Student desk chair with rockers rails

• US 7,147,284 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virco Manufacturing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Virco Mgmt. Corporation
• Inventors: Mills, Robert J., Glass, Peter, Fletcher, Scott L.
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/866,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 297/270.1, 297/270.5, 297/271.5, 297/271.6, 297/258.1, 297/259.2, 297/261.1, 297/272.1, 297/272.2
• US Class Current: 297/271.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/029 with curved rocking members resting on the floor

Abstract

A rocking chair particularly suitable for use as a student desk chair as a seating surface, a back rest and a pair of generally parallel rocking rails. Preferably, the rocking chair has a relatively small footprint and has a relatively limited range of rocking motion. In one preferred, but not required embodiment, the pair of generally parallel rocking rails are both reverse cantilevered rocker rails.

Claims

1. A rocking chair comprising:

(a) a seating surface having a right side, a left side, a forward portion, and a rearward portion, the seating surface being adapted to support a user thereon;

(b) a backrest disposed above the seating surface;

(c) a forward flexing support carriage disposed below the seating surface and adapted to support the seating surface above a floor, the support carriage comprising;

(i) a left side rocker rail having a forward portion and a rearward portion;

(ii) an opposed right side rocker rail having a forward portion and a rearward portion;

(iii) a left side support extending downward from the rearward portion of the left side of the seating surface to the rearward portion of the left side rocker rail; and

(iv) a right side support extending downward from the rearward portion of the right side of the seating surface to the rearward portion of the right side rocker rail,

wherein both rocker rails are disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the seating surface, and wherein the seating surface is cantilevered by the left side support and the right side support of the support carriage, the support carriage providing forward flexure of the rocking chair and allowing the seating surface to tip forwardly.

2. The rocking chair of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the seating surface has a horizontal longitudinal axis, a forward edge which terminates at a vertical forward edge seating surface plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface, a left side edge which terminates at a vertical left side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface and a right side edge which terminates at a vertical fight side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface;

(b) the backrest has an upper edge which terminates at a vertical backrest plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface; and

(c) each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the forwardmost portion extending forwardly no more than about 3 inches beyond the forward edge seating surface plane, the rearwardmost portion extending rearwardly no more than about 1 inch inches beyond the backrest plane, the left side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the left side seating surface plane and the right side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the right side seating surface plane.

3. The rocking chair of claim 1 wherein each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least about 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature which is greater than 70 degrees.

4. The rocking chair of claim 1 wherein each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least about 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature between about 55 degrees and about 70 degrees.

5. The rocking chair of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the seating surface has a horizontal longitudinal axis, a forward edge which terminates at a vertical forward edge seating surface plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface, a left side edge which terminates at a vertical left side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface and a right side edge which terminates at a vertical right side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface;

(b) the backrest has an upper edge which terminates at a vertical backrest plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface; and

(c) each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the forwardmost portion extending forwardly no more than about 3 inches beyond the forward edge seating surface plane, the rearwardmost portion extending rearwardly no more than about 1 inch inches beyond the backrest plane, the left side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the left side seating surface plane and the right side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the right side seating surface plane, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature which is greater than 70 degrees.

6. The rocking chair of claim 1 wherein the rocker rails are made from 1-inch tubular steel.

7. A classroom desk and chair combination comprising:

(a) a student desk having (i) an elevated, generally horizontal work surface and (ii) an open space defined below the work surface; and

(b) the rocking chair defined in claim 1;

wherein the rocking chair is sized and dimensioned to allow the forward edge of the rocking chair to be positioned within the open space below the work surface; and

wherein the work surface is disposed at an elevation between about 10 inches and about 15 inches above the elevation of the seating surface of the rocking chair;

so that a student can comfortably sit within the rocking chair and work at the work surface.

8. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 7 wherein:

(a) the seating surface has a horizontal longitudinal axis, a forward edge which terminates at a vertical forward edge seating surface plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface, a left side edge which terminates at a vertical left side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface and a right side edge which terminates at a vertical fight side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface;

(b) the backrest has an upper edge which terminates at a vertical backrest plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface; and

(c) each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the forwardmost portion extending forwardly no more than about 3 inches beyond the forward edge seating surface plane, the rearwardmost portion extending rearwardly no more than about 1 inch inches beyond the backrest plane, the left side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the left side seating surface plane and the right side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the right side seating surface plane.

9. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 7 wherein each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least about 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature which is greater than 70 degrees.

10. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 7 wherein each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least about 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature between about 55 degrees and about 70 degrees.

11. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 7 wherein:

(a) the seating surface has a horizontal longitudinal axis, a forward edge which terminates at a vertical forward edge seating surface plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface, a left side edge which terminates at a vertical left side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface and a right side edge which terminates at a vertical fight side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface;

(b) the backrest has an upper edge which terminates at a vertical backrest plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface; and

(c) each rocker rail has a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the forwardmost portion extending forwardly no more than about 3 inches beyond the forward edge seating surface plane, the rearwardmost portion extending rearwardly no more than about 1 inch inches beyond the backrest plane, the left side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the left side seating surface plane and the right side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the right side seating surface plane, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having a radius of curvature which is greater than 70 degrees.

12. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 7 wherein the rocker rails are made from 1-inch tubular steel.

18. A classroom desk and chair combination comprising:

(a) a student desk having (i) an elevated, generally horizontal work surface and (ii) an open space defined below the work surface; and

(b) the rocking chair defined in claim 1;

wherein the rocking chair is sized and dimensioned to allow the forward edge of the rocking chair to be positioned within the open space below the work surface.

13. A rocking chair comprising:

(a) a seating surface having a horizontal longitudinal axis, a forward edge which terminates at a vertical forward edge seating surface plane disposed generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the seating surface, a left side edge which terminates at a vertical left side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface and a right side edge which terminates at a vertical right side seating surface plane disposed generally parallel with the longitudinal axis of the seating surface;

(b) a backrest disposed above the seating surface, the backrest having an upper edge which terminates at a vertical backrest plane disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface; and

(c) a forward flexing support carriage disposed below the seating surface and adapted to support the seating surface above a floor, the support carriage comprising;

(i) a left side rocker rail having a forward portion and a rearward portion;

(ii) an opposed right side rocker rail having a forward portion and a rearward portion;

(iii) a left side support extending downward from the rearward portion of the left side of the seating surface to the rearward portion of the left side rocker rail; and

(iv) a right side support extending downward from the rearward portion of the right side of the seating surface to the rearward portion of the right side rocker rail,

wherein both rocker rails are disposed below the seating surface and are adapted to support the seating surface at an elevation above a floor, the pair of rocker rails being generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the seating surface, each rocker rail having a forwardmost portion, a rearwardmost portion and a central portion, the forwardmost portion extending forwardly no more than about 3 inches beyond the forward edge seating surface plane, the rearwardmost portion extending rearwardly no more than about 1 inch inches beyond the backrest plane, the left side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the left side seating surface plane and the right side rocker rail extending laterally no more than about 1 inch beyond the right side seating surface plane, the central portions of both rocker rails being at least about 20 inches in length and having lower surfaces with identical curvatures, both curvatures having one or more degrees of curvature, none of which is great than about 70 degrees, wherein the seating surface is cantilevered by the left side support and the right side support of the support carriage, the support carriage providing forward flexure of the rocking chair and allowing the seating surface to tip forwardly.

14. The rocking chair of claim 13 wherein the left side rocker rail and the right side rocker rail are both cantilevered rocker rails.

15. The rocking chair of claim 13 wherein the rocker rails are made from 1-inch tubular steel.

16. A classroom desk and chair combination comprising:

(a) a student desk having (i) an elevated, generally horizontal work surface and (ii) an open space defined below the work surface; and

(b) the rocking chair defined in claim 13;

wherein the rocking chair is sized and dimensioned to allow the forward edge of the rocking chair to be positioned within the open space below the work surface; and

wherein the work surface is disposed at an elevation between about 10 inches and about 15 inches above the elevation of the seating surface of the rocking chair;

so that a student can comfortably sit within the rocking chair and work at the work surface.

17. The classroom desk and chair combination of claim 16 wherein the left side rocker rail and the right side rocker rail are both cantilevered rocker rails.