Seating with shape-changing back support frame
First Claim
1. A back construction for a seating unit comprising:
- an articulating back frame including perimeter frame sections defining at least a thoracic region and a flexible lumbar region including a flexible joint and an open center area; and
a back support supported by the articulating back frame and suspended between parts of the perimeter frame sections, the back support including suspension material that extends across the open center area and that is anchored at least top to bottom on the back frame to define a shaped suspension surface in at least one of the thoracic and lumbar regions that is adapted to support a seated user, the suspension material having at least one area with a greater stretchability in a first direction along the shaped suspension surface than in a different second direction along the shaped suspension surface, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A back includes an integrated articulating back frame and a back support. The back frame has a lower segment pivoted to a chair control, an upper segment for thoracic support, and links forming a four-bar linkage with the upper and lower segments, with a joint being formed at the lumbar region. The back support is stretchable in limited directions to accommodate shape change in the articulating back frame but to provide adequate support to a seated user. Upon receiving a rearward pressure on the lumbar joint, the back frame itself changes shape. The pivot locations in the four bar linkage create a mechanism that simultaneously controls rotational and translational movement of the upper segment during flexure of the lumbar. The back frame is close to the back support to provide significant design flexibility, but permit substantial lumbar flexure. Various back supports are contemplated that accommodate articulation of the back frame.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A back construction for a seating unit comprising:
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an articulating back frame including perimeter frame sections defining at least a thoracic region and a flexible lumbar region including a flexible joint and an open center area; and a back support supported by the articulating back frame and suspended between parts of the perimeter frame sections, the back support including suspension material that extends across the open center area and that is anchored at least top to bottom on the back frame to define a shaped suspension surface in at least one of the thoracic and lumbar regions that is adapted to support a seated user, the suspension material having at least one area with a greater stretchability in a first direction along the shaped suspension surface than in a different second direction along the shaped suspension surface, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A back construction for a seating unit comprising:
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an articulating back frame including perimeter frame sections defining an open center area and at least a thoracic region, a flexible lumbar region and a pelvic region;
the articulating back frame being self-supporting and including a flexible joint configured to flex the lumbar region rearwardly in response to lumbar pressure from a seated user; anda back support supported by the articulating back frame, the back support including fabric suspension material that extends across the open center area and that is anchored to the perimeter frame sections to define a shaped suspension surface, such that the back support is adapted to accommodate a change in shape of the lumbar region during flexure of the back frame, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A back construction for a seating unit comprising:
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an articulating back frame including perimeter side frame members defining a flexible lumbar joint and defining an open area between the perimeter side frame members; and a back support including a suspension material and a vertical member, the suspension material being attached to and supported between the perimeter side frame members across the open area, the suspension material in a region close to the lumbar joint being horizontally non-stretchable and having a longer dimension than a linear distance between the perimeter side frame members such that the suspension material forms a sling arrangement between the perimeter side frame members at the lumbar joint, the vertical member being stretchable and extending vertically across a center area of the suspension material to bias the suspension material rearwardly and thus to take up slack in the suspension material and to hold the suspension material in a centered rearward position when the back construction is not in use. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A seating unit comprising:
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a base; a seat supported on the base; an articulating back frame having upper and lower segments that form a perimeter frame with at least one open center area and that define at least one flexible joint therebetween; and a back support having thoracic and pelvic regions supported on the upper and lower segments, respectively, the back support including fabric suspension material that extends across the at least one center open area to define a shaped suspension surface and that is anchored to the perimeter frame, the shape suspension surface including a flexible lumbar region extending vertically across the flexible joint;
the lumbar region being rearwardly deformable and the flexible joint being configured to flex while supporting the lumbar region during rearward deformation, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A back construction for a seating unit comprising:
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an articulating back frame including perimeter frame sections defining at least a thoracic region and a flexible lumbar region with a flexible joint and an open center area; and a back support supported by the articulating back frame and suspended between parts of the perimeter frame sections, the back support including fabric suspension material that extends across the open center area and further including extrusions along multiple edges of the suspension material that are anchored to the back frame to define a shaped suspension surface in at least one of the thoracic and lumbar regions that is adapted to support a seated user, the suspension material having at least one area that is stretchable in a vertical direction along the shaped suspension surface, wherein the back frame includes a front link having a cross bar and having upwardly-extending link members that extend to the flexible joint and form part of the flexible joint.
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Specification