EP1825779A1

EP1825779A1 - Chair having flexible waist-supporter

Info

Publication number: EP1825779A1
Application number: EP05762100A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wenjin Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-07-04
Filing date: 2005-07-04
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Also published as: WO2007003070A1; JP2008544778A; AU2005334051A1

Abstract

The invention provides a chair having a flexible support element, comprising a seat, a backrest, a pair of armrests and a support structure, wherein a flexible support element is mechanically-connected to the seat; and the flexible support element is capable of moving horizontally in a lower back region of the chair. The flexible support element is in the shape of a strip, a band or a rope.

Description

Technical field
The invention relates to accessories of chairs, and particularly to chairs having flexible supporting elements for supporting lower back.
Related art
A conventional chair employs a flexible support element for supporting the lower back horizontally fixed in a lower back region of the chair. A seated person may be supported only if he reclines to a horizontal angle of over 90 degree. However, since the flexible support element is installed inside of the backrest and is integrated with the seat, the flexible support element may only move up and down with respect to the lower back of the seated person, and cannot move horizontally. Moreover, as a person sits up or bends forward slightly, the lower back is unsupported and gets tired. After a long period of sitting, the lower back, and especially the waist may get injured.
Objective
In view of the above-described problems, it is one objective of the present invention to provide a chair having a flexible support element for supporting the lower back, so as to support the lower back of a seated person sitting in an upright, reclined or slightly-declined position.
Summary
The invention provides a chair having a flexible support element, comprising a seat, a backrest, a pair of armrests and a support structure, wherein a flexible support element is mechanically-connected to the seat; and the flexible support element is capable of moving horizontally in a lower back region of the chair.
The flexible support element is in the shape of a strip, a band or a rope, and the flexible support element is mechanically-connected to the armrest of the chair, and moves horizontally in the lower back region along a slider disposed on the armrest.
The flexible support element is movably connected or fixedly latched to the slider of the armrest.
The flexible support element is a flexible component; a flexible portion is disposed in the middle of the flexible component. Both ends of the flexible component are connected to a pair of buckles via a pair of shafts, and the shaft is capable of sliding along the slider on the armrest.
The slider on the armrest comprises a slideway and a groove. The flexible component moves horizontally along the slideway, or is fixed within the groove in a locking position via the buckle on the groove.
The buckles disposed at top portion of both ends of the flexible component are latched to the groove, and the shaft behind the buckle is capable of sliding along the slideway.
When not in use, the top portions of both ends of the flexible support element move downwards under the influence of gravity; the buckle detaches from the groove and causes the flexible support element to slide to one end of the armrest, thereby performing an automatic return to a primary slider position.
The shape of the slideway on the slider bends downwards in the form of an arc.
A cushion made of cloth and/or leather is wrapped around the surface of the flexible component, and a massage protrusion is disposed inside or outside of the flexible component.
The invention provides a chair with a flexible support element for supporting the lower back, which is simple in structure and convenient for operation, and featured by an independent flexible support element disposed at the lower back region of the chair that is capable of moving horizontally, supporting a seated person sitting in different positions of the chair, alleviating burden on the lower back, and automatically returning to an original position when it is not used.
As the flexible support element in the shape of a strip, a band or a rope is connected to the armrest, the seated person reclines on the flexible portion on the flexible support element, and the flexible support element exerts a force on the lower back of the seated person, so as to alleviate the tiredness of spine, muscles and nerves thereof.
The flexible portion refers to a flexible product in the shape of a strip, a band or a rope. Upon contacting with the seated person, the flexible portion is capable of stretching around and supporting the person according to the person's shape.
Detailed description of accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a structural view of an embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a structural view of a flexible supporting element of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a structural view of a slider;
Fig. 4 illustrates a flexible support element after an automatic return (an initial status);
Fig. 5 is a side view of a chair of a second embodiment of the invention being in use;
Fig. 6 is a side view of a chair of a third embodiment of the invention being in use in one sitting position; and
Fig. 7 is a side view of a chair of a third embodiment of the invention being in use in another sitting position.
Embodiment 1
As shown in Figs. 1-4, a chair 1 in accordance with the invention comprises a seat 6, a backrest 2, a pair of armrests 5, and a support structure 7. A flexible support element 3 is latched onto a pair of sliders 4 disposed within the armrest 5, and moves horizontally in a lower back region of the chair 1 via the sliders 4.
The flexible support element 3 is a rope-shaped support element. A flexible portion 31 is disposed in the middle thereof, and a pair of shafts 32 and buckles 33 are connected to both ends thereof.
The slider 4 is disposed in the armrest 5, and comprises a slideway 41 bending downwards towards the back end of the chair. At least three grooves 42 are disposed on the slideway 41, so as to allow the buckles 33 of the flexible support element 3 to be latched and temporarily fixed thereto.
The flexible support element 3 slides to one end of the armrest 5 under gravity, and is received in a gap between the seat 6 and the backrest 2, and thereby having no effect on the look of the chair 1. Moreover, if no pushing force from the lower back of a seated person is exerted on the flexible support element 3, the flexible support element 3 is able to slide automatically to one end of the slideway 41 along the slideway 41 on the slider 4 with gravity, and thereby performing automatic return to a primary slider position.
Embodiment 2
As shown in Fig. 5, under gravity, the flexible support element 3 is located at one end of the armrest 5 prior to being used. When in use, a seated person reclines and pulls forward the flexible support element 3, so as to enable the flexible support element 3 to stretch around the lower back of the seated person, and the buckle 33 thereon to latch to the groove 42 of the slider 4. At this time, the flexible portion 31 stretches around the lower back, and thereby supports the lower back as the seated person reclines.
If the seated person does not wish to use the flexible support element 3, the lower back of the seated person is first moved off the flexible support element 3, the shaft 32 detaches from the groove 42 under the influence of gravity of the flexible support element 3, and slides to one end of the armrest 5 along the slideway 41, thereby performing an automatic return to a primary position being out of the view (namely an initial position), which assures an original look of the chair 1.
Embodiment 3
As shown in Fig. 6, when a person sits upright and desires the lower back to be supported, the person may pull up and forwards the flexible support element 3 to a required position of the lower back along the slideway 41, and latch the flexible support element 3 onto a groove 42. The flexible portion 31 exerts a forward-pushing force on the lower back of the seated person, and a body of the seated person simultaneously exerts a backward reclining force on the flexible portion 31. Under the backward reclining force, the flexible portion 31 bends backwards, the forward pushing force correspondingly increases, and the lower back of the seated person is supported. This alleviates the tiredness of the spine, muscles and nerves of the lower back.
Embodiment 4
As shown in Fig. 7, the invention may also be used as the seated person is slightly declined. As the seated person is slightly declined, he may pull up the flexible support element 3 to make it stretch around the lower back. At this point the lower back is supported, thereby lessening the weight supported by the lower back. The embodiment and effect are in other respects the same as in embodiment 2.
Since the flexible support element is connected to the armrest, the flexible support element may be adjusted by ascending or descending the armrest according to the height of the lower back of the seated person, so as to enable the flexible support element to stretch around the lower back and waist.
The flexible support element of the invention may cooperate with the seat, the backrest and the support structure to form means for supporting the lower back.

Claims

A chair having a flexible support element, comprising:
a seat;

a backrest;

a pair of armrests; and

a support structure;
wherein

a flexible support element is mechanically-connected to the seat; and

the flexible support element is capable of moving horizontally in a lower back region of the chair.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 1, wherein
the flexible support element is in the shape of a strip, a band or a rope; and
the flexible support element is mechanically-connected to the armrest of the chair, and moves horizontally in the lower back region along a slider disposed in the armrest.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 2, wherein the flexible support element is movably connected or fixedly latched to the slider of the armrest.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 2, wherein
the flexible support element is a flexible component;
a flexible portion is disposed in the middle of the flexible component;
both ends of the flexible component are connected to a pair of buckles via a pair of shafts; and
the shaft is capable of sliding along the slider on the armrest.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 2, wherein
the slider on the armrest comprises a slideway and a groove; and
the flexible component moves horizontally along the slideway, or is fixed within the groove via the buckle on the groove to form a self-lock status.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 5, wherein
the buckles disposed at top portions of both ends of the flexible component are latched to the groove; and
the shaft behind the buckle is capable of sliding along the slideway.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 5, wherein top portions of both ends of the flexible support element move downwards under the influence of gravity, detach the buckle from the groove and cause the flexible support element to slide to one end of the armrest, thereby performing automatic return.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 7, wherein after the automatic return, the flexible support element is received within a receiving groove disposed in the chair.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 5, wherein the slideway on the slider bends downwards in the shape of an arc.
The chair having a flexible support element of claim 4, wherein
a cushion made of cloth and/or leather is wrapped around the surface of the flexible component; and
a massage protrusion is disposed inside or outside of the flexible component.