Leg structure for folding chair and folding chair
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FOSHAN FEISHIKANGDOWAI LEISURE PRODUCTS CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-29
Smart Images
Figure 2026089011000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a leg structure for a folding chair that can be folded during storage or transportation, and a folding chair using the leg structure.
Background Art
[0002] Chairs used in conference rooms, halls, outdoors, etc. are folded and stored when not in use. As folding chairs, mainly as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-179547, etc., the seat plate is swung with respect to the front leg pipe and the rear leg pipe, and the lower end of the rear leg pipe is swung in a direction approaching the lower end of the front leg pipe, so that it can be folded into a substantially flat plate shape, a front-back folding type, and as described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-11855, etc., a left-right folding type that folds into a substantially flat plate shape by bringing a pair of left and right frames closer to each other, and as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-105557, etc., at least four X legs are provided in the front, back, left, and right, and all frames including the X legs are folded into a substantially rod shape, and there are three types known: a convergent type.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Patent Document 2
Patent Document 3
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a leg structure for a folding chair having a convergent folding structure different from the conventional folding structure, and a folding chair having the leg structure.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0005] A folding chair leg structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes, in an unfolded state, a pair of lateral leg structures arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, a front leg structure located at the front, and a rear leg structure located at the rear.
[0006] Each of the pair of lateral leg structures is, A long leg member that extends upwards towards the rear, Short leg members that extend upwards as they move towards the front, A seating member that extends in the front-to-back direction, A connecting mechanism that connects the long leg member, the short leg member, and the seat member in a foldable manner, It has.
[0007] The aforementioned coupling mechanism is The rear plate has a front-to-back intermediate portion that is supported to allow rotation about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction relative to the vertical intermediate portion of the long leg member, and its rear end is connected and fixed to the upper end of the short leg member, and its front end is supported to allow rotation about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction relative to the rear end of the seat member, A front plate is attached and fixed to the rear side of the seat member, An upper plate attached and fixed to the upper part of the long leg member, a lower plate attached and fixed to the lower part of the long leg member, or both, It has.
[0008] The front leg structure has a pair of front support members connected to each other at their respective extension intermediate portions, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction. The upper ends of each of the pair of front support members are supported on the front portions of the respective seat members of the pair of lateral leg structures, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of each are supported on the lower portions of the respective long leg members of the pair of lateral leg structures, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0009] The rear leg structure has a pair of rear support members connected to each other at their respective extension intermediate portions, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction. The upper ends of each of the pair of rear support members are supported on the upper part of the long leg member, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of each are supported on the lower part of the short leg member, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0010] In a folding chair leg structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the pair of lateral leg structures, the front leg structure, and the rear leg structure can be brought together and folded by rotating the rear plate of each of the pair of lateral leg structures relative to the long leg member and the seat member, rotating the pair of front support members relative to each other, and rotating the pair of rear support members relative to each other.
[0011] In a folding chair leg structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the long leg member may have a pair of long leg member elements, and the pair of long leg member elements sandwich the upper plate, the lower plate, or both, and the rear plate in the left-right direction.
[0012] The short leg member may have a pair of short leg member elements, and the pair of short leg member elements clamp the rear plate in the left-right direction.
[0013] The seat member may have a pair of seat member elements, and the pair of seat member elements sandwich the front plate and the rear plate in the left-right direction.
[0014] It is preferable that each of the pair of long leg member elements, the pair of short leg member elements, or the pair of seat member elements is joined and fixed to each other. In this case, each of the pair of long leg member elements, the pair of short leg member elements, or the pair of seat member elements can be joined and fixed to each other using rivets.
[0015] In one aspect of the folding chair leg structure according to the present disclosure, each of the pair of lateral leg structures may have a holding mechanism for maintaining the positional relationship between the long leg member, the short leg member, and the seat member when unfolded.
[0016] The retaining mechanism may have a seat retaining mechanism comprising a seat stopper portion provided on the front plate and a seat stopper portion provided on the rear plate. In this case, the seat retaining mechanism prevents the short leg member and the seat member from rotating relative to each other further in the unfolding direction by bringing the seat stopper portion into contact with the seat stopper portion when the seat is unfolded.
[0017] Additionally or alternatively, the holding mechanism unit can include an upper long leg holding mechanism unit constituted by an upper stopper unit provided on the upper plate and an upper stoppered unit provided on the rear plate, a lower long leg holding mechanism unit constituted by a lower stopper unit provided on the lower plate and a lower stoppered unit provided on the rear plate, or a long leg holding mechanism unit having both of them. In this case, in the deployed state, the long leg holding mechanism unit prevents the long leg member and the short leg member from relatively rotating further in the deployment direction by abutting the upper stopper unit against the upper stoppered unit, abutting the lower stopper unit against the lower stoppered unit, or both.
[0018] A folding chair according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a leg structure for a folding chair according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a backrest portion spanned between upper portions of the long leg members of each of the pair of side leg structure portions, and a seat surface portion spanned between the seat surface members of each of the pair of side leg structure portions.
[0019] In this case, it is preferable that the backrest portion and the seat surface portion are integrally formed by a cloth body. The cloth body can be detachably attached to the upper portions of the long leg members of each of the pair of side leg structure portions and the seat surface members of each of the pair of side leg structure portions.
Effects of the Invention
[0020] According to the present disclosure, there are provided a leg structure for a folding chair having a convergent folding structure different from a conventional folding structure and a folding chair having the leg structure.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a photograph of a folding chair according to an example of an embodiment of the present disclosure taken from the front. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a photograph of the folding chair taken from the back. [Figure 3]Figure 3 is a photograph of the folding chair taken from the side. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a photograph taken from the front of the leg structure that makes up the folding chair. [Figure 5] Figure 5(A) is a photograph taken from the front with the leg structure folded, and Figure 5(B) is a photograph taken from the rear with the leg structure folded. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the leg structure that makes up the folding chair. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the main part of Figure 6. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a side view showing the leg structure in a folded state. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a side view showing each plate constituting the connecting mechanism, where (A) shows the positional relationship of each plate in the deployed state of the leg structure, and (B) shows the positional relationship of each plate in the folded state of the leg structure. [Figure 10] Figure 10(A) is a perspective view of the first fitting, Figure 10(B) is a front view of the first fitting, Figure 10(C) is a side view of the first fitting, and Figure 10(D) is a top view of the first fitting. [Figure 11] Figure 11(A) is a front view of the second fitting, Figure 11(B) is a side view of the second fitting, and Figure 11(C) is a top view of the second fitting. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0022] An example of an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11(C).
[0023] (leg structure) The folding chair 1 in this example has a leg structure 5 which includes a pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b arranged at intervals in the left-right direction, a front leg structure 3 located at the front, and a rear leg structure 4 located at the rear. As shown in Figures 5(A), 5(B), or 8, the leg structure 5 folds into a roughly rod-like shape when folded, but in the following description, the leg structure 5 will be explained based on its unfolded state.
[0024] In the following description, the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction (width direction), and up-to-down direction refer to the front-to-back direction, left-to-right direction (width direction), and up-to-down direction as viewed from the perspective of a user seated in the unfolded folding chair 1. Furthermore, "left side" refers to the left-hand side of the user seated in the unfolded folding chair 1, and "right side" refers to the right-hand side of the user seated in the unfolded folding chair 1.
[0025] Each of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b includes a long leg member 6, a short leg member 7, a seat member 8, and a connecting mechanism 9.
[0026] The long leg members 6 extend upwards as they move towards the rear. The lower ends of the long leg members 6 rest on the ground or floor surface. In other words, the lower parts of the long leg members 6 constitute the front legs of the folding chair 1. The long leg members 6 also function as back support columns (back braces) that support the left and right ends of the backrest portion 29 of the folding chair 1.
[0027] The short leg members 7 extend upwards as they move towards the front. The lower end of the short leg members 7 rests on the mounting surface. In other words, the short leg members 7 constitute the rear legs of the folding chair 1.
[0028] The seat member 8 extends in the front-to-back direction. In this example, the seat member 8 extends upwards as it moves towards the front. However, the seat member 8 can also extend almost parallel to the mounting surface, or it can extend downwards as it moves towards the front.
[0029] The front leg structure 3 has a pair of front support members 14a and 14b. The pair of front support members 14a and 14b are connected to each other at their respective extension intermediate portions, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction. In other words, the front leg structure 3 has an X-leg structure (scissors structure). The upper ends of each of the pair of front support members 14 are supported on the front side of the seat member 8, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of each are supported on the lower side of the long leg member 6, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0030] The rear leg structure 4 has a pair of rear support members 15a and 15b. The pair of rear support members 15a and 15b are connected to each other at their respective extension intermediate portions, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction. The rear leg structure 4 also has an X-leg structure. The upper ends of the pair of rear support members 15a and 15b are supported on the upper part of the long leg member 6, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of the pair are supported on the lower part of the short leg member 7, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0031] Each of the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, seat member 8, front support members 14a, 14b, and rear support members 15a, 15b can be made of any material and shape, as long as the necessary mechanical properties such as strength are ensured.
[0032] For example, these materials can include metals such as aluminum alloys and iron alloys, synthetic resins, and wood.
[0033] The connecting mechanism 9 connects the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 in a foldable manner. The connecting mechanism 9 has a rear plate 10, a front plate 11, an upper plate 12, a lower plate 13, or both. In this example, the connecting mechanism 9 includes both the upper plate 12 and the lower plate 13.
[0034] The shape of each of the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, or lower plate 13 is arbitrary, as long as it can ensure the necessary mechanical properties such as strength and does not hinder the rotation of the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, or seat member 8 when folding or unfolding the leg structure 5.
[0035] Furthermore, the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, or lower plate 13 can each be made of any material, as long as the necessary mechanical properties such as strength can be ensured.
[0036] For example, these materials can include metals such as aluminum alloys and iron alloys, synthetic resins, and wood. From the standpoint of cost reduction, it is preferable that the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, or lower plate 13 are each obtained by stamping and forming a metal sheet.
[0037] The front-to-rear intermediate portion of the rear plate 10 is supported by the upper-to-lower intermediate portion of the long leg member 6 so as to be able to rotate about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction, its rear end is connected and fixed to the upper end of the short leg member 7, and its front end is supported by the rear end of the seat surface member 8 so as to be able to rotate about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction.
[0038] The front plate 11 is attached and fixed to the rear part of the seat member 8 (the part located in front of the rear end of the seat member 8).
[0039] The upper plate 12 is joined and fixed to the upper part of the long leg member 6 (the part located above the vertical midpoint of the long leg member 6).
[0040] The lower plate 13 is connected and fixed to the lower part of the long leg member 6 (the part located below the vertical midpoint of the long leg member 6).
[0041] In the leg structure 5, the rear plate 10 of each of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b is rotated relative to the long leg member 6 and the seat member 8, the pair of front support members 14a and 14b are rotated relative to each other, and the pair of rear support members 15a and 15b are rotated relative to each other, thereby enabling the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, the front leg structure 3, and the rear leg structure 4 to converge and fold.
[0042] The leg structure 5 may optionally include a holding mechanism 16 for holding the leg structure 5 in the deployed state. The holding mechanism 16 can adopt any configuration as long as it can hold the leg structure 5 in the deployed state.
[0043] For example, the holding mechanism 16 may have a seat holding mechanism 19, which is composed of a seat stopper portion 17 provided on the front plate 11 and a seat stopper portion 18 provided on the rear plate 10. In this case, the seat holding mechanism 19 can prevent the short leg member 7 and the seat member 8 from rotating relative to each other further in the unfolding direction by bringing the seat stopper portion 17 into contact with the seat stopper portion 18 when the leg structure 5 is unfolded.
[0044] Additionally or alternatively, the holding mechanism 16 may have an upper long leg holding mechanism 24a, which consists of an upper stopper portion 20 provided on the upper plate 12 and an upper stopped portion 21 provided on the rear plate 10; a lower long leg holding mechanism 24b, which consists of a lower stopper portion 22 provided on the lower plate 13 and a lower stopped portion 23 provided on the rear plate 10; or a long leg holding mechanism 24, which has both. In this case, the long leg holding mechanism 24 can prevent the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction by bringing the upper stopper portion 20 into contact with the upper stopped portion 21, bringing the lower stopper portion 22 into contact with the lower stopped portion 23, or both, when the leg structure 5 is deployed.
[0045] Alternatively, the holding mechanism 16 may be composed of a part of one of a pair of members that are rotatably combined with each other, or another member supported and fixed to that one member, and a part of the other member of the pair of members, or another member supported and fixed to that other member, and in the deployed state of the leg structure 5, a part of one member or one of the other members may be brought into contact with a part of the other member or the other other member, thereby preventing the pair of members from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction.
[0046] Alternatively, the holding mechanism 16 may be configured with a link member that is rotatably assembled with respect to each other and spanned between a pair of members, and in the deployed state of the leg structure 5, the link member may be configured to prevent the pair of members from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction. In this case, the base end of the link member may be pivotably supported on one of the pair of members, and in the deployed state of the leg structure 5, the tip of the link member may be configured to engage with a locking portion provided on the other of the pair of members.
[0047] The leg structure 5 is arbitrary in its specific structure, as long as it has the basic structure described above. The leg structure 5 is particularly characterized by the structure of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b. The detailed structure of each of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b will be described below, although this description is not limited to these.
[0048] (lateral leg structure) Each of the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, or seat member 8 constituting a pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b can be made of any material as long as it can be brought together and folded together with the front leg structure 3 and rear leg structure 4 from the unfolded state of the leg structure 5 to the folded state in cooperation with the connecting mechanism 9. For example, these members can be made of a single pipe or rod. However, in order to properly and smoothly perform these functions, and from the viewpoint of rigidity and stability of the leg structure 5 in the unfolded state and convergence and weight reduction of the leg structure 5 in the folded state, although not limited to these, it is preferable that each of the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, seat member 8, and connecting mechanism 9 adopts the following configuration.
[0049] The long leg member 6 may have a pair of long leg member elements 25. The pair of long leg member elements 25 sandwich the upper plate 12, the lower plate 13, or both, and the rear plate 10 in the left-right direction. The pair of long leg member elements 25 may be provided only in the vertical middle portion of the long leg member 6, but it is preferable that the pair of long leg member elements 25 constitute the entire long leg member 6. In this case, the pair of long leg member elements 25 are joined and fixed to each other using rivets 28 so as to sandwich the rear plate 10, the upper plate 12, and the lower plate 13 in the left-right direction. However, the pair of long leg member elements 25 can also be joined and fixed by welding or by using bolts and nuts.
[0050] If the strength and rigidity of the long leg member 6 can be ensured, it is also possible to configure the portions on both the left and right sides of the through-hole (slit) in the vertical middle portion of the long leg member 6 as a pair of long leg member elements 25.
[0051] The connection structure between the pair of long leg member elements 25 and the rear plate 10 is arbitrary, as long as they are rotatably connected to each other. In this example, the pair of long leg member elements 25 and the rear plate 10 are rotatably connected by sandwiching the middle portion of the first plate portion 32 of the rear plate 10 between the middle portions of the pair of long leg member elements 25 in the extension direction, and by inserting a rivet 28 through a through hole 38a provided in the middle portion of the first plate portion 32 and a through hole provided in the upper and lower middle portion of the pair of long leg member elements 25, and crimping the tip of the rivet 28.
[0052] A pair of long leg member elements 25 and an upper plate 12 are joined and fixed to each other by an arbitrary connecting structure. In this example, the pair of long leg member elements 25 and the upper plate 12 are joined and fixed to each other by sandwiching the upper plate 12 between the upper parts of the pair of long leg member elements 25 above the portion that sandwiches the rear plate 10, and by inserting two rivets 28 through two through holes 38c provided in the upper plate 12 and through holes provided at two locations, upper and lower, on the upper part of the pair of long leg member elements 25, and crimping the tips of the two rivets 28.
[0053] A pair of long leg member elements 25 and a lower plate 13 are joined and fixed to each other by an arbitrary connecting structure. In this example, the pair of long leg member elements 25 and the lower plate 13 are joined and fixed to each other by sandwiching the lower plate 13 between the lower parts of the pair of long leg member elements 25 below the portion that sandwiches the rear plate 10, and by inserting two rivets 28 through two through holes 38d provided in the lower plate 13 and through holes provided at two locations, upper and lower, on the lower part of the pair of long leg member elements 25, and crimping the tips of the two rivets 28.
[0054] In this example, since the entire long leg member 6 is composed of a pair of long leg member elements 25, rivets 28 are also placed at multiple locations on the pair of long leg member elements 25 that are not part of the portion that clamps the rear plate 10, the upper plate 12, and the lower plate 13.
[0055] The short leg member 7 may have a pair of short leg member elements 26. The pair of short leg member elements 26 sandwich the rear plate 10 in the left-right direction. The pair of short leg member elements 26 may be provided only at the upper end of the short leg member 7, but it is preferable that the pair of short leg member elements 26 constitute the entire short leg member 7. In this case, the pair of short leg member elements 26 are joined and fixed to each other using rivets 28 so as to sandwich the rear plate 10 in the left-right direction. However, the pair of short leg member elements 26 can also be joined and fixed by welding or by using bolts and nuts.
[0056] If the strength and rigidity of the short leg member 7 can be ensured, it is also possible to configure the portions on both the left and right sides of the through-hole (slit) at the upper end of the short leg member 7 as a pair of short leg member elements 26.
[0057] A pair of short leg member elements 26 and a rear plate 10 are joined and fixed to each other by an arbitrary connecting structure. In this example, the pair of short leg member elements 26 and the rear plate 10 are joined and fixed to each other by sandwiching the second plate portion 33 of the rear plate 10 between the upper portions of the pair of short leg member elements 26, and by inserting two rivets 28 through two through holes 38a provided in the second plate portion 33 and through holes provided at two locations on the upper portion of the pair of short leg member elements 26, and crimping the tips of the two rivets 28.
[0058] In this example, since the entire short leg member 7 is composed of a pair of short leg member elements 26, rivets 28 are also placed at multiple locations on the pair of short leg member elements 26 that are not part of the part that clamps the rear plate 10.
[0059] The seat member 8 may have a pair of seat member elements 27. The pair of seat member elements 27 sandwich the front plate 11 and the rear plate 10 in the left-right direction. The pair of seat member elements 27 may be provided only at the rear end and rear portion of the seat member 8, but it is preferable that the pair of seat member elements 27 constitute the entire seat member 8. In this case, the pair of seat member elements 27 are joined and fixed to each other using rivets 28 so as to sandwich the rear plate 10 and the front plate 11 in the left-right direction. However, the pair of seat member elements 27 can also be joined and fixed by welding or by using bolts and nuts.
[0060] If the strength and rigidity of the seat member 8 can be ensured, it is also possible to configure the portions on both the left and right sides of the through-hole (slit) as a pair of seat member elements 27 by providing through-holes (slits) that extend in the front-to-back direction and penetrate in the up-to-down direction at the rear end and rear side of the seat member 8.
[0061] The connection structure between the pair of seat member elements 27 and the rear plate 10 is arbitrary, as long as they are rotatably assembled to each other. In this example, the pair of seat member elements 27 and the rear plate 10 are rotatably assembled to each other by sandwiching the rear plate 10 between the rear portions of the pair of seat member elements 27, and by inserting a rivet 28 through a through hole 38a provided on the front side of the first plate portion 32 and a through hole provided on the rear end of the pair of seat member elements 27, and crimping the tip of the rivet 28.
[0062] A pair of seating member elements 27 and a front plate 11 are joined and fixed to each other by an arbitrary connecting structure. In this example, the pair of seating member elements 27 and the front plate 11 are joined and fixed to each other by sandwiching the front plate 11 between the front portions of the pair of seating member elements 27, and by inserting three rivets 28 through three through holes 38b provided in the front plate 11 and three through holes provided in the pair of seating member elements 27, and crimping the tips of the three rivets 28.
[0063] In this example, since the entire seat member 8 is composed of a pair of seat member elements 27, rivets 28 are also placed on the parts of the pair of seat member elements 27 that are not sandwiched between the rear plate 10 and the front plate 11.
[0064] Each of the long leg member element 25, short leg member element 26, or seat member element 27 can be made of a hollow pipe or a solid rod. Furthermore, their cross-sectional shapes are arbitrary, and various shapes such as roughly square, roughly circular, or roughly semicircular can be adopted. The cross-sectional shapes of the long leg member element 25, short leg member element 26, and seat member element 27, the front support members 14a, 14b, and the rear support members 15a, 15b can all be the same, or some or all of them can be different.
[0065] In this example, the pair of long leg members 25, the pair of short leg members 26, or the pair of seat members 27 are all made of aluminum alloy pipe material having a roughly trapezoidal or roughly semicircular cross-sectional shape.
[0066] According to the leg structure 5 of this example, the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, and lower plate 13, which constitute the connecting mechanism 9, allow the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, and seat member 8 to be connected in a foldable manner while ensuring sufficient strength and rigidity of these long leg member 6, short leg member 7, and seat member 8.
[0067] For example, if each of the long leg member 6, short leg member 7, and seat member 8 is constructed from a pair of plate-like members joined and fixed together to sandwich the plates 10-13, the bending rigidity in the left-right direction will be low (weak against impact loads from the left-right direction), and it may be difficult to ensure sufficient strength.
[0068] In this example, the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 are each made of pipe material having a roughly trapezoidal or roughly semicircular cross-sectional shape, and are composed of a pair of long leg member elements 25, a pair of short leg member elements 26, or a pair of seat member elements 27 that are joined and fixed to sandwich the plates 10-13. As a result, the bending rigidity of the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 in the left-right direction can be improved, and sufficient strength can be ensured.
[0069] In this example, the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, and lower plate 13, which constitute the connecting mechanism 9, connect the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 in a foldable manner, and also constitute a holding mechanism 24 for maintaining the relative positions of the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 when unfolded. In other words, the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, and lower plate 13, which constitute the connecting mechanism 9, have both the function of connecting the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 in a foldable manner, and the function of maintaining the relative positions of the long leg member 6, the short leg member 7, and the seat member 8 when unfolded.
[0070] In this example, although not limited thereto, the rear plate 10 has a roughly V-shaped side profile when viewed from the left and right directions. Specifically, in the deployed state of the leg structure 5, the rear plate 10 has a first plate portion 32 that extends in the front-rear direction, a second plate portion 33 that extends downward from the rear end of the first plate portion 32 towards the rear, and a third plate portion 34 that extends forward from the front end of the lower end face of the first plate portion 32 towards the lower.
[0071] The rear plate 10 has a substantially arc-shaped concave curved surface portion 35 when viewed from the left-right direction at the connection point between the lower end face of the first plate portion 32 and the lower end face of the second plate portion 33, a substantially arc-shaped concave curved surface portion 36 when viewed from the left-right direction at the connection point between the lower end face of the first plate portion 32 and the rear end face of the third plate portion 34, and a substantially arc-shaped convex curved surface portion 37 when viewed from the left-right direction at the connection point between the upper end face of the first plate portion 32 and the front end face of the third plate portion 34. This prevents the rear plate 10 from interfering (contacting) with the front plate 11 and the lower plate 13 when folding or unfolding the leg structure 5.
[0072] In this example, the seat surface stopper portion 18 of the seat surface holding mechanism 19 is provided in the range from the front end face of the first plate portion 32 to the front end face of the third plate portion 34, the upper stopper portion 21 of the upper long leg holding mechanism 24a is provided on the upper end face of the first plate portion 32, and the lower stopper portion 23 of the lower long leg holding mechanism 24b is provided on the rear end face of the third plate portion 34. In this example, the long leg holding mechanism 24 comprises both the upper long leg holding mechanism 24a and the lower long leg holding mechanism 24b.
[0073] In this example, the seat stopper portion 18 is made of a flat surface that slopes downwards as it approaches the front. However, the seat stopper portion 18 can be made of any surface shape as long as it contacts the seat stopper portion 17 of the front plate 11 when the leg structure 5 is extended, thereby preventing the short leg member 7 and the seat member 8 from rotating relative to each other further in the extension direction.
[0074] In this example, the upper stopper portion 21 is composed of a flat surface positioned substantially parallel to the mounting surface. However, the upper stopper portion 21 can be composed of any surface shape, as long as it can prevent the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction by contacting the upper stopper portion 20 of the upper plate 12 when the leg structure 5 is deployed.
[0075] The lower stopper portion 23 is composed of a composite surface having a flat lower portion that slopes downwards as it approaches the front, and an upper portion composed of a concave curved surface 36. However, the lower stopper portion 23 can be composed of any surface shape as long as it can prevent the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction by contacting the lower stopper portion 22 provided on the lower plate 13 when the leg structure 5 is deployed.
[0076] The rear plate 10 may have a plurality of through holes 38a that penetrate in the thickness direction. Rivets 28 or bolts are inserted through the through holes 38a. In this example, the plurality of through holes 38a are composed of four through holes 38a, which are provided in the front and middle portions of the first plate portion 32, and in the upper and lower portions of the second plate portion 33.
[0077] In this example, although not limited thereto, the front plate 11 extends downwards toward the rear when the leg structure 5 is deployed, and has a roughly rectangular side shape when viewed from the left and right. The front plate 11 has a wide section 39 at its rear end, the width dimension (vertical dimension) of which increases toward the rear.
[0078] In this example, the seat stopper portion 17 of the seat holding mechanism portion 19 is provided on the rear end face of the wide portion 39. In this example, the seat stopper portion 17 is made of a flat surface that slopes downwards as it approaches the front. However, the seat stopper portion 17 can be made of any surface shape as long as it can prevent the short leg member 7 and the seat member 8 from rotating relative to each other further in the unfolding direction by contacting the seat stopper portion 18 of the rear plate 10 when the leg structure 5 is unfolded.
[0079] The front plate 11 may have a plurality of through holes 38b that penetrate in the thickness direction. In this example, the plurality of through holes 38b are composed of three through holes 38b. Specifically, the three through holes 38b are provided in the front, middle, and rear portions of the front plate 11.
[0080] In this example, although not limited thereto, the upper plate 12 extends downwards toward the front when the leg structure 5 is deployed and comprises a main plate portion 40 having a roughly rectangular side shape when viewed from the left and right directions, and a protruding plate portion 41 that protrudes from the lower part of the rear end face of the main plate portion 40 and has a roughly triangular side shape when viewed from the left and right directions.
[0081] The main plate portion 40 has an inclined surface portion 42 on the lower side of its front end face, which, when viewed from the left and right directions, slopes downwards and toward the rear. This prevents the rear plate 10 and the upper plate 12 from interfering with each other when the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 rotate relative to each other.
[0082] The upper stopper portion 20 of the upper long leg holding mechanism portion 24a is provided on the lower end face of the protruding plate portion 41. In this example, the upper stopper portion 20 is made up of a flat surface arranged substantially parallel to the mounting surface. However, the upper stopper portion 20 can be made up of any surface shape as long as it can prevent the long leg member 6 from rotating further in the unfolding direction relative to the short leg member 7 by contacting the upper stopper portion 21 of the rear plate 10 when the leg structure 5 is unfolded.
[0083] The upper plate 12 may have multiple through holes 38c that penetrate in the thickness direction. In this example, the multiple through holes 38c are composed of two through holes 38c. The two through holes 38c are provided in the upper and lower parts of the main plate portion 40, respectively.
[0084] In this example, although not limited to this, the lower plate 13 has a roughly rectangular side shape when viewed from the left-right direction.
[0085] The lower plate 13 has a roughly arc-shaped convex curved surface portion 43 on the upper part of its rear end face, when viewed from the left and right directions. This prevents the rear plate 10 and the lower plate 13 from interfering with each other when the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 rotate relative to each other.
[0086] The lower stopper portion 22 of the lower long leg holding mechanism portion 24b is provided on the upper part of the front end face of the lower plate 13. In this example, the lower stopper portion 22 is composed of a composite surface having a flat lower portion that slopes downward as it approaches the front, and a curved upper portion that is substantially arc-shaped when viewed from the left and right directions. However, the lower stopper portion 22 can be composed of any surface shape as long as it can prevent the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 from rotating further relative to each other in the deployment direction by contacting the lower stopper portion 23 of the rear plate 10 when the leg structure 5 is deployed.
[0087] The lower plate 13 may have multiple through holes 38d that penetrate in the thickness direction. In this example, the multiple through holes 38d are composed of two through holes 38d. The two through holes 38d are provided on the upper and lower sides of the lower plate 13.
[0088] In this example, the rear plate 10, front plate 11, upper plate 12, and lower plate 13 are each manufactured by stamping stainless steel sheets.
[0089] (front leg structure) In this example, although not limited thereto, a pair of front support members 14a and 14b constituting the front leg structure 3 are connected to each other in a way that allows rotation around the front-to-back direction by inserting rivets 28 through through holes that penetrate the middle portion of each member in the extension direction from front to back, and crimping the tips of the rivets 28.
[0090] Of the pair of front support members 14a and 14b, the upper end of the rearmost front support member 14a is supported by the front part (the part behind the front end) of the seat member 8 constituting the left lateral leg structure 2a, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-to-back direction and around an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction. Its lower end is supported by the lower part (the part above the lower end) of the long leg member 6 constituting the right lateral leg structure 2b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-to-back direction and around an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction. In other words, one of the front support members 14a extends downwards (downward to the right) as it moves to the right.
[0091] The upper end of the other front support member 14b, positioned at the front, is supported by the front part of the seat member 8 constituting the right side lateral leg structure 2b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. Its lower end is supported by the lower part of the long leg member 6 constituting the left side lateral leg structure 2a, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. In other words, the other front support member 14b extends downwards (downward to the left) as it moves to the left.
[0092] In this example, although not limited thereto, the upper ends of the front support members 14a and 14b are supported by a first fitting 44, as shown in Figures 10(A) to 10(D), on the front side of the seat member 8, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and their lower ends are supported by a second fitting 45, as shown in Figures 11(A) to 11(C), on the lower side of the long leg member 6, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0093] The first fitting 44 is made by bending a metal plate into a roughly U-shaped cross-section. The first fitting 44 comprises a pair of support plate portions 46 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and arranged roughly parallel to each other, and a connecting plate portion 47 that connects the front ends of the support plate portions 46.
[0094] Each of the pair of support plate portions 46 has a roughly L-shaped side profile when viewed from the left-right direction, and has a circular hole 48 at its tip. In this example, the front-rear dimension of the support plate portion 46 of the first fitting 44 that supports the upper end of the front support member 14b positioned at the front against the front part of the right seat member 8 is made larger in the front-rear direction than the support plate portion 46 of the first fitting 44 that supports the upper end of the rear support member 14a against the front part of the left seat member 8.
[0095] The connecting plate portion 47 has a circular hole 49 that penetrates in the front-rear direction.
[0096] The first fitting 44 supports the upper ends of the front support members 14a, 14 against the front side of the seat member 8 by positioning the front side of one of the pair of seat member elements 27 (the inner side in the width direction) that make up the seat member 8 between the pair of support plate portions 46. A bolt 50 is inserted through a through hole that penetrates the front side of the pair of seat member elements 27 in the left-right direction and through a circular hole 48 in each of the support plate portions 46, and a nut 51 is screwed onto the bolt 50. This allows the pair of support plate portions 46 of the first fitting 44 to rotate around an axis that is oriented left-right relative to the front side of the seat member 8.
[0097] Furthermore, the upper ends of the front support members 14a and 14b are positioned on the front side of the connecting plate portion 47, and rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the upper ends of the front support members 14a and 14b in the front-rear direction, and through circular holes 49 in the connecting plate portion 47, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. In this way, the connecting plate portion 47 of the first fitting 44 is supported with respect to the upper ends of the front support members 14a and 14b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction.
[0098] The second fitting 45 is made by bending a metal plate into a roughly U-shaped cross-section. The second fitting 45 comprises a pair of support plate portions 52 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and arranged roughly parallel to each other, and a connecting plate portion 53 that connects the front-rear ends of the support plate portions 52.
[0099] Each of the pair of support plate portions 52 has a roughly semi-elliptical side shape when viewed from the left-right direction, and has a circular hole 54 at its tip. In this example, the front-to-back dimension of the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45 that supports the lower end of the front support member 14b, which is positioned at the front, against the lower part of the left long leg member 6, is made larger in the front-to-back direction than the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45 that supports the lower end of the front support member 14a, which is positioned at the rear, against the lower part of the right long leg member 6.
[0100] The connecting plate portion 53 has a circular hole 55 that penetrates in the front-rear direction.
[0101] The second fitting 45 supports the lower ends of the front support members 14a and 14b against the lower part of the long leg member 6. To achieve this, the lower part of one of the pair of long leg member elements 25 that make up the long leg member 6 (the inner side in the width direction) is positioned between the pair of support plate portions 52. Rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the lower parts of the pair of long leg member elements 25 in the left-right direction, and through circular holes 54 in each of the support plate portions 52, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. This allows the pair of support plate portions 52 of the second fitting 45 to rotate around an axis oriented in the left-right direction relative to the lower part of the long leg member 6.
[0102] Furthermore, the lower ends of the front support members 14a and 14b are positioned on the front side of the connecting plate portion 53, and rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the lower ends of the front support members 14a and 14b in the front-rear direction, and through circular holes 55 in the connecting plate portion 53, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. In this way, the connecting plate portion 53 of the second fitting 45 is supported with respect to the lower ends of the front support members 14a and 14b, enabling rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction.
[0103] (rear leg structure) In this example, although not limited thereto, a pair of rear support members 15a and 15b constituting the rear leg structure 4 are connected to each other in a way that allows rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction by inserting rivets 28 through through holes that penetrate the middle portion of each member in the extension direction from front to back, and crimping the tips of the rivets 28.
[0104] Of the pair of rear support members 15a and 15b, the upper end of the front-facing rear support member 15a is supported by the upper part of the long leg member 6 constituting the left lateral leg structure 2a, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, while its lower end is supported by the lower part of the short leg member 7 constituting the right lateral leg structure 2b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. In other words, one of the front support members 14a extends downwards (downward to the right) as it moves to the right.
[0105] The upper end of the other rear support member 15b, positioned at the rear, is supported by the upper part (the part below the upper end) of the long leg member 6 constituting the right lateral leg structure 2b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. Its lower end is supported by the lower part of the short leg member 7 constituting the left lateral leg structure 2a, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. In other words, the other rear support member 15b extends downwards (downward to the left) as it moves to the left.
[0106] In this example, although not limited thereto, the upper ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b are supported by the second fitting 45 on the upper part of the long leg member 6, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and their lower ends are supported by the second fitting 45 on the lower part of the short leg member 7, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0107] The second fitting 45 supports the upper ends of the rear support members 15a, 15 against the upper part of the long leg member 6. To achieve this, the upper part of one of the pair of long leg member elements 25 that make up the long leg member 6 (the inner side in the width direction) is positioned between the pair of support plate portions 52. A bolt 50 is inserted through a through hole that penetrates the upper part of the pair of long leg member elements 25 in the left-right direction, and through a circular hole 54 in each of the support plate portions 52. A nut 51 is screwed onto the tip of the bolt 50. This allows the pair of support plate portions 52 of the second fitting 45 to support the upper part of the long leg member 6, enabling rotation around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0108] Furthermore, the upper ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b are positioned on the rear side of the connecting plate portion 53, and rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the upper ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b in the front-rear direction, and through circular holes 55 in the connecting plate portion 53, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. In this way, the connecting plate portion 53 of the second fitting 45 is supported with respect to the upper ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b, enabling rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction.
[0109] The second fitting 45 supports the lower ends of the rear support members 15a, 15 against the lower part of the short leg member 7. To achieve this, the lower part of one of the pair of short leg member elements 26 that make up the short leg member 7 (the inner side in the width direction) is positioned between the pair of support plate portions 52. Rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the lower parts of the pair of short leg member elements 26 in the left-right direction and through circular holes 54 in each of the support plate portions 52, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. This allows the pair of support plate portions 52 of the second fitting 45 to support the lower part of the short leg member 7, enabling rotation around an axis oriented in the left-right direction.
[0110] Furthermore, the lower ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b are positioned on the rear side of the connecting plate portion 53, and rivets 28 are inserted through through holes that penetrate the lower ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b in the front-rear direction, and through circular holes 55 in the connecting plate portion 53, and the tips of the rivets 28 are crimped. In this way, the connecting plate portion 53 of the second fitting 45 is supported with respect to the lower ends of the rear support members 15a and 15b, allowing it to rotate around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction.
[0111] In this example, the front-to-back dimension of the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45 that supports the upper end of the rear support member 15b, which is positioned at the rear, against the upper part of the right long leg member 6, is made larger in the front-to-back direction than the front-to-back dimension of the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45 that supports the upper end of the rear support member 15a, which is positioned at the front, against the upper part of the left long leg member 6.
[0112] Furthermore, the front-to-back dimension of the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45, which supports the lower end of the rear support member 15b positioned at the rear against the lower part of the left short leg member 7, is made larger in the front-to-back direction than the front-to-back dimension of the support plate portion 52 of the second fitting 45, which supports the lower end of the rear support member 15a positioned at the front against the lower part of the right short leg member 7.
[0113] In this example, the pair of front support members 14a, 14b and the pair of rear support members 15a, 15b are all made of aluminum alloy pipe material having a roughly trapezoidal or roughly semicircular cross-sectional shape, similar to the long leg member element 25, the short leg member element 26, or the seat member element 27.
[0114] Each of the long leg member element 25, short leg member element 26, and seat member element 27, front support members 14a, 14b, and rear support members 15a, 15b can be made of hollow pipe material or solid rod material. Furthermore, their cross-sectional shapes are arbitrary, and various shapes such as roughly square, roughly circular, and roughly semicircular can be adopted. The cross-sectional shapes of each of the long leg member element 25, short leg member element 26, and seat member element 27, front support members 14a, 14b, and rear support members 15a, 15b can all be the same, or some or all of them can be different.
[0115] When not in use, the leg structure 5 in this example can be folded and collapsed into a roughly rod-like shape, as shown in Figures 6 and 8.
[0116] To fold the leg structure 5, first, the distance between the left and right pairs of lateral leg structure parts 2a and 2b is reduced. Specifically, the pair of front support members 14a and 14b are rotated so that their upper ends and lower ends move closer together, and the pair of rear support members 15a and 15b are rotated so that their upper ends and lower ends move closer together.
[0117] In this process, the rear plate 10 is rotated relative to the long leg member 6 and the seat member 8, causing the long leg member 6 and the seat member 8 to rotate relative to each other in a direction where the upper end of the long leg member 6 and the front end of the seat member 8 move closer together, thereby allowing the pair of front support members 14a and 14b to rotate relative to each other. Additionally, the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 are rotated in a direction where their respective lower ends move closer together, thereby allowing the pair of rear support members 15a and 15b to rotate relative to each other. As a result, the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, the front leg structure 3, and the rear leg structure 4 converge and fold up.
[0118] In contrast, when deploying the leg structure 5, the distance between the left and right pairs of lateral leg structure parts 2a and 2b is increased. Specifically, a pair of front support members 14a and 14b are rotated so that their upper ends and lower ends move away from each other, and a pair of rear support members 15a and 15b are rotated so that their upper ends and lower ends move away from each other.
[0119] In this process, the long leg member 6 and the seat member 8 are rotated relative to each other in a direction where the upper end of the long leg member 6 and the front end of the seat member 8 move away from each other, thereby allowing a pair of front support members 14a and 14b to rotate relative to each other. Similarly, the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 are rotated in a direction where their respective lower ends move away from each other, thereby allowing a pair of rear support members 15a and 15b to rotate relative to each other. This causes a pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, a front leg structure 3, and a rear leg structure 4 to unfold.
[0120] In this example, when the leg structure 5 is deployed, the seat stopper portion 17 provided on the front plate 11 abuts against the seat stopper portion 18 provided on the rear plate 10, thereby preventing the short leg member 7 and the seat member 8 from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction. Furthermore, the upper stopper portion 20 provided on the upper plate 12 abuts against the upper stopper portion 21 provided on the rear plate 10, and the lower stopper portion 22 provided on the lower plate 13 abuts against the lower stopper portion 23 provided on the rear plate 10, thereby preventing the long leg member 6 and the short leg member 7 from rotating relative to each other further in the deployment direction.
[0121] In this example, when folding or unfolding the leg structure 5, each part rotates almost simultaneously. The folding and unfolding procedures for the leg structure 5 can be any procedure, as long as they do not create any inconsistencies.
[0122] (Folding chair) In addition to the leg structure 5, the folding chair 1 may optionally be equipped with additional components necessary for the user to sit on it. That is, the folding chair 1 may be equipped with additional components such as a seat, backrest, and armrests, as well as any structure for attaching these additional components to the leg structure 5.
[0123] The folding chair 1 in this example, while not limited to this, includes a fabric body 31 in addition to the leg structure 5. However, this does not prevent the folding chair 1 or the leg structure 5 from further comprising leg structure parts such as crossbars that constitute the backrest and seat, or surface members that constitute the backrest and seat, or attachments for attaching such surface members or arms only when in use.
[0124] The folding chair 1 in this example may include, as an optional component, a fabric body 31 having a backrest portion 29 stretched between the upper portions of the long leg members 6 of a pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, and a seat portion 30 stretched between the seat members 8 of a pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b.
[0125] Between the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, a fabric or strap-like member that constitutes the backrest can be stretched. In this case, the long leg members 6 form a back support (back brace) that supports the left and right ends of the backrest. Alternatively, a crossbar member that can be folded into a V-shape when folded can be provided between the upper parts of the long leg members 6.
[0126] A pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b can have a seat surface member 8 over which a fabric or string-like member that constitutes the seat surface can be stretched. In this case, the seat surface member 8 forms a side panel that supports the left and right ends of the seat surface. Alternatively, additionally, cross members or surface members that can be attached when unfolded can be provided between the seat surface members 8.
[0127] The fabric body 31 is made of a flexible material. The fabric body 31 can be detachably attached to the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, and to the seat members 8 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b. However, the fabric body 31 can also be permanently attached to the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b. In this example, the fabric body 31 has a backrest portion 29 stretched between the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, and a seat portion 30 stretched between the seat members 8 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b.
[0128] Alternatively, the fabric stretched between the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, and the fabric stretched between the seat members 8 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, can be constructed from separate fabrics. Or, multiple string-like members can be stretched between the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b to form a backrest, and another set of multiple string-like members can be stretched between the seat members 8 of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b to form a seat.
[0129] The fabric body 31 is detachably attached using snap buttons 56 to the upper parts of the long leg members 6 of each of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b, and to the middle parts of the seat members 8 of each of the pair of lateral leg structures 2a and 2b. Female snaps of the snap buttons 56 are attached to the four corners of the fabric body 31.
[0130] To detachably attach the fabric body 31 to the upper part of the long leg member 6 and the middle part of the seat member 8, the folding chair 1 has four attachment members 57. Each attachment member 57 has a cylindrical part and a piece of fabric. Each attachment member 57 is supported by the long leg member 6 or the seat member 8 by inserting the cylindrical part into one of the pair of long leg member elements 25 that make up the long leg member 6 (the inner side in the width direction) or one of the pair of seat member elements 27 that make up the seat member 8 (the inner side in the width direction). A male snap of a snap button 56 is attached to each piece of fabric.
[0131] The fabric body 31 is attached to the leg structure 5 by fastening the female snaps attached to the four corners to the male snaps attached to the mounting member 57, and is removed from the leg structure 5 by detaching the female snaps from the male snaps.
[0132] When folding the folding chair 1, the fabric body 31 can be removed from the leg structure 5 by unfastening the female snap from the male snap, or when the leg structure 5 is unfolded, the fabric body 31 can be attached to the leg structure 5 by fastening the female snap to the male snap. [Explanation of symbols]
[0133] 1 Folding chair 2a, 2b Lateral leg structure 3 Forward leg structure 4 Rear leg structure 5 leg structure 6 Long leg member 7 Short leg components 8 Seat member 9 Connection mechanism section 10 Rear plate 11 Front plate 12 Upper plate 13 Lower plate 14a, 14b Front support members 15a, 15b Rear support members 16 Holding mechanism section 17 Seat stopper section 18 seat covers 19 Seat surface retention mechanism 20 Upper side part 21 The upper side is covered with ストッパ parts 22 Lower side part 23 The lower side is covered with ストッパ 24. Long-leg retaining mechanism 24a Upper long leg retaining mechanism 24b Lower side long leg retaining mechanism 25 Long leg material elements 26 Short Leg Components 27 facial material elements 28 リベット 29 Back part 30 seat section 31 cloth body 32 Section 1 33 Part 2 34 Section 3 35. Concave face 36. Concave face 37. Convex face Through holes 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d 39 pieces of Hirobu 40 body plate 41. Protruding plate section 42. Tilted face 43. Convex face 44 No. 1 Hardware 45 No. 2 Hardware 46 Support board section 47 Connector 48 round hole 49. Round hole 52 Support Board 53 Connector 54 round hole 55 Yuan Hole 56 スナップボタン 57 Components and Materials Received
Claims
1. In its deployed state, it has a pair of lateral leg structures positioned spaced apart in the left-right direction, a front leg structure positioned at the front, and a rear leg structure positioned at the rear. Each of the pair of lateral leg structures is, A long leg member that extends upwards towards the rear, Short leg members that extend upwards towards the front, A seating member that extends in the front-to-back direction, A connecting mechanism that connects the long leg member, the short leg member, and the seat member in a foldable manner, It has, The aforementioned coupling mechanism is The rear plate has a front-to-back intermediate portion that is supported to allow rotation about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction relative to the vertical intermediate portion of the long leg member, and its rear end is connected and fixed to the upper end of the short leg member, and its front end is supported to allow rotation about an axis oriented in the left-to-right direction relative to the rear end of the seat member, A front plate is attached and fixed to the rear side of the seat member, An upper plate attached and fixed to the upper part of the long leg member, a lower plate attached and fixed to the lower part of the long leg member, or both, It has, The front leg structure has a pair of front support members connected to each other at the intermediate portion in the extension direction, allowing rotation about an axis oriented in the front-rear direction, and the upper ends of each of the pair of front support members are supported on the front side portion of the seat member of the pair of lateral leg structures, allowing rotation about an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and about an axis oriented in the left-right direction, and the lower ends of each are supported on the lower side portion of the long leg member of the pair of lateral leg structures, allowing rotation about an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and about an axis oriented in the left-right direction. The rear leg structure has a pair of rear support members connected to each other at their respective extension intermediate portions, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction. The upper ends of each pair of rear support members are supported on the upper portion of the long leg member, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. The lower ends of each are supported on the lower portion of the short leg member, allowing rotation around an axis oriented in the front-rear direction and around an axis oriented in the left-right direction. With respect to each of the pair of lateral leg structures, the rear plate is rotated relative to the long leg member and the seat member, the pair of front support members are rotated relative to each other, and the pair of rear support members are rotated relative to each other, thereby enabling the pair of lateral leg structures, the front leg structure, and the rear leg structure to converge and fold. Leg structure for folding chairs.
2. The aforementioned long leg member has a pair of long leg member elements, and the pair of long leg member elements sandwich the upper plate, the lower plate, or both, and the rear plate in the left-right direction. The aforementioned short leg member has a pair of short leg member elements, and the pair of short leg member elements sandwich the rear plate in the left-right direction, and The seat member has a pair of seat member elements, and the pair of seat member elements sandwich the front plate and the rear plate in the left-right direction. Leg structure for folding chair according to claim 1.
3. The folding chair leg structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the pair of long leg member elements, the pair of short leg member elements, or the pair of seat member elements is joined and fixed to each other.
4. The folding chair leg structure according to claim 3, wherein each of the pair of long leg member elements, the pair of short leg member elements, or the pair of seat member elements is joined and fixed to each other using rivets.
5. The folding chair leg structure according to claim 1, further comprising a holding mechanism for maintaining the positional relationship between the long leg member, the short leg member, and the seat member in the unfolded state.
6. The retaining mechanism comprises a seat retaining mechanism comprising a seat stopper portion provided on the front plate and a seat stopper portion provided on the rear plate, wherein the seat retaining mechanism prevents the short leg member and the seat member from rotating relative to each other in the unfolding direction by bringing the seat stopper portion into contact with the seat stopper portion when unfolded, according to claim 5.
7. The retaining mechanism comprises an upper long leg retaining mechanism comprising an upper stopper portion provided on the upper plate and an upper stopped portion provided on the rear plate, a lower long leg retaining mechanism comprising a lower stopper portion provided on the lower plate and a lower stopped portion provided on the rear plate, or a long leg retaining mechanism comprising both, wherein the long leg retaining mechanism prevents the long leg member and the short leg member from rotating relative to each other in the unfolding direction by bringing the upper stopper portion into contact with the upper stopped portion, bringing the lower stopper portion into contact with the lower stopped portion, or both, as described in claim 5.
8. A folding chair leg structure according to claim 1, A backrest portion stretched between the upper parts of the long leg members of each of the pair of lateral leg structures, and a seat portion stretched between the seat members of each of the pair of lateral leg structures, A folding chair equipped with [features / equipment].
9. The folding chair according to claim 8, wherein the backrest portion and the seat portion are integrally constructed from a fabric.
10. The folding chair according to claim 9, wherein the fabric body is detachably attached to the upper part of each of the long leg members of the pair of lateral leg structures and to each of the seat members of the pair of lateral leg structures.