Patent Publication Number: US-2013249256-A1

Title: Chair

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Present Disclosure 
     The present disclosure is directed to a chair and a method of assembling a chair, which may include a compartment and/or a tray. 
     2. Related Art 
     Many chairs, including easy chairs, recliners, and the like, have not changed substantially in design or function for decades. This is due in part to the comfort and satisfaction that these designs continue to provide to modem users. Modern life, however, has changed dramatically from what it was thirty years ago. A typical working adult of that era had access to only a handful of broadcast television channels, received a daily newspaper, and used telephones that connected to the wall. 
     In contrast, a modern working adult is constantly connected. She may use a smartphone to stay in touch with friends and coworkers via email, text messaging, blogs, and social networking. She may use a laptop to work from home, a coffeeshop, an airport, or any other location that offers an Internet connection. She may have access to hundreds of cable television channels, mail-order MID rentals, programs recorded on her DVR, and online streaming movies and television shows. 
     Despite all of these conveniences, modern life is just as stressful as it was in past eras, if not more so. Therefore, a modem working adult may seek the relaxation of a comfortable chair just as much as her predecessor, but at the same time, the modern adult may want or need to stay connected. Many current chairs, which may have been designed in previous eras or derived from such designs, may be suboptimal for multitasking in this manner. For example, current chairs may not provide a convenient or accessible place to store or use a laptop or tablet computer. Many current chairs may also fail to provide options for powering modern devices, storing such devices, or retaining food and/or beverage containers. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for a comfortable chair, such as, e.g., an easy chair or a recliner, that is comfortable and relaxing while simultaneously providing support for the demands of modern life. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure meets the foregoing need and allows a chair to provide a work surface, power options, and/or container retention, which results in a significant increase in convenience and other advantages apparent from the discussion herein. 
     Additional features, advantages, and aspects of the present disclosure may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the present disclosure and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the present disclosure as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate aspects of the present disclosure and together with the detailed description serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. No attempt is made to show structural details of the present disclosure in more detail than may be necessary for a fundamental understanding of the present disclosure and the various ways in which it may be practiced. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a chair, according to an aspect of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  shows the chair from the front; 
         FIG. 3  shows the chair from the left side; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the chair with the compartment in an open position; 
         FIG. 5  shows the chair from the front with the compartment in an open or deployed position; and 
         FIG. 6  shows the chair from the left side with the compartment in an open or deployed Position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE 
     The aspects of the present disclosure and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting aspects and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and features of one aspect may be employed with other aspects as the skilled artisan would recognize, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques may be omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the aspects of the present disclosure. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the present disclosure may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the examples and aspects herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, which is defined solely by the appended claims and applicable law. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a chair  100 , according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The chair  100  may be an armchair, a recliner, a sofa, or the like, and it may include an upright position and a reclined position. The chair  100  may include a back  110 , a right arm  120 , a left arm  130 , and a seat  140 . The chair may further include a tray  150  and/or a storage compartment  160 . 
     The back  110  may include a center portion  111 , a right side portion  112   a , and a left side portion  112   b . The back  110  may recline from an up-right position. The back  110  may have multiple reclining positions such that a user may be able to adjust the angle of the back for maximum comfort and convenience in varying circumstances, e.g., reading, typing, napping, watching television, and the like. In addition, different users may have different preferences for the angle of the back  110 , so the use of multiple positions allows the chair  100  to accommodate the varying tastes of different users, e.g., in a family. 
     As shown in the inset in  FIG. 1 , the chair  100  may include a compartment  160  set into the left arm  130 . The compartment  160  may have a door or panel  161  and may be accessible by a handle  162 . The handle  162  may be centered on the door  161  for a more pleasing appearance, or the handle  162  may be off-center, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The off-center handle  162  may be more accessible to a user of the chair  100  or easier for a user to reach and/or open without straining or the need to get up from the chair  100 . 
     In addition to, or instead of the handle  162 , the door or panel  161  may be opened/closed by a recess (not shown) that may be grasped by a hand and pulled in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the planar surface of the door or panel  161 . Further, the door or panel  161  may be automated and configured to open/close in response to an electronic actuator (not shown) that may provided in the chair or a remote control device not shown) that communicates with the chair via a communication link. 
     The door  161  may be connected to the arm  130  along the lower edge of the door  161 , or along a side edge of the door  161  (not shown). The connection may allow the door  161  to pivot about the connection and may include a hinge, a pivot, a pin, a gear, a rotor, or the like. The connection may limit the range of motion of the door  161  and the compartment  160 . For example, the connection may restrict or define the maximum angle between the door  161  in an open position and the arm  130 . The chair  100  may utilize a latch or other mechanism to retain the door  161  in a closed position. A latch used for this purpose may include a magnetic latch, a touch latch, a bullet catch, a gate latch, a push catch, a ball catch, a double ball catch, or the like. 
     Alternative means of opening and/or closing the compartment  160  are contemplated and within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, the compartment  160  may use a touch latch (not shown) in place of the handle  162 . With a touch latch, the user may press on the panel  161  and depress it slightly, which may cause the latch to extend the panel  161  so that it is now open, e.g., about 1 inch or so. The user may press on an internal part of the compartment  160  to disengage it from the latch and fully open the compartment  160 . To close the compartment  160 , the user may lift the panel  161  until the latch is engaged. The user may then press the panel  161  until it is slightly depressed relative to the side of the chair  100 . Upon release, the latch may retain the compartment  160  so that the panel  161  is substantially flush with the side of the chair  100 . 
     The front of the chair  100  may include one or more panels that may function as footrests  141   a ,  141   b  when the chair  100  is reclined. When the chair  100  is in an upright position, the panels  141   a ,  141   b  may form the front of the chair  100 . When the chair  100  is positioned in a reclined position, the panels  141   a ,  141   b  may extend to become footrests, as seen in  FIG. 1 . The chair  100  may convert between an upright position and a reclined position by the use of a handle on the side of the chair  100 , or through an automated mechanism, such as, e.g., an electric motor, or the like. Traditionally, such a handle may be located on the right side  120  of the chair  100 . This location is convenient for the present disclosure, as it will not interfere with the compartment  160 . If, however, it is desirable to place the lever on the left side  130  of the chair  100 , it will be apparent to one skilled in the art how to move the compartment from the left side  130  to the right side  120 . Such a change may be effected without departing from the present disclosure. As an alternative to the handle, the chair  100  may convert from an upright position to a reclined position when a user sits in the chair and presses backwards with her torso. This user-generated force may cause the back  110  to recline and the footrests  141   a ,  141   b  to extend. 
     Alternatively, the compartment  160  and door or panel  161  may be provided in both the right side  120  and the left side  130 . Additionally, the compartment  160  and door or panel  161  may be provided in the front portion of the right side  120  and/or left side  130 . In this regard, since the front portions of the right side  120  and left side  130  may have smaller cross-sectional area, the compartment  160  and panel  161  may be configured accordingly and implemented, e.g., to hold a telephone, an iPod, a television remote control, and the like. 
     The chair  100  may be configured to have one or more positions, ranging from a single upright position to a plurality of positions that include the upright position and a reclined position, as well as additional positions between the upright position and the reclined position. 
     The chair  100  may include a stand or base  142 . The base  142  may be connected to the internal frame (not shown) of the chair  100 . The base  142  may also support, directly or indirectly, the mechanisms of the chair  100  that enable, e.g., the reclining back  110 , the extension of the footrests  141   a ,  141   b , and the like. The base  142  may allow the chair to swivel or rotate in a lateral or sideways direction, rotate about an axis that is perpendicular to the floor. The base  142  may additionally or alternatively include a rocking mechanism to allow a user to gently sway the chair  100  from front to back. The chair  100  may further include mechanisms to restrict or retard one or more of these motions. For example, the user may be able to engage a mechanism to prevent the chair  100  from rocking, instead fixing it in a particular position. 
       FIG. 2  shows the chair  100  from the front. The center portion  111  may have a different height than the side portions  112   a ,  112   b . As seen in  FIG. 2 , the center portion  111  may be higher than the side portions  112   a ,  112   b , or the center portion  111  may be lower than the side portions  112   a ,  112   b . The height of the center portion  111 , especially in comparison to the side portions  112   a ,  112   b , may be controlled by the construction of the back  110 , including, e.g., sewing, stitching, gluing, welding, stuffing, padding, cushioning, or the like. The internal frame of the back  110  may also affect the relative height of the center portion  111  in comparison to the side portions  112   a ,  112   b.    
     A tray  150  may be located on or attached to the right arm  120 . The tray  150  may be substantially flat or planar in appearance and/or construction. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the tray  150  may be substantially rectangular in appearance and/or construction, having a longer axis or dimension and a shorter axis or dimension. The tray  150  may have a pair of shorter sides and a pair of longer sides. The shorter sides and the longer sides may alternate around the edge of the tray  150 . The longer axis may be oriented substantially parallel to one or both of the longer sides, and the shorter axis may be oriented substantially parallel to one or both of the shorter sides. One of the shorter sides may be rounded  154  and one of shorter sides may be square  155 . The rounded side  154  may be oriented or located farther away from the seat  140 , and the square side  155  may be oriented or located closer to the seat  140 . 
     The tray  150  may be connected to the arm.  120  by one or more of a mechanism  151 , a shaft  152 , and a base  153 . One or more of the mechanism  151 , the shaft  152 , and the base may provide the ability to adjust the distance between, e.g., the tray  150  and the seat  140 . For example, the shaft may include one or more telescoping sections. The shaft  152  or the base  153  may include a mechanism to lock or retain the tray  150  once the user has set it to a specific height. As an additional example, the shaft  152  may pass through the base  153  into the interior of the arm  120 . The base  153  may include a locking mechanism that may selectively engage the shaft  152 . For example, a user may cause the base  153  to engage the shaft  152  by twisting the base  153  in one direction, and disengage the shaft  152  by twisting in the opposite direction. Since the shaft  152  passes through the base  153 , the user may be able to slide or move the shaft  152  relative to the base  153  when the base  153  is disengaged. The user may then be able to lock the shaft  152  to a specific position by twisting the base  153  to engage the shaft  152 . Moving the shaft  152  relative to the base  153  in this manner may allow the user to adjust the distance between the tray  150  and the seat  140 , i.e. the height of the tray  150 . 
     The connection between the tray  150  and the arm  120  may be centered on the tray, or it may be located off-center, as seen in  FIG. 2 . For example, the shaft  152  may be centered front-to-back and/or left-to-right on the tray  150 . Similarly, the shaft may be centered front-to-back but off-center left-to-right. Other arrangements and combinations are possible, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. An off-center connection may orient the tray  150  such that it may partially project or extend above the seat  140 . The mechanism  151  may allow the tray  150  to slide from the partially extended position shown in  FIG. 2  to a position that is more directly above the seat  140 . In this second position, the top of the tray may be more conveniently located for a user sitting in the chair. For example, the user of the chair may find it easier and/or less messy to eat food from the tray when it is more centered above the seat  140 . Similarly, a user may find it easier or more convenient to use, e.g., a laptop or table-style computer placed on the tray  150  when the tray is more centered above the seat  140 . 
     A user entering or exiting the chair  100  may find that the tray  150 , even in the partially extended position as shown in, e.g.,  FIG. 2 , poses a nuisance, hazard, or obstacle. To alleviate this problem, the tray  150  may rely on one or more of the mechanism  151 , the shaft  152 , and the base  153  to rotate about the shaft  152 . For example, the tray  150  may partially project or extend over the seat  140 . After rotating approximately 90° about the shaft  152 , the tray  150  may no longer extend or project above the seat  140 . In this rotated position, the tray  150  may be substantially or completely above the right arm  120 . This orientation may make it easier for a user to enter or exit the chair  100 . 
     The tray may also be capable of rotating about the shaft  152  by an additional 90° degrees or so, such that it may be approximately 180° from the starting position seen, e.g., in  FIG. 2 . In this position, the rounded side  154  of the tray  150  may be closer to the seat  140 , and the square side may be farther from the seat  140 . With the tray  150  in this orientation, it may be even easier for a user to enter or exit the chair  100 . The tray  150  may be capable of rotating about the shaft  152  by approximately 270° or by approximately 360°. The tray  150  may also include one or more notches or stops such that the tray is easy to align at certain indexed positions or orientations. For example, a tray  150  that rotates approximately 360° may include stops approximately every 90° so that it is easy for a user to orient the square end  155  of the tray  150 , e.g., above the seat  140 , along the arm  120 , or directly away from the seat  140 . As a further example, a tray that rotates through approximately 90° may include a stop or notch at both ends of its range of motion. While the stops in this example are not necessary to orient the tray  150  in a particular direction, the stops may act to retain the tray  150  in a particular orientation. 
     The right arm  120  may include a track, rail, slide, or other mechanism to allow the tray  150  to rotate about the arm  120  itself. For example, the tray  150  as shown in  FIG. 2  has a substantially horizontal orientation. After rotating about the arm  120 , the tray  150  may have a substantially vertical orientation. Rotating about the arm  120  may be used as an alternative to the rotating mechanism, described above, or the two may be used together. If the two are used together, one or more locking mechanisms may be implemented. One locking mechanism may prevent the tray  150  from rotating about the arm  120  without first disengaging the mechanism. A second locking mechanism may prevent the tray  150  from rotating about the shaft  152  without disengaging the mechanism. A third locking mechanism may engage the mechanism  151  for sliding the tray. The third locking mechanism may prevent the tray from sliding, e.g., when the tray is in a substantially vertical orientation. The use of one or more locking mechanisms may prevent or reduce accidents associated with the tray  150  rotating about one or both of the arm  120  and the shaft  152  at an unwanted or unintended time. 
       FIG. 3  shows the chair  100  from the left side. A compartment  160  may be located in the left arm  130 . The compartment  160  may be centered in the arm  130 , or it may be off-center, as seen, e.g., in  FIG. 3 . A handle  162  may be centered on the door  161  to the compartment  160 , or the handle may be off-center, as seen, e.g., in  FIG. 3 . The off-center location of the compartment  160  and/or the handle  162  may be easier or more comfortable for a user of the chair  100  to open the compartment  160  while sitting in the chair  100 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the chair  100  with the compartment  160  in an open position.  FIG. 4  is substantially identical to  FIG. 1  except that the compartment  160  is in an open position. The compartment may include a top panel  166 . The configuration of the compartment  160  and the panel  166 , an example of which is shown in the inset to  FIG. 4 , may vary depending on, e.g., the specific market of the chair  100 , the intended end user of the chair  100 , availability of source materials, and the like. For example, the panel  166  may include a cup holder  163 . The cup holder  163  may simply be a cut out in the panel  166  with a hollow underneath. This type of cup holder  163  may be restricted to holding or retaining containers that are narrow enough at the bottom to enter the cup holder  163  but wide enough at the top that they do not pass entirety through it. Alternatively, the cup holder  163  may include a bottom that may prevent smaller containers from passing entirely through the cup holder. This type of cup holder  163  may be able to accommodate a larger variety of container shapes and sizes. For example, a cylindrical container, such as a soda can, may not be retained by the first, bottomless cup holder but may be held by the second type. The panel  166  may also include a cutout or slot  164 . Slot  164  may include sides and a bottom and may be suitable for holding items such as, e.g., magazines, remote controls, snack bags or other food items, and the like. The panel  166  may further include an outlet  165 , which may include, for example, a power outlet, a universal serial bus (USB) port, a USB hub, an ethernet port, an RJ45 socket, and the like, or any combination thereof. One or more of the chair  100 , the panel  160 , and the outlet  165  may offer, e.g., Bluetooth connectivity or functionality, WiFi connectivity or functionality, personal-area network connectivity or functionality, or the like, via one or more communication links. For a chair  100  that offers a specific type of connection or connector in its compartment  160  and/or outlet  165 , the chair  100  itself may include one or more cables that may connect to a corresponding outlet in the building or surrounding structure. By connecting to, e.g., a building source, the chair  100  may be able to offer one or more active or live connections to the user via the panel  166  and/or the outlet  165 . 
     Alternative arrangements of the panel  166  and the compartment  160  are contemplated and are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the compartment  160  may be configured to act as a storage area for a book, a magazine, or other printed publications. For this configuration of the compartment  160 , the panel  166  may have a single slot that occupies most of its face or area. Alternatively, the panel  166  may be omitted entirely. As a further example, the compartment  160  may be configured to store a device, such as a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a smartphone, or the like. Again, the panel  166  my have a single slot (or multiple slots) that occupies most of its face or area or may be omitted entirely. The interior of the compartment  160  may include a lining or padding to protect a device from bumps, jostling, and damage when the compartment  160  is opened and/or closed. The compartment  160  may alternatively or additionally include a support (such as, e.g., a strap, an elastic band, or the like) for securing a device in the compartment  160  and substantially or largely protecting it from damage. The support may include a snap buckle, a snap closure, a button closure, a hoop-and-loop fastener (e.g., Velcro®), or the like. 
       FIG. 5  shows the chair  100  from the front with the compartment  160  in an open or deployed (or reclined) position, and  FIG. 6  shows the chair  100  from the left side with the compartment  160  in an open or deployed position. With the compartment  160  in an open position, the panel  166  may be largely, substantially, or completely horizontal. By placing the panel  166  in a horizontal or almost horizontal orientation, the features of the panel, such as, e.g., a cup holder  163 , slot  164 , or outlet  165 , a user of the chair  100  may find the features to be more convenient, more ergonomic, or the like. 
     The compartment  160  may include a side cover  167 . The compartment  160  may have one or more side covers  167 . For example, a side cover  167  may be visible from the front of the chair  100 , as seen in  FIG. 5 . A side cover  167  may be visible from the back or rear of the chair. The side cover  167  may be joined to the door  161  and the panel  166  to enclose a defined space for the compartment  160 . By using one or more side covers  167 , the compartment  160  may present a cleaner or more aesthetically pleasing appearance while in an open position. For example, any portion of the cup holder  163  that extends below the panel  166  may be hidden from view by the side cover  167 . 
     As the panel  161  may be connected to the chair  100  by a pivoting connection, the compartment  160  may be moved between an open position and a closed position, e.g., by rotating about the pivoting connection. Components of the compartment  160 , such as, e.g., the panel  166  and the side cover  167 , may be connected to the door  161  with a rigid or immobile construction. The components may be attached to the door  161  with, e.g., a screw, a nail, a rivet, a bolt, an adhesive (e.g., a tack glue, an epoxy, or the like), or the like. The chair  100  may include a recess in the left arm  130  to accommodate the rigid components of the compartment  160 . This type of construction may be particularly compatible with aspects of the compartment  160  that may be intended to store items when the compartment  160  is in a closed position. 
     Alternatively, the components of the compartment  160  may be pivotally or rotatably affixed to the door  161 , the arm  130 , or both. The pivotal connections may include, e.g., a hinge, a pin, a rotor, and the like. When the door  161  is moved from an open position to a closed position, the components, such as, e.g., the panel  166  and the side cover  167 , may rotate about these pivotal connections. By rotating, the components may fold into a more compact orientation for storage within the arm  130  of the chair  100 . For example, the panel  166  may fold so that it is substantially flush against the internal face of the door  161  when the door  161  is in a closed position. The chair  100  may include a shallow recess in the left arm  130  for receiving or accommodating the components of the compartment  160  in a collapsed or folded orientation. This type of construction may be suited primarily or exclusively for aspects of the compartment  160  that are not intended to store items when the compartment  160  is in a closed position. 
     A chair  100  according to the present disclosure may be made from any suitable material or combination of materials, including, for example, wood, plywood, medium density fiberboard, metal, steel, aluminum, fabric, nylon, cotton, leather, vinyl, foam rubber, and the like. A chair  100  may be manufactured by providing the necessary components, such as, e.g., a back  110 , a seat  140 , at least one arm  130 , and a compartment  160 . The back  110 , the seat  140 , and the arm  130  may then be assembled to form the chair  100 , and the compartment  160  may be disposed within the arm  130 . An additional arm  120  may also be provided and attached to the chair  100 . A tray  150  may be attached to the additional arm  120  and may include a shaft and/or a mechanism connecting it to the arm  120 . The tray  150  may be configured to rotate about the arm  120 , about the shaft  152 , or both. The compartment  160  may include a panel  161  that may have a cup holder  163 , slot  164 , and/or an outlet  165 . The specifics of the manufacturing process will vary depending on the desired features and materials used, and the specifics will be apparent to those skilled in the art of chair design and manufacture. 
     A “communication link”, as used in this disclosure, means a wired and/or wireless medium that conveys data or information between at least two points. The wired or wireless medium may include, for example, a metallic conductor link, a radio frequency (RF) communication link, an Infrared (IR) communication link, an optical communication link, or the like, without limitation. The RF communication link may include, for example, WiFi, WiMAX, IEEE 802.11, DECT, 0G, 1G, 2G, 3G or 4G cellular standards, Bluetooth, and the like. 
     A “network,” as used in this disclosure means, but is not limited to, for example, at least one of a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a personal area network (PAN), a campus area network, a corporate area network, a global area network (GAN), a broadband area network (BAN), a cellular network, the Internet, or the like, or any combination of the foregoing, any of which may be configured to communicate data via a wireless and/or a wired communication medium. These networks may run a variety of protocols not limited to TCP/IP, IRC or HTTP. 
     The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof, as used in this disclosure, mean “including, but not limited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     The terms “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this disclosure, means “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise. 
     Devices that are in communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices that are in communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries. 
     Although process steps, method steps, or the like, may be described in a sequential order, such processes and methods may be configured to work in alternate orders. In other words, any sequence or order of steps that may be described does not necessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in that order. The steps of the processes or methods described herein may be performed in any order practical. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneously. 
     When a single device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that more than one device or article may be used in place of a single device or article. Similarly, where more than one device or article is described herein, it will be readily apparent that a single device or article may be used in place of the more than one device or article. The functionality or the features of a device may be alternatively embodied by one or more other devices which are not explicitly described as having such functionality or features. 
     While the present disclosure has been described in terms of exemplary aspects, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure can be practiced with modifications in the spirit and scope of the appended claims. These examples given above are merely illustrative and are not meant to be an exhaustive list of all possible designs, aspects, applications or modifications of the present disclosure.