Support member for a chair back

• US 6,250,718 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reinhold Industries, Inc. (Heico Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Newhouse, Thomas J., Gierz, Marc A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): White, Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US09/519,783
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 297/452.1, 297/440.2, 297/440.21, 297/239, 297/452.18
• US Class Current: 297/452.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 5/06 Special adaptation of seat upholstery or fabric for attachment to tubular chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/42 of detachable or loose type

Abstract

A chair including a seat, a support member, an outwardly extending projection and a chair back. A support member extends upward adjacent a rear portion of the seat. An outwardly extending projection is attached the support member. The chair back includes front, back, top and bottom surfaces. The chair back has a cavity opening downwardly toward the bottom surface and an aperture is the back surface. The aperture extends in a direction from the cavity to the back surface and communicates with the cavity. The top portion of the support member extends into the cavity and the projection extends into the aperture.

Claims

1. A chair including a seat comprising:

a support member extending upward adjacent a rear portion of said seat, said support member having a top portion;

an outwardly extending projection attached to said support member; and

a chair back having front, back, top and bottom surfaces, said chair back having a cavity opening downwardly toward said bottom surface and an aperture within said back surface, said aperture extending in a direction from said cavity to said back surface and communicating with said cavity, said top portion of said support member extending into said cavity, and said projection extending into said aperture.

2. The chair of claim 1 wherein said seat and chair back are formed from two separate elements.

3. The chair of claim 2 wherein said chair includes two side frame members each having a front, base and rear portion.

4. The chair of claim 3 wherein each of said frame is formed as one piece.

5. The chair of claim 4 wherein said frame are connected by a front frame member.

6. The chair of claim 5 wherein said cavity includes an upper portion and lower portion, said aperture extending into the lower portion.

7. The chair of claim 6 wherein said chair includes a second cavity in said chair back and a second aperture extending in a direction from second cavity to said back surface and communicating with said second cavity, a top portion of another support member extending into said second cavity, and a second projection extending into said second aperture.