Chair and the Structure for Stretching a Mesh Over an Element of the Chair

• US 20080284229A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Okamura Corporation
• Original Assignee: Okamura Corporation
• Inventors: Nakayama, Ken, Masunaga, Hiroshi, Igarashi, Ryo, Narita, Tetsuya, Kiyoku, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,272 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/452.18
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/023 connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/282 with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/64 Hat or coat holders

Abstract

A stretching structure of a stretching material in a chair in which the ratio of the rear frame of a backrest to the outline of the chair is small, design is smart, weight is reduced, the number of parts is reduced, and assemblability is improved and the backrest of the chair. In the chair having the backrest formed by stretching the stretching material on the front surface of the rear frame, the rear frame comprises a front frame to which the peripheral edge part of the stretching material is fixed and an upper reinforcement frame rod. The laterally facing upper reinforcement frame rod is connected at its both ends to both ends of the laterally facing upper frame rod at the top of the front frame with the center part of the upper reinforcement frame rod separated backward from the upper frame rod.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A chair comprising:

a seat; and

a backrest comprising a back frame and a mesh stretched over the back frame, said back frame comprising a front face frame to which a periphery of the mesh is mounted, said front face frame comprising an upper frame rod and an upper reinforcement rod each end of which is coupled to each end of the upper frame rod so that a middle of the upper reinforcement rod is spaced rearward of the upper frame rod.

25. A chair of claim 24, further comprising an edge piece having a hook-like portion at an end, an upper part of the mesh being wound from a front surface of the upper frame rod to a rear surface around an upper surface, said edge piece engaging with a corner between a lower surface and the front surface of the upper frame rod so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

26. A chair of claim 25 wherein the front face frame further comprises side frame rods each of which has a vertical groove in outer side surface, the edge piece to which the mesh is mounted engaging in the vertical groove so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

27. A chair of claim 26 wherein the upper frame rod is narrower than the side frame rods.

28. A chair of claim 24, further comprising an optional member mounted at part of the upper reinforcement rod spaced apart from the upper frame rod.

29. A chair of claim 28 wherein the optional member comprises a headrest.

30. A chair comprising:

a seat; and

a backrest comprising a back frame and a mesh stretched over the back frame, said back frame comprising a front face frame to which a periphery of the mesh is mounted, said front face frame comprising a lower frame rod and a lower reinforcement rod each end of which is coupled to each end of the lower frame rod so that a middle of the lower reinforcement rod is spaced rearward of the lower frame rod.

31. A chair of claim 30, further comprising an edge piece having a hook-like portion at an end, a lower part of the mesh being wound from a front surface of the lower frame rod to a rear surface around a lower surface, said edge piece engaging with a corner between an upper surface and the front surface of the lower frame rod so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

32. A chair of claim 31 wherein the front face frame further comprises an upper frame rod and side frame rods each of which has a vertical groove in outer side surface, the edge piece to which the mesh is mounted engaging in the vertical groove so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

33. A chair of claim 32 wherein the lower frame rod is narrower than the side frame rods.

34. A chair of claim 32 wherein the upper frame rod, the side frame rods and the lower reinforcement rod of the front face frame are integrally formed, each end of the lower frame rod being mounted to the lower reinforcement rod with a screw.

35. A chair comprising:

a seat; and

a backrest comprising a back frame and a mesh stretched over the back frame, said back frame comprising a front face frame to which a periphery of the mesh is mounted, said front face frame comprising an upper frame rod, a lower frame rod, and upper and lower reinforcement rods each end of which are coupled to each end of the upper and lower frame rods so that middles of the upper and lower reinforcement rods are spaced rearward of the upper and lower frame rods.

36. A chair of claim 35, further comprising a first edge piece having a hook-like portion at an end, an upper part of the mesh being wound from a front surface of the upper frame rod to a rear surface around an upper surface, said first edge piece engaging with a corner between a lower surface and the front surface of the upper frame rod so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

37. A chair of claim 36, wherein the front face frame further comprises side frame rods each of which has a vertical groove in outer side surface, the edge piece to which the mesh is mounted engaging in the vertical groove so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

38. A chair of claim 37, wherein the upper frame rod is narrower than the side frame rods.

39. A chair of claim 35, further comprising an optional member mounted at part of the upper reinforcement rod spaced apart from the upper frame rod.

40. A chair of claim 39, wherein the optional member comprises a headrest.

41. A chair of claim 35, further comprising a second edge piece having a hook-like portion at an end, a lower part of the mesh being wound from a front surface of the lower frame rod to a rear surface around a lower surface, said edge piece engaging with a corner between an upper surface and the front surface of the lower frame rod so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

42. A chair of claim 41, wherein the front face frame further comprises side frame rods each of which has a vertical groove in outer side surface, the edge piece to which the mesh is mounted engaging in the vertical groove so that the mesh is stretched over the front face frame.

43. A chair of claim 42, wherein the lower frame rod is narrower than the side frame rods.

44. A chair of claim 42, wherein the upper frame rod, the side frame rods and the lower reinforcement rod of the front face frame are integrally formed, each end of the lower frame rod being mounted to the lower reinforcement rod with a screw.

45. A chair comprising:

a seat;

a backrest comprising a back frame that comprises an upper frame rod and an upper reinforcement rod each end of which is coupled to the upper frame rod so that a middle of the upper reinforcement frame is spaced rearward of the upper frame rod; and

a hanger mounted to the upper reinforcement rod.

46. A chair of claim 45, wherein the hanger comprises a hanger body and a support rod mounted to the upper reinforcement rod and supporting the hanger, an upper part of the support rod being curved forward so that the hanger body is positioned in front of a rear end of the upper reinforcement rod.

47. A chair of claim 45, further comprising a mounting member, the support rod comprising a pair of support rods each of which has a plain portion on an opposite surface, the mounting member engaging in the plain portions and engaging with the upper reinforcement rod so that the hanger is mounted to a rear side of the hanger.

48. A chair of claim 47, wherein the plain portions are formed in parallel with each other on opposite surfaces of the support rods, said support rods being movable vertically with respect to the mounting member engaged with the upper reinforcement rod.

49. A chair of claim 47, wherein a downward vertical projection is formed on opposite surface of said pair of support rods, engagement grooves formed in the front surface of the mounting member slidably engaging with the projections to slide vertically.

50. A chair of claim 47, wherein at least one of opposite surfaces of said pair of support rods has a plurality of small rearward projections spaced apart from one another, a front surface of the mounting member having engagement holes in which said small projections can elastically engage so that the support rod is held at a plurality of vertical positions where said small projection engage in the engagement hole.

51. A chair of claim 47, wherein the mounting member and the upper reinforcement rod have through holes through which a screw passes, the support rod being held between the mounting member and the screw seat piece while the mounting member is held on a rear surface of the upper reinforcement rod to allow the hanger to be mounted behind the backrest, an exposed head of the screw being covered with a cover member on a rear surface of the mounting member.

52. A chair of claim 47, wherein the back frame comprises a front face frame comprising an upper frame rod and a pair of side frame rods upper end of which is mounted to each end of the upper frame rod, the mesh being stretched over the front face frame.

53. A chair of claim 47, wherein the upper frame rod and the upper reinforcement rod are coupled to each other at each end so that a middle of the upper reinforcement rod is curved rearward to form a crescent.

54. The structure of mesh stretched over an element of a chair, said structure comprising:

a frame comprising a pair of frame rods; and

the mesh comprising a pair of edge portions which is wound from a front surface of each of said pair of frame rods to a rear surface around an outer side edge, an edge piece mounted to the edge portion of the mesh and having a hook-like portion at one end, said edge piece engaging on a corner between an inner side surface and the front surface of the frame rod so that the mesh is stretched over the frame.

55. The structure of claim 54, wherein the element of the chair comprises a backrest.

56. The structure of claim 54, wherein the element comprises a seat.

57. The structure of claim 54, wherein a groove is formed along inner side edge on the frame rod, a turning portion of the hook-like portion of the edge piece engaging in the groove.

58. The structure of claim 57, wherein a surface between the inner side edge and the groove on the surface of the frame rod is grooved by thickness of an outward portion of the turning portion so that an end face of the edge piece is coplanar with the surface of the frame rod.

59. The structure of claim 58, wherein the mesh is pressed on the end face of the edge piece.

60. The structure of claim 54, wherein a longitudinal groove is formed on an outer side surface of the frame rod, the edge portion and the edge piece fixed thereto being engaged in the groove.