EP0774222B1 - Chair adjustable to the shape of the user - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a seat adaptable to the user morphology.

In recent years, seat manufacturers or office workers are more concerned with comfort of the user, who is required to spend a large part of his time sitting, whether in the course of his work, for example in front of a computer, or in his spare time, by example in front of the television. Efforts have therefore been made to develop seats that offer great flexibility of use and optimal comfort in all positions and, in particular, seats offering adjustable support to the level of the nape of the neck and lumbar arch the user.

For example, the seat disclosed in the request for WO 92/06621 constitutes an improvement to armchairs traditional relaxation, in the sense that it incorporates a device to reduce the camber of the support lumbar as the seat is tilted to the back, so as to follow the deformations of the column user's spine. This known seat also incorporates a neck support that swivels in the opposite direction the seat tilt.

For its part, the European patent application EP-A-0 240 389 relates to a seat the back of which is formed of two parallel metal uprights on which are fixed transversely two bands hinged to each other at level of the user's lumbar region, and of which the seat is formed by two bands, hinged together and at the lower back panel. This document provides also an automatic modification of the shape of the lumbar region of the seat depending on the inclination of this one.

The downside to this type of seating is that they are only not suitable for users with morphologies different. However, taking into account the fact that seats, such as relaxation chairs or office chairs, have a relatively long life and are relatively expensive, there is currently a need for seats which are not only adaptable to different positions that the user is likely to take -from sitting upright when lying down, but who may also be suitable for different users. In addition, the increase in life expectancy of users need to design a seat that can follow the evolution of a user's morphology particular, in particular the reduction of its size, which can be several centimeters in a few years.

Some known headquarters have attempted to respond to these needs.

Thus, in one embodiment, the strip head of the seat back disclosed in the request for EP-A-0 240 389 cited above can be adjusted in height by a rack and pinion system, lockable slide, etc., so that this seat is adaptable to users having different back heights. We know by elsewhere a commercially available ergonomic seat to Herman Miller and Co., Paris, France under the trade name AERON, which incorporates a cushion sliding mounted on the rear side of the backrest, intended for form a height-adjustable lumbar support, which can have two different depths. This seat is therefore suitable for users with more or less camber pronounced and more or less high.

We also know, from the German patent DE 88 15 292 U, a seat consisting of a frame on which are fixed by screwing several seat elements and back elements, said elements possibly being positioned according to the user's morphology. However, this seat remains limited due in particular to that, the seat and back elements being screwed onto the reinforcement, their displacement cannot be carried out without individual disassembly, using a tool, then reassembly and the variation in length or height of their position can only be a multiple of the distance between the holes provided for screwing. Now, the distance between these holes is necessarily not negligible because otherwise the solidity of the amount would be affected.

However, to the knowledge of the applicant, it there is currently no headquarters which, on the one hand, is really adaptable to all morphologies, that is to say to users who, although they may have the same size, have a lumbar arch and a nape more or less tall, legs and back more or less long and, on the other hand, allows continuous adjustment, that is to say without jumping from one step to the next of its elements.

The invention therefore provides a seat comprising a base and a supporting structure comprising a part seat and a back part connected to each other, said back portion supporting at least two elements adjacent, said lower and upper backbones, and said seat part supporting at least one seat element, characterized in that said seat and back elements are connected to the supporting structure by means of fasteners that allow continuous translation from top to bottom, and vice versa, back elements, independently of each other, and a translation continues back and forth, and vice versa, from said to at least one seat element, along said structure carrier, so that the position of said elements back and seat can be adjusted according to the user morphology.

According to a preferred variant of the invention, the seat includes two seat elements, called anterior and posterior, which are adapted to slide independently from each other along the supporting structure.

Advantageously, the seat according to the invention comprises furthermore a third said intermediate back element, disposed between the upper and lower back elements, which is preferably connected to the dorsal part of the supporting structure by fixing means which allow to be moved vertically along said load-bearing structure, independent of the back elements upper and lower.

The intermediate back element suitably has a thickness less than the thickness of said back element upper and / or said lower back element. Of this way, the upper back element supports properly the nape and the lower dorsal element conforms to the camber of the user, so that his column vertebral body retains a good profile. Advantageously, for that they conform more to different types of body shapes, the lower back element and / or the element upper back can incorporate a controlled air pump manually, intended to vary their thickness.

The fixing means are preferably made up by a first and a second screw joined coaxially head spade, the solid rod of said first screw being screwed in the hollow rod of said second screw, and by a spring helical, wrapped around said second screw, which is preferably embedded in a block of shock absorbing material vibrations, such as rubber. In this case, the structure carrier preferably comprises at least one hollow rod, having a longitudinal slot, in which said fixing means are adapted to slide. Preferably, it includes a pair of such parallel hollow rods. The hollow rod can be made of any material sufficiently rigid, such as a metal - for example cast aluminum, carbon fiber, etc. and she can have a cross section of any shape, by example cylindrical, trapezoidal, square, etc. According to one another possibility, the supporting structure can be a solid structure which has slots in which the said fixing means are adapted to slide.

As a variant, the fixing means could also be constituted by fastening systems with loops and hooks, of the Velcro ^R type, pressures, etc. or by a rack or the like.

The seat and back elements are for example each consisting of a rigid shell which contains a foam, latex or similar structure, or by a shell rigid on which a canvas is stretched, such as polyurethane.

The seat according to the invention can be used as office chair, relaxation chair or vehicle seat automobile, and it can be provided with all the means which these types of seats are usually fitted. So the base can be provided with means allowing its adjustment in height. In addition, the back part and the seat part can be hinged together so that the angle formed between these parts may vary. In that case, it is preferable that the position of the camber of the user in relation to the seat varies only slightly in depending on the seat tilt. Alternatively, the angle between the back part and the seat part can be adjusted manually, once and for all, by the user, and not then not be affected by the mechanical tilting of the seat from the sitting position upright to the lying position and vice versa. The seat may also include armrests connected to the supporting structure by means of variable length, to allow adjustment of the width of the seat. Finally, the seat can incorporate a footrest articulated to said front seat element, a device for assisting the user to stand up, says "stand-up device", etc. It should also be noted that several seats according to the invention can be assembled side by side to form a sofa or row of seats usable, in particular, in public places, means of road, air or sea passenger transport, etc.

la figure 1 est une vue schématique de face, partiellement arrachée, d'un siège selon l'invention ;

la figure 2 est une vue schématique, partiellement arrachée, de l'arrière du siège illustré à la figure 1 ;

la figure 3 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne III-III des figures 1 et 2 ;

la figure 4 est une vue schématique de face d'un autre type de siège selon la présente invention ;

la figure 5 est une vue schématique de côté du siège illustré à la figure 4 ; et

la figure 6 est une vue schématique en coupe horizontale, prise le long de la ligne VI-VI de la figure 3, d'un moyen de fixation d'un élément de dossier à la structure porteuse.

The invention will be better understood in the light of the following detailed and nonlimiting description, taken in combination with the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic front view, partially broken away, of a seat according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic view, partially broken away, of the rear of the seat illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic front view of another type of seat according to the present invention;

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of the seat illustrated in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a schematic view in horizontal section, taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 3, of a means of fixing a backrest member to the support structure.

In the context of this description, the terms "upper" and "lower", applied to the back elements, and the terms "anterior" and "posterior", applied to seat elements, designate the positions of these elements compared to a user of the seat according to the invention, the along the supporting structure of said seat. It is the same adverbs "before", "back", "up" and "down".

If we refer first to Figure 1, which represents a seat according to the invention used as an armchair of relaxation, we see a seat 1 which includes a seat 2 articulated to a dossier by conventional means, which are known to those skilled in the art. The file consists of three lower 3, intermediate 4 and upper 5 elements substantially rectangular, arranged one above the others and spaced from each other, which form respectively a lumbar support, a back support and a head rests. These three back elements each have a length of about 54 cm and a width of about 21 cm, the total height of the backrest being approximately 78 cm when are spaced apart from each other. These are included in a common stretch cover 25, in fabric or in leather, partially cut away in Figure 1 to show the internal structure of the backrest, said cover being intended to conceal the dorsal elements from view. The elements backbones 3, 4, 5 are slidably mounted on a structure carrier 60 formed by two hollow metal rods 6a and 6b, parallel and substantially vertical, forming part dorsal, and two similar stems, substantially horizontal (not visible in Figure 1), forming part of the supporting structure.

A side panel 7 is arranged vertically along a side edge of the seat 2. The side panel 7 extends substantially from the ground to the bottom edge of the back element 4. A support handle 9 is provided at the upper front end of the side panel 7 for assist a user while sitting or standing up. An armrest 8 of convex shape, made of a flexible material, such that fabric or leather for example, is fixed on the top of panel 7 and extends longitudinally over a portion major of the length of said panel 7. Armrest 8 supports a control panel shown in 21. A cushion elongated 10 is disposed along said lateral edge of the seat 2, against the side panel 7. The side panel 7 is supported at the front by a foot 11 and at the rear by a caster (shown at 24 in Figure 2), which are mounted at its respective front and rear ends. Alternatively, the side panel 7 could be supported by two feet, such than 11.

Items similar to the items described above are provided along the second lateral edge of the seat 2 and identified by the same reference numbers followed by premium sign. The above description therefore applies mutatis mutandis to these elements which will not be more described.

The side panels 7, 7 'are fixed to the part of the supporting structure by a mechanism variable length (not shown), which allows the side panels 7, 7 'to vary the width of the seat depending on the morphology of the user.

A footrest 16 of conventional structure is articulated to seat 2 and supported by metal rods 6 "a and 6 "b, similar to rods 6a and 6b.

In addition, the seat according to the invention, when it is used as a relaxation chair, can incorporate all accessories known in the art and of which are conventionally provided with such seats, such as a stand-up device.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the seat previously described, on which we see the rear panel 12 which is designed to conceal the part of the seat below seat 2. This figure also shows that the faces back of the back elements 3 and 5 are respectively fitted with pumps 19 and 20 which allow actuation manually air cushions placed in the elements corresponding backbones. The back sides of these elements, as well as that of the back element 4, are respectively connected to rods 6a and 6b by fixing means 13a and 13b substantially cylindrical, which will be described with more details with reference to Figure 6.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the rods 6a and 6b are visible at the rear of the seat. Alternatively, they could be hidden, for aesthetic purposes, by a rigid structure such as a wooden structure plywood, possibly dressed in fabric or leather.

In FIG. 3, it can be seen that the supporting structure 60 of the relaxation chair according to the invention is in fact consisting of a dorsal part 6, which has the shape in profile of a broken line forming an angle returning substantially in its middle, a seat part 6 'articulated to the part dorsal 6 in 14, which has the profile of a broken line forming a salient angle substantially in the middle, and a 6 "footrest part, hinged to the part seat 6 'in 15. The seat part 6' supports two front 17 and rear 18 seat elements, which are arranged one behind the other, and mounted sliding, the along the supporting structure 60. These seat elements 17 and 18 each have a width of about 21 cm and the depth maximum of the seat, which can be obtained by removing the as much as possible the seat elements 17, 18 from each other, is approximately 54 cm. The seat elements 17, 18 and the footrest 16 are connected to the supporting structure 60 by through fastening means, such as 13b, which will be further described with reference to Figure 6.

Each of the elements 3, 4, 5, 16, 17 and 18 consists of a plywood shell 26 containing a foam structure 27, such as Bultex ^R foam, or in cellular latex. It is understood that the structure of the back elements and the seat elements is not limited to this embodiment and that it is possible, as a variant, to use elements consisting of a rigid shell of substantially hemispherical, on which a canvas, such as polyurethane, is stretched, and which are associated with a supporting structure in carbon fiber by fixing means which may be rigid (the stretched canvas itself conferring a certain flexibility on said elements) . In this way, a seat is obtained which has a very light configuration, which can be advantageous both aesthetically and from the point of view of its cost price.

In the illustrated embodiment, the structure carrier 60 consists, as described above, of pairs of parallel hollow rods. However, even if this variant is preferred because it offers, at lower cost, sufficient stability to the back and seat elements, the number of rods forming the supporting structure is not limit.

The tilt of the seat, the lifting of the footrest, the spacing of the armrests, the inflation of the air cushions and the other functions of the seat according to the invention can be controlled either manually - for example, with regard to relates to the inclination, by the pressure of the body on the backrest and / or by moving the armrests - either automatically, using one or more buttons control which can be located, for example, on the front internal side panels 7, 7 'or on a panel control arranged on top of the armrests 8, 8 ', as illustrated in 21 'in figure 3. In the case of a seat motorized, provided with a control panel, provide for the possibility of electronically storing a number of seat adjustments. We can also provide a combination of manual controls and automatic.

Figures 4 and 5 show another form of execution of the seat according to the invention, which is used as office chair. The parts of this seat which are identical or similar to corresponding parts of the seat shown in Figures 1 to 3 will be designated by the same numbers of reference, added to 100, and will not be more described below.

As can be seen, the seat 101 illustrated in the figures 4 and 5 differs from the seat illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 in that it consists of a base 111 with five branches, incorporating an oleopneumatic cylinder intended to vary the seat height, the structure of which is well known a person skilled in the art, which supports the seat part 106 ′, at vicinity of the posterior and anterior ends thereof. In addition, two arched rods 107 and 107 'project forward, upward and outward from the articulation 114 of the dorsal part 106 to the part 106 'seat. These rods 107, 107 ′ each comprise, at near their free end, a straight part substantially horizontal which respectively supports a armrest 108, 108 ', oriented longitudinally over the entire length of said rectilinear part and wider than this.

FIG. 6 illustrates a fixing means 13a which connects the rigid shell 26 of a dorsal element to the hollow metal rod 6a of the seat shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. As can be seen in this figure, the fixing means 13a comprises a hollow screw 30 with a round head and cruciform impression, which extends in a passage 37 formed through the thickness (approximately 12 mm) of the rigid shell 26, and the head of which rests on the internal surface of said shell. The free end of the screw 30 extends transversely in a longitudinal slot 36 provided in the hollow metal rod 6a. The wall of the cavity of the screw 30 is threaded and adapted to cooperate with the external thread of a screw 31 with a cylindrical head and a hexagonal cavity. The head of the screw 31 is pressed against the internal surface of the hollow metal rod 6a, which is of trapezoidal cross section in this embodiment, transversely with respect to and on either side of said longitudinal slot 36, so that the rod of the screw 31 extends through the longitudinal slot 36 and into the screw 30. A Teflon washer ^R 32 is interposed between the head of the screw 31 and the internal wall of the hollow rod 6a. A helical spring 34 is wound around the screw 30, in the region of the screw 30 which is located between the hollow rod 6a and the back element to be assembled therewith. The spring 34 is embedded in a block 35 of vibration-absorbing elastomeric material, such as rubber, which has a diameter of about 44 mm and a length of about 22 mm. Two washers, such as 33, made of Teflon ^R or metal, hold the elastomer block 35 in abutment against the hollow rod 6a and the rigid shell 26, respectively.

It is understood that fixing means identical are provided between each of the back elements and seat and each of the back and seat parts corresponding, which are generally illustrated on the Figures 1 to 5.

The operation of the fastening means is the next. When a user wishes to modify the structure of the seat according to the invention to adapt it to its morphology, it is enough for himself or a third party to stand behind the seat and, that after having pressed his thumbs against the structure carrier turned towards him, he exerts pressure from both hands, using his other fingers, on the side face user of the back element to be adjusted, in the extension of the two fixing means 13a, 13b, by example at the places indicated by crosses in figure 1. The the pressure exerted compresses the spring 34 and, simultaneously, the elastomeric block 35. Because the distance from the head of the screw 30 at the head of screw 31 is constant, compression elastic means puts the head of the screw 31 out of support with the washer 32 (position shown in dotted lines) and thus frees the head of the screw 31 in the housing 38 defined by the internal walls of the hollow rod 6a, housing 38 wherein said screw 31 can then be moved in substantially vertical translation, guided along the longitudinal slot 36. The back element can thus be moved from bottom to top and vice versa, up to a desired position. When the applied force is released by the user, the spring 34 and the elastomeric material 35 expand to their rest position shown in the Figure 6, in which the head of the screw 31 is in support against the washer 32: the back element is then held in the new chosen position. The same operation can be repeated to adjust all back elements of the shapes illustrated in the previous figures.

The seat elements are adjusted in such a way similar by pressing with both hands on the face user side of said elements, in line with the fixing means, then by moving said elements in substantially horizontal translation, along the parts corresponding seats.

It is understood that the elasticity of the spring 34 and elastomeric material 35 should be such that movements normal or abrupt body of the user, exercising a pressure both on the back and on the elements not enough to free the head from the screw 31 inside the housing 38.

As a result, the previously described fixing means give some flexibility to the back elements and seat elements, which further increases the comfort of the seat according to the invention.

So, as is clear from the previous description, the invention provides a seat suitable for all types whatever its morphology, thus offering maximum comfort associated with prevention spinal pain.

Claims (9)

1. Seat comprising an underframe (11; 111) and a bearing structure (60; 160) comprising a seat part (6'; 106') and a back part (6; 106) which are connected together, the said back part (6; 106) supporting at least two adjacent back elements (3, 4, 5; 103, 104, 105) known as the lower element and the upper element and the said seat part (6'; 106') supporting at least one seat element (17, 18; 117, 118), characterized in that the said seat elements (17, 18; 117, 118) and back elements (3, 4, 5; 103, 104, 105) are connected to the bearing structure by fixing means (13a, 13b; 113a, 113b) which allow continuous up and down translational movement of the back elements (3, 4, 5; 103, 104, 105) independently of one another, and continuous forwards and backwards translational movement of the said at least one seat element (17, 18; 117, 118) along the said bearing structure (60; 160) so that the position of the said back elements (3, 4, 5; 103, 104, 105) and seat elements (17, 18; 117, 118) can be adjusted to suit the build of the user.
2. Seat according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said seat part consists of two adjacent seat elements (17, 18; 117, 118) known as the anterior and posterior elements, which are designed to slide independently of one another.
3. Seat according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said fixing means (13a, 13b; 113a, 113b) consist of a first screw (31) and of a second screw (30) joined coaxially head to toe, the solid shank of the said first screw (31) being screwed into the hollow shank of the said second screw (30), and of a helical spring (34) wound around the said second screw (30), which spring is preferably embedded in a block (35) of vibration-damping material, such as rubber.
4. Seat according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it also comprises a third back element (4; 104) known as the intermediate element, arranged between the upper (5; 105) and lower (3; 103) back elements, and in that the intermediate back element (4; 104) is not as thick as the said upper back element (5; 105) and/or as the said lower back element (3; 103).
5. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said lower back element (3; 103) and/or the said upper back element (5; 105) incorporates a manually-operated air pump (19, 20) intended to vary its thickness.
6. Seat according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the said bearing structure (60; 160) comprises at least one hollow rod (6a, 6b; 106a, 106b) having a longitudinal slot (36), in which the said fixing means (13a, 13b; 113a, 113b) are designed to slide.
7. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said seat elements (17, 18; 117, 118) and back elements (3, 4, 5; 103, 104, 105) each consist of a rigid shell (26) which contains a foam, latex, or similar structure (27), or of a rigid shell over which a sheet, such as polyurethane, is stretched.
8. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said back part (6; 106) and the said seat part (6'; 106') are articulated to one another in such a way that the angle formed between them can vary.
9. Seat according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises arm rests (8, 8'), connected to the said bearing structure (60) by variablelength means.

Images