Patent Publication Number: US-11647828-B2

Title: Transformable chair and backpack assembly and method of use

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/087,667 Filed Oct. 5, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to a transportable seat and method for use thereof, and more specifically to transformable chair and backpack assembly. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Existing floor chairs, especially transportable and transformable floor chairs, are cumbersome and limited in functionality. While existing beach chairs and the like may include straps for carrying and pouches for storage, they are bulky, contain difficult to deploy legs, and lack comfort and secure storage that would be desirable. 
     Heretofore there has not been available a system or method for a transformable chair and backpack assembly with the advantages and features of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally provides a transformable floor chair which has a seat and a back. The seat has straps for carrying the chair when transformed into a transportation configuration. The straps are located on the underside of the seat when in a deployed configuration. A backpack including zippered enclosure is affixed to the rear of the floor chair back. The backpack remains usable and functional when in either the transportation configuration or the deployed configuration. When transformed into the transportation configuration, the upper portion of the seat is secured to the front face of the chair back, thereby sandwiching the chair between the straps and the backpack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof. 
         FIG.  1    is a three-dimensional isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention shown from a top back view in a first, wearable orientation. 
         FIG.  2    is a three-dimensional isometric view thereof shown from a top front view. 
         FIG.  3    is rear elevational view thereof. 
         FIG.  4    is a left side elevational view thereof. 
         FIG.  5    is a front elevational view thereof. 
         FIG.  6    is a top plan thereof. 
         FIG.  7    is a bottom plan thereof. 
         FIG.  8    is a three-dimensional isometric view of the embodiment of  FIG.  2    shown in a second, deployed orientation. 
         FIG.  9    is a left side elevational view thereof. 
         FIG.  10    is a left side elevational view of the embodiment of  FIG.  1    shown in a third, separated orientation. 
         FIG.  11    is a front sectional view taken about the line of  FIG.  9   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     I. Introduction and Environment 
     As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning. 
     II. Preferred Embodiment Transformable Backpack and Chair System  2   
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the present invention is a transformable backpack and chair system  2  which includes a chair portion  4  and a backpack portion  10 , which may be selectively separable. The chair portion  4  includes a seat bottom  6  and a seat back  8  portion. The backpack  10  is affixed to the rear face of the seat back  8 . A pair of straps  16  are affixed to the bottom face of the seat bottom  6  to function as backpack straps when the system is in a first, wearable configuration as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 7   . The backpack  10  may include a zippered opening  20  or other similar opening for storing items within the backpack. 
     The chair is transformable between the compact, wearable configuration shown in  FIGS.  1 - 7   , and a deployed configuration shown in  FIGS.  8 - 9   , whereby the chair portion  4  is oriented to be usable by the user so that the user can sit in the seat portion  6  while resting against the seat back  8 . In the wearable configuration, the top face of the seat bottom  6  is pressed against the front face of the seat back portion  8 , secured via a clasp assembly, such as the clasp assembly shown having a receiving clasp  14  and an insert clasp  12 , or by some other suitable securing device (e.g., a tie, a clip, a snap, hook-and-loop fasteners, etc.). This sandwiches the chair portion  4  between the straps  16  and the backpack  10 , allowing the user to carry the entire assembly as if it were a backpack. The seat bottom  6  and back  8  are joined by a hinged portion  24  which allows the seat bottom  6  to flexibly move between orientations relative to the seat back  8 . 
     When transformed into the deployed configuration as shown in  FIGS.  8  and  9   , the seat portion  6  is released from the clasps  12 ,  14  to the seat back  8  and is folded down into position, allowing a user to sit into the seat bottom  6  with their back against the seat back  8 . The backpack  10  remains fully functional in either configuration. 
     Loops  22  and handle  28  may optionally be included on the backpack  10  for additional utility, such as when the backpack  10  is detached from the chair  4  as shown in  FIG.  10   . A connector  26 , such as a zippered interface, connects the front face of the backpack  10  with the rear face of the seat back  8  such that the two can be selectively separated and reconnected as desired. This allows the chair  4  and the backpack  10  to be used independently or cleaned independently. 
     As shown in  FIG.  11   , the seat bottom  6 , and optionally the seat back  8 , can be constructed from an internal frame  32  for structural support. A foam cover  30  or otherwise cushioned pads are then placed about the frame for comfort and safety. The foam cover  30  may be secured to the internal frame  32  with a zipper  18  or by other suitable connecting means. 
     It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.