Abstract:
The invention is directed to a modular furniture design having contoured ballast chamber for directing the weighting from a peripheral weighting orientation to a peripheral weighting configuration. The furniture may further comprise a base and a top, the base having a one piece molded generally hollow body comprising a contoured ballast compartment having a closable opening and a plurality of sidewalls forming legs supporting a top. A top attachment may be a chair, table top or similar furniture piece. The chair may be adapted for sitting at a table, lounging or reading with or without arms. An attachable cushion is fastened to the chair to provide a color coordinated seat attached by tamper resistant fastener assembly comprising tabs mounted under the seat of the cushion extending into and engaging seat holes in the seating surface of the chair and held in place by a threaded fastener extending through the back rest of the chair engaging a threaded insert in the cushion.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61929766 filed Jan. 21, 2014 and claims the benefit of the filing date of said co-pending provisional Application Ser. No. 61929766. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to furniture for use in intensive use facilities and institutional settings such as hospitals, military housing, prisons, jails, detention centers and psychiatric facilities. More particularly, the present invention comprises a modular chair and table system having modular components such as a weighted or ballasted base, removable, interchangeable top and attachable upholstery. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Modular furniture such as chairs and tables are designed for use in seating and reception areas to accommodate people waiting, relaxing or meeting. Facilities having large quantities of people who may have special needs use furniture designed for intensive use for safely and durability. Assembled furniture may present certain hazards in use in intensive use settings where furniture components and fasteners may be removed and turned into weapons. Plastic and fiberglass construction has replaced wood and metal by its ability to be formed into three-dimensional shapes without external fasteners. Fiberglass and plastic is generally more aesthetically appealing than steel or wood, and more resistant to damage. Wood furniture, for example may have problems with cracking, warping and joints loosening in these settings. This type of furniture is made custom to order due to the complexity and 
         [0004]    Furniture in such settings may be designed to blend into surrounding decorations by matching upholstery. The furniture may be arranged in combination of chairs and tables. Intensive use furniture may be ballasted or bolted directly to the floor or walls to reduce rearranging, tipping or moving furniture. Securing or ballasting the furniture to the floor reduces the safety concerns on both the visitors and staff resulting in a safer environment. Tamper resistant glides may be attached to the legs to glide on the floor to assist sliding the furniture while minimizing tampering or removal of the fasteners. 
         [0005]    Therefore, it is desirable to provide a modular molded furniture design having a single piece molded base for interchangeably supporting a seat or table, the seat being of single piece molded design having a modular attached upholstery decorated cushion securely attached to provide aesthetically pleasing configurations. The cushion may be attached using tamper resistant fasteners and attachments. The base may have legs and a contoured ballast enclosure to support the furniture and prevent moving and tipping. The chairs designed for alternate sitting positions and adapted to securely retain fastened upholstery for forming a variety of configurations. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A first embodiment of the present invention is directed to a modular furniture system for use in demanding environments, comprising a rotationally molded (referred to hereinafter as (roto-molded), one piece hollow base having an integral ballast chamber, feet for engaging a floor surface and a top mounting surface. A chair or table top may be mounted on the top mounting surface to provide modular assembly of furniture on a common base type. The table top may be a wood or high pressure laminate or molded top having contours, designs or integral gaming surfaces. The chair top may be chosen from a group of styles comprising a pull up chair, waiting room chair or lounge chair. The chair top may have an attachable cushion having a decorative upholstery cover for matching aesthetically pleasing decor in the surrounding room. The cushion may comprise a seat portion and a back portion formed into a single semi-rigid frame covered with padding and the decorative cover. A tamper resistant fastener assembly attaches the cushion to the chair to prevent removal by users in such intensive use environments. 
         [0007]    The semi-rigid frame may be formed of a resilient material having a seat portion and a back portion. The seat portion comprises a seat portion and a back portion. The seat portion having a bottom surface, a front and rear portion. The back portion having a top, a lumbar portion and a back surface. The rear portion of the seat may be connected to the lumbar portion of the back to form a one piece semi-rigid frame for mounting on the seating portion of the chair. The front portion is substantially aligned with the front seating portion of the chair. The tamper resistant fastener assembly attaching the cushion to the chair may comprise plurality of L-shaped brackets having tabs extending from the cushion. The tabs may engage and interlock with holes formed in the seat on either the seat portion or the back portion having the cushion urged to bear against the chair by a fastener on the other of the seat portion or back portion holding the tabs locked to the chair and the cushion on the chair. An indentation may be formed on the back of the chair to recess mount the fastener and provide a landing for a washer used to reinforce the fastener. The fastener extending through a portion of the chair to engage the cushion and hold the cushion to the chair. A cover in the indentation helps prevent tampering with the cushion attachment. 
         [0008]    The ballast chamber may be contoured or shaped to provide optimal displacement of the ballast material to resist moving the chair and reduce the use of ballast material. The ballast chamber may be integrally formed with the base having a contoured shape such as an inward directed semi spherical, pyramidal or conical bottom wall or formed having a triangular cross sectional shape to disperse ballast material to an axial, central or peripheral portion of the ballast chamber for weighting directed toward the legs and feet of the furniture. In one embodiment, the contoured ballast chamber may have a top wall, a plurality of sidewalls and a closable ballast opening, each of the plurality of sidewalls attached to the top. Each sidewall attached to an adjacent two of the plurality of sidewalls, the closable ballast opening formed in the contoured ballast chamber. The top wall may further comprise a front, a back a first side and a second side, the plurality of sidewalls may further comprise a first and a second substantially rectangular side walls and a first and a second substantially triangular side wall, the first rectangular sidewall having a front, back, bottom and top edge. The top edge of the first rectangular sidewall attached to the first side of the top, the second rectangular sidewall having a front, back, bottom and top edge. The top edge of the second rectangular sidewall attached to the second side of the top, the bottom edge of the first rectangular sidewall attached to the bottom edge of the second rectangular sidewall to form a triangular shaped contoured ballast chamber, each of the first and second triangular shaped side walls having a top, a first and a second edge. The first edge of the first triangular shaped side wall on the front edge of the first rectangular side wall. The second edge of the first triangular shaped side wall on the front edge of the second rectangular side wall. The top edge of the first triangular shaped side wall on the front edge of the top of the base. The first edge of the second triangular shaped side wall on the back edge of the first rectangular side wall, the second edge of the first triangular shaped side wall on the back edge of the second rectangular side wall. The top edge of the first triangular shaped side wall on the back edge of the top of the base, whereby the closed contoured ballast chamber may have a substantially triangular cross section for center weighting. 
         [0009]    Attachment means may further be provided to attach the modular furniture components as chairs or tables together in a ganging style to provide couch type seating by ganging together chairs with our arms or to provide meeting or discussion arrangements by ganging the furniture pieces in an L-shape or otherwise and thereby making the furniture harder to move by the combined ballasting of the individual components. 
         [0010]    The above description sets forth, rather broadly, the more important features of the present invention so that the detailed description of the preferred embodiment that follows may be better understood and contributions of the present invention to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described below and will form the subject matter of claims. In this respect, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or as illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a first embodiment 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a bottom plan view of the first embodiment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a section view taken at approximately  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a section view taken at approximately  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a section view taken at approximately  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is bottom perspective view of a second embodiment 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top perspective view of the second embodiment. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of a base of the second embodiment 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a bottom perspective view of a second embodiment. 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of the table attachment of the second embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of the base of the second embodiment. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the base of the second embodiment. 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a section view of the base of the second embodiment of  FIG. 12  taken at approximately  13 - 13 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a top perspective view of the base of the second embodiment. 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a bottom perspective view of the first embodiment of a chair of the second embodiment. 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a top perspective view of the cushion being installed on the first embodiment. 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is a front elevation view of the cushion being installed on the first embodiment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is a section view of the cushion being installed on the first embodiment taken at approximately  18 - 18  of  FIG. 17 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 19  is a section view taken at approximately  19 - 19  of  FIG. 7 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 20  is a section view taken at approximately  20 - 20  of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the present invention comprises an intensive use chair  10  having a base  12 , a contoured ballast chamber  14 , back rest  16  and legs  20 . Contoured ballast chamber  14  may have substantially triangular cross section whereby the ballast material is urged toward a centerline of the chair. Legs  20  may have tamper resistant glides  30  for adjustably engaging floor F. Chair may have a back  32 , a front  34 , a seat  36  and a side panel  26  attached to the legs  20 , back  32  and seat  36 . Chair back may have a top  38 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the chair  10  may have a modular furniture design comprising a base  12  having a hollow base body  22  comprising a bottom wall  24 , a plurality of sidewalls  26  which may be connected to legs  20 , a closable ballast opening  28  formed in the contoured ballast chamber  14 . Contoured ballast chamber  14  may comprise a front wall  40  and back wall  42  disposed at a predetermined angle to each other to create a contoured shaped ballast chamber  14 . Front wall  40  is may extend from front  34  to bottom wall  24  connecting at a obtuse angle, likewise back wall  42  may be attached to back  32  and extend to bottom wall  24  attaching at an obtuse angle. The contoured ballast chamber  14  may be filled full or partially with a ballast material  50  ( FIG. 4 ) such as sand gravel, water or other material for adding weighted ballast to the chair  10 . This contoured shape of the ballast chamber  14  may urge ballast material  50  to settle in a predetermined orientation directing the weight of the ballast material  50  in a configuration relative to the horizontal orientation. Chair  10  may further have a fastener indent  54  formed in back  32 . 
         [0034]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the closable ballast chamber opening  28  may comprise a hole  56  formed in the bottom wall  24  having a threaded sidewall  58  for threadably receiving ballast plug  60 . Closable ballast chamber  14  may be closed by an openable means such as plug  60  or may be sealed after insertion of ballast material  50  by an adhesive or other means to non-releasably attach plug  60  sealingly over opening  56 . 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , contoured ballast chamber  14  may have an inverted pyramid shape  49  whereby the ballast material  50  is urged to a centerline  51  of the base  12  between front  34  and back  32 . Alternatively, the contoured ballast chamber  14  may have a generally triangular cross section. The contoured ballast chamber  14  has a small periphery adjacent the bottom wall  24  opening to a larger periphery above the bottom wall  24 . Seat  36  may further comprise a sitting portion  62  and a bottom portion disposed as a contoured ballast chamber top wall  64  extending between side panels  26  and between front  34  and back  32  to sealingly form a top  64  of the contoured ballast chamber  14 . Sitting portion  62  may comprise a front edge  68  and a back portion  70 . Back rest  16  may comprise a lumbar portion  72  connected to back portion  70  and a shoulder portion  74  adjacent top  38 . Fastener indent  54  is formed in back  32  adjacent top  38  having fastener aperture  57  extending through back rest  16 . Ballast material  40  may be disposed in contoured ballast chamber  14  in a quantity to partially fill contoured ballast chamber  14  thereby creating a moving center of gravity when the chair  10  is moved as the ballast material flows by force of gravity from for example, adjacent first arm rest  18  to adjacent second arm rest  19  or from front to back. 
         [0036]    Continuing to refer to  FIG. 4 , chair  10  may further comprise a cushion  80  on the seat  36 . The cushion  80  may be upholstered or formed of a resilient material. The cushion  80  is preferably an upholstered cushion  80  and may further comprise a semi-rigid frame  82  having a cushion seat portion  84  and a cushion back portion  86 , a cover  88  on the frame  82 . A tamper resistant attachment  90  may connect the cushion  80  to the chair  10 . 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , tamper resistant glide  30  may be mounted in leg  20  to engage floor and provide leveling adjustment. Glide chamber  31  is formed in leg  20  to receive glide  30  therein. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , substantially hollow contoured ballast chamber  14  is formed between side panels  26  to urge ballast  50  ( FIG. 4 ) into a predetermined orientation. Side panels  26  extend from arm rest  18  to feet  30 . Chair  10  may have a first arm rest  18  and a second arm rest  19 . Back rest  16  is connected between first arm rest  18  and second arm rest  19 . The sitting portion  36  has a back portion  70  adjacent the lumbar portion  72 . The back rest  16  is adjacent to the lumbar portion  72 . Sitting portion  36  lumbar portion  72  and back rest  16  may form an integral seating arrangement. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a table top  150  may be configured having an outside edge  151  and a bottom  160 . Bottom  160  may have a contour  162  adapted to engage the base  112 . A mounting ridge  184  may be formed in the table top  150  to further adapt to mounting on the base  112 . Table top  150  top surface  156  may be a laminated surface and may have designs or game layout stenciled or printed thereon. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIGS. 10 ,  11 ,  12  and  13 , base  112  may be stand alone with contoured ballast chamber  114  and removable from top portion  11  as a table top  150  or chair  110 . Base  112  may further comprise top surface  113 , bottom wall  124 , side walls  116  and legs  120 . Hollow contoured ballast chamber  114  may have an inverted pyramid shape. Bottom wall  124  may have a countoured shape  140 . Contoured shape may have a partial spherical indentation  142 . Countoured spherical indentation  142  may be oriented between side walls  116  having a generally horizontal bottom wall  124  extending from spherical indentation  142  to side walls  116 . Spherical indentation  142  has an outer edge  143  adjacent the legs  120  and top of spherical shape  145  adjacent the top surface  113  thereby directing ballast material  40  by gravitational pull toward the peripheral edge  143  of the spherical indentation  142 . Gravity urging ballast material  40  toward the side walls  116  causes the base to be peripherally weighted by the ballast material  40  being urged to the the periphery of the countoured spherical indentation  142 . Spherical indentation  142  may urge ballast material  150  toward the periphery of the bottom wall  124  for peripheral weighting of the base  112  by the center of the spherical indentation being higher than the periphery in the normal orientation of the base  112 . Glides  130  may be disposed on legs  120  to adjustably support the base  112 . Ballast mateirial  150  may be urged peripherally to the outside of the bottom wall  124  to ballast base  112  adjacent legs  120  a peripheral weighting configuration thereby making the base harder to tip over. Base  112  may be adapted on top surface  113  to provide a contoured surface  113  adapted to engage top matching contour  162  on attachable table top  150  to align and support attachment. 
         [0041]    Continuing to refer to  FIGS. 11 ,  12 ,  13 , base  112  may have mounting flange  117  adapted to connect to top  11  by fasteners  121  inserted through fastener holes  119 . Base  112  may also be aligned by ridge  184  and fitting  185  or attached by fasteners inserted through ballast port  56  to extend through base  112  into top  11 . Mounting flange  117  may also be used to gang together a plurality of bases  112  to form a connected furniture arrangement. Bracket  117  may be be connected to an adjacent base  112  to form a connecrted assembly having assorted chairs  110  and tables  150  attached. To the respective bases  112 . 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIGS.14 and 15  chair  110  may have a top portion  11  mountable on a separate base  112  (FIG,  12 ). The top portion  11  may have a front  134 , a back  138  and a seat  136 . Fastener indent  154  has back fastener hole  55  formed therein extending through back  16 . Cushion apertures  261  extend through seat  136  surface. Cushion apertures  261  may also be formed in lumbar portion  172 . Top portion  11  may have seat  136 , back rest  116  and bottom surface  260  having ribs  283  adapted to interlock chair top portion  11  on base  112  ( FIG. 12 ). Seat  136  may have a front  134  and a back  137 . Back rest  116  may comprise a lumbar portion  172  connected to back portion  170  and a shoulder portion  174  adjacent top  138 . Fastener indent  154  is formed in back  116  adjacent top  138 . Back fastener hole  55  is formed in fastener indent  154  and may extend through back rest  116  to receive cushion fastener (not shown). Seat  136  may further comprise cushion apertures  261  opening on seat  136 . Base ridge  185  may be adapted to interfit with top  113  of base  112  at mounting ridge  184 . A plurality of cushion apertures  261  may be formed in the sitting portion  36  and lumbar portion  72 . A back fastener hole  55  may be formed through back rest  16 . 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 16 , upholstered cushion  80  may comprise a semi-rigid frame  282  having a cushion seat portion  284  and a cushion back portion  286 , a cover  288  on frame  282 . A tamper resistant fastener arrangement  90  may connect cushion  80  to the chair  110  ( FIG. 4 ). Tamper resistant fastener arrangement  90  may connect the cushion  80  to the chair  10 . A plurality of cushion apertures  261  in the front and the back provides for installation of the cushion by sliding the cushion  80  forward to engage installation of L-shaped brackets  293  on the front of the cushion  80  into cushion apertures  261  adjacent the front  34  of the chair  110 ; lowering the cushion onto the seat  36  and further sliding the cushion  80  toward the lumbar portion  72  to engage the L-shaped brackets  293  on seat portion  284  adjacent the back portion  286  to engage cushion apertures  261  adjacent the lumbar portion  72 . The fastener hole  155  is adapted to lock the cushion  80  into place. 
         [0044]    Referring to  FIGS. 16 and 17 , the tamper resistant fastener arrangement  90  on the semi-rigid frame  282  attaches cushion  80  to chair  10 . Tamper resistant fastener arrangement  90  may comprise semi-rigid frame  282  by L-shaped brackets  293  attached to bottom surface  236  of seat portion  284  of frame  282 . L-shaped brackets  293  are adapted to align with cushion aperture  261  on sitting portion  36 . Each L-shaped bracket  293  is engages top wall  37  of sitting portion  36 . Each L-shaped bracket may have a cushion leg  295  attached to the semi-rigid frame  282 , a spacer portion  297  on the cushion leg extending away from the semi-rigid frame  282  and an engagement tab  294  on L-shaped bracket  293  spaced from semi-rigid cushion frame  282 . Tamper resistant fastener arrangement  90  may comprise a plurality of L-shaped brackets  293  attached to semi-rigid frame  282  and aligned to engage cushion apertures  261 . An L-shaped bracket may be attached in each front corner  251  of upholstered cushion  80 . L-shaped brackets  293  may be disposed on semi-rigid frame  282  at spaced locations. Cushion apertures  261  may be formed in the chair  110  at locations to engage each L-shaped bracket  293 . L-shaped brackets  293  may be steel angle iron fastened to semi-rigid frame  282  with welding, adhesive, screws or rivets or may be integrally formed on semi-rigid frame  282  by molding or the like. 
         [0045]    Referring to  FIG. 18 , attached chair  110  is mounted on base  112 . Cushion  80  is attached to chair  110  by engagement tab  294  attached to and extending from bottom outside surface of frame  282 . Engagement tab  294  may be adapted to extend into cushion aperture  261  ( FIG. 14 ) to slidingly engage seat  36 . Pivoting cushion  80  in direction of arrow  298  causes engagement tab  294  to slide under seat  36  surface and retain frame  282  to seat  36 . Semi-rigid frame  282  further comprises a bottom surface  236  adapted to bear against seat  36  and a back surface  216  adapted to bear against back rest  16 . L-shaped brackets  293  adjacent the cushion back portion  288  may have the engagement tab facing the back rest  16  of the chair  110  for slidable engagement with respective cushion apertures  261 . 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 19 , cushion fastener  83  is disposed in back fastener hole  155  and extends through back  16  to engage T-nut  85  attached to semi-rigid cushion frame  282 . T-nut  85  is aligned to receive cushion fastener  83  extending through back  16  of chair  10  to hold cushion  80  in the pivoted attached position on the chair  10 . Cushion fastener  83  has head  85  recessed in fastener indent  154 . A cover plate  89  may be placed in fastener indent  154  and adhered with adhesive or welding or other means to cover fastener head  87  to avoid tampering. Additional cushion fasteners  83  may be extended through the back rest  16  to engage semi-rigid frame  282  using similarly mounted and aligned T-nuts in frame  282 . It should be understood, the tamper resistant attachment  90  may be reversed with L-shaped brackets  293  attached to the cushion back portion  286  and the fastener  83  extending through the seat  36  to engage and attach to the seat portion  284   
         [0047]    Referring to  FIG. 20 , the L-shaped bracket  293  has cushion leg  295  on the frame, a spacer portion  297  and an engagement tab  294  generally parallel to cushion frame  282  and cushion leg  295  may be attached to frame  282  with fasteners or adhesive or the like. Engagement tab  294  is spaced from frame  282  to engage cushion aperture  261 . Engagement tab  294  extends through cushion aperture  261  and slips under seat  36  to retain cushion  80  to seat. Forward movement of cushion  80  with respect to seat  36  forces engagement tab  294  to engage edge of cushion aperture with spacer portion  297  of L-shaped bracket  293 . 
         [0048]    Although the description above contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given. Further, the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing exemplary embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that other forms, details, and embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is defined in the following claims.