the top and the top rim of the bottom member and, then, is framed and fixed to the bottom member by the rim member and the application of a number of bolts through the bolt holes.  
      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 a perspective diagram showing a conventional chair having meshed seat cushion and backrest.  
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the meshed seat cushion of the chair in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the meshed seat cushion of the chair in  FIG. 1  after a period of usage.  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective diagram showing the various components of a meshed seat cushion according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
       FIG. 5  is a perspective diagram showing the outlook of the meshed seat cushion of  FIG. 4  after it is assembled.  
       FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing the meshed seat cushion of  FIG. 4 .  
       FIG. 7  is a schematic diagram showing the meshed seat cushion of  FIG. 4  when it is under the weight of a user.  
    
    
     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.  
      As shown in  FIG. 4 , a meshed seat cushion  2  according to an embodiment of the present invention contains at least a bottom member  3 , a meshed member  4 , a rim member  5 , and a number of elastic members  6 .  
      The bottom member  3  has a basin shape with a number of bolt holes  331  configured around its top rim  33 . Inside the bottom member  3 , there are a number of supporting elements  31  configured along two opposing sides of the bottom member  3 . On top of each of the supporting elements  31 , there are bolt holes  311 . Also, at and along the bottom of the bottom member  3 , there could be at least a reinforcing element  32  to make the bottom member  3  more rigid and reliable. Please note that the supporting elements  33  also help to reinforcing the rigidity of the bottom member  3 .  
      The meshed member  4  is a sheet having a large number of meshes and an appropriate elasticity. The rim member  5  is a hollow frame having a shape and dimension matching those of the rim  33  of the bottom member  3  and, therefore, the rim member  5  could cover and wrap the rim  33  of the bottom member  3 . Each of the elastic members  6  has at least an elongated flexible element  62  with locking elements  61  at its two ends. The locking element  61  has through holes  611  corresponding to the bolt holes  311  on the supporting element  31 .  
      To assemble the meshed seat cushion  2 , first, the elastic members  6  are laid across the top of the bottom member  3  so that its locking elements  61  have their through holes  611  matched to the bolt holes  311  of two opposing supporting element  31  respectively. Then, bolts S 1  are screwed into the bolt holes  311  through the through holes  611  from top to bottom so as to fix the locking elements  61  to the supporting elements  31 . As such, the elastic members  6  are suspended and stretched across the top of the bottom member  3 . Subsequently, the meshed member  4  is used to cover the top and the top rim of the bottom member  3  and the rim member  5  is used to frame the meshed member  4  to the bottom member  3 . Then, the bolts S 2  are screwed into the rim member  5  from bottom to top through the meshed member  4  and the bolt holes  331  on the rim  33  of the bottom member  3 . The assembled meshed seat cushion  2  is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , when a user is sitting on the meshed seat cushion  2 , the meshed member  4  would sink under the weight of the user. However, due to the configuration of the elastic members  6  under the meshed member  4 , a large part of the user&#39;s weight is actually absorbed by the elastic members  6 . As such, the flexible elements  62  not only improve the comfort of the user, but also provide support to the meshed member  4  so that it wouldn&#39;t deform after a long period of usage and that its ventilation capability could still be maintained. The operational life of the meshed seat cushion  2  is therefore extended significantly.  
      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.