Tilt assembly for a chair

• US 6,582,019 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated (Millerknoll Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated (Millerknoll Incorporated)
• Inventors: Insalaco, Robert Warren, Schmitz, Johann Burkhard, Plikat, Claudia, Zwick, Roland R.O., Zwick, Carola E.M., Nicolai, Neubert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harris, Stephanie N.
• Application Number:
  US09/809,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300.4, 297/302.3, 297/300.1, 297/300.2, 297/303.3
• US Class Current: 297/300.4
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03261 characterised by elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03266 with adjustable elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03274 of torsion type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03294 slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers

Abstract

A tilt assembly comprising a tilt housing, a body support member pivotally attached to said tilt housing about a first horizontal axis and a spring mounted to said tilt housing at a second horizontal axis. The body support member is moveable between a first and second position. The second horizontal axis is adjustably moveable relative to the first horizontal axis. The spring biases said body support member at a first location when the body support member is in the first position and at a second location when the body support member is in the second position, with the second location being a greater distance from the first horizontal axis than the first location. A method for supporting a chair body support member is also provided. The method comprises moving the second horizontal axis to a desired position relative to the first horizontal axis, reclining the body support member, and biasing the body support member at first and second locations when the body support member is in the first and second positions respectively.

Claims

1. A tilt assembly for a chair comprising:

a tilt housing;

a body support member pivotally attached to the tilt housing about a first horizontal axis, said body support member moveable between at least a first position and a second position, wherein the second position is at a greater rearward tilt angle than the first position;

a spring mounted to said tilt housing at a second horizontal axis spaced apart from said first horizontal axis, wherein said second horizontal axis is adjustably moveable relative to said first horizontal axis, said spring biasing said body support member at a first location when said body support member is in said first position and at a second location when said body support member is in said second position, said second location being a greater distance from said first horizontal axis than said first location.

2. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a spring housing moveably mounted to said tilt housing, said spring mounted to said spring housing about said second horizontal axis.

3. The invention of claim 1 further comprising a shaft defining said second horizontal axis, and wherein said spring comprises a torsion spring disposed on said shaft.

4. The invention of claim 3 further comprising a lever arm extending from said shaft, wherein said spring biases said lever arm into contact with said body support member, said lever arm comprising a contact portion slidably engaging said body support member as said body support member moves between said first and second positions.

5. The invention of claim 2 further comprising an adjustment mechanism disposed in said tilt housing and engaging said spring housing, said adjustment mechanism operable to move said spring housing relative to said tilt housing.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein said spring comprises a first leg engaged with said lever arm and a pivotally restrained second leg.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said tilt housing comprises a slot, and wherein said spring is mounted to a shaft, said shaft adjustably moveable within said slot.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said body support member comprises a back support.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said back support comprises a lever arm, wherein said spring biasingly acts on said lever arm of said back support.

10. The invention of claim 5 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an engagement member engaged with said spring housing and an actuation shaft threadably engaged with said engagement member, whereby rotation of said actuation shaft causes said engagement member to move along said actuation shaft and thereby causes said spring housing to move relative to said tilt housing.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein said spring is a cantilever spring mounted in said tilt housing at said second horizontal axis, said cantilever spring extending rearwardly from said second horizontal axis.

12. The invention of claim 1 wherein said spring comprises a torsion spring defining said second horizontal axis.

13. A tilt assembly for a chair comprising:

a tilt housing;

a back support pivotally attached to the tilt housing about a first horizontal axis, said back support moveable between at least a first position and a second position wherein the second position is at a greater rearward tilt angle than the first position;

a power pack moveably mounted to said tilt housing, said power pack adjustably moveable relative to said tilt housing, said power pack comprising a spring having a portion biasing said back support at a first location when said back support is in said first position and at a second location when said back support is in said second position, said second location being a greater distance from said first horizontal axis than said first location, wherein said power pack and an entirety of said spring are translatably moveable relative to said tilt housing between at least a first and second position.

14. The invention of claim 13 wherein one of said tilt housing and said power pack comprises a slot and the other of said tilt housing and said power pack comprises a shaft, said shaft slidably engaged with said slot.

15. The invention of claim 13 wherein said power pack slidably engages a surface of said tilt housing.

16. The invention of claim 13 wherein said power pack comprises a housing and wherein said spring is a torsion spring having a first and second leg, wherein said first leg is pivotally restrained by said power pack housing and wherein said second leg comprises said portion biasing said back support, said spring mounted about a shaft defining a second horizontal axis.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein said power pack further comprises a lever arm mounted to said shaft defining said second horizontal axis, said lever arm engaging said portion of said second leg of said spring, said lever arm comprising a contact portion abuttingly engaged with said back support.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein said back support comprises a lever arm, said contact portion abuttingly engaging said lever arm of said back support.

19. A method for supporting a chair body support member, said method comprising:

providing a tilt assembly comprising a tilt housing, said body support member pivotally attached to the tilt housing about a first horizontal axis, said body support member moveable between at least a first position and a second position, wherein said second position is at a greater rearward tilt angle than said first position, and a spring mounted to said tilt housing at a second horizontal axis spaced apart from said first horizontal axis;

moving said second horizontal axis to a desired position spaced relative to said first horizontal axis;

reclining said body support member from said first position to said second position;

biasing said body support member with said spring at a first location when said body support member is in said first position and when said second horizontal axis is at said desired position; and

biasing said body support member with said spring at a second location when said body support member is in said second position and when second horizontal axis is at said desired position, wherein said second location is a greater distance from said first horizontal axis than said first location.

20. The invention of claim 19 further comprising a spring housing moveably mounted to said tilt housing, said spring mounted to said spring housing about said second horizontal axis, wherein said moving said second horizontal axis comprises moving said spring housing relative to said tilt housing.

21. The invention of claim 19 wherein said spring housing comprises a shaft defining said second horizontal axis, and wherein said spring comprises a torsion spring disposed on said shaft.

22. The invention of claim 21 further comprising a lever arm pivotably mounted to said shaft, said lever arm engaging said body support member.

23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said lever arm further comprises a contact portion abuttingly engaged with said body support member, wherein said contact portion slides along said body support member between said first and second location as said body support member moves between said first and second positions.

24. The invention of claim 20 wherein said moving said spring housing comprises adjusting an adjustment mechanism engaged with said spring housing.

25. The invention of claim 24 wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an engagement member engaged with said spring housing and an adjusting shaft threadably engaged with said engagement member, and wherein said actuating said adjusting mechanism comprises rotating said actuation shaft and thereby moving said engagement member along said actuation shaft and thereby moving said spring housing relative to said tilt housing.

26. The invention of claim 19 wherein said tilt housing comprises a slot, and wherein said spring is mounted to a shaft defining said second horizontal axis, wherein said moving said second horizontal axis spring comprises moving said shaft within said slot.

27. The invention of claim 19 wherein said body support member comprises a back support.

28. The invention of claim 27 wherein said back support comprises a lever arm, wherein said spring biasingly acts on said lever arm of said back support.

29. The invention of claim 19 wherein said spring is a cantilever spring mounted in said housing at said second horizontal axis, said cantilever spring extending rearwardly from said second horizontal axis.

30. The invention of claim 19 wherein said desired position is a first desired position, and further comprising moving said second horizontal axis from said first desired position to a second desired location, wherein said first location of said biasing said body support member with said spring is moved a corresponding amount.

31. A method for adjusting the biasing force supporting a chair body support member, said method comprising:

providing a tilt assembly comprising a tilt housing, a body support member pivotally attached to the tilt housing about a first horizontal axis, said body support member moveable between at least a first position and a second position, and a power pack comprising a housing moveably mounted to said tilt housing and a spring mounted to said power pack housing, said spring biasing said body support member at a first location spaced from said first horizontal axis when said body support member is in said first position, and thereby applying a moment to said body support member about said first horizontal axis; and

moving said power pack relative to said tilt housing and thereby moving said first location relative to said first horizontal axis, wherein said moment applied by said spring to said body support member is adjusted.

32. The invention of claim 31 wherein one of said tilt housing and said power pack housing comprises a slot and the other of said tilt housing and said power pack comprises a shaft, said shaft slidably received in said slot, wherein said moving said power pack relative to said tilt housing comprises sliding said shaft in said slot.

33. The invention of claim 31 wherein said power pack further comprises a lever pivotally mounted to said power pack housing about a second horizontal axis of rotation, and wherein said spring is coaxially mounted about said second horizontal axis, said spring biasing said lever, wherein a contact portion of said lever abuttingly engages said body support member at said first location.