Chair for mechanics   

This invention relates to a chair. More particularly, this invention relates to such a chair which is mobile and rugged, and which is therefore particularly suitable for use by a mechanic in the garage environment.

There are a wide variety of mobile chairs, which are specially designed for use by mechanics, that are known in the art. Most typically, a base frame carries a plurality of casters and, much like an office chair, a pedestal extends upwardly from the frame and carries a seat at the top thereof. Oftentimes, the height of the pedestal, and therefore the seat, is adjustable.

Still other configurations include spaced U-shaped frames. One branch of the frames carries casters to render the chair mobile while a seat spans the other branch of the frames.

Both these and other styles of such chairs are often unstable and not sturdy enough to continually withstand the rigors of use in the garage of a mechanic. As such, these chairs require frequent replacement, and what is needed in the art is a chair which will not break down after rigorous use.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a chair which is rugged and sturdy and able to withstand the rigors of use by a mechanic.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a chair, as above, which can be rendered mobile.

These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

In general, a chair made in accordance with the invention includes a first frame and a second frame spaced from the first frame. The first frame has an upper portion and a lower portion, and the second frame had an upper portion and a lower portion. A seat is carried by the upper portions of the frames.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a first brace extends from the upper portion to the lower portion of the first frame and a second brace extends from the upper portion to the lower portion of the second frame.

In another aspect of the invention, the lower portions of the frames are spaced further from each other than the upper portions of the frames.

As an additional aspect of the invention, at least one spreader bar extends between the lower portions of the frames and attaches those lower portions to each other.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a tray which is carried by the lower portions of the frames. The tray has opposed curved edges. A curved edge of the tray is received around each lower portion of the frames.

A preferred exemplary chair according to the concepts of the present invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied, the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair made in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the chair of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

A chair made in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10. Chair 10 includes a first frame generally indicated by the numeral 11 which is spaced from a second frame generally indicated by the numeral 12. Frame 11 includes a lower tubular portion 13 which is spaced from a lower tubular portion 14 of frame 12. Frame 11 also includes an upper tubular portion 15 which is spaced from an upper tubular portion 16 of frame 12. Frame portions 13 and 15 of frame 11 are interconnected by a curved frame portion 17, and frame portions 14 and 16 of frame 12 are interconnected by a curved frame portion 18. Frame portions 13, 15, and 17 are preferably formed as a continuous piece of oval metallic tubing thereby creating frame 11 as a continuous integral member. Likewise, frame portions 14, 16, and 18 are preferably formed as a continuous piece of oval metallic tubing thereby creating frame 12 as a continuous integral member. As shown, for strength and bending purposes, the tubing at the ends of frames 13, 14, 15, and 16 is shown as being skewed or tilted as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

As best shown in FIG. 2, lower tubular portions 13 and 14 are spaced from each other further than are upper tubular portions 15 and 16. As such, interconnecting frame portion 17 curves upwardly and then inwardly from lower portion 13 to upper portion 14. Similarly, interconnecting frame portion 18 curves upwardly and then inwardly from lower portion 14 to upper portion 16. Thus, frame portions 17 and 18 include two distinct curves and the connection between the lower portions 13, 14 and the upper portions 15, 16 may be considered to be skewed. Such adds strength and stability to chair 10 as many hereinafter become more evident.

A brace 19 extends downwardly from near the outer end of upper frame portion 15 to lower frame portion 13 of frame 11. A similar brace 20 extends downwardly from near the outer end of frame portion 16 to lower frame portion 14 of frame 12. While braces 19 and 20 could be generally vertically oriented between frame portions 13 and 15 and frame portions 14 and 16, respectively, without departing from this invention, they are shown as preferably angularly extending between the upper 15, 16 and lower 13, 14 frames. As such, the braces 19, 20 extend from near the outer ends of frame portions 15 and 16, respectively, to generally near the inner ends of frame portions 13 and 14, respectively. Such provides a great deal of stability to chair 10.

Upper frame portions 15 and 16 carry a padded seat 21 in a manner now to be described. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, spaced slats 22 are attached to the bottom of seat 21, as by screw fasteners 23. Each slat 22 has opposed curved ends 24, 25 which correspond to the curves of upper tubular frame portions 15, 16, respectively. As such, ends 24, 25 extend around a portion of the perimeter of frame portions 15, 16, respectively, and are attached thereto by fastener assemblies 26, 27, respectively. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, a fastener assembly 26 extends through an aperture formed in each curved end 24 of each slat 22 and through apertures at opposed sides of tubular frame portion 15. Similarly, a fastener assembly 27 extends through an aperture formed in each curved end 25 of each slat 22 and through apertures at opposed sides of tubular frame portion 16. When seat 21 is so mounted to frame portions 15, 16, the front of the seat 21 is preferably generally aligned with the front edges of frame portions 15, 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

A tray, generally indicated by the numeral 30, is conventionally carried by lower frame portions 13 and 14. Tray 31 includes a main surface or floor 31 which can receive and carry tools or the like as may be desired by the user of the chair 10. Opposed lateral edges 32 and 33 of tray surface 31 curve upwardly and extend around a portion of the perimeter of frame portion 13 and 14, respectively. Opposed front and rear edges 34 and 35 of tray surface 31 turn upwardly at approximately ninety degrees from surface 31 to form walls to provide front and rear confinement for items placed on tray surface 31.

Front and rear spreader bars 36, 37 are also provided between frame portions 13 and 14. Spreader bars 36, 37 provide strength to chair 10 while at the same time maintaining the ends of frame portions 13 and 14 properly, consistently spaced. Hook ends 38, 39 are formed at the ends of spreader bars 36, 37, with ends 38 extending partially around frame portion 13, and ends 39 extending particularly around frame portion 14. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, fastening assemblies 40 extend through ends 38, frame portion 13, and tray edge 32, and through ends 39, frame portion 14, and tray edge 33 at the front and rear of tray 30 to attach tray 30 and bars 36 and 37 to frame portions 13 and 14. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, fastening assemblies 41, positioned medially between fastening assemblies 40, may be provided to further secure tray 30 to frame portions 13 and 14.

Chair 10 may be rendered mobile by a plurality of caster assemblies generally indicated by the numeral 42. Caster assemblies 42 may be conventional items and are somewhat schematically shown as including a wheel 43 rotatable on a horizontal axle 44 carried by a horn 45. Horn 45 is rotatable on a vertical axle 46 having a threaded end. The axles 46 of each caster assembly 42 extend through tray surface 31 and spreader bar 36 or 37 and receive a nut 47 thereby attaching caster assemblies 42 to chair 10.

In light of the foregoing, it should thus be evident that a chair constructed as described herein substantially improves the art and otherwise accomplishes the objects of the present invention.