Back Supports Rear Of Bottom Patents (Class 297/320)
  • Patent number: 11904736
    Abstract: A vehicle seating assembly includes a track assembly disposed on a vehicle floor. The track assembly includes a rail slidably disposed in a track and a positioning bracket fixedly coupled to the track. A lift mechanism is coupled to a pivot bracket disposed on the rail and is configured to rotate the seat frame between sitting and standing positions. A lever assembly is rotatably coupled to the lift mechanism, rotatable about a seat axis of rotation, and movable along the positioning bracket as the rail slides in the track. A release mechanism is operably coupled to the lift mechanism and the track assembly. The release mechanism may fix the rail relative to the track or release the rail from the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Macit Aktas
  • Patent number: 11548416
    Abstract: A vehicle seat including a pivot bracket, a back frame, a linear adjustment mechanism, a striker, and a latch. The back frame is pivotally connected to the pivot bracket and configured to pivot about a pivot axis. The back frame includes a first end spaced apart from the and disposed below the pivot axis. The latch is configured to selectively attach the linear adjustment mechanism to the first end of the back frame so that as the first linear adjustment mechanism translates, the back frame pivots from a first use position and a second use position, and selectively detach the linear adjustment mechanism from the first end of the back frame so that the back frame is pivotable to a non-use position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Coburg
    Inventor: Dakota Stapleton
  • Patent number: 11259635
    Abstract: A seat and seatback linkage mechanism includes: a pipe, a side bracket assembly, a seat, a seatback and driving source. The side bracket assembly includes a first side bracket and a second side bracket, and the pipe is mounted on the first and second side brackets. The seat is disposed between the first and second side brackets and includes a bottom surface, the bottom surface includes two first connecting portions and two second connecting portions, and the first connecting portions are pivotally connected to the first and second side brackets, respectively. The seatback is disposed between the first and second side brackets and connected to the second connecting portions of the seat, so that the seatback and the seat are drivingly connected to each other. The driving source is connected to one end of the seatback that is adjacent to the pipe to drive the driven end to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: AEROSPACE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chi-Heng Lai, Jinn-Biau Sheu, Chung-Li Huang, Hsiang-Suen Lin, Wen-Hwa Chen
  • Patent number: 11173081
    Abstract: A seat positioning system includes a base frame having a pair of forward slots and a pair of rear slots, and a seat frame having a front end and a back end. The seat frame is coupled to the base frame and movable relative to the base frame. A first pair of linkages is slideably coupled to the pair of forward slots and connects the frames. A first pair of locking devices has a locked configuration adapted to prevent the first pair of linkages from sliding relative to the pair of forward slots and an unlocked configuration adapted to allow the first pair of linkages to slide relative to the pair of forward slots. A second pair of linkages slideably is coupled to the pair of rear slots and connects the frames. An actuator is pivotally connected to both the seat frame and the base frame and is configured to extend and contract to move the seat frame relative to the base frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRIDE MOBILITY PRODUCTS CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Mulhern, Stephen J. Antonishak
  • Patent number: 11110017
    Abstract: An armchair comprising a seat chassis supported on a support chassis by a pair of support columns, a chair back structure pivotally attached to a rear end of the seat chassis and to the support chassis, and a leg support structure pivotally attached to a front end of the seat chassis and connected to a beam, wherein the beam is attached the chair back structure. A first actuating device is mounted to the chair back, where a protracting end of the first actuating device is connected to the seat chassis. The armchair further comprises a second actuating device mounted to the support chassis, a footrest connected to a protracting end of the second actuating device, a third actuating device attached to the seat chassis, and a seating structure connected to a protracting end of the third actuating device and mounted above the seat chassis, wherein the seating structure includes an operative position projecting upwards and forwards by the third actuating device at a tilting angle from the seat chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: J&D Furniture LLC
    Inventors: Janet Schwartz Feldman, Derek Feldman, Aviv Rottenberg, David Yassaf, Gilad Davidi, Alex Padwa
  • Patent number: 10966526
    Abstract: Furniture is described having an extendable footrest. The footrest has a main panel and a flipper panel. In an extended position of the footrest, the top surfaces of the panels are approximately horizontal and co-planar, the main panel being proximate to a seat portion of the furniture. In a retracted position of the footrest, the top surface of the main panel is approximately vertical and the top surface of the flipper panel is approximately horizontal and facing in a downward direction. The footrest projects substantially 20? or more from the front of the seat portion in the extended position, and substantially 7? or less is provided between the floor and the apparent bottom edge of the footrest when retracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: American Leather Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Thomas A. Garland
  • Patent number: 10906440
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seating part that constitutes the vehicle seat; a support member that rotatably supports a portion of the seating part; an elastic member having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to a movable portion of the seating part which is capable of rotating about the support member and the second end being attached to the seat frame; and an attenuation device that attenuates a motion of the movable portion when the movable portion moves from a seated state with a load applied, back to a normal state in which the applied load is removed. The movable portion of the seating part may include a base member, a slab member provided on the base member, and a surface member that covers the slab member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Tachi-S Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Takano
  • Patent number: 10258521
    Abstract: An electric locomotion apparatus including a dynamically stabilized vehicle including two wheels, the vehicle including a pivot arranged along a longitudinal axis and rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The pivot is configured to transfer a steering control to the wheels. A seat is positioned on the vehicle, wherein the seat is configured to accommodate a user affected by motor disability of the lower limbs, the seat being tiltable sideways by a lateral shift of the user's weight. The locomotion apparatus further includes one or more transmission device arranged between the seat and the pivot, the transmission device configured to transfer a tilting movement of the seat to the pivot. A first rod and a second rod can be centrally pivoted together, the second rod pivotally fixed to the vehicle, and the seat being associated with a second end of the first rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Marioway S.R.L.
    Inventors: Mario Vigentini, Massimo Ghidelli, Stefano Martinelli
  • Patent number: 9867468
    Abstract: An adjustable chair has a seat and a splat. The seat has a lower base, an upper base, a tilt adjusting device, a lower rotating shaft, and an upper rotating shaft. The lower base has an assembling space. The upper base is movably deposited on the lower base. The tilt adjusting device is deposited in the assembling space. The lower rotating shaft is rotatably deposited in the lower base and connected to the tilt adjusting device. The upper rotating shaft is deposited in the upper base. The splat is tiltably connected to the seat and has a backrest unit and two connecting legs. The backrest unit is deposited at a rear side of the seat. The connecting legs are connected to the backrest unit, are connected to the lower rotating shaft, and are pivotally connected to the upper rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Inventor: Yao-Chuan Wu
  • Patent number: 9821688
    Abstract: A vehicle seat assembly includes a fixed mounting plate and a support bar coupled with the mounting plate and slidable with respect thereto along an arcuate path. A cushion support is coupled with the support bar, and a drive mechanism is operably coupled with the cushion support to rotate the cushion support about a center of the arcuate path positioned opposite the rail by sliding of the support bar along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johnathan Andrew Line, Robert Damerow, Patrick Maloney, Sean David Fannin, Balakrishna Reddy, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Christian J. Hosbach
  • Patent number: 9511865
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft seat having a seat assembly, wherein the seat assembly comprises a seat base and a seat surface assembly. The seat surface assembly is translationally movable in one direction relative to the seat base and can be blocked in at least one position. A force-limiting device is provided which, when activated, allows a relative movement between the seat base and the blocked seat surface assembly. Furthermore, the aircraft seat has a rocking ability about a transverse axis between the seat base and at least parts of the seat surface assembly, wherein the rocking ability of the seat surface assembly can be blocked by a blocking element. A force-limiting device is provided, which, when activated, allows a rocking movement of the blocked seat surface assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG
    Inventor: Oliver Thomaschewski
  • Patent number: 9452096
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a wheelchair (1) with tilt capabilities. The electric wheelchair comprises a chassis (3), a lift device having a base member which is fixedly arranged to the chassis, and a lifting member arranged to move rectilinearly relative to the base member along an axis defined by a longitudinal extension of the lifting member, a tilt frame, a first arm pivotally coupled to the lifting member and the tilt frame, and a second arm coupled to the base member, and which second arm is pivotally coupled to the first arm forming a pivot connection, wherein movement of the lifting member towards the extended position moves the pivot connection towards the base member and movement of the lifting member towards the retracted position moves the pivot connection away from the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: PERMOBIL AB
    Inventors: Jonas Jahkel, Goran Mansson, Stefan Nilzen, Johnny Nordin, Rune Stenstrom, Hakan Bergman, Magnus Andersson, Richard Ronngardh, Ake Melander, Bo Engman, Adam Karpinski, Corey Blauch, Lori Weaver, Mehdi Mirzaie
  • Patent number: 9381838
    Abstract: A seating device, in particular on a flight passenger seating device includes a moveably mounted primary unit and a moveably mounted secondary unit. The seating device has a locking unit which, depending on at least one operating position of the secondary unit, avoids a movement of the primary unit relative to a mounting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: RECARO Aircraft Seating GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Zoltan Jussli, Jürgen Baumann
  • Patent number: 9332845
    Abstract: A seatback-associated ottoman device includes: a memory mechanism that mechanically memorizes an unfolded angle position of an ottoman and cancels the memorized unfolded angle position when the unfolded angle of the ottoman is adjusted by the angle adjustment mechanism; and a prohibition mechanism that prohibits the canceling the memorized unfolded angle position of the memory mechanism when the ottoman is placed at the stored position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidetaka Nagayasu
  • Publication number: 20150076882
    Abstract: The stand-up unit comprises a support a stand-up frame, which is articulated on the support and has a seat carrier carrying a seat, and a backrest carrier carrying a backrest. Furthermore, a first lever parallelogram is provided in order to maintain the backrest upright in any position. The backrest can be displaced by the first lever parallelogram by means of a rod, in order to ensure that no undesirable relative movement occurs between the backrest and the back of the user when getting up or sitting down. A second lever parallelogram controls the movement of the seat when getting up and sitting down to ensure that no relative movement develops between the seat and buttocks of the user. The stand-up unit may be provided with a base to serve as a chair, particularly a therapy chair. The stand-up unit, however, may also serve as a stand-up wheelchair, when connected to an undercarriage. Spring joint elements support the standing up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventor: Kurt D. Hunziker
  • Patent number: 8973995
    Abstract: Device for synchronizing the tilt of a chair back and seat, of the type comprising a frame of the chair back (5), a frame of the seat (2) and a support (1) integral with the base of the chair, as well as at least one first crank (3), integral with the afore said frame of the chair back (5), and hinged (6, 7) at the rear to the frame of the seat (2) and to the support (1), and at least one second crank (4), hinged (8, 9) at the front to the frame of the seat (2) and to the support (1). The afore said first crank (3) and the second crank (4), with the frame of the seat (2), determine a articulated quadrilateral, wherein such a first crank (3) and such a second crank (4) lie substantially on skew lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Donati S.p.A.
    Inventor: Armando Donati
  • Patent number: 8844961
    Abstract: The stand-up unit comprises a support a stand-up frame, which is articulated on the support and has a seat carrier carrying a seat, and a backrest carrier carrying a backrest. Furthermore, a first lever parallelogram is provided in order to maintain the backrest upright in any position. The backrest can be displaced by the first lever parallelogram by means of a rod, in order to ensure that no undesirable relative movement occurs between the backrest and the back of the user when getting up or sitting down. A second lever parallelogram controls the movement of the seat when getting up and sitting down to ensure that no relative movement develops between the seat and buttocks of the user. The stand-up unit may be provided with a base to serve as a chair, particularly a therapy chair. The stand-up unit, however, may also serve as a stand-up wheelchair, when connected to an undercarriage. Spring joint elements support the standing up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Levo AG Wohlen
    Inventor: Kurt Hunziker
  • Patent number: 8662586
    Abstract: A seat assembly 21 including a seat 22, a backrest 23 and a mounting assembly 24 mounting the seat 22 in a near horizontal orientation for movement along an upwardly concaved arcuate seat path having a center of curvature 37 proximate the center of mass 39 of a person seated on the seat, and mounting assembly 24 further mounting the backrest 23 in a near vertical orientation for movement independently of the seat along a forwardly concaved arcuate path having a center curvature 37 proximate the center of mass 39 of the person. An adjustment assembly 61 is provided for adjusting the radius of curvature of the path of motion of the backrest 23. Also provided are a backrest tilt adjustment assembly 71, an armrest adjustment assembly 90, a seat biasing assembly 110 and a seat motion latching assembly 111. A method of self-adjusting support and alignment of a backrest also is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Inventor: Hector Serber
  • Patent number: 8550557
    Abstract: The invention relates to a synchronizing mechanism for a correlated seat-backrest movement of an office chair, said mechanism including a base support (1) that can be placed on a chair column, a seat support (3) and a backrest support (4). In order to provide a synchronizing mechanism, by means of which a high level of seating comfort can be achieved in an inexpensive manner, a mechanism is proposed where the backrest support (4) is connected to the base support (3) so as to be pivotable about a transverse axis (8) and has an entrainment means (9) that is in operative connection with the seat support (3) in such a manner that when the backrest carries out a pivoting movement (6) backward, the seat support (3) also performs a movement (13) backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Bock 1 GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Hermann Bock
  • Publication number: 20130169017
    Abstract: Provided is a chair in which the rear section of the seat can be raised with good lateral balance, in which the seat is stable, and that has a simple structure and a good appearance. The disclosed chair includes a seat (6) that is pivotally attached by means of a laterally-oriented pivot shaft (9) to a support base (5) supported by (a) leg(s), the rear section of the seat (6) being pivotable in the vertical direction. In said chair, an urging means (12) that urges the seat (6) upward is constructed so as to include: an elastic expanding-and-contracting component (13) that connects a portion of the support base (5) located below the pivot shaft (9) and a portion of the seat (6) located to the rear of the pivot shaft (9); and a pair of leaf-spring-like elastic warping components (14) provided on the right and left sides of the elastic expanding-and-contracting component (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: OKAMURA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Masunaga, Yoichiro Oda, Hisato Fujita, Shoichi Izawa, Ryo Igarashi
  • Patent number: 8434822
    Abstract: A device for an adjustable piece of seating and reclining furniture with an adjustable angle between the seat and the back of the piece of furniture, wherein on each side of the piece of furniture there is located a fitting projecting upwards from its base, the seat being tiltable about a forward suspension point on the fitting, and the back being tiltable about a rear suspension point on the fitting, wherein the back upon tilting backwards causes the seat to tilt backwards in that a link is pivotally fastened to a rear part of the seat frame and pivotally fastened to a lower part of the back frame, the pivotal connection of the link to the back frame being located behind and below said rear suspension point. On an increase in the angle between the seat and the back, the angle that the neck rest of the piece of furniture forms with the back is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: SAPDesign AS
    Inventor: Svein Asbjørnsen
  • Patent number: 8403352
    Abstract: The stand-up unit (10) comprises a support (21), a stand-up frame (13), which is articulated on the support (21) and has a seat carrier (23) carrying a seat (17), and a backrest carrier (25) carrying a backrest (19). Furthermore, a first lever parallelogram (27) is provided in order to maintain the backrest (19) upright in any position. The backrest (19) can be displaced by the first lever parallelogram (27) by means of a rod (30), in order to ensure that no undesirable relative movement occurs between the backrest (19) and the back of the user when getting up or sitting down. A second lever parallelogram (29) controls the movement of the seat (17) when getting up and sitting down to ensure that no relative movement develops between the seat (17) and buttocks of the user. The stand-up unit may be provided with a base to serve as a chair, particularly a therapy chair. The stand-up unit, however, may also serve as a stand-up wheelchair, when connected to an undercarriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Levo AG Wohlen
    Inventor: Kurt Hunziker
  • Patent number: 8376458
    Abstract: A chair having an adjustable seat pan that can be moved from an angled to a flat position is disclosed. The chair includes a seat frame having a front end and a rear end with a seat back attached to the rear end of the seat frame. A seat articulator that includes a ramp bar that has a first end connected to the seat back and an upper edge with a second end displaced downward from the upper edge is adjacent to the seat frame. The seat pan is pivotally connected to the seat frame and a drop down link is pivotally attached to the seat pan. A cam roller is attached to the drop down link where it is positioned on the upper edge of the ramp bar in contact with the seat pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Meister, Larry Hazbun
  • Patent number: 8029061
    Abstract: There is provided a link mechanism for a chair that is a link mechanism that is used at a chair, the link mechanism for a chair having: a first link whose one end is connected to a bottom surface of a link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair; a second link whose one end is connected to another end of the first link; a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link; a second joint portion provided at another end of the second link; and a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zenroh Fukai
  • Patent number: 8016354
    Abstract: A seat assembly has a seat cushion that is pivotally mountable to a vehicle floor. The seat cushion is selectively movable between an operative condition and a standup condition. A seat back is pivotally mounted to the seat cushion and is selectively movably angularly relative to the seat cushion. A pair of hinges pivotally receives the seat back and is linked to the seat cushion, whereby movement of the seat cushion from the operative condition to the standup condition rotates the pair of hinges, generally aligning the seat cushion and the seat back when the seat cushion is tumbled forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc
    Inventors: Selvakumaresan Veluswamy, Xiao Jun Wei, John Scholl, William John Gregory, Omar D. Tame
  • Patent number: 7992937
    Abstract: A body support structure includes a body support member and a base having an upper component coupled to the body support member and a lower component adapted to be supported on a floor. An adjustable spring mechanism biases the body support member. A weighing mechanism is coupled to the adjustable spring mechanism. The weighing mechanism includes a height adjustment device disposed between the upper and lower components of the base. The height adjustment device includes a pneumatic spring having a pressure tube coupled to the lower component and a piston rod extending upwardly from and moveable relative to the pressure tube. A housing is disposed around the pneumatic spring and is coupled to the upper component. An adapter is coupled to the piston rod. A weighing spring is disposed between the adapter and the housing, with the housing moveable relative to the adapter between first and second weighing positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Claudia Plikat, Carola Eva Marianne Zwick, Roland Rolf Otto Zwick, Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Robert Friedrich Laux
  • Patent number: 7971936
    Abstract: There is provided a link mechanism for a chair that is a link mechanism that is used at a chair, the link mechanism for a chair having: a first link whose one end is connected to a bottom surface of a link that supports a seat surface portion of the chair; a second link whose one end is connected to another end of the first link; a first joint portion rotatably connecting the first link and the second link; a second joint portion provided at another end of the second link; and a first elastic resistance unit imparting elasticity in a rotating direction to the second joint portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zenroh Fukai
  • Patent number: 7954897
    Abstract: In a vehicular seat 10 according to this invention, since a back shell 32 covers a back frame 31, as in the case where the shape of a seat back is formed of the urethane pad, the shape of the seat back is not easily changed. Thus, the passenger can be surely held. Further, since the back shell 32 is displaceably supported for the back frame 31, the back shell 32 is displaced according to the figure or posture of the passenger. This permits the passenger to sit with good riding comfort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hideaki Kidokoro, Toshihiko Yamaguchi, Mutsumi Tabata
  • Patent number: 7798573
    Abstract: A chair includes a supporting frame and a seat portion which is foldable about a transverse fold to define a rearward portion behind the transverse fold and a forward portion, forward of the transverse fold. The seat portion is supported above the supporting frame by its rearward portion. The chair also includes a reclinable back portion and a recline mechanism with which the back portion is connected for reclining action of the back portion. The recline mechanism is operably linked to the rearward portion of the seat portion such that on reclining action of the back portion, the rearward portion is moved to increase in rearward tilt angle and to obtain a net increase in height above the supporting frame, with a consequent folding of the seat portion about the transverse fold line under the weight of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
    Inventors: Mark Rundle Pennington, Jon Leonard Fifield, Robert Bruce Stewart
  • Patent number: 7794016
    Abstract: A chair is provided comprising a seat assembly including a seat back and a seat bottom and a support frame including a left leg assembly and right leg assembly connected by a transverse support member. The seat back is pivotably connected to each of the leg assemblies such that an upper portion of the seat back pivots in relation to the leg assemblies between a first seat back position and a second seat back position. The seat bottom is rotatable in relation to the seat back between an upright position and a horizontal position. The seat bottom is slidingly engaged with the leg assemblies such that pivoting of the seat backward from the first seat back position to the second seat back position causes the seat bottom to slide forward from a first seat bottom position to a second seat bottom position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Ditto Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Lucci, Paolo Orlandini
  • Publication number: 20100207354
    Abstract: The stand-up unit (10) comprises a support (21), a stand-up frame (13), which is articulated on the support (21) and has a seat carrier (23) carrying a seat (17), and a backrest carrier (25) carrying a backrest (19). Furthermore, a first lever parallelogram (27) is provided in order to maintain the backrest (19) upright in any position. The backrest (19) can be displaced by the first lever parallelogram (27) by means of a rod (30), in order to ensure that no undesirable relative movement occurs between the backrest (19) and the back of the user when getting up or sitting down. A second lever parallelogram (29) controls the movement of the seat (17) when getting up and sitting down to ensure that no relative movement develops between the seat (17) and buttocks of the user. The stand-up unit may be provided with a base to serve as a chair, particularly a therapy chair. The stand-up unit, however, may also serve as a stand-up wheelchair, when connected to an undercarriage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Levo AG Wohlen
    Inventor: Kurt Hunziker
  • Patent number: 7735925
    Abstract: A positioning device includes a clamping seat having first and second clamping members with clamping portions mounted around a fixed rod of a chair having an inclinable seat to which the first clamping member is fixed. An adjusting rod includes a coupling seat having a positioning groove with a low-profile section and a high-profile section. A positioning block is mounted to the second clamping member and includes a protrusion received in the positioning groove. The protrusion is engagable with one of the low-profile section and the high-profile section, so that the clamping portions can be clamp on or disengage from the fixed rod, allowing controlling of movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod. The first clamping member includes a sidewall having a hole slideably receiving the fixed rod and in slight tight coupling with the fixed rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Zhongshan Kemi Commodity Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chang-Chen Lin
  • Patent number: 7735924
    Abstract: A positioning device includes a clamping seat having two clamping members having clamping portions mounted around a fixed rod of a chair having an inclinable seat to which one of the clamping members is fixed. An adjusting rod includes a coupling seat and a handle fixed to the coupling seat. The coupling seat includes a positioning groove having a low-profile section and a high-profile section. A positioning block is mounted to the other clamping member and includes a protrusion received in the positioning groove. When the protrusion is engaged with the low-profile section, the clamping portions are not clamped on the fixed rod, allowing movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod. When the handle is moved to a clamping position, the protrusion is engaged with the high-profile section, the clamping portions are clamped on the fixed rod, not allowing movement of the clamping seat along the fixed rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Inventor: Chang-Chen Lin
  • Publication number: 20090066135
    Abstract: An inclination adjusting device includes an upper seat mounted below a chair seat of a chair. A coupling member is mounted to a rear end of the upper seat and includes a plurality of vertically spaced engaging portions. A lower seat is pivotably mounted to and below the upper seat. An inclination adjusting rod is pivotably mounted to a rod mounting board in the lower seat. An actuating board is connected to the inclination adjusting rod and includes at least one engaging protrusion for releasably and selectively engaging with the vertically spaced engaging portions of the coupling member. The inclination adjusting rod is pivotable between a first position in which the at least one engaging protrusion is engaged with one of the engaging portions of the coupling member and a second position in which the at least one engaging protrusion is disengaged from the engaging portions of the coupling member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventor: Tung-Hua SU
  • Patent number: 7484803
    Abstract: The invention relates to a chair, especially an office or work chair or similar, whereon a back-rest part (15) can be placed in an inclined position from an initial or rest position via a first axis of rotation (12). A seating part (14) performs a longitudinal displacement around a second axis of rotation (20) and an inclined displacement around a third axis of rotation (11) in a synchronous manner with respect to the inclined movement of the back-rest part (15). A return device (13) is provided for returning the back-rest part (15) and/or seating part (14) to the initial position or rest position. The office chair (1) comprises a carrier frame (5) which disposed centrically on the leg frame (2) and which supports in a stationary manner the first axis of rotation (12) on the centre of the leg frame, said axis of rotation remaining at a constant, predetermined distance above the seating part (14) in the rest position and in all inclined positions of the back-rest part (15).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: OMP S.r.l
    Inventor: Andras Dozsa-Farkas
  • Patent number: 7455362
    Abstract: An adjustable motion wheel chair having a mobility base for supporting a back panel and a seat panel. A pair of control plates are mounted to the mobility base and positioned laterally across the mobility base in spaced apart parallel relation. The back panel includes a pair of pivot pins located on opposite lateral edges of the back panel which are pivotally received by a respective control plate. A linkage member hingedly connects the seat panel to the back panel. Each control plate includes a forwardly extending stop for limiting the downward movement of a front edge of the seat panel. A latch member is attached to each control plate and is operable between a first position where the back panel is fixed in angular relation with the seat panel and a second position where the back panel is rotatable with respect to the seat panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Kids Up, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne H. Hanson, Dale A. Mandeville, William B. Phelps, Stephen M. Sanford, Edward D. Urband, Gregor Horacek
  • Patent number: 7441839
    Abstract: A chair includes a supporting frame and a seat portion which is foldable about a transverse fold to define a rearward portion behind the transverse fold and a forward portion, forward of the transverse fold. The seat portion is supported above the supporting frame by its rearward portion. The chair also includes a reclinable back portion and a recline mechanism with which the back portion is connected for reclining action of the back portion. The recline mechanism is operably linked to the rearward portion of the seat portion such that on reclining action of the back portion, the rearward portion is moved to increase in rearward tilt angle and to obtain a net increase in height above the supporting frame, with a consequent folding of the seat portion about the transverse fold line under the weight of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Formway Furniture Limited
    Inventors: Mark Rundle Pennington, Jon Leonard Fifield, Robert Bruce Stewart
  • Patent number: 7425037
    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: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc.
    Inventors: Johann Burkhard Schmitz, Claudia Plikat, Nicolai Neubert, Carola E. M. Zwick, Roland R. O. Zwick, John F. Aldrich, Christopher C. Hill, James D. Slagh, Douglas M. VanDeRiet
  • Patent number: 7410215
    Abstract: An articulating massaging chair is provided that includes a support frame; a seat pivotally connected to the support frame by a seat pivot; and a backrest pivotally connected to the support frame by a backrest pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Human Touch, LLC.
    Inventor: Hans Dehli
  • Patent number: 7398989
    Abstract: A stand-up type wheelchair for handicapped and sick people comprises a chassis (2) supporting an articulated structure (12) which includes a seat, a foot-rest, a chair-back, and two symmetrical lateral articulated systems. Each system includes a first deformable polygon contributing to the support of the seat, a second deformable polygon, contributing to the support of the foot-rest, a chair-back quadrilateral (four-bar linkage) (35) articulated on the first quadrilateral, and a manoeuvring assembly (40), which includes a first lever (41), a second lever (43), and a manoeuvring handle (49). The manoeuvring handle (49) is articulated firstly on the second lever (43) and/or the first lever (41), and secondly on the first quadrilateral by means of a connecting-rod (55) whose first extremity is connected by a pivot to the first quadrilateral and whose second extremity is connected by a pivot (58) to the manoeuvring handle (49).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Lifestand International SA
    Inventor: François Xavier Laffin
  • Patent number: 7293825
    Abstract: A multi-position chair may be positioned into multiple positions including one or more sitting positions at different heights, one or more leaning positions at different angles, and one or more storage positions. The multi-position chair may include a seat, a back and a support for supporting the seat and the back with respect to the floor. The seat and the back may be pivotable with respect to each other and with respect to the support. The seat includes a seating surface configured to receive the user's buttocks in a sitting position. The back may include a front seating surface configured to receive the user's back in a sitting position and a rear leaning surface configured to receive the user's buttocks in a leaning position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Advantage Branch & Office Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Alexander Vergara, Harold Turner
  • Patent number: 7090296
    Abstract: An item of seating furniture having a seat and a backrest which are supported in an articulated manner on a frame, and having an operating mechanism for adjusting the inclination of the seat and the backrest. The backrest has a catch member and, when the backrest is inclined from a front position into an inclined rear position, the catch member comes into operative contact with the seat as of a specific angle of inclination of the backrest in such a manner that further inclination of the backrest brings about a simultaneous adjustment of the seat. The backrest is adjustable independently of the seat from the front position up to the specific angle of inclination at which the catch member comes into operative contact with the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: CIAR S.p.A.
    Inventor: Carrera Massimo
  • Patent number: 6969116
    Abstract: A chair with backward and forward passive tilt capabilities including a seat assembly, a back assembly, a frame assembly, a wheeled base, a pedestal and a tilt mechanism. The tilt mechanism includes first, second and third links, first, second, third and fourth pivot pins, brackets and a resilient deformable block. The first link connects the back assembly with the frame assembly by way of the first pivot pin and the seat assembly by way of the second pivot pin. The second link connects to the frame assembly with the third pivot pin and to the third link with the fourth pivot pin. When a chair occupant shifts his/her weight rearwardly to tilt the back assembly, the seat assembly lifts and the block is deformed and stressed. When the chair occupant leans forwardly, the seat assembly lowers and the back assembly tilts forwardly. Again, the block deforms. Once the occupant sits upright or leaves the chair, the deformed block induces a return force to place the chair in a neutral upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jay R. Machael, Marcus C. Koepke
  • Patent number: 6959965
    Abstract: A chair of the tilting type which includes a base, a seat and back, with the base pivotally supporting the seat with two parallel links of a four-bar parallel linkage, with one of the links extending to support the back. The four-bar linkage is duplicated on each side of the chair by forming the two opposite parallel links or cranks from the upturned ends of the tubes which pass through the base in parallel but vertically offset fashion, the base thus forming the fixed bar of the linkage with its opposite bar or coupler being formed by the seat. A spring within the base is operative on one (of both) of the tubes to urge the chair to an upright position. The tubes are pivotally connected to the seat and one of the tubes extends and is fixedly connected to the back. As the back tilts, the four-bar mechanism is engaged and lifts the seat which thereby uses the occupant's weight to counteract the reclining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Humanscale Corporation
    Inventor: Niels Diffrient
  • Patent number: 6935690
    Abstract: A chair having a synchronously moving seat bottom and seat back includes a frame having a seat bottom support portion and a seatback support portion and a seat assembly having a seat bottom and a seat back interconnected by a flexible intermediate portion. The seat bottom is slidably mounted to side support members in the bottom frame providing forward and aft movement of the seat bottom. The seat back is pivotably engaged to the seat back support portion of the frame. The flexible intermediate portion provides for cooperative movement of the seat bottom and seat back between an upright seating position and a reclined position. Preferably, the seat assembly is a one piece molded plastic shell having a flexible intermediate portion interconnecting the seat bottom and seat back. In one embodiment of the invention, the chair can be provided with legs to enable stacking of the chairs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Ditto Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Roberto Lucci, Paolo Orlandini
  • Patent number: 6913316
    Abstract: In order to provide a chair that can support near a pelvis or a lumbar portion of a person who sits on the chair irrespective of a body proportion the person or a way to sit, a boundary portion K between a back and a seat is arranged to be transformable or movable and the boundary portion K can be fixed at a position where the boundary K pushes against near the pelvis of the person with an operation from outside
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kokuyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yojiro Kinoshita, Nobuyuki Ueda
  • Patent number: 6827650
    Abstract: A swing includes a seat unit having a seat frame disposed between two armrest frames, and a backrest frame pivoted to a rear end of the seat frame and to one of the armrest frames. A sliding member is fixed to the seat frame, and is slidably mounted on a guiding rail that is secured to said one of the armrest frames. A spring-biased latch is mounted on the sliding member, and engages releasably a selected one of retaining grooves formed in the guiding rail to prevent sliding movement of the sliding member and the seat frame relative to the guiding rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng
  • Patent number: 6824219
    Abstract: An ergonomic chair having an extending foot and the possibility of swiveling with tilting of the chair backrest synchronized with horizontal movement of the chair seat. It is intended for the linkage system to be installed on a swivel chair. With this (office) chair, it is intended to synchronize the tilt of the backrest with the forward movement of the seat in such a way that the distance of the seat occupant's hands relative to the work equipment on the desk top remains virtually constant at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Inventor: Hans Rückstädter
  • Patent number: 6820935
    Abstract: The invention discloses an armchair (1) with variable position comprising a support structure (2) having a post (3) defining a first vertical axis (Z), a first frame (8) comprising a first pivot (9) defining a second horizontal axis (X), a second frame (12) swinging at one end (11) around the first pivot (9), thrust means (14) connected to the first frame (8) and acting against the end (11) of frame (12) to resist its swinging movement around the axis (X), a seat (10) supported by the first frame (8) and a backrest (13) supported by the second frame (12). The seat (10) is connected at least to the first frame (8) through first elastic means (15) adapted to allow a rotary translatory motion to the seat (10). The backrest (13) is connected to the second frame (12) through second elastic means (22) to allow a further rotary translatory motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Inventor: Enrico Cioncada
  • Patent number: 6811218
    Abstract: A task chair including a seat support structure, and a seat supported by the seat support structure and having a seating surface which may ergonomically conform to a seated user. The seating surface includes rigid and flexible portions connected to one another, the flexible portions allowing resilient flexing of the seating surface to create conformance zones which dynamically support a seated user in an ergonomic manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Kimball International, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael L. Deimen, Derek Schweikarth, Stephen D. Hatcher, Joseph G. Hasenour