US 8,616,640 B2 · Chair

Abstract

A chair includes a base that has a generally U-shaped member. The generally U-shaped member is comprised of a front member attached to a first end portion and a second end portion. A seat is supported on the base and is moveable from an upright position to a reclined position. A first resilient member is attached to the first end portion of the generally U-shaped member. A second resilient is attached to the second end portion of the generally U-shaped member. End portions of the first and second resilient members are attached to the seat adjacent to a rear portion of the seat. The first and second resilient members are sized and configured to resiliently move or flex such that the seat is positioned at the reclined position when a user sits on the seat.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A chair comprising:

a base comprising a first support member, at least one leg and a generally U-shaped member, the generally U-shaped member being a tubular U-shaped structure having a front, a first end portion that extends rearwardly from the front and a second end portion that extends rearwardly from the front, the first end portion being curved and the second end portion being curved, the front of the U-shaped member being attached to an upper end of the first support member, the first support member extending downwardly and rearwardly from the front of the U-shaped member, a lower end of the first support member being attached to the at least one leg;
a seat supported on the base, the first support member attached between the front of the U-shaped member and the at least one leg to provide a cantilevered support to the seat such that support at a front portion of the seat is at a height that is taller than support to the seat that is provided at a rear portion of the seat when the seat is in an upright position, the front of the U-shaped member being positioned adjacent the front of the seat, the seat moveable from the upright position to a reclined position, the seat being at a greater degree of declination when in the reclined position relative to the upright position;
a first resilient member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first resilient member received within and attached to the first end portion of the generally U-shaped member, the first resilient member having a shape of a rod;
a second resilient member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second resilient member received within and attached to the second end portion of the generally U-shaped member, the second resilient member having a shape of a rod;
a first tubular portion attached to a bottom of the seat adjacent the rear portion of the seat;
a second tubular portion attached to a bottom of the seat adjacent the rear portion of the seat;
the second end of the first resilient member received within the first tubular portion to attach the second end of the first resilient member to the seat adjacent to the rear portion of the seat;
and
the second end of the second resilient member received within the second tubular portion to attach the second end of the second resilient member to the seat adjacent to the rear portion of the seat;
and
the first resilient member and the second resilient member sized and configured to resiliently move or flex such that the seat is positioned at the reclined position when a user sits on the seat.

8 more elements

A chair comprising

a seat having a bottom surface and a top surface opposite the bottom surface;
a base attached below the seat, the base comprising a front base member directly attached to a first base member and a second base member, the front base member directly attached to the bottom surface of the seat adjacent a front of the seat, the first base member attached to the bottom surface of the seat, the first base member having an opening, the second base member attached to the bottom surface of the seat, the second base member having an opening;
a first resilient member having a front end and a rear end, the front end of the first resilient member attached within the opening of the first base member;
a second resilient member having a front end and a rear end, the front end of the second resilient member attached within the opening of the second base member;
and
a first tubular portion directly attached to the bottom surface of the seat adjacent a rear portion of the seat;
a second tubular portion directly attached to the bottom surface of the seat adjacent the rear portion of the seat;
the rear end of the first resilient member received within and attached to the first tubular portion and the rear end of the second resilient member positioned within and attached to the second tubular portion such that the first resilient member and the second resilient member resiliently move or flex such that the seat is positioned at a reclined position when a user sits on the seat.

5 more elements

A chair comprising:

a base comprising at least one leg and a generally U-shaped member, the generally U-shaped member attached to the at least one leg, the generally U-shaped member comprised of a front member attached to a first tubular end portion and a second tubular end portion;
the base also comprising a support member attached between the generally U-shaped member and the at least one leg, the support member extending downwardly and rearwardly from adjacent a front of the generally U-shaped member to the at least one leg to provide a cantilevered support to a seat such that a front portion of the seat is supported at a location that is higher than a location at which a rear portion of the seat is supported when the seat is in an upright position;
the seat being supported on the base and being moveable from the upright position to a reclined position, the seat being at a greater degree of declination when in the reclined position relative to the upright position;
a first resilient member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first resilient member attached to the first tubular end portion of the generally U-shaped member such that a portion of the first end of the first resilient member is positioned in the first tubular end portion of the generally U-shaped member;
a second resilient member having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second resilient member attached to the second tubular end portion of the generally U-shaped member such that a portion of the first end of the second resilient member is positioned in the second tubular end portion of the generally U-shaped member;
a first fastening mechanism attached to the seat, the second end of the first resilient member attached to the first fastening mechanism adjacent to the rear portion of the seat, a portion of the second end of the first resilient member being retained in a portion of the first fastening mechanism;
a second fastening mechanism attached to the seat, the second fastening mechanism being spaced apart from the first fastening mechanism, the second end of the second resilient member attached to the second fastening mechanism adjacent to the rear portion of the seat, a portion of the second end of the second resilient member being retained in a portion of the second fastening mechanism;
a first plug spring attached to the seat adjacent to the first end tubular portion to engage with the first tubular end portion to provide support to the first tubular end portion when the seat is moved to the reclined position;
a second plug spring attached to the seat adjacent to the second tubular end portion to engage with the second tubular end portion to provide support to the second tubular end portion when the seat is moved to the reclined position;
a third plug spring attached to the seat adjacent the first fastening mechanism to support the first fastening mechanism;
and
a fourth plug spring attached to the seat adjacent the second fastening mechanism to support the second fastening mechanism;
and
the first resilient member and the second resilient member sized and configured to resiliently move or flex such that the seat is positioned at the reclined position when a user sits on the seat.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,475 words

Summary963 words

#The present invention relates to chairs.

#Chairs may include different bases to support a seated user in different seated positioned. U.S. Pat. Nos. D176,813, D361,674, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,272,555, 4,380,352, 4,536,031, 4,533,177, 4,869,552, 5,039,163, 5,154,438, 5,601,337, 5,683,139, 5,904,397 5,909,923, 5,944,382, 6,386,634, 6,669,292, 6,767,066, 6,817,667, 6,869,142, 6,910,736, 6,913,315, and 7,273,253, U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US 2007/0000111, 2005/0093354, 2005/0052061 and 2004/0189073 and World Intellectual Property Publication No. WO 2008/041868 disclose chairs that utilize different types of chair bases.

#Many chairs include a chair base that supports movement of the seat or back of the chair to a reclined position. In some chairs, only a chair back will recline and the seat will stay substantially horizontal. In other designs, both the seat and back may move synchronously. Often, such chair bases utilize complex designs that include torsion springs, leaf springs or coil springs for supporting or controlling such recline movement. Such designs are often relatively expensive to manufacture.

Brief description of the drawings13 figures

#Present preferred embodiments of furniture, such as chairs and present preferred methods of furniture component attachment are shown in the accompanying drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first present preferred embodiment of a chair.

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the first present preferred embodiment of a chair.

Detailed description3,231 words

#Referring to FIGS. 1-8, a chair 1 may include a base 2 that supports a seating structure 8. The seating structure 8 may be a unitary structure that defines both a back 32 and a seat 33. The seating structure 8 is preferably composed of a polymeric material, such as a thermoplastic nylon with 13% glass. As another example, the seating structure 8 could be composed of a thermoplastic polyester elastomer, a polybutylene terephtalate (PBT) or Hytrel material.

#Fabric or cushions may be attached to the seating structure 8 to provide a soft support to a seated user. For example, one or more fabric pads may be positioned on the seat 33 and back 32 portions of the seating structure 8 to provide a soft support for a seat user. A lumbar support could also be attached to the back 32 to provide additional support to a seated user.

#Referring to FIG. 6, a seating structure 18 may alternatively have one or more openings for skin elements. For instance, the seating structure 18 may include an opening 17 sized to receive a back skin element. The back skin element may be a back skin member that is relatively soft. The back skin member may have a mesh configuration or may be a sheet of polymeric material. The sheet may have holes formed therein or may be solid. As an alternative, the back skin may be composed of fabric or woven material. The seating structure 18 may include sidewalls 19 that are configured to receive edge portions of the skin element for attaching the skin element to the seating structure 18. It should be appreciated that the sidewalls 19 may function as a back frame for the back skin.

Facts

Application

13/106,973Filed 13 May 2011 · us provisional application

Priority

20 May 2010

Published

US 2011/0285191 A124 Nov 2011

Granted

31 Dec 2013

Term ends

12 Feb 2032

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 275 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

A47C 3/04
Chairs characterised by structural features; Chairs or stools with rotatable or vertically-adjustable seats: stackable chairs or nesting chairs
A47C 3/12
Chairs characterised by structural features; Chairs or stools with rotatable or vertically-adjustable seats: with shell-shaped seat and back-rest…
A47C 7/445
With elastically-mounted frame: with bar or leaf springs
A47C
Chairs

Timeline

20 May 2010Priority claimedParent application 61/346,545
13 May 2011Application filedUS 13/106,973
13 May 2011Assigned to Knoll, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
24 Nov 2011PublishedUS 2011/0285191 A1
22 Feb 2012Assigned to Bank of America, N.A., AS Administrative Agentnotice of grant of security interest in patents
31 Dec 2013GrantedUS 8,616,640 B2
19 Jul 2021Assigned to Goldman Sachs Bank USA, AS Collateral Agentsecurity interest
20 Jul 2021Assigned to Knoll, Inc.termination and release of security interest in patents
8 Aug 2025Assigned to Wells Fargo Bank, National Associationassignment of security interest in patent collateral
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
12 Feb 2032Term endsEstimated, includes 275 days of adjustment

Chair

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Chair

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description4,475 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,475 words