Multi-purpose adjustment chair mechanism

• US 7,478,880 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Boyer, Earl, Johnson, LeRoy
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr.; Milton
• Application Number:
  US11/266,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20060202529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 297/342, 297/344.19, 297/463.1
• US Class Current: 297/342
• 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 1/03294 slidingly movable in the base frame, e.g. by rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/30 with vertically-acting fluid cylinder

Abstract

A multipurpose adjustment mechanism for a synchrotilt chair mechanism and a chair with the mechanism. The synchrotilt chair mechanism is for use on a chair that has a base assembly with an extending pedestal, a seat, and a back. The synchrotilt mechanism includes a chassis that is coupled to the pedestal and a seat plate that is coupled to the chassis and to the chair seat. The seat plate slides relative to the chassis. The synchrotilt mechanism further includes a multipurpose adjustment mechanism that can adjust both the height of the chair as well as the orientation of the seat with respect to the chassis. The multipurpose adjustment mechanism may also lock the seat plate with respect to the chassis, such that the seat will not move when the user reclines the chair.

Claims

1. A synchrotilt chair mechanism for use on a chair having a base assembly with a pedestal extending therefrom, a seat and a back, the mechanism comprising:

a chassis adapted to be coupled to the pedestal;

a seat plate slidably coupled to the chassis and adapted to be fixedly coupled to the chair seat, the seat plate having a slot;

an adjustment mechanism adapted to be received within the chassis, the adjustment mechanism including a plate having a slot, a height adjustment mechanism coupled to the plate, a lever slidably and rotatably coupled to the plate, an actuator coupled to the lever and the height adjustment mechanism and a block member received within the slot, the block member having an inner surface that contacts the actuator;

a back support bar having first and second ends, the support bar being coupled on the first end to the chassis and extending upwardly from the chassis;

a pair of arm supports adapted to be coupled to the chair, one of the arm supports extending upwardly adjacent one side of the chair seat and the other of the arm supports extending upwardly adjacent the other side of the chair seat; and

a back bracket having a pair of ends, each end extending adjacent a side of the chair, each end being pivotally coupled to the adjacent arm support, the back bracket further including a guide plate adapted to be mounted to the chair back and having at least one guide slot that slidably and pivotally couples the back bracket to the second end of the back support bar;

wherein during recline of the chair, the back bracket pivots about the pivot connection on each arm support and the guide plate guides a lower back of the chair back downwardly and forwardly, and wherein during recline the chair seat slides forwardly on the chassis; and

wherein rotation of the lever engages the height adjustment mechanism and changes the height of the chair relative to the base assembly and wherein axial movement of the lever causes the actuator to move the block member and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

2. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a wedge coupled to the actuator, the wedge having a cavity and a mating surface.

3. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 2, wherein the block member is received within the cavity.

4. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 3, wherein the mating surface of the wedge abuts the inner surface of the block member.

5. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 4, wherein the cavity of the wedge contains a pair of recesses.

6. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 5, wherein the block member has a lower portion containing a pair of notches.

7. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 6, wherein the block member includes at least one upwardly extending projection.

8. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 7, wherein the at least one upwardly extending projection includes a plurality of upwardly extending projections.

9. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 8, wherein the axial movement of the lever causes the upwardly extending projections to engage the slot in the seat plate and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

10. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 9, wherein the actuator is positioned remotely from the height adjustment mechanism.

11. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 10, wherein the actuator is coupled to the height adjustment mechanism by a cable.

12. The synchrotilt mechanism of claim 11, wherein rotation of the lever causes the cable to engage the height adjustment mechanism to change the height of the seat relative to the base assembly.

13. An adjustment mechanism for use on a chair having a base assembly with a pedestal extending therefrom, a seat, a back, and a synchrotilt chair mechanism, the synchrotilt chair mechanism having a chassis and a seat plate, the mechanism comprising:

a plate with a slot;

wherein the plate is receivable within the chassis;

a lever mechanism including;

a shaft, wherein the shaft is slidably and rotatably attachable to the chassis,

a handle coupled to the shaft,

an actuator coupled to the shaft, and

a block member slidably received within the slot, the block member having an inner surface that abuts the actuator; and

a height adjustment mechanism coupled to the plate and to the actuator via a cable;

wherein rotation of the lever mechanism engages the height adjustment mechanism and changes the height of the chair relative to the base assembly and wherein axial movement of the lever mechanism causes the actuator to move the block member and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

14. The adjustment mechanism of claim 13 further comprising a wedge coupled to the actuator, the wedge having a cavity and a mating surface.

15. The adjustment mechanism of claim 14, wherein the block member is received within the cavity.

16. The adjustment mechanism of claim 15, wherein the mating surface of the wedge abuts the inner surface of the block member.

17. The adjustment mechanism of claim 16, wherein the cavity of the wedge contains a pair of recesses.

18. The adjustment mechanism of claim 17, wherein the block member contains a lower portion having a pair of notches.

19. The adjustment mechanism of claim 18, wherein the block member includes at least one upwardly extending projection.

20. The adjustment mechanism of claim 19, wherein the at least one upwardly extending projection includes a plurality of upwardly extending projections.

21. The adjustment mechanism of claim 20, wherein the axial movement of the lever mechanism causes the upwardly extending projections to engage the slot in the seat plate and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

22. The adjustment mechanism of claim 21, wherein the actuator is positioned remotely from the height adjustment mechanism.

23. The adjustment mechanism of claim 22, wherein the actuator is coupled to the height adjustment mechanism by a cable.

24. The adjustment mechanism of claim 23, wherein rotation of the lever mechanism causes the cable to engage the height adjustment mechanism to change the height of the seat relative to the base assembly.

25. An adjustment mechanism for use on a chair having a base assembly with a pedestal extending therefrom, a seat, a back, and a synchrotilt chair mechanism, the synchrotilt chair mechanism having a chassis and a seat plate with a slot, the adjustment mechanism comprising:

a plate with a slot;

wherein the plate is receivable within the chassis;

a lever mechanism including;

a shaft, wherein the shaft is slidably and rotatably attachable to the chassis,

a handle coupled to the shaft,

a cam coupled to the shaft, and

a block member slidably received within the slot of the plate, the

block member having an inner surface that abuts a mating surface of the cam; and

a height adjustment mechanism coupled to the plate and to the cam via a cable;

wherein rotation of the lever mechanism engages the height adjustment mechanism and changes the height of the chair relative to the base and wherein axial movement of the lever mechanism causes the cam to move the block member and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

26. The adjustment mechanism of claim 25, wherein the cam has a conical mating surface.

27. The adjustment mechanism of claim 26, wherein the mating surface of the cam contains a circumscribing ridge.

28. The adjustment mechanism of claim 27, wherein the inner surface of the block member is conical.

29. The adjustment mechanism of claim 28, wherein the inner surface of the block member has a pair of recesses.

30. The adjustment mechanism of claim 29, wherein the block member includes at least one upwardly extending projection.

31. The adjustment mechanism of claim 30, wherein the at least one upwardly extending projection includes a plurality of upwardly extending projections.

32. The adjustment mechanism of claim 31, wherein the axial movement of the lever mechanism causes the upwardly extending projections to engage the slot in the seat plate and selectively lock the seat plate relative to the chassis.

33. The adjustment mechanism of claim 32, wherein the cam is positioned remotely from the height adjustment mechanism.

34. The adjustment mechanism of claim 33, wherein the cam is coupled to the height adjustment mechanism by a cable.

35. The adjustment mechanism of claim 34, wherein rotation of the lever causes the cable to engage the height adjustment mechanism to change the height of the seat relative to the base.