Chair having an adjustable lumbar mechanism

• US 6,419,318 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2000
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Groupe Lacasse LLC (Haworth Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Chair Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Albright, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDELL, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US09/547,328
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 297/284.7, 297/284.4, 297/410, 297/353
• US Class Current: 297/284.7
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/462 adjustable by mechanical means

Abstract

A chair having a back support arrangement which incorporates therein a height adjustable lumbar mechanism. The lumbar mechanism includes a vertically movable slide assembly which non-positively mounts thereon a lumbar support and a handle for adjusting the vertical position thereof. A detent mechanism is provided which cooperates between the slide assembly and a rigid upright of the chair to enable the adjustment of the height of the lumbar support by the user.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a base;

a support arrangement mounted on said base and including a generally vertically oriented back assembly and a generally horizontally oriented seat assembly, said back assembly including a relatively rigid back support member positioned interiorly of the back assembly;

a bracket interconnecting said back and seat assemblies, said bracket having an upper elongated portion which extends generally centrally along at least part of a rear side of said back support member and defines therein a plurality of recesses arranged in a vertical row therealong;

a slide assembly mounted for generally vertical sliding movement along said bracket, said slide assembly mounting thereon a handle, an arm which projects forwardly through an opening defined in said back support member, and a lumbar structure slidably supported on a free terminal end of said arm and positioned adjacent a front side of said back support member for providing support to the lumbar region of the back of the user; and

a plunger mounted on said slide assembly and defining an outwardly protruding nose thereon, said plunger being slidably and linearly movable relative to said bracket in a direction perpendicular to the elongated direction of said upper portion thereof, and said plunger being biased toward said bracket whereby when said handle is manipulated by a user, said nose engages within a selected one of said recesses to adjust the vertical height of said lumbar structure along said back support member.

2. The chair of claim 1 including a resilient cushion attached to part of said front side of said back support member, said lumbar structure having a generally convex front surface which engages a rear side of said cushion, said lumbar structure being disposed between said cushion and said back support member for sliding movement therebetween so as to horizontally displace a portion of said cushion and define a corresponding convex contour therein.

3. The chair of claim 1 wherein said recesses each have a generally hemispherical concave shape and said nose has a generally convex hemispherical shape such that said nose slides smoothly between said recesses during vertical adjustment of said lumbar structure.

4. The chair of claim 1 wherein said slide assembly defines thereon a generally hollow and sidewardly opening boss which confines said plunger therein, and a spring is disposed within said boss to urge said plunger toward said bracket to engage said nose in a selected one of said recesses.

5. The chair of claim 4 wherein said bracket is sandwiched between said slide assembly and said support member with said recesses of said bracket opening sidewardly to face said slide assembly for selective engagement with said nose.

6. The chair of claim 1 wherein said arm is mounted an upper end portion of said slide assembly, said lumbar structure being slidably movable along said front side of said back support member, and said slide assembly defining therein an elongate and generally vertically extending channel within which said upper portion of said bracket is slidably disposed.

7. The chair of claim 6 wherein said slide assembly has a lower end portion which defines thereon said handle said handle projecting downwardly beyond a lower edge of said back assembly so as to be accessible by a seated user.

8. A chair comprising:

a support arrangement including a back assembly and a seat assembly and a rigid structural element interconnecting said assemblies to one another, said back assembly including a rigid back pan for supporting the back of a user and including an outer cover which extends over at least a front side of said back assembly; and

a mechanism for adjusting the contour of said back assembly to suit the user, said mechanism comprising a generally horizontally elongate lumbar support for supporting the lumbar region of the back of the user and a generally upright body member, said body member defining thereon an arm which is cantilevered outwardly therefrom and which slidably seats thereon said lumbar support to position said lumbar support at said front side of said back pan, and a handle which when actuated by a user slides said body member relative to said structural element to adjust the vertical height of said lumbar support, said cover being snugly engaged over said back assembly such that said cover maintains said lumbar support and said body member in engagement with one another without the need for a positive connection therebetween.

9. The chair of claim 8 wherein said lumbar support defines therein a recess in which a free terminal end of said arm is non-positively engaged, said engagement of said free end of said arm within said recess and said snug engagement of said cover on said back assembly together constituting the sole fastening of said lumbar support and body member to one another.

10. The chair of claim 8 wherein said lumbar support defines a front side having a generally convex configuration and a rear side defining therein a recess for receiving a terminal free end of said arm.

11. The chair of claim 8 wherein said body member has an upper portion which defines a pair of said arms thereon, said arms being generally parallel to one another and transversely oriented relative to a lower portion of said body member, said arms having respective terminal free ends on which said lumbar support is seated, said back pan defining therein a pair of vertically oriented and elongate slots through which the respective said arms project to position said lumbar support adjacent said front side of said back pan.

12. The chair of claim 11 wherein the cover includes a resilient cushion attached adjacent said front side of said back pan, said lumbar support being disposed between said cushion and said back pan and being slidably vertically adjustable therealong to horizontally displace part of said cushion and define a corresponding convex contour thereon for supporting the lumbar region of the back of the user.

13. The chair of claim 11 wherein said lumbar support has a front side facing said cover and a rear side facing said back pan, said rear side defining therein a pair of recesses within which the terminal free ends of the respective said arms seat to removably and non-positively mount said lumbar support on said body member.

14. The chair of claim 8 wherein said structural element is generally J-shaped and has a lower leg fixed to said seat assembly and an upper leg fixed to said back pan, said body member having a rear wall and defining a generally vertically oriented channel extending along said rear wall within which said upper leg is disposed, said body member further including a pair of guides which are horizontally spaced from said rear wall and disposed on opposite sides of said channel, said guides projecting inwardly toward one another to confine said upper leg within said channel during sliding movement of said body member relative to said upper leg.

15. The chair of claim 14 wherein said body member defines a pair of said arms on an upper portion thereof which are sidewardly spaced from one another and disposed on opposite sides of said channel adjacent the respective said guides, said arms being generally parallel to one another and transversely oriented relative to a lower portion of said body member, said back pan defining therein a pair of vertically elongate slots through which the respective said arms project to position said lumbar support adjacent said front side of said back pan.

16. A chair comprising:

a base;

a generally vertically oriented back support and a generally horizontally oriented seat support positioned on said base, said back support incorporating therein a rigid back member defining an opening therein;

a rigid structural element having a first portion connected to said back member and a second portion connected to said seat support;

an adjustable lumbar arrangement associated with said back support, said arrangement including a lumbar support, a slide element disposed adjacent a rear side of said back member and vertically slidably movable relative thereto, and a connector which projects through said opening of said back member and has a terminal end slidably received in a recess defined within said lumbar support so as to interconnect said lumbar support and said slide element and position said lumbar support adjacent a front side of said back member, said slide element having a handle connected thereto for adjusting the vertical height of said lumbar support; and

a detent mechanism cooperating between said structural and slide elements for adjusting the vertical location of said lumbar support to suit the contour of the user'"'"'s back, said detent mechanism including a reciprocating detent part and a biasing member each supported on one said element and a plurality of notches arranged in a generally vertical row along the other said element, said biasing member exerting a force on said detent part to urge same into engagement with a selected one of said notches.

17. The chair of claim 16 wherein said connector is mounted on an upper end of said slide element and is cantilevered outwardly therefrom, said recesses therein which slidably receive respective said terminal ends and said chair includes a cover which tightly envelopes said back support and maintains said slide element and said lumbar support in engagement with one another.

18. The chair of claim 17 wherein said slide element mounts a pair of said connectors on said upper end thereof which are horizontally spaced from one another to provide said upper end with a forked configuration, and said lumbar support defines a pair of said recesses therein which slidably receive respective said terminal ends of said connectors, and said back member defines therein a pair of said openings through which said connectors respectively extend, said openings having a generally vertically elongated configuration to allow vertical movement of said connectors relative to said back member during height adjustment of said lumbar support.

19. The chair of claim 16 wherein said detent part is supported for linear reciprocating movement within a recess defined in said slide element and said notches are defined in said structural element along an elongated and linear portion thereof, said detent part defining thereon a nose having a generally hemispherical shape, and said force of said biasing member is oriented along a direction which is perpendicular to said linear portion of said structural element.

20. The chair of claim 16 wherein said structural element is sandwiched between said back member and said slide element, said chair includes a resilient cushion attached at said front side of said back member, and said lumbar support is disposed between said cushion and said back member such that the lumbar support horizontally displaces said cushion to create a convex contour therein.