Flexible chair

• US 5,383,712 A
• Filed: 05/06/1994
• Issued: 01/24/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1988
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Sheila H. Deperry
• Original Assignee: Shiela H. Deperry
• Inventors: Perry, Charles O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US08/238,415
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 297/239, 297/285, 297/286, 297/288, 297/295-297, 297/320, 297/342, 297/354.11, 297/445-448
• US Class Current: 297/448.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/032 the parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest A47C1/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/023 made of tubular material
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/04 Stackable chairs; Nesting chairs
• 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

Abstract

A high density stacking flex chair is disclosed. A frame has a seat attached thereto, and a back pivotally attached thereto. The back is curved and can tilt backwards, but is limited by the frame which, through the back, has a lesser radius of curvature and is angled downward, thus providing stop action for back rotation.

Claims

1. A flexible armchair, comprising:

a. a seat adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat;

b. a back generally perpendicular to said seat and adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and having a top and a bottom and upper and lower regions between the top and bottom; and

c. a flexible frame for holding and supporting said seat and back, characterized by said frame comprising;

i. a pair of support legs one at each side of the seat with each support leg having,

(1) a resilient back leg portion pivotally connected to the upper region of said back below the top,

(2) a bottom leg portion for extending along a floor surface, and

(3) a front leg portion extending upwardly to the front of said seat to support said seat, and

ii. pivotal connecting means connecting the rear of the seat to the lower region of said back at a location substantially above the seat, wherein the flexibility of the frame and the pivotal connecting means permit the back to tilt toward a reclining position while the back functions as a lever against the resiliency of the back leg portion forcing the bottom of the back forwardly for lumbar support, characterized in that;

d. said back leg portion extends forwardly from said upper region of said back above the seat and outside the bottom leg portion for a sufficient distance to form an arm rest and then downwardly and rearwardly to said bottom leg portion.

2. A high density stacking flexible arm chair as in claim 1 characterized further by the inclusion of stop means for stabilizing the chair in a stack comprising a pair of tabs on the front leg portions for engaging the bottom leg portions of an upper chair in a stack and a strut extending between the rear leg portions below the seat for engaging the seat of a lower chair in a stack.

3. A chair, comprising:

a. a seat portion having a shape adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat;

b. a back portion generally perpendicular to said seat portion and adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and having upper, intermediate and lower regions;

c. a frame for holding and supporting said seat and back portions, said frame comprising;

i. a pair of rear support legs each pivotally connected to the intermediate region of said back portion and extending downward to a floor surface with said rear support legs spaced apart more than the width of the seat portion; and

ii. a pair of front support legs each pivotally connected to the lower region of said back portion and extending forward to support said seat portion, and downward to said floor surface;

whereby the weight of the user urges the back portion to pivot with respect to the frame toward an erect position and pressure of the user'"'"'s back against the upper region of the back portion can pivot the back portion toward a tilted position.

4. The chair of claim 3, further comprising at least two stabilizers each attached between respective front and rear support legs at the floor, such that said front and rear support legs effectively form a continuous structure.

5. The chair of claim 3, further comprising at least two stabilizers, one attached between the front support legs and the other between the rear support legs at a position above said floor surface.

6. The chair of claim 3, further comprising at least two stabilizers each attached between any two opposing support legs.

7. The chair of claim 3, wherein said back portion is curved to conform to a user'"'"'s back.

8. The chair of claim 7, wherein said back portion comprises a front and rear section which are attached together, such that the attachment of said front and rear support legs to said back portion is enclosed within said front and rear sections of said back portion.

9. The chair of claim 8, wherein at the point of attachment of said rear support legs to said back portion, said rear support legs turn inward to face each other, and wherein at the point of attachment of said front support legs to said back portion, said front support legs turn inward to face each other, and wherein said frame further comprises:

a. a first curvilinear section attached to each of said rear support legs at said back portion and extending across the intermediate region of said back portion at a downward angle, wherein said first curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back portion, and wherein said back portion is pivotally attached to said rear support legs and first curvilinear section;

b. a second curvilinear section attached to each of said front support legs at said back portion and extending across the lower region of said back portion at a downward angle, wherein said second curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back portion.

10. The chair of claim 9, wherein said front and rear sections of said back portion form a hollow interior space such that said first and second curvilinear sections have limited clearance within said space to allow said back portion to be tilted about said first curvilinear section, such that when a user leans back, thus exerting rearward pressure on the back portion, said back portion will tilt at a rearward angle about said first curvilinear section, such tilting causing said seat portion to raise up in response to the pulling action exerted on said section curvilinear section.

11. The chair of claim 10, wherein said first and second curvilinear sections are positioned at a downward angle parallel to each other and whereby the curvilinear sections provide the pivotal limits for forward and backward tilting of the back portion, such that said front section of said back portion abuts and is stopped by said curvilinear sections when said back portion is in an upright position, and whereby the tilting of said back portion causes the interior of the back portion to move away from said curvilinear sections in a radial fashion, reengaging said curvilinear sections at an angle determined by the relative radius of curvatures between said back portion and said curvilinear sections.

12. The chair of claim 8, wherein said front and rear support legs are pivotally connected to said back portion through corresponding openings in the front and rear sections of said back portion.

13. The chair of claim 12, wherein said front and rear sections of said back portion form a hollow interior space such that said first and second curvilinear sections have limited clearance within said space to allow said back portion to be tilted about said first curvilinear section, such that when a user leans back, thus exerting rearward pressure on the back portion, said back portion will tilt at a rearward angle about said first curvilinear section, such tilting causing said seat portion to raise up in response to the pulling action exerted on said section curvilinear section.

14. The chair of claim 13, wherein said first and second curvilinear sections are positioned at a downward angle parallel to each other and whereby the curvilinear sections provide the pivotal limits for forward and backward tilting of the back portion, such that said front section of said back portion abuts and is stopped by said curvilinear sections when said back portion in an upright position, and whereby the tilting of said back portion causes the interior of the back portion to move away from said curvilinear sections in a radial fashion, reengaging said curvilinear sections at an angle determined by the relative radius of curvatures between said back portion and said curvilinear sections.

15. The chair of claim 14, further comprising:

stop means for limiting relative pivotal movement of the back with respect to the legs between an upright position determined by the stop means and a reclined position with the back held in the upright position by the resiliency of the legs.

16. The chair of claim 15, wherein said back has a curved surface, and said stop means comprises a curved rod connected between the support legs for pivotal movement with respect to the back as the back pivots with respect to the legs with the rod having a radius of curvature less than the radius of curvature of the back and engaging the back along an elongated common curve, whereby the rod limits pivotal movement of the back in one direction and permits limited pivotal movement of the back in the opposite direction.

17. The chair of claim 16, wherein said stop means comprises

a. a first curvilinear section attached to each of said support legs at the upper region of said back and extending across the upper region at a downward angle, wherein said first curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back, and wherein said back is pivotally attached to said support legs and first curvilinear section, and

b. a second curvilinear section attached to said connecting means at the lower region of said back and extending across the lower region at said downward angle, wherein said second curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back, and said downward angle is equal to about twenty-two degrees.

18. A chair, comprising:

a. a seat portion adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat;

b. a back portion generally perpendicular to said seat portion and adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and having upper, intermediate, and lower regions;

c. a frame for holding and supporting said seat and back portions, said frame comprising;

i. a pair of support legs which are pivotally connected to the intermediate region of said back portion and extending downward to a floor surface, forward along the floor surface, upward to the front of said seat portion, rearward to support said seat portion, and upward to attach to the lower region of said back portion at a location below the attachment of the legs to the intermediate region of said back portion, said legs diverging outwardly with respect to the floor surface with the legs spaced apart by more than the width of the seat portion in order to facilitate stacking;

ii. a first curvilinear section attached to each of said support legs at the intermediate region of said back portion and extending across the intermediate region at a downward angle, wherein said first curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back portion, and wherein said back portion is pivotally attached to said support legs and first curvilinear section;

iii. a second curvilinear section attached to each of said support legs at the lower region of said back portion and extending across the lower region at said downward angle, wherein said second curvilinear section has a radius of curvature less than that of said back portion.

19. The chair of claim 18, wherein said back portion comprises a front and rear section which are attached together, such that the attachment of said support legs to said back portion is enclosed within said front and rear sections of said back portion.

20. The chair of claim 18, wherein said downward angle is equal to about twenty-two degrees.

21. The chair of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of stabilizing supports, each connected at right angles between said pair of support legs.

22. The chair of claim 21, wherein a first stabilizing support member is located between said pair of support legs in the rear portion of the frame at the height of the seat portion, and a second stabilizing support member is located between said pair of support legs in the front portion of the frame at a height halfway between the floor surface and the seat portion.

23. A seat back adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back for use in a chair which flexes or tilts when a user leans back in said chair, and support means which are adapted to engage said seat back comprising:

a. a curved seat back portion;

b. curvilinear means forming part of said support means and having a radius of curvature less than that of said seat back portion;

c. mounting means for pivotally attaching the seat back portion to said support means, with interference between the curved seat back portion and the curvilinear means along matching curves providing the pivotal limits in both directions for tilting of the seat back portion.

24. The seat back of claim 23, wherein the tilting of said seat back causes the seat back portion to move away from said curvilinear means in a radial fashion, reengaging said curvilinear means at an angle determined by the relative radii of curvatures between said seat back portion and said curvilinear means.

25. A seat back for a chair adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and tilt with respect to a support when a user leans back in said chair, comprising:

a. a curved seat back;

b. a curved rod forming part of said support and having a radius of curvature less than that of said seat back;

c. mounting means for pivotally attaching the seat back to said curved rod, with interference between the curved seat back and the curved rod along matching curves providing the pivotal limits in both directions for tilting of the seat back.

26. The seat back of claim 25, wherein the tilting of said seat back causes the interior of the seat back to move away from said curved rod in a radial fashion, reengaging said curved rod at an angle determined by the relative radii of curvatures between said seat back and said curved rod.

27. The seat back of claim 26, wherein the tilting of said seat back causes the seat back to move away from said curved rod in a radial fashion, reengaging said curved rod at an angle determined by the relative radii of curvatures between said seat back and said curved rod.

28. A chair, comprising:

a. a seat adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat;

b. a back generally perpendicular to said seat and adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and having a top and a bottom and upper and lower regions between the top and bottom; and

c. a flexible frame for holding and supporting said seat and back, said frame comprising;

i. a pair of support legs one at each side of the seat with each support leg having,

(1) a resilient back leg portion attached by a first pivotal connection means to the upper region of said back below the top,

(2) a bottom leg portion for extending along a floor surface, and

(3) a front leg portion extending upwardly to the front of said seat to support said seat, and

ii. a second pivotal connection means connecting the rear of the seat to the lower region of the back at a location substantially above the seat, the flexibility of the frame and the first and second pivotal connection means for permitting the back to tilt toward a reclining position while the back functions as a lever against the resiliency of the back leg portion forcing the bottom of the back forwardly for lumbar support.

29. The chair of claim 28 in which the first and second pivotal connection means at the upper and lower regions of the back comprise curved struts extending across the back limiting tilting of the back both toward and away from the reclining position.

30. A chair, comprising:

a seat having an upper horizontal supporting surface adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat;

a back generally perpendicular to said seat and adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back and having a top and a bottom and upper and lower regions between the top and bottom; and

means for holding and supporting said seat and back, comprising;

a pair of support legs one at each side of the seat with each support leg having a resilient back leg portion attached by a first pivotal connection means to the upper region of said back below the top, a bottom leg portion for extending along a floor surface, and a front leg portion extending upwardly to the front of said seat to support said seat, and

a second pivotal connection means connecting the rear of the seat to the lower region of the back at a location substantially above the user'"'"'s seat, the flexibility of the legs and the first and second pivotal upper horizontal supporting surface of said connection means for permitting the back to tilt toward a reclining position while the back functions as a lever against the resiliency of the back leg portion forcing the bottom of the back forwardly for lumbar support.

31. The chair of claim 30 with the chair back pivotal with respect to the seat between upright and reclined positions in which at least one of the pivotal connections means in the upper and lower regions of the back comprises;

A. a shaft having a pair of coaxial pivot sections each coupled to opposite sides of the seat back and an intermediate section spaced apart from the axis of the pivot sections so that the intermediate section moves with respect to the back as the back and shaft pivot with respect to each other,

B. stop surfaces on the back spaced apart from the axis of the pivot sections for engaging the intermediate section to provide pivotal limits in both the upright and reclined positions, and

C. with the shaft and the resilient back leg portion of the chair resiliently urging the back into the upright position whereby the frame is resiliently biased at rest so that the back is in the upright position and whereby pressure of the user'"'"'s back against the chair back causes the back to tilt with respect to the seat toward, but not beyond the reclined position.

32. A seat back adapted to engage a user'"'"'s back for use in a chair having a flexing frame which flexes when a user leans back in said chair, and support means which are adapted to engage said seat back comprising:

A. a seat adapted to engage a user'"'"'s seat,

B. a curved seat back portion adapted to engage the user'"'"'s back and pivot with respect to the seat in two directions between an upright position and a reclined position responsive to the flexing of the chair,

C. a shaft connected to the frame and having a pair of coaxial pivot sections each coupled to opposite sides of the seat back and an intermediate section spaced apart from the axis of the pivot sections so that the intermediate section moves with respect to the back as the back and shaft pivot with respect to each other,

D. stop surfaces on the back spaced apart from the axis of the pivot sections for engaging the intermediate section to provide pivotal limits in both the upright and reclined positions, and

E. with the shaft and the flexing frame of the chair resiliently urging the back into the upright position whereby the frame is resiliently biased at rest so that the back is in the upright position and whereby pressure of the user'"'"'s back against the chair back causes the back to tilt with respect to the seat toward, but not beyond the reclined position.