Patent Publication Number: US-2012038194-A1

Title: Chair assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a chair assembly, more particularly to a chair assembly having a rotary seat unit. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the past, various types and forms of chair assemblies have been proposed. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an example of a typical chair assembly with a seat unit that is rotatable in-situ is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. US 2004/0160105 A1. The chair assembly comprises a chair frame  11 , a rotary seat support  12  mounted rotatably on the chair frame  11 , a looped seat frame  14  secured on the rotary seat support  12  by several screws  13 , and a chair cushion  15  encasing and mounted on the looped seat frame  14 . 
     The chair frame  11  includes a looped base frame  111 , an upright tubular post  112  located in the center of the looped base frame  111 , and a plurality of connecting arms  113  each connecting the upright tubular post  112  to the looped base frame  111 . The rotary seat support  12  has a tubular curved support rod  121  including a front rod section extending forwardly and upwardly, a rear rod section extending rearwardly and upwardly and an intermediate rod section interconnecting integrally the front and rear rod sections, and an insert post  122  that is fixed to the intermediate rod section of the tubular curved support rod  121  and that is inserted rotatably into the upright tubular post  112 . The looped seat frame  14  is a ring member having a narrower front portion and a wider rear portion and is mounted on two support plates  123  that are disposed on the front and rear rod sections of the tubular curved support rod  121 , respectively. The chair cushion  15  includes a peripheral sleeve portion  151  for sleeving around the looped seat frame  14 , and a main portion  152  surrounded by the peripheral sleeve portion  151  for seating purposes. The insert post  122  of the rotary seat support  12  is inserted rotatably into the upright tubular post  112  so that the rotary seat support  12  and the chair cushion  15  and the looped seat frame  14  mounted on the rotary seat support  12  can be rotated about a vertical axis  10 . Therefore, the orientation of the looped seat frame  14  and the chair cushion  15  can be changed while the rotary seat support  12  is rotated about the vertical axis  10 . 
     Although the orientation of the looped seat frame  14  and the chair cushion  15  can be changed by rotating the rotary seat support  12  about the vertical axis  10 , the looped seat frame  14  is constantly oriented in a manner such that the narrower front portion thereof is lower than the wider rear portion thereof due to the vertical position of the upright tubular post  112  with respect to the ground and parallel to the axis  10 . That is, the configuration of the looped seat frame  14  and the chair cushion  15  of the chair assembly cannot be adjusted as desired. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a chair assembly including a seat unit having an adjustable configuration to enhance comfort during use. 
     According to the present invention, a chair assembly comprises a base; a tubular post that extends upwardly from the base and that is inclined by an angle of about 45-80 degrees with respect to the base; a rotary support including a seat support frame, and a rotary shaft extending downwardly from the seat support frame and inserted rotatably into the tubular post; and a seat unit including a looped seat frame mounted on the seat support frame. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional chair assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the conventional chair assembly of  FIG. 1 , in which a chair cushion is removed; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of a chair assembly according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded side view of the preferred embodiment of the chair assembly according to the present invention, in which a fabric component is removed; 
         FIG. 5  is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the chair assembly according to the present invention, illustrating a tubular post of the chair assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is fragmentary top view of the preferred embodiment of the chair assembly according to the present invention, illustrating a base of the chair assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is a top schematic view of the preferred embodiment of the chair assembly according to the present invention, illustrating a seat unit of the chair assembly at a first seat position; and 
         FIG. 8  is a top schematic view similar to  FIG. 7 , illustrating the seat unit at a second seat position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 6 , the preferred embodiment of a chair assembly according to the present invention comprises a base  21 , a tubular post  22 , a rotary support  3 , and a seat unit  4 . The tubular post  22  extends upwardly from the base  21  and is inclined by an angle with respect to the base  21 . The rotary support  3  includes a seat support frame  31 , and a rotary shaft  32  extending downwardly from the seat support frame  31  and inserted rotatably into the tubular post  22  along an inclined axis  28  parallel to the tubular post  22 . The seat unit  4  includes a looped seat frame  41  mounted on the seat support frame  31 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the looped seat frame  41  is a non-circular looped frame which defines a receiving space  40 . Preferably, the looped seat frame  41  is a generally rectangular frame which includes two opposite first rod sections  411 , and two opposite second rod sections  411 ′ connected between the first rod sections  411 . The width between the second rod sections  411 ′ is larger than that between the first rod sections  411 . Each of the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ has a mid part  413  connected to the seat support frame  31 , and two end portions  414  extending oppositely from the mid part  413 . Each of the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ is curved outwardly at the mid part  413  and extends inwardly and gradually from the mid part  413  to the two end portions  414 . Each of the second rod sections  411 ′ is formed of two connecting parts  415  that are interconnected detachably, so that the looped seat frame  41  can be divided into two separable U-shaped frame parts when the two connecting parts  415  of each of the second rod sections  411 ′ are detached. Therefore, the volume of the looped seat frame  41  can be reduced for convenient packaging and transportation purposes. Besides, although the looped seat frame  41  in this embodiment is formed as a rectangular frame, the looped seat frame  41  may be designed to be an elliptical frame, a triangular frame, etc. In addition, the looped seat frame  41  may be formed by four separable L-shaped frame parts instead of two U-shaped frame parts as illustrated in this embodiment by forming each of the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ as two connecting parts that are interconnected detachably. That is, the shape and the assembling manner of the looped seat frame  41  are not limited to the illustrative preferred embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the base  21  has two spaced apart front legs  211  extending forwardly from a bottom end of the tubular post  22 , a rear leg  212  extending rearward from the bottom end of the tubular post  22 , and two spaced apart side legs  213  each extending sideward from the bottom end of the tubular post  22  between the rear leg  212  and one of the front legs  211 . The length  23  of the front legs  211  is greater than the length  24  of the rear leg  212 , and the length of the side legs  213  is generally identical to that of the rear leg  212 . The front legs  211  are inclined symmetrically with respect to a central line  20  extending along the rear leg  212 . Each of the front legs  211  has a first section  214  extending from the tubular post  22 , and a second section  215  bent from the first section  214 . In the illustrated embodiment, the angle  25  between the first section  214  of the front leg  211  and the central line  20  is 37 degrees. Therefore, the angle between the first sections  214  of the front legs  211  is 74 degrees. In addition, the angle  26  between the second section  215  and the central line  20  is 16 degrees, i.e., the angle  25  between the first section  214  and the central line  20  is larger than the angle  26  between the second section  215  and the central line  20 . The angle  27  between each side leg  213  and the rear leg  212  is 72 degrees, which is slightly smaller than the angle (74 degrees) between the first sections  214  of the front legs  211 . By virtue of the arrangements of the length  23  of the front legs  211 , the length  24  of the rear leg  212 , and the length of the side legs  213 , and the arrangement of the angles  25 ,  26 ,  27 , the base  21  has an improved supporting stability. 
     The tubular post  22  is located on the central line  20  and extends upwardly from the base  21  along the inclined axis  28 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In this embodiment, the angle  29  of inclination of the tubular post  22  with respect to the base  21  is preferred to be about 45-80 degrees, and more preferably, about 70 degrees. As best illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the tubular post  22  has an outer tube  221  fixed to the base  21 , a sleeve  222  that is inserted fittingly into the tubular post  22  and that has an annular flange  223  formed outside the outer tube  221  and abutting against a top end of the outer tube  221 , and a sleeve wall  225  extending into the outer tube  221  from the annular flange  223 . The sleeve wall  225  defines a passage  224  of a circular cross section and has a plurality of angularly spaced apart hooks  226  projecting downwardly and inwardly from a bottom end of the sleeve wall  225 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The rotary shaft  32  is inserted into the sleeve wall  225  through the passage  224  and has a bottom end formed with an annular groove  321 . The hooks  226  of the sleeve wall  225  engage slidably the annular groove  321  of the rotary shaft  32 . In this way, the seat unit  4  can be rotated with respect to the base  21  about the inclined axis  28  while the rotary shaft  32  is prevented from being disengaged from the tubular post  22 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 ,  4 ,  5 , and  7 , the seat support frame  31  has an intersection  311  connected to the rotary shaft  32 , two first frame rods  312  that extend curvedly, upwardly and symmetrically in two opposite directions from the intersection  311  to the looped seat frame  41 , and two second frame rods  313  extending curvedly, upwardly and symmetrically in two opposite directions from the intersection  311  to the looped seat frame  41  and transverse to the first frame rods  312 . The second frame rods  313  are shorter than the first frame rods  312 . The first frame rods  312  are connected respectively to the first rod sections  411 , and the second frame rods  313  are connected respectively to the second rod sections  411 ′. More specifically, the seat support frame  31  further has a plurality of bracket plates  33 , each of which is disposed, for example, by welding, on top of one of the first and second frame rods  312 ,  313 , and each of which is placed in abutment with and screwed to one of the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ by fasteners  42 , such as screws, as best illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 7 . The intersection  311  is connected to the first frame rods  312  as one piece. The intersection  311  has two branch tubes  310  extending in opposite directions that are transverse to the first frame rods  312 . The second frame rods  313  have end portions  314  adapted to be inserted respectively into two opposite end slots  315  of the intersection  311  so that the second frame rods  313  can be connected removably and respectively to the branch tubes  310 . In this manner, the rotary support  3  can be disassembled into three parts, i.e., two separate second frame rods  313  and one piece of member formed by two first frame rods  312  interconnected by the intersection  311 . Therefore, the volume of the rotary support  3  can be reduced for convenient packaging and transportation purposes. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the seat unit  4  further includes a fabric component  43  having a lateral sleeve portion  431  attached to the looped seat frame  41  and a main portion  432  surrounded by the lateral sleeve portion  431  and suspended from the looped seat frame  41 . The lateral sleeve portion  431  has a plurality of notches  433 , some of which are located at the positions where the first and second frame rods  312 ,  313  penetrate through and are connected to the looped seat frame  41  when the lateral sleeve portion  431  is attached to the looped seat frame  41 . 
     When the seat unit  4  is at a first seat position as illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the first rod sections  411  are located on the right and left sides of the seat unit  4 , and the second rod sections  411 ′ are located on the front and rear sides of the seat unit  4  with the second rod section  411 ′ on the rear side being higher than the second rod section  411 ′ on the front side of the seat unit  4 . Since the width between the first rod sections  411  is smaller than that between the second rod sections  411 ′, a narrower space is provided between the right and left sides of the seat unit  4  and a user&#39;s body and a high back of the seat unit  4  is provided for the user&#39;s back when the user sits on the chair assembly at the first position of the seat unit  4 . 
     When the rotary support  3  is rotated 90 degrees about the inclined axis  28 , the seat unit  4  is rotated to a second position, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . At this position, the first rod sections  411  are located on the front and rear sides of the seat unit  4 , and the second rod sections  411 ′ are located on the right and left sides of the seat unit  4 . Therefore, a wider space is provided between the right and left sides of the seat unit  4  so as to provide the user with a different seating comfort while sitting in the chair assembly. In addition, since the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ are curved outwardly at the mid parts  413 , when the seat unit  4  is at either the first position or the second position, the first and second rod sections  411 ,  411 ′ may not press against the user&#39;s legs, which may cause discomfort to the user sitting on the chair assembly. Because the rotary support  3  can be rotated with respect to the base  21 , orientation of the seat unit  4  can be varied continuously as desired. For example, one of the corners of the looped seat frame  41  may be rotated to the front lowest position to provide the user with comfortability according to his/her need. 
     According to the present invention, the configuration of the seat unit  4  of the chair assembly may be adjusted as desired to enhance seating comfort. In addition, the base  21  of the chair assembly of the present invention has an improved supporting stability. Further, the looped seat frame  41  and the rotary support  3  may be disassembled to reduce the volume thereof for convenient packaging and transportation purposes. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications and equivalent arrangements.