Tilt chair

• US 7,207,629 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 04/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Millerknoll Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Goetz, Mark W., Beck, Robert L., Dral, Joel R., Roth, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer; Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US10/860,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 297/258.1, 297/259.2, 297/259.4, 297/340, 297/313, 297/300.2, 297/451.1, 297/451.7, 297/344.15, 297/344.16, 297/411.31, 297/318
• US Class Current: 297/318
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/032 the parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest A47C1/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/405 with double backrests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/54 Supports for the arms
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/68 Arm-rest tables ; or back-rest tables

Abstract

A tilt chair having a foot adapted to be supported by a support surface and a first leg pivotally mounted to the foot. A second leg is pivotally mounted to the first leg. A moveable support member is mounted to the second leg and is adapted to be supported by the support surface. The moveably support member is moveable in a first and second direction toward and away from the foot respectively as the first leg pivots relative to the second leg and as the first leg pivots relative to the foot. In one embodiment, the moveable support member is configured as a wheel. In one embodiment, a lower back member has a lower end pivotally mounted to the first leg and an upper back member pivotally mounted to an upper end of the lower back member. A restraining link is pivotally mounted between the lower back member and the second leg. An upper back link has a lower end pivotally mounted to the first leg and an upper end pivotally mounted to the upper back member. An actuator is operably connected to the first and second legs. A seat support is connected to the second leg, and one or both of an armrest and worksurface are mounted to the seat support. A method of tilting the chair is also provided and includes pivoting the second leg relative to the first leg and thereby rolling the wheel on the floor and pivoting the first leg relative to the foot.

Claims

1. A tilt chair comprising:

a foot adapted to be supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis;

a moveable support member mounted to said second leg at a location spaced from said first and second axes, said moveable support member adapted to be moveably supported by the support surface, wherein said moveable support member is moveable in a first and second direction toward and away from said foot respectively as said first leg pivots relative to said second leg about said second axis and said first leg pivots relative to said foot about said first axis; and

an actuator operably connected to said first and second legs at first and second locations spaced from said second axis respectively.

2. The tilt chair of claim 1 wherein said moveable support member is rotatably mounted to said second leg at a third horizontal axis spaced from said first and second axes.

3. The tilt chair of claim 2 wherein said moveable support member is a wheel.

4. The tilt chair of claim 1 wherein said first leg comprises a pair of first leg members connected with a first cross member and wherein said second leg comprises a pair of second leg members connected with a second cross member, wherein said first and second locations are positioned on said first and second cross members respectively.

5. The tilt chair of claim 1 further comprising a seat support connected to said second leg.

6. The tilt chair of claim 5 further comprising an armrest mounted to said seat support.

7. The tilt chair of claim 6 wherein said armrest is pivotally mounted to said seat support about a vertical axis.

8. The tilt chair of claim 7 wherein said vertical axis comprises a first vertical axis and said armrest comprises an armrest support pivotally mounted to said seat support about said first vertical axis, and wherein said armrest further comprises an arm support member pivotally mounted to said armrest support at a second vertical axis spaced from said first vertical axis.

9. A tilt chair comprising:

a foot adapted to be supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis;

a moveable support member mounted to said second leg at a location spaced from said first and second axes, said moveable support member adapted to be moveably supported by the support surface, wherein said moveable support member is moveable in a first and second direction toward and away from said foot respectively as said first leg pivots relative to said second leg about said second axis and said first leg pivots relative to said foot about said first axis; and

a lower back member having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a fourth horizontal axis spaced from said second axis.

10. The tilt chair of claim 9 further comprising an upper back member pivotally mounted to an upper end of said lower back member at a fifth horizontal axis.

11. The tilt chair of claim 10 further comprising an upper back link having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a sixth horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said upper back member at a seventh horizontal axis spaced from said fifth axis.

12. The tilt chair of claim 9 further comprising a restraining link having a first end pivotally mounted to said lower end of said lower back member at a fifth axis spaced from said fourth axis and a second end pivotally mounted to said second leg at a sixth axis spaced from said second axis.

13. A tilt chair comprising:

a foot adapted to be supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis;

a moveable support member mounted to said second leg at a location spaced from said first and second axes, said moveable support member adapted to be moveably supported by the support surface, wherein said moveable support member is moveable in a first and second direction toward and away from said foot respectively as said first leg pivots relative to said second leg about said second axis and said first leg pivots relative to said foot about said first axis;

a seat support connected to said second leg;

an armrest mounted to said seat support, wherein said armrest is pivotally mounted to said seat support about a vertical axis; and

a worksurface pivotally mounted to said seat support about said vertical axis, wherein said worksurface and said armrest are independently pivotable about said vertical axis.

14. A tilt chair comprising:

a foot adapted to be supported by a floor;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis;

a wheel rotatably mounted to said second leg at a third horizontal axis spaced from first and second axes, said wheel is adapted to be supported by the floor, wherein said wheel is rotatable in a first and second direction toward and away from said foot respectively as said first leg pivots relative to said second leg about said second axis and said first leg pivots relative to said foot about said first axis;

a lower back member having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a fourth horizontal axis spaced from said second axis; and

a restraining link having a first end pivotally mounted to said lower end of said lower back member at a fifth axis spaced from said fourth axis and a second end pivotally mounted to said second leg at a sixth axis spaced from said second axis.

15. The tilt chair of claim 14 further comprising an upper back member pivotally mounted to an upper end of said lower back member at a seventh horizontal axis, and an upper back link having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a eighth horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said upper back member at a ninth horizontal axis spaced from said seventh axis.

16. The tilt chair of claim 15 wherein said first leg comprises a pair of first leg members connected with a first cross member, and wherein said lower end of said upper back link is pivotally mounted to said first cross member at said eight horizontal axis.

17. The tilt chair of claim 16 wherein said second leg comprises a pair of second leg members connected with a second cross member.

18. The tilt chair of claim 17 further comprising an actuator operably connected to said first and second cross members at first and second locations spaced from said second axis respectively.

19. The tilt chair of claim 14 further comprising a seat support having a first end connected to said second leg proximate said second axis and a second end extending forwardly therefrom.

20. The tilt chair of claim 19 further comprising an armrest mounted to said second end of said seat support.

21. The tilt chair of claim 20 wherein said armrest is pivotally mounted to said seat support about a vertical axis.

22. The tilt chair of claim 21 further comprising a worksurface pivotally mounted to said seat support about said vertical axis, wherein said worksurface and said armrest are independently pivotable about said vertical axis.

23. A method of tilting a chair comprising:

providing a tilt chair comprising a foot supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis; and

a moveable support member rotatably mounted to said second leg at a third horizontal axis spaced from first and second axes, wherein said moveably support member is supported by said support surface;

pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis and thereby moving said moveable support member on said support surface and pivoting said first leg relative to said foot about said first axis; and

providing a lower back member having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a fourth horizontal axis spaced from said second axis, and pivoting said lower back member about said fourth axis as said second leg is pivoted relative to said first leg.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg comprises moving first and second locations on said first and second legs respectively toward and away from each other with an actuator.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing an upper back member pivotally mounted to an upper end of said lower back member at a fifth horizontal axis, and pivoting said upper back member relative to said upper end of said lower back member about said fifth horizontal axis.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising providing an upper back link having a lower end pivotally mounted to said first leg at a sixth horizontal axis and an upper end pivotally mounted to said upper back member at a seventh horizontal axis spaced from said fifth axis, and wherein said pivoting said upper back member relative to said upper end of said lower back member comprises pivoting said lower end of said upper back link relative to said first leg about said sixth axis and pivoting said upper end of said upper back link relative to said upper back member about said seventh axis.

27. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing a restraining link having a first end pivotally mounted to said lower end of said lower back member at a fifth axis spaced from said fourth axis and a second end pivotally mounted to said second leg at a sixth axis spaced from said second axis, and wherein said pivoting said lower back member about said fourth axis as said second leg is pivoted relative to said first leg comprises pivoting said first end of said restraining link relative to said lower back member about said fifth axis and pivoting said second end of said restraining link relative to said second leg about said sixth axis.

28. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing a seat support connected to said second leg, and wherein pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis comprises pivoting said seat support relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising providing an armrest mounted to said seat support.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said armrest is pivotally mounted to said seat support about a vertical axis, and further comprising pivoting said armrest about said vertical axis.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said vertical axis comprises a first vertical axis and said armrest comprises an armrest support pivotally mounted to said seat support about said first vertical axis, and wherein said armrest further comprises an arm support member pivotally mounted to said armrest support at a second vertical axis spaced from said first vertical axis, and further comprising pivoting said arm support member relative to said armrest support about said second vertical axis.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein said moving said moveable support member on said support surface comprises rolling a wheel on said support surface.

33. A method of tilting a chair comprising:

providing a tilt chair comprising a foot supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis; and

a moveable support member rotatably mounted to said second leg at a third horizontal axis spaced from first and second axes, wherein said moveably support member is supported by said support surface;

pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis and thereby moving said moveable support member on said support surface and pivoting said first leg relative to said foot about said first axis;

providing a seat support connected to said second leg, and wherein pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis comprises pivoting said seat support relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis;

providing an armrest mounted to said seat support, wherein said armrest is pivotally mounted to said seat support about a vertical axis, and further comprising pivoting said armrest about said vertical axis; and

providing a worksurface pivotally mounted to said seat support about said vertical axis, and pivoting said worksurface about said vertical axis independently of said armrest.

34. A method of tilting a chair comprising:

providing a tilt chair comprising a foot supported by a support surface;

a first leg pivotally mounted to said foot at a first horizontal axis;

a second leg pivotally mounted to said first leg at a second horizontal axis, wherein said second axis is spaced from said first axis; and

a moveable support member rotatably mounted to said second leg at a third horizontal axis spaced from first and second axes, wherein said moveably support member is supported by said support surface;

pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis and thereby moving said moveable support member on said support surface and pivoting said first leg relative to said foot about said first axis;

providing a seat support connected to said second leg, and wherein pivoting said second leg relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis comprises pivoting said seat support relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis; and

providing a worksurface mounted to said seat support, and wherein said pivoting said seat support relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis further comprises pivoting said worksurface with said seat support relative to said first leg about said second pivot axis.