U.S. patent application number 09/299623 was filed with the patent office on 2001-08-16 for inclinable support for chair.
Invention is credited to DONATI, ARMANDO.
Application Number | 20010013569 09/299623 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11379898 |
Filed Date | 2001-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010013569 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
DONATI, ARMANDO |
August 16, 2001 |
INCLINABLE SUPPORT FOR CHAIR
Abstract
An inclinable support for chairs, oscillating or synchronized
armchairs and similar furniture has a device of regulation of the
suspension and of the seat inclination, by means of setting an
inclination spring (8), that comprises: at least one inclined
surface (14) between a fixed part (13) and a mobile part (10) in
contact with the extremity of the said spring; at least one wedge
(12) interposed between the fixed part and the mobile part with at
least one inclined surface (15) complementary to and matching the
inclined surface (14); and means for moving said wedge to cause
said fixed and mobile parts to separate or come together.
Inventors: |
DONATI, ARMANDO; (CAMIGNONE
(BS), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MILLEN, WHITE, ZELANO & BRANIGAN, P.C.
2200 CLARENDON BLVD.
SUITE 1400
ARLINGTON
VA
22201
US
|
Family ID: |
11379898 |
Appl. No.: |
09/299623 |
Filed: |
April 27, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/372.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 1/03294 20130101;
A47C 1/03272 20130101; A47C 1/03266 20130101; A47C 1/03255
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/372.1 |
International
Class: |
A47G 029/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 27, 1998 |
IT |
MI98A000894 |
Claims
1. An inclinable support for oscillating or synchronized chair,
having an oscillation spring (8) and a regulating device to
regulate the force necessary to incline said chair by setting of
said spring (8), characterized by said regulating device comprising
a fixed part in contact with the said support; a mobile part (10)
in contact with the extremity of the said spring (8); at least one
first surface (14, 15) inclined with respect to the axis of said
spring (8) located on said fixed part and/or on said mobile part;
at least one wedge (12) with at least one second complementary
inclined surface that matches said first inclined surface and a
screw (15) or analogous means of moving said wedge against said
first inclined surface.
2. A support according to claim 1, wherein said first and second
inclined surfaces are plane.
3. A support according to claim 2, wherein said fixed part (13) and
said mobile part (10) have inclined surfaces.
4. A support according to claim 3, comprising two opposed wedges
(12) each having at least one inclined surface (14) matched to said
fixed part (13) and/or to said mobile part (10), said wedges being
movable one towards the other.
5. A support according to the preceding claim, wherein said fixed
part (13) and said mobile part (10) have two inclined surfaces (14)
with angle of inclination mirror-image with respect to a common
straight reference line and wherein said wedges have two inclined
surfaces matching said fixed and mobile parts.
6. A support according to claim 1, further comprising a housing (2)
for said back, an oscillating arm (6) rigidly connected to said
center (2) and coupled with said oscillation spring (8); a slot
(18) located on said oscillating arm (6); a stop spacer (20) mobile
parallel to the direction of the axis of oscillation.
7. A support according to the previous claim, wherein said spacer
has a nose (19) fitting into said slot to engage said arm (6) in
two different positions.
8. A support according to claim 1, further comprising a column
adjustable in height (24) and a finger lever (23) for the
regulation in height of the said adjustable column (24), the said
spacer (20) being movable by a pivot (21) which controls the said
finger lever.
9. A support according to claim 1, comprising shaped-irons (31)
supporting the seat, provided with slots (34) and sliding on pivots
(32, 33) connected to a fork (1) and to said body (5), wherein one
(33) of the said slide pivots of the shaped-irons (31) of support
of the seat is axially mobile, commanded from the outside (M),
against the action of a spring, to allow the stop of the horizontal
slide of the said shaped-irons.
10. An oscillating or synchronized chair, characterized by
comprising a support according to an any of the previous claims.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to an inclinable support for
oscillating or synchronized chairs and armchairs, having a device
for regulating the suspension and the inclination.
[0003] In the following description the term chair also is intended
to designate armchairs, in particular office armchairs, and any
similar furniture. The term syncronized is applied to chairs and
armchairs in which the angle of oscillation of the back is
different from that of the seat; the term oscillating is applied to
chairs and armchairs in which seat and back tilt with the same
angle.
[0004] State of the art chairs and armchairs are known where the
seat and the back are linked, or syncronized in their movements,
and they can be inclined simultaneously to allow the user to
regulate the inclined position of the back and of the seat. There
is a device in the more advanced embodiments for setting the spring
resistance to inclination i.e. the force required by the user to
tilt the chair.
[0005] One type of known mechanism, using an externally controlled
screw, generally by means of a knob or wheel, located frontally
under the seat. The wheel moves the anchor point of the spring to
compress or release the same inside the support for the chair. To
resist the stresses of the imposed load, the screw has a
sufficiently large thread but this provides a not inconsiderable
pitch. The principal disadvantage of these embodiments is that the
rotation of the screw requires quite a lot of effort and since the
pitch is large it is not possible to make fine adjustments to the
screw settings. Another disadvantage arises by the known mechanisms
don't allow the inclination of the position of departure (zero
position) of the seat and of the back to be regulated in such a way
as to allow the user to achieve the sitting position most suitable
to his own physical requirements.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is a purpose of the present invention to resolve the
aforementioned problems, and to propose a support for a chair
equipped with a seat/back inclination adjustment device that allows
fine adjustment with reduced effort.
[0007] A further purpose of the present invention is to also allow
the user to regulate the starting position of the inclination.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Such purposes are achieved by the present invention which
relates to an oscillating support for inclinable chairs
characterized according to claim 1.
[0009] According to a preferential embodiment of the present
invention, the inclined surface(s) of the said regulating device
for setting the spring are flat.
[0010] According to another aspect of the invention, the setting
regulation device of the spring comprises two opposed wedges with
at least one inclined surface each, joined to the said fixed part
or to the said mobile part. Preferably, the two wedges present two
inclined surfaces each, joined to the fixed part and to the mobile
part respectively.
[0011] According to another embodiment of the invention, the
inclined surfaces present a mirror image angle of inclination about
a common reference line.
[0012] According to a further aspect of the invention, the support
further comprises a housing to which the back is fixed securely.
The inclination spring acts on the back through the said housing
directly or through an oscillating arm rigidly connected to the
said housing and the oscillating arm comprises a slot which can be
engaged by a spacer to set the zero position of the chair.
[0013] According to another aspect of the invention, the spacer is
endowed with a nose to engage the slot and with side prominences to
engage the oscillating arm in two positions.
[0014] The inclinable support for oscillating or syncronized chairs
according to the present invention presents the following
advantages: the regulation of the setting of the spring can be fine
adjusted due to the reducing effect of the wedge mechanism on the
rotation imparted to the setting screw of said mechanism.
[0015] The screw thread can be coarse pitched to support the stress
imposed by the spring and by use; at the same time, the reduction
(in mechanical effort) introduced by the inclined surfaces of the
wedge mechanism reduces the effort which must be applied manually
to the screw to effect the operation of regulation of the setting
of the spring.
[0016] Furthermore, the presence of the spacer acting on the
oscillating arm allows to have two starting positions (zero
positions) for the oscillation of the chair. The position with the
nose of said spacer in a slot of the oscillating arm results in an
advanced position of the back; the support of the said nose on the
side of the oscillating arm results in a more reclined position of
the back as the starting position for the oscillation of all the
chair.
[0017] The invention will now described in more detail by way of
illustration and not of limitation, making reference to the
attached drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the complete mechanism of the
chair, having a fine regulation of the setting of the spring and
the regulation of the starting point of the oscillation;
[0019] FIG. 2 is the II-II section of FIG. 1 with the wedge device
in the least-loaded position and the back advanced;
[0020] FIG. 3 is the II-II section of FIG. 1 with the wedge device
in the maximum-loaded position and the back slightly reclined.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the support for the chair comprises a
fork 1, equipped with base 2 of attachment to the back (not shown).
The fork oscillates on the transversal pivot 3 by means of the
rotation supports 4 with which the body 5 of the support is
provided.
[0022] An arm 6 oscillating within the body 5 is rigidly connected
to pivot 3, and carries a reaction pivot 7, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,
for spring 8 that regulates the effort necessary for the
inclination of the chair. There is also provided a stop pivot 9 on
arm 6, located on the part most distant from the axis of rotation
of arm 6. Pivot 9 has the function of engaging rack 28 (FIG. 1),
commanded from the outside by means of lever 29 and rod 30 to stop
the chair in the desired inclined position.
[0023] FIG. 2 also shows a bush 35 joined to reaction pivot 7 and
acting as a housing for the mobile extremity 36 of spring 8. The
spring 8 is joined at the other extremity to the regulation device
by means of the spring adjuster according to the present
invention.
[0024] Such device has a fixed part 13 rigidly connected with body
5 and a mobile part 10 on which an extremity of spring 8 is
coupled.
[0025] According to the invention the fixed part or the mobile, or
both parts, has a surface 14 inclined with respect to the axis of
spring 8 (which coincides with the right portion of the II-II
section line outlined in FIG. 1). Between the fixed part 13 and
mobile part 10 is arranged at least one wedge 12 also having an
inclined complementary surface matching the surface of the fixed
and/or mobile part. The wedge or wedges are mobile along an axis
that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of spring 8. Due to
the surface 14 the movement of wedges 12 is converted to the
movement of mobile part 10 along the axis of spring 8.
[0026] In the preferred embodiment shown, there are two flat
inclined surfaces 14 both on fixed part 13 and on mobile part 10
and there are two wedges 12, each with two flat inclined surfaces
14. Wedges 12 are slidable on inclined and converging surfaces 14
of fixed part 13 and mobile part 10 under the action of screw 15,
which is operated from the outside via the knob 16 and rotating rod
17. Preferably, the inclined surfaces provide a mirror-image angle
of inclination with respect to a common reference line.
[0027] The angle a of inclination of the surfaces (FIG. 1) is
between 85 and 65 degrees and is preferably around 80 degrees.
[0028] The device according to the invention comprises means also
to regulate the so-called "zero position," or starting position, of
the inclination. To such end the oscillating arm 6 is engaged by
means of the slot 18 with the nose 19 of a spacer 20. The nose 19
has a side prominence 25 and is transversely mobile on pivot 21,
operated from the outside by means of lever 22. At its rear, the
spacer is in contact with shelf 26 of the boss 27 attached to the
chair support column 24.
[0029] When nose 19 is inserted into slot 18, the spacer 20 is in
contact with arm 6 by means of side prominence 25 that abuts the
arm beside the said slot. When the nose is not lodged in the slot
the nose abuts arm 6.
[0030] By means of pivot 21, lever 22 also commands the finger
lever 23 driving the damper, adjustable in height, located in the
chair support column 24.
[0031] The support mechanism for chair presents, finally, L-shaped
irons 31 for fixing the seat (not shown). Irons 31 are coupled in
an oscillating way via pivots 32 and 33 to fork 1 and to body 5;
pivot 33 is controlled from the outside via knob M. The L-shaped
irons have slots 34 to allow the horizontal shift of the seat with
respect to the back.
[0032] The support according to the invention operates as follows:
the user, acting on knob 16 and, therefore, on screw 15 brings
together or separates wedges 12 of the mechanism; the position of
reaction of spring 8 is thus consequently modified, changing the
elastic characteristics and therefore the setting. More
particularly, in the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the
wedges 12 are at their maximum distance and spring 8 is in its
widest configuration (i.e. set for the least effort of
oscillation). Rotating knob 16 and screw 17 two wedges 12 are drawn
together and simultaneously mobile part 10 is moved away from fixed
part 13, compressing spring 8 as shown in FIG. 3. In this
configuration spring 8 is set for a greater oscillation force.
[0033] The rotation action of the user is mediated by the inclined
surfaces 14 of the wedges and of the fixed part 10 and mobile part
13 of the mechanism: this action is smoother, both in terms of the
direct effort on the part of the user and in the search for a
position more suited to his requirements.
[0034] The angle .alpha. of the inclination of the surfaces can
reach 85 degrees giving a strong amplification effect of the
fineness of regulation and smootness of actuation.
[0035] The regulation of the starting position of the oscillation
is achieved by shifting spacer 20 transversely to the support for
the oscillating chair upon pressure on pivot 21 through the lever
22.
[0036] The spacer has two positions: the first, corresponding to
FIGS. 1 and 2, where the nose 19 is housed in the slot 18 in
oscillating arm 6, and a second position, visible in FIG. 3, where
nose 19 leans externally against said arm 6, after a translation of
pivot 21 toward lever 22.
[0037] The second position is attainable after the user has
inclined the chair so as to allow the disengagement of nose 19 from
slot 18 and permit the translation of pivot 21.
[0038] The forces exerted by the oscillating arm to the body are
not transmitted via pivot 21, but are transferred directly by
spacer 20 to shelf 26 and onto rib 11.
[0039] The horizontal regulation of the seat position is achieved
by operating knob M which controls the spring loaded disengagement
pivot 33 and the L-shaped irons can then run with their slots 34 on
the pivots 32 and 33 of fork 1 and body 5. When the desired
position is reached the user releases the knob that blocks, under
the action of the spring wound on pivot 33, the sliding of said
L-shaped irons and therefore of the seat with respect to the
back.
[0040] The inclined surfaces 14, other than flat as shown in the
Figures, could be achieved by constant curvature, cylindrical, or
varying, elliptical or with other types of curve, for determine a
variation in behavior on the basis of the position of the
interposed wedges, with the object of compensating the increase of
the elastic reaction of the spring during compression.
* * * * *