Stackable chair with rack attachment members

Abstract

A stackable chair has a seating surface, at least three legs and a rack attachment member attached to each of the legs. Each rack attachment member has a leg attachment portion attached to one of the legs and a rack attachment portion capable of reversibly securing a portion of a rack to one of the legs below the seating surface. Typically, the invention further includes a rack, such as a thick rack, disposed below the seating surface and generally parallel thereto. The rack having a plurality of radiating prongs, each of the prongs being attached to a rack attachment portion of one of the rack attachment members.

1 . A stackable chair comprising:
 (a) a seating surface;   (b) at least three legs disposed generally vertically below the seating surface, the at least three legs being disposed at an angle slightly less than 90° with respect to the vertical, such that the chair is capable of stacking onto an identical chair; and   (c) a rack attachment member attached to each of the at least three legs, each rack attachment member comprising (i) a leg attachment portion attached to one of the at least three legs, and (ii) a rack attachment portion capable of reversibly securing a portion of a rack to one of the at least three legs below the seating surface.   
     
     
         2 . The stackable chair of  claim 1  further comprising a rack attached to each of the rack attachment members. 
     
     
         3 . The stackable chair of  claim 1  wherein the rack attachment portion defines a hollow continuous cylinder. 
     
     
         4 . The stackable chair of  claim 1  wherein the leg attachment portion defines a clamp having a first clamp member and a spaced apart second clamp member. 
     
     
         5 . The stackable chair of  claim 4  wherein the first clamp member and the second clamp member are attachable to one another by a single fastener. 
     
     
         6 . A stackable chair comprising:
 (a) a seating surface;   (b) four legs disposed generally vertical below the seating surface, the four legs being disposed at an angle slightly less than 90° with respect to the vertical, such that the chair is capable of stacking onto an identical chair;   (c) a rack attachment member attached to each of the at least four legs, each rack attachment member comprising (i) a leg attachment portion attached to one of the at least four legs, and (ii) a rack attachment portion capable of reversibly securing a portion of a rack to one of the at least four legs below the seating surface; and   (d) a rack attached to each of the rack attachment members;   wherein the rack attachment portion defines a hollow continuous cylinder;   wherein the leg attachment portion defines a clamp having a first clamp member and a spaced apart second clamp member; and   wherein the first clamp member and the second clamp member are attachable to one another by a single fastener.   
     
     
         7 . An attachment member comprising:
 (a) a rack attachment portion defining a hollow continuous cylinder with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an exterior surface;   (b) a leg attachment portion defining a clamp, the clamp having a first clamp member and a second clamp member spaced apart from one another, the first and second clamp members being attachable to one another by one or more fasteners, the first clamp member having an edge sized and dimensioned to match the exterior surface of the proximal end of the rack attachment portion in such a way that the first clamp member supports the rack attachment portion when the first clamp member is attached to the second clamp member.   
     
     
         8 . The attachment member of  claim 7  wherein the second clamp member is integral with the rack attachment portion. 
     
     
         9 . A method for shipping a plurality of stackable chairs to a destination, wherein each stackable chair comprises (i) a seating surface, and (ii) at least three legs disposed generally below the seat surface, the at least three legs being disposed at an angle slightly less than 90° with respect to the vertical, such that the chair is capable of stacking onto an identical chair, the method comprising:
 (a) stacking a plurality of the stackable chairs; 
 (b) shipping the plurality of stackable chairs stacked in step (a) to the destination; 
 (c) shipping to the destination a plurality of rack attachment members, each rack attachment member comprising (i) a leg attachment portion attachable to one of the at least three legs, and (ii) a rack attachment portion capable of reversibly securing a portion of a rack to one of the at least three legs below the seating surface; and 
 (d) shipping to the destination a plurality of racks, each rack being capable of being attached to a chair by the rack attachment members. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein each rack attachment portion defines a hollow continuous cylinder and wherein each leg attachment portion defines a clamp having a first clamp member and a spaced apart second clamp member. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein each first clamp member has an edge sized and dimensioned to match the exterior surface of the proximal end of a rack attachment portion in such a way that each first clamp member supports a rack attachment portion when each first clamp member is attached to a second clamp member. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of attaching a rack to each of the stackable chairs using rack attachment members attached to each of the legs of each chair. 
     
     
         13 . A kit comprising:
 (a) one or more racks suitable for attachment beneath the seating surface of a stackable chair, each rack having a center portion and at least three radiating prongs; and   (b) at least three attachment members for each rack, each attachment member comprising:
 (i) a rack attachment portion defining a hollow continuous cylinder with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end having an exterior surface, the hollow continuous cylinder being sized and dimensioned to accept one of the radiating prongs; and 
 (ii) a leg attachment portion defining a clamp, the clamp having a first clamp member and a second clamp member spaced apart from one another, the first and second clamp members being attachable to one another by one or more fasteners, the first clamp member having an edge sized and dimensioned to match the exterior surface of the proximal end of the rack attachment portion in such a way that the first clamp member supports the rack attachment portion when the first clamp member is attached to the second clamp member.