EP1654959A1 - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The chair (1) has a bottom part (2) with a stand tube (3), and a seat support (4) held at the bottom part. The sear support is rotatably connected to a backrest (5) and a seat. The seat is movably coupled to the backrest using a synchronous mechanics that includes a spring and a coupling unit. The synchronous mechanics is arranged within the stand pipe. A pneumatic spring is provided for height adjustment of the seat.

Description

The invention relates to a chair, in particular an office swivel chair with a stand tube having chair base, with a chair base held on the seat support, a pivotally connected thereto seat and a backrest holding, pivotally connected to the seat support back support, wherein the seat on a synchronous mechanism having at least one spring and coupling elements is coupled with the backrest for movement.

To increase the comfort and for a healthy sitting, office swivel chairs with synchronous or tilting mechanisms, as described for example in EP 0 638 265 A2, are known. It is a mechanism that coordinates and at the same time absorbs the movement of the seat and backrest. In general, this mechanical part is housed below the seat in a so-called support. The suspension is usually done by coil springs, torsion bars or leaf springs. The restoring force can mostly be set by the user.

The support is formed because of the complex mechanism for the synchronous movement as a comparatively large, eye-catching box, which significantly determines the appearance of the chairs and, among other things, the handling adversely affected. In addition, chairs with such support are relatively heavy.

It is therefore an object to provide a chair that is easier to handle, has a lower weight and whose synchronous mechanism is unobtrusive.

To solve this problem, the invention provides, in particular, that the synchronizing mechanism is arranged substantially inside the standpipe. As a result, the essential parts of the synchronous mechanism, in particular their "active part" not as before at the support above the standpipe, but housed within this. Due to the arrangement of the synchronous mechanism within the standpipe a reduction of the synchronous mechanism is achieved in total and also a weight reduction of the chair.
The synchronous mechanism in total also includes the pivot points on the seat and back and the active part includes, among other things, the synchronous spring as an energy storage, locking and adjustment.

A preferred embodiment provides that the coupling elements a sleeve-shaped, engaging in the upper end of the standpipe end of the seat support, an acted upon by the back support, preferably the sleeve-shaped end of the seat support protruding plunger and a seat and the back support spaced from the pivotal mounting between the Seat support and the back support have articulated connecting element and that the synchronous suspension through the plunger and through the lower free, in the standpipe engaging end of the seat support is acted upon.
By this synchronous mechanism, the synchronous spring is biased under load of the seat on the seat support, thereby correspondingly changes the adjustment for moving the backrest, since the back support rests on the also acted upon by the prestressed synchronous spring plunger. In particular, depending on the weight of a user dives the sleeve-shaped, engaging in the standpipe end of the seat support and the plunger different levels in the Rohroberteil a, so that the synchronous spring is applied and compressed to different degrees. As a result, the synchronous spring is biased heavier users more than light users, which affects the mobility of the synchronous mechanism accordingly. As a result, the mobility of the synchronizing mechanism is practically automatically adapted to the weight of the user, the synchronous mechanism is relatively easy to move in light persons and correspondingly more resistance to heavier users by the stronger bias of the synchronous spring movement.
Due to the automatic weight adjustment, a manual preload adjustment of the synchronous spring may be omitted, thus allowing a very simple system.
The spring force of the synchronous spring acts either directly on the back support and indirectly on the seat or vice versa. Either the plunger is actuated by the seat or preferably by the back support, whereby it is possible by the latter arrangement to transmit more force components directly to the back.

For adjustability of the height and / or spring preload of the chair according to the invention is advantageously provided that the standpipe a Rohroberteil with an adjustable spring and a coaxially arranged pipe base having a height adjustment, that the two tube parts are rotatable relative to each other connected to each other and that the rotatability of the Rohroberteils relative to the lower tube part by means of a locking device for height adjustment can be blocked and released to adjust the spring preload. In this case, the locking device is used to switch between a setting in which by a rotation of the Rohroberteils relative to the rest of the standpipe, an adjustment of the spring preload and a setting in which both pipe parts are coupled and by adjusting relative to the foot height adjustment of the chair.

It is expedient if the synchronous suspension has at least one spring element supported on a preferably adjustable abutment and if the spring element is preferably formed by a helical spring, optionally by at least one leg spring, plastic spring or gas spring. The acted upon by the coupling elements spring element can be arranged in the standpipe that is adjusted by an adjustment of the abutment in the axial direction of the standpipe, the bias of the spring element and thus its restoring force or the hardness of the spring action on the seat and the backrest. The adjustment of the abutment can also be used to preset the spring for a specific weight of the user of the chair or for a weight-dependent adjustment of the spring.
In particular, a coil spring can be accommodated in a space-saving manner in the standpipe or the rough shell part, in particular in the case of a round cross-section of the standpipe. It is also advantageous that the spring force and the weight of the person act in the same direction.

If the spring preload of the arranged between the coupling elements and the abutment coil spring to be adjusted, as already mentioned above, the Rohroberteil rotated relative to the lower tube part. The abutment is rotatably connected to the tube shell and has a threaded bore into which a rotatably connected to the tube base threaded bolt engages. By turning the threaded connection, the abutment is adjusted in height and thus the spring preload. The locking device is located for the adjustment of the spring bias in the release position, so that the rough shell part is rotatable relative to the lower tube part. Between the mutually facing front ends of the Rohroberteil and the lower tube part may be provided to reduce friction in the rotation relative to each other a bearing element as a thrust bearing.

For a height adjustment of the chair, a rotation of the lower tube part is provided together with the Rohroberteil opposite the base. For this purpose, the chair has a base which projects at least partially into the tube base and has a threaded rod at its upper end region. On the threaded rod a rotatably connected to the lower tube threaded nut for height adjustment of the chair is screwed. The locking device is located for the height adjustment in blocking position, that is, the Rohroberteil is rotationally coupled to the tube bottom.

For height adjustment and suspension of the seat may also be provided a gas spring. The gas spring takes over a suspension function and can also be adjusted to adjust the height of the seat in its active length. The height adjustment of the seat can be done in a known manner by a manual adjustment, for example by means of an operating lever.

An alternative embodiment provides that the chair has a base which is connected to a tube lower part and a tube disposed in the lower part, formed by a gas spring spring element, that is connected to the seat carrier Rohroberteil is provided with a spring therein, the underside of a support connected to a piston rod of the gas spring abutment is supported and on the upper side of the backrest is acted upon in particular by a plunger and that the tubular body part telescopically engages at least partially in the inner cavity of the lower tube part. This embodiment also allows a compact design with synchronous mechanism housed substantially within the standpipe.

It is advantageous if the piston rod of the gas spring or the like spring element is formed at least at its upper end portion as a threaded bolt or connected to a threaded bolt and if the abutment for the spring has a screwed onto the threaded bolt threaded hole. An adjustment of the spring preload is effected by rotation of the Rohroberteils together with the abutment for the spring relative to the threaded bolt at the upper free end of the lower spring element of the lower tube part.
Also possible is a reverse arrangement of the gas spring with downwardly pointing piston rod, which is mounted with its lower free end on the base. The abutment is based on the upward-facing gas cylinder of the gas spring.
An adjustment of the spring bias of the synchronous spring can be done with downwardly facing piston rod, but also in the previously described, upwardly facing piston rod not only by rotation of the abutment for the synchronous spring against the gas spring, but also by the point of attack the synchronous spring is adjusted on the guided inside the Rohroberteils, acted upon by the back support Stö-ßel. The plunger is provided for this purpose with an external thread on which a loaded by the synchronous spring ram plate is screwed.
The plunger can be rotated to adjust the spring preload via a, for example, with a crank, a ratchet or a handle driven worm gear, so that the plunger plate moves vertically on the thread of the bolt and so more or less compresses the synchronous spring formed by a coil spring ,
The plunger has a bottom side of the top of the Rohroberteils acting on the bottom stop.

In this embodiment too, the synchronous spring in the rough-bodied part is prestressed to different degrees in persons of different weights, whereby a mobility of the synchronous mechanism or the backrest, which is automatically adapted to the weight of the user, is achieved.
The above-described type of bias adjustment of the synchronous spring in the region of the upper plunger may also be provided in embodiments of the chair without gas spring.

For a low overall height of the standpipe, it is advantageous if the abutment for the spring, which is preferably designed as a helical spring, has a spring plate which is offset downwards relative to its screw connection with the threaded bolt.

It is expedient if the relative movement of the coupling elements of the synchronizing mechanism to each other can be blocked by means of a locking device and if the locking device between a release position and a locking position is adjustable. In blocking position of the locking device is an inclination of the backrest and the seat no longer possible, but only a common cushioning of the seat and the backrest relative to the chair base.

As already described in detail, the arrangement of the synchronous suspension and the height adjustment can be made one above the other or at least partially in one another. By loading the seat carrier, the spring is biased more or less depending on the weight of the user. When unlocking the synchronous movement, the back support actuates the plunger in the standpipe. This compresses the spring, which balances the body weight of the user. The chair of the invention supports the active rockers or can be locked in various positions as desired. The chair can be designed so that the adjustment of the height as well as the adjustment of the spring preload can be activated by a switching element. The height is adjusted by turning the chair in relation to the base. When adjusting the spring preload, the rough-body part including the spring plate is turned on the threaded bolt and thus adjusted vertically. To adjust the height, a lock is switched. The rotating movement of the standpipe moves a threaded nut up and down a threaded rod, causing the height to shift.
To increase the adjustment comfort, a conventional gas spring can be used. The synchronous spring is now above the gas spring or includes them. The adjustment of the spring preload via a rotation of the chair or via a manual actuator in the form of a crank, a ratchet or a handle.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Stuhls in unbelasteter Stellung,

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht gemäß Fig.1 in einer belasteten Stellung mit einer geneigten Sitzfläche und einer synchron dazu geneigten Rückenlehne,

Fig. 3

eine Längsschnittdarstellung eines Stuhlunterteils,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht des Stuhlunterteils im Längsschnitt in einer Position zur Verstellung der Federvorspannung,

Fig. 5

eine Seitenansicht gemäß Fig.4 in einer Position zur Höhenverstellung des Stuhls,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht eines Rohroberteils mit einer Sperreinrichtung zum Sperren der Synchronbewegung zwischen einem Sitzträger und einer Rückenstütze und

Fig. 7 bis 9

schematische Seitenansichten eines gegenüber den Fig.1 bis 6 abgewandelten Ausführungsbeispiels eines Stuhlunterteils in unterschiedlichen Funktionslagen.

The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings. It shows in partly schematized representation:

Fig. 1

a side view of a chair according to the invention in the unloaded position,

Fig. 2

1 in a loaded position with an inclined seat and a synchronously inclined backrest,

Fig. 3

a longitudinal sectional view of a chair base,

Fig. 4

a side view of the chair base in longitudinal section in a position for adjusting the spring preload,

Fig. 5

a side view according to Figure 4 in a position for height adjustment of the chair,

Fig. 6

a side view of a Rohroberteils with a locking device for locking the synchronous movement between a seat support and a back support and

Fig. 7 to 9

schematic side views of a comparison with the Fig.1 to 6 modified embodiment of a chair base in different functional positions.

A chair designated as a whole by 1, in particular an office swivel chair, is shown in FIG. 1 in an unloaded normal position and in FIG. 2 in an inclined, loaded position. It has a chair lower part 2 with a standpipe 3 and a seat support 4 connected to the chair lower part 2 and a back support 5 pivotally connected to the seat support 4. With the seat support 4 is a seat 6 via a pivot bearing 9 pivotally connected. Furthermore, a pivot bearing 8 between the seat support 4 and the back support 5 spaced from the pivot bearing 9 is arranged. The backrest 5 carries a backrest 7.
For a synchronous movement of the seat 6 and the backrest 7, a synchronizing mechanism is provided. This serves to coordinate the movement of the seat 6 and the backrest 7 and cushion.
As can be seen in a preferred embodiment in Figure 3 to 6, the synchronous mechanism on a spring 10 and coupling elements, which are arranged within the standpipe 3. The coupling elements are essentially by a lower, sleeve-shaped, projecting into the standpipe 3 end 11 of the seat support 4, acted upon by the back support 5, preferably the sleeve-shaped end of the seat support 4 by projecting plunger 12 and a recognizable in Figures 1 and 2, the Seat 6 and the back support 5 spaced from the pivot bearing 8 between the seat support 4 and the back support 5 hingedly connecting connecting element 31 is formed.
The suspension 10 for synchronous movement coupling is acted upon by the plunger 12 and by the lower free, engaging in the standpipe 3 end 11 of the seat support 4.
By means of the connecting element 31, the seat 6 tilts synchronously with the backrest 7 in the respective direction of inclination.

3 to 5 each show the chair lower part 2 with a two-part standpipe 3, which is formed from a Rohroberteil 13 and a coaxially arranged pipe base 14.
In the Rohroberteil 13, the synchronous suspension 10 is arranged with a coil spring 15 as a spring element. The coil spring 15 is supported in a coaxial direction to the Rohroberteil 13 adjustable trained spring plate 16 as abutment. The spring plate 16 is non-rotatably connected to the rough shell part 13, but connected in a height-adjustable manner, and has a threaded bore 17 into which engages a threaded bolt 18 connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the tube base 14.

The leadership of the spring plate 16 in the rough shell part 13 is achieved by a groove. The rough shell part 13 has a guide track in the adjustment area, which engages in the corresponding groove in the spring plate 16. Thus, the spring plate 16 can be moved vertically and still remains connected to the Rohroberteil 16. The spring plate 16 could also be performed in a slot in the rough shell part 13 through a nose.

If the rough shell part 13 is rotated together with the spring plate 16 with respect to the tube base 14, thereby adjusting the height of the spring plate 16 within the Rohroberteils 13. With the adjustment of the height of the spring plate 16, the bias of the coil spring 15 is changed.
The lower tube part 14 has a base 19, which projects at least partially into the lower tube part 14 and has a threaded rod 20 at its upper end region. On the threaded rod 20, a rotatably connected to the lower tube part 14 threaded nut 21 is screwed. If the tube base 14 is rotated relative to the base 19, the threaded nut 21 also rotates on the threaded rod 20, whereby the total height of the chair 1 is adjusted.
To be able to choose between the adjustment of the spring preload by turning the Rohroberteils 13 relative to the lower tube 14 and the adjustment of the chair height by turning the lower tube 14 relative to the base 19, a locking device 22 is provided. The locking device 22 blocks either the rotatability of the two parts of the standpipe 3 against each other Help a switching element 23 (Figure 5) or the rotatability of the lower tube part 14 relative to the base 19 by means of a rotation lock 24 (Figure 4).
If the switching element 23 in the blocking position and the anti-rotation device 24 in the release position, as shown in FIG. 5, the standpipe 3 with two parts 13, 14 relative to the base 19 can be rotated.
If, on the other hand, the switching element 23 is in the release position and the anti-twist device 24 is in the blocking position, as shown in FIG. 4, the rough shell part 13 can be rotated relative to the lower tube part 14 with the base 19. For easy rotatability of both standpipe parts 13, 14 against each other is arranged between two standpipe parts 13, 14 designed as a pressure ball bearing 30 bearing element. Instead of the pressure ball bearing 30, the bearing element may also be formed, for example, as a plain bearing or needle roller bearings.

6 shows a further adjustment of the chair according to the invention 1. To block the relative movement of the coupling elements of the synchronous mechanism to each other, a locking device 25 is provided which is adjustable between a release position and a locking position. In the locked position, which is shown in Figure 6, the lower sleeve-shaped, projecting into the standpipe 3 end 11 of the seat support 4 is rigidly coupled to the plunger 12 and there is no synchronous inclination between the seat 6 and backrest 7, but only one joint cushioning of these two elements possible. As can be seen in Figure 6, the locking device 25 has a nose 26 which can engage in different levels of recesses 27 in the plunger 12, whereby the (fixed) inclination of the backrest 7 relative to the seat 6 in the blocking position of the locking device 25 adjustable is.

An alternative to the embodiment in Figures 1 to 6 embodiment of the chair 1 according to the invention are shown in Figures 7 to 9 in different variants of the adjustability of the chair 1. The chair 1 has in this embodiment a base 19a, with a tube bottom 14a and a arranged in the tube lower part 14 a, is connected by a gas spring 32 formed spring element. Furthermore, a connected to the seat support 4 Rohroberteil 13 a is provided with a spring 10 therein. The synchronizing spring 10 is supported on the underside on a connected to a piston rod of the gas spring 32 abutment 16a and is acted on the upper side of the backrest 7 via a plunger 12. About an adjustment of the abutment 16a on the piston rod, for example via a threaded connection of a piston rod connected to the threaded bolt 18a and a threaded bore 17a in the abutment 16a, the spring bias of the spring 10 can be adjusted.
The rough shell part 13a engages telescopically, depending on the functional position to varying degrees partially in the inner cavity of the lower tube part 14a. The hat-shaped abutment 16a has a threaded bore 17a, in which engages the piston rod at the upper free end of the gas spring 32. The gas spring 32 within the lower tube part 14a engages depending on the height adjustment and deflection of the gas spring 32 partially from below into the inner cavity of the hat-shaped abutment 16a.

For easy mobility of the chair 1, the base 19 has a chassis 28 with five rollers 29 (two of which are hidden), as can be seen in FIGS.

Claims (13)

Chair (1), in particular office swivel chair with a chair base (2) having a standpipe (3), with a seat support (4) held on the chair lower part (2), a seat (6) pivotally connected thereto and a backrest (7) holding, with the seat support (4) pivotally connected back support (5), wherein the seat (6) via a at least one spring (10) and coupling elements having synchronous mechanism with the back support (5) is motion-coupled, characterized in that the Synchronous mechanism is disposed substantially within the standpipe (3). Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling elements a sleeve-shaped, in the upper end of the standpipe (3) engaging end (11) of the seat support (4), one of the back support (5) acted upon, preferably the sleeve-shaped end (11). the seat support (4) projecting plunger (12) and a seat (6) and the back support (5) spaced from the pivot bearing (8) between the seat support (4) and the back support (5) hingedly connecting connecting element (31) and that the synchronous suspension (10) by the plunger (12) and by the lower free, in the standpipe (3) engaging end (11) of the seat support (4) is acted upon. Chair according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the synchronous suspension (10) has at least one spring element which is supported on a preferably adjustable abutment. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized that the spring element is preferably formed by a helical spring (15), optionally by at least one leg spring, plastic spring or gas spring. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the standpipe (3) has a tube top part (13) with an adjustable spring (10) and a coaxially arranged tube bottom part (14) with a height adjustment, that the two tube parts (13 , 14) are rotatable relative to each other connected to each other and that the rotatability of the Rohroberteils (13) relative to the lower tube part (14) by means of a locking device (22) for height adjustment can be blocked and released to adjust the spring preload. Chair according to claim 5, characterized in that the spring (10) has a coil spring (15) arranged between the coupling elements and the abutment, that the abutment with the Rohroberteil (13) is rotatably connected and a threaded bore (17), in which a with the lower tube part (14) rotatably connected threaded bolt (18) engages. Chair according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the chair (1) has a base (19) which projects at least partially into the tube bottom (14) and at its upper end region has a threaded rod (20) and that on the threaded rod ( 20) one with the pipe base (14) rotatably connected threaded nut (21) for height adjustment of the chair (1) is screwed. Chair according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized that the abutment for the spring element is designed as a spring plate (16). Chair according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for height adjustment of the seat, a gas spring (32) is provided. Chair according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that the chair (1) has a base (19a) which is connected to a lower tube part (14a) and in the lower tube part (14a), by a gas spring (32) formed spring element in that a rough-body part (13a) connected to the seat support (4) is provided with a spring (10) located therein which is supported on the underside by an abutment (16a) connected to a piston rod of the gas spring (32) and on the top side by the back support (10). 7), in particular via a plunger (12) is acted upon and that the rough shell part (13 a) telescopically engages at least partially in the inner cavity of the lower tube part (14 a). Chair according to claim 10, characterized in that the piston rod of the gas spring (32) or the like spring element at least at its upper end portion as a threaded bolt (18 a) formed or with a threaded bolt (18 a) is connected and that the abutment for the spring (10) a Having on the threaded bolt (18a) screwed threaded bore (17a). Chair according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the abutment for the preferably as a helical spring (15) formed spring (10) has a downwards compared to its screw connection with the threaded bolt (18a) arranged spring plate (16a). Chair according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the relative movement of the coupling elements of the synchronizing mechanism to each other by means of a locking device (25) is blockable and that the locking device (25) between a release position and a locking position is adjustable.

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