Protective seating assembly

Abstract

The invention generally relates to a protective seating assembly which includes a protective garment, generally in the form of a vest, preferably in combination with an aesthetic covering of natural or man-made material or a combination of those materials typically associated with a seat covering and all the inclusive hardware associated with attaching the protective vest and aesthetic covering and securing them to a seating device until such time as they may need to be removed for use by a user for the purpose of self-protection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective seating assembly comprising:
 (a) a seating device; and   (b) a protective vest removably attachable to said seating device.   
     
     
         2 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 1  wherein said seating device comprises a seat member attached to a backrest, said seat member being supported by support means, said backrest being adapted to removably receive a protective vest. 
     
     
         3 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 2  wherein said protective vest is removably attached to said backrest wherein said protective vest comprises a front panel hingedly attached to a back panel. 
     
     
         4 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 3  further comprising an aesthetic covering functionally attached to said protective vest. 
     
     
         5 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 3  wherein said vest comprises a front panel attached to a back panel and wherein said front and back panels are hinged at one edge and releasably attached to one another at two different edges by attachment means and wherein said hinged edge includes an opening through which the head and neck of the user can be inserted. 
     
     
         6 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 5  wherein said vest is configured to be releasably mounted on said backrest of said seating device and also configured to be worn by a user as protection against a threat. 
     
     
         7 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 6  wherein said front panel and said back panel are generally rectangular in shape and wherein said front and back panels are sized to fit a user from approximately shoulder level to below the waist, said front and back panels being hinged together at the uppermost edges, said hinged uppermost edges including an opening through which the head and neck of the user can be inserted. 
     
     
         8 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 5  wherein said attachment means is selected from the group consisting of: hook and loop fasteners (Velcro), elastic bands, barbed fasteners, snaps, zippers, buttons or clasps and clips. 
     
     
         9 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 2  wherein said support means includes a plurality of legs, each of said legs having roller means attached to the distal end thereof, and wherein said seating device further includes armrest assemblies attached to said seat member and a headrest assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The protective seating assembly of  claim 9  wherein said headrest assembly is configured to frictionally maintain said protective vest and said aesthetic covering in the desired position on said backrest and is also quickly removable to permit removal of said protective vest from said backrest. 
     
     
         11 . A seating assembly comprising:
 (a) a seating device comprising a seat member attached to a backrest, said seat member being supported by support means, said backrest being adapted to removably receive a protective vest;   (b) said protective vest comprising a front panel attached to a back panel, wherein said front and back panels are hinged at one edge and releasably attached to one another at two different edges by attachment means and wherein said hinged edge comprises an opening through which the head and neck of the user can be inserted; and   (c) the seating assembly further comprising an aesthetic covering functionally attached to said protective vest.   
     
     
         12 . A versatile protective device for a chair having a back to shield a user against a projectile attack comprising:
 a vest constructed of impermeable material adapted to be worn by the user in a first configuration and adapted to be removed by the user and received by the back of the chair in a second configuration,   wherein the vest offers protection against projectiles by the user wearing the vest in the first configuration, and   wherein the vest offers protection against projectiles in the second configuration when the user crouches behind back of the chair behind the vest.