Mesh chair component

• US 20050264087A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Original Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
• Inventors: Diffrient, Niels
• Granted Patent: US 8,240,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.640
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/282 with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes

Abstract

A mesh chair component having contours that support a user appropriately can be made by combining a plurality of mesh panels to form the component. For instance, in a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, three preformed mesh panels are combined to form the back rest of a chair that provides its user with lumbar support without the necessity of additional structural support. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, mesh panels are used in combination with a beneficially contoured frame to provide a chair seat with a waterfall front.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a. a chair pedestal;

b. a base mounted on said chair pedestal;

c. a seat mounted on said base; and

d. a back rest attached to said base, wherein said back rest comprises at least three membranous panels.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein said back rest further comprises at least two curvilinear seams.

3. The chair of claim 1, wherein at least one of said membranous panels has a non-rectangular shape.

4. The chair of claim 1, wherein said back rest has a contour.

5. The chair of claim 4, wherein said contour provides support for a user'"'"'s lumbar region.

6. The chair of claim 1, wherein said back rest further comprises a component frame securing said at least three membranous panels.

7. The chair of claim 6, wherein said component frame has a curved shape from side to side and from top to bottom.

8. The chair of claim 6, wherein said component frame has a side view curvature that goes forward at the bottom of the frame and backward near the top of the frame.

9. The chair of claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three membranous panels has a stretch ability of less than about 6%.

10. The chair of claim 1, wherein said pedestal comprises a plurality of outwardly extending support arms with casters.

11. The chair of claim 1, further comprising a gas spring mounted in said pedestal.

12. The chair of claim 1, further comprising a head rest.

13. The chair of claim 12, wherein said head rest comprises one or more membranous panels.

14. The chair of claim 12, wherein said head rest comprises a plurality of membranous panels.

15. The chair of claim 1, wherein said base comprises a swivel base.

16. The chair of claim 1, further comprising arms.

17. The chair of claim 16, wherein said arms are attached to said back rest.

18. The chair of claim 16, wherein said arms adjust independently of one another.

19. The chair of claim 1, wherein said seat comprises one or more membranous panels.

20. A contoured membranous chair component comprising:

a. a component frame having an attachment mechanism for attaching said component frame to a chair; and

b. at least two membranous panels secured by said component frame.

21. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said component comprises a back rest.

22. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said component comprises a seat.

23. The chair component of claim 20, wherein at least one of said panels has a shape that is non-rectangular.

24. The chair component of claim 20, wherein at least one of said panels has a shape that is not a parallelogram.

25. The chair component of claim 21, wherein said back rest provides a lumbar support.

26. The chair component of claim 21, wherein said frame has a side view curvature that goes forward at the bottom of the frame and backward near the top of the frame.

27. The chair component of claim 21, wherein said back rest further comprises at least two curvilinear seams.

28. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said at least two membranous panels are comprised of synthetic or natural material.

29. The chair component of claim 28, wherein said at least two membranous panels comprise a polyester weave mesh.

30. The chair component of claim 20, wherein at least one of said at least two membranous panels has a limited stretch ability.

31. The chair component of claim 30, wherein said stretch ability is less than or equal to about 5%.

32. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said component comprises three or more membranous panels.

33. The chair component of claim 32, wherein said panels are attached to one another by a method selected from the group consisting of sewing, welding, and gluing.

34. The chair component of claim 33, wherein said panels are attached by sonic welding.

35. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said frame further comprises a groove for receiving said at least two membranous panels.

36. The chair component of claim 35, wherein said at least two membranous panels are attached to said frame through a flexible, plastic extrusion attached to said at least two membranous panels and forced into said groove.

37. The chair component of claim 36, wherein said at least two membranous panels are sewn to said plastic extrusion.

38. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said component comprises a head rest.

39. The chair component of claim 38, wherein said head rest has a forward curvature along a horizontal axis.

40. The chair component of claim 38, wherein said head rest has a backward curvature along a vertical axis.

41. The chair component of claim 20, wherein said at least two membranous panels have a contour.

42. The chair component of claim 41 wherein said contour provides support for a user'"'"'s lumbar region.

43. A contoured membranous chair seat comprising:

a. a U-shaped seat component frame having an attachment mechanism for attaching said component frame to a chair;

b. a membranous panel secured by said component frame.

44. The seat of claim 43, wherein said seat has a waterfall side view curvature in the front region of said seat.

45. The seat of claim 43, wherein said membranous panel has a limited stretch ability.

46. The seat of claim 45, wherein said stretch ability is less than or equal to about 5%.

47. A contoured membranous back rest comprising:

a. from three to ten fabric panels of which at least two comprise a membranous fabric and at least one of said panels has a non-rectangular shape; and

b. at least two curvilinear seams.

48. The back rest of claim 47, further comprising a frame.

49. The back rest of claim 47, comprising three panels.

50. The back rest of claim 47, wherein said panels are attached to one another by sewing, gluing, or welding.

51. The back rest of claim 50, wherein said panels are attached to one another by sonic welding.

52. The back rest of claim 47, wherein said panels form a contour.

53. The back rest of claim 52, wherein said contour comprises a contour in the lumbar region.

54. A method of making a contoured membranous chair component comprising:

a. providing a frame component, said frame component having a groove for receiving a spline;

b. providing at least two membranous panels;

c. attaching a peripheral edge of said at least one membranous panel to said spline; and

d. fitting said spline into said groove.

55. The method of claim 54, comprising providing at least three membranous panels.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising attaching said at least three membranous panels to form at least two curvilinear seams.

57. The method of claim 56, comprising sonic welding said at least three membranous panels to one another.

58. An office chair comprising:

a. a base;

b. a seat mounted to said base, said seat comprising;

i. a U shaped component frame having a front waterfall region; and

ii. a membranous panel formed from a limited stretch material secured on three sides by said component frame.

59. The office chair of claim 58, wherein said base comprises four legs.

60. The office chair of claim 58, wherein said base comprises a pedestal with a gas spring for height adjustment.

61. A chair comprising:

a. a front support component;

b. two rear support components;

c. a seat attached to said front support component; and

d. a back rest attached to said rear support components, said back rest comprising at least three membranous panels.

62. The chair of claim 61 wherein said front support component comprises two legs.

63. The chair of claim 61, wherein said rear support components are attached to said front support component.

64. The chair of claim 61 wherein said rear support components further comprise arm rests.

65. The chair of claim 61 wherein said seat comprises a U-shaped component frame having a front waterfall region and a membranous panel formed from a limited stretch material secured on three sides by said component frame.