Nestable and stackable chair

Abstract

A chair is provided comprising a seat assembly including a seat back and a seat bottom and a support frame including a left leg assembly and right leg assembly connected by a transverse support member. The seat back is pivotably connected to each of the leg assemblies such that an upper portion of the seat back pivots in relation to the leg assemblies between a first seat back position and a second seat back position. The seat bottom is rotatable in relation to the seat back between an upright position and a horizontal position. The seat bottom is slidingly engaged with the leg assemblies such that pivoting of the seat backward from the first seat back position to the second seat back position causes the seat bottom to slide forward from a first seat bottom position to a second seat bottom position.

1 . A chair comprising: 
 a support frame having ground engaging legs;    a seat back connected to said support frame;    a seat bottom is connected to said support frame to rotate relative to said support frame between a horizontal position and an upright position and to slide forward and backward in relation to said support frame between a first seat bottom position and a second seat bottom position.    
   
   
       2 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein said seat back is pivotably connected to said support frame to pivot between a first generally upright position and a second relatively reclined position.  
   
   
       3 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said seat back includes an upper portion for supporting the back of a person seated in the chair and an opposite lower portion: and    said seat bottom is connected to said lower portion of said seat back so that pivoting of said seat back causes said seat bottom to slide in relation to said support frame.    
   
   
       4 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein said support frame is configured to allow the chair to be stacked with other chairs having a similar support frame configuration when said seat bottom is in the horizontal position.  
   
   
       5 . The chair of  claim 4 , wherein said support frame is further configured to allow the chair to be nested with other chairs having a similar support frame configuration when said seat bottom is in the upright position.  
   
   
       6 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein said support frame is configured to allow the chair to be nested with other chairs having a similar support frame configuration when said seat bottom is in the upright position.  
   
   
       7 . A chair, comprising: 
 a seat assembly including a seat back and a seat bottom; and    a support frame including a left leg assembly and right leg assembly connected by a transverse support member, each of said leg assemblies including a seat back support member;    wherein said seat back is pivotably connected to each of said seat back support members such that an upper portion of said seat back pivots in relation to said seat back support members between a first seat back position and a second seat back position;    wherein said seat bottom is rotatably connected to a lower portion of said seat back such that said seat bottom is rotatable in relation to the seat back between an upright position and a horizontal position; and    wherein said seat bottom is slidingly engaged with said seat back support members such that pivoting of said upper portion of said seat backward from said first seat back position to said second seat back position causes said lower portion of said seat back to pivot forward thereby causing said seat bottom to slide forward in relation to said seat back support members from a first seat bottom position to a second seat bottom position.    
   
   
       8 . The chair of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 each of said left and right leg assemblies further includes a front leg member and a rear leg member operably connected in a criss-cross configuration; and    said lower portions of said front leg members and said rear/leg members are continuously downwardly curved from a crossing point of said front leg member and said rear leg member such that said front leg member and said rear leg member exhibit an arched configuration in profile.    
   
   
       9 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein said front leg members and said rear leg members are formed of a tubular metal having a “double-d” configuration.  
   
   
       10 . The chair of  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said seat back support member comprises an upper portion of said front leg members; and    an upper portion of said rear leg member extends above said seat back support member and includes an arm rest extending rearwardly from said upper portion of said rear leg member.    
   
   
       11 . The chair of  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said seat back includes a back panel and a left and right upright support member, an upper portion of each upright support member being attached to lateral ends of said back panel; and    a central portion of said left and right upright support members is pivotably connected to a respective one of said seat back support members.    
   
   
       12 . The chair of  claim 11 , wherein said seat bottom includes left and right laterally extending attachment members, said left and right attachment members being rotatably connected to a lower portion of said left and right upright support members.  
   
   
       13 . The chair of  claim 12 , wherein said lower portions of said upright support members are located in a pivot guide channel inside respective said seat back support members when said upright support members are pivotably attached to respective said seat back support members.  
   
   
       14 . The chair of  claim 13 , wherein each of said seat back support members has an opening to said pivot guide channel on an inboard side thereof, said lower portions of said upright support members and said left and right attachment members of said seat bottom being rotatably connected through said respective openings.  
   
   
       15 . The chair of  claim 14 , wherein said opening includes a slide guide, said left and right attachment members being slidingly engaged with said slide guide, said slide guide being configured to guide said seat bottom between said first seat bottom position and said second seat bottom position.  
   
   
       16 . The chair of  claim 12 , wherein each of said seat back support members includes a biasing element for biasing said lower portions of said upright support members backward thereby pivoting said upper portions of said upright support members seat back into said first seat back position.  
   
   
       17 . The chair of  claim 7 , wherein said support frame includes a seat stop configured to stop downward rotation of said seat bottom at said horizontal position.  
   
   
       18 . The chair of  claim 17 , wherein said seat bottom includes a ramp member on a bottom side of said seat bottom in a position to engage said seat stop during sliding movement of said seat bottom, said ramp member being configured to tilt a front portion of said seat bottom upwards when said seat bottom slides forward into said second seat bottom position.  
   
   
       19 . The chair of  claim 14 , wherein said seat bottom includes a cover fin, said cover fin being configured to cover said opening when said seat bottom is in said upright position.  
   
   
       20 . The chair of  claim 19 , wherein said cover fin includes a first detent for engaging said opening when said seat bottom is in said upright position, said detent being configured to releasably retain said seat bottom in said upright position.  
   
   
       21 . The chair of  claim 20 , wherein said cover fin further includes a second detent for engaging said opening when said seat bottom is in said upright position, said second detent being configured to prevent rotation of said seat bottom upward past said upright position.  
   
   
       22 . The chair of  claim 7 , wherein said front leg members are positioned closer together than said rear leg members so that said chair is vertically stackable with similarly configured chairs when said seat bottom is in said horizontal position.  
   
   
       23 . The chair of  claim 22 , wherein said chair is horizontally nestable with similarly configured chairs when said seat bottom is in said upright position.  
   
   
       24 . The chair of  claim 23 , further comprising a stack nest bumper located on a bottom portion of each of said front leg members.  
   
   
       25 . A chair comprising: 
 a seat assembly including a seat back and a seat bottom; and    a support frame including a pair of tubular front leg members and a pair of tubular rear leg members, a lower portion of said tubular front leg members and rear leg members having a “double-d” configuration.    
   
   
       26 . The chair of  claim 25 , wherein said lower portions of said front leg members are continuously downwardly curved such that said front leg members exhibit an arched configuration in profile.  
   
   
       27 . A chair comprising: 
 a seat back;    a seat bottom;    a support frame connected to said seat back and seat bottom and having a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs, said front and rear legs configured and arranged to allow the chair to be stacked with other chairs having a similar support frame configuration when said seat bottom is in the horizontal position; and    at least one stack/nest bumper positioned on a bottom portion of said pair of front legs to contact an upper portion of said front legs of another chair on which said chair is stacked.    
   
   
       28 . A chair comprising: 
 a seat assembly including a seat back and a seat bottom; and    a support frame including a left leg assembly and right leg assembly connected by a transverse support member, each of said leg assemblies including a seat back support member, said seat back support members each including a pivot guide channel and a slide guide opening;    wherein said seat bottom is rotatably and slidingly supported in said pivot guide channel through said slide guide opening such that said seat bottom rotates in relation to said seat back support members between a horizontal and an upright position and slides in relation to said seat back support members between a first seat bottom position and a second seat bottom position; and    wherein said seat bottom further includes a cover fin configured to cover an exposed portion of said slide guide opening when said seat bottom is in said upright position.    
   
   
       29 . The chair of  claim 28 , wherein said cover fin includes a first detent configured to releasably retain said seat bottom in said upright position.  
   
   
       30 . The chair of  claim 29 , wherein said first detent has a ramped leading end and a substantially flat trailing end, said ramped leading end being configured to allow said cover fin to slide past a rim of said slide guide opening, said flat trailing end being configured to abut against an inner lower portion of said slide guide opening to releasably restrain said seat bottom.  
   
   
       31 . The chair of  claim 28 , wherein said cover fin includes a second detent configured to limit the upward rotation of said seat bottom to said upright position.  
   
   
       32 . A chair comprising: 
 a support frame having ground engaging legs;    a seat back connected to said support frame;    a seat bottom connected to said support frame to rotate between a horizontal position and an upright position, and to slide forward and backward in relation to said support frame between a first seat bottom position and a second seat bottom position;    a seat stop mounted to said support frame in an orientation to prevent said seat bottom from rotating downward past said horizontal position; and    a ramp member mounted to said seat bottom to contact said seat stop, said ramp member configured to cooperate with said seat stop to tilt a front portion of said seat bottom upward when said seat bottom slides from said first seat bottom position to said second seat bottom position.    
   
   
       33 . A chair comprising: 
 a support frame having ground engaging legs;    a seat back pivotably connected to said support frame to pivots between a generally upright position and a relatively reclined position;    a seat bottom is connected to said support frame to rotate relative to said support frame between a horizontal position and an upright position and to slide forward and backward in relation to said support frame between a first seat bottom position and a second seat bottom position;    a coupling between said seat bottom and said seat back operable so that pivoting of said seat back causes said seat bottom to slide in relation to said support frame; and    a biasing element between said coupling and said support frame configured to bias said seat back into said upright position.    
   
   
       34 . The chair of  claim 33 , wherein: 
 said support frame includes a left leg assembly and right leg assembly connected by a transverse support member, each of said leg assemblies including a seat back support member; and    said biasing element comprises a biasing spring in a spring guide channel formed in each of said seat back support members.