Chair provided with a backrest

• US 4,966,411 A
• Filed: 05/17/1989
• Issued: 10/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kokuyo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kokuyo Company Limited, Takano Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Suzuki, Yoichi, Sugano, Takao, Kaneda, Shinichi, Katagiri, Miyoshi, Miyashita, Masamitu, Ito, Tunetaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US07/368,348
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300, 297/301, 297/316, 297/317, 297/320, 297/321, 297/322, 297/304, 297/354
• US Class Current: 297/300.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0325 by means of clamps or friction locking members
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03266 with adjustable elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03272 with coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03274 of torsion type
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs

Abstract

A chair with a backrest is arranged so that the seat can be shifted forwardly to a rest position upon a rearward inclination of the backrest. The front end of the seat is supported pivotably on a support base, and the seat is movable forwardly and rearwardly. A balancing member is provided below the seat, and the support base supports a fulcrum of the balancing member set between a front and rear point of action of the balancing member. A backrest is provided on the rear end of the balancing member, and a rear part of the seat is supported on the rear point of action of the balancing member through seat receiving means. An upward movement of the front point of action of the balancing member is translated by motion translating means to a forward movement of the seat.

Claims

1. A chair which comprises:

a support base;

a seat which is movable forwardly and rearwardly, said seat comprising a front part and a rear part, wherein the front part is pivotably supported by the support base;

a balancing member positioned below the seat so as to extend longitudinally, said balancing member having a front portion, a rear portion, and a fulcrum set between the front portion and the rear portion so that said front portion is movable upwardly and downwardly, said balancing member being supported by said support base at the fulcrum;

a backrest provided on the rear portion of the balancing member;

seat receiving means for pivotally connecting the rear part of said seat to the rear portion of said balancing member; and

motion translating means for operably connecting the front portion of said balancing member to the front part of said seat, said motion translating means translating an upward movement of said front portion of said balancing member to a forward movement of said seat.

2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein as said seat advances upon an upward movement of said front portion of said balancing member caused by a rearward inclination of said backrest, the rear part of said seat can descend relative to the front part of the seat.

3. The chair according to claim 1, further including resiliently urging means between the support base and the seat for resiliently urging said seat rearwardly.

4. The chair according to claim 1, wherein said seat receiving means includes means for pulling the seat rearwardly in reaction to a downward force on the seat exerted by a user of the chair.

5. The chair according to claim 4, wherein said seat receiving means is provided with link members each having a lower pivot end pivoted to said balancing member and an upper pivot end pivoted to said seat;

and wherein at the reference position where said seat is maintained at its most retreated position, said upper pivot ends of each said link member is positioned rearwardly of said lower pivot end.

6. The chair according to claim 1, further including locking means connected to the support base and the balancing member for stopping the movement of said seat and said backrest at a desired position.

7. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the front part of the seat is supported on the support base by front link members each having a lower pivot end pivoted to said support base and an upper pivot end pivoted to said front part of the seat, and wherein at the reference position where said seat is maintained at its most retreated position, said upper pivot end of each said link member is positioned rearwardly of said lower pivot end.

8. The chair according to claim 7, wherein the motion translating means comprises a slot formed in the front portion of the balancing member and extending lengthwise, an arm integral with the front link member, and a connecting pin projecting from said arm so as to slidingly engage said slot.

9. The chair according to claim 7, wherein the motion translating means comprises a pin fixed to the front portion of the balancing member, and an arm integral with the front link member, said pin being in sliding contact with the lower edge of said arm.

10. The chair according to claim 7, wherein the motion translating means comprises teeth in the front portion of the balancing member, and teeth in an arm integral with the front link member, such that the teeth in the balancing member and the teeth in the arm mesh with each other.

11. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the seat receiving means comprises a lengthwise slot in the seat, a projection arm on the rear portion of the balancing member, and a pin extending from said projection arm, wherein said pin slidably engages said slot.

12. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the balancing member comprises a pair of parallel plates extending longitudinally and a connecting plate integrally connecting the rear portions of said parallel plates.