Chair with tilt lock mechanism

• US 20050140194A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Inventors: Machael, Jay R., Hahn, Jesse J., Popham, Randy L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/313
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03205 having adjustable and lockable inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03216 by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs

Abstract

A tiltable chair is provided with a tilt lock mechanism that can be activated when the chair is at any tilt position, the tilt lock mechanism engaging and locking the chair when the chair moves into the upright, neutral position.

Claims

1. A chair comprising

a seat frame,

a central support member that fixedly supports said seat frame,

a seat assembly tiltably mounted to said seat frame,

a lock member operatively connected to said seat assembly and in sliding engagement with said seat frame,

a lock engagement member operatively secured to said seat frame and in operative relation to said lock member, and

operating means for operating said lock engagement member between an unlocked condition and a locked condition, whereby when said lock engagement member is in an unlocked condition, said seat assembly can move through its range of tilting motion while said lock member slides with respect to said seat frame, and when said lock engagement member is in the locked condition, it engages said lock member such that said lock member does not slide with respect to said seat frame, said seat assembly thereby being restrained from tilting.

2. The chair of claim 1 wherein said lock member comprises an aperture and said lock engagement member is operated between the locked and unlocked condition by moving through said aperture.

3. The chair of claim 2 wherein said aperture comprises a main channel and an associated channel, such that said lock engagement member is disposed through said main channel in the unlocked condition, and said lock engagement member engages said associated channel in the locked condition.

4. The chair of claim 3 wherein said lock engagement member comprises a thinner portion and a thicker portion and said thicker portion engages said associated channel when in the locked condition.

5. The chair of claim 1 wherein said operating means comprises an operating lever movable between a lock position and an unlock position, and a means for connecting said operating lever and said lock engagement member.

6. The chair of claim 5 wherein said connecting means is a biasing means that biases said lock engagement member toward its unlocked position when said operating member is in its unlock position, and biases said lock engagement member toward its locked position when said operating lever is in the lock position.

7. The chair of claim 6 wherein said biasing means is a spring wire.

8. The chair of claim 6 wherein said operating lever is pivotably mounted to said seat frame.

9. The chair of claim 8 wherein said operating lever comprises two indentations and said seat frame comprises a boss in operative relation to said indentations, such that said boss engages one of said indentations when said operating lever is in the unlock position, and said boss engages the other of said indentations when said operating lever is in the unlock position.

10. The chair of claim 9 wherein said lock member comprises an upper portion and a lower portion in sliding engagement with one another.

11. The chair of claim 1 further comprising a second lock member operatively connected to said seat assembly and in sliding engagement with said seat frame, said lock engagement member further being in operative relation to said second lock member.

12. The chair of claim 1 wherein said chair is a synchro-tilt chair.

13. The chair of claim 6 wherein said operating means is movable to assert a biasing force through said biasing means to urge said lock engagement member toward said lock member at any tilt position of said seat assembly, said biasing force causing said lock engagement member to move into locking engagement with said lock member when said seat assembly is moved through its range of tilting motion to an untilted position.

14. A synchro-tilt chair comprising a tilt lock means, said tilt lock means being capable of being activated at any tilt angle of said chair so as to become engaged and lock said chair when said chair is in the upright, neutral position.

15. The synchro-tilt chair of claim 14 wherein said tilt lock means comprises a lock member, a lock engagement member, and an operating means, said operating means being operable to provide a biasing force to said lock engagement member such that said lock engagement member is biased into locking engagement with said lock member when said chair is in the upright, neutral position.

16. The synchro-tilt chair of claim 15 comprising a tiltable seat assembly and a fixedly mounted seat frame, said lock member being attached to said seat assembly and in operative relation to said seat frame, said lock engagement member being movably secured to said seat frame to be able to move into locking engagement with said lock member.

17. The synchro-tilt chair of claim 16 wherein said lock member comprises an aperture and said lock engagement member moves reciprocally through said aperture between locked and unlocked positions.

18. The synchro-tilt chair of claim 15 further comprising a second lock member in operative relation to said lock engaging member.