EP1157638A2

EP1157638A2 - A device for regulating a tipping-up seat

Info

Publication number: EP1157638A2
Application number: EP01112209A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gianantonio Perin; Giorgio Topan
Original assignee: Grendene P & Flli Srl
Current assignee: Grendene P & Flli Srl
Priority date: 2000-05-25
Filing date: 2001-05-18
Publication date: 2001-11-28
Also published as: US20020043835A1; ITVI20000109A0; IT1315349B1; ITVI20000109A1

Abstract

The device is capable of allowing the regulation of the motion of the seat which is capable of turning over in a chair, to be applied on one chair or several chairs of the type called "with a bar". The device includes a boxed body (1) which contains in its interior a group of articulated lever devices which regulate the motion of the seat (2).

Description

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device to be applied to the seat of a chair, the seat being capable of turning over.

Background of the Prior Art

It is known that in theaters, movie theaters, stadiums and in general in rooms for meetings are used chairs called "with a bar", that is applied and supported by a single transversal bar and the chairs have the seat which is capable of turning over so that the cluttering is reduced to a minimum and the passage of a spectator between two parallel rows of chairs is made easier.
The rotation of the seat to move from an essentially vertical position, with a closed chair, to a horizontal position, with an open chair, and viceversa, which is carried out by the spectator himself may be free or may be bound by mechanisms which have the tendency of keeping the seat in the vertical position.

Summary of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for regulating in a chair the motion of the seat which is capable of turning over, which device is particularly simple from both the constructive as well as the functional point of view. and further a device which does not require upkeep and which allows the seat, when it is raised, to come as close as possible to the back of the chair, so as to reduce to a minimum the clutter of the closed chair.
This object is achieved according to the invention by means of a boxed body which is anchored to the supporting bar of the aligned chairs and which contains in the interior at least one group of articulated lever devices, this body being bound at one extremity to the body itself and at the other extremity to the base of the seat capable of turning over.
Constructively every group of the articulate lever devices is constituted by two levers which are reciprocally placed side-by-side and fitted together, at one extremity in a idle manner on two pins which are integral with the boxed body.
The other extremity of the two levers on the contrary is hinged on two pins which also constitute two points of unknotting of the stirrup which supports the seat capable of turning over.
An elastic element provides for carrying out a force opposite to the action of lowering of the seat, and operates in the direction of moving towards locating the seat in an essentially vertical manner.
The constructive features of the invention are better understood by reference to a possible embodiment provided only by way of a non-limiting illustration by means of the attached drawings, of which:

Fig. 1: shows an elevational front view of the chairs with the seat capable of turning over, provided with the device of the invention;
Fig. 2: shows a side view of the device in cross section according to line II-II in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3: shows an elevational front view of the device with the raised seat ;
Fig. 4: shows a side view of the device in cross-section, cut along line IV-IV of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5: shows an elevational side view of the device, with the seat lowered;
Fig. 6: shows a plan view of the device, in cross-section, cut along line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

Figs. 1 and 2 show device (1) of the invention with the seat capable of turning over (2) and the back(3). The device is blocked by means of plug (4) to the transversal bar (5) which supports a row of chairs.
Figs. 3-6 show the device (1) constituted by boxed body (6) in the interior of which are placed two groups of articulated lever devices (7) which are disposed symmetrical to spiral spring (8).
Each group of the articulated lever devices (7) comprises two levers, (9) and (10) which are parallel and hinged at one extremity in an idlel manner on two fixed pins (11) and (12) which are blocked on the boxed body. The other extremity of the two levers (9) and (10) is hinged on one of the two pins (13) and (14) which function also for double unknotting of the stirrup (15), the latter supporting seat (2).
The four pins (11), (12), (13), (14), which have parallel axes, are disposed in such a manner that when seat (2) is completely raised as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, one of the two levers of each group, preferably lever (9) which is more external, becomes hooked with its groove (16) on one of the two unknotting pins (13).
Similarly, when seat (2) is completely lowered as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the other lever (10) of each group becomes joined with the base (17), on the other pin (14) of unknotting.
The action opposite to the lowering of the seat is obtained by the opposite force carried out by the spiral spring (8) which is wound on fixed pin (11) with the extremities (18) which are placed in contact with the base (19) of the boxed body (6), the latter becoming placed against the unknotting pin (13).
Obviously some embodiments different from the illustrated embodiment are possible, due to the dimension of the boxed body and the shape of the levers without departing from the invention, as defined in the following claims.

Claims

A device for regulating the motion of the seat of a chair, said seat being capable of turning over, said device being applied to single chairs or the chairs called "with a bar " used in theaters, stadiums and in general in the rooms used for meetings, said device having the tendency to keep said seat in the vertical position, said device being characterized by the fact that it comprises a boxed body which is anchored to the bar supporting the aligned chairs, said body containing in its interior at least one group of articulated lever devices, said body being bonded at one extremity on the body itself and at the other extremity on the base of said seat which is capable of turning over, said group of articulated lever devices being composed of two levers, which are reciprocally arranged side-by-side and are fitted at one extremity in idle manner on two pins, said pins being integral with said boxed body, the other extremity of said two levers being hinged on two pins, said pins constituting also the point of unknotting of the stirrup which supports the seat which is capable of turning over.
The device according to claim 1 characterized by the fact that it comprises an elastoc element wich provides for carrying out a force opposite to the force which allows the lowering of the seat and which operates in the direction to dispose said seat in an essentially vertical manner.
The device according to claim 1 wherein said seat (2) which is capable of turning over and the back (3) are applied on said device, said device being blocked by means of plug (4) to said transversal bar (5), characterized by the fact that it is constituted by boxed body (6) in the interior of which are placed two groups of articulated lever devices (7), said groups being symmetrically disposed, each group of said articulated lever devices comprising two levers (9, 10) which are parallel and blocked at one extremity in a idle manner on two fixed pins (11, 12), said pins being blocked on said boxed body, the other extremity of said levers being hinged on pins (13, 14), said pins functioning also for double unknotting of the stirrup (15) which supports said seat which is capable of turning over.
The device according to claim 3 characterized by the fact that said four pins (11,12,13,14) which have parallel axes, are disposed in such a manner that when seat (2) is completely raised, one of said levers (9) of each group becomes hooked with its groove (16) on one (13) of said two pins of unknotting.
The device according to claims 3 and 4 characterized by the fact that when the seat (2) is completely lowered, lever (10) of each group is placed with base (17) on pin of unknotting.
The device according to claims 3, 4 and 5 characterized by the fact that the action opposite to the lowering of the seat (2) is ensured by means of the opposite force carried out by means of the spiral spring (8), said spring being wound on the fixed pin (11), the extremities (18) being in contact with the base (19) of the boxed body (6), said spring being disposed against the pin of unknotting (13).