CA2516778A1 - Locking device for office chairs and the like - Google Patents
Locking device for office chairs and the like Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2516778A1 CA2516778A1 CA002516778A CA2516778A CA2516778A1 CA 2516778 A1 CA2516778 A1 CA 2516778A1 CA 002516778 A CA002516778 A CA 002516778A CA 2516778 A CA2516778 A CA 2516778A CA 2516778 A1 CA2516778 A1 CA 2516778A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- locking
- base unit
- previous
- engaging portion
- chair
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims description 21
- 230000008093 supporting effect Effects 0.000 claims description 20
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 claims description 11
- 229910052729 chemical element Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 7
- 230000033001 locomotion Effects 0.000 claims description 6
- 230000000703 anti-shock Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000000875 corresponding effect Effects 0.000 claims 5
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001360 synchronised effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 206010013457 Dissociation Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000003455 independent Effects 0.000 description 1
- 208000018883 loss of balance Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
- A47C1/00—Chairs adapted for special purposes
- A47C1/02—Reclining or easy chairs
- A47C1/031—Reclining or easy chairs having coupled concurrently adjustable supporting parts
- A47C1/032—Reclining or easy chairs having coupled concurrently adjustable supporting parts the parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest
- A47C1/03255—Reclining or easy chairs having coupled concurrently adjustable supporting parts the parts being movably-coupled seat and back-rest with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
- A47C1/00—Chairs adapted for special purposes
- A47C1/02—Reclining or easy chairs
- A47C1/022—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts
- A47C1/024—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts the parts, being the back-rest, or the back-rest and seat unit, having adjustable and lockable inclination
- A47C1/026—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts the parts, being the back-rest, or the back-rest and seat unit, having adjustable and lockable inclination by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
Landscapes
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Dentistry (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)
Abstract
Locking device (1) for office chairs and the like comprising of a first locking element (9) operatively associable to a base unit (3) of a chair and a second locking element (10) operatively associable at least to a revolving portion (6) of the chair. The first and second locking elements (10) are selectively associable in an active position to lock the rotation of the revolving portion (6) in respect to a base unit (3) and detachable in a passive position to unlock such rotation. The shifting between the active position and the passive position takes place along a shifting direction (11) substantially perpendicular to the contrasting force developing between the locking elements (9, 10) in active position. The shifting direction (11) is also substantially perpendicular to the components of the contrasting force, tangential and perpendicular to the contact surfaces between the engaging portions (9a, 10a).
Description
-i-LOCKING DEVICE FOR OFFICE CHAIRS AND THE LIKE
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a locking device for office chairs and the like. As it is, known,. office chairs generally present adjustable parts in height and tilt. These chairs might present the back; and sometimes also the seat or the frame, adjustable in tilt in respect to a base unit, for example of a box form, which is connected at the top end of an upright which defines~.'the vertical support of the chair. The connection. between the base unit and the upright is realized substantially through a frustum of cone ele-ment united 'to a base unit and fit to receive the top end of the upright. Particular mechanisms are known which can tilt the back only, which are called "at permanent contact", mechanisms which allow the rode-pendent tilt of the back and seat which are called "asynchronous " type, and mechanisms which allow the simultaneous and proportional tilt, according to a predetermined ratio between the angles of the back and seat, which are called "synchronous" type. Mechanisms are also known. with reclining back and seat and solid between them, called "swinging" type. In all the above mentioried~cases elastic elements are provided to con-tract the tilting and it is possible selectively to prevent the swing of the parts which can tilt through SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) proper locking devices. Such locking devices are usu-ally made of multiple slotting positions and by at least a locking element fit to engage selectively in such slotting positions to stop the swing of the tilt-ing portions. The locking element is mobile at least between a front resting position which cooperates with the slots and a back resting position in which the swing is permitted. Such locking element is usually operatively associated to the back, but can be also associated to the seat, and in particular, in the asynchronous mechanism, a locking~element for the back and one for the seat could be envisaged. The known technique, briefly described above, presents some drawbacks. The known locking devices in fact generally allow the association for each tilt position, of a single locking element in a corresponding seat. This makes it necessary to realize the locking element and the unit which includes the slots in sufficiently re-sistant material, in order to avoid the risk of a structural failure of the same. Such locking devices can often also become rather cumbersome, and to guar-antee the reciprocal receding and advancing of the locking elements and of the slots it is sometimes nec-essary to opportunely modify the structure of the swinging mechanism with a consequent bigger complica-tion. It has also to be noted that, as in the mecha-nisms there is a frontal advancing and receding of the locking elements, the force resulting from the contact between such elements has a tangential component which can show a tendency to pull back the locking elements, and can therefore cause the accidental unlocking of the device. Such problematic issues require the neces-sity of very accurate designing of the locking device, with consequent higher costs of designing and realiza-tion of the said device. In this situation the techni-cal task set at the base of the present invention is to invent a locking device for office chairs and the like to be in a good enough position to obviate sub-stantially the problems mentioned. For the purpose of the said technical task it is an important aim of the invention to make a locking device for office chairs that .offers. a high degree of freedom in the designing of the, locking device and of the relative positioning.
Besides it is the aim of the invention to make a lock-ing device for office chairs which assures a safe locking and that results in simple and fast realiza-tion. It is another aim of the invention to make a locking device for office chairs of a universal type that can be assembled without substantial modifica-tions on all the types of mechanisms for chairs (for example swinging, synchronous, asynchronous and at permanent contact). Besides it is the aim of the in-vention to make a locking device which is particularly compact. It is finally the technical aim of the pres-ent invention to make a locking device far office chairs which is of a contained cost of production.
The precise technical task and the aims specified are substantially obtained by a locking device for office chairs which is characterized in that it included one or more technical solutions which axe claimed below.
In the following there is, only as an indicative and not as a limitative example, the description of a pre-ferred but not exclusive form of execution of a lock-ing device according to the invention, illustrated in the enclosed drawings, in which:
- fig. 1 shows a prospective view of a locking device for office chairs according to the present invention;
- fig. 2 is a section on a lateral view of a tilting mechanism for an office chair including the locking device of figure 1;
- fig. 3 is part of a section of the device of figure l, in an active operative position of locking, exe-cuted according to a horizontal plan;
- fig. 4 is an view analogous to that of figure 3 with the locking device in a passive operative position of locking;
- fig. 5 shows an alternative profile for a locking element;
- fig. 6 shows an alternative realization of the lock-ing elements.
With reference to the mentioned figures, a locking de-vice for office chairs and the like according to the invention is globally shown with reference No 1. The locking device 1 is advantageously applicable to a mechanism 2 for an office chair, which includes essen-tially a base unit 3 fit to engage, through a connect-ing element 4, to the top end of an upright 5 which defines the vertical support of the chair. On the base unit 3 at least a revolving portion 6 of the chair is hinged in a known way, for example an sup-porting element 7 of the back. The mechanism 2 in-cludes also an ,supporting element 8 of a seat of a chair, mounted above the base unit 3. The device 1 is applicable in a manner similar to all the types of known mechanisms, and therefore to mechanisms at "permanent contact", in which the supporting element of the seat is j oined to the base unit and the only reclining part is the back, to mechanisms of "synchronous" type, in which the supporting element of the seat is associated in a revolving way to the base unit and to the supporting element of the back to swing proportionally to the swinging of the supporting element of the back and to mechanisms of "swinging"
type, in which the element of support of the seat is fixed to the supporting element of the back to swing jointly with the same. The locking device can also be used in mechanisms of "asynchronous" type, in which the supporting element of the seat is associated in a revolving way to the base unit, to swing in an inde-pendent way in respect to the base unit. In such a case the mechanism includes a second locking device operatively placed between the supporting element of the seat and the base unit. Means of elastic support are usually also foreseen. (not shown on the figures?.
such as a spring, placed between each turning portion in an independent way and the base unit, and therefore at least between. the supporting element and base unit.
The locking device 1 includes a first locking element 9 having a first portion of engagement 9a mounted on the base unit 3, anal a second locking element 10 hav-ing a second portion of engagement 10a anal mounted on the rotating portion 6. The first engagement portion 9a and the second engagement portion 10a are selec-tively associable,in an active position to lock the rotation of the revolving portion 6 in respect to the base unit 3 and can dissociate in a passive position to unlock such rotation. When the device 1 is in a locking position, a contrasting force develops between the two engaging portions 9a , 10a and therefore be-tween the two locking elements 9,10, due to the action created on the mobile portion by the means of elastic support, when the chair is not in use, and by the weight of the user when the chair is used. Such force, which has a tangential component to the con-tact's surfaces of the engaging portions 9a, 10a and a perpendicular component to such surfaces, is due to the rotary action acting in direction 12, on the sec-and element 10, and is inclined to push back the first locking element 9 away from the second locking element 10. The contrasting force therefore lies in the plane in which has been executed the section. of figure 2.
In line with the present invention, the displacement between the active and the passive positions occurs along a displacement's direction substantially perpen-dicular to the contrasting force. Preferably such dis-placement besides is substantially perpendicular also to the tangential components and perpendicular to the contact surfaces between the engaging portions 9a, 10a. In this way the locking is much safer, because the displacement happens perpendicularly to the force _g_ which tends to distance the two locking elements 9, 10 and therefore such force cannot separate such elements 9, 10. The direction.of the displacement is shown in figure 1 with the reference number 11. Advantageously the displacement could be a lateral displacement rela-tive to the first 9a and to the second 10a portion of engagement. For lateral displacement it is understood a displacement in a transversal direction and prefera-bly perpendicular to a vertical plane passing cen-trally on both the first 9 and on the second locking element 10, when these are in active position. Advan-tageously, besides, the displacement substantially happens perpendicularly to the direction of the fron-tal distancing between the engaging portions 9a, 10a.
In the active position the first 9a and second 10a en-gaging portions are reciprocally faced in correspon-deuce to a contact surface. Advantageously the dis-placement between the active position and the passive position takes place along a direction of displacement and shift parallel to the surface of contact. Pref-erably also the displacement between the active posi-tion and passive position takes place along a direc-tion of movement substantially parallel to the rotat-ing axis 13 of the revolving portion 6. In particular the first locking element 9 is translational in a lat-eral and parallel way to the surface of the engaging portion 9a to look selectively the rotation of the re-volving portion. 6, while the second locking element 10 is fixed to the revolving portion 6. The first lock-ing element 9 consists preferably of a portion of a circular crown entirely toothed and cooperating with the second engaging portion 10a. Advantageously the teeth are all cooperating contemporarily with the sec-and engaging portion 10a in the operative active posi-tion. Preferably the second locking element 10 is a wheel, at least partially toothed (figure 1) and therefore provided with a number of resting positions, in which the teeth can be inserted. The wheel is fixed to the revolving portion 6 to rotate jointly with it, according to the direction shown of figures 1 and 2 with number 12, around the axis 13. The first 9 and second 10 locking elements could be provided with corresponding set of teeth having an involute, square and other type profile. In figure 5 is shown an exam-ple of a profile for an undercut toothed gear placed on the second element 10 but applicable in an analogue way and counter-shaped on the first element 9, which offers a further advantage to impede a frontal detach-ment of the locking elements, not requiring the pres-ence of a containing element 21 for the first locking element. zn an alternative embodiment, partially il-lustrated in figure 6 with only the locking elements, the first locking element 9 is provided with stopping elements, for example studs, on a lateral face, ex-tending therefore in the shifting direction 11 of the same first element. The second element 10 is provided with proper stopping seats, such as shaped holes or the like, also these extending in the shifting direc-tion 11 of the first locking element 9 to cooperate with the stopping elements of the first locking ele-ment 9. Also in that case there is a lateral shifting of the two locking elements 9, 10 which is acting in a perpendicular direction to the contrasting force de-veloping between the faces of the holes and the lock-ing elements. The device 1 includes also operating means 14 operatively connected to the first locking element 9 to execute the locking and unlocking of the device 1. The operating means 14 include a push rod 15 assembled in a revolving way on the base unit 3 and manually actionable, for example through a lever (not illustrated), on which is assembled the first locking element 9 in a translational way. The operating means 14 comprise also cam shaped means 16 operatively asso-ciated to the push rod 15 to convert the rotary move-ment of the push rod 15 in a translational movement of the first locking element 9 along the rod. The cam shaped means 16 include a small pivot 17 integral with and transversal to the push rod 15 and an operating element 18 freely and glidingly associated to the rod and provided with a cam track Z9 in which the small pivot 17 is inserted. The cam track 19 is provided with a transferring central portion 19a and of two end portions 19b, 19c, corresponding to the active and passive positions, which are slanted in respect to the transferring central portion 19a in order to prevent the accidental slip of the operating element 18 when the locking is in an active and passive position. The operating means 14 include also an elastic element 20 connecting operatively the first locking element 9 and the second command element 18, to guarantee the func-Lions of pre-selection and anti-shock of the locking.
It could also be envisaged a containing element 21, for example.a frame or a shifting guide, to support the first locking element 9 in the various operative positions and along its movement and to compensate the thrust of the contrasting force. Alternatively the op-erating means 14 could be foreseen to activate the second shifting locking element 10, with a first fixed locking element 9. As illustrated in figure 2 the de-vice 1 includes two first locking elements 9, 9' and two second locking elements 10, 10' assembled on the push rod 15. Such elements are symmetrically posi-tinned on opposite sides of the revolving portion 6 to avoid loss of balance of the revolving portion 6 in locking position and are respectively cooperating to block the rotation of the revolving portion 6. The mechanism 2 includes a device to adjust the height of the chair, which is itself not described as it is a known type. The locking device 1 described above could therefore be applied to any chair having reclining portions, which is usually provided with a back, fixed to the supporting. element 7 of the back, of a seat, fixed to an supporting element 8 of the seat, of a vertical upright resting on a base, and eventually of arms for the support of the upper body of the user.
The functioning of a locking device, above described in a prevalently structural sense, is the following.
When the device 1 is in passive position (figure 4), the revolving portion can oscillate constrained by the means of elastic support. When the push rod 15 is ro-tated in the direction 22, around the axis 23, to op-erate the locking, the small~pivot 17 runs inside the cam track 19 of the operating element 18, making the same move along the push rod 15 towards the first locking element 9. The elastic element 20 is therefore compressed and pushes the first locking element 9 to-, wards the second locking element 10. If the second locking element 10 is situated with the resting seats in line with the teeth of the first locking element 9, the device 1 goes immediately into active position (figure 3) . If that is not the Case, the device finds itself in pre-selection, and as soon as the revolving portion 6 is rotated in a proper angular position, the first locking element 9 is pushed together with the second locking element 10 and activates the locking.
When one wants to unlock the device 1, one proceeds in the opposite way, rotating the push rod 15 in the opposite direction. The small pivot 17 pushes there-fore the operating element 18 in. the opposite direc-tion to the first locking element 9, putting in trac-tion the elastic element 20. If the user is resting on the revolving portion 6, the first locking element 9 cannot yet shift in respect to the second element 10 and unlock the rotation, but when the weight on the revolving portion 6 is lightened, the first locking element 9 is pulled by the elastic element 20 and the device moves in a passive position. Such functioning is known as anti-collision or anti-shock. Obviously, when the locking device 1 is in an unlocking position, the tilting portion of the chair is free to recline under the weight of the user seated on the chair and the means of elastic support exercise a suitable con-tract force. When the locking device 1 is in a locking position, the swinging is impeded. The invention achieves important advantages. In fact, a locking de-vice according. to the present invention offers a good deal of freedom in designing the locking device and of the relative positioning. Besides such device assures a secure locking of the swinging with the result of being particularly compact. Besides it has to be un-derlined that the locking device for office chairs re-cults in a simple and fast realization. In the end it has to be noted that a device according to the present invention presents reduced costs of production and al-lows also to use materials of relatively little resis-tance for the locking elements. Naturally several modifications and variations could be made to the de-vice according to the present invention without di-gressing from the inventive concept which character-ized it. All the items are replaceable with other technically equivalent elements and in practice all the materials used, and also the dimensions, could be of any type according to the need.
DESCRIPTION
The present invention relates to a locking device for office chairs and the like. As it is, known,. office chairs generally present adjustable parts in height and tilt. These chairs might present the back; and sometimes also the seat or the frame, adjustable in tilt in respect to a base unit, for example of a box form, which is connected at the top end of an upright which defines~.'the vertical support of the chair. The connection. between the base unit and the upright is realized substantially through a frustum of cone ele-ment united 'to a base unit and fit to receive the top end of the upright. Particular mechanisms are known which can tilt the back only, which are called "at permanent contact", mechanisms which allow the rode-pendent tilt of the back and seat which are called "asynchronous " type, and mechanisms which allow the simultaneous and proportional tilt, according to a predetermined ratio between the angles of the back and seat, which are called "synchronous" type. Mechanisms are also known. with reclining back and seat and solid between them, called "swinging" type. In all the above mentioried~cases elastic elements are provided to con-tract the tilting and it is possible selectively to prevent the swing of the parts which can tilt through SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) proper locking devices. Such locking devices are usu-ally made of multiple slotting positions and by at least a locking element fit to engage selectively in such slotting positions to stop the swing of the tilt-ing portions. The locking element is mobile at least between a front resting position which cooperates with the slots and a back resting position in which the swing is permitted. Such locking element is usually operatively associated to the back, but can be also associated to the seat, and in particular, in the asynchronous mechanism, a locking~element for the back and one for the seat could be envisaged. The known technique, briefly described above, presents some drawbacks. The known locking devices in fact generally allow the association for each tilt position, of a single locking element in a corresponding seat. This makes it necessary to realize the locking element and the unit which includes the slots in sufficiently re-sistant material, in order to avoid the risk of a structural failure of the same. Such locking devices can often also become rather cumbersome, and to guar-antee the reciprocal receding and advancing of the locking elements and of the slots it is sometimes nec-essary to opportunely modify the structure of the swinging mechanism with a consequent bigger complica-tion. It has also to be noted that, as in the mecha-nisms there is a frontal advancing and receding of the locking elements, the force resulting from the contact between such elements has a tangential component which can show a tendency to pull back the locking elements, and can therefore cause the accidental unlocking of the device. Such problematic issues require the neces-sity of very accurate designing of the locking device, with consequent higher costs of designing and realiza-tion of the said device. In this situation the techni-cal task set at the base of the present invention is to invent a locking device for office chairs and the like to be in a good enough position to obviate sub-stantially the problems mentioned. For the purpose of the said technical task it is an important aim of the invention to make a locking device for office chairs that .offers. a high degree of freedom in the designing of the, locking device and of the relative positioning.
Besides it is the aim of the invention to make a lock-ing device for office chairs which assures a safe locking and that results in simple and fast realiza-tion. It is another aim of the invention to make a locking device for office chairs of a universal type that can be assembled without substantial modifica-tions on all the types of mechanisms for chairs (for example swinging, synchronous, asynchronous and at permanent contact). Besides it is the aim of the in-vention to make a locking device which is particularly compact. It is finally the technical aim of the pres-ent invention to make a locking device far office chairs which is of a contained cost of production.
The precise technical task and the aims specified are substantially obtained by a locking device for office chairs which is characterized in that it included one or more technical solutions which axe claimed below.
In the following there is, only as an indicative and not as a limitative example, the description of a pre-ferred but not exclusive form of execution of a lock-ing device according to the invention, illustrated in the enclosed drawings, in which:
- fig. 1 shows a prospective view of a locking device for office chairs according to the present invention;
- fig. 2 is a section on a lateral view of a tilting mechanism for an office chair including the locking device of figure 1;
- fig. 3 is part of a section of the device of figure l, in an active operative position of locking, exe-cuted according to a horizontal plan;
- fig. 4 is an view analogous to that of figure 3 with the locking device in a passive operative position of locking;
- fig. 5 shows an alternative profile for a locking element;
- fig. 6 shows an alternative realization of the lock-ing elements.
With reference to the mentioned figures, a locking de-vice for office chairs and the like according to the invention is globally shown with reference No 1. The locking device 1 is advantageously applicable to a mechanism 2 for an office chair, which includes essen-tially a base unit 3 fit to engage, through a connect-ing element 4, to the top end of an upright 5 which defines the vertical support of the chair. On the base unit 3 at least a revolving portion 6 of the chair is hinged in a known way, for example an sup-porting element 7 of the back. The mechanism 2 in-cludes also an ,supporting element 8 of a seat of a chair, mounted above the base unit 3. The device 1 is applicable in a manner similar to all the types of known mechanisms, and therefore to mechanisms at "permanent contact", in which the supporting element of the seat is j oined to the base unit and the only reclining part is the back, to mechanisms of "synchronous" type, in which the supporting element of the seat is associated in a revolving way to the base unit and to the supporting element of the back to swing proportionally to the swinging of the supporting element of the back and to mechanisms of "swinging"
type, in which the element of support of the seat is fixed to the supporting element of the back to swing jointly with the same. The locking device can also be used in mechanisms of "asynchronous" type, in which the supporting element of the seat is associated in a revolving way to the base unit, to swing in an inde-pendent way in respect to the base unit. In such a case the mechanism includes a second locking device operatively placed between the supporting element of the seat and the base unit. Means of elastic support are usually also foreseen. (not shown on the figures?.
such as a spring, placed between each turning portion in an independent way and the base unit, and therefore at least between. the supporting element and base unit.
The locking device 1 includes a first locking element 9 having a first portion of engagement 9a mounted on the base unit 3, anal a second locking element 10 hav-ing a second portion of engagement 10a anal mounted on the rotating portion 6. The first engagement portion 9a and the second engagement portion 10a are selec-tively associable,in an active position to lock the rotation of the revolving portion 6 in respect to the base unit 3 and can dissociate in a passive position to unlock such rotation. When the device 1 is in a locking position, a contrasting force develops between the two engaging portions 9a , 10a and therefore be-tween the two locking elements 9,10, due to the action created on the mobile portion by the means of elastic support, when the chair is not in use, and by the weight of the user when the chair is used. Such force, which has a tangential component to the con-tact's surfaces of the engaging portions 9a, 10a and a perpendicular component to such surfaces, is due to the rotary action acting in direction 12, on the sec-and element 10, and is inclined to push back the first locking element 9 away from the second locking element 10. The contrasting force therefore lies in the plane in which has been executed the section. of figure 2.
In line with the present invention, the displacement between the active and the passive positions occurs along a displacement's direction substantially perpen-dicular to the contrasting force. Preferably such dis-placement besides is substantially perpendicular also to the tangential components and perpendicular to the contact surfaces between the engaging portions 9a, 10a. In this way the locking is much safer, because the displacement happens perpendicularly to the force _g_ which tends to distance the two locking elements 9, 10 and therefore such force cannot separate such elements 9, 10. The direction.of the displacement is shown in figure 1 with the reference number 11. Advantageously the displacement could be a lateral displacement rela-tive to the first 9a and to the second 10a portion of engagement. For lateral displacement it is understood a displacement in a transversal direction and prefera-bly perpendicular to a vertical plane passing cen-trally on both the first 9 and on the second locking element 10, when these are in active position. Advan-tageously, besides, the displacement substantially happens perpendicularly to the direction of the fron-tal distancing between the engaging portions 9a, 10a.
In the active position the first 9a and second 10a en-gaging portions are reciprocally faced in correspon-deuce to a contact surface. Advantageously the dis-placement between the active position and the passive position takes place along a direction of displacement and shift parallel to the surface of contact. Pref-erably also the displacement between the active posi-tion and passive position takes place along a direc-tion of movement substantially parallel to the rotat-ing axis 13 of the revolving portion 6. In particular the first locking element 9 is translational in a lat-eral and parallel way to the surface of the engaging portion 9a to look selectively the rotation of the re-volving portion. 6, while the second locking element 10 is fixed to the revolving portion 6. The first lock-ing element 9 consists preferably of a portion of a circular crown entirely toothed and cooperating with the second engaging portion 10a. Advantageously the teeth are all cooperating contemporarily with the sec-and engaging portion 10a in the operative active posi-tion. Preferably the second locking element 10 is a wheel, at least partially toothed (figure 1) and therefore provided with a number of resting positions, in which the teeth can be inserted. The wheel is fixed to the revolving portion 6 to rotate jointly with it, according to the direction shown of figures 1 and 2 with number 12, around the axis 13. The first 9 and second 10 locking elements could be provided with corresponding set of teeth having an involute, square and other type profile. In figure 5 is shown an exam-ple of a profile for an undercut toothed gear placed on the second element 10 but applicable in an analogue way and counter-shaped on the first element 9, which offers a further advantage to impede a frontal detach-ment of the locking elements, not requiring the pres-ence of a containing element 21 for the first locking element. zn an alternative embodiment, partially il-lustrated in figure 6 with only the locking elements, the first locking element 9 is provided with stopping elements, for example studs, on a lateral face, ex-tending therefore in the shifting direction 11 of the same first element. The second element 10 is provided with proper stopping seats, such as shaped holes or the like, also these extending in the shifting direc-tion 11 of the first locking element 9 to cooperate with the stopping elements of the first locking ele-ment 9. Also in that case there is a lateral shifting of the two locking elements 9, 10 which is acting in a perpendicular direction to the contrasting force de-veloping between the faces of the holes and the lock-ing elements. The device 1 includes also operating means 14 operatively connected to the first locking element 9 to execute the locking and unlocking of the device 1. The operating means 14 include a push rod 15 assembled in a revolving way on the base unit 3 and manually actionable, for example through a lever (not illustrated), on which is assembled the first locking element 9 in a translational way. The operating means 14 comprise also cam shaped means 16 operatively asso-ciated to the push rod 15 to convert the rotary move-ment of the push rod 15 in a translational movement of the first locking element 9 along the rod. The cam shaped means 16 include a small pivot 17 integral with and transversal to the push rod 15 and an operating element 18 freely and glidingly associated to the rod and provided with a cam track Z9 in which the small pivot 17 is inserted. The cam track 19 is provided with a transferring central portion 19a and of two end portions 19b, 19c, corresponding to the active and passive positions, which are slanted in respect to the transferring central portion 19a in order to prevent the accidental slip of the operating element 18 when the locking is in an active and passive position. The operating means 14 include also an elastic element 20 connecting operatively the first locking element 9 and the second command element 18, to guarantee the func-Lions of pre-selection and anti-shock of the locking.
It could also be envisaged a containing element 21, for example.a frame or a shifting guide, to support the first locking element 9 in the various operative positions and along its movement and to compensate the thrust of the contrasting force. Alternatively the op-erating means 14 could be foreseen to activate the second shifting locking element 10, with a first fixed locking element 9. As illustrated in figure 2 the de-vice 1 includes two first locking elements 9, 9' and two second locking elements 10, 10' assembled on the push rod 15. Such elements are symmetrically posi-tinned on opposite sides of the revolving portion 6 to avoid loss of balance of the revolving portion 6 in locking position and are respectively cooperating to block the rotation of the revolving portion 6. The mechanism 2 includes a device to adjust the height of the chair, which is itself not described as it is a known type. The locking device 1 described above could therefore be applied to any chair having reclining portions, which is usually provided with a back, fixed to the supporting. element 7 of the back, of a seat, fixed to an supporting element 8 of the seat, of a vertical upright resting on a base, and eventually of arms for the support of the upper body of the user.
The functioning of a locking device, above described in a prevalently structural sense, is the following.
When the device 1 is in passive position (figure 4), the revolving portion can oscillate constrained by the means of elastic support. When the push rod 15 is ro-tated in the direction 22, around the axis 23, to op-erate the locking, the small~pivot 17 runs inside the cam track 19 of the operating element 18, making the same move along the push rod 15 towards the first locking element 9. The elastic element 20 is therefore compressed and pushes the first locking element 9 to-, wards the second locking element 10. If the second locking element 10 is situated with the resting seats in line with the teeth of the first locking element 9, the device 1 goes immediately into active position (figure 3) . If that is not the Case, the device finds itself in pre-selection, and as soon as the revolving portion 6 is rotated in a proper angular position, the first locking element 9 is pushed together with the second locking element 10 and activates the locking.
When one wants to unlock the device 1, one proceeds in the opposite way, rotating the push rod 15 in the opposite direction. The small pivot 17 pushes there-fore the operating element 18 in. the opposite direc-tion to the first locking element 9, putting in trac-tion the elastic element 20. If the user is resting on the revolving portion 6, the first locking element 9 cannot yet shift in respect to the second element 10 and unlock the rotation, but when the weight on the revolving portion 6 is lightened, the first locking element 9 is pulled by the elastic element 20 and the device moves in a passive position. Such functioning is known as anti-collision or anti-shock. Obviously, when the locking device 1 is in an unlocking position, the tilting portion of the chair is free to recline under the weight of the user seated on the chair and the means of elastic support exercise a suitable con-tract force. When the locking device 1 is in a locking position, the swinging is impeded. The invention achieves important advantages. In fact, a locking de-vice according. to the present invention offers a good deal of freedom in designing the locking device and of the relative positioning. Besides such device assures a secure locking of the swinging with the result of being particularly compact. Besides it has to be un-derlined that the locking device for office chairs re-cults in a simple and fast realization. In the end it has to be noted that a device according to the present invention presents reduced costs of production and al-lows also to use materials of relatively little resis-tance for the locking elements. Naturally several modifications and variations could be made to the de-vice according to the present invention without di-gressing from the inventive concept which character-ized it. All the items are replaceable with other technically equivalent elements and in practice all the materials used, and also the dimensions, could be of any type according to the need.
Claims (31)
1. Locking device (1) for office chairs and the like comprising of:
a first locking element (9) having a first engaging portion (9a) and operatively associable to a base unit (3) of a chair;
a second locking element (10) having a second engag-ing portion (10a) and operatively associable at least to a revolving portion (6) of the chair, pivoted on the said base unit (3) of the chair, said first engag-ing portion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) being selectively associable in an active posi-tion to lock the rotation of the revolving portion (6) in respect to the base unit (3) and dissociable in a passive position to unlock such rotation, said first and second engaging portions (9a, 10a) being recipro-cally faced in said active position to exchange a con-trasting force between each other, characterized in that the shifting between said active position and said passive position takes place along a shifting di-rection 11 substantially perpendicular to said con-trasting force.
a first locking element (9) having a first engaging portion (9a) and operatively associable to a base unit (3) of a chair;
a second locking element (10) having a second engag-ing portion (10a) and operatively associable at least to a revolving portion (6) of the chair, pivoted on the said base unit (3) of the chair, said first engag-ing portion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) being selectively associable in an active posi-tion to lock the rotation of the revolving portion (6) in respect to the base unit (3) and dissociable in a passive position to unlock such rotation, said first and second engaging portions (9a, 10a) being recipro-cally faced in said active position to exchange a con-trasting force between each other, characterized in that the shifting between said active position and said passive position takes place along a shifting di-rection 11 substantially perpendicular to said con-trasting force.
2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that said shifting direction (11) is substantially perpen-dicular also to the components, of said contrasting force, tangential and perpendicular to the contact surfaces between the engaging portions 9a, 10a.
3. Device according to claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the shifting between said active position and said passive position takes place through a relative lateral displacement of said first and second engaging portions (9a, 10a).
4. Device according to claims 1, 2 or 3, character-ized in that first and second engaging portions (9a, 10a) are reciprocally faced in said active position in correspondence of a contact surface, said shifting di-rection (11) being substantially parallel to said con-tact surface.
5. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said shifting direction (11) is substantially parallel to the rotating axis (13) of the revolving portion (6).
6. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that at least one of said first and second locking elements (9, 10) is mobile in said shifting direction (11) in a parallel way to the surface of its own engaging portion (9a, 10a).
7. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said second locking ele-ment (10) is fixed to said revolving portion (6) and said first locking element (9) is assembled in a translational way on said base unit (3).
8. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said second engaging portion (10a) is provided with a number of resting seats, said first engaging portion (9a) being selec-tively associable with said engaging seats.
9. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said second locking ele-ment (10) is a wheel at least partially toothed.
10. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said first locking ele-ment (9) is provided with a number of teeth cooperat-ing with said second engaging portion (10a).
11. Device according to the previous claim, charac-terized in that said teeth are all cooperating contem-porarily with said second engaging portion (10a) in said active operative position.
12. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said first locking ele-ment (9) is constituted by a portion of a circular crown completely toothed and cooperating with said second engaging portion (10a).
13. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes two of said first locking elements (9, 9') and two of said second locking elements (10, 10') respectively cooperating to lock the rotation of said revolving portion and suita-bly placed on opposite sides of the revolving portion (6) to avoid the unbalancing of the revolving portion (6) in locking position.
14. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes also operat-ing means (14) operatively connected to said first locking element (9) to operate the locking and the un-locking of the device (1).
15. Device according to claims 13 and 14, character-ized in that said operating means (14) are common to the said two first locking elements (9, 9' ) .
16. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said operating means (14) include a push rod (15) assembled in a revolving way on said base unit (3) and driven manually, on which is assembled in a translational way said first locking element (9) .
17. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that said operating means (14) include also cam shaped means (16) operatively associated to said push rod (15) to convert the rotary movement of the push rod (15) in a translational movement of the first locking element (9) along the rod (15) .
18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that said cam means (16) include a small pivot (17) integral with and transversal to said rod (15) and an operating element (18) associated in a moving way to said rod (15) and provided with a cam track (19) in which is inserted the said small pivot (17).
19. Device according to claim 18, characterized in that said cam track (19) is provided with a central transferring portion (19a) and of two end portions (19b, 19c), corresponding to said active and passive positions, said end portions (19b, 19c) having sub-stantially a perpendicular development to said shift-ing direction (11) to impede the accidental shifting of the command element (18) when the locking is in ac-tive and passive position.
20. Device according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that it includes also an elastic element (20) operatively connecting said first locking element (9) and said second operating element (18), to provide for the functions of pre-selection and anti-shock of the locking.
21. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that it includes also a con-taming element (21) to hold said first locking ele-ment (9) in the various operative positions.
22. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said first and second locking elements (10) are provided with a correspond-ing set of gear teeth having an involute profile.
23. Device according to any one of the claims from 1 to 21, characterized in that the said first and second locking element (10) are provided with a corresponding set~of gear teeth having an undercut profile.
24. Device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that said first engaging por-tion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) are parallel to the shifting direction (11).
25. Device according to claim 24, characterized in that said first engaging portion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) are provided with resting seats and with corresponding resting teeth developing per-pendicularly to the shifting direction (11).
26. Device according to any one of the claims from 1 to 23, characterized in that said first engaging por-tion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) are perpendicular to the shifting direction (11).
27. Device according to claim 26, characterized in that said first engaging portion (9a) and said second engaging portion (10a) are provided with resting seats and with corresponding resting elements developing parallelly to the shifting direction (11).
28. Mechanism (2) for office chairs and the like, comprising of:
a base unit (3) fit to engage, through a connecting element (4), at the top end of an upright (5) which defines the vertical support of the chair, an supporting element (7) of a back of the chair en-paged in a revolving way to said base unit (3), a supporting element (8) of a seat of a chair mounted above said base unit (3), means of elastic support placed at least between said supporting element (7)and said base unit (3), characterized in that it includes a locking device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, to lock selectively the swinging of at least said supporting element (7) of the back in respect to said base unit (3) .
a base unit (3) fit to engage, through a connecting element (4), at the top end of an upright (5) which defines the vertical support of the chair, an supporting element (7) of a back of the chair en-paged in a revolving way to said base unit (3), a supporting element (8) of a seat of a chair mounted above said base unit (3), means of elastic support placed at least between said supporting element (7)and said base unit (3), characterized in that it includes a locking device (1) according to any one of the previous claims, to lock selectively the swinging of at least said supporting element (7) of the back in respect to said base unit (3) .
29. Mechanism according to claim 28, characterized in that said supporting element (8) of the seat is swively associated to the base unit (3) to swing in respect to the base unit (3) in an independent way from said supporting element (7) of the back and by the fact to include also a second locking device (1), according to any one of the claims from 1 to 27, operatively placed in between said supporting element (8) of the seat and said base unit (3), said means of elastic support being provided also between said sup-porting element (8) of the seat and said base unit (3).
30. Chair characterized in that it includes a locking device (1) according to any one of the claims from 1 to 27.
31. Chair characterized in that it includes a mecha-nism (2) according to the claims 28 or 29.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITBS2003A000016 | 2003-02-21 | ||
| IT000016A ITBS20030016A1 (en) | 2003-02-21 | 2003-02-21 | LOCKING DEVICE FOR OFFICE CHAIRS AND SIMILAR. |
| PCT/IT2004/000062 WO2004073455A1 (en) | 2003-02-21 | 2004-02-16 | Locking device for office chairs and the like |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2516778A1 true CA2516778A1 (en) | 2004-09-02 |
Family
ID=32894147
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002516778A Abandoned CA2516778A1 (en) | 2003-02-21 | 2004-02-16 | Locking device for office chairs and the like |
Country Status (7)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US20060290185A1 (en) |
| EP (1) | EP1596690B1 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN1750776A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2516778A1 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE602004004372T2 (en) |
| IT (1) | ITBS20030016A1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2004073455A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ITMI20070719A1 (en) * | 2007-04-06 | 2008-10-07 | L & P Property Management Co | TILTING DEVICE FOR A RECLINING SEAT. |
| ITMI20070718A1 (en) * | 2007-04-06 | 2008-10-07 | L & P Property Management Co | ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR ADJUSTABLE AND SIMILAR CHAIRS. |
| US8960600B2 (en) * | 2010-02-08 | 2015-02-24 | Raymond George Carreker | Variable surface landing platform (VARSLAP) |
| CN103371658B (en) * | 2012-04-30 | 2016-02-03 | 丽水市汇金电气有限公司 | Gas support locking device |
| CN106913098A (en) * | 2017-04-19 | 2017-07-04 | 苏州圣艺文体用品有限公司 | A kind of chair for being easy to adjust height |
| CN114344492B (en) * | 2022-01-08 | 2024-02-02 | 深圳市深鸿涛贸易有限公司 | Orthopedics medical equipment surface layer high temperature microorganism treatment facility |
Family Cites Families (12)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2296212A (en) * | 1940-07-24 | 1942-09-15 | Kluglein Theobald | Treatment chair |
| US2738829A (en) * | 1951-11-17 | 1956-03-20 | Lockheed Aircraft Corp | Reversible and berthable seat |
| CH327215A (en) * | 1954-09-14 | 1958-01-31 | Borsani Osvaldo | Seat |
| US2777504A (en) * | 1955-10-24 | 1957-01-15 | Rockwell Spring & Axle Co | Automatic latching means for back rests |
| GB1042181A (en) * | 1963-03-01 | 1966-09-14 | Carl Robert Hammerstein | Hinge connection between seat and back rest, particularly for car seats |
| US3302970A (en) * | 1965-04-05 | 1967-02-07 | Rizzato Francesco Cesare | Lockable joint device for a cycle saddle mounted on an orientable saddleholder |
| DE1902670C3 (en) * | 1968-02-01 | 1975-11-27 | Gerdi Kerstholt Geb. Spaeth | Seat with adjustable seat part and adjustable backrest |
| US4008920A (en) * | 1976-02-23 | 1977-02-22 | Uop Inc. | Seat back adjuster |
| US4125288A (en) * | 1977-09-14 | 1978-11-14 | Hunter George T | Reclining seat |
| US4231612A (en) * | 1978-09-01 | 1980-11-04 | Questor Corporation | Baby carrier and car seat |
| JP3436501B2 (en) * | 1999-02-03 | 2003-08-11 | 向陽技研株式会社 | Angle adjuster |
| US6598936B1 (en) * | 2001-04-11 | 2003-07-29 | Michael N. Klein | Multi-task mid-pivot chair control mechanism |
-
2003
- 2003-02-21 IT IT000016A patent/ITBS20030016A1/en unknown
-
2004
- 2004-02-16 EP EP04711436A patent/EP1596690B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2004-02-16 WO PCT/IT2004/000062 patent/WO2004073455A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 2004-02-16 DE DE602004004372T patent/DE602004004372T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2004-02-16 CA CA002516778A patent/CA2516778A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2004-02-16 CN CNA2004800047093A patent/CN1750776A/en active Pending
- 2004-02-16 US US10/545,577 patent/US20060290185A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| ITBS20030016A1 (en) | 2004-08-22 |
| DE602004004372D1 (en) | 2007-03-08 |
| US20060290185A1 (en) | 2006-12-28 |
| WO2004073455A1 (en) | 2004-09-02 |
| EP1596690B1 (en) | 2007-01-17 |
| EP1596690A1 (en) | 2005-11-23 |
| CN1750776A (en) | 2006-03-22 |
| DE602004004372T2 (en) | 2007-08-23 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US4222543A (en) | Vertical and angular adjustment device for vehicle seats | |
| EP1531705B1 (en) | Support for tilting or synchronized chairs | |
| CN1937936A (en) | Chair with tilt lock mechanism | |
| GB2465075A (en) | Backrest recline adjustment device for a stroller | |
| JPS643393Y2 (en) | ||
| CN101137306A (en) | Multi-purpose chair adjustment mechanism | |
| CA2516778A1 (en) | Locking device for office chairs and the like | |
| KR20070051735A (en) | Patient bed system | |
| FR2771941A1 (en) | Adjustable ski fixing | |
| JP3696644B2 (en) | Seat adjustment mechanism | |
| JP3687144B2 (en) | Vehicle seat slide device | |
| KR850001823A (en) | Tilting chair | |
| EP0325352B1 (en) | Child's safety seat | |
| AU673457B2 (en) | Chair | |
| RU2101993C1 (en) | Adjusting device for supports of chair seats, in particular, rotating chairs | |
| CN211543314U (en) | Seat inclination angle adjusting and locking mechanism | |
| CN110466399B (en) | Child safety seat and rotary connection structure of base and seat body | |
| KR200453454Y1 (en) | A bicycle equipped with changeable saddle | |
| JP7397188B2 (en) | Locking mechanisms and children's products | |
| JP3418076B2 (en) | All lock device of drawer in cabinet | |
| JP2539963Y2 (en) | Heald frame support device | |
| JPH10290716A (en) | Top plate fixing structure for foldable table | |
| JP3088448B2 (en) | Position adjustment device for vehicle seats, etc. | |
| EP0964954A1 (en) | Ironing press | |
| JP5012018B2 (en) | Seismic unlocking device for moving shelf device |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |