Abstract: A chair includes a base, a seat operably supported on the base for depth adjustment, and a back operably supported by an upright that extends from the base for recline. The back includes a structural back support, a rear cover covering a rear side of the back support, and a front/lower concave cover covering the upright between a rear of the seat and below the back support to provide a one-piece back and seat appearance. The concave cover defines a concavity shaped to receive a rear of the seat to facilitate depth adjustment, but so that the one-piece back and seat appearance is maintained. The concave cover further includes upwardly extending tabs that engage a lower marginal edge of the back support to facilitate assembly.

Abstract: A method for forming upholstered articles involves providing an upholstery fabric having a tensionable drawstring, positioning the upholstery fabric over a front side of an article which is to be upholstered, folding the periphery of the fabric upholstery over edges of the article, applying tension to opposing ends of the drawstring, and securing the ends of the drawstring to the back side of the article to form a preassembled upholstered article. The fabric on the preassembled upholstered article can be adjusted, such as to remove wrinkles. Thereafter, heat can be applied to the preassembled upholstered article to activate thermally activable adhesive disposed between the article and the upholstery fabric to cause the upholstery fabric to be permanently adhered to the article.

Abstract: A method for making upholstered articles comprising a foam core, an integrally attached cover assembly, and an integrally attached scrim is provided. The method includes the step of positioning an air-impermeable cover assembly over a mold cavity of a molding apparatus, applying a vacuum to the fabric through a plurality of apertures in the walls defining the mold cavity to cause the fabric to conform to the shape of the mold cavity, depositing a foam precursor into the mold cavity, positioning an air-impermeable scrim over the foam, and allowing the foam precursor to expand to form the article. The method allows upholstered articles having an integrally attached cover assembly to be manufactured using a pour-in-place process which does not utilize abherents, while still preventing bonding of the foam core to the lid and/or other surfaces of the molding apparatus.

Abstract: A structural support shell for a tilt-back chair has a back portion, a seat portion, and a flexible compression zone extending between the back and seat portions in an integrally molded, one-piece unit. The chair has a base with a recline control pivoting recline control lever. The seat portion of the shell is fixed to the base and the back portion of the shell is fixed to the recline control lever. The flexible compression zone provides a simplified construction for an ergonomic chair design having an effective axis of rotation between the back portion and seat portion which is located above the seat portion, forward of the back portion, and generally adjacent to the hip joints of a seated user. The chair includes side arms that laterally and then rotatably engage side arm supporting connectors on the chair to facilitate assembly. The chair further includes a one-piece shell having tabs for mateably engaging flanges on the chair seat and back to also facilitate assembly.

Abstract: A structural support shell for a tilt-back chair has a back portion, a seat portion, and a flexible compression zone extending between the back and seat portions in an integrally molded, one-piece unit. The chair has a base with a recline control pivoting recline control lever. The seat portion of the shell is fixed to the base and the back portion of the shell is fixed to the recline control lever. The flexible compression zone provides a simplified construction for an ergonomic chair design having an effective axis of rotation between the back portion and seat portion which is located above the seat portion, forward of the back portion, and generally adjacent to the hip joints of a seated user. The chair includes side arms that laterally and then rotatably engage side arm supporting connectors on the chair to facilitate assembly. The chair further includes a one-piece shell having tabs for mateably engaging flanges on the chair seat and back to also facilitate assembly.

Abstract: A chair includes a base, a chair control and tilt mechanism, a shell assembly and a cushion assembly. The shell assembly includes a seat shell fixed to the base and a separate back shell. The back shell and seat shell are interconnected by a mechanical hinge. The hinge includes a pair of tabs on the back shell received in sockets defined by the seat shell. The tabs are retained in the sockets by the chair base. Back supports or chair arms have ends operatively connected to the tilt mechanism. Opposite ends of the arms are secured to the seat back to support and guide the back during tilting movement. The cushion assembly includes a molded foam member having a fabric or other upholstery material joined thereto. The back shell includes an integral, hinged upholstery flap. The fabric of the cushion assembly is folded over and joined to the flap. The flap is folded and operatively connected to a rear surface of the back shell. The seat shell includes another integral upholstery attachment flap.

Abstract: A structural support shell for a tilt-back chair has a back portion, a seat portion, and a flexible compression zone extending between the back and seat portions in an integrally molded, one-piece unit. The chair has a base with a recline control pivoting recline control lever. The seat portion of the shell is fixed to the base and the back portion of the shell is fixed to the recline control lever. The flexible compression zone provides a simplified construction for an ergonomic chair design having an effective axis of rotation between the back portion and seat portion which is located above the seat portion, forward of the back portion, and generally adjacent to the hip joints of a seated user.

Abstract: A chair, with independent control of a lumbar portion of a seat back and a thoracic portion of the seat back, has a seat connected with a base and a control connected with the base, generally under the seat. A first support, pivotally connected with the control, extends from the control to the thoracic portion of the seat back. A second support extends to the lumbar portion of the seat back. The two supports operate independently and the thoracic and lumbar portions of the seat back rotate independently rearward with respect to the seat, providing sympathetic back support for a user. The thoracic portion may rotate laterally to follow twisting movements of a user's thoracic region. The lumbar portion may be connected with the second support to limit lateral rotation of the lumbar portion.

Abstract: A structural support shell for a tilt-back chair has a back portion, a seat portion, and a flexible compression zone extending between the back and seat portions in an integrally molded, one-piece unit. The chair has a base with a recline control and pivoting recline control lever. The seat portion of the shell is fixed to the base and the back portion of the shell is fixed to the recline control lever. The flexible compression zone provides a simplified construction for an ergonomic chair design having an effective axis of rotation between the back portion and seat portion which is located above the seat portion, forward of the back portion, and generally adjacent to the hip joints of a seated user.