Folding chair with armests

Abstract

A lightweight folding chair may include one or more armrest. The armrests are preferably pivotally attached to the chair so that the armrests can be moved between a storage position and a use position. The armrests are also preferably pivotally connected to the front legs of the chair, but the armrests can be connected to any suitable portions of the chair. The chair may also include a seat with an interference fit support bracket. The seat may have a lightweight seat member constructed of a lightweight material, such as a blow-molded plastic, that is generally supported by two such support brackets. The support brackets may be affixed to the lightweight seat member by sliding the lightweight seat member into interference engagement with the support brackets.

1 . A folding chair that is capable of being moved between a first position for supporting a person and a second position for storage, the folding chair comprising: 
 a first leg assembly;    a second leg assembly;    a chair seat constructed from blow-molded plastic and including an upper surface, a lower surface generally spaced apart from the upper surface, and a generally hollow interior;    a first metal support bracket connected to the first leg assembly, the first support bracket including a first attachment portion with an inwardly extending lip and a second attachment portion with an inwardly extending lip, at least a portion of the first attachment portion being sized and configured to abut a first portion of the chair seat and the inwardly extending lip being sized and configured to be inserted into a groove in the first portion of the chair seat, at least a portion of the second attachment portion being sized and configured to abut a second portion of the chair seat and the inwardly extending lip being sized and configured to be inserted into a groove in the second portion of the chair seat; and    a second metal support bracket connected to the second leg assembly, the second support bracket including a first attachment portion with an inwardly extending lip and a second attachment portion with an inwardly extending lip, at least a portion of the first attachment portion being sized and configured to abut a third portion of the chair seat and the inwardly extending lip being sized and configured to be inserted into a groove in the third portion of the chair seat, at least a portion of the second attachment portion being sized and configured to abut a fourth portion of the chair seat and the inwardly extending lip being sized and configured to be inserted into a groove in the fourth portion of the chair seat.    
   
   
       2 . The folding chair as in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a first armrest pivotally connected to the first leg assembly and movable between a use and a storage position; and    a second armrest pivotally connected to the second leg assembly and movable between a use and a storage position.    
   
   
       3 . The folding chair as in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest to a particular range of motion; and    a second plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest to a particular range of motion.    
   
   
       4 . The folding chair as in  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a first bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the first plurality of stops; and    a second bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the second plurality of stops.    
   
   
       5 . The folding chair as in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the storage position;    a second stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the use position;    a third stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the storage position; and    a fourth stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the use position.    
   
   
       6 . The folding chair as in  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest; and    at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest.    
   
   
       7 . The folding chair as in  claim 2 , wherein the first leg assembly includes a first leg connected to the first armrest and the second leg assembly includes a second leg connected to the second armrest and wherein the first leg and the first armrest are generally aligned when the first armrest is in the storage position, and the second leg and the second armrest are generally aligned when the second armrest is in the storage position.  
   
   
       8 . A folding chair that is capable of being moved between a use position and a storage position, the folding chair comprising: 
 a first leg assembly;    a first link connected to the first leg assembly;    a first support bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including a first attachment portion that is disposed at an angle relative to a second attachment portion;    a second leg assembly;    a second link connected to the second leg assembly;    a second support bracket connected to the second leg assembly and including a first attachment portion that is disposed at an angle relative to a second attachment portion;    a chair seat constructed from blow-molded plastic connected to the first support bracket and the second support bracket, the blow-molded plastic chair seat including an upper surface, a lower surface generally spaced apart from the upper surface, a first attachment portion that is attached to the first attachment portion of the first support bracket, a second attachment portion that is attached to the first attachment portion of the second support bracket, a third attachment portion that is attached to the second attachment portion of the first support bracket, and a fourth attachment portion that is attached to the second attachment portion of the second support bracket;    a first armrest connected to the first leg assembly and movable between a use and a storage position; and    a second armrest connected to the second leg assembly and movable between a use and a storage position.    
   
   
       9 . The folding chair as in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a first plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest to a particular range of motion; and    a second plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest to a particular range of motion.    
   
   
       10 . The folding chair as in  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 a first bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the first plurality of stops; and    a second bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the second plurality of stops.    
   
   
       11 . The folding chair as in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a first stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the storage position;    a second stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the use position;    a third stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the storage position; and    a fourth stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the use position.    
   
   
       12 . The folding chair as in  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest; and    at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest.    
   
   
       13 . The folding chair as in  claim 8 , wherein the first leg assembly includes a first leg connected to the first armrest and the second leg assembly includes a second leg connected to the second armrest and wherein the first leg and the first armrest are generally aligned when the first armrest is in the storage position, and the second leg and the second armrest are generally aligned when the second armrest is in the storage position.  
   
   
       14 . A folding chair that is capable of being moved between a first position for supporting a person and a second position for storage, the chair comprising: 
 a first front leg;    a first rear leg;    a first armrest constructed from metal, connected to first front leg and movable between a use and a storage position; and    a first link connected to the first front leg and the first rear leg;    a second front leg;    a second rear leg;    a second armrest constructed from metal, connected to the second front leg and movable between a use and a storage position;    a second link connected to the second front leg and the second rear leg;    a chair seat including an upper surface and a lower surface, the chair seat constructed from blow-molded plastic as a unitary, one-piece structure, the chair seat including a generally hollow interior portion;    a first groove formed in the chair seat as part of the unitary, one-piece structure;    a second groove formed in the chair seat as part of the unitary, one-piece structure;    a third groove formed in the chair seat as part of the unitary, one-piece structure;    a fourth groove formed in the chair seat as part of the unitary, one-piece structure;    a first bracket including a first lip that is at least partially inserted into the first groove in the chair seat and a second lip that is at least partially inserted into the second groove in the chair seat, the first bracket being connected to the first front leg and the first rear leg; and    a second bracket including a first lip that is at least partially inserted into the third groove in the chair seat and a second lip that is at least partially inserted into the fourth lip in the chair seat, the second bracket being connected to the second front leg and the second rear leg.    
   
   
       15 . The folding chair as in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a first plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest to a particular range of motion; and    a second plurality of stops sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest to a particular range of motion.    
   
   
       16 . The folding chair as in  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a first bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the first plurality of stops; and    a second bracket connected to the first leg assembly and including the second plurality of stops.    
   
   
       17 . The folding chair as in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 a first stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the storage position;    a second stop sized and configured to maintain the first armrest in the use position;    a third stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the storage position; and    a fourth stop sized and configured to maintain the second armrest in the use position.    
   
   
       18 . The folding chair as in  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the first armrest; and    at least one stop sized and configured to limit the movement of the second armrest.    
   
   
       19 . The folding chair as in  claim 14 , wherein the first front leg and the first armrest are generally aligned when the first armrest is in the storage position, and the second front leg and the second armrest are generally aligned when the second armrest is in the storage position.