Chair with readily removable and replaceable components

Abstract

A chair with readily removable and replaceable cushions having a seat frame and a back frame. Decorative cushions may be removably and interchangeably attached to the seat frame and to the front and back of the back frame. The seat frame has slots for receiving tabs that are located on the underside of the interchangeable seat cushion. The seat cushion is further secured to the seat frame by a releasable locking means. The back frame is connected to the seat frame by an L-shaped bracket. The back frame includes a fastener for releasably snap-fitting with an actuatable release tab located on the underside of a back cushion. The back cushion is releasably affixed to the back frame by urging the back cushion against the back frame such that the actuatable release tab engages the fastener. The back cushion is removed from the back frame by applying pressure to the actuatable release tab such that the tab disengages from the fastener thereby releasing the back cushion from the back frame. The result of which is a chair having readily removable and replaceable cushions.

1 . A chair having readily interchangeable components comprising: 
 a seat base having an upper surface and a lower surface;    a support attached to the lower surface of the seat base;    a back frame having a front and rear face that is in mechanical communication with the seat base wherein that back frame contains a plurality of openings and a release hole therethrough;    a front fastener located on the front face of the back frame;    an attachment plate having a front and rear face and a plurality of protrusions extending from the rear face of the attachment plate cooperatively arranged to the plurality of openings located on the back frame; and    an actuatable release tab located on the attachment plate such that when the rear face of the attachment plate is pressed against the front face of the back frame the protrusions extend through the plurality of openings and the actuatable release tab engages the front fastener to form a snap-fit releasable connection between the attachment plate and the back frame.    
   
   
       2 . The chair of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a seat cushion releasably attached to the upper surface of the seat base by a locking means.    
   
   
       3 . The chair of  claim 2  wherein the locking means comprises: 
 a tab and an aperture located on the lower surface of the seat cushion;    a slot located on the upper surface of the seat frame that is cooperative to the tab;    a receiving portion located on the upper surface of the seat frame for receiving the protrusion; and    a releasable lock located on the lower surface of the seat base wherein the releasable lock receives the aperture through the receiving portion such that the aperture is releasably coupled.    
   
   
       4 . The chair of  claim 1  wherein the attachment plate and the back frame are substantially circular.  
   
   
       5 . The chair of  claim 1  wherein the attachment plate and the back frame are shaped.  
   
   
       6 . The chair of  claim 1  wherein the attachment plate and the back frame are curved.  
   
   
       7 . The chair of  claim 1  wherein the front face of the attachment plate is upholstered to form a cushion by an upholstering means.  
   
   
       8 . The chair of  claim 7  wherein the upholstery means comprises: 
 a groove extending the periphery of the rear face of the attachment plate; and    piping that can be releasably press-fit into the groove such that upholstery can be releasably affixed to the front face of the attachment plate.    
   
   
       9 . The chair of  claim 7  wherein cushioning is inserted between the upholstery and the front face of the attachment plate.  
   
   
       10 . The chair of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a plurality of openings contained through the attachment plate;    a second attachment plate having a front and a rear face having a plurality of openings therethrough and a plurality of protrusions extending from the front face of the second attachment plate cooperatively arranged to the plurality of openings located on the back frame and to the plurality of openings contained on the attachment plate;    a rear fastener located on the rear face of the back frame;    a second actuatable release tab located on the second attachment plate such that when the front face of the second attachment plate is pressed against the rear face of the back frame the protrusions extending from the front face of the second attachment plate extend through the plurality of openings located on the back frame and the second actuatable release tab engages the rear fastener to form a snap-fit releasable connection between the second attachment plate and the rear face of the back frame.    
   
   
       11 . The chair of  claim 10  wherein the attachment plates and the back frame are substantially circular.  
   
   
       12 . The chair of  claim 10  wherein the attachment plates and the back frame are shaped.  
   
   
       13 . The chair of  claim 10  wherein the attachment plates and the back frame are curved.  
   
   
       14 . The chair of  claim 10  wherein the rear face of the second attachment plate is upholstered to form a cushion by an upholstering means.  
   
   
       15 . The chair of  claim 14  wherein the upholstery means comprises: 
 a groove extending the periphery of the front face of the second attachment plate; and    piping that can be releasably press-fit into the groove such that upholstery can be releasably affixed to the front face of the attachment plate.    
   
   
       16 . The chair of  claim 14  wherein cushioning is inserted between the upholstery and the rear face of the second attachment plate.  
   
   
       17 . A chair back having a readily interchangeable cushion comprising: 
 a back frame that is in mechanical communication with a seat base having a front and rear face wherein the back frame contains a plurality of openings and a release hole therethrough;    a fastener located on the back frame;    a cushion having a front and rear face and a plurality of protrusions extending from the rear face of the cushion cooperatively arranged to the plurality of openings located on the back frame; and    an actuatable release tab located on the cushion such that when the rear face of the cushion is pressed against the back frame the protrusions extend through the plurality of openings and the actuatable release tab engages the fastener to form a snap-fit releasable connection between the cushion and the back frame.    
   
   
       18 . A chair having readily interchangeable components comprising: 
 a seat base having an upper surface and a lower surface;    a support attached to the lower surface of the seat base;    a back frame having a front and rear face that is in mechanical communication with the seat base wherein that back frame contains a plurality of protrusions and release hole therethrough;    a fastener located on the face of the back frame;    an attachment plate having a front and rear face and rear face and a plurality of openings cooperatively arranged to the plurality of protrusions located on the back frame; and    an actuatable release tab located on the attachment plate such that when the rear face of the attachment plate is pressed against the front face of the back frame the protrusions extend through the plurality of openings and the actuatable release tab engages the fastener to form a snap-fit releasable connection between the attachment plate and the back frame.    
   
   
       19 . A method of reupholstering a chair cushion comprising the steps of: 
 removing piping from a groove which extends around the periphery of the underside of a chair cushion thereby releasing the upholstery;    replacing the upholstery by wrapping new upholstery around the outside of the cushion such that the upholstery extends over the entirety of the groove;    press-fitting piping into the groove thereby trapping the upholstery to the chair cushion; and    affixing the chair cushion to a back frame.    
   
   
       20 . A method of interchanging components of a chair comprising the steps of: 
 urging a chair cushion having an actuatable release tab against a chair frame having a fastener and a release hole such that the actuatable release tab engages the fastener to form a snap-fit releasable connection between the chair cushion and the chair frame; and    actuating the actuatable release tab through the release hole thereby releasing the chair cushion from the chair frame.    
   
   
       21 . A stool comprising: 
 a seat base having an upper surface and a lower surface;    a support attached to the lower surface of the seat base;    a seat cushion releasably attached to the upper surface of the seat base by a locking means.    
   
   
       22 . The stool of  claim 21  wherein the locking means comprises: 
 a tab and an aperture located on the lower surface of the seat cushion;    a slot located on the upper surface of the seat frame that is cooperative to the tab;    a receiving portion located on the upper surface of the seat frame for receiving the protrusion; and    a releasable lock located on the lower surface of the seat base wherein the releasable lock receives the aperture through the receiving portion such that the aperture is releasably coupled.