Foldable chair with reclining and swiveling capabilities

Abstract

A foldable chair includes a lower hub assembly and an upper hub assembly. The lower hub assembly has foldable legs for supporting the chair. The upper hub assembly has a plurality of bars, and webbing mounted on the bars. The bars are movable so that the webbing can be folded and unfolded. The webbing provides a seating area when unfolded. The chair also includes a center shaft assembly that facilitates tilting and swiveling of the seating area in relation to the lower hub assembly.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A foldable chair comprising:
 an upper hub assembly comprising:
 an upper hub, 
 a seat cover, 
 a first front seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, and 
 a first back seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub; 
   a lower hub assembly comprising:
 a lower hub with a hemispherical outer profile, the lower hub comprising:
 a first recess extending inward from an outer surface of the lower hub, and 
 a second recess extending inward from the outer surface, 
 
 a first leg having a first end positioned within the first recess, the first end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a second leg having a second end positioned within the second recess, the second end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   a center shaft assembly coupling the upper hub assembly to the lower hub assembly, facilitating rotation of the upper hub assembly relative to the lower hub assembly, and facilitating tilting of the upper hub assembly relative to the lower hub assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The foldable chair of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the upper hub assembly further comprises a center support disposed above the upper hub, the center support comprising:
 a body having a protruding portion extending towards the upper hub, 
 a first link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, 
 a second link aligned with the first link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion, 
 a third link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, and 
 a fourth link aligned with the third link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion; 
   the first link and the second link are coupled to the first front seat bar; and   the third link and the fourth link are coupled to the first back seat bar.   
     
     
         23 . The foldable chair of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the upper hub comprises a centrally-located cavity; and   the protruding portion is configured to be selectively received within the centrally-located cavity.   
     
     
         24 . The foldable chair of  claim 23 , wherein the centrally-located cavity extends along a vertical centerline of the upper hub. 
     
     
         25 . The foldable chair of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the lower hub further comprises:
 a third recess extending inward from the outer surface, and 
 a fourth recess extending inward from the outer surface; 
   the lower hub assembly further comprises:
 a third leg having a third end positioned within the third recess, the third end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a fourth leg having a fourth end positioned within the fourth recess, the fourth end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   the first recess is separated from the second recess by a first spacing; and   the second recess is separated from the third recess by a second spacing equal to the first spacing; and   the third recess is separated from the fourth recess by a third spacing equal to the first spacing.   
     
     
         26 . The foldable chair of  claim 21 , wherein the upper hub assembly further comprises:
 a second front seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, and   a second back seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub.   
     
     
         27 . The foldable chair of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the center shaft assembly comprises:
 a lower plate with a planar major portion and a circular opening at a center of the planar major portion, and 
 a center shaft protruding through the circular opening; 
   the lower hub comprises a cylindrical passage; and   the center shaft is disposed within the cylindrical passage.   
     
     
         28 . The foldable chair of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the lower hub assembly further comprises a shim having a first shape;   the lower hub comprises a recess in confronting relation with the lower plate, the recess having a second shape matching the first shape, the recess extending at least partially around the cylindrical passage; and   the shim is disposed within the recess and between the lower hub and the lower plate, the shim providing a contact surface between the lower hub assembly and the center shaft assembly.   
     
     
         29 . The foldable chair of  claim 28 , wherein the shim is formed from high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         30 . A foldable chair comprising:
 an upper hub assembly comprising:
 an upper hub, 
 a seat cover, 
 a first front seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, and 
 a first back seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub; 
   a lower hub assembly comprising:
 a lower hub comprising:
 a first recess extending inward from an outer surface of the lower hub, 
 a second recess extending inward from the outer surface, and 
 a cylindrical passage, 
 
 a first leg having a first end positioned within the first recess, the first end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a second leg having a second end positioned within the second recess, the second end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   a center shaft assembly coupling the upper hub assembly to the lower hub assembly, the center shaft assembly comprising:
 a lower plate with a planar major portion and a circular opening at a center of the planar major portion, and 
 a center shaft protruding through the circular opening and disposed within the cylindrical passage. 
   
     
     
         31 . The foldable chair of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the lower hub assembly further comprises a shim having a first shape;   the lower hub comprises a recess in confronting relation with the lower plate, the recess having a second shape matching the first shape, the recess extending at least partially around the cylindrical passage; and   the shim is disposed within the recess and between the lower hub and the lower plate, the shim providing a contact surface between the lower hub assembly and the center shaft assembly.   
     
     
         32 . The foldable chair of  claim 31 , wherein the shim is formed from high-density polyethylene. 
     
     
         33 . The foldable chair of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the upper hub assembly further comprises a center support disposed above the upper hub, the center support comprising:
 a body having a protruding portion extending towards the upper hub, 
 a first link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, 
 a second link aligned with the first link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion, 
 a third link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, and 
 a fourth link aligned with the third link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion; 
   the first link and the second link are coupled to the first front seat bar; and   the third link and the fourth link are coupled to the first back seat bar.   
     
     
         34 . The foldable chair of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the upper hub comprises a centrally-located cavity; and   the protruding portion is configured to be selectively received within the centrally-located cavity.   
     
     
         35 . The foldable chair of  claim 34 , wherein the centrally-located cavity extends along a vertical centerline of the upper hub. 
     
     
         36 . The foldable chair of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the lower hub further comprises:
 a third recess extending inward from the outer surface, and 
 a fourth recess extending inward from the outer surface; 
   the lower hub assembly further comprises:
 a third leg having a third end positioned within the third recess, the third end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a fourth leg having a fourth end positioned within the fourth recess, the fourth end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   the first recess is separated from the second recess by a first spacing; and   the second recess is separated from the third recess by a second spacing equal to the first spacing; and   the third recess is separated from the fourth recess by a third spacing equal to the first spacing.   
     
     
         37 . The foldable chair of  claim 30 , wherein the upper hub assembly further comprises:
 a second front seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, and   a second back seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub.   
     
     
         38 . A foldable chair comprising:
 an upper hub assembly comprising:
 an upper hub, 
 a seat cover, 
 a first front seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, 
 a first back seat bar coupled to the seat cover and rotatably coupled to the upper hub, and 
 a center support disposed above the upper hub, the center support comprising:
 a body having a protruding portion extending towards the upper hub, 
 a first link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, the first link coupled to the first front seat bar, 
 a second link aligned with the first link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion, the second link coupled to the first front seat bar, 
 a third link coupled to the body above the protruding portion, the third link coupled to the first back seat bar, and 
 a fourth link aligned with the third link and coupled to the body above the protruding portion, the fourth link coupled to the first back seat bar; 
 
   a lower hub assembly comprising:
 a lower hub comprising:
 a first recess extending inward from an outer surface of the lower hub, and 
 a second recess extending inward from the outer surface, 
 
 a first leg having a first end positioned within the first recess, the first end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a second leg having a second end positioned within the second recess, the second end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   a center shaft assembly coupling the upper hub assembly to the lower hub assembly.   
     
     
         39 . The foldable chair of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the upper hub comprises a centrally-located cavity; and   the protruding portion is configured to be selectively received within the centrally-located cavity.   
     
     
         40 . The foldable chair of  claim 38 , wherein:
 the lower hub further comprises:
 a third recess extending inward from the outer surface, and 
 a fourth recess extending inward from the outer surface; 
   the lower hub assembly further comprises:
 a third leg having a third end positioned within the third recess, the third end rotatably coupled to the lower hub, and 
 a fourth leg having a fourth end positioned within the fourth recess, the fourth end rotatably coupled to the lower hub; and 
   the first recess is separated from the second recess by a first spacing; and   the second recess is separated from the third recess by a second spacing equal to the first spacing; and   the third recess is separated from the fourth recess by a third spacing equal to the first spacing.