Chair

• US 8,087,727 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
• Original Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
• Inventors: Parker, Kent Wallace, Wilkinson, Paul Michael, Stewart, Lyall Douglas, Neal, Daryl Owen, Collings, Martyn Walter Goodwin, Tierney, Peter Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARRETT, ERIKA P
• Application Number:
  US12/088,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20090218864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 297/320, 297/321, 297/322, 297/300.2, 297/344.15, 297/316
• 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 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0305 by 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 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/036 the parts including a head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/004 for chairs or stools with central column, e.g. office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/027 with elastomeric springs A47C7/282 takes precedence
• 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 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/405 with double backrests
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/445 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49869 by flexing

Abstract

A chair 2010 has a supporting frame 2011, a seat portion 2013, a back portion 2015, and a recline mechanism. The mechanism moves the seat portion 2013 upon a reclining action of the back portion 2015. The mechanism has a rear deformable member 2351 and a front deformable member 2353 operatively connecting the seat portion and the supporting frame. The recline mechanism also has a lower deformable member operatively connecting a lower part of the back portion and the supporting frame, and a puller member 2361 above the lower deformable member. The recline mechanism is configured such that as the back portion 2015 is reclined, the lower deformable member deforms and the puller member 2361 applies a rearward pulling action which causes the seat portion 2013 to move and the front and rear deformable members to deform.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a supporting frame;

a seat portion for supporting an occupant;

a back portion for supporting the back of a seated occupant; and

a recline mechanism configured to move the seat portion upon a reclining action of the back portion, the recline mechanism comprising a rear deformable member operatively connecting a relatively rearward portion of the seat portion and the supporting frame, a front deformable member operatively connecting a relatively forward portion of the seat portion and the supporting frame, a lower deformable member operatively connecting a lower part of the back portion and the supporting frame, and a puller member above the lower deformable member that operatively connects the back portion to the seat portion, the recline mechanism configured such that as the back portion of the chair is reclined, the lower deformable member deforms and the puller member applies a rearward pulling action which causes the seat portion to move and the front and rear deformable members to deform.

2. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pulling action causes the seat portion to lift and move rearwardly.

3. A chair as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pulling action causes the seat portion to increase in rearward tilt angle as it lifts and moves rearwardly.

4. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the puller member is also deformable.

5. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of the front deformable member, the rear deformable member, the puller member and the lower deformable member extend transversely to a forward direction of the chair.

6. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the puller member and the lower deformable member extend transversely to a forward direction of the chair.

7. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of the front deformable member, the rear deformable member, the puller member, and the lower deformable member is formed of an elastomeric material.

8. A chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein the elastomeric material is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer.

9. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front and rear deformable members are substantially planar in the relaxed state.

10. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more stops is provided to support the weight of the seated occupant on the seat portion via the supporting frame when the back portion is not being reclined.

11. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the deformable members form an integrally moulded structure.

12. A chair as claimed in claim 11, wherein front deformable member, rear deformable member, and lower deformable member form an integrally moulded structure.

13. A chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein the integrally moulded structure is overmoulded onto a main transom of the chair.

14. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat portion is supported by a seat support, and the seat portion is selectively moveable in a forward and rearward direction relative to the supporting frame.

15. A chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein the upper end of each of the forward and rearward deformable members is connected to the seat support.

16. A chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein a forward end of the puller member is operatively connected to the to the seat portion or to the seat support, to provide the operative connection of the back portion to the seat portion.

17. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recline mechanism comprises an intermediate support and the seat is operatively supported above the intermediate support by at least one resilient member configured to deform as an occupant sits on the seat, and the upper end of each of the forward and rearward deformable members is connected to the intermediate support.

18. A chair as claimed in claim 17, wherein a forward end of the puller member is operatively connected to the seat portion, or to the intermediate support, or upper part of the rearward deformable member, to provide the operative connection of the back portion to the seat portion.

19. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recline mechanism comprises two spaced apart front deformable members, positioned at or toward respective sides of the seat portion.

20. A chair as claimed in claim 19, wherein the recline mechanism comprises two spaced apart rear deformable members, positioned at or toward respective sides of the seat portion.

21. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recline mechanism comprises a preference control to adjust the mechanical advantage of the back portion to move a user'"'"'s weight on the seat portion.

22. A chair as claimed in claim 21, wherein the puller is connected to the preference control.

23. A chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front deformable member(s) and the rear deformable member(s) are configured to deform into a generally sinuous shape as the back portion of the chair is reclined.