Movable seating apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a seating apparatus that may be easily moved to a desired location and that becomes immobile when in use. The seating apparatus includes a chair that is connected to a wheel assembly by a spring assembly. In a preferred embodiment, the chair includes a generally upwardly extending chair back, a seat combined with the chair back, and a pedestal-type base coupled to the seat and extending generally downwardly, the spring assembly includes at least one spring or other compressible device, and the wheel assembly includes a number of wheels or the like. When the chair is in use, the weight of the user will cause the spring assembly to compress, resulting in the base of the chair resting on the ground. The combination of the user's weight and the frictional force between the ground and the bottom of the base will result in the chair being immobile while occupied. When the chair is not in use, the spring assembly is extended which urges the chair upward thereby freeing the wheel assembly so that the apparatus may be moved.

1 . A seating apparatus capable of being pushed to a desired location and then made immobile once positioned at the desired location, the seating apparatus situated on a floor, the seating apparatus comprising: 
 a chair, the chair including a generally upwardly extending chair back, a seat combined with the chair back, and a base coupled to the seat and extending generally downwardly;    a wheel assembly; and    a spring assembly connecting the wheel assembly to the chair, the spring assembly resiliently biased to urge the chair in an upward direction so that when the chair is empty the chair base is positioned above the floor and the wheel assembly is operable to move the seating apparatus and when the spring assembly is compressed the base extends to and comes into contact with the floor thereby preventing the wheel assembly from operating to move the seating apparatus    
   
   
       2 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base is a pedestal-type base.  
   
   
       3 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base is dome-shaped.  
   
   
       4 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base is made from metal.  
   
   
       5 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base is made from plastic.  
   
   
       6 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base extends downwardly to within one inch of the floor when no weight in present on the seat.  
   
   
       7 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the wheel assembly fits within the periphery of the base.  
   
   
       8 . The seating apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the wheel assembly includes a ball bearing.  
   
   
       9 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the wheel assembly includes at least one rotatable caster.  
   
   
       10 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the wheel assembly is made from metal.  
   
   
       11 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the wheel assembly is made from plastic.  
   
   
       12 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the spring assembly includes a single spring.  
   
   
       13 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the spring assembly includes a plurality of springs.  
   
   
       14 . The seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein the spring assembly includes a pneumatic piston.