SEATING ARRANGEMENT

• US 20180027973A1
• Filed: 10/06/2017
• Published: 02/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Ludwig, James N., Deevers, Nickolaus William Charles, Heidmann, Kurt R., Johnson, William Thomas, Smith, Bruce M., Spoelhof, Mark William
• Granted Patent: US 10,194,750 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/18 Chairs or stools with rotatable seat adjustable in height by rotation A47C3/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/20 Chairs or stools with vertically-adjustable seats tables with variable height A47B9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 5/12 of plastics, with or without reinforcement
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/16 Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/445 with bar or leaf springs

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a seat arrangement that includes first, second, third and fourth link members coupled to one another, a back arrangement movable between an upright position and a reclined position and coupled to the seat arrangement such that the first link member moves between forward and rearward positions as the back arrangement is moved between the upright and reclined positions, and a stop arrangement including a stop link coupled to at least one of the first link member, the third link and the fourth link member such that the stop link moves with the associated link member as the back assembly moves between the upright and reclined positions, wherein travel of the stop link is limited with respect to the second link member thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement toward the reclined position.

Claims

1. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a seat arrangement, comprising;

a substantially horizontally-extending first link member configured to support a seated user thereon, the first link member having a first end and second end;

a second link member at least partially spaced from the first link member, the second link member having a first end and a second end;

a third link member operably coupled to the first end of the first link member and the first end of the second link member;

a fourth link member operably coupled to the second end of the first link member and the second end of the second link member, such that the first link member, the second link member, the third link member and the fourth link member cooperate to form a linkage arrangement;

a back arrangement extending substantially upward from the first link member and movable between an upright position and a reclined position, the back arrangement operably coupled to the seat arrangement such that the first link member moves between a forward position and a rearward position as the back arrangement is moved between the upright position and the reclined position; and

a stop arrangement including a stop link having a first end and a second end, the first end operably coupled to at least one of the first link member, the third link and the fourth link member such that the first end of the stop link moves with the at least one of the first link member, the third link member and the fourth link member as the back assembly moves between the upright position and the reclined position, wherein a travel of the second end is limited with respect to the second link member thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement toward the reclined position, and wherein the stop arrangement further includes an elastically deformable stop member that is configured to limit a forward movement of the back arrangement toward the upright position.

2. The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable stop member includes a bushing member.

3. The seating arrangement of claim 2, wherein the bushing member includes an aperture that slidably receives the stop link therein.

4. The seating arrangement of claim 3, wherein the first end of the stop link is fixed with respect to the fourth link member.

5. The seating arrangement of claim 4, further including:

a support member fixed with respect to the fourth link member and configured to remain substantially stationary with respect to a ground surface as the back assembly is moved between the upright position and the reclined position, wherein the second end of the stop link abuts the support member to limit the rearward movement of the back assembly toward the reclined position.

6. The seating arrangement of claim 5, wherein the bushing member abuts the fourth link member and the support member to limit the movement of the back assembly as the back assembly is moved from the reclined position to the upright position.

7. The seating arrangement of claim 6, further comprising:

an arm support assembly that includes an armrest surface configured to support an arm of a seated user, the arm support assembly coupled to and supported by the support member such that the armrest surface remains substantially stationary with respect to a ground surface as the back assembly is moved between the upright position and the reclined position.

8. The seating arrangement of claim 7, wherein the first link member, the second link member, the third link member and the fourth link member cooperate to form an interior space, and wherein the support member is located at least partially within the interior space.

9. The seating arrangement of claim 1, wherein the stop arrangement is at least partially visible from an exterior of the seat assembly.

10. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a seat arrangement, comprising;

a substantially horizontally-extending first link member configured to support a seated user thereon, the first link member having a first end and second end;

a second link member at least partially spaced from the first link member, the second link member having a first end and a second end;

a third link member operably coupled to the first end of the first link member and the first end of the second link member; and

a fourth link member operably coupled to the second end of the first link member and the second end of the second link member, such that the first link member, the second link member, the third link member and the fourth link member cooperate to form a linkage arrangement having an interior space;

a back arrangement extending substantially upward from the first link member and movable between an upright position and a reclined position, the back arrangement operably coupled to the seat assembly such that the first link member moves between a forward position and a rearward position as the back arrangement is moved between the upright position and the reclined position; and

a stop arrangement positioned at least partially within the interior space of the linkage arrangement and including a stop member, and a first stop surface and a second stop surface each fixed with respect to at least one of the first link member, the third link member and the fourth link member, wherein the stop member is configured to abut the first stop surface thereby limiting a rearward movement of the back arrangement as the back arrangement is moved from the upright position toward the reclined position, and wherein the stop member is configured to abut the second stop surface thereby limiting a forward movement of the back arrangement as the back arrangement is moved from the reclined position toward the upright position.

11. The seating arrangement of claim 10, wherein the first stop surface and the second stop surface are each fixed with respect to the first link member.

12. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein the first stop surface is substantially perpendicular to the first link member.

13. The seating arrangement of claim 12, wherein the second stop surface is substantially parallel with the first link member.

14. The seating arrangement of claim 11, wherein at least one of the first stop surface and the second stop surface is elastically deformable.

15. The seating arrangement of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the stop arrangement is at least partially visible from an exterior of the seating arrangement.

16. The seating arrangement of claim 10, wherein the third link member is fixedly secured to the first link member and the second link member.

17. A seating arrangement, comprising:

a flexibly resilient shell member supported by a support assembly and having a horizontally-extending lower portion, an upper portion extending upwardly from the lower portion, and a transition portion located between the lower portion and the upper portion, the upper portion movable between an upright position and a reclined position;

at least one biasing member coupled to the lower portion of the shell member and the upper portion of the shell member and biasing the upper portion of the shell member from the reclined position to the upright position; and

a first stop member that is fixed with respect to the lower portion of the shell member, and wherein the at least one biasing member includes a second stop member that abuts the first stop member when the upper portion of the shell member is in the reclined position.

18. The seating arrangement of claim 17, wherein the at least one biasing member includes a flexibly resilient member attached to the lower portion and the upper portion.

19. The seating arrangement of claim 18, wherein the at least one biasing member comprises an L-shape.

20. The seating arrangement of claim 19, wherein the at least one biasing member comprises a pair of biasing members.

21. The seating arrangement of claim 20, wherein the first stop member comprises a plate attached to the lower portion of the shell member.

22. The seating arrangement of claim 17, wherein the at least one biasing member comprises an L-shape.

23. The seating arrangement of claim 17, wherein the at least one biasing member comprises a pair of biasing members.

24. The seating arrangement of claim 17, wherein the first stop member comprises a plate attached to the lower portion of the shell member.