Forward-rearward tilt control for chair
First Claim
1. In an office-type chair having a base, a seat-back arrangement including a seat assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis and a back assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and the base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis which is substantially parallel with but transversely spaced from said first pivot axis, and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting the back assembly and seat assembly to be respectively rearwardly and downwardly tilted about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate, the improvement comprising forward tilt control means associated with and interconnected with said tilt control mechanism for permitting said seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and substantially nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from said upright position respectively about said first and second pivot axes.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An office-type chair is provided with a base, a seat-back arrangement including a seat assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to the base and a back assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and base, and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between the base and the seat-back arrangement for permitting the back assembly and seat assembly to be respectively rearwardly and downwardly tilted away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate. A front tilt control device is associated with and interconnected with the tilt control mechanism for permitting the seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from the upright position.
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Citations
37 Claims
- 1. In an office-type chair having a base, a seat-back arrangement including a seat assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis and a back assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and the base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis which is substantially parallel with but transversely spaced from said first pivot axis, and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting the back assembly and seat assembly to be respectively rearwardly and downwardly tilted about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate, the improvement comprising forward tilt control means associated with and interconnected with said tilt control mechanism for permitting said seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and substantially nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from said upright position respectively about said first and second pivot axes.
- 10. In an office-type chair having a base, a seat-back arrangement including a seat assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to the base and a back assembly which is vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and the base, and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting the back assembly and seat assembly to be respectively rearwardly and downwardly tilted away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate, the improvement comprising forward tilt control means associated with and interconnected with said tilt control mechanism for permitting said seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and substantially nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from said upright position, said base including a nontiltable housing structure which is positioned adjacent an underside of said seat assembly, said seat assembly being supportingly and vertically pivotally interconnected to said housing structure about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis which is disposed adjacent a front edge of said seat assembly and extends transversely relative thereto, said tilt control mechanism including an upright structure which is associated with said back assembly and includes a part which projects under said seat assembly and is vertically pivotally supported on said housing structure by a second substantially horizontal pivot axis which is substantially parallel with said first pivot axis, said seat assembly defining a third substantially horizontal pivot axis adjacent a rear edge thereof with said third pivot axis extending generally parallel with and being disposed rearwardly from said first and second pivot axes, and said forward tilt control means being interconnected to and cooperating between said housing structure, said upright and said third axis wherein said forward tilt control means includes first and second control links which are individually pivotally supported on said upright for pivoting movement about spaced axes, said first and second control links being relatively moveable between a first position wherein said first and second control links are effectively locked together to prevent relative pivotal movement therebetween and a second position wherein they are effectively unlocked to permit relative pivoting movement therebetween, said control links when in said first position preventing forward tilt of the seat-back arrangement, said control links when in said second position permitting forward tilt of the seat-back arrangement, and an actuator positioned for engagement and movement by the chair occupant and connected to the forward tilt control means for controlling the locked and unlocked positions of said first and second control links.
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17. An office-type chair comprising:
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a base; a seat-back arrangement which includes a seat assembly and a back assembly, said seat assembly being vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis, and said back assembly being vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and the base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis; and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting rearward tilting of said back assembly and said seat assembly about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate, said tilt control mechanism including an upright structure which supports said back assembly and is connected to said base so as to be vertically pivotable about said second pivot axis, said tilt control mechanism further including tilt control means connected to said seat assembly and said upright structure for permitting said seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and substantially nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from said upright position about said first and second pivot axes, said tilt control means defining a substantially horizontal third pivot axis about which said seat assembly is pivotable relative to said upright structure, said third pivot axis being vertically movable relative to said upright during said forward tilting of said seat-back arrangement away from said upright position. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An office-type chair comprising:
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a base; a seat-back arrangement which includes a seat assembly and a back assembly, said seat assembly being vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis, and said back assembly being vertically tiltable relative to both the seat assembly and the base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis; and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting rearward tilting of said back assembly and said seat assembly about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position in a synchronous but differential rate, said tilt control mechanism further including tilt control means connected to said seat assembly and said upright structure for permitting said seat and back assemblies to be synchronously and substantially nondifferentially tilted forwardly away from said upright position about said first and second pivot axes through a plurality of forward tilt positions, said seat-back arrangement being biased forwardly, said tilt control means including control means for releasably stopping forward tilting of said seat and back assemblies at one of said forward tilt positions which defines a tilted position, said control means being releasable to reposition said seat and back assemblies to another of said forward tilt positions to adjust said tilted position defined thereby. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An office-type chair comprising:
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a base; a seat-back arrangement which includes a seat assembly and a back assembly, said seat assembly being vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis, and said back assembly being vertically tiltable relative to both said seat assembly and said base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis, said second pivot axis being substantially parallel with but transversely spaced from said first pivot axis; and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting synchronous tilting of said back assembly and said seat assembly about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position, said tilt control mechanism including an upright structure which supports said back assembly and is connected to said base so as to be vertically pivotable about said second pivot axis, said seat assembly and said upright structure being connected together by a control member having a first section pivotally connected to a rear edge portion of said seat assembly by a third pivot axis and a second section pivotally connected to said upright by a fourth pivot axis, said tilt control mechanism including locking means which is engagable and disengagable for respectively permitting and preventing pivoting of said control member relative to said upright during said tilting of said seat-back arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An office-type chair comprising:
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a base; a seat-back arrangement which includes a seat assembly and a back assembly, said seat assembly being vertically tiltable relative to the base about a first substantially horizontal pivot axis, and said back assembly being vertically tiltable relative to both said seat assembly and said base about a second substantially horizontal pivot axis, said second pivot axis being substantially parallel with but transversely spaced from said first pivot axis; and a tilt control mechanism operatively coupled between said base and said seat-back arrangement for permitting synchronous tilting of said back assembly and said seat assembly about said first and second pivot axes away from an upright position, said tilt control mechanism including an upright structure which supports said back assembly and is connected to said base so as to be vertically pivotable about said second pivot axis, said tilt control mechanism further including a first control member which is pivotally connected to said upright structure about a third pivot axis and is pivotally connected to said base about a fourth pivot axis, said fourth pivot axis being substantially parallel to said first to third pivot axes but spaced transversely therefrom, said first control member being pivotable about said fourth pivot axis in response to pivoting of said upright structure about said second pivot axis and said first control member including an engagement portion which swings about said fourth pivot axis during said pivoting of said upright structure, said tilt control mechanism including a second control member supported on said base, said engagement portion of said first control member including a plurality of openings which swing relative to said second control member during said pivoting of said upright structure, said second control member being engagable with a selected one of said openings to prevent pivoting of said first control member relative to said upright. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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Specification