Stackable chair assembly

Abstract

A chair assembly adapted to be nested with a second chair assembly identical to the chair assembly. The chair assembly comprises a seating portion and a back support. The seating portion includes a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface generally parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge. The back support is generally perpendicular to the seating portion and includes an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface generally parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge. A first return flange disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support and a second return flange disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support. A first recess can be disposed on the inner surface of the back support, and is adapted to receive a first return flange of a second chair assembly nested with the unitary shell. A second recess can be disposed on the inner surface of the back support and is adapted to receive a second return flange of the second chair assembly nested with the unitary shell.

1 . A chair assembly adapted to be nested with a second chair assembly, the chair assembly comprising:
 a seating portion having a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface generally parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge;   a back support generally perpendicular to the seating portion, the back support having an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface generally parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge;   a first return flange disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support;   a second return flange disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support;   a first recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support, the first recess adapted to receive a first return flange of a second chair assembly nested with the chair assembly; and,   a second recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support, the second recess adapted to receive a second return flange of the second chair assembly nested with the chair assembly.   
   
   
       2 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the seating portion is in a generally horizontal plane and the back support is in a generally vertical plane and the seating portion and back support define a unitary shell that transitions from the generally horizontal seating portion to the generally vertical back support. 
   
   
       3 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first return flange and the second return flange are generally outwardly perpendicular to the inner surface of the back support. 
   
   
       4 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the first side back support edge is molded to form the first return flange and the second side back support edge is molded to form the second return flange. 
   
   
       5 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of support ribs disposed on the bottom seat surface of the seating portion. 
   
   
       6 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs disposed on the outer surface of the back support. 
   
   
       7 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a cross bow rib disposed on the outer surface of the back support. 
   
   
       8 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the back support further includes a top portion and a bottom portion wherein the back support tapers from the top portion of the back support to the bottom portion of the back support. 
   
   
       9 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of legs. 
   
   
       10 . The chair assembly of  claim 9  wherein when the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, the plurality of legs of the second chair assembly nest with the respective plurality of legs on the chair assembly. 
   
   
       11 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a first inverted U-shaped leg member and a second inverted U-shaped leg member, wherein each leg member is secured to the bottom surface of the seating portion. 
   
   
       12 . The chair assembly of  claim 11  wherein when the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly and the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly. 
   
   
       13 . The chair assembly of  claim 1  wherein the back support further comprises a hand hole. 
   
   
       14 . A chair assembly adapted to be nested with a second chair assembly, the chair assembly comprising:
 a seating portion having a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge;   a back support having an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge;   a first return flange disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support;   a second return flange disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support;   a first recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support, the first recess adapted to receive a first return flange of a second chair assembly nested with the shell;   a second recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support, the second recess adapted to receive a second return flange of the second chair assembly; and,   a plurality of legs secured to the bottom seat surface of the seating surface wherein when the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, a portion of the legs of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the respective legs of the chair assembly.   
   
   
       15 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of legs comprises a first leg and a second leg, a third leg member and a fourth leg wherein when the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, a portion of the first leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the first leg of the chair assembly, a portion of the second leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the second leg of the chair assembly, a portion of the third leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the third leg of the chair assembly, and a portion of the fourth leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the fourth leg of the chair assembly. 
   
   
       16 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a first inverted U-shaped leg member and a second inverted U-shaped leg member, wherein each leg member is secured to the bottom surface of the seating portion and the first inverted U-shaped leg member includes a first leg and a second leg and the second inverted U-shaped leg member includes a third leg and a fourth leg. 
   
   
       17 . The chair assembly of  claim 16  wherein when the second chair assembly is nested with the chair assembly, the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly and a portion of the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the first inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly further wherein the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly is nested with the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly and a portion of the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the second inverted U-shaped leg member of the chair assembly. 
   
   
       18 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the seating portion is in a generally horizontal plane and the back support is in a generally vertical plane and the seating portion and back support define a unitary shell that transitions from the generally horizontal seating portion to the generally vertical back support. 
   
   
       19 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the first return flange and the second return flange are generally outwardly perpendicular to the inner surface of the back support. 
   
   
       20 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the first side back support edge is molded to form the first return flange and the second side back support edge is molded to form the second return flange. 
   
   
       21 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of support ribs disposed on the bottom seat surface of the seating portion. 
   
   
       22 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs disposed on the outer surface of the back support. 
   
   
       23 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  further comprising a cross bow rib disposed on the outer surface of the back support. 
   
   
       24 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the back support further includes a top portion and a bottom portion wherein the back support tapers from the top portion of the back support to the bottom portion of the back support. 
   
   
       25 . The chair assembly of  claim 14  wherein the back support further comprises a hand hole. 
   
   
       26 . A stackable chair configuration having a first chair assembly nested with a second chair assembly, the stackable chair configuration comprising:
 a first chair assembly comprising:
 a seating portion having a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge; 
 a back support having an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge; 
 a first return flange disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support; 
 a second return flange disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support; 
 a first recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support; 
 a second recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support; and, 
 a plurality of legs secured to the bottom seat surface of the seating surface; 
   a second chair assembly nested on top of the first chair assembly, the second chair assembly comprising:
 a seating portion having a top seat surface, a bottom seat surface parallel to the top seat surface, a first side seat edge, a second side seat edge, and a front edge; 
 a back support having an inner back support surface, an outer back support surface parallel to the inner back support surface, a first side back support edge, a second side back support edge, and a top back support edge; 
 a first return flange disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support wherein the first return flange nests with the first recess disposed on the first side back support edge of the back support on the first chair assembly; 
 a second return flange disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support wherein the second return flange nests with the second recess disposed on the second side back support edge of the back support on the first chair assembly; 
 a first recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support; 
 a second recess disposed on the inner back support surface of the back support; and, 
 a plurality of legs secured to the bottom seat surface of the seating surface wherein the legs of the second chair assembly nest with the respective plurality of legs on the first chair assembly 
   
   
   
       27 . The stackable chair configuration of  claim 26  wherein the plurality of legs on the first chair assembly comprises a first leg and a second leg, a third leg member and a fourth leg and the second chair assembly comprises a first leg and a second leg, a third leg member and a fourth leg wherein a portion of the first leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the first leg of the chair assembly, a portion of the second leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the second leg of the chair assembly, a portion of the third leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the third leg of the chair assembly, and a portion of the fourth leg of the second chair assembly abuts a portion of the fourth leg of the chair assembly.