Device for adjusting the inclination of the seating portion in chairs in general

• US 6,074,008 A
• Filed: 07/08/1998
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Imarc Spa
• Original Assignee: Imarc Spa
• Inventors: Zanetti, Daniela, Gorgi, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US09/101,297
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 297/328, 297/344.19, 297/301.4, 297/303.4, 297/354.12, 297/363, 297/364, 297/376, 297/374
• US Class Current: 297/376
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/026 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/441 with adjustable elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/443 with coil springs

Abstract

A device for adjusting the inclination of the seating portion in chairs in general, to be applied to a support for the seating portion formed in at least two parts (2, 12) hinged together about a transverse axis (14) and associated with a spring (20) interposed between them to elastically maintain the back rest of the chair in its most forwardly inclined position, and also associated with a locking member (24) to maintain them in other predetermined positions corresponding to different inclinations of the back rest, characterised by comprising: a locking bolt (26) forming part of the locking member (24) and fixed to one (2) of the two parts (2, 12) of the support for the seating portion, a plurality of holes (22) provided in the other part (12) of the support for the seating portion in positions engageable by the bolt (26) and corresponding to different relative inclinations between the two parts (2, 12) of the support, a rod (30) for axially operating the bolt (26), an axially bistable device (34) for controlling the rod (30), a pair of preloaded springs (50, 52) interposed between the rod (30) and the bistable device (34), and an operating pusher (46) for the bistable device (34).

Claims

1. A chair, comprising:

a seating portion,

a back rest portion,

a device for adjusting the inclination of the back rest portion, the device comprising,

a housing,

a plate pivotably, connected to the housing, the plate having holes,

a locking member connected to the housing,

a locking bolt axially slidable with the locking member, for engagement with holes in the pivotable plate,

an actuator for moving the locking bolt,

a rod extending between the actuator and the locking bolt;

wherein the rod extends into a piston, the end of the rod provided with an enlargement, and a first and second spring within the piston bearing against the enlargement.

2. The chair of claim 1, further comprising a cylindrical casing having a base and a pusher opposite the base, the pusher engaging the piston to cause its movement.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein the first spring extends between the cylindrical casing base and the enlargement and the second spring extends between the piston and the enlargement.

4. A chair, comprising:

a seating portion,

a back rest portion,

a device for adjusting the inclination of the back rest portion, the device comprising,

a housing,

a plate pivotably, connected to the housing, the plate having holes,

a locking member connecting to the housing,

a locking bolt axially slidable with the locking member, for engagement with holes in the pivotable plate,

an actuator for moving the locking bolt,

a rod extending between the actuator and the locking bolt;

wherein the rod extends into a piston, the end of the rod provided with an enlargement, and a first and second spring within the piston bearing against the enlargement; and

means for adjusting the height of the chair, a lever for activating the means for adjusting the height, the actuator housed within the lever.

5. A device for adjusting the inclination of a back rest portion in a chair, said chair comprising a seating portion and a back rest portion, said device comprising:

a support consisting of at least first and second parts hinged together about a transverse axis,

a spring interposed between said first and second parts,

a locking member,

a locking bolt axially slidable with said locking member and fixed to said first part of the support,

a plurality of holes provided in the second part of the support, said holes being engageable by the locking bolt and corresponding to different relative inclinations between said first and second parts of said support,

a rod for axially operating said bolt;

an axially bistable device for controlling said rod,

first and second preloaded springs interposed between said rod and said bistable device, and

an operating pusher for said bistable device.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first part of the support is rigid with a seating portion and said second part is rigid with a bracket supporting a back rest portion.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first part of the support is rigid with a chair support base and said second part is rigid with a chair body.

8. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the support is formed in three parts, of which the first part is rigid with a chair support base, the second part is rigid with a seating portion and is hinged to the first part about a first transverse axis, and the third part is rigid with a back rest portion and hinged to the second part about a second transverse axis and is also connected to it by means for synchronizing the inclination movements of said seating portion and said back rest portion.

9. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second part of the support comprises a curved portion provided with holes.

10. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said locking member comprises a cylindrical housing within which the locking bolt is axially slidable.

11. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rod is flexible and is housed in a flexible sheath.

12. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said rod is of rigid type.

13. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said axially bistable device and said operating pusher are housed in a body of a lever which adjusts the height of said seating portion.

14. A device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said axially bistable device comprises a cylindrical casing provided at one end with said operating pusher and within which a piston is axially slidable between two end positions, within said piston there being positioned the end of said rod, which is provided with resting means interposed between said first and second preloaded springs.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said first spring is interposed between the resting means on the rod and a closed end of said piston, and said second spring is interposed between said resting means and a closed base of said cylindrical casing.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said base of said cylindrical casing is traversed by a flexible rod and supports an end of a sheath.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16 to be applied to chairs with arm rests, wherein the axially bistable device and its operating pusher are housed in an arm rest.