Seat suspension assembly

• US 7,008,015 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Bischoff
• Original Assignee: Eric Bischoff
• Inventors: Bischoff, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US10/737,010
• Publication Number:
  US 20050127730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.16, 297/216.17, 297/296, 297/297, 297/299, 297/353, 297/344.1, 297/344.12, 248/622, 248/623, 248/624
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/022 having independently-adjustable supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/22 with balancing device, e.g. by spring, by weight
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/14 of adjustable shape; elastically mounted ; adaptable to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions movably-coupled seat and backrests with elastic adjustment means A47C1/03261; elastically-mounted back-rests or backrest-seat units in the base frame A47C7/44
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/503 attached to the backrest B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/504 attached to the base and the backrest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/544 Compression or tension springs B60N2/542 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat suspension assembly including a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure. The first pair of legs is connected to a back member. A seat frame is adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between the first pair of spaced legs of the base. The seat frame is movably connected to the base. The seat frame includes a first guide engageable with one of the pair of legs. The first guide permits controlled movement of the seat frame relative to the base. A suspension extends between the seat frame and the base for regulating the motion of the seat frame relative to the base.

Claims

1. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs of said base, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a first guide engageable with one leg of said pair of legs and translatable relative thereto, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base, and said seat frame including a back support having a pair of bottom rails extending outwardly therefrom, each of said bottom rails having a distal end and said first guide being disposed on one distal end and a second guide being disposed on said other distal end; and

a suspension extending between said seat frame and said base for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base.

2. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said suspension includes a biasing device.

3. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said suspension includes a dampening device.

4. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said base includes a cross bar and said seat frame includes a back support, said suspension extends between said base cross bar and said seat frame back support.

5. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said base includes a second pair of spaced legs extending therefrom adapted to be secured to the support structure, and said first pair of spaced legs being connected to said second pair of legs by a pair of side rails.

6. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein said base cross bar and said pair of side rails define an open space to receive said seat frame.

7. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first guide movably engages one of said first legs and said second guide movably engages said other of said first legs.

8. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second guides include a roller.

9. The seat suspension assembly as defined in claim 4, wherein said back support includes a post extending upwardly therefrom and a back member having an aperture, said post being slidingly disposed within said aperture for providing guided support for movement of said seat frame relative to said base.

10. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member, said back member defining an opening;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a first guide engageable with one leg of said first pair of legs and translatable relative thereto, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base, and said base including a cross bar and said seat frame includes a back support, said base cross bar including a second pair of spaced legs extending therefrom and adapted to be secured to the support structure; and

a suspension substantially disposed within said opening defined by said back member and extending between said seat frame and said base for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base, and said suspension extending between said base cross bar and said seat frame back support.

11. The assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said seat frame includes a second guide engageable with the other leg of said first pair of legs.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said seat frame includes a back support having a pair of bottom rails extending outwardly therefrom, each of said bottom rails having a distal end and said first guide being disposed on one distal end and a second guide being disposed on said other distal end.

13. The assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein each of said guides engages one of said first pair of legs.

14. The assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said back member includes a cross bar and said frame back support includes an upper portion and said suspension extends between and is pivotally secured to said cross bar and said back support upper portion such that said suspension is disposed behind said seat frame.

15. The assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said suspension includes a biasing member.

16. The assembly as defined in claim 15, wherein said suspension includes a dampening member.

17. The assembly as defined in claim 10, wherein said biasing member is disposed about and concentrically aligned with said dampening member.

18. The assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said frame back support is slidably connected to said base back member.

19. The assembly as defined in claim 18, wherein said seat frame back support includes a post and said base back member includes an opening which receives said post.

20. The assembly as defined in claim 19, wherein said opening is formed in a plate secured to an upper portion of said base back member.

21. A seat suspension assembly securable to a support structure comprising:

a base securable to the support structure, said base including a back member and a pair of spaced side rails extending outwardly from said back member, said back member and said pair of side rails forming an open space, and said base including a first and second pair of space legs connected together by said pair of spaced side rails;

a seating surface;

a seat frame adapted to support said seating surface and generally disposed in said open space, said seat frame being movably connected in a guided manner to said base, said seat frame including a back support and a pair of spaced arms, said seat frame being movably connected to said base by a pair of first guides disposed on said arms, said guides engaging and being translatable relative to said first pair of legs, said back support and said spaced arms forming an opening, wherein an area below said seating surface is generally unobstructed providing unencumbered access to the support structure, and said seat frame is movably connected to said base by a pair of first guides disposed on said arms, said first guides engaging said first pair of legs, and said seat frame back support is movingly connected to said base back member by a second guide; and

a suspension including a biasing device and a dampening device, said suspension extending between said seat frame back support and said base for regulating the motion of said seat frame relative to said base, said suspension being disposed outside of said opening created by said seat frame.

22. The assembly as defined in claim 21, wherein said seating surface is pivotally secured to said frame and is selectively rotatable between an generally horizontal position and a vertical position.

23. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first and second pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure said first pair of spaced legs being connected to said second pair of legs, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member, said back member defining an opening, and said base having a cross bar including said second pair of legs extending therefrom;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a first guide engageable with one leg of said first pair of legs, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base, said seat frame including a back support; and

a suspension substantially disposed within said opening defined by said back member and extending between said seat frame back support and said base cross bar for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base.

24. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member, said back member defining an opening;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a first guide engageable with one of said first pair of legs, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base, said seat frame including a back support having a pair of bottom rails extending outwardly therefrom, each of said bottom rails having a distal end and said first guide being disposed on one distal end and a second guide being disposed on said other distal end said seat frame back support is slidably connected to said base back member, and said seat frame back support includes a post and said base back member includes an opening which receives said post; and

a suspension substantially disposed within said opening defined by said back member and extending between said seat frame and said base for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base.

25. A seat suspension assembly securable to a support structure comprising:

a base securable to the support structure, said base including a back member and a pair of spaced side rails extending outwardly from said back member, said back member and said pair of side rails forming an open space, said base including a first and second pair of space legs connected together by said pair of spaced side rails;

a seating surface;

a seat frame adapted to support said seating surface and generally disposed in said open space, said seat frame being movably connected in a guided manner to said base, said seat frame including a back support and a pair of spaced arms, said back support and said spaced arms forming an opening, wherein an area below said seating surface is generally unobstructed providing unencumbered access to the support structure, said seat frame being movably connected to said base by a pair of first guides disposed on said arms, said first guides engaging said first pair of legs, and said seat frame back support being movably connected to said base back member by a second guide; and

a suspension extending between said seat frame back support and said base for regulating the motion of said seat frame relative to said base, said suspension being disposed outside of said opening created by said seat frame.

26. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member, and said base including a cross bar;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs of said base, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a first guide engageable with one leg of said pair of legs and translatable relative thereto, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base, said seat frame including a back support having a post extending upwardly therefrom and said back member having an aperture, said post being slidingly disposed within said aperture for providing guided support for movement of said seat frame relative to said base; and

a suspension extending between said base cross bar and said seat frame back support for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base.

27. A seat suspension assembly comprising:

a base including a first pair of spaced legs adapted to be securable to a support structure, said first pair of legs being connected to a back member, said back member defining an opening;

a seat frame adapted to support a seating surface and disposed between said first pair of spaced legs, said seat frame being movably connected to said base, said seat frame including a back support having a pair of bottom rails extending outwardly therefrom, each of said bottom rails having a distal end and a first guide being disposed on one of said distal ends and a second guide being disposed on said other of said distal ends, said first guide being engageable with one leg of said first pair of legs and translatable relative thereto, said first guide permitting controlled movement of said seat frame relative to said base; and

a suspension substantially disposed within said opening defined by said back member and extending between said seat frame and said base for regulating motion of said seat frame relative to said base.

28. A seat suspension assembly securable to a support structure comprising:

a base securable to the support structure, said base including a back member and a pair of spaced side rails extending outwardly from said back member, said back member and said pair of side rails forming an open space;

a seating surface being pivotally secured to said frame and selectively rotatable between an generally horizontal position and a vertical position;

a seat frame adapted to support said seating surface and generally disposed in said open space, said seat frame being movably connected in a guided manner to said base, said seat frame including a back support and a pair of spaced arms, said seat frame being movably connected to said base by a pair of first guides disposed on said arms, said guides engaging and being translatable relative to said first pair of legs, said back support and said spaced arms forming an opening, wherein an area below said seating surface is generally unobstructed providing unencumbered access to the support structure; and

a suspension extending between said seat frame back support and said base for regulating the motion of said seat frame relative to said base, said suspension being disposed outside of said opening created by said seat frame.