WO2000074533A1

WO2000074533A1 - Inflatable ball chair

Info

Publication number: WO2000074533A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/015176
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ronald L. Dykstra
Original assignee: Genesis Creative Group Inc
Current assignee: Genesis Creative Group Inc
Priority date: 1999-06-08
Filing date: 2000-06-01
Publication date: 2000-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 2001-12-08
Also published as: AU5457800A

Abstract

An inflatable ball chair (20) has a flexible membrane (22) that defines a closed air chamber (24). A valve extends (26) through the membrane and defines an air passage through the membrane (22), whereby the inflatable ball chair (20) is inflated and deflated. A first baffle (30) is positioned inside the air chamber and has opposing first and second ends. The first end is attached to the membrane (22) at a first portion (32) and the second end is attached to the membrane (22) at a second portion (34) of the membrane (22). The first baffle (30) positions the first and second portions (32, 34) of the membrane (22) in a predetermined relationship relative to one another when the chair (20) is inflated, and the first position of the membrane (22) defines a chair seat surface (32). A second baffle (36) is positioned inside the air chamber and has opposing first and second ends. The first end is attached to the membrane (22) at a third portion (42) of the membrane (22) and the second end is attached to the membrane (22) at a fourth portion (44) of the membrane. The second baffle (36) positions the third and fourth portions (42, 44) of the membrane (22) in a predetermined relationship relative to one another and further positions the third portion (42) relative to the first portion (32) of the membrane (22) when the chair (20) is inflated, whereby the third membrane portion (42) defines a chair back surface (42).

Description

INFLATABLE BALL CHAIR

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuing application of co-pending United States Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/138,410, entitled Inflatable Ball Chair and filed on 8 June 1999 by

Ronald L. Dykstra, the disclosure of which is incorporated here by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to inflatable furniture and more particularly to inflatable chairs and the like.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention provides an inflatable ball chair with a flexible membrane

that defines a closed air chamber. A valve defines an air passage through the membrane, from the chamber to the ambient environment, whereby the inflatable ball chair is inflated and deflated. A first baffle is positioned inside the air chamber and has opposing first and second

ends. The first end is attached to the membrane at a first portion of the membrane and the second end is attached to the membrane at a second portion of the membrane. The first baffle then positions the first and second portions of the membrane in a predetermined relationship relative to one another when the chair is inflated, and the first portion of the membrane defines a chair seat surface. A second baffle is positioned inside the air chamber and has opposing first

and second ends. The first end is attached to the membrane at a third portion of the membrane and the second end is attached to the membrane at a fourth portion of the membrane The second baffle then positions the third and fourth portions of the membrane in a predetermined relationship relativ e to one another when the chair is inflated, and the third portion of the

membrane defines a chair back surface

These and other features, objects, and benefits of the invention will be recognized by

one having ordinary skill m the art and by those who practice the invention, from the specification, the claims and the drawing figures

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 is an upper front perspective view of a first, spheπcal embodiment of the

invention,

Figure 2 is an upper back perspective view thereof,

Figure 3 is an upper front perspective view to the left side of a second, spheπcal

embodiment of the invention, showing alternative surface ornamentation,

Figure 4 is a front to back centerlme vertical cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line

IV-IV of figure 5,

Figure 5 is a left to πght vertical cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line V-V of

figure 4,

Figure 6 is an upper front perspective view of a third, ovoid embodiment of the invention,

Figure 7 is a lower back perspective view thereof,

Figure 8 is a front to back centerlme vertical cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line

VIII-VIII of figure 9, Figure 9 is a left to right vertical cross-sectional view thereof, taken along line IX-IX of figure 8;

Figure 10 is another upper front perspective view thereof; and

Figure 11 is an upper back perspective view thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An inflatable ball chair 20 of the invention has a flexible membrane 22 that defines a

closed air chamber 24 (Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5). The membrane 22 is preferably configured to define

a generally spherical or ovoid ball-like exterior configuration. Thus, the membrane 22 is

constructed of a number of interconnected panels of predetermined shapes. An air valve 26 defines an air passage through the membrane 22 to inflate and deflate the air chamber 24 as is

known to one having ordinary skill in the art.

A series of baffles of predetermined shapes are located in the chamber and further

interconnect predetermine portions of the membrane to form the chair seat and back support portions. A first, generally tubular baffle 30 may extend between and interconnect first and second portions of the membrane 32 and 34, respectively, to define the seat 32. A second, generally tubular baffle arrangement 36 may further define the seat 32.

An array of generally parallel planar baffles 40 extends between and interconnects

third and fourth portions of the membrane 42 and 44, respectively, to define the back 42. A generally tubular baffle arrangement 46 may further define the seat 32.

One having ordinary skill in the art will understand that any of a variety of materials may be used to make the membrane 22 and the various baffles, depending upon the preferences

of the user or the one making the invention. The preferred materials will be characterized by the qualities of being flexible and not air permeable Vinyl or rubber coated fabπcs and vinyl sheet

mateπals may be used for the membrane and baffles, for example

It is noted that a baseball ornamentation is disposed upon the membrane 22 of the chair 20 (Figs 1 and 2) Alternatively, other ornamentation, including coloπng, for example,

may be used with the invention to present other object concepts A basketball chair embodiment 100 of the invention is shown in Figure 3, for example Other ornamentation is anticipated in

the invention and may include, without limitation, a soccer ball concept chair, while yellow

coloπng would be appropπate to a tennis ball object chair

Further, a football concept chair 200 of the invention is shown in the drawing Figures 6 through 11. and illustrates that the exteπor contour of the ball chair invention may vary

according to the object concept desired Components of the football chair 200, that are

substantially the same as in the first chair embodiment 20 and are identified in the drawing

figures by use of the same reference numbers, the embodiments diffeπng substantially in the

ornamentation and exteπor shape of the membrane It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art and by those who practice

the invention, that vaπous modifications and improvements may be made without departing

from the spiπt of the disclosed concept Vaπous relational terms, including left, nght, front,

back, top, and bottom, for example, are used in the detailed descπption of the invention and in the claims only to convey relative positioning of vanous elements of the claimed invention The

scope of protection afforded is to be determined by the claims and by the breadth of interpretation allowed by law

Claims

CLAIMSI claim:

1. An inflatable ball chair comprising:

a flexible membrane that defines a closed air chamber;

a valve, the valve defining an air passage through the membrane, from the chamber to

the ambient environment, whereby the inflatable ball chair is inflated and deflated;

a first baffle inside the air chamber, the first baffle having opposing first and second ends, the first end being attached to the membrane at a first portion of the membrane and the second end being attached to the membrane at a second portion of the membrane, whereby the

first and second portions of the membrane are positioned in a predetermined relationship relative

to one another when the inflatable ball chair is inflated, and whereby the first portion of the membrane defines a chair seat surface when the inflatable ball chair is inflated; a second baffle inside the air chamber, the second baffle having opposing first and

second ends, the first end being attached to the membrane at a third portion of the membrane and

the second end being attached to the membrane at a fourth portion of the membrane, whereby

the third and fourth portions of the membrane are positioned in a predetermined relationship

relative to one another when the inflatable ball chair is inflated, and whereby the third portion of the membrane defines a chair back surface when the inflatable ball chair is inflated.