Foldable chair

Abstract

A foldable chair is disclosed herein, where the foldable chair includes a first plurality of frame components forming a seat of the chair, a second plurality of frame components forming a backrest coupled with the seat and moveable relative thereto; rear legs; rear joint assemblies enabling the backrest to translate between angles of reclination relative to the seat in a supporting configuration and to collapse the backrest toward the seat and align the rear legs with the first and second horizontal frame components in a transport configuration; front legs coupled with the first plurality of frame components; and first and second engagement structures that allow for an indirect coupling between the first plurality of frame components and the front legs, the engagement structures operating in tandem with the rear joint assemblies to hingedly collapse the front legs against the respective rear legs in the transport configuration.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foldable chair comprising:
 a first plurality of frame components forming a seat of the chair, the first plurality of frame components comprising at least first and second horizontal frame components each longitudinally extending between first and second ends;   a second plurality of frame components forming a backrest coupled with the seat and moveable relative thereto, the second plurality of frame components comprising at least first and second vertical frame components each longitudinally extending between first and second ends;   first and second rear legs;   rear joint assemblies coupling the first horizontal frame component with the first vertical frame component and the first rear leg, and coupling the second horizontal frame component with the second vertical frame component and the second rear leg, the rear joint assemblies enabling the backrest to translate between angles of reclination relative to the seat in a supporting configuration and to collapse the backrest toward the seat and align the first and second rear legs with the first and second horizontal frame components in a transport configuration;   first and second front legs coupled with the first plurality of frame components; and   first and second engagement structures each extending from a respective one of the first and second horizontal frame components and engaged with respective first and second front legs to allow for an indirect coupling between the first horizontal frame component and the first front leg and the second horizontal frame component and the second front leg, the first and second engagement structures operating in tandem with the rear joint assemblies to hingedly collapse the first and second front legs against the respective first and second rear legs in the transport configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a front crossbar engaged with and extending between the first and second front legs. 
     
     
         3 . The foldable chair of  claim 2 , wherein the front crossbar is formed to lie within substantially a same plane as the first and second front legs in the supporting configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second rear legs are substantially coplanar with the first and second horizontal frame components in the transport configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the angles of reclination are between about 95 degrees and about 160 degrees relative to the seat. 
     
     
         6 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second horizontal frame components and the first and second vertical frame components has a non-circular shaped cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the seat and backrest are formed from a single piece of material engaged with the first and second horizontal frame components and the first and second vertical frame components. 
     
     
         8 . The foldable chair of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second horizontal frame components and the first and second vertical frame components each defines a c-shaped channel extending between the first and second ends and along a respective length thereof, and wherein longitudinal edges of the single piece of material are inserted into and secured within each of the c-shaped channels. 
     
     
         9 . The foldable chair of  claim 7 , wherein the material is a permeable, woven material selected from the group consisting of mesh, canvas, polyester, nylon, water resistant marine fabrics, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the transport configuration has a height of between about 3 inches and about 4 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of frame components further comprises an upper crossbar engaged with and extending between the first and second vertical frame components. 
     
     
         12 . The foldable chair of  claim 11 , further comprising a carry strap and a strap attachment mechanism arranged on the upper crossbar or one of the second plurality of frame components, the carry strap being coupled to or engageable with the strap attachment mechanism for transporting the chair in the transport configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second armrests each longitudinally extending between first and second ends, the first armrest being engaged with the first vertical frame component proximate the first end of the first armrest and the second armrest being engaged with the second vertical frame component proximate the first end of the second armrest. 
     
     
         14 . The foldable chair of  claim 13 , further comprising a first armrest connecting joint arranged on an underside of the first armrest in between the first and second ends thereof and coupling the first rear leg and the first front leg into a movable relationship, and a second armrest connecting joint arranged on an underside of the second armrest in between the first and second ends thereof and coupling the second rear leg and the second front leg into a movable relationship, the first armrest connecting joint allowing the first front leg to collapse adjacent to the first rear leg and the second arm rest connecting joint allowing the second front leg to collapse adjacent to the second rear leg in a transport configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The foldable chair of  claim 14 , further comprising a clip arranged on the underside of each of the first and second armrests between the respective first ends and the respective first and second armrest connecting joints to securely receive respective ones of the first and second rear legs in the transport configuration. 
     
     
         16 . The foldable chair of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second armrests has a substantially constant width along a length between the first end to the second end thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , further comprising a rear support member engaged between the first and second rear legs, and a front support member engaged between the first and second front legs. 
     
     
         18 . The foldable chair of  claim 17 , further comprising a stability foot arranged at intersections between the rear support member and the first and second rear legs, and intersections between the front support member and the first and second front legs, the stability foot resting on a ground surface when the foldable chair is in the supporting configuration. 
     
     
         19 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second engagement structures each comprises a first portion welded to a respective one of the first and second horizontal frame components and a second portion comprising a fastener extending through a respective one of the first and second front legs and into engagement with the respective first portion. 
     
     
         20 . The foldable chair of  claim 19 , further comprising an accessories connecting mechanism engaged with one of the fasteners of the respective first and second engagement structures, wherein the fastener extends through the accessories connecting mechanism, through a respective one of the first and second front legs and into engagement with the respective first portion. 
     
     
         21 . The foldable chair of  claim 20 , further comprising one or more accessories removably engageable with the accessories connecting mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The foldable chair of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more accessories comprises a cup holder comprising a circumferential wall formed of a neoprene material. 
     
     
         23 . The foldable chair of  claim 1 , wherein the rear joint assemblies comprise a first rear joint assembly with a first translating arm and a first rear connecting joint, and a second rear joint assembly with a second translating arm and a second rear connecting joint. 
     
     
         24 . The foldable chair of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second rear connecting joints each defines a first receiving cavity and a second receiving cavity, and wherein the first ends of the first and second vertical frame components are pivotably received in the respective first receiving cavity of the first and second rear connecting joints and the first ends of the first and second horizontal frame components are non-movably received in the respective second receiving cavity of the first and second rear connecting joints, such that in configuring the foldable chair between the supporting configuration and the transport configuration, the first and second vertical frame components move toward and away from the first and second horizontal frame components. 
     
     
         25 . The foldable chair of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second translating arms each comprises a first end and an opposing bifurcated end defined by two parallel arms extending from the first end, and wherein each of the first ends of the first and second translating arms is pivotably connected to the respective one of the first and second rear connecting joints via a fastener that acts as a pivot point and extends through the first end of the respective one of the first and second translating arms, through a respective one of the first receiving cavities, and into the respective one of the first ends of the first and second vertical frame components received in the respective one of the first receiving cavities to enable pivotable movement of the first and second vertical frame components toward and away from the first and second horizontal frame components. 
     
     
         26 . The foldable chair of  claim 25 , wherein the first rear leg has a portion arranged and engaged between the two parallel arms of the bifurcated end of the first translating arm, and wherein the second rear leg has a portion arranged and engaged between the two parallel arms of the bifurcated end of the second translating arm. 
     
     
         27 . The foldable chair of  claim 26 , wherein in the supporting configuration, the two parallel arms of the first and second translating arms each extend substantially parallel to the respective first and second rear legs. 
     
     
         28 . The foldable chair of  claim 24 , wherein each of the first and second rear connecting joints defines a third receiving cavity, the foldable chair further comprising a lower crossbar non-movably received in the third receiving cavities of the first and second rear connecting joints and extending therebetween.