OFFICE CHAIR

• US 20160029801A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Haworth Incorporated
• Inventors: LaDuke, Peter T., Czumaj-Bront, Nicolai, Bellingar, Teresa A., Welsh, Michael W., Wilkerson, Larry A., Potrykus, Martin W., Hall, Jason W., Scholma, Timothy J., Fleet, Kyle R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,913,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/44 with elastically-mounted back-rest or backrest-seat unit in the base frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/445 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs

Abstract

A back support (12) for a chair includes a chair frame (20), a pair of upright support posts (18) mounted to the chair frame (20), the upright support posts (18) being laterally flexible with respect to the chair frame (20), a plurality of flexible support arms (21) extending laterally outwardly from the upright support posts (18), the support arms (21) each including a peripheral edge (23), the support arms (21) including a first set of support arms extending in a first lateral direction from the upright posts (18) and a second set of support arms extending in a second direction from the upright posts (18); and a material (42) extending in tension between the peripheral edges (23) of the first set of support arms and the peripheral edges (23) of the second set of support arms such that at least a central portion of the material (42) is spaced from the support arms (21).

Claims

1. A back support for a chair comprising:

a chair frame;

a pair of upright support posts mounted to said chair frame;

a plurality of flexible support arms extending laterally outwardly from said support posts, said support arms each including a peripheral edge, said support arms including a first set of support arms extending in a first lateral direction from said support posts and a second set of support arms extending in a second direction from said support posts; and

a cover material extending in tension between said peripheral edges of said first set of support arms and said peripheral edges of said second set of support arms such that at least a central portion of said material is spaced from said support arms,

wherein a first portion of each of said support arms is curved in a first direction and a second portion of each of said support arms is curved in a different direction to form a recurve portion.

2. The back support of claim 1 wherein said support posts are molded integrally as a single piece from a first material.

3. The back support of claim 1 wherein said support arms are molded integrally with said support posts.

5. The back support of claim 1 wherein said second portion includes said peripheral edges.

6. The back support of claim 1 including a first connector on said cover material and a second connector on said peripheral edge of one of said support arms, said first connector fixedly connected to said second connector, wherein one of said first connector and said second connector is capable of movement with respect to said one of said support arms.

7. The back support of claim 6 wherein said one of said first and second connectors is a loop of flexible material.

4. (canceled)

8-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A back support for a chair comprising:

a chair frame;

a pair of upright support posts mounted to said chair frame, said support posts being laterally flexible with respect to said chair frame;

a plurality of flexible support arms extending laterally outwardly from said support posts, said support arms each including a peripheral edge, said support arms including a first set of support arms extending in a first lateral direction from said support posts and a second set of support arms extending in a second direction from said support posts; and

a cover material extending in tension between said peripheral edges of said first set of support arms and said peripheral edges of said second set of support arms such that at least a central portion of said cover material is spaced from said support arms, wherein each of said peripheral edges includes an attachment portion having structure for attaching said support arm to said cover material, said attachment portion including a face, said structure extending from said face, wherein said face is positioned at an angle with respect to said support arm.

12. The back support of claim 11 wherein said support arms and said support posts are formed integrally from the same material.

13. The back support of claim 11 wherein said attachment portion includes an angled block, said face positioned on said angled block.

14. The back support of claim 13 wherein said support arms are curved, said support arms having a convex shape to conform to the shape of a user'"'"'s back.

15. The back support of claim 11 including a lumbar support mechanism having a first portion mounted between said support posts and a lumbar pad extending from said first portion to face the back of a user sitting in the chair.

16. A back support for a chair comprising:

a chair frame;

a pair of support posts mounted to said chair frame and defining an open space therebetween;

a plurality of independently flexible support arms extending laterally outwardly from said support posts, said support arms each including a peripheral edge, wherein said peripheral edges are separate and spaced apart from one other, said support arms including a first set of support arms extending in a first lateral direction from said support posts and a second set of support arms extending in a second direction from said support posts; and

a cover material extending in tension between said peripheral edges of said first set of support arms and said peripheral edges of said second set of support arms such that at least a central portion of said material is spaced from said support arms, wherein said support arms are curved, said support arms having a convex shape to conform to the shape of a user'"'"'s back,

wherein said support posts each include an upper end and a lower end, said upper ends of said support posts connected by a first lateral support member, said lower ends of said support posts connected by a second lateral support member, said support posts and said lateral support members defining an internal opening, said support posts and said support arms molded integrally as a single piece.

17. The back support of claim 16 wherein each of said support arms has a length extending laterally away from said support posts, a height extending upwardly in a direction away from said chair frame, and a thickness perpendicular to said length and said height, and wherein said height is greater than said thickness to reduce resistance to flexing when a user sits in the chair.

18. The back support of claim 17 wherein said length is greater than said thickness of each of said support arms.

19. The back support of claim 16 wherein adjacent support arms define a gap therebetween, and one or more of said gaps diverges in a direction toward said peripheral edge.

20. A back support for a chair comprising:

a chair frame;

a pair of upright support posts mounted to said chair frame and defining an open space therebetween;

a plurality of individually flexible support arms extending laterally outwardly from said support posts, said support arms each including a peripheral edge, said support arms including a first set of support arms extending in a first lateral direction from said support posts and a second set of support arms extending in a second direction from said support posts; and

a cover material extending in tension between said peripheral edges of said first set of support arms and said peripheral edges of said second set of support arms such that at least a central portion of said material is spaced from said support arms,

wherein a first portion of each of said support arms proximate said support posts is curved in a first direction, and wherein a second portion of each of said support arms proximate said peripheral edge is curved in a different direction.

21. The back support of claim 20 wherein said support arms and said support posts are molded integrally from the same material.

22. The back support of claim 20 wherein adjacent support arms define a gap therebetween, and one or more of said gaps diverges in a direction toward said peripheral edge.

23. The back support of claim 20 wherein each of said support arms has a length, a height, and a thickness, and said height of said support arms is greater than said gap between adjacent support arms.

24. The back support of claim 20 wherein said upright support posts are connected by a horizontal lower cross member and a horizontal upper cross member, further defining said open space therebetween.