SQUARED ARM CHAIR WITH CUPHOLDER

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/662,072, filed on Jun. 20, 2024. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

[0002]The present technology relates to articles of outdoor furniture and, more particularly, to outdoor chairs.

Introduction

[0003]This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

[0004]Adirondack chairs are a very popular larger type of chair. For many years, these chairs were made of wood with the pieces of the chair nailed, glued, bolted, or screwed together to form a single unit. The Adirondack chair style typically has a straight back that is formed by multiple wooden planks that extend from a seat at an angle. Most wooden Adirondack chairs do not fold, and they are often large and heavy, making them difficult to move, store, and stack.

[0005]Newer Adirondack chairs are often made of plastic. These plastic chairs can be molded to look like the wooden Adirondack chairs. Such molded plastic chairs are lighter and therefore easier to move, and can be more weather resistant than wooden versions. Further, plastic chairs may be stored more efficiently since the molded plastic chairs can often be easily stacked on top of one another. Adirondack chairs made of plastic are also less expensive and easier to make.

[0006]Designs of certain molded plastic chairs, however, often lack features intended to enhance the enjoyment and the use of the chairs. For instance, certain molded plastic chairs are unaccommodating for users that are using hand-held objects, such as a beverage and/or a mobile device. These hand-held objects are frequently engaged by users in an outdoor setting where the currently available molded plastic chairs are commonly used. For example, molded plastic chairs are often used at outdoor social settings where beverages are consumed. Certain molded plastic chairs do not include any features to support a beverage container. This lack of support causes the beverage container to be prone to spilling when set down next to the chair or on a sloped arm rest of the chair.

[0007]Certain molded plastic chairs can also be structurally insufficient compared with similar versions made of solid wood. This can lead to warping and breaking over time. Insufficient structural integrity can limit the usefulness and lifespan of a molded plastic chair. Warping and breaking can also occur when molded plastic chairs are stacked on top of one another. More specifically, certain portions of the molded plastic chairs may get stuck together leading to difficulty in unstacking the chairs and even broken parts when the chairs are forcibly separated. Chairs may also be damaged or broken if the weight of the chairs or other objects stacked on top of the chairs are too heavy.

[0008]Accordingly, there is a need for an improved outdoor chair that is lightweight and easy to stack and store, includes enhanced structural reinforcements to improve stacking and unstacking, and is easy and cost-effective to manufacture.

SUMMARY

[0009]In concordance with the instant disclosure, an outdoor chair that is lightweight and easy to stack and store, includes enhanced features for structural reinforcement to improve stacking and unstacking, and is easy and cost-effective to manufacture, has surprisingly been discovered. The present technology includes articles of manufacture, systems, and processes that relate to outdoor furniture, and more particularly, to improved outdoor chairs with enhanced features such as beverage container recesses and mobile device storage areas. The present technology further improves reinforcement structures of outdoor furniture using ribs configured to improve stackable design capabilities and optimize durability during use.

[0010]In certain embodiments, an outdoor chair may include a unitary body having a seat and a backrest, a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs depending from the unitary body, and a pair of armrests coupled to the pair of front legs and to the backrest of the unitary body. The outdoor chair further includes a horizontal rib disposed on a bottom surface of the unitary body, a vertical rib disposed on the bottom surface of the unitary body, and a diagonal rib disposed on the bottom surface of the unitary body.

[0011]In certain embodiments, an outdoor chair may include a unitary body having a seat and a backrest, a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs depending from the unitary body, and a pair of armrests coupled to the pair of front legs and to the backrest of the unitary body. The outdoor chair may have a first support section, a second support section, and a third support section. Each of the first support section, the second support section, and the third support section may include a horizontal rib, a vertical rib, and a diagonal rib. A fourth support section may include a horizontal rib and a vertical rib.

[0012]In certain embodiments, an outdoor chair may include a unitary body having a seat and a backrest, a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs depending from the unitary body, and a pair of armrests coupled to the pair of front legs and to the backrest of the unitary body. The outdoor chair may have a first support section, a second support section, and a third support section. Each of the first support section, the second support section, and the third support section may include a horizontal rib, a vertical rib, and a diagonal rib. A fourth support section may include a horizontal rib and a vertical rib. Support ridges may be disposed on an inner sidewall surface of the chair adjacent the pair of rear legs and on a rear sidewall surface of the pair of front legs.

[0013]Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

[0014]The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0015]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an arm chair, according to certain embodiments;

[0016]FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view thereof;

[0017]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view thereof;

[0018]FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

[0019]FIG. 5 is a right-side elevational view thereof;

[0020]FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of a cutout of a first support section of an outdoor chair, according to certain embodiments;

[0021]FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of a cutout of a backrest of an outdoor chair, according to certain embodiments;

[0022]FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of a cutout of a seat of an outdoor chair, according to certain embodiments;

[0023]FIG. 9 is a bottom perspective view of a cutout of a front leg of an outdoor chair, according to certain embodiments; and

[0024]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional right-side elevational view of an outdoor chair, according to certain embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025]The following description of technology is merely exemplary in nature of the subject matter, manufacture and use of one or more inventions, and is not intended to limit the scope, application, or uses of any specific invention claimed in this application or in such other applications as may be filed claiming priority to this application, or patents issuing therefrom. Regarding methods disclosed, the order of the steps presented is exemplary in nature, and thus, the order of the steps can be different in various embodiments, including where certain steps can be simultaneously performed, unless expressly stated otherwise. “A” and “an” as used herein indicate “at least one” of the item is present; a plurality of such items may be present, when possible. Except where otherwise expressly indicated, all numerical quantities in this description are to be understood as modified by the word “about” and all geometric and spatial descriptors are to be understood as modified by the word “substantially” in describing the broadest scope of the technology. “About” when applied to numerical values indicates that the calculation or the measurement allows some slight imprecision in the value (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If, for some reason, the imprecision provided by “about” and/or “substantially” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” and/or “substantially” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring or using such parameters.

[0026]Although the open-ended term “comprising,” as a synonym of non-restrictive terms such as including, containing, or having, is used herein to describe and claim embodiments of the present technology, embodiments may alternatively be described using more limiting terms such as “consisting of” or “consisting essentially of.” Thus, for any given embodiment reciting materials, components, or process steps, the present technology also specifically includes embodiments consisting of, or consisting essentially of, such materials, components, or process steps excluding additional materials, components or processes (for consisting of) and excluding additional materials, components or processes affecting the significant properties of the embodiment (for consisting essentially of), even though such additional materials, components or processes are not explicitly recited in this application. For example, recitation of a composition or process reciting elements A, B and C specifically envisions embodiments consisting of, and consisting essentially of, A, B and C, excluding an element D that may be recited in the art, even though element D is not explicitly described as being excluded herein.

[0027]Disclosures of ranges are, unless specified otherwise, inclusive of endpoints and include all distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire range. Thus, for example, a range of “from A to B” or “from about A to about B” is inclusive of A and of B. Disclosure of values and ranges of values for specific parameters (such as amounts, weight percentages, etc.) are not exclusive of other values and ranges of values useful herein. It is envisioned that two or more specific exemplified values for a given parameter may define endpoints for a range of values that may be claimed for the parameter. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have value A and also exemplified to have value Z, it is envisioned that Parameter X may have a range of values from about A to about Z. Similarly, it is envisioned that disclosure of two or more ranges of values for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping or distinct) subsume all possible combination of ranges for the value that might be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if Parameter X is exemplified herein to have values in the range of 1-10, or 2-9, or 3-8, it is also envisioned that Parameter X may have other ranges of values including 1-9, 1-8, 1-3, 1-2, 2-10, 2-8, 2-3, 3-10, 3-9, and so on.

[0028]When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0029]Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0030]Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

[0031]The present technology relates to a chair 100 for the outdoors, aspects of which are shown generally in FIGS. 1-10. The chair 100 may include a unitary body 102, a pair of front legs 104, a pair of rear legs 106, a pair of armrests 108, a first recess 110, and a second recess 112. The unitary body 102 may include a seat 114 and a backrest 116. The backrest 116 and the seat 114 may include a slot 118. Each front leg 104 and each rear leg 106 may depend from the unitary body 102. The armrest 108 may be coupled to a front leg 104 and the backrest 116 of the unitary body 102, according to certain embodiments. The first recess 110 may be formed in one or both armrests 108. The first recess 110 may have a first opening 124 and a first bottom wall 126. The second recess 112 may be formed in one or both armrests 108. The second recess 112 may include a second opening 128 and a second bottom wall 130. As depicted in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first recess 110 and the second recess 112 may be positioned together on the same armrest 108.

[0032]In certain embodiments, the chair 100 may be contiguous and form a continuous body with all parts of the chair 100 sharing an uninterrupted surface. In a more specific example, the chair 100 may be injection molded, producing one continuous body in which all portions or components of the chair are formed of the same material. For example, the chair 100 may be injection molded and formed by a single piece of plastic, composite, or metal, allowing the various portions of the chair 100 to be formed without assembling separate components and without the need for fasteners.

[0033]The chair 100 may be formed from a solid material. The solid material may allow for the chair 100 to be stable and durable as it is weathered from the outdoors. As non-limiting examples, the chair 100 may be formed from various polyolefins and mixtures thereof, polypropylene, high density polyethylene (HDPE), and/or polyethylene terephthalate (PET). One of ordinary skill in the art may select other suitable materials for forming the chair 100 within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0034]In certain embodiments, the pair of armrests 108 may include a first armrest 120 and a second armrest 122. Each of the armrests 108 may include a rectangular cross section along a plane parallel to the ground or any such planar surface the chair 100 is placed upon. In this way, each of the first armrest 120 and the second armrest 122 may be parallel to the ground or any such planar surface the chair 100 is placed upon. Advantageously, the rectangular cross section of the armrests 108 may provide stability for the armrest 108 when the chair 100 is in use or in storage by evenly distributing the weight placed upon each armrest 108.

[0035]In certain embodiments, the first recess 110 and the second recess 112 may be disposed on the same armrest 108, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It is also contemplated that the first recess 110 and the second recess 112 may be disposed on separate armrests 120, 122. For instance, the first recess 110 may be disposed on the first armrest 120 and the second recess 112 may be disposed on the second armrest 122, and vice versa. One skilled in the art may select other suitable locations and positions to dispose the first recess 110 and the second recess 112, within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0036]It should be appreciated that the first recess 110 may be configured to accept a beverage container. In certain embodiments, the first recess 110 may include the first opening 124, a first sidewall 132, and the first bottom wall 126. The first bottom wall 126 may be substantially circular or ovoid. The first bottom wall 126 may be particularly sized and shaped to accommodate and support beverage containers of various sizes. To this end, it should be appreciated that the first bottom wall 126 may be shaped to form a variety of suitable shapes known to those of skill in the art. The first bottom wall 126 may include a drain hole 134 disposed therethrough. In a specific, non-limiting example, the first opening 110 may be substantially oval-shaped. Substantially oval-shaped encompasses shapes that are elliptical and/or form an ellipse shape, for example, an ovoid.

[0037]In certain embodiments, the second recess 112 may be configured to accept an object such as a mobile device or a wallet, as examples. For instance, the second recess 112 may include the second opening 128, a second sidewall 136, and the second bottom wall 130. The second bottom wall 130 may have one or more drain apertures 138 disposed therethrough, as shown in FIG. 2. The second bottom wall 130 and/or the second opening 126 may be substantially rectangular. Substantially rectangular is defined as having a rectangular shape, including four sides, without requiring a strict adherence to 90-degree angles connecting each side to adjacent sides. Substantially rectangular shapes may encompass quadrilaterals including trapezoids, rhombuses, parallelograms, etc. For example, the second bottom wall 130 and/or the second opening 128 may each have four substantially straight portions. The four substantially straight portions may form two sets of parallel planes. Each set of parallel planes may be formed by a substantially straight portion and a substantially straight portion on the opposing side. In a nonlimiting example, each substantially straight portion may be connected to an adjacent substantially straight portion. The substantially straight portions may be connected by rounded, contoured, or beveled edges. In further examples, the substantially straight portions may not form parallel planes, but still form a substantially rectangular shape. It should be appreciated that the shape of the second bottom wall 130 and/or the second opening 128 may encompass a variety of shapes known to those of skill in the art. In particular examples, the shape of the second bottom wall 130 and the second opening 128 may differ and form non-corresponding shapes. Desirably, the mobile device and/or wallet may be more easily disposed into and/or removed from the second recess 112.

[0038]With reference to FIG. 1, the unitary body 102 may include the seat 114 and the backrest 116. The seat 114 and the backrest 116 may be continuous such that the unitary body 102 is uninterrupted and continuous between the seat 114 and the backrest 116. The unitary body 102 may include a curvature 139 between the seat 114 and the backrest 116, as shown in FIG. 5. The slot 118 of the unitary body 102 may be uninterrupted and continuous within the unitary body 102 or within a portion of the unitary body 102, as determined by one of skill in the art.

[0039]In certain embodiments, the slot 118 may extend from a first end 140 of the unitary body 102 to a midsection 141 of the unitary body 102 where the seat 114 meets the backrest 116. As examples, the slot 118 may be a recess 135 formed in a top edge 143 of the backrest 116 that extends to the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102, and/or the slot 118 may be an aperture 137 disposed in the unitary body 102 that extends from the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102 to a second end 142 of the unitary body 102 disposed opposite the first end 140. In certain embodiments, a first slot 145 may extend from the top edge 143 of the backrest 116 to the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102, and a second slot 147 disposed adjacent the first slot 145 may extend from the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102 to the second end 142 of the unitary body 102. Advantageously, the slot 118 may allow for air to flow and water to drain through the chair 100, thereby militating against the chair 100 being blown away or tipped over in severe weather conditions or accumulating water thereon. It should be appreciated that the slot 118 may run continuously along the backrest 116 and/or the seat 114, according to certain embodiments. Any number and configuration of slots 118 may be employed, as desired.

[0040]In certain embodiments, a plurality of slots 118 may be disposed equidistant from one another across a surface area of the unitary body 102 to promote even weight distribution along the seat 114 and the backrest 116 during use. The chair 100 may include a plurality of first slots 145 configured as recesses 135 and extending from the top edge 143 of the backrest 116 to the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102 and a plurality of corresponding second slots 147 configured as apertures 137 disposed adjacent the plurality of first slots 145 and extending from the midsection 141 of the unitary body 102 to the second end 142 of the unitary body, as shown in FIG. 1. A skilled artisan may select a suitable number of slots 118 within the scope of the present disclosure. Desirably, the plurality of first slots 145 disposed in the unitary body 102 may allow for air flow through the chair 100 and militate against the chair 100 being blown away or tipped over in severe weather conditions. The plurality of second slots 147 may militate against rainwater and debris from collecting on the seat 114 of the chair 100.

[0041]In certain embodiments, a pair of slot vertical ribs 157, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, may be disposed on opposing sides of the slot 118 and may extend outwardly from the bottom surface 152 of the unitary body. The pair of slot vertical ribs 157 may continuously extend from the first slot 145 to the second slot 147. The pair of slot vertical ribs 157 may extend continuously from the first end 140 of the unitary body 102 to the second end 142 of the unitary body 102.

[0042]Each of the first and second armrests 120, 122 may be any suitable shape such as substantially rectangular or substantially trapezoidal, as examples. Each of the first and second armrests 120, 122 may include armrest ribbing 144 on an underside 151 of each arm rest 108, such as shown in FIG. 2. The armrest ribbing 144 may militate against warping, curving, and breaking of the arm rest 108 during use and storage.

[0043]In certain embodiments, the chair 100 may include horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 disposed on the bottom surface 152 of the unitary body 102 and/or an inner sidewall surface 154 of the chair. Desirably, the horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 may be configured to maintain the curvature 139 between the seat 114 and the backrest 116 and militate against cracking and warping of the chair 100 during use and storage. The horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 may be configured to support the chair 100 when the chair 100 is in use and/or when the chair 100 is in a stacked configuration with another chair 100. More specifically, where a top chair 100 is stacked on a bottom chair 100, one or more of the horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 of the top chair 100 may be adjacent to and in contact with a top surface 149 of the bottom chair 100 in the stacked configuration (stacked configuration not shown). Advantageously, the horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 may provide a weight bearing feature configured to optimize the structural integrity of the chair 100 when the chair 100 is in use or in a stacked configuration. Additionally, the horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150 may optimally space out one chair 100 from another chair 100 in the stacked configuration so as to militate against the chairs being difficult to separate from one another and may evenly distribute the weight of the top chair 100 onto the bottom chair 100 to prevent one or more pressure points on the bottom chair 100.

[0044]As shown in FIG. 4, horizontal ribs 146 may include a first horizontal rib 156 including a flanged end 164 and a non-flanged 166 end disposed opposite the flanged end 164, a second horizontal rib 158 including a flanged end 164 and a curved end 168 disposed opposite the flanged end 164, a third horizontal rib 160 having a substantially rectangular shape, a fourth horizontal rib 162 having a first flanged end 170 and a second flanged end 172 disposed opposite the first flanged end 170, and any combination thereof. It should be appreciated that any other suitable shapes and/or configurations may be employed, such as horizontal ribs 146 having a substantially trapezoidal shape and horizontal ribs 146 having a plurality of flanged ends 164, non-flanged ends 166, and/or curved ends 168, as examples. It should also be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, a flanged end 164 may also be a curved end 168. As shown in FIG. 8, the curved end 168 may include a lip 167 configured to abut, couple to, or be integrally formed with one or more vertical ribs and/or horizontal ribs. In certain embodiments, a front leg support horizontal rib 155 may be coupled to and/or integrally formed with the seat 114 and each front leg 104 of the chair 100, as shown in FIGS. 2, 8, and 9.

[0045]A width 174 of each third horizontal rib 160 may be uniform extending from a first end 176 to a second end 178 of the third horizontal rib 160. A width 180 of the flanged end 164 of the first horizontal rib 156 may be greater than a width 182 of the non-flanged end 166 disposed opposite the flanged end 164, or the width 180 of the flanged end 164 of the first horizontal rib 156 may be less than the width 182 of a non-flanged end 166 disposed opposite the flanged end 164. The width 184 of the flanged end 164 of the second horizontal rib 158 may be greater than the width 186 of the curved end 168. A maximum width 188 of the fourth horizontal rib 162 may be disposed at a central portion 190 disposed equidistant between the first flanged 170 end and the second flanged end 172. The maximum width 188 may gradually decrease from the central portion 190 of the fourth horizontal rib 162 to each of the first flanged end 170 and the second flanged end 172. It should be appreciated that one or more first horizontal ribs 156, second horizontal ribs 158, third horizontal ribs 160, and fourth horizontal ribs 162 may be integrally formed with one another, directly or indirectly coupled to one another, and/or may abut one another, according to various embodiments. In certain embodiments, each horizontal rib 146 may be substantially flat or planar, and each horizontal rib 146 may abut, directly or indirectly couple to, or be integrally formed with the seat 114 and/or the backrest 116 at an angle 192 as determined by one of skill in the art. The angle 192 may be between 20 and 80 degrees, according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, the angle 192 may be between 40 and 60 degrees.

[0046]Vertical ribs 148 may include a first vertical rib 196 including a flanged end 164 and a non-flanged end 166 disposed opposite the flanged end 164, a second vertical rib 198 including a first flanged end 170 and a second flanged end 172 disposed opposite the first flanged end 170, a third vertical rib 200 having a shape that is substantially a parallelogram, a fourth vertical rib 202 having an irregular shape, and any combination thereof. It should be appreciated that any other suitable shapes and/or configurations may be employed, such as a substantially rectangular shape, as an example, as determined by a skilled artisan. It should also be appreciated that, in certain embodiments, the vertical ribs 148 may have any combination of curved ends 168, flanged ends 164, non-flanged ends 166, and flanged ends 164 that are also curved ends 168.

[0047]With reference to FIG. 7, a width 204 of each vertical rib 148 may be uniform extending from a first end 206 to a second end 208 of the vertical rib or may be variable. It should be appreciated that the vertical ribs 148 may be integrally formed with one another, directly or indirectly coupled to one another, and/or may abut one another, according to various embodiments. The vertical ribs 148 may abut, directly or indirectly couple to, or be integrally formed with the seat 114 and/or the backrest 116 at a 90 degree angle. Each fourth vertical rib 202 may have a first curved end 210 and a second curved end 212 disposed opposite the first curved end 210. The first curved end 210 may be adjacent the seat 114 and/or the backrest 116, according to certain embodiments. Each vertical rib 148 may extend along a portion of the backrest 116 and/or a portion of the seat 114.

[0048]Diagonal ribs 150 may be configured to abut, couple to, and/or be integrally formed with the bottom surface 152 of the chair 100, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. In certain embodiments, the diagonal ribs 150 may be configured to abut, couple to, and/or be integrally formed with a vertical rib 148 at a first end 214 of the diagonal rib 150 and each of a vertical rib 148 and a horizontal rib 146 at a second end 216 of the diagonal rib 150, the second end 216 of the diagonal rib 150 disposed opposite the first end 214 of the diagonal rib 150. Each diagonal rib 150 may be substantially flat or planar, and each diagonal rib 150 may abut, directly or indirectly couple to, or be integrally formed with the seat 114 and/or the backrest 116 at an angle 194 as shown in FIG. 7 and as determined by one of skill in the art. The angle 194 may be between 20 and 80 degrees, according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, the angle 194 may be between 40 and 60 degrees. The diagonal rib 150 may be substantially rectangular in shape. In certain embodiments, the diagonal rib 150 may have a substantially parallelogram shape.

[0049]With reference to FIGS. 3 and 6, the chair 100 may include a slot support rib 218 disposed in the slot 118. The slot support rib 218 may be disposed in the slot 118 and between the pair of slot vertical ribs 157 formed on opposing sides of the slot 118. The slot support rib 218 may abut, directly or indirectly couple to, or be integrally formed with a diagonal rib 150 and/or a horizontal rib 146, according to various embodiments. In certain embodiments, the slot support rib 218 may have a substantially parallelogram shape, and a thickness 224 of the slot support rib 218 may be greater than a thickness 226 of each slot vertical ribs 157. Advantageously, the slot support rib 218 may militate against warping while maintaining the structural integrity of the slot 118 and the unitary body 102 along the length and curvature 139 of the seat 114 and backrest 116.

[0050]A corner support 228 may be disposed along a perimeter 230 of the bottom surface 152 of the unitary body 102 including the seat 114 and/or the backrest 116, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8. The corner support 228 may be substantially triangular in shape and may have a first end 232 adjacent the bottom surface 152 of the chair 100 and a second end 234 adjacent the inner sidewall surface 154 of the chair 100. It should be appreciated that a corner support 228 may be disposed on the underside 151 the first and second armrests 120, 122. In certain embodiments, the corner support 228 may be disposed adjacent, coupled to, or integrally formed with one or more horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and/or diagonal ribs 150.

[0051]In certain embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, support ridges 236 may be disposed on the inner sidewall surface 154 of chair 100. The support ridges 236 may have a substantially rectangular or cylindrical cross-section, as examples, and may extend from a first end 238 of the inner sidewall surface 154 to a second end 240 of the inner sidewall surface 154. In certain embodiments, support ridges 236 may be disposed on the inner sidewall surface 154 of the chair adjacent of each rear leg 106, such that each second end 240 of the support ridge 236 may provide structural support to each corresponding rear leg 106. With reference to FIG. 9, support ridges 236 may be disposed on a rear sidewall surface 153 of the front legs 104, according to certain embodiments, and may extend from a first end 242 of each front leg 104 to a second end 244 of each front leg 104. It should be appreciated that the support ridges 236 may abut, be coupled to, or be integrally formed with more than one component of the chair 100, such as the backrest 116, the seat 114, the front leg 104, the rear leg 106, and/or the armrest 108.

[0052]With reference to FIGS. 2 and 6-9, the chair 100 may have a first support section 246, a second support section 248, and a third support section 250. Each of the first support section 246, the second support section 248, and the third support section 250 may include a plurality of horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and diagonal ribs 150. In certain embodiments, each of the first support section 246, the second support section 248, and the third support section 250 may have a top horizontal rib 252 and a bottom horizontal rib 254. The top horizontal rib 252 and the bottom horizontal rib 254 may extend from a first end 256 of the unitary body 102 to a second end 258 of the unitary body 102. A plurality of diagonal ribs 150 configured to form a double diamond configuration 260 having a first diamond configuration 262 and a second diamond configuration 264 may be disposed between the top horizontal rib 252 and the bottom horizontal rib 254 of each of the first support section 246, the second support section 248, and the third support section 250, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Each of the first and second diamond configurations 262, 264 may include the pair of slot vertical ribs 157 extending through a central portion 263 of each of the first and second diamond configurations 262, 264.

[0053]A first end 265 of a slot rib 118 may be coupled to or integrally formed with the top horizontal rib 252 and a second end (not shown) of the slot rib 118 may be coupled to or integrally formed with the bottom horizontal rib 254, according to certain embodiments. In certain embodiments, the first end 265 of the slot rib 118 may extend through a first cutout 267 of the top horizontal rib 252 and the second end of the slot rib 118 may extend through a second cutout (not shown) of the bottom horizontal rib 254. In certain embodiments, the first support section 246 and the second support section 248 may be disposed on the backrest 116 of the chair 100, and the third support section 250 may be disposed on the seat 114 of the chair. It should be appreciated that any number and configuration horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, diagonal ribs 150 forming any suitable number of support sections may be employed, as determined by a skilled artisan.

[0054]With reference to FIGS. 8-9, a fourth support section 268 may include a plurality of horizontal ribs 146 and vertical ribs 148, according to certain embodiments. The fourth support section 268 may include a central seat horizontal rib 269 disposed centrally with respect to the seat 114, an upper rear seat horizontal rib 270. and a lower rear seat horizontal rib 272 disposed between the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 and the central seat horizontal rib 269. Each of the central seat horizontal rib 269, the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270, and the bottom rear seat horizontal rib 272 may be configured to extend outwardly from the bottom surface 152 of the unitary body 102. In certain embodiments, the central seat horizontal rib 269 may be one continuous horizontal rib 146 and the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 and lower rear seat horizontal rib 272 may be a combination of horizontal ribs 146 directly or indirectly coupled to one another and/or integrally formed with one another. The upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 of the fourth support section 268 may be formed using a combination of second horizontal ribs 158 and third horizontal ribs 160 as an example. The second horizontal ribs 158 of the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 may be disposed on opposing ends of the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 and may have at least one third horizontal rib 160 disposed there between. Each of the second horizontal ribs 158 may include a lip 167 disposed on the curved end 168. The lip 167 may be configured to abut, directly or indirectly couple to, overlap, or be integrally formed with a top surface 274 of a horizontal rib 146 and/or a vertical rib 148, as shown in FIG. 8. The second horizontal ribs 158 may be coupled to or integrally formed to each of the bottom surface 152 of the chair 100 and the interior sidewall surface 154 of the chair 100 adjacent the rear leg 106, thereby enhancing structural support of the unitary body 102 and the rear leg 106.

[0055]The fourth support section 268 may also include vertical ribs 148 configured to extend from the central seat horizontal rib 269 to at least the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270. In certain embodiments, the vertical ribs 148 may extend beyond the upper rear seat horizontal rib 270 to at least the second support section 248 of the chair 100 and/or the first support section 246 of the chair 100. The vertical ribs 148 of the fourth support section 268 may have a first curved end 210 and a second curved end 212 configured to following the contour of the seat 114 as the seat 114 transitions to the back rest 116. It should be appreciated the each of the first, second, third, and fourth support sections 246, 248, 250, 268 may include additional horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and/or diagonal ribs 150, as determined by one of skill in the art. As an example, additional horizontal ribs 146 and vertical ribs 148 may be disposed around the perimeter 230 of the bottom surface 152 of the unitary body 102 to optimize structural support of the chair 100 during use.

[0056]As shown in FIG. 10, according to certain embodiments, the unitary body may have one or more reinforced sections 276. The reinforced sections 276 may have a first thickness 278 that is greater than a second thickness 280 of one or more non-reinforced sections 282 of the unitary body 102. In certain more specific embodiments, a reinforced section may be disposed adjacent to at least the first support section 246, the second support section 248, and the third support section 250. It should be appreciated that additional reinforced sections 276 may be included in the unitary body 102, as determined by one of skill in the art.

[0057]Advantageously, the present technology may enhance the structural integrity of the chair 100 using slot ribs 118, slot vertical ribs 157, horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, diagonal ribs 150, support sections 246, 248, 259, 268, corner supports 228, support ridges 236, and/or reinforced sections 276 having increased thickness compared to other portions of the chair 100. These components may optimally support and maintain the shape and the curvature of the chair 100 and also improve the structural integrity of the chair 100 during use and storage. Additionally, the present technology may improve the stackability and storage of the chair 100 by incorporating horizontal ribs 146, vertical ribs 148, and/or diagonal ribs 150 that optimally space the chair 100 apart from other chairs 100 and evenly distribute weight to militate against one or more pressure points when in a stacked configuration. The unitary body 102 including slots 118 for air flow and water drainage may militate against weather-related damage and deterioration by reducing the likelihood that the chair 100 may be blown over or accumulate water. The slot vertical ribs 157 may improve the structural integrity of the slots 118 and the chair 100 as a whole. The lightweight, injection-molded design may improve ease of use and storage and optimize cost-effectiveness with respect to manufacturing the chair 100.

[0058]Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms, and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail. Equivalent changes, modifications and variations of some embodiments, materials, compositions and methods can be made within the scope of the present technology, with substantially similar results.