Patent Publication Number: US-10758047-B2

Title: Swinging chair with auto-reclining feature

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/450,267, titled “HANGING CHAIR”, which was filed on Jan. 25, 2017 which is incorporated fully herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to chairs for use outdoors and indoors and more particularly, relates to a swinging chair, with an optional auto-reclining feature, made of a hard material such as wood or plastic or a lightweight material such as fabric or leather that hangs from and within a lightweight, freestanding frame, and wherein in one embodiment, the entire chair seat and frame can be folded or transformed into a compact package for use in outdoor camping, backpacking, beach and other outdoor or indoor activities where a transformable, compact and comfortable chair is desirable. 
     BACKGROUND INFORMATION 
     Campers, hikers, backpackers and others who pursue outdoor activities desire and enjoy the ability to sit down comfortably once they arrive at their final destination or at some intermediate point. Current folding or otherwise transforming chairs do not offer the swinging action or auto-reclining feature desired by users. Some current chairs are rocking chairs, but rocking is not well suited for use on the bumpy, uneven terrain typical of the outdoors and is a very different as action and feeling from a hanging chair. In addition, users of chairs indoors or in a patio setting also desire and new sitting experience that is comfortable, enjoyable and adjustable. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a portable (in some instances), swinging chair that can be set up on terrain typically found at camping sites or at the beach and providing a chair offering the experience of both upright sitting and reclining. Such a needed chair should interface with the ground by static legs similar to ordinary chairs while providing the dynamic action of swinging that happens between the frame and the hammock-like suspended chair portion, allowing the swinging to take place independent of the terrain. Further, this new solution should, if desired, be easy to disassemble or transform, be lightweight and pack small. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is front perspective view of the swinging chair according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of the swinging chair frame according to one aspect of the invention; 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the swinging chair frame according to one aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the swinging chair frame according to the invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the swinging chair frame according to the invention. 
         FIGS. 5A-5E  are perspective views of the swinging chair frame hub connector according to one feature of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 6A-6C  are front, top and side perspective views of the swinging chair frame according to the invention; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  our close-up views of the legs and upright support of the swinging chair frame according to one embodiment of the present invention illustrating extra tube wall thickness in selected locations; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the swinging chair support and reclining system in accordance with one feature of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 9A and 9B  is a top view of the chair reclining mechanism strap lock according to one feature of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 10A-10B  are close-up perspective views of the locking upright pole tip according to one feature of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11A-11K  close-up perspective views of two embodiments of the chair reclining mechanism strap lock according to one feature of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is a view of one side of the auto reclining mechanism of the swinging chair according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is a close-up view of the auto reclining mechanism pulley system of the swinging chair according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the reclining mechanism and pulley system of the auto reclining system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of the auto reclining system and attachment to the armrest and the back rest of the swinging chair according to the present invention; 
         FIGS. 16A and 16B  are front and rear views respectively of one embodiment of the back rest and headrest support system according to one feature of the present invention; 
         FIG. 17 . is a side view of the back rest and headrest support according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 18A-18E  are perspective views of the swinging chair according to the present invention utilizing flat bars to support the headrest and back portion of the chair seat; 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of the swinging chair according to the present invention utilizing poles to support the headrest and back portion of the chair seat; and 
         FIGS. 20A, 20B, 21A and 21B  are perspective front and side views of high back and low back versions of the hanging chair in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention features a swinging chair  10 ,  FIG. 1 , having a swinging seat portion  12 . In one embodiment, the swinging seat portion  12  is made of a lightweight, pliable material such as woven or knit fabric, mesh, or leather. In another embodiment, the swinging seat portion  12  may be made of a more rigid, non-pliable material such as wood, plastic or composite material. 
     The seat portion  12  hangs from a lightweight and strong freestanding frame  14  ( FIG. 2  for example) typically made of aluminum tubing having cross sectional widths in the range of 0.25 to 5.0 inches. The frame  14  is termed “rigid” however the frame  14  exhibits the properties of being free standing and able to support the weight of a person in the chair but is in fact also flexible to some extent, as is generally found in materials such as aluminum. The aluminum material may have a shape other than circular such as elliptical or square for example and generally has a wall thickness of approximately 0.05 to 0.5 inches. Other suitable materials such as metals, metal alloys, polymers, polymer composites, wood, ceramics or any combination thereof are contemplated and considered to be within the scope of the present invention. 
     The frame  14 ,  FIG. 2 , is, in one embodiment, preferably formed by seven (7) segments: a first three (3) segment portion  16  including one set of two legs ( 16   a  and  16   b ) and upright chair support member ( 16   c ); and a second three (3) segment portion  18  forming a second set of two legs ( 18   a ,  18   b ) and upright chair support member  18   c . In another embodiment, in order to make the frame  14  more portable and packable, the upright chair support members  16   c  and  18   c  may each be provided as two interconnecting segments ( 16   c   1 ,  16   c   2 ,  18   c   1  and  18   c   2 ,  FIG. 2A ) to provide more portability and packability for the chair. Each individual segment  16   c   1 / 16   c   2  and  18   c   1 / 18   c   2  may be connected together to the corresponding adjacent segment by an elastic shock cord as is commonly found in tent frames. Each individual upright support member segment  16   c   1 ,  16   c   2 ,  18   c   1  and  18   c   2  may be roughly the same length to provide for easy packing. 
     In another embodiment of a less portable and non-packable chair, the frame  14  may not break down but may be formed of a welded steel or aluminum frame, molded carbon fiber or composite, or the like. 
     In one of the embodiments disclosed herein, the first three segments  16  are held together in place by a first “hub”  20 , while the second three segments  18  are held together and in place by a second identical “hub”  22 . A “crossbar” spacer segment  24  keeps the first and second hubs  20 ,  22  and accompanying segments  16 / 18  in a fixed relationship (i.e. a fixed distance) from one another. 
     Each “hub”  20 / 22  (shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 5A-5E ) are manufactured from metals, metal alloys, polymers, polymer composites, wood, ceramics or any composite material that can be used to fabricate the hubs  20 / 22 , all considered to be within the knowledge of those skilled in the art and within the scope of the present invention. 
     The leg segments  16   a ,  16   b  and  18   a ,  18   b  are arranged by the hubs  20 ,  22  at an angle  26  in  FIG. 3  of between 45 and 90 degrees (preferably 32 degrees) from a vertical axis  30  when viewed from the front or back (as in  FIG. 3 ), while each pair of leg segments  16   a / 16   b  and  18   a / 18   b  are also arranged at an angle  42   FIG. 4  vis-à-vis one another in the range of 0 to 90 degrees (preferably approximately 54 degrees) from the vertical axis  44  when viewed from the side. The chair support segments  16   c  and  18   c  are arranged and maintained at an angle  28  in  FIG. 3  of between 0 and 45 degrees from the vertical axis  30  (preferably approximately 20 degrees). 
     In one embodiment, spacer segment  24  is arranged essentially level horizontally. In another embodiment, spacer segment  24  may be curved as shown by dashed line  24   a  in  FIG. 3  so the height of the hub  20  can be increased and the crossbar segment  24  does not interfere with the bottom of the swinging seat  12 . 
     It is contemplated that the swinging chair in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may be provided in 2 sizes. In the small size, the chair legs  16   a / 16   b  and  18   a / 18   b  have a length of approximately 11.4 inches while in the larger size, have a length of approximately 15 inches. The frame upright chair supports  16   c / 18   c  have a length of approximately 23.6 inches in the small size and 28 inches in the large size. In the small size, the crossbar segment  24  is approximately 18 inches in length while approximately 17 inches in length and the large size. 
     Chair components of the sizes (large and small) contemplated by the present invention provide a chair frame having approximately 34 inches of spacing for the small frame and 35.5 inches of spacing for the large frame between the 2 upright most portions of the frame  50  and  52   FIG. 6A ; 26 inches between the bottoms of the chair frame feet where they contact the ground from a frontal perspective in the small size,  FIG. 6B , and 28 inches between the bottoms of the chair frame feet in the large size. 
     The chair frame feet are preferably arranged approximately 19 inches apart at the base of the feet where they contact the ground from a side perspective for the small size,  FIG. 6B , and 25 inches for the same components in the large size. The bottom portion of each of the legs  16   a - 16   b  and  18   a - 18   b  may include a nonslip foot  31  as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     In one embodiment wherein the chair frame and or chair is packable or can collapse to make it more portable, the individual segments  16   a - c ,  18   a - c  and  24  are removed from the hubs  20 ,  22  and can be stored in a small bag or sleeve along with the hubs and potentially the chair seat for later assembly. 
     In another embodiment, the individual segments  16   a - 16   c  from one side of the frame  14 , and segments  18   a - 18   c  from the other side of the frame  14  as well as spacer segment  24  may be held together by a standard shock cord run through the center of the segments as is well-known in the tent industry, in order to afford easy assembly and disassembly of the frame  14  and to prevent loss of the frame segments. In another embodiment of the present invention, the individual segments  16   a - c ,  18   a - c  and  24  could attach to hubs  20 ,  22  by hinging or swiveling elements, allowing the chair frame  14  to fold. 
     An additional feature of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes reinforcement in strategic locations in one or more of the chair frame feet and upright segments. For example, in the leg segments  16   a  and  18   a  and  16   b  and  18   b ,  FIG. 7A , approximately 4 inches (section  52 ) of that portion of the leg support that is inserted into the hub  20 / 22  may be reinforced with an additional piece of tubing  53  permanently located in the end region  52  where the leg segments enter the hub. Alternatively, the legs themselves may be made with a thicker wall thickness or diameter in the area of section  52  proximate the hub, tapering toward the feet  31   FIG. 8 . These inserts and/or increased diameter or wall thickness in the legs help to strengthen the legs and help prevent their breakage or bending. 
     In somewhat similar fashion as shown in  FIG. 7 b   , the upright supports  16   c / 18   c  may include a portion  54  having either an insert or an increased wall thickness to also help strengthen the uprights and help prevent breakage or bending. Use of these reinforcements may allow the use of lighter weight materials for the rest of the frame and a reduction of overall weight of the chair frame  14 . 
     The swinging seat portion  12 ,  FIGS. 1 and 8 , may, in one embodiment, be made of a more rigid, non-pliable, non-collapsible material such as wood, plastic or composite material. In another embodiment, the swinging chair portion  12  may be made of a pliable, durable material such as woven or knit fabric, mesh or leather. The swinging seat portion  12  comprises a seat bottom region  32 , and a seat back portion  34 . Three nylon or similar straps or cordage  60 ,  62  and  64  are provided on each side of the swinging seat and serve to support and suspend the seat for the user. 
     One strap  60   a/b , preferably of fixed length, is attached proximate each front corner portion  36   a/b  of each side of the seat bottom portion  32  to a front portion of each armrest  37 ; one strap  64   a/b  is attached proximate each of the top corner regions  38   a/b  of the seat back portion  34 ; while one set of straps  62   a/b  is attached part-way down the seat back portion  34  to a rear portion of each armrest  37 . The swinging seat portion  12  may also have built-in armrests  37  made of a rigid or semi-rigid structure enclosed in seat material. 
     In one embodiment, the straps  60 ,  62  and  64  (three from each side) come together at a metal locking plate system  42 ,  44   FIG. 9  (as will be explained in greater detail below) that have a hole and/or slot in the center of the metal locking plates. In this embodiment, there is a relatively short knob or protrusion  46 ,  48   FIGS. 9 and 10  at the top of each of the chair supports  16   c  and  18   c  over which the metal locking plate systems  42 ,  44  are placed, to support the swinging seat portion  12 . 
     The metal locking plate system  42 / 44  is designed to lock the seat  12  into the frame  14  without using complex mechanisms, while ensuring that the user&#39;s weight prevents it from becoming unlocked during use. The metal locking plate system  42 / 44  is made up of 3 components: a locking pole tip  46 / 48  with an undercut  49  which are part of the frame  14 ; and two metal plates  68 ,  70  which are attached to the seat straps  69 / 71 . The bottom metal plate  68  has a hole  72  for the pole tip  46 / 48  to fit through and, in one embodiment shown in  FIG. 11E  two parallel slots  74   a/b  for webbing from the support straps  69 / 71  to weave through. 
     In another embodiment shown in  FIG. 11F , slots  70   4 C and  70   4 D may be at an angle vis-à-vis one another in a similar angle as shown in the slots in the top plate  70   a . The top plate  70  has a keyhole  76  which is a cut out in the shape of 2 staggered circles of different diameters, as well as webbing slots  78  that are at an angle to each other. The plates  68  and  70  which make up the metal locking plate system  42 ,  44  can slide relative to each other to allow different alignments between the keyhole  76  and the hole  72  in the bottom plate. 
     To install the metal locking plate system  42 ,  44  on the pole tip  46 / 48 , the top plate  70  must slide over and align the larger portion of the keyhole  76  with the bottom plate&#39;s hole  72 . After installation, the top plate  70  will slide back over with the keyhole fitting into the undercut  49  of the pole tip  46 / 48 . 
     When the chair is weighted and the webbing tensioned, it is unreasonably difficult to align the plates for seat removal ensuring that the user&#39;s weight maintains the swinging chair  12  securely on the frame  14 . 
     The straps  60 ,  62  and  64  are automatically adjustable to allow the user to adjust the swinging angle he or she is seated at as well as the angle between the back of the chair  34  and the bottom  32  allowing a user to adjust the chair  12  to provide nearly upright seating or a reclined lounge seating. 
     In another embodiment, the frame  14  may be provided without a protrusion for connecting to the metal locking plate system  42 ,  44 . Instead, the seat  12  may include a reinforced “pocket” which slides over the top of the uprights  16   c ,  18   c , to secure the chair seat  12  to the frame  14 . In another embodiment, the seat  12  could have a short post or plug that inserts into a hollow and of the uprights  16   c ,  18   c.    
     In one embodiment, the back portion  34  of the chair  12  is attached by a 2:1 pulley system  71 ,  FIG. 12 , on each side of the chair, which pulley system connects to the swinging points  46 / 48  of the swinging chair and back down to the back portion  72  of the armrests  37 . The pulley system  71  is balancing the user&#39;s weight to the pressure they are applying to the backrest  34  with a 2:1 advantage for the backrest. A person sitting down in the chair can push back against the backrest  34  to recline. When the user sits up, the user&#39;s weight automatically brings the backrest back up behind them. Accordingly, the novel pulley system  71  of the present invention provides an auto-reclining feature to the chair of the present invention without utilizing springs, elastics, weights or other mechanisms to activate reclining of the back portion of the chair  34 . 
     As shown in greater detail in  FIG. 13 , the pulley system  71  in accordance with one feature of the present invention includes a topmost pulley  75  and a bottom pulley  77 . The topmost pulley  75  is commonly known or referred to as a strap adjuster or a triglide and may be made of metal or plastic, as appropriate and required. The second or bottom most pulley  77  is commonly known or referred to as a strap loop and may also be made of metal or plastic, or composite as appropriate and required. 
     The topmost pulley  75  includes a central region  77  to which is permanently fastened a first portion of strap  78  approximately 2.25 inches long which anchors the top pulley  75  a fixed distance from the frame anchor point  46 / 48 . A second region  79  of the top pulley  75  provides a region through which a portion of strap  80  attached at one end to the frame anchor point  46 ,  48  of the respective side of the chair. Strap portion  80  begins from the frame anchor point  46 / 48 , threads downward through the bottom pulley  77 ; upward through the second region  79  of the top pulley  75  and then subsequently attaches to the sides of the backrest  34  forming strap portion  64  previously described in connection with  FIG. 12 . The bottom pulley  77  is fixed by strap  82  to the rear of the arm rest  37  forming strap portion  62  previously described. The dashed lines show the path of the strap  80  through the top and bottom pulleys  75 / 77 . Additional perspective views of the pulley system  71  are shown in  FIGS. 14 and 15 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a deployable, foam padded headrest along with one or more headrest and chair back support elements may be provided. In one embodiment shown in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , the backrest  34  may be provided with several flat aluminum bars  100  which serve to keep the shape of the back element upright and support a headrest  102 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, four flat aluminum bars  104 ,  FIG. 17  may be provided. In this embodiment, the aluminum bars may have pre-bends  105 ,  106  in them to generally match the shape of the user&#39;s back. The aluminum bars  104  provide lumbar support and support for the headrest  102 . 
     In this embodiment, the top bars  104   a  and  104   c  are approximately 21 inches in length and the bottom bars  104   b  and  104   d  approximately 14 inches in length. The top and bottom bars overlap in a central region  106  and may be provided with a bend or custom bent by the user to achieve a comfortable fit in the area of the chair back  34 . The top bars  104   a  and  104   c  are sewn into the seat except where they overlap with the lower bars enabling the top bars to pop off the lower bars to enabling folding of the seat back  34 ,  FIG. 18 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the swinging chair with headrest and back support according to the present invention, a complete backrest  34  and headrest  102 ,  FIG. 19  may be provided utilizing two poles  108  and  108   a . The two poles  108  are similar in style to tent poles running up the length of the backrest  34  to fully support the headrest  102 . The poles  108  may be in one piece or preferably, each pole is in 2 segments of similar length connected by a shock cord, to allow them to disassemble for packing. The lower half of each poll  108  is fully inserted into a sleeve where it can stay when packed. The topmost tip of each upper half of each poll  108  is inserted into a small pocket near the headrest  102  to keep it located and securely attached to the headrest. The poles are tent style poles connected together with a shock cord allowing them to be folded for disassembly and storage yet stay connected together so as not to be lost. The top portion of the seat back or backrest  34  may include padding  110  to add additional support and stability to the back of the chair. The bottom portion  112  of the padded area aligns generally with the location of the poles segments which facilitates folding of the backrest for storage and packing. In one embodiment, the headrest  102  may be a pillow type device to provide more comfort and support for the user, as needed. The headrest  102  may be attached with hook and loop fasteners to the seat back  34  so it can be relocated, removed and/or adjusted as needed or desired by the user. 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel, lightweight and portable, auto-reclining swinging chair frame and seat that can be easily packed and carried for use in outdoor or indoor settings. 
     Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.