Coil Spring Patents (Class 297/302.4)
  • Patent number: 11963621
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a support shell including a seat portion and a chair back portion each configured to support a seated user, the chair seat portion having a front region and a rear region and the chair back portion having an upper region and a lower region, where the rear region of the seat portion is coupled to the lower region of the chair back portion, a control member including a substantially flexible front support and an attachment point, where the front support engages the support shell in the front region of the seat portion and the control member engages the back portion, and a substantially rigid second support attached to the control member at the attachment point, wherein the control member is an integral, one-piece component including multiple flex regions configured to allow the support shell to move between an upright and reclined position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: James Ludwig, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt Heidmann, Bruce Michael Smith, Mark Spoelhof
  • Patent number: 10966527
    Abstract: A seating arrangement includes a base member, and an integrally formed support member coupled to the base member and supporting a seat moveable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein a first portion of the support member positioned rearwardly of the base member is bendable such that an upper layer of the first portion is put in tension, and wherein a second portion of the support member positioned forwardly of the base member is bendable such that a lower layer of the second portion is put in tension, wherein the upper layer of the first portion and the lower layer of the second portion are reinforced with at least one tensile substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Nickolaus William Charles Deevers, Kurt R. Heidmann, Michael J. Kemen
  • Patent number: 10376066
    Abstract: The flexible support device is used for chair back tilting, which is installed under a cushion. The device includes a base, two driving members connected to the chair back, a pulling rod crossing the base and a spring disposed in the base. The base is connected to ends of the driving members. Two ends of the pulling rod are separately connected to two free ends of the two driving members. The pulling rod has a frame encompassing the spring. The frame has an action end blocking the spring. When the chair back is pressed to tilt rearward, the driving members are rotated to draw the pulling rod to move toward the chair back, and the action end of the frame is driven to compress the spring so as to make the chair back flexibly supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: DONGGUAN KENTEC OFFICE SEATING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chih-Cheng Su
  • Patent number: 10231545
    Abstract: An oscillation mechanism for chairs includes a support frame, a structure coupled to the support frame to rotate about a first axis, an elastic element interposed between the support frame and the structure and configured to oppose a reaction force to an oscillation of the structure. The reaction force generates a reaction moment acting on the structure with respect to the first axis. An oscillation adjustment system is able to vary the reaction moment with the oscillation being unchanged. The adjustment system includes a pin movably coupled to the structure and a movement system of the pin for varying the distance between the pin and the first axis. The elastic element is directly fastened to the pin so that the reaction force is transmitted to the structure with the application point corresponding to the pin and with direction and orientation unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: CO.FE.MO. INDUSTRIE S.R.L.
    Inventor: Sergio Moreschi
  • Patent number: 10130184
    Abstract: An adjusting mechanism is provided for selectively setting a restoring force acting on a backrest of a chair. In a biasing unit of the adjusting mechanism, a spring segment is disposed between a head end and a follower end to bias the follower end to the remote position. The follower end is angularly movable on a cam surface between distal and proximate positions. In response to movement of a backrest of the chair from a normal position to an inclined position to permit the follower end to be forced by the cam surface to move from the remote position to a close position, two different restoring forces can be set by adjusting the follower end between the distal and proximate positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: PAO SHEN ENTERPRISES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chen-Yu Lin, Jung-Feng Chen
  • Patent number: 9974389
    Abstract: The adjusting mechanism serves for the setting of a restoring force acting on the backrest of a chair. A back support and a seat support are fastened on a support. A setting mechanism configured in the manner of scissors is provided for the weight setting. Said setting mechanism has two scissor arms which are connected to one another via a scissor pin. One of said scissor arms is formed by a spring element and is fastened with its front-side spring end on said support. The back spring end is fastened on said scissor pin. Said first scissor arm is connected to said back support in the manner of a connecting rod. An active lever length is defined between said scissor pin and a support pin about which said back support is mounted pivotably. A compact construction mode is achieved by the configuration of said scissor arm as a spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Hangzhou Zhongtai Industrial Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Armin Roland Sander, Peter Horn
  • Patent number: 9132754
    Abstract: An energy absorbing device for carrying a passenger seat; the device comprises a base fixed to a vehicle; a member displaceable from base; at least one energy-absorbing arrangement interconnecting base and displaceable member. The energy-absorbing arrangement comprises a plastically deformable absorbing element in response to stresses greater than a predetermined threshold stress. In some embodiments the plastically deformable absorbing element is a helically configured ribbon having spaced-apart ribbon laps. In other embodiments the plastically deformable absorbing element is compressible, and/or extendable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MOBIUS PROTECTION SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Shy Mindel, Anan Hassan, David Engel
  • Patent number: 8979200
    Abstract: The assembly contains a base and a tilt adjustment member. The base has a frame with a seat attachment piece for attaching the frame to a seat cushion of a seat. A locking element is configured in the frame and has a number of notches. In front of the locking element, the frame has a fastening section so that the tilt adjustment member can be accommodated. Each of the lateral sides of the frame has a through hole for a control rod to thread through. The tilt adjustment member contains a swing block, a seat, a locking piece, and a twisting element. By configuring the locking element and the tilt adjustment member on the base, and by using the control rod to engage the locking piece of the tilt adjustment member to interact the notches of the locking element, the seat can be tilted with simple operation and limited effort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Inventor: Su-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 8939509
    Abstract: A chair chassis includes a base, a warped plate, a first adjustment member and a second adjustment member. The base including an upper cover, a lower cover and a front cover is arranged at a bottom surface of a seat of a chair. The warped plate is disposed under the upper cover of the base for connecting to a seat back of the chair. Two compression springs arranged in parallel with a certain interval are disposed between the first adjustment member and the warped plate for adjusting travel distance of the compression springs and changing a force of the seat back. The second adjustment member is used for lifting the chair by rotation of a second adjustment shaft. The chair chassis is fastened and adjusted by operating the second adjustment shaft to move along an axial direction. The chair chassis has simple structure, easy operation and improved applicability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Hangzhou Zhongtai Industrial Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yong-Xing Ni
  • Patent number: 8714645
    Abstract: A pivoting mechanism with gross and fine adjustment with a housing, an elongate shaft pivotally retained by the housing, resiliently deformable members retained by the housing, cam members coupled to the shaft wherein the cam members are disposed to deform the resiliently deformable members when the cam members are pivoted, and a locking slide bar for selectively causing the cam members to pivot with the shaft to produce gross adjustments in pivoting resistance. First and second ends of the shaft can act as an output interface for outputting the pivoting resistance exhibited by the shaft to a seat back structure, a seat bottom structure, or some other structure. A threaded rod rotated by a handle can adjust an initial deformation of the first resiliently deformable member for fine pivoting resistance adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Sava Cvek
  • Patent number: 8714646
    Abstract: A mobile task chair with a control mechanism with adjustment mechanisms and setting indicators. The mobile task chair has a mobile base structure, a control mechanism supported by the base structure, a seat bottom structure supported by the base structure, a seat back structure supported by the base structure, a mechanism for adjusting a physical setting of the mobile task chair, such as the pivoting resistance of the back structure, and a mechanism for providing a visual indication of the pivoting resistance of the mobile task chair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Inventor: Sava Cvek
  • Patent number: 8500204
    Abstract: A ready to assemble article of furniture includes a connecting assembly to enable shipment of the article in a partially assembled condition. By the use of the connecting assembly, the user can quickly assemble the article of furniture. The connecting assembly includes brackets which are attached to the disassembled components of the article of furniture. The brackets are mateable with each other during the assembly process to secure the components together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Casual Living Worldwide, Inc.
    Inventor: James Foster Kemp
  • Patent number: 8414075
    Abstract: A chair adjustment structure includes a base member, a top cover pivotally connected to the base member, a spring member connected between the base member and the top cover, and a back bracket pivotally connected to the base member and the top cover. Therefore, when the user sits on the seat pad of the chair, the back bracket is forced to pivot the top cover to provide the user with sitting comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Inventor: Wen-Shan Ko
  • Patent number: 7497516
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile joint (1) for a seating construction, especially a chair, for mounting between a seat device and a base, comprising at least two joint elements (10, 30) which are reciprocally restricted pivoted between two extreme positions to allow tilting movement of the seating construction effected by the users weight displacement, comprising two outer joint elements (10, 30) which are pivoted related with a middle joint element (20), wherein the rotational axis (40, 50) between the two joint elements (10, 30) and the middle joint element (20) is displaced in relation to each other in the horizontal direction, whereby the joint (1) may assume a stable tilting position between the two extreme positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: Varier Furniture AS
    Inventor: Ole Petter Wullum
  • Patent number: 7431397
    Abstract: A chair has a seat, a center column, a seat support bar joined to the center column, and a mechanism provided for securing the seat with adjustable inclination to the seat support bar and including a toggle lever assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Interstuhl Bueromoebel GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Werner Link
  • Patent number: 7367622
    Abstract: A tilt control mechanism for an office chair includes a spring assembly therein which controls the tilt tension on the back assembly. This tilt control mechanism includes a tension adjustment assembly having a cam wedge which supports the legs of a pair of coil springs and a cooperating drive block assembly which cooperates with the cam wedge to drive the cam wedge upwardly and downwardly to vary the tilt tension. The drive assembly includes drive blocks mounted on a threaded shaft which are displaceable sidewardly toward and away from each other to either drive the cam wedge upwardly when the drive blocks move together or downwardly when the drive blocks move away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: Haworth, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Roslund, Matthew Rutman
  • Patent number: 7316453
    Abstract: A tilt mechanism for an office chair includes a spring tension control that incorporates a wedge arrangement including a moveable wedge component that is displaceable laterally by turning a control knob below the seat of the chair, to force fixed wedge components apart and increase the spring tension. Turning the knob in the opposite direction reduces spring tension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ram Machines (1990) Ltd.
    Inventors: Israel Dobkin, Marian Cybulsky
  • Patent number: 7125078
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the compression force of the spring in an articulation of a seat of the type equipped with a mobile “rocket launcher”-type base, from which base there rises a column, adjustable in height, which supports a reciprocally hinged seat plane and a seat back, whereby the seat back supports a headrest and a lumbar support that is also adjustable. The seat plane is attached at the front, by means of two straps, to the corresponding front side of a central support body secured to the top of the adjustable column along the vertical axis. The central support body, at the back, keeps hinged in place the lower ends of the two support uprights of the armrests, equipped with a device for adjusting the height of the chair and a device for locking/releasing the swinging of the seat back and seat, said uprights being further hinged in an intermediate position at the ends of the support frame of the seat back. The frame of the seat back is hinged along the sides and near to the rear part of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Metalseat SrL
    Inventor: Massimo Costaglia
  • Patent number: 7017992
    Abstract: A chair control device for a tiltable chair wherein the chair control includes a a one-piece integral structure mainframe housing, including an integral extension for a seat locking cam means, for supporting adjustment mechanisms. The housing is affixed to the underside of a seat portion of a chair and, optionally, a tailpiece bracket to affix the mainframe to a back portion of the chair. Also included in the device is a tension control means to control the resistance of the tilt motion, the tension control includes an elongated bolt having a first end attached to the mainframe and a second end attached to an adjustment means. A compression spring is inserted on the shaft of the bolt between the adjustment means and the mainframe. The tension control means is adapted to control the tension of the compression spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Warvel Products, Inc.-N.C.
    Inventor: William Stumpf
  • Patent number: 6957862
    Abstract: A chair includes an upper frame disposed above and pivoted to a lower frame. An inclination adjusting device includes a latch mounted slidably on the upper frame and movable between a first position, in which the latch extends into and engages a selected one of engaging grooves in a latch engaging member that is formed on the lower frame, and a second position, in which the latch disengages the selected engaging groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Inventor: Su-Ming Chen
  • Patent number: 6942295
    Abstract: A reclining chair system with a standard assembly supporting seat and backrest assemblies, which are pivotally mounted to each other and capable of providing a rocker effect to a user. A strut assembly provides substantially a bounce free shock absorbing function by using two coaxially disposed compressible and resilient members that are compressed sequentially. A headed shaft with a step limits the compression of the first member. The arrangement permits a volumetrically efficient operation while preventing excessive fatigue of the member. An adjustment mechanism permits a user to readily set the relative angular position of backrest and seat with respect to the standard (and consequently the horizontal plane) depending on the location of the chair system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Inventor: Guillermo E. Lopez
  • Patent number: 6929327
    Abstract: A chair, in particular an office chair, comprising: a base structure, a seat support structure, articulated to the base structure around a transverse axis, an adjustable elastic device to apply an elastic force between the base structure and the seat support structure, a manually operated adjustment device for varying the distance between said adjustable elastic device and said transverse axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Pro-Cord SpA
    Inventor: Giancarlo Piretti
  • Publication number: 20040195883
    Abstract: A seating unit for supporting a body or part of a body comprises a base part and at least one supporting part for supporting the body or part of the body. The supporting part is situated or can be placed in a set nominal height position relative to the base part. In addition, the supporting part is movable at least in the vertical direction over a certain movement range relative to the nominal height position, in such a way that within this movement range the supporting part can take up various positions of equilibrium when there is a certain weight on the supporting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Niels Vrijlandt, Justus Laurens Herder
  • Patent number: 6783180
    Abstract: This invention is an improved tilt lock device for chairs having a spindle and piston for raising and lowering the chair. The improvement consists of a pawl plate for engagement with the piston where the pawl plate is integral with a locking shaft that extends from the chair. The pawl plate contains a barrier rib that is disposed in the upper surface of the plate and is compressively biased by a torsion spring extension. Axial displacement of the locking shaft is precluded when the torsion spring is in bias engagement with the barrier rib. To overcome the bias, the locking shaft requires the application of an axial external force and remains locked until such force overcomes the bias of the barrier rib.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Inventor: Phillip Young
  • Publication number: 20040130197
    Abstract: This and other purposes are fulfilled by the present innovation, according to the characteristics of which in the annexed claims, it solves the problems indicated above by means of a locking device in an office chair structure of the type with articulation permitting the movement of the adjustable seat and seat back, with a mobile base from which a column rises, which is adjustable in height, and which supports a seat plane and a hinged seat back, whereby the structure of the office chair consists of:
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: METALSEAT Srl
    Inventor: Massimo Costaglia
  • Publication number: 20040130196
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the compression force of the spring in an articulation of a seat of the type equipped with a mobile “rocket launcher”-type base, from which base there rises a column, adjustable in height, which supports a reciprocally hinged seat plane and a seat back, whereby the seat back supports a headrest and a lumbar support that is also adjustable, whereby:
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Applicant: METALSEAT Srl
    Inventor: Massimo Costaglia
  • Patent number: 6607244
    Abstract: A reclining chair including a support base, a chair seat rotatably coupled at its forward portion to the support base, a substantially vertically disposed coil spring provided adjacent the forward portion of the seat and between the seat and the support base such that the coil spring is pivotally coupled to the seat portion and the support base at its ends, an apparatus for pivoting one end of the coil spring about another end of the coil spring and an offset crank for driving said apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Inventors: Edward L. Stulik, Bruce Burness
  • Publication number: 20020171278
    Abstract: A reclining chair including a support base, a chair seat rotatably coupled at its forward portion to the support base, a substantially vertically disposed coil spring provided adjacent the forward portion of the seat and between the seat and the support base such that the coil spring is pivotally coupled to the seat portion and the support base at its ends, an apparatus for pivoting one end of the coil spring about another end of the coil spring and an offset crank for driving said apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Edward L. Stulik, Bruce Burness
  • Publication number: 20020140277
    Abstract: A chair includes an actuator having an actuator button disposed on top, a base secured on the actuator, a spring engaged in the base and having an actuator arm engaged on the actuator button for actuating the actuator button to release the actuator. A barrel is rotatably secured to the base. A bar is pivotally and adjustably secured to the base and adjustable relative to the base at any selected angular position. A latch is slidably engaged in the base and selectively engaged with the bar for adjustably securing the bar and the seat cushion to the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventor: Toung Chun Pan
  • Patent number: 6276755
    Abstract: A swivel arrangement is provided for a chair having a backrest, a chair seat, a chassis, and a base. The chassis includes a swivel seat mounted to an underside of the chair seat, a first connecting seat, a second connecting seat, a spring seat, a control device, and an adjusting rod. The swivel seat includes a hole and a stop adjacent to the hole. The control device includes a pressing plate engaged with an inner end of the adjusting rod and an operative block with a pressing portion. The first connecting seat, the swivel seat, and the second connecting seat are connected by axle rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Inventor: Tung-Hua Su
  • Patent number: 6257666
    Abstract: An office chair with a pedestal (14) and, attached thereto, a seat carrier (13) that carries a seat element (10) and that can be shifted with relation to the pedestal (14) out of an initial position (a) against the restoring spring force along a guide track that when the chair is inclined rearwardly relative to the vertical direction. To improve sitting comfort, the increase in the restoring spring force along the shifting path in a first shifting path segment adjoining the initial position is greater than in a second shifting path segment that is spaced away from the initial position (FIG. 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: Andreas Struppler
  • Patent number: 6213552
    Abstract: A seat adjustment mechanism for a chair includes a first handle which controls the height of the seat above a surface supporting the chair. A second handle allows the user to selectively lock the seat at a user selected angle relative to the supporting surface. As the seat is tilted into a desired position, the seat adjustment mechanism provides limited horizontal and vertical movement of the seat to maintain the chair in an ergonomically correct position. The mechanism includes a housing or enclosure adapted for connection to a pedestal, and a seat bracket for mounting to the underside of the seat. An intermediate bracket is pivotably mounted to the lower enclosure. One end of the seat mounting bracket is pivotably connected to an end of the intermediate bracket, and the other end of the seat bracket is interconnected with the lower enclosure via a link arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Miotto International Company
    Inventor: Beniamino Miotto