U.S. patent application number 09/772372 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-27 for chair, in particular office chair.
Invention is credited to Heidt, Nikolaus.
Application Number | 20010024057 09/772372 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41822404 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010024057 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heidt, Nikolaus |
September 27, 2001 |
Chair, in particular office chair
Abstract
A chair has a frame, a seat plate which is mountable on a frame
and is inclinable by a weight displacement, the seat plate has a
front half which is turnably connected with the frame, and a
location which is arranged further to the back and is connectable
in articulated manner with the frame, a lever articulately
connecting the location of the seat plate with the frame, at least
one leg spring mounted under the seat plate on the frame and
applying a return force to the seat plate, and an abutment on which
the seat plate, depending on a body weight of a stool user, is
adjustable.
Inventors: |
Heidt, Nikolaus; (Lich,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STRIKER, STRIKER & STENBY
103 East Neck Road
Huntington
NY
11743
US
|
Family ID: |
41822404 |
Appl. No.: |
09/772372 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/300.4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C 1/03274 20180801;
A47C 1/03294 20130101; A47C 1/03272 20130101; A47C 1/03255
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/300.4 |
International
Class: |
A47C 001/032 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 21, 1999 |
DE |
199 50 923.9 |
Claims
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters
Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
1. A chair, comprising a frame; a seat plate which is mountable on
a frame and is inclinable by a weight displacement, said seat plate
having a front half which is turnably connected with said frame,
and a location which is arranged further to the back and is
connectable in articulated manner with said frame; a lever
articulately connecting said location of said seat plate with said
frame; at least one leg spring mounted under said seat plate on
said frame and applying a return force to said seat plate; and an
abutment on which said seat plate, depending on a body weight of a
stool user, is adjustable.
2. A chair as defined in claim 1, wherein said abutment is
displaceable and formed as a displaceable rod located between said
seat plate and a front leg of said helical spring.
3. A chair as defined in claim 2, wherein said displaceable rod
extends outwardly beyond said seat plate at least at one side.
4. A chair as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a back
which is inclinable simultaneously with inclining of said seat
plate so that an inclination of said back is greater than an
inclination of said seat plate.
5. A chair as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a shackle
which is turnably arranged on seat plate and connects said front
half of said seat plate with said frame.
6. A chair as defined in claim 1; and further comprising a turning
axle which is fixed on said frame, said seat plate being turnable
in a front region on said turning axle; and a connection provided
between said seat plate and said frame further behind and
displaceable in a longitudinal direction of the chair.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a chair, in particular an
office chair, with a seat plate which is mounted on a frame and can
be inclined by a weight displacement.
[0002] The seat plate of such chairs can be inclined downwardly by
a chair user, by leaning against the back with its body weight
against the spring force in the rear region. The spring force can
be adjusted individually in correspondence with the body weight of
the chair user, so that a lighter chair user as well as a heavier
chair user can incline downwardly the seat surface exclusively by
its body weight, without pressing additionally for example from a
table edge or the like. On the other hand, a chair user can adjust
the return force of the spring so that the seat surface is inclined
downwardly relative to the back by a stronger leaning. The
adjustment of the return force was performed by a rotary knob
mounted under a seat surface.
[0003] When for example a lighter person is seated on the chair and
subsequently a heavier person sits on the chair the return force
can be adjusted in accordance with their desires. For this purpose,
they must turn the adjusting knob relatively frequently until the
desired return force is adjusted. This relatively frequent turning
of the adjusting knob is considered by chair users as very
uncomfortable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a chair of the above mentioned general type which avoids
the disadvantages of the prior art. More particularly, it is an
object of the present invention to provide a chair of the above
mentioned general type in which the adjustment of the return force
of the spring is comfortable.
[0005] In keeping with these objects and with others which will
become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention
resides, briefly stated, in a chair of the above mentioned general
type, in which the seat plate is connected with the frame turnably
in its front half, and at a location of the seat plate which is
located further to the back is connected with the hinge
articulately through at least one lever. Also, at least one leg
spring is mounted under the seat plate on the frame and applies a
return force to the seat plate, and an abutment of the at least one
leg spring is adjustable on the seat plate, depending on the body
weight of the chair user. The adjustment of the abutment of the leg
spring can be performed fast and conveniently without applying any
force.
[0006] The adjustable abutment can be formed as a rod which is
displaceable parallel to the seat plate and arranged between the
seat plate and the front leg of the leg spring. In this case, the
chair user can adjust the return force of the leg spring as he
desires very simply and conveniently, by displacement of the rod
along the chair.
[0007] The adjustment of the return spring is especially
comfortable, when the displacable rod extends at least at one side
laterally beyond the seat plate, in accordance with another feature
of the present invention.
[0008] For increasing the seating comfort, the inclination of the
back can be adjustable in a known manner simultaneously with the
inclination of the seat plate. The back can be inclined more than
the seat plate, which is more favorable from the ergonomic point of
view.
[0009] An excessive lifting of the front edge of the seat plate
during lowering of the rear seat plate region can lead to an
undesirable pressure on the legs of the chair user. In order to
avoid this, the inclination mechanics of the seat plate can be
designed so that the seat plate in its front half is connected with
a frame through at least one shackle which is turnably arranged on
the seat plate. Then the whole seat plate during inclination is
somewhat moved rearwardly. Alternatively to this, the seat plate
can be turnable however in its front region around the turning axle
which is fixed on the frame, and the connection between the seat
plate and the frame which is located further behind in the
longitudinal direction of the chair can be displaceable.
[0010] The novel features which are considered as characteristic
for the present invention are set forth in particular in the
appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its
construction and its method of operation, together with additional
objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the
following description of specific embodiments when read in
connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seat plate and a frame of a chair
in accordance with the present invention; and
[0012] FIG. 2 is a view of a rear region of the downwardly inclined
seat plate in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a seat plate 10 which is mounted on a frame 11
of a chair in accordance with the present invention. The seat plate
10 is downwardly inclinable in its rear region as shown in FIG. 2.
In the front half, the seat plate 10 is connected with a frame 11
through a shackle 12 which is turnably arranged on the seat plate
10. At a location which is further behind, the seat plate 10 is
connected articulately with the frame 11 through a lever 13.
[0014] A leg spring 14 is mounted under the seat plate 10 on the
frame 11. The leg spring 14 applies a return force with its legs 19
and 20, to the seat plate 10 and presses thereby the seat plate 10
which is inclined downwardly in the rear region, during unloading
again upwardly to the initial position. The leg spring 10 obtains
its pretensioning, since the abutments 15 and 16 arranged on the
seat plate press against its legs 19 and 20. The abutment 16 can be
displaced along an elongated hole 17. With the displacement of the
abutment 16 in the elongated hole 17, the pretensioning of the leg
spring 14 can be individually adjusted. Thereby the return force of
the spring 16 can be varied, depending on the body weight of the
chair user. The abutment 16 in the initial position of the seat
plate 10 shown in FIG. 1 has no contact with the leg 19 of the
spring 14, which abuts against the frame 11. During inclination of
the seat plate 10 shown in FIG. 2, the abutment 16 comes in contact
with the leg 19. The leg 20, to the contrary, in all positions of
the seat plate 10 abuts against it.
[0015] The abutment 16 in the shown example is formed as a rod
which extends laterally beyond the seat plate 1. The back of the
not shown chair can be mounted on the extension 18 of the lever 13.
During inclination of the seat plate 10 shown in FIG. 2, the not
shown back or the extension 18 are inclined simultaneously with the
seat plate 10. However, the back or the extension 18 are inclined
more than the seat plate 10. This is favorable ergonomically for
the chair user.
[0016] It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application
in other types of constructions differing from the types described
above.
[0017] While the invention has been illustrated and described as
embodied in chair, in particular office chair, it is not intended
to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and
structural changes may be made without departing in any way from
the spirit of the present invention.
[0018] Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal
the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying
current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications
without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art,
fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or
specific aspects of this invention.
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