Resilient Support Includes Armrest Patents (Class 297/286)
  • Patent number: 8926016
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a backrest member having an upper edge, opposite side edges and a lower edge. The backrest member has a forwardly facing convex shape formed along a vertical centerline thereof between the upper and lower edges. The lower edge has a forwardly facing concave shape. The lower edge has outer portions positioned forwardly of an entirety of the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Yves Behar, Bret Recor, Naoya Edahiro, Qin Li, Andrew J. Kurrasch, Christoher C. Hill, John Matthai, Brock Walker
  • Patent number: 8449037
    Abstract: A seating structure includes a backrest member having an upper edge, opposite side edges and a lower edge. The backrest member has a forwardly facing convex shape formed along a vertical centerline thereof between the upper and lower edges. The lower edge has a forwardly facing concave shape. The lower edge has outer portions positioned forwardly of an entirety of the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Yves Behar, Bret Recor, Naoya Edahiro, Qin Li, Andrew J. Kurrasch, Christopher C. Hill, John Matthai, Brock Walker
  • Patent number: 7896439
    Abstract: A chair has a seat 1 and a backrest 2 and the backrest 2 is allowed to be tilted backward by elastic deformation of right and left back frame devices 4. The right and left back frame devices 4 each are composed of two unit frames 43 and 44. The back frame device 4 has a main portion 4a which are disposed outside the right and left sides of the seat 1, upper inward portions 43a and 44a which are connected to an upper rear end of the main portion 4a, lower inward portions 43b and 44b which go under the seat 1 from a lower end portion of the main portion 4a, and forward end portions 43c and 44c which are integrally connected to the lower inward portions 43b and 44b. The forward end portions 43c and 44c are fixed to the base 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Itoki Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Kan, Eric Chan
  • Patent number: 7568763
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base with a control housing, a back supported on the base for reclining movement, and a seat supported at least partially by a pivoting link on the base for synchronous movement with the back upon recline of the back. A back stop is operably mounted on a pair of parallel guide rods that extend transversely across the control housing for selective movement to a plurality of different positions where the back stop engages the link to limit movement of the seat and hence limit recline of the back to a plurality of selectable recline positions corresponding to the plurality of different positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Adam C. Bedford, David A. Bodnar, Gary Lee Karsten, Robert J. Battey, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gordon J. Peterson
  • Publication number: 20090127905
    Abstract: A tiltable chair including a base, a fulcrum member having a curved support surface, a back support pivotally connected to the base at a pivot axis and pivotable between at least an upright position and a rearward tilt position, and at least one leaf spring having first and second ends, with the first end being restrained by the base. The at least one leaf spring engages the curved support surface of the fulcrum member at a first contact point when the back support is in the upright position and at a second contact point when the back support is in the rearward tilt position, wherein the second contact point is positioned rearwardly on the at least one leaf spring relative to the first contact point. A link member is pivotally connected to the back support at a first pivot location and is pivotally connected to the at least one leaf spring at a second pivot location. The link member defines a vector between the first and second pivot locations and the first pivot location and the pivot axis define a plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Nicolai Neubert, Carola E.M. Zwick, Roland R.O. Zwick
  • Patent number: 7384100
    Abstract: A flexible chair that includes a seat member with seat bottom and back rest portions, first and second pairs of legs, and a plurality of cross members. The pair of first legs are pivotly connected to rearward positions of the seat bottom portion and extend downwardly and forwardly from the seat bottom portion. The pair of second legs are pivotly connected to forward positions of the seat bottom portion and extend downwardly and rearwardly from the seat bottom portion, such that the first legs cross the second legs. The plurality of cross members connect the first and second legs together such that the seat member is rearwardly reclinable against a resilient force provided by at least one of the first pair of legs, the second pair of legs and the plurality of cross members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Inventors: Charles O. Perry, Marco C. Perry
  • Patent number: 7188900
    Abstract: A chair having an arm, a backrest and a flexible backrest support that is rigidly attached to the arm and the backrest. The flexible backrest support includes a spring located between rigid end portions that are mounted to the chair arm and backrest. The flexible backrest support allows the backrest to pivot while the arm remains stationary. Optionally, a supplemental backrest support may be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: William B Raftery
  • Patent number: 6880886
    Abstract: A seating unit includes a base, a seat, a back, and a control operably supporting the seat and the back on the base for movement between upright and recline positions. The control includes a spring providing a biasing supporting force to the back during recline, and further includes a booster mechanism capable of increasing the supporting force, and still further includes a selector device for activating and deactivating the booster mechanism. The selector device is easily moveable with a low effort that is separated from and independent from any friction generated by internal components of the booster mechanism. In a narrower aspect, the control is powered, such as by an electrical or electromechanical device from a remote location. A back stop is attached to the selector device, for movement between a disengaged position, a partial-recline position, and a recline-prevented position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Steelcase Development Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Bodnar, Adam C. Bedford, Kurt R. Heidmann, Gary L. Karsten
  • Patent number: 6820936
    Abstract: An office-type chair which provides for synchronous differential tilting of the seat and back assemblies, with the seat assembly being constructed such that the front lip thereof does not significantly lift upon rearward tilting. The chair incorporates a tilt control mechanism formed by a control body which secures to the upper end of the chair pedestal and an upright which pivotally connects to the control body about an axis disposed forwardly of the pedestal. A pivot assembly connects the upright and control body together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Haworth, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry A. Wilkerson, Richard N. Roslund, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6435615
    Abstract: In a chair having a pivoting backrest, displacement of a seated person's clothing is minimized by yieldably mounting a pivot axis for the backrest so that the pivot axis is lowered in elevation as the person's back leans against the backrest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: Otto Zapf
  • Patent number: 6116686
    Abstract: An armchair is disclosed. The armchair has a seatback, a pair of armrests securely mounted on both sides of the seatback, a spring-like base securely and respectively engaged with the pair of armrests and a seat a side of which engages with a bottom side of the seatback and provided between the armrests. A pneumatic cylinder is provided between the seat and a joint of the seatback and one of the armrests, such that the inclination difficulty of the seatback with respect to the seat is adjusted via the adjustment of the pneumatic cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Inventor: Wun-Thong Luo
  • Patent number: 6070937
    Abstract: A chair with user responsive reclinable back-support connected to a seat member by a set of elastically deformable bracket members. A pivot axis defined by an imaginary line connecting the respective center-of-curvature of the bracket members is positionable in substantial correspondence with the chair occupant's hip joint and is selectively displaceable under occupant loading for reclining the back-support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Inventor: Jonathan Ginat
  • Patent number: 5810438
    Abstract: A one piece molded seating structure includes a seat portion, a back portion, and a pair of resilient support members interconnecting opposite side regions of the seat portion to opposite side regions of the back portion. The support members flex when a user leans rearwardly against the back portion to allow rearward tilting of the back portion relative to the seat portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas J. Newhouse
  • Patent number: 5516196
    Abstract: A chair is provided with a frame defining a curved arm support, a seat supported in the frame, and a back. An arm member is movably mounted on the arm support and operatively connected to the back so that movement of the back between upright and reclined positions is controlled by the arm member and arm support. A resilient spring is operatively connected to the back to bias the back towards an upright position. In one embodiment, the resilient spring encompasses the curved arm support and provides support for a seated user's arm. In another embodiment, an arm cap covers the resilient spring. Optionally, the arm cap slideably rides on roller bearings over the curved arm support. In another embodiment, the curved arm support and arm member are telescopingly arranged, and the resilient spring is operably placed therein. Another embodiment includes first and second springs, the second springs being disengageable to produce discrete selectable levels of bias force for biasing the back toward the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Steelcase, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl V. Forslund, III, Frederick S. Faiks, Thomas G. Feldpausch
  • Patent number: 5338094
    Abstract: An improved reclining chair has a continuous loop seat frame supported at each arm by a support fork. The seat frame loop extends symmetrically from an upper bearing portion around the seat back, then forward forming arm portions, then downward, then rearward along lateral side portions, then upward and around the seat back to a lower bearing surface. The seat back is pivotally attached to the upper bearing portion and the lower bearing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1994
    Inventor: Charles O. Perry
  • Patent number: 5308142
    Abstract: A chair is provided with a frame defining a curved arm support, a seat supported in the frame, and a back. An arm member is movably mounted on the arm support and operatively connected to the back so that movement of the back between upright and reclined positions is controlled by the arm member and arm support. A resilient spring is operatively connected to the back to bias the back towards an upright position. In one embodiment, the resilient spring encompasses the curved arm support and provides support for a seated user's arm. In another embodiment, an arm cap covers the resilient spring. Optionally, the arm cap slideably rides on roller bearings over the curved arm support. In another embodiment, the curved arm support and arm member are telescopingly arranged, and the resilient spring is operably placed therein. Another embodiment includes first and second springs, the second springs being disengageable to produce discrete selectable levels of bias force for biasing the back toward the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: Steelcase, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl V. Forslund, III, Frederick S. Faiks, Thomas G. Feldpausch
  • Patent number: 5020817
    Abstract: A wheelchair comprises front legs, rear legs and a rearwardly directed support. Large non-swiveling front wheels are located ahead of small swivel wheels which are affixed to the rear frame. The seat and backrest portions are pivotally attached to the front legs. The front legs are hollow tubes with rods passing through to engage rotatable rollers at the floor engaging ends of the legs. The rollers can be locked against rotation to brake the chair or be freely rotatable when the rods are elevated and the chair is to be moved. The structure provides a refined and aesthetically pleasing wheelchair suitable for long term, geriatric use. A foot support is foldable between an extended position ahead of the seat and a position below the seat, the foot support blending neatly with the seat portion of the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Rober K. Leib
    Inventor: Roger K. Leib
  • Patent number: 4988145
    Abstract: A functional chair is described the backrest of which can be pivoted relative to the seat and in which the seat can also be lowered in the region of the front edge. For this purpose at least one lowering lever is provided which is mounted on the one hand relative to the seat and on the other hand relative to a fixed axle of the frame and which is adjustably connected, via a transmission for movement in the opposite direction, to a link which is connected with the backrest and is likewise pivotally mounted on a fixed axle of the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: Roeder GmbH Sitzmoebelwerke
    Inventor: Hartmut S. Engel
  • Patent number: 4971394
    Abstract: The swivel rocker is made of tubular construction, particularly for outdoor use. The seat frame is pivotally mounted about a vertical axis on a stationary base and includes a seat which is secured to a support by arm rests which are able to flex and thus impart a rocking action between the seat and support. The arm rests are curved with ends which are connected to rods which are rotatably mounted in guide tubes of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 20, 1990
    Assignee: Telescope Casual Furniture Company
    Inventor: Robert D. Vanderminden
  • Patent number: 4889385
    Abstract: A chair comprises an elongated one-piece seat-and-back support bent so as to form a lower substantially U-shaped seat support and an upper substantially upright back support. The seat support includes lower and upper leg portions and a bight portion intermediate the same. The bight portion is resilient thereby enabling the upper leg portion to deflect downwardly relative to the lower leg portion, and the back support to move downwardly and rearwardly, in response to a downward force exerted on the upper leg portion. In addition, the chair comprises a stabilizer mounted between the upper and lower leg portions of the seat support and for providing stability to the same during downward relative deflection of the upper leg portion. The chair further comprises resilient stiffening member and a tension control mechanism. The stiffening member is mounted to and between the seat support upper and lower leg portions and functions to increase resistance to relative deflection of the upper leg portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1989
    Assignee: American Seating Company
    Inventors: Donald T. Chadwick, Peter R. Glass
  • Patent number: 4856845
    Abstract: An armchair whose arms and backrest are joined by an elastic element, while the backrest extends well above the arms so that the pressure generated by the user leaning back against the backrest causes it to bend or deflect, thus improving comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Societe Pour la Transformation des Matieres Plastiques Stamp
    Inventor: Henry Massonnet
  • Patent number: 4557521
    Abstract: In this chair a rounded spring element (128) formed with substantially U-shaped cross-section is provided which comprises parallel legs and with which a seat area (130) and/or a back (142) can be integrated. The spring element consists of plastic and is made single-walled in the curvature region, then dividing in the direction of the seat area and the back into a double-walled form. For reinforcement, ribs (148) may also be provided. At the lower side of the seat area and the double-walled portion of the spring region (128) an integrated socket for a support frame is formed. On the seat area (130) a cushion (174) may be secured with the aid of a stirrup member (136) driven into sockets (140) and comprising wood or steel tube or integral foam. The back consists for example of a cushion support (142) to which a cushion (144) is secured via a stirrup member (146) driven into sockets (152) on the spring region. It is possible to make the spring region (128), seat area ( 130) and back (142) from uniform material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1985
    Assignee: Gebr. Thonet GmbH
    Inventor: Gerd Lange
  • Patent number: 4529246
    Abstract: A chair is provided which finds primary, although not exclusive, use as a patient's chair in a hospital room. The chair is formed of both rigid and flexible resilient members, composed respectively, for example, of tubular and flat barstock spring steel, which is configured to form a frame for the chair, and which provides a base, front legs, and support for the seat, back and arm rests of the chair; and a web-like member attached to the frame to constitute the seat and back of the chair. The seat and back are supported on the frame for resilient reciprocal movement. A pair of arm rests are attached to the frame, on either side of the seat. The web-like member, for example, may be formed of polyester mesh. An upholstered cover may be provided which may be attached to the web-like member by strips of Velcro and plastic rivets. The upholstered cover may be formed of vinyl, or other appropriate material, although the patient may sit directly on the web-like material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Inventor: Roger K. Leib
  • Patent number: 4157203
    Abstract: A back for a chair comprises at least one back-supporting frame member, a lower back mounted on the frame member for backward tilting movement about a first horizontal, transverse axis and yieldably restrained against such backward tilting and an upper back mounted on the lower back for tilting movement relative to and independently of the lower back about a second horizontal, transverse axis spaced a substantial distance above the first axis and yieldably restrained against such backward tilting. The axis about which the lower back tilts is located a substantial distance above the seat at a location corresponding to about the middle of the back of an adult human sitting in the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1978
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1979
    Assignee: Center for Design Research and Development N.V.
    Inventor: Emilio Ambasz
  • Patent number: 4131315
    Abstract: A chair or other article of furniture for sitting such as a stool or sofa with at least one armrest which is connected to the backrest portion and to the seat portion. The backrest portion of the chair can be reclined, and the armrest is deformable according to the inclination of the backrest portion of the chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1978
    Assignee: Firma Drabert Sohne
    Inventor: Burkhard Vogtherr