US 7,922,248 B2Granted

Seating structure and methods for the use thereof

AssigneeHerman Miller, Inc.

InventorsJohn F. Aldrich, Ryan S. Brill, Elindo G. Castro, Jr., Christopher C. Hill, James D. Slagh, Troy Roark, Douglas M. VanDeRiet, Jeffrey A. Weber

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Abstract

A seating structure has an articulated seat and back. A rear portion of the seat is automatically pivotable relative to a forward portion of the seat as the seat is tilted between upright and reclined tilt positions. An upper portion of the back is pivotable relative to the lower portion between a neutral position and an extended position, with the upper portion being pivotable relative to the lower portion independent of the tilt position of the back. In one aspect, an adjustment mechanism is coupled between lower and upper back support members and pivots the upper support member between at least first and second support positions. A seat with an adjustable seat depth is also provided, along with various methods for operating the different aspects and embodiments of the seating structure.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A seating structure comprising:

a base component;
a first link pivotally connected to said base component at a first horizontal pivot axis;
a second link pivotally connected to said first link at a second horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, wherein said second link comprises a portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
a third link pivotally connected to said second link at a third horizontal pivot axis spaced from said second pivot axis in said longitudinal direction, wherein said third link is pivotally connected to said base component at a fourth horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, and wherein said third link comprises a portion extending in said longitudinal direction;
and
a seat having a front, thigh supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said second link and a rear buttock supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said third link, wherein said rear buttock supporting region is spaced rearwardly from said thigh supporting region in said longitudinal direction;
wherein said third link is pivotable in a first direction relative to said second link about said third pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position, wherein an upper surface of said rear region of said seat forms an angle of greater than 180 degrees relative to an upper surface of said front region when said third link is in said reclined position, and wherein said upper surface of said front region is positioned in a first position when said third link is in said upright position, and wherein said upper surface of said front region is positioned in a second position when said third link is in said reclined position, wherein no portion of said upper surface is positioned higher when said upper surface is in said second position relative to said first position.

4 more elements

A seating structure comprising:

a base component;
a first link pivotally connected to said base component at a first horizontal pivot axis;
a second link pivotally connected to said first link at a second horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, wherein said second link comprises a portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
a third link pivotally connected to said second link at a third horizontal pivot axis spaced from said second pivot axis in said longitudinal direction, wherein said third link is pivotally connected to said base component at a fourth horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, and wherein said third link comprises a portion extending in said longitudinal direction;
a seat having a front, thigh supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said second link and a rear buttock supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said third link, wherein said rear buttock supporting region is spaced rearwardly from said thigh supporting region in said longitudinal direction;
wherein said third link is pivotable in a first direction relative to said second link about said third pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position, wherein an upper surface of said rear region of said seat forms an angle of greater than 180 degrees relative to an upper surface of said front region when said third link is in said reclined position;
a backrest having a lower portion non-pivotally coupled to at least one of said rear region of said seat and said third link, and an upper portion, and a back support member coupled to said upper portion and pivotally connected to said base component about a fifth horizontal pivot axis;
and
a stop member positioned to limit the pivotable movement of said third link in said first direction, wherein said stop member is adjustably moveable to limit said pivotable movement of said third link in said first direction at a plurality of reclined positions.

6 more elements

A seating structure comprising:

a base component;
a first link pivotally connected to said base component at a first horizontal pivot axis;
a second link pivotally connected to said first link at a second horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, wherein said second link comprises a portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
a third link pivotally connected to said second link at a third horizontal pivot axis spaced from said second pivot axis in said longitudinal direction, wherein said third link is pivotally connected to said base component at a fourth horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, and wherein said third link comprises a portion extending in said longitudinal direction;
a seat having a front, thigh supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said second link and a rear buttock supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said third link, wherein said rear buttock supporting region is spaced rearwardly from said thigh supporting region in said longitudinal direction;
wherein said third link is pivotable in a first direction relative to said second link about said third pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position, wherein an upper surface of said rear region of said seat forms an angle of greater than 180 degrees relative to an upper surface of said front region when said third link is in said reclined position;
a backrest having a lower portion non-pivotally coupled to at least one of said rear region of said seat and said third link, and an upper portion, and a back support member coupled to said upper portion and pivotally connected to said base component about a fifth horizontal pivot axis;
and
a stop member positioned to limit the pivotable movement of said third link in said first direction, and wherein said back support member is pivotable relative to said third link about said fifth horizontal pivot axis between a neutral position and an extended position when the pivotable movement of said third link is limited.

6 more elements

A method of using a seating structure comprising:

providing a base component;
a first link pivotally connected to said base component at a first horizontal pivot axis;
a second link pivotally connected to said first link at a second horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, wherein said second link comprises a portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
a third link pivotally connected to said second link at a third horizontal pivot axis spaced from said second pivot axis in said longitudinal direction, wherein said third link is pivotally connected to said base component at a fourth horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, and wherein said third link comprises a portion extending in said longitudinal direction;
and a seat having a front, thigh supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said second link and a rear buttock supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said third link, wherein said rear buttock supporting region is spaced rearwardly from said thigh supporting region in said longitudinal direction;
and
pivoting said third link in a first direction relative to said second link about said third pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position, and thereby forming an angle of greater than 180 degrees between an upper surface of said rear region of said seat and an upper surface of said front region when said third link is in said reclined position, and preventing an entirety of said upper surface of said front region from moving upwardly as said third link is pivoted into said reclined position.

4 more elements

A method of using a seating structure comprising:

providing a base component;
a first link pivotally connected to said base component at a first horizontal pivot axis;
a second link pivotally connected to said first link at a second horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, wherein said second link comprises a portion extending in a longitudinal direction;
a third link pivotally connected to said second link at a third horizontal pivot axis spaced from said second pivot axis in said longitudinal direction, wherein said third link is pivotally connected to said base component at a fourth horizontal pivot axis spaced from said first pivot axis, and wherein said third link comprises a portion extending in said longitudinal direction;
and a seat having a front, thigh supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said second link and a rear buttock supporting region coupled to said longitudinally extending portion of said third link, wherein said rear buttock supporting region is spaced rearwardly from said thigh supporting region in said longitudinal direction;
pivoting said third link in a first direction relative to said second link about said third pivot axis between an upright position and a reclined position, and thereby forming an angle of greater than 180 degrees between an upper surface of said rear region of said seat and an upper surface of said front region when said third link is in said reclined position;
and
pivoting an upper portion of a backrest relative to said base component about a fifth horizontal pivot axis, wherein said fourth and fifth pivot axes are coincidental.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/012,002Filed 28 Jan 2008 · us provisional application
Priority: 29 Jan 2007
Published: US 2008/0217977 A111 Sep 2008
Granted: 12 Apr 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

A47C 3/00
Chairs characterised by structural features
A47C 1/023
Having independently-adjustable supporting parts: the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats
A47C 1/03255
The parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest: with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
A47C 1/03266
Characterised by elastic means: with adjustable elasticity