# US 2016/0255960 A1 · Chair with elastically-deformable seat and/or backrest > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0255960 A1 - Document ID: US20160255960A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/157,483 - Filed: 2016-05-18 - Published: 2016-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-04 - Assignees: Pro-Cord S.p.A. - Applicants: PRO-CORD S.p.A. - Inventors: Giancarlo PIRETTI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160255960A1 ## CPC - A47C 7/44: with elastically-mounted frame - A47C 1/03261: {characterised by elastic means} - A47C 5/04: Metal chairs, e.g. tubular (rocking chairs having elastic frames made of tubular material A47C3/023) - A47C 5/06: Special adaptation of seat upholstery or fabric for attachment to tubular chairs - A47C 7/002: {Chair or stool bases (A47C3/20 takes precedence)} - 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 7/16: Seats made of wooden, plastics, or metal sheet material; Panel seats - A47C 7/40: for the back - A47C: CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS ## Abstract A chair comprising: a metal frame formed by a plurality of metal elements, including a seat portion having two seat support elements and a backrest portion having two backrest support elements extending upwardly from the seat portion, a flexible backrest panel and/or a flexible seat panel of plastic material having two lateral hollow portions into which respective support elements are inserted, wherein, in a rest condition, there is a transverse clearance between outer edges of said lateral hollow portions and the respective support elements and wherein, in a deformed condition of the flexible backrest panel and/or flexible seat panel said transverse clearance is reduced to zero. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A chair comprising: a metal frame formed by a plurality of metal elements, including a seat portion having two seat support elements and a backrest portion having two backrest support elements extending upwardly from the seat portion; and a flexible backrest panel and/or a flexible seat panel of plastic material having two lateral hollow portions into which respective support elements are inserted, wherein, in a rest condition, there is a transverse clearance between outer edges of said lateral hollow portions and the respective support elements and wherein, in a deformed condition of the flexible backrest panel and/or flexible seat panel said transverse clearance is reduced to zero. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein in the rest condition, said transverse clearance of the lateral hollow portions of the flexible backrest panel varies in the vertical direction from a minimum value at the lower ends of the lateral hollow portions to a maximum value at the upper ends of the lateral hollow portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A chair according to claim 2, wherein the tubular backrest support elements have respective terminal portions which in a rest position are inclined with respect to the outer edges of the respective lateral hollow portions and wherein in the deformed position the outer edges of the lateral hollow portions come into contact with the respective terminal portions, whereby in the deformed position the flexible backrest panel inclines backwards with respect to the rest position by a preset angle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein the flexible backrest panel has an upper side, a lower side and two lateral sides and wherein said two lateral hollow portions are adjacent to the respective lateral sides and open on the lower side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A chair according to claim 4, wherein the lateral hollow portions of the flexible backrest panel have lower ends aligned with the lower side, upper ends located lower than the upper side and outer edges aligned to the lateral sides of the flexible backrest panel. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein the flexible seat panel has a pair of lateral hollow portions, extending parallel to outer edges of the flexible seat panel, the seat support elements extending through respective lateral hollow portions of the flexible seat panel. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A chair according to claim 6, wherein each of the lateral hollow portions is defined between an outer edge of the flexible seat panel and a metal support fixed on the lower side of the flexible seat panel. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A chair according to claim 7, wherein said metal support is fixed to the flexible seat panel by means of screws which engage respective projections which project downwardly from the lower surface of the flexible seat panel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A chair according to claim 8, wherein each metal support extends longitudinally for the whole length of the flexible seat panel, adjacent to the respective outer edge thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) A chair according to claim 7, wherein each metal support has a longitudinal channel with a semicircular cross-section, which contains the respective seat support elements. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) A chair according to claim 6, wherein each of said lateral hollow portions contains an undulated laminar spring extending longitudinally within the respective lateral hollow portion, parallel to the respective seat support elements. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein in the rest position of the flexible seat panel said transverse clearance of the lateral hollow portions of the flexible seat panel has a constant value along a longitudinal axis of the respective tubular seat support element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein in the rest position, said transverse clearance of the lateral hollow portions of the flexible seat panel varies along a longitudinal axis of the respective tubular seat support element from a minimum value at a front edge of the flexible seat panel to a maximum value at a rear edge of the flexible seat panel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A chair according to claim 1, wherein said frame comprises two front legs having upper ends connected to respective front ends of the seat support elements and two rear legs forming a downward extension of the respective backrest support elements, wherein the backrest support elements are fixed to respective lateral ends of a rear cross member, and wherein said front legs are fixed to respective lateral ends of a front cross member.