AU593222B2 - Seat body for stools or chairs - Google Patents

Description

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Form COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952.69 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

593222 Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: 0 0 0 *Related Art: *4 *0 0t I 0I t ttt This 6dcun-'-nt containshI i "r i ,.ni s LTvy.' A

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0 ~uidcoitc; '10' i Name of Applicant Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: KONRAD NEUMULLER Gibitzenhofstr. 19, D-8501 Burgthann, Federal Republic oj Germany KONRAD NEUMULLER EDWD. WATERS SONS, 50 QUEEN STREET, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, 3000.

Address for Service

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I tCo t tl Complete Specification for the invention entitled: SEAT BODY FOR STOOLS OR CHAIRS The following statement is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performing it known to me -la-

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a via this column on a multi-arm base, this seat body 4 4 It is generally known to provide seat body fourni stools or chairsvarious forms of chairs seat surface. In recent years, the wide range of methods 0 forTh e inno vation relateious to a seat body for stuphols or chairs which is capable of being mounted on the freably consists end of a thermsupporasting column a nd which is foamed supportable via this column on a multi-arm base, this seat body *ff l i 5 being constructed at least in the region of its seat surface s and forms so-called integral foam.

Such foamIt is generally known to prove seating furni texture in various forms of chairs or stools and to upholster the rl fseat srface. In recent years, the wide range of methods 10 for processing various plastics has led to upholstery being adopted in this field which preferably consists of a thermo-plastic material which is foamed by a special process and forms so-called integral foam.

I) Such foam upholstery may have a smooth or textured k r 9 2 surface, a type of leather hide texture being mostly used for these cushions for esthetic reasons.

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0 0*0 00@ 0 60 0 0 o oo a 00a 0 These seat bodies which according to recent practice are connected to a base by means of a supporting column form a stool or chair and, depending on their particular use, may be fitted with a movable or stationary base.

A conventional seat;body of this type is essentially formed by a wooden shaped plate which, at its top, is upholstered with a padding and fabric covering and, on its underside, provided with a mount for connecting a supporting column. The mount, which is secured by appropriate fastening means to the seat plate, is arranged on the latter so that it is located roughly at its centre of gravity so as to have the upholstered seat in a balanced position. The covering which frequently is a fabric, is padded with a foam material under the textile fabric and this textile covering is pulled down over the edge of the seat plate to be secured by gluing or nailing on its underside. The mount for the supporting column provided on the underside of this shell is frequently of the metallic kind and formed with a tiltable attachment for a release lever which actuates the mechanism of the supporting column. The release lever which is secured to this mount by a bolted joint is arranged on this mount so that when the lever is operated, the supporting column comes into action and, since this is frequently formed by a gas spring, it permits raising or lowering of the seat.

The drawback of such a seat with the upholstery provided is in the fact that the attachment for the supporting column on the seat plate is susceptible to frequent loosening whereby the seat becomes unstable and, if maintenance is neglected, accidents are liable to occur.

Therefore, the innovation has for its object to improve a seat body of the type initially referred to so that @o 0 °0 0 '0 3 the upholstered seat and the mount form a compact unit and the abovementiened drawbacks of conventional seats are avoided.

According to this innovation, this object is achieved in a seat of the type initially referred to in that the seat body is constructed with a support frame in the form of a metal plate the size of which roughly corresponds to the seat area, in that this metal plate is provided with openings which extend through its full thickhess, in that in particular d socket is provided at the centre of gravity of this seat body for the positive connection of the free end of a support column to the metal plate and in that the metal plate together with the part of the socket projecting from it is capable of being 1 5 covered by a thermo-plastic foam moulded in the shape of an upholstered seat.

o These features provide a seat body which not only achieves K" the object underlying this innovation in an advantageous manner but, moreover, permits simple manufacture and, rt in addition, can be ergonomically designed so that fatigue of a person sitting on it is minimized. A further advantage of these features is considered to be in the .fact that the integration of the metal plate with the thermo-plastic material, i.e. the integral foam,which provides inherent stability, eliminates the need for ,o extra padding of the seat body proper, the cushioning being provided by the foam element. Yet another advantage is considered to be the fact that the seat body affords t .maximum freedom of design because the integral foam can be moulded into practically any shape. Fastening of the mount, i.e. the connection for the free end of the supporting column, to the metal plate can be made by welding whereby excellent inherent stability of the mountto-metal-plate connection is ensured. The release mechanism which penetrates the socket of the mount is flexibly supported in the integral foam so that the -4lever of the release mechanism does not need any separate bearing means.

Reference is made in particular to the Sub-Claims for further advantageous improvements of the seat body.

A typical embodiment of the innovation is schematically shown in the drawing in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of the seat body, SFig. 2 is a plan view of the seat body according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a section through the seat body along the line III-III in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a view of the seat body in Fig. 1 from below.

The seat body 1 according to the innovation substantially comprises a support frame with inherent stability, preferably in the form of a metal plate 2, a preferably tapered socket 3 which is connected to the metal plate, and a thermo-plastic material 4 enveloping the metal plate and the outside of this socket. The thermo-plastic material 4, which is preferably a so-called integral foam,is shaped so that it has the contour of a comfortable seat cushion, its top 5 being substantially dished and its underside 6 being of mushroom-shape. The top 5 of this seat body 1 shaped with a depressed centre is textured, the texturing being either with a rough surface on a random pattern or a special pattern, for instance, imitating leather. The metal plate 2 which ensures inherent stability of this seat body 1 is preferably constructed as a perforated plate at the centre of which the socket 3 is connected for attaching the support column 7 and the holes or openings 8 provided in the metal plate 2 are sufficiently large to permit the integral foam 4 to penetrate through them during r the moulding process of the seat body 1 and create an additional bond with the metal plate 2. The metal plate 2 itself, same as the integral foam 4 or padding of the seat body 1 is preferably of circular shape and its openings 8 are of sufficient size to allow a substantial amount of integral foam to penetrate to interlock the part above the metal plate 2 with that below it. The taper socket 3, which is solidly connected to the metal plate 2, is formed with a cut-out 10 in the region of its attachment 9 to the metal plate through which in a preferred embodiment a bellcrank-lever 11 extends which on appropriate operation can actuate the release mechanism of the gas spring 'or the support column 7 respectively. The bellcrank-lever 11 is tiltably supported in 15 the integral foam 4 and its end projecting from the foam may be provided with a handle 12 which extends to a point under the outer edge of the seat body 1. With a o view to providing ventilation of the seat surface of the seat body 1, a plurality of holes 13 may be provided in its surface which holes may extend through the openings 8 in the metal plate 2 and open out at the underside 6 of the seat body. To provide a short connection for these holes 13 with the underside 6 of the seat body 1, blindended holes 14 may be formed in the integral foam 4 which may extend from the underside of the seat body to a point substantially close to its top. These blind-ended holes 14 obviously also extend through the openings 8 in the metal plate 2 and may be formed with a thimble-shapeL there.

As shown in the drawings, the metal plate 2 forms an Sessential component of the seat body 1 and imparts inherent stability. The integral foam 4 provides the padding and wrapping element of th seat body 1 and affords scope for the esthetic design of the seat.

6 -6- The drawing shows the seat body 1 arranged for attachment to a support column Obviously, this does not exclude a configuration where the seat body is used for its inherent stability and another support element is substituted for the support column 7.

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Claims (4)

1. Seat body for stools or chairs which is capable of being attiached to the free end of a support column and is supported via this column on a base, said seat body being constructed as a moulded foam component at least in the region of its seat surface, characterized in that the seat body is constructed with a support frame in the form of a metal plate of a size corresponding essentially to the area of the seat surface, in that this metal plate is provided with openings extending through its thickness, in that a socket is provided at the centre of gravity of this seat body for the connection of the free end of the support column to the metal plate and that the metal plate together with the part of the socket extending from the metal plate is enclosed in a moulded thermo-plastic foamed material in the shape of an upholstered seat. a I

2. Seat body as in Claim 1 where a height-adjustable gas spring with a release mechanism provided at its free end is capable of being used as the support column, characterized in that the socket is formed with an opening in the region of its attachment to the metal plate for a lever actuating the release mechanism to extend through,.

3. Seat body as in Claim 2, characterized in that the lever is constructed as a bellcrank lever and embedded flexibly in the material forming the seat padding. h

4. Seat body as in Claim 1, characterized in that the seat padding is constructed with a circular dish shape and i j in that the perimeter of the padding is formed with an edge 'blending intoX.Le mushroom-shaped underside of the seat body. Seat body as in Claim 1, characterized in that the top of the seat pedding is formed with ventilation 27 I -8 openings and that these openings penetrate the seat body from the top to the underside. DATED this 25th day of September 1985. KONRAD NEUMIJLLER EDWD. WATERS SONS PATENT ATTORNEYS QUEEN STREET MELBOURNE. VIC. 3000. 00 9% 0 OV 0