EP1584266B1 - Chair with rocking mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

The chair (10) is assembled of a base (12, 20) on rollers (22), a vertical column (24), a housing (28) accommodating a gas-pressurized spring, a seat (14, 16) and a backrest (18) resting on a carrying element (26). A tilting mechanism (30) is integrated between the seat (14, 16) and the column (24) assembled of an upper housing moving in a lower housing and acting with its lower edges on a pressure plate with convex lower sections positioned opposite each other and facilitating a back and forth tilting. A sideward tilting can be performed by moving the convex upper sections along the lower edges of the upper housing.

Description

The present invention relates to a chair, in particular an office chair or school chair, with a rocking mechanism according to the preamble of claim 1.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a conventional chair 10, in which the present invention is applicable. The chair 10 consists essentially of a base frame 12 and a seat 14. The seat 14 usually consists of a seat surface 16 and a backrest 18, which may be formed either in one piece or separately from each other. The pedestal 12 has, in a known manner, a base 20, which is movably or fixedly mounted on castors or feet 22, and a chair column 24 with integrated gas spring.

The seat surface 16 of the seat 14 is supported on a seat support 26 which is height-adjustable and resiliently supported via a receptacle 28 on the gas spring of the chair column 24. Between the seat support 26 and the receptacle 28 for the gas spring of the chair column 24 a tilt mechanism 30 is arranged, by means of which the seat 14 in the front / rear direction of the seat surface 16 can be inclined.

In Fig. 2 is the structure of a conventional Wippmechanik 30 for a in Fig. 1 shown chair 10 shown in more detail. The rocking mechanism 30 has in particular a first housing part 32 which is fixedly connected to the seat support 26, and a second housing part 34 which is fixedly connected to the receptacle 28 for the gas spring of the chair column 24 on. Between the first and the second housing part 32, 34, a pressure plate 36 and two spring blocks 38 are arranged made of an elastically deformable material. The pressure plate 36 has an approximately hemispherical conicity in the front / rear direction of the seat surface 16 about a pivot axis 36a on its upper side (or optionally lower side), and the spring blocks 38 are also in the front-rear direction of the seat surface with respect to the pressure plate 36 16 arranged.

The seat 14 of the chair 10 can be inclined by means of this conventional tilt mechanism 30 in the front / rear direction of the seat surface 16 by the first housing part 32, which is connected via the seat support 26 fixed to the seat 14, on the taper of the pressure plate 36th is tilted about the pivot axis 36a, depending on the tilting direction of the seat 14 of the front or the rear spring block 38 is pressed together by the first housing part 32 against the rigidly arranged second housing part 34. The seat 14 is supported spring-loaded by the spring blocks 38 of the elastically deformable material. Depending on the type and intended use of the chair 10, special materials with respectively adapted characteristics for the spring blocks 38 can be used.

Further, the DE-A-101 06 791 a chair on which the preamble of claim 1 is based. This known chair has a rocking mechanism which allows the seating surface to incline with respect to the horizontal in both the conventional front / back direction of the seat and additionally in the right / left direction of the seat. The tilt mechanism consists in this case of a triangular-shaped articulation of the seat over spring elements on a support frame. Overall, such a tilting of the seat in about 45 ° from the seat direction deviating directions is possible.

The EP-A-0 920 823 discloses another chair with two inclination directions, where two separate printing plates are used here.

Based on the above-described prior art, the present invention has the object to provide a chair with a rocking mechanism, which has improved ergonomic properties with a simple structure.

This object is achieved by a chair having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The chair has a base, a seat with a seat and a backrest, a seat support for supporting the seat on the pedestal and a rocking mechanism, which is arranged between the seat support and the pedestal on. The rocking mechanism is arranged and adapted to tilt the seating surface of the seat relative to the horizontal in both a front-to-back direction of the seat Seat as well as in a right / left direction of the seat allows. According to the invention, the seesaw mechanism comprises a pressure plate having a first taper in the front-rear direction of the seat surface, over which the seat can be inclined in the front-rear direction, and a second taper in the right-left direction of the seat surface over which the seat can be tilted in the right / left direction, on. The two conicities of the pressure plate can be provided on mutually remote surfaces of the pressure plate in the up / down direction of the pressure plate. From an ergonomic point of view, in addition to a possible inclination of the seat in the front / rear direction, a possible inclination of the seat in the right / left direction is desirable for chairs, which according to the invention is made possible in a simple manner by the particular rocking mechanism. The simple structure of the rocking mechanism according to the invention is also easy to maintain and has a long life.

For spring-mounted mounting of the Wippmechanik the pressure plate is preferably mounted on elastically deformable first and second spring blocks, wherein at least one first spring block of the pressure plate in the front / rear direction of the seat is assigned and at least a second spring block of the pressure plate in the right / left direction the seat is assigned.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the pressure plate is supported on the one hand against the seat support and on the other hand against a receiving part for the pedestal or for the gas spring in a chair column of the pedestal.

In a still further embodiment of the invention, the rocking mechanism has a first housing part and a second housing part, wherein the first housing part is fastened to the seat support of the seat and the second housing part is fastened to the first housing part. Alternatively, the first housing part can also be fitted into the second housing part and the second housing part can be fastened to the seat support of the seat.

For ergonomic reasons, the rocking mechanism should tilt the seating surface of the seat relative to the horizontal in the front-to-back direction of the seat surface allow a maximum of about 7.5 ° to about 8 ° and in the right / left direction of the seat by a maximum of about 3.5 °.

The present invention is particularly advantageous for use in swivel chairs, such as office chairs and student chairs.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Seitenansicht eines Stuhls mit einer Wippmechanik, bei dem die vorliegende Erfindung anwendbar ist;

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittansicht einer herkömmlichen Wippmechanik für einen in Fig. 1 dargestellten Stuhl;

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Explosionsdarstellung der Komponenten einer Wippmechanik gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Fig. 4a

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der Wippmechanik von Fig. 3 gemäß dem Schnitt A-A von Fig. 4c zur Erläuterung der Neigung in der Rechts/Links-Richtung der Sitzfläche;

Fig. 4b

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der Wippmechanik von Fig. 3 gemäß dem Schnitt B-B von Fig. 4c zur Erläuterung der Neigung in der Vorne/Hinten-Richtung der Sitzfläche;

Fig. 4c

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der Wippmechanik von Fig. 3 gemäß dem Schnitt C-C von Fig. 4a;

Fig. 5a

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Wippmechanik gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung analog der Darstellung von Fig. 4a in geneigter Stellung;

Fig. 5b

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Wippmechanik gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung analog der Darstellung von Fig. 4a in Ruhestellung;

Fig. 5c

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Wippmechanik gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung analog der Darstellung von Fig. 4b in geneigter Stellung; und

Fig. 5d

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer Wippmechanik gemäß dem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung analog der Darstellung von Fig. 4b in Ruhestellung.

The above and other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of preferred, non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show:

Fig. 1

a schematic side view of a chair with a rocking mechanism to which the present invention is applicable;

Fig. 2

a schematic sectional view of a conventional tilt mechanism for a in Fig. 1 illustrated chair;

Fig. 3

an exploded perspective view of the components of a rocking mechanism according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4a

a schematic sectional view of the rocking mechanism of Fig. 3 according to the section AA of Fig. 4c to explain the inclination in the right / left direction of the seat;

Fig. 4b

a schematic sectional view of the rocking mechanism of Fig. 3 according to the section BB of Fig. 4c to explain the inclination in the front / rear direction of the seat;

Fig. 4c

a schematic sectional view of the rocking mechanism of Fig. 3 according to the section CC of Fig. 4a ;

Fig. 5a

a schematic sectional view of a rocking mechanism according to a second embodiment of the invention analogous to the representation of Fig. 4a in an inclined position;

Fig. 5b

a schematic sectional view of a rocking mechanism according to the second embodiment of the invention analogous to the representation of Fig. 4a at rest;

Fig. 5c

a schematic sectional view of a rocking mechanism according to the second embodiment of the invention analogous to the representation of Fig. 4b in an inclined position; and

Fig. 5d

a schematic sectional view of a rocking mechanism according to the second embodiment of the invention analogous to the representation of Fig. 4b at rest.

The present invention is, for example, in a swivel chair 10 according to the above-described representation of Fig. 1 can be used without being limited to this application.

Based on Fig. 3 and 4 First, a first embodiment of a tilt mechanism 30 will be described in more detail. For the sake of simplicity, the same reference numerals are used for identical or corresponding components as in FIGS Fig. 1 and 2 used.

The rocking mechanism 30 has a first housing part 32 and a second housing part 34 of a pressure-resistant material, such as metal, between which the other components of the tilt mechanism 30 are received. In the first embodiment, while the first housing part 32 is fitted into the second housing part 34, and the second housing part 34 is connected for example by means of screw firmly with the seat support 26 of the seat 14 of a chair 10. Between the two housing parts 32 and 34 of the tilt mechanism 30, two first spring blocks 38 and two second spring blocks 42, a receiving part 40 and a pressure plate 36 are arranged.

The first and second spring blocks 38, 42 are pairwise in the front / rear direction and the right / left direction of the seat 16 in corresponding Recesses 34a, 34b of the second housing part 34 received. The first and second spring blocks 38, 42 are made of an elastically deformable material, such as a (cellular) polyurethane elastomer, and serve to resiliently support the rocking mechanism 30. Polyurethane elastomer is in various densities and with different spring characteristics, generally are highly progressive, available. Depending on the nature and intended use of the chair 10 and the desired maximum inclination of the seat 14, the spring blocks 38, 42 can therefore be selected optimally adapted. In particular, the first spring blocks 38 may also be provided with different properties than the second spring blocks 42. In this case, to simplify the assembly of the rocking mechanism 30, the first and second spring blocks 38, 42 may be marked differently colored. Of course, the present invention is not limited only to spring blocks 38, 42 made of a polyurethane elastomer.

On the spring blocks 38, 42, the receiving part 40 of a pressure-resistant material, such as metal or plastic with embedded metal components, set, which has a plate portion 40a and a central tube portion 40b, which are preferably integrally formed. With the peripheral plate portion 40a, the receiving part 40 is supported on the spring blocks 38, 42, while the tube portion 40b of the receptacle by a corresponding opening 34c (in FIG. 3 not shown) in the bottom of the second housing part 34 projecting chair column 24 and the gas spring in the chair column 24 is used.

On the receiving part 40, the pressure plate 36 is made of a pressure-resistant material, such as metal or plastic with embedded metal components set. The pressure plate 36 has centrally a recess 36d, through which the upper part of the tube section 40b of the receiving part 40 is guided. The pressure plate 36 is supported on the plate portion 40 a of the receiving part 40.

As in Fig. 3 indicated and better in Fig. 4 As can be seen, the pressure plate 36 has a first taper 36b and a second taper 36c. The first taper 36b is provided on the lower surface of the pressure plate 36 and extends in the front-rear direction of the seat surface 16, while the second taper 36c is on the upper surface the pressure plate 36 is provided and in the right / left direction of the seat surface 16, that is rotated by 90 ° relative to the first taper 36b. As later with the help of FIG. 4 10, the first taper 36b serves for a possible inclination of the seat 14 in the front-rear direction of the seat surface 16, and the second taper 36c serves for a possible inclination of the seat 14 in the right-and-left direction of the seat surface 16.

On the pressure plate 36, the first housing part 32 is set, wherein the first housing part 32 as the other components of the tilt mechanism 30 is fitted into the second housing part 34. When the rocking mechanism 30 is assembled and secured to the seat carrier 26 of the seat 14, the first and second spring blocks 38, 42 are biased accordingly.

As in Fig. 3 shown, the first and the second housing part 32 and 34 also each have a recess 43 and 44 for a gas spring lever 46, which operated in a known manner, the gas spring in the chair column 26 and the height of the seat 14 are set above the pedestal 12 can.

In Fig. 4a, 4b and 4c are various sectional views of the assembled rocking mechanism 30 of Fig. 3 shown to illustrate the operation of the tilting mechanism 30 according to the invention in more detail.

In the presentation of Fig. 4a It can be seen how the seat 14 can be inclined in the right / left direction of the seat surface 16 relative to the horizontal. In Fig. 4a is the seat 14 inclined by about 3.5 ° to the left, whereby the first housing part 32 and connected to this second housing part 34 are also tilted. The receiving part 40 is firmly connected to the chair column 24 and thus remains vertically aligned. The inclination of the seat 14 in the right / left direction of the seat surface 16 is limited by the abutment of the top of the second conicity 36c of the pressure plate 36 against the underside of the first housing part 32, in which case the remote from the mutual abutment second spring block 42 against its inherent Spring force is pressed together.

Similarly, the seat 14 can be tilted forwards or backwards by up to about 7.5 ° to 8 °, as in FIG Fig. 4b illustrates, whereby the first housing part 32 and connected thereto second housing part 34 are also tilted. The receiving part 40 remains fixed vertically again. The inclination of the seat 14 in the front / rear direction of the seat surface 16 is by the abutment of the underside of the first taper 36 b of the pressure plate 36 against the top of the plate portion 40 a of the receiving part 40 and the abutment of the top of the non-conical pressure plate 36 against the Underside of the first housing part 32 limited, in which case the opposite side of the abutment first spring block 38 is pressed together against its inherent spring force.

The friction between the spring blocks 38, 42, the receiving part 40 and the housing parts 32, 34 is large enough so that the receiving part 40 can remain securely and permanently fixed in position, so that the individual components are not mutually displaced and thereby cause noise and / / or show wear.

Based on Fig. 5a to 5d Hereinafter, a second embodiment of a tilt mechanism according to the present invention will be explained. Here are the same or similar components with the same reference numerals as in the Fig. 1 to 4 provided, and a repeated description of their structure and operation is largely dispensed with.

The rocking mechanism 30 of the second embodiment of Fig. 5 differs from the Wippmechanik of the first embodiment, in particular in the two housing parts 32 and 34. While in the first embodiment described above, the first housing part 32 is fitted in the second housing part 34, and the second housing part 34 is fixed, for example by means of screw with the seat support 26th the seat 14 of a chair 10 is connected in the embodiment of Fig. 5 the first housing part 32, for example, by means of screw firmly connected to the seat support 26 of the seat 14 and the second housing part 34 is fixedly connected, for example by means of screw with the first housing part 32.

This construction of the first and the second housing part 32, 34 has the advantage that the first housing part 32 can be used so to speak as an adapter for adaptation to the hole pattern of the respective seat support 26.

The other components (spring blocks 38 and 42, receiving part 40 and pressure plate 36) correspond to those of the above embodiment, and with the rocking mechanism 30 according to Fig. 5 The same functions and advantages can be achieved as with the rocking mechanism described above.

The tilt mechanism 30 of the invention allows not only the known inclination of a seat 14 in the front / rear direction of the seat also advantageous for ergonomic reasons inclination of the seat 14 in the right / left direction of the seat 16. The integration of the two inclination possibilities according to the invention In the front / rear direction of the seat 16 and in the right / left direction of the seat 16 in a common rocking mechanism 30 also an undesirable increase of the seat 14 is effectively avoided.

The maximum inclinations of approximately 3.5 ° for the right / left direction of the seat surface 16 and of approximately 7.5 ° to 8 ° for the front / rear direction of the seat surface 16, which are specified in the context of this description, have become ergonomic proved to be particularly favorable. Of course, the present invention is not limited to these maximum values, but smaller or larger maximum slopes can be selected, if desired.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

chair

12

pedestal

14

Seat

16

seat

18

backrest

20

footbase

22

casters

24

Chair column with gas spring

26

seat support

28

Recording for gas spring

30

tilt mechanism

32

first housing part

34

second housing part

34a

Recesses for 38

34b

Recesses for 42

36

printing plate

36a

Pivot axis of 36

36b

first conicity

36c

second conicity

38

first spring blocks

40

receiving part

40a

plate section

40b

pipe section

42

second spring blocks

43

Recess for gas spring lever

44

Recess for gas spring lever

46

Gas spring lever

Claims (9)

1. A chair (10), comprising:

   a base structure (12);

   a seat (14) having a seat surface (16) and a backrest (18);

   a seat carrier (26) for carrying said seat on said base structure; and

   a tilt mechanism (30) arranged between said seat carrier and said base structure which is of such an arrangement and configuration that it permits inclination of said seat surface (16) of said seat (14) with respect to the horizontal both in a forward/rearward direction of the seat surface and also in a right/left direction of the seat surface,

   characterized in that

   said tilt mechanism (30) comprises a pressure plate (36) having a first conicity (36b) in the forward/rearward direction of the seat surface (16), by way of which said seat can be inclined in the forward/rearward direction, and a second conicity (36c) in the right/left direction of the seat surface (16), by way of which said seat can be inclined in the right/left direction.
2. A chair according to claim 1,
   characterized in that
   said first and second conicities (36b, 36c) of said pressure plate (36) are provided on surfaces of said pressure plate being mutually remote to each other in the up/down direction of the pressure plate.
3. A chair according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that
   said pressure plate (36) is mounted on elastically deformable first and second spring blocks (38, 42), wherein at least one first spring block (38) is associated with said pressure plate (36) in the forward/rearward direction of the seat surface (16) and at least one second spring block (42) is associated with said pressure plate (36) in the right/left direction of the seat surface (16).
4. A chair according to any one of preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   said the pressure plate (36) is supported on the one hand against said seat carrier (26) and on the other hand against a mounting member (40) for said base structure (12).
5. A chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterized in that
   said tilt mechanism (30) comprises a first housing portion (32) and a second housing portion (34), wherein said first housing portion (32) is fixed to said seat carrier (26) of said seat (14) and said second housing portion (34) is fixed to said first housing portion (32).
6. A chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
   characterized in that
   said tilt mechanism (30) comprises a first housing portion (32) and a second housing portion (34), wherein said first housing portion (32) is fitted into said second housing portion (34) and said second housing portion (34) is fixed to said seat carrier (26) of said seat (14).
7. A chair according to any one of preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   said tilt mechanism (30) permits an inclination of said seat surface (16) of said seat (14) with respect to the horizontal in the forward/rearward direction of the seat surface by a maximum of about 8°.
8. A chair according to any one of preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   said tilt mechanism (30) permits an inclination of said seat surface (16) of said seat (14) with respect to the horizontal in the right/left direction of the seat surface by a maximum of about 3.5°.
9. A chair according to any one of preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   said chair (10) is a rotary chair.

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