# US 11,297,951 B2 · Chair whose seat swings in a front-rear direction and a left-right direction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,297,951 B2 - Document ID: US11297951B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/615,043 - Filed: 2017-06-20 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2017-06-20 - Assignees: Kokuyo Co., Ltd.; Takano Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Kokuyo Co., Ltd.; Takano Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Toshiki Yajima; Takao Sugano; Yojiro Kinoshita; Kenta Shiozawa; Tomoaki Ichikawa; Kensuke Nakamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11297951B2 ## CPC - A47C 7/14: of adjustable shape; elastically mounted {; adaptable to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions (movably-coupled seat and backrests with elastic adjustment means A47C1/03261)} - A47C 1/03205: {having adjustable and lockable inclination} - A47C 3/0255: {pivotally mounted in the base frame, e.g. swings} - A47C 3/026: with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs; Tilting chairs - A47C 7/58: Hinges, e.g. for mounting chairs in a curved row - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS ## Abstract A chair is realized which takes specific measures to suppress movement of a seat in a front-rear direction when the seat swings in the front-rear and the left-right directions with respect to a support base. For the purpose, the chair wherein a seat 5 swings in the front-rear and left-right directions with respect to a support base 2, the chair is configured such that swinging of the seat 5 in front-rear direction with respect to the support base 2 is capable of being suppressed at one or a plurality of predetermined positions, or arbitrary position via operation of operation member 152. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chair, wherein a seat swings in front-rear and left-right directions with respect to a support base, the chair is configured such that swinging of the seat in the front-rear direction with respect to the support base is capable of being suppressed at one or a plurality of predetermined positions, or arbitrary position via an operation of an operation member, the chair comprising: an engaged part provided at a support base side or a seat side, the engaged part comprising a front-rear direction groove part extending in the front-rear direction and a left-right direction groove part extending in the left-right direction, the front-rear direction groove part crossing the left-right direction groove part to form a center crossing part where a groove depth is deeper than any other portion of the front-rear direction groove part and the left-right direction groove part, and an engaging part that engages the engaged part at the support base side or the seat side, the engaging part provided at the seat side or the support base side, and the engaging part at the seat side or the support base side elastically protruding toward the engaged part at the support base side or the seat side by the operation of the operation part, wherein the engaging part engages one of the front-rear direction groove part or the left-right direction groove part of the engaged part in accordance with swinging of the seat to the front-rear and left-right directions and swinging to one direction is regulated, and then, by further swinging to another direction, whereby the engaging part engages the crossing part and swinging in both front-rear and left-right directions is regulated. ### Claim 2 A chair, wherein a seat swings in front-rear and left-right directions with respect to a support base, the chair is configured such that swinging of the seat in the front-rear direction with respect to the support base is capable of being suppressed at one or a plurality of predetermined positions, or arbitrary position via an operation of an operation member, wherein a front-rear swinging part is provided between the seat and the support base supporting the seat, and a left-right swinging part is provided between the front-rear swinging part and the support base or between the seat and the front-rear swinging part, and the seat is swingably supported in front-rear and left-right directions by the front-rear swinging part and the left-right swinging part, and a front-rear stopper mechanism is provided between the left-right swinging part and the front-rear swinging part, or between the support base and the front-rear swinging part, or between the support base and the left-right swinging part, the front-rear stopper mechanism switches between allowance and suppression of swinging of the seat in the front-rear direction through engaging or disengaging an engaging part and an engaged part by operation of the operation member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein a left-right stopper mechanism is further provided between the left-right swinging part and the front-rear swinging part, or between the support base and the front-rear swinging part, or between the support base and the left-right swinging part, the left-right stopper mechanism switches between allowance and suppression of swinging of the seat in the left-right direction through engaging or disengaging an engaging part and an engaged part by operation of the operation member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The chair according to claim 3, wherein the front-rear stopper mechanism and the left-right stopper mechanism operate through operation of the operation member in common. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The chair according to claim 3, wherein the front-rear stopper mechanism and the left-right stopper mechanism operate by one operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein the engaged positions of the engaging part and the engaged part are provided at a plurality of the positions in the front-rear direction. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein it is possible to switch between suppression and no-suppression of swinging in front-rear direction on at least one predetermined position within the movement range in front-rear direction and it is possible to switch between suppression and no-suppression of swinging in left-right direction at a center reference position in left-right direction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein the engaging part and the engaged part are engaged and the front-rear stopper mechanism works when the seat moves to the predetermined position after a swinging allowance operation is performed through the operation member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein the chair includes a control mechanism configured to change the operation of a movable part between the allowed and suppressed states when the load applied by a seated person is received, and the control mechanism also changes the allowed/suppressed states of the operation of the movable part when an engagement state between the engaged part and the engaging part changes, and a recess of the control mechanism and a recess of the stopper mechanism are set at different positions in the front-rear direction. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein the operation member is provided at the front-rear swinging part and the operation member moves in accordance with the front-rear movement of the seat. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein the operation member is provided in the seat and the operation member swings in the front-rear and the left-right directions together with the seat. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein a fixed arm part is attached to the support base and the operation member is provided in the fixed arm part. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, wherein a back frame configured to support a backrest is erected integrally behind the seat. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) The chair according to claim 2, includes: a load detection part that detects a sitting load applied by a seated person; and an operation part that operates in accordance with a detection state of the load detection part, and the operation part is configured so as to input in the front-rear stopper mechanism in parallel with the operation of the operation member, even in a state where the engaging part and the engaged part of the front-rear stopper mechanism are not engaged via the operation of the operation member, when the load is not applied, the engaging part and the engaged part are engaged, and when the load is applied, they are disengaged. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The chair according to claim 14, wherein the seat is configured so as to automatically return to a reference position in the front-rear and left-right directions in a state where the load is not applied by the seated person.