Synchrotilt seating unit with comfort surface

• US 7,264,311 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation (Steelcase Incorporated)
• Inventors: Heidmann, Kurt R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer; Laurie K.
• Application Number:
  US11/385,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20060170263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300.2, 297/300.1, 297/325, 297/302.1, 297/300.4, 297/452.56, 297/452.63, 297/452.52, 297/452.53, 297/284.4
• US Class Current: 297/300.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/023 the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats ; Expandable seats or the like, e.g. seats with horizontally adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03238 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
• 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 1/03274 of torsion type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03294 slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/04 Clamps for attaching flat elastic strips or flat meandering springs to frames
• 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: A47C 7/28 with tensioned springs, e.g. of flat type
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs

Abstract

A seating unit includes a base, a reclineable back, a seat, and a control operably supporting the back and the seat on the base for synchronous movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a pair of flexible support members and a link that combine to operably support the seat and back for synchronous movement on the base upon recline, which provides ergonomic non-shearing support for a seated user during recline. The back and seat each include perimeter frames, parallel resilient support members extending between side frame sections of the perimeter frames, and covers covering the resilient support members for distributed support and aesthetics. By this arrangement, the flexible member and the link move the one component along a defined path during recline of the back, and the seat and back also provide ergonomic support, both during recline and without recline.

Claims

1. A seating unit for supporting a seated user, comprising:

a base;

a back component;

a seat component; and

an underseat control operably coupled to and supporting the back component and the seat component on the base for synchronous movement between upright and reclined positions;

at least one of the seat component and the back component including a frame defining a center opening and a plurality of independently flexible wires with ends slidably supported on the frame and not connected to each other for allowing independent separate movement, the wires extending across the opening; and

a sheet covering the wires.

2. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the wires are located on both the seat and back components.

3. The seating unit defined in claim 1, including a cushion under the sheet.

4. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the frame is a back frame on the back component.

5. The seating unit defined in claim 1, including a member tensioned sufficiently tight to bend at least some of the wires from an unstressed shape.

6. The seating unit defined in claim 1, including a non-woven fiber cushion under the sheet.

7. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the sheet includes a cushion with an upholstery cover.

8. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the control includes at least one flexible spring for supporting one of the back and seat components.

10. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the control includes at least one flexible spring engaging the back component, and further includes at least one flexible spring engaging the seat component.

11. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes a center post supporting the control, and further includes castored radial legs supporting the center post in a vertical orientation.

9. A seating unit for supporting a seated user, comprising:

a base;

a back component;

a seat component; and

an underseat control operably coupled to and supporting the back component and the seat component on the base for synchronous movement between upright and reclined positions;

wherein the control includes at least one flexible spring that is configured to resiliently bend during recline of the back component;

at least one of the seat component and the back component including a frame defining a center opening and a plurality of independently flexible wires extending across the opening; and

a sheet covering the wires.

12. A seating unit for supporting a seated user, comprising:

a back component;

a seat component; and

a control operably supporting the back component and the seat component for synchronous movement between upright and reclined positions;

the control including at least one flexible spring operably engaging one of the back component and the seat component;

at least one of the seat component and the back component including a perimeter frame defining a center opening and a plurality of independently bendable resilient supports with ends slidably supported on the frame and not connected to each other for allowing independent separate movement, the resilient supports extending generally in parallel directions across the opening; and

a sheet covering the resilient supports.

13. The seating unit defined in claim 12, wherein the resilient supports comprise wires.

14. The seating unit defined in claim 13, including a cushion positioned under the sheet.

15. The seating unit defined in claim 14, wherein the sheet includes upholstery attached to the cushion to form a subassembly.

16. The seating unit defined in claim 12, wherein the at least one flexible spring includes first and second flexible springs that are bendable and configured to support the seat component and the back component, respectively, while also supporting a seated user thereon.

17. The seating unit defined in claim 12, including a mobile base with a center post supporting the control.

18. A task chair for supporting a seated user, comprising:

a back and a seat;

a wheeled mobile base with a control operably supporting the back and the seat for synchronous movement upon recline of the back; and

the back including a perimeter frame defining a center opening and including a plurality of independently bendable resilient supports extending generally in parallel directions across the opening, the resilient supports having ends in sliding contact with the perimeter frame and the perimeter frame in combination with the resilient supports defining a forwardly protruding lumbar region; and

a sheet covering the resilient supports and distributing forces between adjacent ones of the resilient supports and further aesthetically covering the resilient supports;

the resilient supports being bendable both when the back is in the upright position and when in the reclined position.

19. The task chair defined in claim 18, wherein the control moves the seat forward upon recline of the back.