Chair

• US 5,575,095 A
• Filed: 12/27/1993
• Issued: 11/19/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Haworth Buroeinrichtungen GmbH
• Original Assignee: Hartmut S. Engel, Roeder GmbH
• Inventors: Korn, Heinrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, CASSANDRA HOPE
• Application Number:
  US08/173,612
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300, 297/301, 297/281, 297/316, 297/326, 297/303, 297/322, 297/329, 297/300.4
• US Class Current: 297/300.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03261 characterised by elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03294 slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers

Abstract

A chair, in particular a work or office chair, having a seat that is pivotal toward the front of the seat about a horizontal pivot axis. The seat is variable in inclination and has a backrest that is overproportionately variable in inclination as a function of the change in inclination of the seat. With increasing inclination of the seat, the backrest follows an additional relative motion with respect to a backrest end of the seat. Pivot levers are positioned to support arms of the chair frame on both sides of the seat. The free ends of the pivot levers are fixedly and non-rotatably attached to the backrest for support. The seat is rotatably connected to the pivot levers approximately in its middle region. The desired relative motions between the seat, seat back and chair frame can be accomplished and varied solely by means of the connection between the seat, the backrest, pivot levers which serve as arm supports or armrests, and the chair frame. The seat, in the region of its front edge, is supported and shifted upward with respect to the pivot shaft of the pivot levers, and is non-adjustably or limitedly adjustably rotatable on extensions of the support arms. The axis of rotation between the pivot levers and the seat is limitedly adjustable or non-adjustable.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a seat (16) with a variable inclination;

a backrest (15) having an automatically variable overproportionally inclination dependent upon an alteration in said variable inclination of said seat (16), whereby as said variable inclination of said seat (16) increases, said backrest (15) executes an additional relative movement with respect to a back edge of said seat (16);

on each of both sides of said seat (16), a pivot lever (13) disposed on a support arm (11) of a chair frame, said support arm (11) oriented towards a front of said chair;

an upper end of said pivot lever (13) non-rotatably connected to said backrest (15) and supporting said backrest (15);

a seat pivot shaft (21, 21'"'"') of said seat (16) mounted in a displaceable and rotatable manner in a region of a front edge of said seat (16) within an oblong slot (20) formed at an end of said support arm (11) distal from said chair frame, said pivot lever (13) pivotably connected to said seat (16);

a lower end of said pivot lever (13) comprising an arm pivot shaft (12) rotatably connected to said end of said support arm (11) distal from said chair frame, said arm pivot shaft (12) connected to said support arm (11) of said chair frame and disposed lower than said seat pivot shaft (21, 21'"'"') of said seat (16);

said pivot lever (13) comprising an armrest;

said arm pivot shaft (12) of said lower end of said pivot lever (13) disposed substantially beneath said seat pivot shaft (21, 21'"'"') of said seat (16); and

said oblong slot (20) inclined upwards toward said front edge of said seat (16).

2. A chair according to claim 1, wherein said oblong slot (20) is disposed approximately vertically above said arm pivot shaft (12) of said pivot lever (13) .

3. A chair according to claim 1, wherein said oblong slot (20) is offset relative to said arm pivot shaft (12) of said pivot lever (13), in a direction toward said front edge of said seat (16).

4. A chair according to claim 3, wherein said seat (16) comprises a transition in a front area into an end portion (17) which inclines downward toward a floor surface, and said oblong slots (20) are disposed in a region of said end portion (17).