Seating arrangement

• US 10,194,750 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, James N., Deevers, Nickolaus William Charles, Heidmann, Kurt R., Johnson, William Thomas, Smith, Bruce M., Spoelhof, Mark William
• Primary Examiner(s): Allred, David E
• Application Number:
  US15/726,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20180027973A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/18 Chairs or stools with rotatable seat adjustable in height by rotation A47C3/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/20 Chairs or stools with vertically-adjustable seats tables with variable height A47B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 5/12 of plastics, with or without reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/16 Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/445 with bar or leaf springs

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a seat arrangement that includes first, second, third and fourth link members coupled to one another, a back arrangement movable between an upright position and a reclined position and coupled to the seat arrangement such that the first link member moves between forward and rearward positions as the back arrangement is moved between the upright and reclined positions, and a stop arrangement including a stop link coupled to at least one of the first link member, the third link and the fourth link member such that the stop link moves with the associated link member as the back assembly moves between the upright and reclined positions, wherein travel of the stop link is limited with respect to the second link member thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement toward the reclined position.

Claims

1. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a seat arrangement, comprising;

a substantially horizontally-extending first link member configured to support a seated user thereon, the first link member having a first end and second end;

a second link member at least partially spaced from the first link member, the second link member having a first end and a second end;

a third link member operably coupled to the first end of the first link member and the first end of the second link member; and

a fourth link member operably coupled to the second end of the first link member and the second end of the second link member, such that the first link member, the second link member, the third link member and the fourth link member cooperate to form a linkage arrangement having an open structure, and wherein at least one of the first link member, the third link member, and the fourth link member includes an interior space;

a back arrangement extending substantially upward from the first link member and movable between an upright position and a reclined position, the back arrangement operably coupled to the seat assembly such that the first link member moves between a forward position and a rearward position as the back arrangement is moved between the upright position and the reclined position; and

a stop arrangement positioned at least partially within the open structure of the linkage arrangement and including a stop member extending into the interior space and a first stop surface and a second stop surface at least partially defining the interior space wherein the stop member is configured to abut the first stop surface within the interior space thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement as the back arrangement is moved from the upright position toward the reclined position, and wherein the stop member is configured to abut the second stop surface thereby limiting a forward movement of the back arrangement as the back arrangement is moved from the reclined position toward the upright position.

2. The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first stop surface and the second stop surface are each fixed with respect to the first link member.

3. The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stop arrangement is at least partially visible from an exterior of the seating arrangement.

4. The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the third link member is fixedly secured to the first link member and the second link member.

5. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a base;

a lower shell comprising;

a first portion coupled to the base and comprising a substantially horizontal portion;

a front link extending upwardly from a forward portion of the first portion; and

a rear link extending upwardly from a rearward portion of the first portion,

wherein at least one of the front link and the rear link is moveable between a nominal position and a reclined position;

an upper shell coupled to the front and rear links; and

a tilt limiter coupled to the base and engaging a select one of the front link and the rear link, wherein the select one of the front link and the rear link is movable between the nominal position and the reclined position and is stopped in the nominal position and in the reclined position by the tilt limiter; and

wherein the select one of the front link and the rear link includes an interior space, and wherein the tilt limiter engages the select one of the front link and the rear link within the interior space in the nominal position and in the reclined position.

6. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein the tilt limiter engages the rear link when the rear link is in the nominal position and the reclined position.

7. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the tilt limiter is visible from an exterior of the seating arrangement.

8. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein first portion, the front link, the rear link and the upper shell cooperate to form an open structure, and wherein at least a portion of the tilt limiter is located within the open structure.

9. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein the select one of the front link and the rear link is substantially rigid, and wherein the other of the front link and the rear link is substantially flexible.

10. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.

11. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a base;

a lower shell including a substantially horizontal portion, a forward portion and a rearward portion;

a front link extending upwardly from the forward portion;

a rear link extending upwardly from the rearward portion;

an upper shell coupled to the front and rear links and including a substantially horizontal portion, wherein at least one of the front link, the rear link and the horizontal portion of the upper shell is moveable between a nominal position and a reclined position; and

a tilt limiter coupled to a select one of the horizontal portion of the lower shell, the first link, the rear link and the horizontal portion of the upper shell and engaging a select one of the horizontal portion of the lower shell, the first link, the rear link and the horizontal portion of the upper shell not coupled to the tilt limiter when the upper shell is in the nominal position and in the reclined position;

wherein the tilt limiter engages an interior space of the select one of the horizontal portion of the lower shell, the front link, the rear link and the horizontal portion of the upper shell when the upper shell is in the nominal position and in the reclined position.

12. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the lower shell includes the front link.

13. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the lower shell includes the rear link.

14. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the tilt limiter engages the rear link when the upper shell is in the nominal position and the reclined position.

15. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the tilt limiter is visible from an exterior of the seating arrangement.

16. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the horizontal portion of the lower shell, the front link, the rear link and the horizontal portion of the upper shell cooperate to form an open structure, and wherein at least a portion of the tilt limiter is located within the open structure.

17. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the select one of the front link and the rear link is substantially rigid, and wherein the other of the front link and the rear link is substantially flexible.

18. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.