EP0498708A1 - Chair with cross legs, the backrest being adjustable in inclination - Google Patents

Abstract

<Pô>The armchair comprises an X-shaped underframe whose front legs (4) are articulated at (17) on the backrest and whose back legs (5) are articulated (at 8) under the seat (1) which can be locked by way of its rear part on the said front legs (4). According to the invention, it also comprises, on each side, a slide (19) articulated on an upper extension (18) of the corresponding front leg (4) and on a front rocker bar (22), the bottom of which is articulated on the seat (1). An armrest (7), mounted in a swivelling fashion on the backrest (4), is then guided in translation along the slide (19) and positioned on the latter in an adjustable fashion. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a chair with an X-shaped base, adjustable in inclination for the backrest and alternatively in level for the seat.

• un croisillon de piétement dont les pieds avant et arrière sont reliés l'un à l'autre dans leur partie sensiblement médiane par un axe d'articulation,
• une membrure de l'assise dont la partie antérieure est reliée à la partie supérieure du pied arrière par un axe d'articulation et dont la partie postérieure est susceptible d'être verrouillée sur le pied avant,
• une membrure du dossier reliée au pied avant par un axe d'articulation situé sensiblement au niveau de l'assise,
• un accoudoir relié à l'assise et au dossier par un dispositif réglable de support.

Such chairs are known and have on each side of the seat and back:

• a cross brace whose front and rear legs are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin,
• a frame of the seat, the front part of which is connected to the upper part of the rear foot by a hinge pin and the rear part of which is capable of being locked on the front foot,
• a member of the backrest connected to the front leg by a hinge pin situated substantially at the level of the seat,
• an armrest connected to the seat and the backrest by an adjustable support device.

In the Herlag armchair which is the subject of German patent 2 733 125, each front leg is articulated directly on the seat, while each rear leg is connected to said seat by means of a link which, when the armchair is deployed, locks under the seat and, when the chair is folded, moves away from this seat. On each side, the seat and the armrest are articulated on the backrest and said armrest is connected to an upper extension of the rear leg by a rack allowing the inclination of the backrest to be adjusted.

The disadvantage of this known chair is that its folding is accompanied by a dangerous operation of the rods, given that one can pinch one's fingers at the risk of being seriously cut.

In addition, folding is carried out in the portfolio: folder on seat. As a result, the size of the chair folded back on itself is relatively large and the chair thus folded does not stand up by itself. This constitutes a another disadvantage for transport and storage.

In the Rovera armchair, illustrated by Italian patent 5,208 A / 82, the legs and the backrest are articulated relative to the seat. Each armrest is pivotally mounted on the backrest and connected to a triangular lateral support by a rack and pinion device for adjusting the inclination of the backrest. The support comprises a link articulated on the seat and an inclined bar pivotally mounted in the angle: seat-back, the link and the bar joining on the rack device. For folding the chair, the inclined bar is telescopic and for keeping it in the deployed position, a lock blocks the elongation of the bar.

The disadvantage of this known chair lies in the difficulty of simultaneously manipulating the two latches and concomitantly in folding said chair when both hands are already taken.

In addition, telescopic bars and latches are difficult to obtain with precision and fragile in use.

Furthermore, folding is still carried out in the portfolio with the risk of pinching your fingers and the drawback of occupying too much storage volume in an unstable position.

In the Kettler armchair described in German patent DE 31 27 310, the legs and the backrest are articulated relative to the seat. Each armrest is pivotally mounted on the backrest and connected by a rack and pinion device, for adjusting the inclination of the backrest, to a front stand whose base bears on the seat by means of an unlockable blocking means. This means is blocked when the chair is raised. It must be unlocked to allow the crutch to tilt forward when the chair is folded.

The disadvantage of this known chair also resides in the fragility of the locking means and the difficulty in maneuvering them. In addition, the wheelchair can become dangerous if one at least of these loose means.

Furthermore, folding is always carried out in the portfolio with the risk of pinching your fingers and with the disadvantage of too much bulk. In this state, it is difficult to stabilize it upright and therefore to put it away.

Another known type of armchair is foldable flat, with the backrest as an extension of the seat.

Such an armchair manufactured by Grosfillex is illustrated by French patent n ° 2 632 840 and comprises, on each side, an articulation connecting the front leg of the cross, to the backrest and to an inclined bar, which is articulated at its free end on link. This is articulated on the seat and connected to the front of an armrest by a rack device making it possible to adjust the inclination of the backrest, the armrest being articulated at the rear on said backrest. Furthermore, to adjust the level of the seat by flattening or straightening the spider, this seat comprises, at the rear and on each side, a rack whose notches interact selectively with a finger of the corresponding front foot, this finger being close of the articulation: front foot.

To fold the armchair flat, first raise the seat by releasing its rear racks from the toes of the front feet, then fold the rear feet onto the front feet and at the same time fold the armrests over the backrest by flattening the compasses constituted by inclined bars and 'rods, operations which are accompanied by the alignment of the backrest with the flat base and the superimposition of the seat.

This chair has the advantage of being extremely solid and easy to maneuver, without risk of accident. Its manufacture is simplified and its folding and its deployment are extremely easy. Its space requirement in the folded state is reduced and its storage side by side with other armchairs is very stable.

However, its aesthetics are questionable, since in the position of use the inclined bars are visible and occupy a space which should appear free between the armrests and the seat. In addition, the risk of pinching your fingers, if it does not exist to maneuver the chair in backrest tilt and in seat level, is real between the arms of the compasses during the folding of the chair.

Noting that this Grosfillex armchair overcomes the drawbacks of the aforementioned known armchairs Herlag, Rovera, Kettler, but still has the disadvantage of having a questionable aesthetic and of being relatively dangerous when flattening the compasses, the present invention aims to remedy these remaining drawbacks by eliminating the compass of this Grosfillex armchair and by implementing improved means. Of course, aesthetics and safety are improved, the improved chair is also more solid, easy to manufacture, convenient to maneuver and fold or deploy, suitable for stable storage.

• un croisillon de piétement dont les pieds avant et arrière sont reliés l'un à l'autre dans leur partie sensiblement médiane par un axe d'articulation,
• une membrure de l'assise dans la partie antérieure est reliée à la partie supérieure du pied arrière par un axe d'articulation et dont la partie postérieure est susceptible d'être verrouillée sur le pied avant,
• une membrure du dossier reliée au pied avant par un axe d'articulation situé sensiblement au niveau de l'assise,
• un accoudoir relié à l'assise et au dossier par un dispositif réglable de support.

For this purpose and according to the invention, the chair makes use of the aforementioned combination of means according to which it comprises, on each side of the seat and of the backrest:

• a cross brace whose front and rear legs are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin,
• a frame of the seat in the front part is connected to the upper part of the rear foot by a hinge pin and the rear part of which is capable of being locked on the front foot,
• a member of the backrest connected to the front leg by a hinge pin situated substantially at the level of the seat,
• an armrest connected to the seat and the backrest by an adjustable support device.

• en ce que le dispositif de support comporte un coulisseau articulé, à son extrémité postérieure, sur un prolongement supérieur du pied avant et, à son extrémité antérieure, sur l'extrémité supérieure d'une biellette dont l'extrémité inférieure est elle-même articulée sur l'assise, de sorte que le pied avant, le coulisseau, la biellette, l'assise déverrouillée et le pied arrière constituent, lorsque l'assise est déverrouillee des pieds avant un pentagone déformable susceptible d'être aplati,
• et en ce que l'accoudoir est guide en translation le long du coulisseau et relié à celui-ci par l'intermédiaire d'un moyen de positionnement réglable, l'accoudoir étant en outre monté pivotant et coulissant relativement au dossier.

In accordance with the invention, the improvements reside:

• in that the support device comprises an articulated slide, at its rear end, on an upper extension of the front leg and, at its front end, on the upper end of a link, the lower end of which is itself articulated on the seat, so that the front foot, the slide, the link, the unlocked seat and the rear foot constitute, when the seat is unlocked from the front feet, a deformable pentagon capable of being flattened ,
• and in that the armrest is guide in translation along the slide and connected to it by means of an adjustable positioning means, the armrest being further mounted to pivot and slide relative to the backrest.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, a hinge pin connecting the rear end of each slide to the upper extension of the corresponding front leg, projects into at least one rear slide of the armrest, this armrest and this slide being connected between them at the front by at least one rack device making it possible to adjust their mutual positioning and keeping them prisoners of one another.

The rear end of each slide has two branches arranged on either side of the upper extension of the corresponding front foot and are crossed as well as this extension by a hinge pin whose projecting ends are guided in two rear longitudinal slides of the armrest to allow translation and / or pivoting of the armrest relative to the slide.

Each slide has on each side, rack teeth extending upward in an elongated opening capable of receiving a conjugate lug of the corresponding armrest, this lug projecting inwards to circulate in said light and penetrate the notch of said rack selected in correspondence with the chosen inclination of the backrest.

Each armrest projects a trunnion engaged in an upward slit in the backrest.

If the chair is only adjustable for the inclination of the backrest, the rear part of the seat is fitted onto a protruding element of the front foot to support it when the chair is deployed.

On the other hand, if the chair is also adjustable for the level of the seat, the rear part of the seat comprises on each side a removable rack whose notches open at the bottom are capable of cooperating selectively with a finger projecting laterally on the corresponding front leg.

Various other characteristics and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the detailed description which follows.

An embodiment and a variant of the subject of the invention are shown, by way of nonlimiting examples, in the appended drawing.

• la figure 1 est une élévation latérale illustrant une forme de réalisation d'un fauteuil dont l'assise est à niveau fixe ;
• la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, montrant le fauteuil au début de son repliement ;
• la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, représentant le fauteuil complètement replié à plat ;
• la figure 4 est une perspective partielle du fauteuil selon la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une coupe prise à plus grande échelle suivant les lignes V-V de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 6 est une coupe prise suivant la ligne VI-VI de la figure 5 ;
• la figure 7 est une vue analogue à la figure 1, illustrant une variante de réalisation d'un fauteuil dont l'assise est à niveau réglable.

On this drawing :

• Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating an embodiment of an armchair whose seat is at a fixed level;
• Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the chair at the start of its folding;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the chair completely folded flat;
• Figure 4 is a partial perspective of the chair according to Figure 1;
• Figure 5 is a section taken on a larger scale along the lines VV of Figure 5;
• Figure 6 is a section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating an alternative embodiment of an armchair whose seat is adjustable level.

• une assise 1,
• un dossier 2,
• un piétement comprenant deux croisillons latéraux 3 constitués chacun par un pied avant 4 et un pied arrière 5 articulés l'un sur l'autre dans leur partie sensiblement médiane par l'intermédiaire d'un axe 6, et
• des accoudoirs latéraux 7.

As the drawing shows, the armchair includes:

• a seat 1,
• a file 2,
• a base comprising two lateral crosspieces 3 each constituted by a front foot 4 and a rear foot 5 articulated one on the other in their substantially median part via an axis 6, and
• side armrests 7.

A frame of the seat 1 is articulated around axes 8 on the upper ends of the rear legs 5. The front legs 4 are connected in particular by a high cross member 9 located substantially opposite the seat when the chair is in position d 'use.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the level of the seat 1 is fixed, and therefore the rear part 10 of the seat member is fitted on a bracket 11 projecting inside the front feet 4.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 7, the level of the seat 1 is adjustable and, for this purpose, each side of the rear part of the seat 1 comprises a rack 12 open at the bottom and laterally towards the corresponding front leg 4 so that its notches 13 cooperate selectively with a finger 14 projecting from the foot 4 considered in order to determine the level of the seat 1. In the position of use of the chair, the fingers 14 are trapped in the seat, since this comprises under each rack 12 a guide ramp 15 sufficiently spaced from the crest of the teeth of the rack considered so that the corresponding finger 14 can move from one notch to another when it comes to changing the level of the seat. Furthermore, a passage 16 is provided at the rear of the ramp 15 for the finger 14 so that the seat can be raised as described below.

Whether the armchair with fixed seat (Figures 1 to 4) or the armchair with adjustable level seat (Figure 7), means are provided to adjust the inclination of the backrest 2 and are described in the following in relationship to Figures 4 to 6.

A member of the backrest 2 is articulated on each front leg 4 about an axis 17 and forms a body, above the latter, with an extension 18.

On each side, a slide 19 forms at its ends yokes 20 and 21 (FIG. 5) fitting onto the extension 18 and a link 22 to articulate there around axes 23 and 24 respectively, the link 22 also being articulated on the seat 1 about an axis 25.

Each slide 19 is capped by an armrest 7 U-shaped. The sides thereof have, at their rear ends, closed edges projecting inwardly and delimiting elongated lights in which are engaged the projecting ends of the corresponding axis 23, these edges then constituting longitudinal slides 26 by which the conjugate armrest 7 can slide and / or pivot upwards. The sides of the armrest 7 considered have, at their anterior ends, lugs 27 projecting inwardly into elongated slots 28 of the slide 19 considered. Each slot 28 and the notches 29 of a rack 30 which open out there are delimited by a closed rim 31 projecting from the side considered of the slide.

When each armrest 7 is raised by pivoting about the axis 23, its lug 27 is released from the notch where it is positioned, and it is placed in the slot 28; when then the armrest 7 is moved in translation relative to the slide 19, the guide being obtained by the slide 25 on the axis 23, a new notch 29 can be selected in which the lug 27 can be introduced by reverse pivoting of the armrest.

Each armrest 7 is not only connected to a slide 19 in the manner described above, but also articulated on the backrest. To this end, it comprises inwardly projecting a pin 32 engaged in an ascending slot 33 of the corresponding member of the backrest 2.

To each notch 29 of the racks 30 corresponds, by taking the pins 27 of the armrests 7, an inclination of the backrest 2.

To fold the chair, proceed as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

First of all, it is necessary to separate the seat 1 from the front feet 4 by disengaging its rear part 10 from the bracket 11 (Figure 1) or by completely releasing its rack 12 from the finger 14 (Figure 7).

It is then possible, at first, to pivot the seat 1 forwards (arrow F) and the armrests 7 upwards (arrow G), movements which are accompanied by a tilting of the rods 22 towards the end of the armrests.

Then, in a second step, fold down the armrests 7 on the backrest 2 (arrow G) by driving the rods 22, the seat 1 and the rear legs 5 so that, as shown in FIG. 3, the cross-pieces 3 close by placing the front feet 4 substantially as an extension of the backrest 2 and against the rear feet 5, these being placed as an extension of the seat 1 and of the links 22.

Figure 3 shows that the folded chair is very flat.

Of course, each slide 19 can have only one slide 25 and a single rack 30. It can also be articulated in overhang on the extension 18 of the front foot and the corresponding rod 22.

In any case, the means described are only one embodiment, others can be used.

In particular, each armrest can be guided in translation along the slide by another means such as a longitudinal rod of one engaged in at least one sleeve of the other.

Furthermore, each armrest can be positioned in an adjustable manner on the slide by another means such as a mandrel whose jaws surround the above-mentioned rod and are clamped thereon by a powerful elastic means, which can be neutralized.

Finally, as shown in the drawing, the chair can be produced in molded plastic, which allows it to be produced at a competitive cost price. However, other materials and other shaping techniques can be used.

Claims (7)

Armchair with X-shaped legs, adjustable in particular in inclination for the backrest and comprising on each side of the seat and backrest: - a base cross (3), the front (4) and rear (5) feet of which are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin (6), - a frame of the seat (1) whose front part is connected to the upper part of the rear foot (5) by a hinge pin (8) and whose rear part is capable of being locked on the front foot (4), - a back frame (2) connected to the front leg (4) by a hinge pin (17) located substantially at the level of the seat, - an armrest (7) connected to the seat (1) and the backrest (2) by an adjustable support device,
characterized: - in that the support device comprises a slide (19) articulated, at its rear end, on an upper extension (18) of the front leg (4) and, at its front end, on the upper end of a link (22), the lower end of which is itself articulated on the seat (1), so that the front leg (4), the slide (19), the link (22), the seat unlocked (1) and the rear foot (5) constitute, when the seat is unlocked from the front feet, a deformable pentagon capable of being flattened, - And in that the armrest (7) is guided in translation along the slide and connected to it by means of an adjustable positioning means, the armrest being further mounted to pivot and slide relative to the backrest . Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that a hinge pin (23) connecting the rear end of each slide (19) to the upper extension (18) of the corresponding front leg (4), projects in at least one rear slide (26) of the armrest (7), this armrest and this slide being connected to each other at the front by at least one rack device (27 to 31) making it possible to adjust their mutual positioning and keeping them prisoners of one another. Armchair according to claim 2, characterized in that the rear end of each slide (19) has two branches (20) arranged on either side of the upper extension (18) of the corresponding front leg (4) and are thus crossed that this extension by a hinge pin (23) whose projecting ends are guided in two rear longitudinal slides (26) of the armrest (7) to allow translation and / or pivoting of the armrest relative to the slide. Armchair according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each slide (19) has on each side, rack teeth (30) extending upwards in an elongated opening (28) capable of receiving a conjugated lug (27 ) of the corresponding armrest (7), this lug projecting inwards to circulate in said lumen and penetrate into the notch (29) of said rack selected in correspondence with the chosen inclination of the backrest (2). Chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the rear end of each armrest (7) has a projecting pin (32) engaged in an upward slit of the backrest (2). Armchair according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rear part of the seat (1) is fitted onto a projecting element (11) of the front leg (4) to support it when the armchair is deployed. Chair according to any one of claims 1 to 5, also adjustable in level for the seat, characterized in that the rear part of the seat comprises on each side a removable rack (12) whose notches (13) open in stockings are capable of cooperating selectively with a finger (14) projecting laterally from the corresponding front foot (4).

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