EP1670335B1 - Friction-plate adjusting device and method for the manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Friction-plate adjusting device and method for the manufacture thereof Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1670335B1
EP1670335B1 EP04770792A EP04770792A EP1670335B1 EP 1670335 B1 EP1670335 B1 EP 1670335B1 EP 04770792 A EP04770792 A EP 04770792A EP 04770792 A EP04770792 A EP 04770792A EP 1670335 B1 EP1670335 B1 EP 1670335B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
plates
adjusted
friction
adjusting device
parts
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP04770792A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1670335A1 (en
Inventor
Giovanni Ferronato
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Armet SNC Di Ferronato Giovanni & C
Original Assignee
Armet SNC Di Ferronato Giovanni & C
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Armet SNC Di Ferronato Giovanni & C filed Critical Armet SNC Di Ferronato Giovanni & C
Publication of EP1670335A1 publication Critical patent/EP1670335A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1670335B1 publication Critical patent/EP1670335B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
    • A47C1/00—Chairs adapted for special purposes
    • A47C1/02—Reclining or easy chairs
    • A47C1/022—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts
    • A47C1/024—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts the parts, being the back-rest, or the back-rest and seat unit, having adjustable and lockable inclination
    • A47C1/027—Reclining or easy chairs having independently-adjustable supporting parts the parts, being the back-rest, or the back-rest and seat unit, having adjustable and lockable inclination by means of clamps or friction locking members

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a friction-plate adjusting device, in particular for chairs, armchairs or the like, and to a method for the manufacture thereof.
  • the device in question is intended to be used advantageously to vary in a controlled manner the relative position of two mechanically connected parts such as, for example, the seat and the backrest of a chair or an armchair.
  • the devices for adjusting seats or backrest of chairs and armchairs use, as has been schematically shown in the accompanying Figure A, two separate sets of plates A, B which are differently shaped and pivotably mounted, respectively, on the support structure C of the seat and the support structure D of the backrest.
  • the said structures are mechanically connected together by means of a connecting pin P which is engaged inside holes formed in both sets of plates along a common section thereof.
  • the plates A, B are mounted, spaced with respect to each other, and are able to be pressed together transversely generally by means an adjusting knob M. It is envisaged using a spring S in order to allow return of the two structures into a predefined position.
  • knob M By slackening or tightening the knob M, it is possible to define correspondingly for the device in question an adjusting position, in which the plates A, B, slide on each other and allow the two support structures C and D to rotate about the connecting pin P, and a stop position, where the plates A, B are retained against each other by the frictional force which is produced by their compression so as to fix the relative position of seat and backrest.
  • Embodiments of this type are known, for example, from the patents WO 99/09861 , US 5,066,069 , US 5,423,595 , EP 160221 and US 4, 392, 686 .
  • the adjusting devices of this type have proved in practice to have certain drawbacks in particular associated with the process for production thereof which, as is known, is excessively complicated and costly.
  • the processes for the production of adjusting devices envisage pressing the plates as separate individual elements, which are generally produced in at least two different configurations so as to form two separate sets of plates which are assembled together in a spaced manner on pins to be arranged on the parts to be adjusted.
  • This assembly operation is performed at present in an exclusively manual manner since the plants for automatically assembling the abovementioned plates are excessively costly and extremely complex to construct.
  • the plates are in this case in the form of tongues which extend parallel to each other from the connecting body.
  • recesses have been provided on the said tongues in the vicinity of the connecting body.
  • the abovementioned set of plates is obtained by means of fusion in the form of a single body.
  • the remaining set of plates continues to be manufactured by means of pressing of individual separate plates which must then be assembled with positioning of the tongues of the other set in between.
  • the main object of the present invention is therefore that of eliminating the drawbacks of the known art mentioned above by providing a friction-plate adjusting device, in particular for chairs, armchairs or the like, which is provided with two separate sets of plates which can be easily assembled together during the assembly stage of the production process.
  • a further object is that of providing a friction-plate adjusting device which is constructionally simple and operationally entirely reliable.
  • Another object of the present invention is that of providing a method for manufacturing a friction-plate adjusting device, which is simple and low-cost.
  • 1 denotes in its entirety the adjusting device forming the subject of the present invention.
  • the reference numbers 2 and 3 denote moreover two different sets of plates, each consisting respectively of single plates denoted by 4 and 5.
  • the example shown hereinbelow refers in particular to the device for adjusting the angle of inclination of a backrest with respect to the seat of an armchair.
  • This example must be regarded as a possible advantageous application of the present invention, although the device in question may be differently used in order to adjust the position or the angle of inclination of parts which are joined together in numerous other fields of application, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the present patent.
  • the number of sets of plates or the number of plates or also their shape or their assembled arrangement on the parts to be connected may be of any nature depending on the specific requirements.
  • the first set of plates 2 is composed of four plates 4 made of sheet metal with a substantially triangular shape and precisely arranged on top of each another, so that first and second circular holes 6 and 7 provided on each plate 4 are perfectly aligned so as to form through-channels for the insertion of corresponding pins 8 and 9.
  • the second set of plates 3 is in turn formed by five plates 5 made of sheet metal with an elongated shape and also precisely arranged on top of each other so that third and fourth circular holes 10 and 11 provided on each plate 5 are perfectly aligned so as to form through-channels for the insertion of corresponding pins 9 and 10.
  • Openings 12 are also provided on each second plate 5 so as to form an adjusting eyelet as shown in Figure 5A which is able to receive the pin 9 inside it.
  • first plates 4 and the second plates 5 partially overlap each other along a common section 13.
  • the first set of plates 2 is mounted on the frame of the backrest, denoted by 15 in Figure 1, by means of two through-pins 8 and 9 which are supported by its U-shaped side shoulders 15' and 15".
  • the second set of plates 3 is instead mounted on the frame 16 relative to the seat by means of the pins 8 and 10 which are constrained to the side shoulders 16' and 16''.
  • the pin 8 in common with both the sets of plates, acts as rotational pin for the two frames 15 and 16.
  • both the sets of plates 2, 3 are provided with respective connecting portions 17, 18 able to connect continuously as one piece the plates 4, 5 forming part of the same set.
  • each connecting portion 17, 18 is formed by a portion of folded sheet metal of limited width since it must substantially perform the sole function of keeping the plates assembled on top of each other and must not satisfy any particular mechanical requirements.
  • the number of connecting portions for each set of plates n is equal to n-1, the final plates in each set being connected to a single plate.
  • the first set of plates 2 is connected by means of the pins 8 and 9 to the frame 15 and therefore is integral therewith and is unable to rotate. It defines by means of its four plates eight friction surfaces intended to make contact with the plates of the second set 3. The latter are instead able to rotate through an arc of a circle which corresponds to the extension of the eyelet 12.
  • a user may push the backrest of a chair with his/her back, overcoming the elastic resistance produced by the spring 19 until the desired angle of inclination is obtained, this angle being then easily maintained by correspondingly tightening the knob - hitherto not tightened - in this position.
  • the connecting portions 17, 18 do not interfere substantially with the operation of the plates since the transverse movements imparted to them in order to pass from the configuration where they can slide on each other to the other locked configuration where the plates are clamped together are extremely small.
  • the present invention also relates to a method for the manufacture of a friction-plate adjusting device 1 which is of the type indicated above and in respect of which the same reference numbers are therefore maintained.
  • the abovementioned method envisages a first pressing step and a second pressing step during which the plates 4 and 5 forming part of the first and second sets of plates 2 and 3 are produced, and a step involving assembly of the abovementioned sets of plates 2, 3 on the two parts to be adjusted 15, 16 so as to assemble them in a parallel manner, spaced from each other and overlapping along a common section 13.
  • the pressing step envisages a shearing step able to form a connecting portion 17, 18 between the plates 4, 5 of each set, and a subsequent folding step for stacking the plates of each set on top of one another.
  • the two sets of plates 2, 3 thus assembled may be easily and rapidly combined with each other, with the plates spaced.
  • the invention thus conceived therefore achieves the predefined objects.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Dentistry (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)
  • Braking Arrangements (AREA)
  • Mechanical Operated Clutches (AREA)
EP04770792A 2003-09-25 2004-09-15 Friction-plate adjusting device and method for the manufacture thereof Expired - Lifetime EP1670335B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000224A ITPD20030224A1 (it) 2003-09-25 2003-09-25 Dispositivo di regolazione a piastre di frizione, in particolare per sedie, poltrone o simili e procedimento per la sua realizzazione
PCT/IT2004/000498 WO2005027690A1 (en) 2003-09-25 2004-09-15 Friction-plate adjusting device and method for the manufacture thereof

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1670335A1 EP1670335A1 (en) 2006-06-21
EP1670335B1 true EP1670335B1 (en) 2007-09-12

Family

ID=34362432

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04770792A Expired - Lifetime EP1670335B1 (en) 2003-09-25 2004-09-15 Friction-plate adjusting device and method for the manufacture thereof

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1670335B1 (it)
AT (1) ATE372701T1 (it)
DE (1) DE602004008948T2 (it)
ES (1) ES2294538T3 (it)
IT (1) ITPD20030224A1 (it)
WO (1) WO2005027690A1 (it)

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB401718A (en) * 1932-05-18 1933-11-20 Leabank Mfg Company Ltd Improvements relating to chairs and like seats
FR1389600A (fr) * 1964-01-09 1965-02-19 Dossier réglable pour siège et siège en comportant application
GB1470370A (en) * 1974-11-01 1977-04-14 Ihw Eng Ltd Seat reclining mechanisms
IT224288Z2 (it) * 1991-12-20 1996-03-14 Cofemo Spa Supporto centrale di sostegno e regolazione della posizione di inclinazione per sedie a seduta oscillante
DE4235247C1 (de) * 1992-10-20 1994-03-10 Link Wilhelm Kg Stuhl, insbesondere Bürostuhl
US5356200A (en) * 1992-10-23 1994-10-18 Doerner Products Ltd. Unitary brake for a chair tilt mechanism
US6394550B1 (en) * 2001-08-17 2002-05-28 Gen-Fong Liu Chair adjustment assembly

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ITPD20030224A1 (it) 2005-03-26
ES2294538T3 (es) 2008-04-01
DE602004008948D1 (de) 2007-10-25
DE602004008948T2 (de) 2008-06-12
ATE372701T1 (de) 2007-09-15
WO2005027690A1 (en) 2005-03-31
EP1670335A1 (en) 2006-06-21

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