Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/271,122, filed on Feb. 23, 2001, entitled “APPARATUS FOR CUSTOMIZING THE BACK OF A CHAIR.” 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to folding chairs and method of customizing messages on the back rest of the folding chair and improved carrying characteristics.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Folding chairs are well known in the art. They typically consist of two sets of legs that are pivotally attached. A seat is also pivotally attached to the legs such that when the legs are separated, the seat is horizontal to the ground and can thus support a user. Typically, the back set of legs have a back rest that extends therebetween.  
           [0006]    Folding chairs are used for many different public gatherings. Some common gatherings include weddings, political conventions and the like. In these types of gatherings, the chairs are often rented either from the meeting facility itself or a rental agency. When not in use, folding chairs are typically folded and stacked together. The ease of storage and portability in large numbers make folding chairs ideal for large gatherings. The folding chairs can be easily set up in various manner to meet the seating requirements of the gathering. Often, the chairs are placed in uniform rows where individuals sit.  
           [0007]    Prior to individuals sitting down, the chairs present a uniform boring appearance. This uniform boring appearance may detract from the desired sentiment of the public gathering. For example, a uniform sea of gray or white chairs may appear too austere for guests arriving for a political gathering or a wedding. To address these needs, it may be desirable to place custom messages on the chairs. A congratulatory message might be appropriate for a wedding, for example. In a political gathering, a message of support for a candidate can enhance the atmosphere.  
           [0008]    Also, an organizer of a gathering event may wish to have seating assignments to make the event more meaningful. For example, the organizer may want to reserve the front row seats for important guests. In another example, a banquet organizer might assign guests selectively to various tables. Needs such as these are met by placing an appropriate reservation messages on chairs.  
           [0009]    However, placing custom messages on chairs is often difficult, especially if there are large number of chairs. Painting or otherwise writing on the chairs result in the message being permanently inscribed on the chairs. This is unacceptable if the chairs are to be re-used for a different event, or if the chairs are rental properties. A message such as a wedding congratulation for one couple is, of course, not suitable for a subsequent wedding for other people. A similar problem can occur in a location where political gatherings are held.  
           [0010]    Existing methods of customizing messages on chairs are time consuming or result in messages that are easily displaced. Messages or seat assignments printed on loose pieces of papers can easily find their way to the ground as litter. Banners can be temporarily attached to the chairs, but this can be time consuming and usually must be done at the event location after the chairs have been set up. Moreover, the temporary nature of the attachment allows the message to be easily dislodged by guests or participants arriving at the public location. Loose papers or banners falling apart all lead to unsightly appearances to the gathering.  
           [0011]    There exist methods of placing temporary messages on the backs of chairs. One is card holding frame disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,550,068 to Golden. This card holding device is secured on the upper edge of the seat back. This card holding frame has its lower edge recessed to fit upon the upper edge of the seat back. Once in place, a card with customized messages can be inserted and removed. The drawback to this method is that frame protrudes above and beyond the top of the chair&#39;s back. At large gatherings the folding chairs are usually placed in rows spaced closely. A typical folding chair has a back frame angling upwards and backwards. Thus, having extra protrusions toward the row behind can cause more crowding, and the frames can be bumped easily. Furthermore, people often grab onto the tops of chairs for support as they walk between the rows. Because of the temporary nature of the attachment, grabbing the protruding frames for support can cause them to become dislodged. Frames that fall on the floor will again lead to unsightly appearance to the gathering, and may even become safety hazards.  
           [0012]    Another method is in the form of a chair back cover disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,304,753 to Dwyer. Made of fabric, this device drapes an appropriately shaped fabric over the chair&#39;s back, thus covering the front and rear surfaces. A provision is made such that a printed program or a seat number card can be inserted and displayed. This chair cover is secured in place by strings tied along the lower edge of the seat&#39;s back. This invention, intended to provide decorative covers for fixed furniture, has several drawbacks. First, securing this cover is time consuming, with all the tying and untying of knots. This is a problem especially when large number of chairs must be covered for temporary use. Second, to maintain sanitary conditions, these fabric covers must be laundered frequently. This is especially true in warm climates where perspiration is common. The process of repeated laundering accelerates the wear and shortens the useful life-span of the cover. Third, a spillage of food or drink will stain the fabric, thus rendering it cosmetically unusable at many events.  
           [0013]    From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that there is a need for a folding chair that is capable of displaying interchangeable message signs in a simple, economical, and safe manner. To this end, there is a need for a message sign displaying device that can be easily prepared, installed, and removed from folding chairs, and in large numbers if necessary. Furthermore, this message sign displaying device should be safe to use and not alter the functionality of the chair that it is attached to. Furthermore, the sign displaying device should be durable and be maintained easily for repeated use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    The aforementioned needs are satisfied by a sign displaying device of the present invention. In one embodiment of the present invention, a sign holder for a folding chair having a back rest portion, consists of a main body with an aperture through its front and rear surfaces, a plurality of retainers for securing the main body to the back rest, and at least one sign card retainer on the rear side of the main body for securing a sign card to the rear side of the main body. The sign card has a message inscribed on it such that when attached to the sign holder, and the sign holder is attached to the back rest, the message is visible through the aperture by an observer from the front of the folding chair.  
           [0015]    In this embodiment, the main body and the plurality of retainers are preferably constructed of plastic such that the plurality of retainers form contiguous extensions from the main body. These retainers have hook shapes biased toward the rear surface of the main body. Furthermore, these retainers and the main body are flexible and resilient to allow urging of the hook shaped retainers into engagement with the top and bottom edges of the back rest portion of the folding chair. Once attached to the folding chair, the sign holder is contoured to the back rest portion so as to retain the functional profile of the folding chair.  
           [0016]    Furthermore, the sign holder has at least one sign card retainer on the rear surface of the main body. The sign card retainer is formed of plastic and is formed to allow insertion of the sign card and secure the sign card on the rear side of the main body.  
           [0017]    Another embodiment of the sign displaying device of the present invention comprises a padded sign, the padded sign comprising a main body with front and rear surfaces, a plurality of retainers that allow the padded sign to be attached to the back rest portion of the folding chair, and a padding attached to the main body on which a message can be inscribed. The main body and the plurality of retainers are constructed and attached to the back rest in a manner described above. Preferably, the padding is attached to the main body of the padded sign by stapling the padding on the rear side of the main body such that the padding on the front side of the main body comprises a contiguous area on which message can be inscribed.  
           [0018]    A combination of the folding chair and the sign displaying device is one aspect of the present invention, wherein the folding chair with the sign displaying device has dimensions substantially similar as a folding chair without the sign displaying device. Because of this, the folding chair with the sign displaying device can be folded and unfolded without removing the sign displaying device from the back rest. Furthermore, the plurality of folding chairs in folded configuration with sign displaying devices attached can be stacked together for storage purpose.  
           [0019]    The folding chair with the sign displaying device can be sat on by a user, and the user&#39;s back can be supported by the back rest portion with the sign displaying device in place. The folding chair with the sign displaying device, when not sat on, displays a message to enhance the appearance of the folding chair. Furthermore, plurality of such folding chairs with sign displaying devices display plurality of messages to enhance the overall atmosphere of the gathering for which the folding chairs are being used.  
           [0020]    In another aspect of the invention, a folding chair comprises a first frame member having a first and a second leg. The chair further comprises a second frame member having a first and a second leg. The first and second frame members are pivotally connected so as to be pivotable between the folded and unfolded position. The chair further comprises a seat member coupled to the first frame member. The seat member is pivotally attached to the first frame member so as to be pivotable between the folded and unfolded configuration. The chair further comprises a horizontal brace extending between the first and second legs of the second frame member so as to provide horizontal support therebetween. The horizontal brace includes an opening dimensioned to receive a user&#39;s hand, and the horizontal brace is positioned at a vertical location adjacent the vertical location of the seat.  
           [0021]    In one embodiment, the seat has a rear edge that abuts the horizontal brace when in the unfolded configuration. The opening is dimensioned such that the user&#39;s hand is removed from the interface between the rear edge of the seat and the horizontal brace. In one embodiment, the horizontal brace is located at the same vertical level as the seat. The vertical level of the horizontal brace yields sufficient clearance between the floor and the bottom of the chair when the user picks up the chair by the horizontal brace and carries the chair with an extended arm so as to improve the comfort of carrying the chair.  
           [0022]    In one embodiment, the chair further comprises a back rest extending between the first and second legs of the first frame member. The first frame member comprises the front frame member and the second frame member comprises a back frame member. The first and second frame members, the horizontal brace and the seat members are made of plastic. The horizontal brace is proximate the center of mass of the chair such that when the chair is grasped at the horizontal brace, the chair can be held and controlled in an improved manner.  
           [0023]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a folding chair having a folded and unfolded configuration, wherein the chair comprises a first frame member having a first and a second leg. The chair further comprises a second frame member having a first and a second leg. The first and second frame members are pivotally connected so as to be pivotable between the folded and unfolded position. The chair further comprises a seat member coupled to the first frame member. The seat member is pivotally attached to the first frame member so as to be pivotable between the folded and unfolded configuration.  
           [0024]    The chair further comprises a horizontal brace extending between the first and second legs of the second frame member so as to provide horizontal support therebetween. The horizontal brace is located near the bottom of the second frame member so as to allow a user&#39;s foot to push down when the chair is being folded. The chair further comprises a back rest attached to the top portion of the first frame member.  
           [0025]    The back rest defines an opening dimensioned to receive the user&#39;s hand. The chair can be folded by one hand positioned in the opening pulling upward on the back rest while one foot keeps the chair down by pushing down on the horizontal brace. The front portion of the seat member swings towards-the back rest as the chair, is being folded. The opening prevents the hand from being pinched between the seat member and the back rest as the chair is being folded. In one embodiment, the opening is a half moon shaped cutout on the bottom edge of the back rest.  
           [0026]    From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the sign displaying device of the present invention allows displaying interchangeable signs on the back rest portion of the folding chair. It will be appreciated that when the sign displaying devices are used on large number of folding chairs, such as in large gatherings, the usefulness of the sign displaying devices becomes more apparent. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a view of a sign holder of one embodiment of the invention installed on a folding chair with the folding chair shown in an opened position;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a view of the sign holder of one embodiment of the invention installed on the folding chair with the folding chair shown in a closed position;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the sign holder of one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a rear surface of the sign holder of one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a side view of the sign holder of one embodiment of the invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a padded sign attached to a folding chair as another embodiment of the invention, wherein the folding chair further comprises a carrying handle so as to permit a user to grasp the chair in an improved manner;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a rear view of the folding chair of FIG. 6 in a closed position;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8A illustrates how the folding chair of FIG. 6 in the closed position can be carried by the carrying handle;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8B illustrates how the carrying handle permits the unfolded chair to be carried without pinching of the carrying hand;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of the carrying handle, wherein the carrying handle is formed by an aperture that also permits the folding chair to be unfolded without pinching of the carrying hand;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 10A illustrates another aspect of the folding chair of FIG. 1, wherein a cutout at the bottom of a back rest permits gripping of the back rest during a folding operation such that the gripping hand is not pinched by a seat member; and  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 10B illustrates the folding chair of FIG. 10A being folded by a user using a single hand and a foot. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0039]    Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like numerals referred like parts through out. FIG. 1 illustrates the components of an opened folding chair  100  with a sign holder  112  of one embodiment of the invention attached. FIG. 2 illustrates the components of the folding chair  100 , with the sign holder  112  attached, in a closed position.  
         [0040]    The folding chair  100  is comprised of two pivotally connected U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  that are coupled to a seat rest  114  in a manner described below. The first U-shaped section  102  contains a left side section  130 L, a lateral section  132  that extends orthogonally from the left section  130 L, and a right side section  130 R that extends orthogonally from the lateral section  132  to complete the U-shape of the section  102 . In this description, the left side section  130 L is on the left side of the folding chair  100  as defined by an observer looking at the front of the folding chair  100 . The lower parts of the sections  130 L,  130 R serve as a pair of front legs  136 L,  136 R with front bottom edges  154 L,  154 R. The bottom edges are covered with a pair of protective front shoes  174 L,  174 R that are adapted to provide non-slip contact with the floor so as to maintain the folding chair  100  in place.  
         [0041]    The first U-shaped section  102  further contains a back rest  116 . The back rest  116  is adapted to attach to the first U-shaped section  102  adjacent to the lateral section  132  in a manner that allows the back rest  116  to be supported by sections  130 L,  132  and  130 R in a manner that is known in the art. The purpose of the back rest  116  is to allow the user to obtain a comfortable sitting position and to prevent the user from falling out of the folding chair  100  in a backward direction. The sign holder  112  is attached to the back rest  116  in a manner described below. The back rest  116  is situated substantially higher than the rest of the folding chair  100  so as to allow the sign holder  112  to be substantially visible.  
         [0042]    The first U-shaped section  102  further contains a front brace  106  that connects the left and right sections  130 L,  130 R together at locations adjacent to the legs  136 L,  136 R. The purpose of the front brace  106  as to provide lateral support to the first U-shaped section  102  so as to maintain the front legs  136 L and  136 R a first distance from each other that is selected to provide stability for the folding chair  100 .  
         [0043]    The second U-shaped section  104  contains a left section  142 L, a lateral section  144  (see FIG. 2) that extends orthogonally from the left section  142 L, and a right section  142 R that extends orthogonally from the lateral section  144  to form the U-shape of the section  104 . The left and right sections  142 L,  142 R contain a plurality of slight bends that enable the folding chair  100  to fold up in a compact manner as described below. The lateral section  144  is situated under the seat rest  114  as shown in FIG. 2 in a manner which is further described below. The lower parts of sections  142 L,  142 R serve as a pair of rear legs  152 L,  152 R with rear bottom edges  158 L,  158 R. The bottom edges are covered with a pair of protective rear shoes  156 L,  156 R that are adapted to provide non-slip contact with the floor so as to maintain the folding chair  100  in place.  
         [0044]    The second U-shaped section  104  further contains a rear brace  110  that connects to the left and right rear legs  152 L,  152 R together. The purpose of the rear brace  110  is to provide lateral support to the second U-shaped section  104  so that the rear legs  152 L and  152 R are maintained a first distance part from each other that is selected so as to provide stability for the folding chair  100 .  
         [0045]    The two U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  are pivotally attached at a pair of central pivot points  124 L,  124 R that coincide with the side sections  130 L,  130 R and  142 L,  142 R of the U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  respectively. The U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  are attached to each other in a manner that allows the sections  102 ,  104  to be aligned in a common plane when the chair  100  is in a folded or closed position. In addition, the U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  are attached to each other in a manner that allows the sections  102 ,  104  to be tilted with respect to each other such that the lateral section  144  of the second U-shaped section  104  supports the front of the folding chair  100  and the lateral section  132  of the first U-section  102  supports the backrest  116  of the chair  100  when the chair is in an unfolded or open position.  
         [0046]    The seat rest  114  is pivotally attached at a pair of rear corners  134 L,  134 R to a pair of pivot points  126 L,  126 R located on the first U-shaped section  102 . The seat rest  114  is adapted to support the weight of the user when the user is seated in the chair  100 . As shown in FIG. 2, a guideplate  117  is attached to a bottom surface  115  of the seat rest  114  to ensure that the seat rest is supported at the front edge  160  when the folding chair  100  is in an open position. In particular, the lateral section  144  of the second U-section  104  is interposed between the guideplate  117  and the seat rest  114  so that the lateral section  144  is captured within a slot  118  that is formed between the bottom surface  115  and the guideplate  117 . The lateral section  144  is movable within the slot  118  so that, when the user unfolds the folding chair  100  by placing the seat rest  114  into a horizontal position in a manner described below, the guideplate  117  directs the lateral section  144  of the second U-section  104  to be positioned adjacent the front edge  160  of the seat rest  114 .  
         [0047]    In a fully open position, the U-shaped sections  102 ,  104  are extended to a maximum angular displacement that is limited by the contact between the front edge  160  of the seat rest  114  and the lateral section  144  of the second U-section  104  as shown in FIG. 1. In a corresponding manner, the front legs  136 L,  136 R and rear legs  152 L,  152 R are simultaneously extended from each other to form a solid base of support for the folding chair  100 . With the folding chair  100  unfolded in the foregoing manner and placed on a level solid surface with all four legs  136 L,  136 R and  152 L,  152 R touching the surface, the seat rest  114  of the folding chair  100  provides a horizontal sitting surface that is capable of supporting the weight of the user.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the sign holder  112  attached to the back rest  116  of the folding chair  100  in its folded and unfolded positions. The back rest  116  comprises a top edge  133   a  and a bottom edge  133   b  to facilitate attachment of the sign holder  112  in a manner described below. The sign holder  112  has a main body  180  whose dimensions conform to the dimensions of the back rest  116 . The main body  180  has a front surface  182 , a rear surface  194  (illustrated in FIG. 4), and an aperture  184  that extends through the front surface  182  and the rear surface  194 . The aperture  184  allows a message inscribed on a sign card  202  to be visible from the front of the folding chair in a manner described below. The sign card  202  is attached to the sign holder  112  in a manner described below.  
         [0049]    The sign holder  112  has a plurality of retainers to allow the sign holder  112  to be attached to the back rest  116 . FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. A left top retainer  186 L extends from the left top corner of the main body  180 , and a right top retainer  186 R extends from the right top corner of the main body  180 . In this description, the left top retainer  186 L is on the left top corner of the main body  180  such that when attached to the back rest  116 , the left top corner of the main body  180  coincides with the left top corner of the back rest  116  as defined by an observer looking at the front of the folding chair  100 . A left bottom retainer  192 L and a right bottom retainer  192 R extend from the bottom left and right corners of the main body  180 . The retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R are preferably shaped like a hook and are biased toward the rear surface  194  of the main body  180  as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5.  
         [0050]    In one embodiment of the invention, the main body  180  and the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R are fabricated from plastic such that the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R form contiguous extensions from the main body  180 . Furthermore, the main body  180  and the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R are flexible so as to allow the user to urge the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R into engagement with the top edge  133   a  and the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  116 . Conversely, the sign holder  112  can be removed from the back rest  116  by urging the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R out of engagement with the top edge  133   a  and the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  112 .  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 4 shows the rear surface  194  of the sign holder  112 . On the rear surface  194  is at least one sign card retainer. In one embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 4, sign card retainers  196 L,  196 R are located near the left and right edges of the aperture  184 . A sign card retainer  197  is located near the center of the bottom edge of the aperture  184 . The sign card retainers  196 L,  196 R and  197  allow the sign card  202  to be secured on the rear surface  194  of the sign holder  112  such that the message printed on the sign card  202  is visible from the front of the folding chair  100  through the aperture  184 .  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 5 shows a side view of the sign holder  112  and further illustrates the sign card  202  secured onto the rear surface  194  by the card retainers  196 L ( 196 R not shown) and  197 . It will be appreciated that the drawing is not to scale, and the sizes of the sign card  202  and the card retainers  196 L,  197  have been exaggerated for illustrative purpose. In one embodiment of the invention, the card retainers  196 L,  196 R, and  197  are sized so as to make the sign holder  112  substantially conform to the back rest  116  in a manner described below.  
         [0053]    In use, the user takes the sign card  202  inscribed with a customized message, and inserts the sign card  202  into the sign card retainers  196 L,  196 R,  197  on the rear surface  194  of the sign holder  112 . The sign card  202  is secured on the rear surface  194  by the sign by the card retainers  196 L,  196 R,  197  such that the inscribed message on the sign card  202  is adjacent to the aperture  184  so as to make the message visible through the aperture  184  when viewed from the front of the folding chair  100 . The sign card retainers  196 L,  196 R prevent the sign card  202  from moving sideways when the sign card  202  is attached to the rear surface  194 . The sign card retainer  197  prevents the sign card  202  from moving down when the sign card  202  is attached to the rear surface  194 .  
         [0054]    The sign holder  112 , with the sign card  202  secured, is attached to the back rest  116  of the folding chair  100  by the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R. One method of attachment is to first hook the top retainers  186 L and  186 R to the top edge  133   a  of the back rest. Then, the main body  180  and the bottom retainers  192 L and  192 R can be flexed to allow the bottom retainers  192 L and  192 R to hook onto the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  116 . The main body  180  and the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R then contours to the shape of the back rest  116  such that the sign holder  112  does not significantly alter the original profile or the function of the back rest  116 .  
         [0055]    The folding chair  100  with the sign holder  112  attached can be folded as shown in FIG. 2 and be stacked for storage. Or, the folding chair  100  with the sign holder  112  attached can be unfolded as shown in FIG. 1 for use, where the user can sit on the folding chair  100  and have the user&#39;s back supported by the back rest  116  with the sign holder  112  attached. Furthermore, when the user is not sitting on the folding chair  100 , the message inscribed on the sign card  202  is visible through the aperture  184  on the sign holder  112 . The operation described above may be repeated on a plurality of folding chairs  100  as needed.  
         [0056]    In one embodiment of the invention, the sign holder  112  can be removed from the folding chair  100  by unhooking the retainers  186 L,  186 R,  192 L,  192 R from the top edge  133   a  and the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  116 . The sign card  202  can be removed from the sign holder  112  by pulling out the sign card  202  out of the sign card retainer  196 L,  196 R,  197 . A new customized message can be inscribed on a new sign card  202  for use as described above.  
         [0057]    Another embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 6, comprises a folding chair  300  wherein a padded sign  312  is attached to a back rest  316 . The padded sign  312  comprises a main body  380  to which a padding  381  is attached to. The padded sign  312  is attached to the back rest  316  in a manner described above, wherein a plurality of hook shaped retainers hook onto top edge  333   a  and bottom edge  333   b . Preferably, the main body  380  is fabricated from ¼ inch thick plastic, and the padding  381  is covered with vinyl on which a message can be inscribed. The padding  381  is preferably wrapped around the main body  380  and secured at the back of the main body by staples. The padded sign  312  can be attached and removed from the folding chair  300  in a manner described above. Furthermore, the folding chair  300  can be folded and stacked in a manner described above.  
         [0058]    The folding chair  300  further comprises a front frame member  400  pivotally attached to a rear frame member  412 , with both the front and rear frame members  400 ,  412  supporting a seat  424  in a manner described below. The front frame member  400  comprises first and second sections  402  and  404  that are interconnected near the top by the back rest  316 , by a middle brace  406  near the middle, and by a bottom brace  410  near the bottom. The first and second sections  402  and  404  are substantially parallel to each other, and include pivots  426  that pivotally attach the first and second sections  402 ,  404  to side edges of the seat  424 . When the folding chair  300  is in an open configuration, as in FIG. 6, the seat  424  is further supported by the top of the middle brace  406 .  
         [0059]    The rear frame member  412  comprises first and second sections  414  and  416  that are interconnected by a top brace  420  and a bottom brace  422 . The rear frame member  412  is pivotally attached to the front frame member  400  by frame pivots  430  that attach top portions of the first and second sections  414 ,  416  of the rear frame member  412  to approximately middle portions of the first and second sections  402 ,  404  of the front frame member  400 . When the folding chair  300  is in the open configuration, a grooved (not shown) rear edge of the seat  424  engages the bottom of the top brace  420  of the rear frame member  412 . Thus, the engagement of the seat  424  with the middle brace  406  of the front frame member  400  and the top brace  420  of the rear frame member  420  inhibits further pivotal movement of the seat  424 , front frame member  400 , and the rear frame member  412 , so as to permit a person to sit on the folding chair  300 .  
         [0060]    In one embodiment, the front and rear frame members  400  and  412  are made from molded plastic such that each frame member forms a contiguous piece. The first and second sections  402 ,  404  of the front frame member  400 , and the first and second sections  414 ,  416  of the rear frame member  412  have cross sectional shapes that form right angles so as to provide the sections with strength to resist buckling.  
         [0061]    The top brace  420  of the rear frame member  412  defines a cutout  434  at the bottom edge so as to form a carrying handle  436 . FIG. 6 illustrates a person using a hand  440  to grasp the chair  300  by the handle  436  so as to be able to pick up the chair  300  and move it. It will be appreciated that the cutout  434  is sized to receive the hand  440  of the user such that the hand  440  does not get caught between the top brace  420  and the rear edge of the seat  424 .  
         [0062]    When the user wishes to move a traditional folding chair in an opened configuration, the chair is typically grasped near the top portion of the chair, either at the back rest ( 316  in FIG. 6), or the top portions of the first and second sections ( 402 ,  404  in FIG. 6). Grasping the chair  300  by the handle  436  makes it easier for the user to hold and control the chair  300  in either folded or unfolded configurations, due to the fact that the handle  436  is located close to the center of mass of the chair.  
         [0063]    Furthermore, the vertical location of the handle  436  is substantially similar to that of the seat  424  such that when an average sized user picks up and holds the unfolded chair  300  with an extended arm, the clearance between the bottom of the chair and the floor is sufficient for improved maneuvering of the chair. If the same chair  300  is picked up by the back rest  316 , the carrying arm may need to be bent to raise the chair  300  sufficiently to prevent the bottom of the chair  300  from dragging on the floor. Carrying a load with a bent arm is typically more physically demanding than carrying a load with an extended arm. Thus, the vertical location of the handle  436  improves the carrying characteristics of the chair  300 .  
         [0064]    Being able to hold and move the chair  300  in a controlled manner may be an important safety issue, especially for a user with a limited physical strength. Thus, the carrying handle  436  affords the user at least two safety features when using the chair  300 . First is that the cutout  434  reduces the likelihood of the user&#39;s hand  440  being pinched between the top brace  420  and the seat  424 . Second is that the handle&#39;s close proximity to the chair&#39;s center of mass permits the grasped chair to be handled in a easier manner.  
         [0065]    [0065]FIG. 7 illustrates the orientation of the carrying handle  436  when the folding chair  300  is in its closed configuration. The carrying handle  436  is situated on the rear side of the folded chair  300 , between the first and second sections  414 ,  416  of the rear frame member  412 .  
         [0066]    As illustrated in FIG. 8A, the carrying handle  436  permits the folded chair  300  to be carried by a person. The person orients the chair  300  such that the seat  424  is interposed between the person&#39;s leg and a carrying hand  440 . The chair  300  is picked up by the hand grasping the carrying handle  436  such that the fingers wrap around the carrying handle through the cutout  434  on the top brace  420 . The reduced width of the carrying handle  436  permits easier grasping by the hand  440 .  
         [0067]    The cutout  434  further acts as a safety device when the chair  300  is unfolded to its open configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 8B. As the chair  300  is opened, the rear edge of the seat  424  swings towards the bottom edge of the top brace  420  of the rear frame member  412 . As shown in FIG. 8B, the cutout  434  permits the hand  440  to retain its grasp of the carrying handle  436  without the fingers being pinched between the seat  424  and the top brace  420 . Maintaining the grasp of the carrying handle  436  permits the person to unfold the folding chair  300  from the carrying position in a substantially continuous manner without having to change a hold on the chair  300 . FIG. 8B is also an enlarged view of the hand  440  grasping the chair  300  in an unfolded configuration, similar to the chair holding described above in reference to FIG. 6.  
         [0068]    In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the carrying handle  436  is formed on the top brace  420  by the cutout  434 . In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, folding chair  500  comprises a top brace  502  (of the rear frame member) that is similar to the top brace  420  of the chair  300  described above. The top brace  502  defines an aperture  504  positioned such that a carrying handle  506  is formed. The aperture  504  permits the fingers of the hand  440  to grasp the handle  506  and carry the folded chair  500 . Furthermore, the aperture  504  also permits the folded chair  500  to be unfolded while maintaining the grasp of the carrying handle  506  without the fingers being pinched between the top brace  502  and the seat, thus offering similar advantages as that associated with the carrying handle  436  with the cutout  434  described above.  
         [0069]    Another aspect of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, wherein the folding chair  100  described above in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 further comprises a cutout  604  defined at the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  116 . The cutout  604  is sized to receive a gripping hand  600 , allowing sufficient clearance such that when the chair  100  is folded with the gripping hand  600  gripping the cutout  604 , the front edge  160  of the seat  114  does not pinch the hand  600  when the chair  100  is folded. The chair  100  can be folded by using one hand  600  and a foot  602  securing the rear brace  110  in a manner described below. The structure and function of the chair is described above in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The sign holder  112  may be adapted to expose the cutout  604  such that the hand  600  can grip the cutout  604  comfortably.  
         [0070]    [0070]FIG. 10B illustrates the user in the process of folding the chair  100  using one hand  600  and one foot  602 . The user grips the back rest  116  at the cutout  604  with the hand  600 , and places the foot  602  on top of the rear brace  110 . While the foot  602  pushes down on the rear brace  110  to inhibit the chair  100  from being lifted off the ground, the gripping hand  600  pulls the back rest  116  upward. Such a motion causes the chair  100  to be folded, with the front edge  160  of the seat  114  moving in an arc, as indicated by an arrow  606 , towards the bottom edge  133   b  of the back rest  116 . The hand  600 , being within the cutout  604 , is prevented from being pinched between the front edge  160  of the seat  114  and the back rest  116 .  
         [0071]    In one embodiment, the cutout  604  is shaped like a half moon so as to permit a smooth contour that can be gripped comfortably by the hand  600 . It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the cutout  604  may be shaped in any number of shapes without departing from the spirit of the invention.  
         [0072]    It will be appreciated that the cutout  604  on the back rest  116  and the rear brace  110  permit the user to fold the chair  100  in an improved manner. In particular, the chair  100  can be folded in a safer manner by preventing the hand  600  from being possibly injured when pinched between the seat  114  and the back rest  116 .  
         [0073]    It will be appreciated that the sign displaying devices and the carrying handles described above provide the folding chairs with significant advantages while offering little or no significant drawbacks. In particular, the sign holding devices with messages printed, when attached to the folding chairs in various embodiments, provide a simple and an effective method of displaying customized signs at gatherings. Furthermore, the carrying handle that forms an integral part of the chair&#39;s frame permits the folded chair to be carried in a convenient manner, and be unfolded in a safe and efficient manner.  
         [0074]    Although the embodiments of the invention have shown, described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to these embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the detail of the device illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. Consequently, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the foregoing description, but should be defined by the appending claims.

Technology Category: 3