Multi-position chair control mechanism for synchronously adjusting the seat and backrest of a chair

• US 6,213,552 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Miotto International
• Inventors: Miotto, Beniamino
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/197,039
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300.5, 297/344.19, 297/300.4, 297/300.7, 297/301.6, 297/302.6, 297/302.4, 297/301.4
• US Class Current: 297/300.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03238 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
• 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 3/30 with vertically-acting fluid cylinder

Abstract

A seat adjustment mechanism for a chair includes a first handle which controls the height of the seat above a surface supporting the chair. A second handle allows the user to selectively lock the seat at a user selected angle relative to the supporting surface. As the seat is tilted into a desired position, the seat adjustment mechanism provides limited horizontal and vertical movement of the seat to maintain the chair in an ergonomically correct position. The mechanism includes a housing or enclosure adapted for connection to a pedestal, and a seat bracket for mounting to the underside of the seat. An intermediate bracket is pivotably mounted to the lower enclosure. One end of the seat mounting bracket is pivotably connected to an end of the intermediate bracket, and the other end of the seat bracket is interconnected with the lower enclosure via a link arrangement. A selectively operable locking mechanism is interconnected between the lower enclosure and the intermediate bracket, for selectively preventing and allowing angular movement of the intermediate bracket relative to the lower enclosure, to lock the seat in a predetermined angular position or to enable the seat to pivot relative to the pedestal.

Claims

1. A mechanism for controlling movement of a seat of a chair, comprising:

a bracket assembly adapted to be connected to the seat for allowing angular movement of the seat over a predetermined range, wherein the bracket assembly includes a rigid support element, a seat connection member adapted for connection to the seat, and an intermediate member pivotably mounted to the support element and to the seat connection member wherein movement of the seat translates into a corresponding movement of the intermediate member, and wherein the bracket assembly further includes a horizontal movement arrangement interconnected between the seat connection member and the support element for imparting horizontal movement to the seat connection member upon angular movement of the intermediate member relative to the support element, wherein the intermediate member comprises a bracket including a plurality of apertures, each aperture corresponding to one of a plurality of predetermined positions for the seat in the predetermined range; and

a locking arrangement which interacts with the apertures for locking the seat at a user selected position within the predetermined range.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the support element includes an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the support element aperture is axially alignable with a user selected aperture of the plurality of apertures in the intermediate member.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the locking arrangement includes at least one pin, wherein the pin is positionable within the support element aperture and the user selected aperture in the intermediate member so as to prevent movement of the intermediate member with respect to the support element.

4. A chair control mechanism for controlling movement of a seat of a chair, comprising:

a rigid support element;

a seat connection member adapted for connection to the seat;

an intermediate member pivotably mounted to the support element for movement about a first pivot axis and pivotably mounted to the seat connection member for movement about a second pivot axis spaced from the first pivot axis; and

link structure pivotably connected between the seat connection member and the support element;

wherein the first and second pivot axes cooperate to provide angular adjustment of the seat connection member relative to the support element and wherein the link structure provides simultaneous horizontal movement of the seat connection member relative to the support element.

5. The mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a biasing element disposed between the support element and the intermediate member for biasing the seat toward a predetermined angular position.

6. The mechanism of claim 4, wherein the horizontal movement arrangement comprises at least one link member pivotably mounted to the seat connection member and to the rigid support element for providing front-rear movement of the seat connection member relative to the rigid support element upon pivoting movement of the intermediate member relative to the support element.

7. The mechanism of claim 4, further comprising a seat height adjustment actuator assembly associated with the bracket assembly.

8. The mechanism of claim 7, wherein the seat height adjustment assembly includes a first support member telescopically mounted to a second support member.

9. A mechanism for controlling movement of a seat of a chair, comprising:

a bracket assembly adapted to be connected to the seat, wherein the bracket assembly is constructed and arranged to provide simultaneous angular and horizontal movement of the seat over a predetermined range;

a locking arrangement for locking the seat at a user selected position within the predetermined range;

a seat height adjustment actuator assembly associated with the bracket assembly, wherein the seat height adjustment assembly includes a first support member telescopically mounted to a second support member, an actuator stem operatively connected to one of the support members, and an actuator element pivotably mounted to the bracket assembly and movable between a first actuating position wherein the actuator element actuates the actuator stem to vary the position of the first support member relative to the second support member, and a second non-actuating position wherein the first support member is retained in a fixed position with respect to the second support member.

10. The mechanism of claim 9, further comprising a handle extending from the support element and pivotably movable between a first position wherein the handle urges the actuator element into the first actuating position, and a second position, and a means for urging the actuator element into the non-actuating position.

11. A device for interconnecting a seat to a support;

comprising;

a base adapted to be connected to the support;

a seat connection bracket adapted to be interconnected to the seat;

a link element having a first end pivotably mounted to the base and a second end pivotably mounted to the seat connection bracket;

an intermediate bracket pivotably mounted to the base and to the seat connection bracket, wherein pivotable angular movement of the intermediate bracket with respect to the base translates through the link element into horizontal movement of the seat connection bracket with respect to the base; and

a locking member for maintaining the intermediate bracket in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with respect to the base.

12. The device of claim 11 further comprising a seat height adjustment structure for adjusting the height of the seat with respect to the support.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the seat height adjustment structure includes a gas piston assembly and an actuator element pivotably mounted to the base and movable between a first actuating position wherein the actuating element actuates the gas piston assembly, and a second non-actuating position.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the actuator element is movable between its actuating and non-actuating positions in response to operation of a handle movably mounted to the base for movement between an actuating position and a non-actuating position.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the handle is pivotably mounted to a housing secured to and extending from the enclosure, and further comprising a slider member movably mounted within the housing, wherein the slider member is movable in response to movement of the handle and is engageable with the actuator element for controlling movement of the actuator element between its actuating and non-actuating positions in response to movement of the handle between its actuating and non-actuating positions.

16. A device for interconnecting a seat to a support, comprising:

a base adapted to be connected to the support;

a seat connection bracket adapted to be interconnected to the seat;

a link element having a first end pivotably mounted to the base and a second end pivotably mounted to the seat connection bracket;

an intermediate bracket pivotably mounted to the base and to the seat connection bracket, wherein pivotable movement of the intermediate bracket with respect to the base translates through the link element into horizontal movement of the seat connection bracket with respect to the base, wherein the intermediate bracket includes a plurality of apertures, each aperture corresponding to one of a plurality of user selected positions for the intermediate bracket; and

a locking member for maintaining the intermediate bracket in one of a plurality of predetermined positions with respect to the base.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the base includes an aperture extending therethrough, wherein the base aperture is axially alignable with a user selected one of the plurality of apertures in the intermediate bracket.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the locking member includes at least one pin, wherein the pin is positionable within the aperture in the base and the selected aperture in the intermediate bracket so as to prevent movement of the intermediate bracket with respect to the base.

19. The device of claim 18, further comprising a handle for moving the pin between a first disengaged position wherein the pin of the locking member is disengaged from the intermediate bracket and a second engaging position wherein the pin extends into the selected aperture in the intermediate bracket.

20. The device of claim 19, further comprising a biasing element disposed between the base and the intermediate bracket for biasing the seat toward a predetermined angular position.

21. In a chair control mechanism for interposition between a support member and a seat and including a housing mounted to the support member and a seat bracket mounted to the seat, a control arrangement for controlling one or more operations of the mechanism, comprising:

an actuator housing mounted to the chair control mechanism housing;

a handle movably mounted to the actuator housing for movement between an actuating position and a non-actuating position; and

a slider member mounted for axial movement within the actuator housing, and including an actuator member axially movable therewith in response to movement of the handle between its actuating and non-actuating positions, wherein the actuator member functions to control one or more operations of the mechanism.

22. The control arrangement of claim 21, wherein the support includes a height adjustment mechanism, and wherein the actuator member controls operation of the height adjustment mechanism through a height adjustment actuator mounted to the housing of the mechanism.

23. The control arrangement of claim 21, wherein the mechanism includes an intermediate bracket pivotably mounted to the housing of the chair control mechanism and pivotably mounted to the seat bracket, wherein the actuator member functions to control the angular position of the intermediate bracket relative to the housing of the chair control mechanism to thereby control the angular position of the seat relative to the support.

24. The improvement of claim 21, wherein the handle and the slider member include mating cam structure for providing movement of the slider member in response to the movement of the handle between its actuating and its non-actuating positions.

25. In a chair control mechanism for interposition between a support member and a seat and including a housing mounted to the support member and a seat bracket mounted to the seat, a control arrangement for controlling one or more operations of the mechanism, comprising:

an actuator housing mounted to the chair control mechanism housing;

a handle movably mounted to the actuator housing for movement between an actuating position and a non-actuating position; and

a slider member mounted for axial movement within the actuator housing, and including an actuator member axially movable therewith in response to movement of the handle between its actuating and non-actuating positions, wherein the actuator member functions to control one or more operations of the mechanism;

wherein the mechanism includes an intermediate bracket pivotably mounted to the housing of the chair control mechanism and pivotably mounted to the seat bracket, wherein the actuator member functions to control the angular position of the intermediate bracket relative to the housing of the chair control mechanism to thereby control the angular position of the seat relative to the support; and

wherein the intermediate bracket includes a side wall defining one or more spaced openings, wherein the actuator member is selectively positionable within one of the openings for selectively locking the intermediate bracket in position relative to the housing of the chair control mechanism.

26. The control arrangement of claim 25, further comprising a biasing element interposed between the actuator member and the housing of the chair control mechanism for urging the actuator member toward a retracted position out of engagement with the intermediate bracket, wherein movement of the handle to its actuating position urges the actuator element into one of the openings in the intermediate bracket against the force of the biasing element.