Link mechanism for a chair and a chair

• US 7,971,936 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2008
• Issued: 07/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Original Assignee: OKI Electric Industry Company Limited
• Inventors: Fukai, Zenroh
• Primary Examiner(s): Barfield; Anthony D
• Application Number:
  US12/289,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20100084902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 297/320, 297/321
• US Class Current: 297/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/032 the parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest A47C1/035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03238 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03261 characterised by elastic means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03272 with coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03274 of torsion type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20 Control lever and linkage systems

Abstract

There is provided a link mechanism for a chair that is a link mechanism that is used at a chair, the link mechanism for a chair having: a first link whose one end is connected to a bottom surface of a link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair; a second link whose one end is connected to another end of the first link; a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link; a second joint portion provided at another end of the second link; and a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion.

Claims

1. A link mechanism for a chair, comprising:

a first link having one end connected to a bottom surface of a link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair;

a second link having one end connected to another end of the first link;

a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link;

a second joint portion provided at another end of the second link;

a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion;

a third link having one end connected to a link that supports a back surface portion of the chair;

a fourth link having one end connected to another end of the third link, and having another end connected to the second joint portion;

a third joint portion rotatably connecting the third link and the fourth link;

a fifth link connecting the first joint portion and the third joint portion; and

a second elastic resistance unit imparting repulsion elasticity to the third link.

2. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 1, further comprising a first viscous resistance unit imparting viscous resistance to the second joint portion.

3. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 1, further comprising a second viscous resistance unit imparting viscous resistance to the third link.

4. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 1, further comprising a first rotation limiting unit that limits rotation, in a direction in which the second joint portion pulls the first link, to within a predetermined range.

5. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 4, further comprising a relative position fixing mechanism that maintains constant relative positional relationships of the first joint portion, the second joint portion and the third joint portion,

wherein the first rotation limiting unit comprises an anchor piece that rotates interlockingly with rotation of the relative position fixing mechanism.

6. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 5, further comprising:

a sixth link supporting the seat surface portion of the chair, and connected to the first link at the bottom surface;

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the sixth link;

a seventh link connected to the second joint portion; and

a fifth joint portion rotatably connecting the sixth link and the seventh link,

wherein the seventh link has a first stopper that limits a range of rotation of the relative position fixing mechanism in the direction in which the second joint portion pulls the first link, and

the first stopper is disposed at a position opposing and contacting the anchor piece when the relative position fixing mechanism rotates to a predetermined position in the direction in which the second joint portion pulls the first link.

7. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 5, further comprising a pretensioner that imparts pretension to the first elastic resistance unit, wherein the rotation limiting unit further limits a range of rotation of the relative position fixing mechanism in a direction of pushing the first link, to within a predetermined range.

8. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 5, further comprising a pretensioner that imparts pretension to the first elastic resistance unit, wherein

the seventh link has a second stopper that limits a range of rotation of the relative position fixing mechanism in a direction of pushing the first link, and

the second stopper is disposed at a position opposing and contacting the anchor piece at a time when the relative position fixing mechanism rotates to a predetermined position in the direction of pushing the first link.

9. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 1, further comprising:

a sixth link supporting the seat surface portion of the chair, and connected to the first link at the bottom surface;

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the sixth link;

a seventh link connected to the second joint portion; and

a fifth joint portion rotatably connecting the sixth link and the seventh link.

10. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 9, comprising, in addition to the first elastic resistance unit, a third elastic resistance unit that imparts elasticity in a rotating direction to the fifth joint portion.

11. The link mechanism for a chair of claim 1, further comprising a pretensioner that imparts pretension to the first elastic resistance unit.

12. A chair, comprising:

a seat surface portion;

a back surface portion;

a first link having one end connected to a bottom surface of a second link that supports the seat surface portion;

a third link having one end connected to another end of the first link;

a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the third link;

a second joint portion provided at another end of the third link;

a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion;

a fifth link supporting the back surface portion, and connected to the second link and a fourth link;

a third joint portion rotatably connecting the fourth link and the fifth link;

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the fifth link; and

a second elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the fourth joint portion.

13. The chair of claim 12, further comprising a first viscous resistance unit imparting viscous resistance to the fourth joint portion.

14. A chair comprising:

a seat surface portion;

a back surface portion;

a first link having one end connected to a bottom surface of a second link that supports the seat surface portion;

a third link having one end connected to another end of the first link;

a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the third link;

a second joint portion provided at another end of the third link;

a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion;

a fifth link supporting the back surface portion, and connected to a fourth link;

a third joint portion rotatably connecting the fourth link and the fifth link;

a sixth link having one end connected to the second link, and having another end connected to the fifth link; and

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the sixth link,

wherein the second link and the sixth link are structured such that the fourth joint portion is disposed at a position that is apart and forward from the fifth link by a predetermined distance.

16. The chair of claim 14, further comprising:

a seventh link having one end connected to another end of the fourth link, and having another end connected to the second joint portion;

a fifth joint portion rotatably connecting the fourth link and the seventh link;

an eighth link connecting the first joint portion and the fifth joint portion;

a second elastic resistance unit imparting repulsion elasticity to the fourth link;

a sixth joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link;

a ninth link connected to the second joint portion; and

a seventh joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the ninth link.

15. A chair, comprising:

a seat surface portion;

a back surface portion;

a first link having one end connected to a bottom surface of a second link that supports the seat surface portion;

a third link having one end connected to another end of the first link;

a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the third link;

a second joint portion provided at another end of the third link;

a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion;

a fifth link supporting the back surface portion, and connected to the second link and a fourth link;

a third joint portion rotatably connecting the fourth link and the fifth link;

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the fifth link;

a sixth link having one end connected to another end of the fourth link, and having another end connected to the second joint portion;

a fifth joint portion rotatably connecting the fourth link and the sixth link;

a seventh link connecting the first joint portion and the fifth joint portion;

a second elastic resistance unit imparting repulsion elasticity to the fourth link;

a sixth joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link;

an eighth link connected to the second joint portion; and

a seventh joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the eighth link.

17. A link mechanism for a chair that is used at a chair, the link mechanism comprising:

a first link having one end connected to a bottom surface of a second link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair;

a third link having one end connected to another end of the first link;

a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the third link;

a second joint portion provided at another end of the third link;

a fourth link having one end connected to a link that supports a back surface portion of the chair;

a fifth link having one end connected to another end of the fourth link, and having another end connected to the second joint portion;

a third joint portion roatatably connecting the fourth link and the fifth link;

a sixth link connecting the first joint portion and the third joint portion;

a first elastic reistance unit imparting repulsion elasticity to the fourth link;

a fourth joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link;

a seventh link connected to the second joint portion;

a fifth joint portion rotatably connecting the second link and the seventh link; and

a second elastic resistance unit that imparts elasticity in a rotating direction to the fifth joint portion.