Tilting seat and back chair, particularly tilting desk chair

• US 4,682,814 A
• Filed: 11/01/1984
• Issued: 07/28/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Provenda Marketing AG
• Original Assignee: Provenda Marketing AG
• Inventors: Hansen, Eckard
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US06/667,278
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300, 297/301, 297/316, 297/319, 297/320, 297/340, 297/343
• US Class Current: 297/300.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03283 with fluid springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03294 slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers

Abstract

To simplify the construction of a tilting chair, typically a desk chair, in which the seat (2) and chair back (7) tilt together, the chair back (4) has an extension or attachment arm (5) extending from the lower region thereof to a zone adjacent or beneath the seat (2), and a pivot positioned at, or below the seat pivotably connects the attachment arm (5) to the seat, so that the pivotable attachment of chair back and seat is placed close to the hip joint of a user of the chair. The attachment arm has an extending portion (5'"'"') which is connected by a guide element, in the form of a double-link lever (10'"'"') or a guide slit (10) to the support structure (2), the guide means being connected to the attachment arm, for example by a cross bolt (9) which, preferably, also serves as one attachment pivot of a positioning and force spring (7), preferably a gas spring which is pivotably connected (8) at its other end to the support structure (1).

Claims

1. Chair having a tilting seat and tilting back, especially tilting desk chair, including

a support structure (1);

a seat (2) having a forward and a rear edge zone;

front connection means (3) pivotably connecting the forward edge zone of the seat to the support structure (1);

a chair back (4) having an upper portion and a lower portion;

an attachment arm (5) extending from the lower portion of the chair back (4) to a zone beneath the seat, and having two spaced pivot connection means (6,

     9),

a first pivot connection means (6) being located adjacent to or below the seat and positioned forwardly of a plane containing the upper portion of the chair back and pivotably connecting the attachment arm (5) and the seat (2), a second pivot connecting means (9) being located below the level of the seat and below said first connection means coupled to a guide means;

said guide means (10, 10'"'"') coupling the attachment arm (5) to the support structure (1) for changing the inclination of the chair back (4) with respect to the support structure, while simultaneously changing the position of the seat (2) with respect to the support structure (1);

lockable positioning-and-force means (7) attached to the support structure (1) and coupled to the arm (5) in the region of the second pivot connection means (9) and selectively providing a force on the seat (2) and on the chair back (4) to bias the back in an upright position, or permit locking of the seat and the chair back in a position of inclination selected by a user,

and wherein the guide means (10, 10'"'"') is coupled to the attachment arm (5) and hence to the chair back (4) at a position spaced from said first pivot means (6),

said guide means further being coupled to the support structure (1) for guiding the movement of the attachment arm (5) and hence relating, via said first pivot means (6), conjoint tilting movement of the seat (2) and of the chair back (4) as determined by the guide means,

the attachment arm (5) forming a rigid connection between said first and said second spaced pivot connection means (6,

     9) and providing a coupling between the chair back (4) and the seat (2) while permitting said conjoint tilting movement of the seat and of the chair back.

2. Chair according to claim 1, wherein (FIG. 2) the guide means comprises a guide track (10) on the support structure and a track follower coupled to the attachment arm (5).

3. Chair according to claim 2, wherein the guide track (10) comprises a slit (10) formed in the support structure (1);

and the track follower comprises a pin or bolt (9) positioned to move within said slit.

4. Chair according to claim 3, wherein said slit is curved.

5. Chair according to claim 3, wherein said track follower comprises a bolt (9) extending transversely across the chair, and movable in said slit.

6. Chair according to claim 5, wherein the positioning and force means (7) comprises an elongated structure having one end pivotably connected to the support structure (1) and a second end pivotably connected to said transverse bolt (9), and hence to the adjustable means (10'"'"').

7. Chair according to claim 2, wherein said guide track is curved.

8. Chair according to claim 2, wherein the first pivot connection means (6) comprises a pivot joint positioned just below the upper surface of the seat (2).

9. Chair according to claim 1, wherein the positioning and force means (7) is an elongated structure having one end coupled to the support structure (1), and a second end coupled to the adjustable means, the position of the respective ends being placed to increase the balancing force applied by the positioning and force means (7) as the deflection distance thereof increases upon tilting of the seat and the chair back from an essentially horizontal seatvertical back position to an inclined seat-backwardly tilted back position.

10. Chair according to claim 1, wherein said positioning and force means (7) comprises an elongated lockable spring element;

wherein said spring element has one end thereof pivotably connected to sid attachment arm (5) at said second pivot connection means (9);

and a second end of the spring element is pivotably connected (8) to the support structure (1).

11. Chair according to claim 1, wherein the guide means is movable.

12. Chair according to claim 11, wherein said guide means comprises a double-pivot lever (10'"'"') having one link pivot connected to the second pivot connection means (9) of the arm (5) extending from the chair back, and a second link pivot (11) connected to the support structure (1).

13. Chair according to claim 12, wherein said second pivot connection means (9) coupled to said one link pivot comprises a bolt (9) extending transversely across the chair.

14. Chair according to claim 13, wherein the positioning and force means (7) comprises an elongated structure having one end pivotably connected to the support structure (1) and a second end pivotably connected to said transverse bolt (9), and hence to the adjustable means (10).

15. Chair according to claim 14, wherein said positioning and force means (7) comprises a lockable spring element.

16. Chair according to claim 12, wherein the positioning and force means (7) comprises an elongated structure having a fist end pivotably connected to said support structure (1) and a second end pivotably connected to said attachment arm (5) at said second pivot connection means and at a position at least approximately in-line with said one link pivot;

and the position of the pivotable attachment of said one end of the positioning and force means (7) to the support structure (1) is so selected that, when the seat is in an essentially horizontal position and the back is in an essentially vertical or forward position, said one link pivot and said second link pivot (11) of the double-pivot element (10'"'"') as well as the first and second ends of the positioning and force means (7) are essentially located in a line or a horizontal projection of said line.

17. Chair according to claim 12, wherein said positioning and force means (7) comprises a lockable spring element (7).

18. Chair according to claim 17, wherein said spring element has one end thereof pivotably connected to said attachment arm (5) at said second pivot connection means (9);

and a second end of the spring element is pivotably connected (8) to the support structure (1).

19. Chair according to claim 12, wherein said positioning and force means (7) comprises a lockable gas spring.

20. Chair according to claim 19, wherein said gas spring has one end thereof pivotably connected to said attachment arm (5) at said second pivot connection means (9);

and a second end of the gas spring is pivotably connected (8) to the support structure (1).

21. Chair according to claim 12, wherein the first pivot connection means (6) comprises a pivot joint positioned just below the upper surface of the seat (2).