Chair

• US 9,578,968 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Okamura Corporation
• Original Assignee: Okamura Corporation
• Inventors: Masunaga, Hiroshi, Igarashi, Ryo, Izawa, Syouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US14/436,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/40 for the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/44 with elastically-mounted back-rest or backrest-seat unit in the base frame
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/462 adjustable by mechanical means

Abstract

A chair includes: a leg body; a backrest supporting body supported by the leg body; a backrest rear supporting member supported by the backrest supporting body; and a backrest that is supported by the backrest rear supporting member and supports the back of a user. The backrest has: a flexible upholstering material configured to receive the back of the user and is displaceable depending on the back; and a pair of vertical frame sections that are mounted on the upholstering material, have lower ends connected to the back rest rear section support section, and are separated in a width direction in which twisting deformation is allowed depending on a force applied from the upholstering material.

Claims

1. A chair comprising:

a leg body;

a backrest supporting body supported by the leg body;

a backrest rear supporting member supported by the backrest supporting body; and

a backrest supported by the backrest rear supporting member and configured to support a back of a user,

wherein the backrest has;

a flexible upholstering material configured to receive the back of the user and deform along the back of the user; and

a pair of vertical frame sections that are mounted on the upholstering material, have lower ends connected to the back rest rear supporting member, and are separated in a width direction and twistingly deform depending on a load applied from the back of the user;

wherein,

the backrest rear supporting member has;

a lower connection section that is connected to the backrest supporting body;

a deformable section that extends upward from the lower connection section and enables elastic deformation according to a load applied from the back of the user to the backrest, a horizontal cross section of the deformable section having a laterally-facing U-shape with a concave front surface and a convex rear surface; and

on the concave front surface of the deformable section, at least one transverse rib that protrudes forward and extends in an approximately horizontal direction, and at least one longitudinal rib that protrudes forward and extends in an approximately vertical direction.

2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the backrest rear supporting member has a pair of connection segments that are mutually separated outward from the middle in the width direction toward an upper side from a lower side, have upper ends connected to the pair of vertical frame sections, and enable displacement along with twist of the vertical frame sections.

3. The chair according to claim 1 wherein the pair of vertical frame sections each have a lower material that is inclined relative to the horizontal toward an upper side of the vertical frame sections, and an upper material that is connected to the lower material and enables twisting deformation responsive to a force applied from the back of the user.

4. The chair according claim 1 wherein the vertical frame sections are curved and have a forwardly convex shape.

5. The chair according to claim 1, wherein:

the backrest has an upper frame section on which the upholstering material is mounted and which is connected with the backrest rear supporting member; and

the pair of vertical frame sections, which are connected to both ends of the upper frame section in the width direction and on which the upholstering material is mounted, elastically deform as a function of force applied from the upholstering material.

6. The chair according to claim 5, wherein the vertical frame sections each have a lower material and an upper material that is connected to an upper end of the lower material and enables elastic deformation with the force applied from the upholstering material.

7. The chair according to claim 6, wherein the lower material is formed to be gradually inclined forward toward an upper side of the vertical frame sections.

8. The chair according to claim 5 wherein the vertical frame sections are curved and have a forwardly convex shape.

9. The chair according claim 5 wherein the backrest rear supporting member is curved and has a forwardly convex shape.

10. The chair according to claim 5 wherein the backrest rear supporting member has upper connection sections that are disposed to be gradually widened outside in the width direction toward the upper side and support both ends of the upper frame section in the width direction.

11. The chair according to claim 5, wherein the backrest rear supporting member and the vertical frame section are integrally formed in an annular shape when viewed from the side.

12. The chair according to claim 10, wherein:

the upper connection sections are formed in a V shape so as to be separated from each other toward the upper side from an upper end of the deformable section and are configured as a pair of connection segments having upper ends connected to the vertical frame section;

the lower connection section, the deformable section, one of the pair of connection segments, and one of the pair of vertical frame sections constitute a first annular section having an annular shape when viewed from the side;

the lower connection section, the deformable section, the other of the pair of connection segments, and the other of the pair of vertical frame sections constitute a second annular section having an annular shape when viewed from the side; and

the first annular section and the second annular section are connected by the lower connection section and the deformable section and are integrally formed.

13. The chair according to claim 12, wherein the backrest rear supporting member has:

the lower connection section that is connected to the backrest supporting body;

the deformable section that extends upward from the lower connection section and enables elastic deformation according to a load applied from the back of the user to the backrest; and

an upper connection section that extends upward from an upper end of the deformable section and is connected with the backrest at an upper end thereof.

14. The chair according to claim 13, wherein the upper connection section is formed to be gradually inclined forward toward an upper side.

15. The chair according to claim 13 wherein the upper connection section has a pair of connection segments that are connected with the deformable section at lower ends thereof, are formed in a V shape so as to be separated from each other toward the upper side, and have upper ends connected to the backrest.

16. The chair according to claim 13 wherein the backrest has:

a lower material whose lower end is connected to the lower connection section and which is formed to be gradually inclined forward toward the upper side; and

an upper material that is connected to the upper connection section at an upper end thereof.

17. The chair according to claim 16, wherein the backrest has the flexible upholstering material whose lower portion is connected to the lower material, whose upper portion is connected to the upper material, which receives the back of the user, and which enables deformation depending on the back.