EP1464254A1

EP1464254A1 - A chair with a body obtained by extrusion, and corresponding process of fabrication

Info

Publication number: EP1464254A1
Application number: EP03022771A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ludovico Magistretti
Original assignee: Gebr Thonet Vienna & Cokg GmbH
Current assignee: Gebr Thonet Vienna & Cokg GmbH
Priority date: 2003-04-04
Filing date: 2003-10-10
Publication date: 2004-10-06
Also published as: ITTO20030261A1

Abstract

A chair comprises a body (2) formed by a single metal element obtained by extrusion in such a way that the lateral profile of the body (2) corresponds to the section of extrusion.

Description

The present invention relates to a chair and the corresponding process of fabrication.
The purpose of the present invention is to propose a chair of new conception that has a simple, convenient, functional and aesthetically agreeable structure and that at the same time is suited to being obtained with an extremely simplified process of fabrication.
With a view to achieving said purpose, the subject of the invention is a chair comprising a body and a structure for supporting the body, characterized in that the body is formed entirely by metal section obtained by extrusion, in such a way that the lateral profile of the body corresponds to the section of extrusion.
Thanks to the characteristic referred to above, the body may be obtained in an extremely simple, inexpensive and fast way, and at the same time has a resistant structure, which is convenient and suitable for being obtained in a plurality of different configurations, which are all attractive also from the aesthetic standpoint.
According to a preferred embodiment, the body is made of aluminium, and the profile of extrusion has a general L-shaped configuration, with a branch of the L defining the seat, a branch defining the back-rest, and a face of the body defining the bottom surface of the seat and the rear surface of the back-rest, which has a plurality of grooves with an arched profile.
Once again by means of the process of extrusion, the body may be provided with channels for connection by slotting-in of transverse bars for connection of the legs of the chair and possibly armrests.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the ensuing description, with reference to the annexed drawings, which are provided purely by way of non-limiting example and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the chair;
Figure 2 is a side view of the chair of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is a plan view of the chair of Figure 1.

With reference to the drawings, the chair according to the invention, designated as a whole by the reference number 1, comprises a body 2 made of aluminium formed by a single sectional element made by extrusion, in such a way that the lateral profile of the chair corresponds to the section of extrusion.
As is clearly visible in Figure 2, in the case of the example illustrated, the body has a general L-shaped profile, with a branch of the L that defines the seat 2a, a branch that defines the back-rest 2b, and a face of the body, defining the bottom surface of the seat 2a and the rear surface of the back-rest 2b, said rear surface presenting a plurality of grooves with arched profile 3. The profile is moreover made with bent end edges 4, 5 at the front end of the seat and at the top end of the back-rest. Once again by extrusion, there are obtained the transverse channels 6, 7, 8, which receive respective transverse bars 9, 10, 11. The transverse bar 9 is a cross member forming part of a single reversed U-shaped element, the end branches of which define the two front legs 12.
The transverse bar 10 is joined at its ends to two rear legs 13 (see also Figure 1), which are prolonged at the top until armrests 14 are defined, which are connected to the ends of the transverse bar 8.
The body 2, as obtained by means of a single operation of extrusion, has characteristics of resistance and at the same time of elasticity that provide maximum comfort for the occupant.
Of course, the conformation of the section of extrusion may be any whatsoever and even altogether different from the one illustrated herein by way of example.
Furthermore, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the details of construction and the embodiments may widely vary with respect to what is described and illustrated herein purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

A chair, comprising a body (2) and a basic structure supporting the body (2), characterized in that the body (2) is formed by a single metal element obtained by extrusion, in such a way that the lateral profile of the body corresponds to the section of extrusion.
The chair according to Claim 1, characterized in that the body (2) has a general L-shaped profile, with one branch of the L defining the seat (2a) and one branch of the L defining the back-rest (2b).
The chair according to Claim 2, characterized in that said extruded element defining the body has a face defining the bottom surface of the seat (2a) and the rear surface of the back-rest (2b) that has a plurality of grooves with arched profile (3).
The chair according to Claim 3, characterized in that said face has channels (6, 7, 8) for slotting in respective cross members (9, 10, 11) for the connection of the legs (12, 13) of the chair and/or of armrests (14).
A process for the fabrication of a chair having a body (2) and a structure for supporting the body, characterized in that said body is obtained of a single piece of metal material, by means of an extrusion process, in such a way that the lateral profile of the body corresponds to the section of extrusion.