EP1614370A1

EP1614370A1 - Swing stowed-type chair

Info

Publication number: EP1614370A1
Application number: EP04705915A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Minoru c/o Kotobuki Corporation FUJISAWA
Original assignee: Kotobuki and Co Ltd
Current assignee: Kotobuki and Co Ltd
Priority date: 2003-03-27
Filing date: 2004-01-28
Publication date: 2006-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2024-01-28
Also published as: WO2004084677A1; KR100614197B1; EP1614370B1; CN1533729A; EP1614370A4; CN1245916C; KR20050111615A

Abstract

A swing stowed-type chair includes: a base portion 1 to be fixed to a floor or a desk; a sitting portion 2 with a back 2a and a scat 2b, which are united to each other; a front-side leg portion 4, whose lower end portion and upper end portion are connected to the base portion and the sitting portion, respectively, swingably in a forward/rearward direction; a rear-side leg portion 7, whose lower end portion and upper end portion are connected to the base portion and the sitting portion, respectively, swingably in the forward/rearward direction, where swing axes of the upper and lower end portions are located more rearward than swing axes of the upper and lower end portions of the front-side leg portion; and a stopper assembly 11 for limiting, in a predetermined range, the swing of the front-side and rear-side leg portions relative to the base portion and the sitting portion. The front-side and rear-side leg portions form a non-parallel four-joint link, in order that, in a rearward-swing limit position, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a use position, while, in a forward-swing limit position, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a forward slanted position. By coming into contact with a shaft 10, the stopper assembly 11 provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions according to the state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front. Thus, even when the chair is installed in a place slanted downward toward the front, the sitting portion can be set to the use position in the rearward-swing limit position.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a swing stowed-type chair, which is used in combination with a desk, and whose sitting portion is swung forward from a use position at the rear of the desk when the chair is not used, so that at least a seat of the sitting portion is stowed under a top plate of the desk. Note that "front" and "rear" herein mean the front and the rear relative to the orientation of the chair. Specifically, relative to the center portion of the seat, the direction to which a back is located is referred to as the rear, and the opposite direction is referred to as the front.

Background Art

As a chair as described above, a chair has heretofore been known, which the present applicant has disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-028043, for example. This swing stowed-type chair includes: a base portion to be horizontally fixed to a floor or a desk in a classroom or the like; a sitting portion having a back and a seat which are united to each other; a front-side leg portion and a rear-side leg portion, whose lower end portions arc individually connected to the base portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portions are individually connected to the sitting portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, the front-side and rear-side leg portions being arranged in the forward/rearward direction, to form a non-parallel four-joint link; and a swing limiting portion, which limits the swing of the leg portions in a predetermined range.
With the conventional swing stowed-type chair as described above, since the front-side and rear-side leg portions form the non-parallel four-joint link, in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions, whose swing is limited by the swing limiting portion, are placed in a rearward-swing limit portion, the scat and the back of the sitting portion, which are united to each other, are set to a use position, in which the back is slightly slanted rearward and the seat becomes substantially horizontal, so that a person can sit on the sitting portion. On the other hand, in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in a forward-swing limit position, the seat and the back of the sitting portion are set to a forward slanted position, so that it is made possible to stow at least the seat of the sitting portion under the top plate of the desk,
In addition, since the back of the sitting portion is also set to the forward slanted position in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in the forward-swing limit position, when a person attempts to pass the rear of the chair, even if the heights of the hip portion of the person, which is a relatively wide portion, and the height of the upper end portion of the back of the sitting portion generally correspond to each other, the upper end portion of the back does not come into contact with the hip portion, so that there is no possibility that the back of the sitting portion blocks the passage of the person. Thus, a person can very easily pass the rear of the stowed chair.
By the way, when the inventor of the present application was further continuing the research on the above conventional swing stowed-type chair, the inventor of the present application found the following fact. In recent years, there are cases where it is desired to install the swing stowed-type chair in a place where the floor is slanted downward toward the front, such as a large classroom in a school. However, in the above conventional swing stowed-type chair, the swing limiting portion provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position on the assumption that the base portion will be horizontally fixed to the floor or a desk. Thus, if the base portion is fixed in a forward slanted state, there is an disadvantage that, in the rearward-swing origin position, the front-side and rear-side leg portions cannot be set to the use position, in which the back is slightly slanted rearward and the seat becomes substantially horizontal, and the seat has therefore to be slanted downward toward the front.

Disclosure of the Invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a swing stowed-type chair, which advantageously solves the above problems. The swing stowed-type chair of the present invention includes: a base portion to be fixed to a floor or a desk; a sitting portion with a back and a seat, which are united to each other; a front-side leg portion, whose lower end portion is connected to the base portion swingably in a forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion is connected to the sitting portion swingably in a forward/rearward direction; a rear-side leg portion, whose lower end portion is connected to the base portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion is connected to the sitting portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, where swing axes of the upper and lower end portions are located more rearward than swing axes of the upper and lower end portions of the front-side leg portion; and a swing limiting portion for limiting, in a predetermined range, the swing of the front-side and rear-side leg portions relative to the base portion and the sitting portion. The swing stowed-type chair is characterized in that the front-side and rear-side leg portions form a non-parallel four-joint link in such a way that the distance between the swing axes of the lower end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions is set shorter than the distance between the swing axes of the upper and portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions, in order that, in a rearward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a use position, while, in a forward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a forward slanted position, and in that the swing limiting portion provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions according to a state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front.
In the swing stowed-type chair as described above, the front-side and rear-side leg portions form a non-parallel four-joint link in such a way that the distance between the swing axes of the lower end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions is set shorter than the distance between the swing axes of the upper end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions, and the leg portions swing in the forward/rearward direction, in order that, in a rearward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a use position, while, in a forward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a forward slanted position. The swing limiting portion provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions according to a state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front.
Accordingly, with the swing stowed-type chair of the present invention, even when the base portion is fixed to a floor or a desk in a forward slanted state according to the slant of the floor, the seat and the back of the sitting portion, which are united to each other, are set to the use position, in which the back is slightly slanted rearward and the seat becomes substantially horizontal, in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in the rearward-swing limit position, so that a person can sit on the sitting portion. On the other hand, the sent and the back of the sitting portion are set to the forward slanted position in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in the forward-swing limit position, so that it is possible to stow at least the seat of the sitting portion under the top plate of the desk.
In addition, with the swing stowed-type chair of the present invention, since the back of the sitting portion is also set to the forward slanted position in a state where the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in the forward-swing limit position, when a person attempts to pass the rear of the chair, even if the height of the hip portion of the person, which is a relatively wide portion, and the height of the upper end portion of the back of the sitting portion generally correspond to each other, the upper end portion of the back does not come into contact with the hip portion, so that it is made possible to eliminate the possibility that the back of the sitting portion blocks the passage of the person. Thus, a person can very easily pass the rear of the stowed chair, which is very advantageous when a person has to quickly pass the rear of the chair, especially at the time of emergency evacuation or leaving his/her seat during a lecture, for example.
In the present invention, the swing limiting portion may change the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions so as to be able to be selectively adapted to any one of the state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front and the state where the base portion is horizontal. With this construction, it is possible to use the same chair on both of the horizontal floor and the forward slanted floor by changing the rearward-swing limit position, and it is therefore possible to improve the convenience of the swing stowed-type chair.
Moreover, in the present invention, the front-side and rear-side leg portions may place the sitting portion so that the back thereof is set to a vertical position, in a middle swing position between the rearward-swing limit position and the forward-swing limit position, whose limits are provided by the swing limiting portion. With this construction, even if a person shifts the sitting portion forward while sitting, the back is set to a substantially vertical position, and another person can therefore pass the rear of the chair relatively easily.
Furthermore, in the present invention, at least one of the front-side and rear-side leg portions may have a rectangular U shape in cross section, and, in an opening portion thereof, the front-side and rear-side leg portions may be fitted together. With this construction, a gap is not formed between the front and rear leg portions. Thus, even if the distance between the leg portions varies due to the swing of the front and rear leg portions, it is possible to prevent an object from getting caught between the leg portions.
In addition, in the present invention, one front-side leg portion and one rear-side leg portion may be provided. With this construction, it is possible to construct the swing stowed-type chair simply.

Brief Description of the Drawings

FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing an example of a swing stowed-type chair of the present invention, in which a base portion is slanted downward toward the front, and a front side leg portion and a rear side leg portion are placed in a rearward-swing limit position.
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, showing the chair of the example in the same state as that of FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b).
FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are cross-sectional views taken along line A-A of FIG. 1(a) and line B-B of FIG. 1(b), respectively, showing the chair of the example, and FIG. 3(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the above line A-A showing the chair of the example, in which the base portion is slanted downward toward the front, and the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in a forward-swing limit position.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of the chair of the example.
FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) are a plan view, a front view and a side view, respectively, showing a stopper assembly of the chair of the example.
FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) are cross-sectional views taken along line A-A of FIG. 1(a) showing the chair of the example, in which the base portion is in a horizontal position, and the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in a rearward-swing limit position and in a forward-swing limit position, respectively.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the chair of the example in a use condition.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the chair of the example in a stowed condition,
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the sitting portion of the chair of the example in relation to the desk, the movement being caused by a non-parallel four-joint link formed by the front-side and rear-side leg portions.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a person is sitting on the chair of the example and a state where no one is sitting.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an event that a person passes the rear of the sitting portion of the chair of the example in the stowed condition in which no one is sitting.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing an event that a person passes the rear of the sitting portion of the chair of the example in a middle condition in which a person is sitting.
FIGS. 13(a) to 13(e) are perspective views showing variation examples of the above example, respectively.

Best Modes for Carrying out the Invention

A detailed description will be given below of embodiments of the present invention with the use of examples, with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) are a front view and a side view, respectively, showing an example of a swing stowed-type chair of the present invention, in which a base portion is slanted downward toward the front, and a front side leg portion and a rear side leg portion are placed in a rearward-swing limit position. FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) are a plan view and a bottom view, respectively, showing the chair of the example in the same state as that of FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b). FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) are cross-sectional views taken along line A-A of FIG. 1(a) and line B-B of FIG. 1(b), respectively, showing the chair of the example. FIG. 3(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the above line A-A showing the chair of the example, in which the base portion is slanted downward toward the front, and the front-side and rear-side leg portions are placed in a forward-swing limit position. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of the chair of the example, FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) are a plan view, a front view and a side view, respectively, showing a stopper assembly of the chair of the example.
As shown in the above mentioned figures, the swing stowed-type chair of this example includes: the base portion 1 to be fixed to a floor (not shown) with bolts B (see FIG. 4) or the like; and a sitting portion 2 with a back 2a and a seat 2b formed integrally with each other by, for example, forming of a plywood, molding of fiber-reinforced plastic, blow molding of plastic, injection molding of plastic, or the like, and with a bracket 2c fixed on the underside of the seat 2b with the bolts B (see FIG. 4) or the like. The base portion 1 and the bracket 2c are formed so as to have plate- shaped portions 1a and 2d, respectively, and have two ribs 1b and two ribs 2e, respectively, which protrude from the plate- shaped portions 1a and 2d, respectively, and extend parallel to each other, through press working of a steel plate, casting of aluminum alloy, or the like.
In addition, the swing stowed-type chair of this example includes: the front-side leg portion 4, whose lower end portion 4a is connected to the two ribs 1b of the base portion 1 via a shaft 3 swingably in a forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion 4b is connected to the two ribs 2e of the bracket 2c of the sitting portion 2 via a shaft 5 swingably in the forward/rearward direction; and the rear-side leg portion 7, whose lower end portion 7a is connected to the two ribs 1b of the base portion 1 via a shaft 6 swingably in the forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion 7b is connected to the two ribs 2c of the bracket 2c of the sitting portion 2 via a shaft 8 swingably in the forward/rearward direction, the rear-side leg portion 7 being located More rearward than the front-side leg portion 4. Out of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7, the front-side leg portion 4 has a substantially "C" shape in cross section, which has a gap 4c in a central portion in a width direction of the portion of the front-side leg portion 4 facing the rear-side leg portion 7, the gap 4c extending in a longitudinal direction of the leg portion. The rear-side leg portion 7 has a rectangular "U" shape in cross section and is loosely fitted together with the front-side leg portion 4 with the opening portion of the rectangular U shape being directed to the front-side leg portion 4 (sec FIGS. 3(b) and 4)
Additionally, in this example, a central axis of the shaft 6, which is an axis of the swing of the rear-side leg portion 7 relative to the base portion 1, is located more rearward than a central axis of the shaft 3, which is an axis of the swing of the front-side leg portion 4 relative to the base portion 1. Besides, a central axis of the shaft 8, which is an axis of the swing of the rear-side leg portion 7 relative to the bracket 2c is located more rearward than a central axis of the shaft 5, which is an axis of the swing of the front-side leg portion 4 relative to the bracket 2c. The shafts 3, 5, 6 and 8 are designed not to fall out from the ribs 1b and 2e via, for example, C rings R (see FIG. 4), or the like.
Moreover, in the swing stowed-type chair of this example, the distance between the central axes of the shafts 3 and 6, which is equal to the distance between the swing axes of the lower end portions 4a and 7a of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7, is set shorter than the distance between the central axes of the shafts 5 and 8, which is equal to the distance between the swing axes of the upper end portions 4b and 7b of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7, so that the front-side and rear- side leg portion 4 and 7 form a non-parallel four-joint link. Furthermore, the distance between the central axes of the shafts 5 and 3, which distance corresponds to the distance between the swing axes of the upper and lower end portions 4b and 4a of the front-side leg portion 4, and the distance between the central axes of the shafts 8 and 6, which distance corresponds to the distance between the swing axes of the upper and lower end portions 7b and 7a of the rear-side leg portion 7 are set substantially equal to each other. At the same time, the support height for the shaft 3 of the rib 1b of the base portion 1 is set lower than the support height for the shaft 6 of the rib 1b of the base portion 1.
Moreover, in the swing stowed-type chair of this example, as shown in FIG. 4, a shaft 10 is fitted into an upper portion of the rear-side leg portion 7, and is fixed via a C ring, for example. At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the stopper assembly 11 as a swing limiting portion, which limits the swing of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 relative to the base portion 1, and the bracket 2c of the sitting portion 2 in a predetermined range, is fixed ,with four bolts B, selectively via one set of bolt holes (the upper set of bolt holes 4d in the figure) out of bolt holes 4d and 4e, which are formed in an upper Portion of the front-side leg portion 4, which portion faces the rear-side leg portion 7, in two sets being slightly, vertically displaced and each set including four holes.
The stopper assembly 11 has an upper stopper 11b and a lower stopper 11c made of rubber, which are respectively, firmly supported via rectangular U-shaped brackets 11a.
In the case where, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the stopper assembly 11 is fixed via the upper set of bolt holes 4d with bolts, when, in a state where the base portion 1 is slanted downward toward the front by an angle θ (about 5° in the figure), the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 moves back as shown in FIG. 3(a), the shaft 10 provided to the rear-side leg portion 7 comes into contact with the upper stopper 11b, which protrudes rearward from the front-side leg portion 4 through the gap 4c of the front-side leg portion 4, so that the upper stopper 11b provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rcar- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to a use position in which the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 is slightly slanted rearward and the seat 2b becomes substantially horizontal. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3(c), when the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 moves forward, the shaft 10 comes into contact with the lower stopper 11c, which also protrudes rearward from the front-side leg portion 4 through the gap 4c, so that the lower stopper 11c provides the limit of the forward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to a stowed position in which the back 2a and the seat 2b of the sitting portion 2 arc slanted forward,
In contrast, in the case where the stopper assembly 11 is fixed via the lower set of bolt holes 4e with bolts, as shown in FIG. 6(a), when, in a state where the base portion 1 is horizontal, the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 moves back, the shaft 10 comes into contact with the upper stopper 11b, so that the upper stopper 11b provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to the use position in which the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 is slightly slanted rearward and the seat 2b becomes substantially horizontal. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6(b), when the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 moves forward, the shaft 10 comes into contact with the lower stopper 11c, so that the lower stopper 11c provides the limit of the forward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to the stowed position in which the back 2a and the scat 2b of the sitting portion 2 arc slanted forward.
Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 7, in the case where the base portion 1 of the chair of this example is fixed to the floor F slanted downward toward the front, provided that the stopper assembly 11 is fixed via the upper set of bolt holes 4d with bolts, the upper stopper 11b provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to the use position when the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 moves back away from a desk 9. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, in the case where the base portion 1 of the chair of this example is fixed to the floor F slanted downward toward the front, provided that the stopper assembly 11 is fixed via the lower set of bolt holes 4e with bolts, the lower stopper 11c provides the limit of the forward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in such a manner that the sitting portion 2 is set to the stowed position when the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are swung relative to the base portion 1 and the bracket 2c so that the sitting portion 2 comes close to the desk.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing the movement of the sitting portion 2 caused by the non-parallel four-joint link formed by such front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 in relation to the desk 9. It should be noted that the desk 9 in the illustrated example has a leg portion 9a, whose lower end portion is fixed to the floor F to which the base portion 1 is fixed, and a top plate 9b, which is fixed to an upper end portion of the leg portion 9a.
With the swing stowed-type chair of such an example, even when the base portion 1 of the chair of this example is fixed to the floor F slanted downward toward the front, as shown in FIG. 10 on the left side thereof, the seat 2b and the back 2a of the sitting portion 2, which are united to each other, are set to the use position in a state where the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are placed in the rearward-swing limit position, so that a person H can sit on the sitting portion 2. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10 on the right side thereof, the seat 2b and the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 are set to a forward slanted position in a state where the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are placed in the forward-swing limit position, so that it is possible to stow the seat 2b of the sitting portion 2 under the top plate 9b of the desk 9.
In addition, with the swing stowed-type chair of this example, as shown in FIG. 11, since the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 is also set to the forward slanted position in a state where the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are placed in the forward-swing limit position, when a person H attempts to pass the rear of the chair, even if the heights of the hip portion of the person H, which is a relatively wide portion, and the height of the upper end portion of the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 generally correspond to each other, the upper end portion of the back 2a does not come into contact with the hip portion, so that it is made possible to eliminate the possibility that the back 2a of the sitting portion 2 blocks the passage of the person H. Thus, a person H can very easily pass the rear of the stowed chair, which is very advantageous when a person has to quickly pass the rear of the chair, especially at the time of emergency evacuation or leaving his/her scat during a lecture, for example.
Moreover, with the swing stowed-type chair of this example, as shown in FIG. 12, since the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 place the sitting portion 2 in a middle swing position between the rearward-swing limit position and the forward-swing limit position so that the back 2a thereof is set to a substantially vertical position, even if a person H shifts the sitting portion 2 forward while sitting, the back 2a is set to a substantially vertical position, and another person H can therefore pass the rear of the chair relatively easily. At this time, since the seat 2b united to the back 2a is merely slightly slanted forward, a person H sitting does not have to be in a pretty inconvenient posture.
Additionally, with the swing stowed-type chair of this example, since, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the front-side and rear- side leg portions 4 and 7 are fitted together, a gap is not formed between the front and rear leg portions 4 and 7. Thus, even if the distance between the leg portions 4 and 7 varies due to the swing of the front and rear leg portions 4 and 7 between the rearward-swing limit position and the forward-swing limit position, it is possible to prevent an object from getting caught between the leg portions 4 and 7.
Moreover, with the swing stowed-type chair of this example, since one front-side leg portion 4 and one rear-side leg portion 7 are provided, it is possible to construct the swing stowed-type chair simply.
FIGS. 13(a) to 13(c) show variation examples of the above example, respectively. In FIG. 13(a), each of a front-side leg portion 4 and a rear-side leg portion 7 is formed by combining pipe members so as to have an "I" shape, In FIG. 13(b), each of a front-side leg portion 4 and a rear-side leg portion 7 is formed in a thick plate shape. In FIG. 13(c), a rear-side leg portion 7 is formed in a rectangular tube shape, and a front-side leg portion 4 is formed in a thick plate shape and is housed in the rectangnlar-tube shaped rear-side leg portion 7.
In FIG. 13(d), each of a front-side leg portion 4 and a rear-side leg portion 7 is formed by bending a pipe member so as to have a "U" shape. In FIG. 13(c), a rear-side leg portion 7 is formed so as to have a rectangular U shape in cross-section, and a front-side leg portion 4 is formed in a rectangular tube shape and is placed in the rear-side leg portion 7 so as to be loosely fitted into an opening portion of the rear-side leg portion 7 of a rectangular U shape.
Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the illustrated examples, it is not limited to the above described examples. For example, as the swing limiting portion, which limits the swing of the front-side and rear-side leg portions relative to the base portion and the sitting portion in a predetermined range, a stopper portion, such as a stopper assembly, with which the member fixed to the front-side leg portion comes into contact due to the swing of the front-side and rear-side leg portions, may be provided to the rear-side leg portion, or a stopper member coming into contact with at least one of the front-side and rear-side leg portions may be provided to the base portion and/or the sitting portion, for example.
In addition, in the swing stowed-type chair of the present invention, the number of at least one of the front-side and rear-side leg portions may be two or more. The distance between the swing axes of the upper and lower end portions of the front-side leg portion may be shorter than the distance between the swing axes of the upper and lower end portions of the rear-side leg portion, while the axes of the swing of the lower end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions relative to the base portion may be located at the same height. Moreover, the base portion may be fixed to a certain portion of the desk, such as the leg portion thereof, for example. The back and the seat of the sitting portion may be formed separately and may be integrally connected via hardware or the like.
The swing stowed-type chair of the present invention may further includes impelling means, such as a spring or the like, for impelling the front-side leg portion and/or the rear-side leg portion in a swinging manner so that at least the seat of the sitting portion is stowed under the top plate of the desk in a free state in which no one is sitting to achieve a stowed state. The swing stowed-type chair of the present invention is not limited to the school chairs, but can be applied to the chairs for a civic center, a conference room, a conference hall or the like, for example.

Claims

A swing stowed-type chair, comprising:
a base portion to be fixed to a floor or a desk;

a sitting portion with a back and a seat, which are united to each other;

a front-side leg portion, whose lower end portion is connected to the base portion swingably in a forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion is connected to the sitting portion swingably in a forward/rearward direction;

a rear-side leg portion, whose lower end portion is connected to the base portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, and whose upper end portion is connected to the sitting portion swingably in the forward/rearward direction, where swing axes of the upper and lower end portions are located more rearward than swing axes of the upper and lower end portions of the front-side leg portion; and

a swing limiting portion for limiting, in a predetermined range, the swing of the front-side and rear-side leg portions relative to the base portion and the sitting portion,

characterized in that

the front-side and rear-side leg portions form a non-parallel four-joint link in such a way that the distance between the swing axes of the lower end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions is set shorter than the distance between the swing axes of the upper end portions of the front-side and rear-side leg portions, in order that, in a rearward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a use position, while, in a forward-swing limit position whose limit is provided by the swing limiting portion, the sitting portion is placed so that the seat and the back are in a forward slanted position, and that

the swing limiting portion provides the limit of the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions according to a state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front.
The swing stowed-type chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the swing limiting portion changes the rearward-swing limit position of the front-side and rear-side leg portions so as to be able to be selectively adapted to any one of the state where the base portion is slanted downward toward the front and the state where the base portion is horizontal.
The swing stowed-type chair according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front-side and rear-side leg portions place the sitting portion so that the back thereof is set to a vertical position, in a middle swing position between the rearward-swing limit position and the forward-swing limit position, whose limits are provided by the swing limiting portion.
The swing stowed-type chair according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one of the front-side and rear-side leg portions has a rectangular U shape in cross section, and, in an opening portion thereof, the front-side and rear-side leg portions are fitted together.
The swing stowed-type chair according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one front-side leg portion and one rear-side leg portion are provided.