Collapsible chair and method

Abstract

A chair with a chair back pivotally attached to a seat. The chair back can be moved from a collapsed position located directly adjacent the seat to an upright position. When in the upright position, a spring biased latch assembly attached to chair seat allows engagement with the chair back and can be adjusted to several, adjustable positions selected by the user. In addition to providing a range of adjustment, this latch system also provides structural integrity to the design of the pivoting chair invention.

1 . An office chair comprising:
 a seat;   a back that is attached to the seat which is foldable from essentially an open vertical position to a collapsed horizontal position relative to the seat and the back defines a plane; and   foldable armrests attached to the seat and the back that move with the back between the open position and the collapsed position as the back moves between the open position and the collapsed position and the armrests are below the plane in the collapsed position.   
   
   
       2 . A chair as described in  claim 1  including a pedestal upon which the seat is disposed. 
   
   
       3 . A chair as described in  claim 2  wherein the base has wheels upon which the chair can be moved around. 
   
   
       4 . A chair as described in  claim 3  wherein each armrest includes a lower armrest pivot bracket engaged with the seat and an upper arm rest portion pivotally connected with the lower armrest pivot bracket. 
   
   
       5 . A chair as described in  claim 4  wherein the upper armrest portion includes a flange with a flange opening and the lower armrest pivot bracket has a top with a bracket opening, and including a pivot pin that extends through the flange opening and the bracket opening pivotally connecting the lower armrest pivot bracket with the upper armrest portion. 
   
   
       6 . A chair as described in  claim 5  wherein the lower armrest pivot bracket and the upper armrest portion each have a J-shape. 
   
   
       7 . A chair as described in  claim 6  including:
 a first support bracket and a second support bracket attached on either side of the seat used for pivoting the seat.   
   
   
       8 . A chair as described in  claim 7  including a pivot assembly used to interconnect said seat and back via the support brackets. 
   
   
       9 . A chair as described in  claim 8  wherein the pivot assembly includes a spring biased latch assembly mounted on the seat and a receiving bracket located on the back that engages with the latch assembly allowing the user to position the back in several adjustable upright positions. 
   
   
       10 . A method for moving an office chair comprising the steps of:
 folding a back from essentially an open vertical position to a collapsed horizontal position relative to a seat that is attached to the back; and   folding armrests attached to the seat and the back that move with the back between the open position and the collapsed position as the back moves between the open position and the collapsed position.   
   
   
       11 . A method as described in  claim 8  including the step of moving a base upon which the seat is disposed on wheels of the base. 
   
   
       12 . A method as described in  claim 8  wherein the folding armrest step includes the step of pivoting an upper armrest portion of the armrest relative to a lower armrest pivot bracket of the armrest. 
   
   
       13 . A method as described in  claim 12  wherein the step of pivoting the upper armrest pivot portion includes the step of pivoting the upper armrest portion relative to the lower armrest pivot bracket of a pivot pin that extends to a flange of the upper armrest portion and a hole at the top of the lower armrest pivot bracket.