GB2113085A

GB2113085A - Chair support base

Info

Publication number: GB2113085A
Application number: GB08221555A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carlos Maortua Pico
Original assignee: Mueble SA Ing
Current assignee: Mueble SA Ing
Priority date: 1981-10-26
Filing date: 1982-07-26
Publication date: 1983-08-03
Also published as: PT75608A; PT75608B

Abstract

A support base for a chair pedestal comprises a central core (2) and a plurality of identical, radially extending arms (3) integrally formed with the core (2) wherein each arm (3) has a substantially flat upper surface defining a recess receiving a non-slip support element (6) for use as a footrest. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Chair support arrangement The present invention relates to improvements in articles of furniture and, more particularly, to improvements in the construction and configuration of metal support arrangements for chairs. An example of such a chair is an office chair which is provided with functional non-slip footrest members.

Different configurations of support members for chairs are already known, particularly for office chairs. In some known chairs, the seat portion is mounted on one end of a pedestal, the other end of the pedestal terminating in a support membet which rests on the ground and provides the assembly with the necessary stability. For this purpose, the support members are often provided with a branched configuration in which a plurality of arms extend radially outwardly from a central body or core. The core and the plurality of arms may, and usually do, form an integral unit which can be manufactured by casting or other suitable mechanical processes. On each of the arms, particularly in the end regions thereof, other fitments such as tread elements or fixed support elements in the form of wedges or the like are located to provide differing styles and configurations.

The arms of the support member or base do, however, invariably provide a use for which they are not intended apart from their support, stability and load distribution functions. Inevitably, in use, the arms are used as footrests. However, the configuration and superficial finish applied to known chairs are often not suited for this unintended use. Thus, many arms have sharp upper edges or have superficial finishes formed thereon which have a low coefficient of friction.

Thus, many arms are polished, painted or chromeplated. Accordingly, the feet of the user tend to slip off the arms.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved support arrangement provided with footrest elements, which elements are sufficiently large and are suitably shaped to support the feet of a user whilst preventing the feet from slipping.

The present invention further seeks to provide an arrangement which can easily be coupled and mounted to the remaining portions of a conventional seat assembly.

According to the present invention, there is provided a support member incorporating a footrest for a chair comprising a central body or core member and a plurality of identical, radially extending, support members integrally formed with the body or core member, the core or body member being capable of receiving the seat portion of the chair wherein each support member has an upper surface which has a substantially flat periphery, the flat periphery defining a housing for a support element, the support element having an upper surface which defines a non-slip tread pattern, the lower edges of the support elements which delimit the support area, and the perimeter thereof having a reinforcement thickening which eliminates the sharp edges of such-areas, each of the support members having, at its radially outer end, a terminal portion capable of receiving and retaining the support elements.

Preferably, each support member has a ramified cross-section such as a T-shape, the upper branch of the support member delimiting a sunken or mortised region occupying a major proportion of the upper surface of the member, the sunken or mortised region acting as a housing for receiving the support element, the edges of the upper branch being radiused and thickened to act as a reinforcement and to obviate sharp edges of the borders.

Desirably, each support member has, at its radially outer end a terminal element for retaining the support elements, the support elements being fixed supports or a self-orientated tread element of substantially semi-cylindrical form, the curved surface of which faces outwards, a blind opening being formed in the lower, radially outward end of the support member to house the assembly shanks of the support elements.

Advantageously, the non-slip element is a laminar member formed of a pliable material which is firmly embedded and affixed in the sunken or mortised region, the laminar member having substantially the same dimensions and configuration as the sunken or mortised region such that the upper surfaces of the support member and of the support elements lie substantially flush with one another.

The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show respectively, a top plan view, an underneath plan view and an elevational view of a support base forming part of a support member in accordance with the present invention; Figs. 4 and 5 show, respectively, a longitudinal cross-sectional and a plan view of one of the arms forming part of the support base, Figs. 6 and 7 show, respectively, the views similar to Figs. 4 and 5, but with the arm equipped with a non-slip footrest element; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an arm forming part of the support base; and Fig. 9 shows a modified arm which has a substantially U-shaped cross-section.

In the drawings, there is shown a support base 1 which is an integral structure and which comprises a generally hollow cylindrical central body or core capable of receiving an element (not shown) such as a pedestal upon which the seat is mounted, a plurality of arms 3 extending radially outwardly from the body or central core 2. The arms 3 are equiangularly spaced around the core 2 in order to provide the desired stability and balanced load distribution. ' Each of the arms 3 has a substantially flat upper surface which forms a platform which is sufficiently large to allow the feet of a user to be rested thereon. This flat upper surface is mortised at 4, to a sufficient depth to receive a non-slip element 5. The mortising 4 extends along substantially the entire upper surface of the arm 3.

The non-slip element 5 is embedded and firmly adhered or otherwise secured in the mortising 4.

Such element 5 has the same configuration as the mortising into which it is inserted, its thickness being equal to the depth of that mortising or recess, so that the upper surface of the element 5 lies substantially flush with the non-mortised portion of the upper surface of the arm. This element or part 5 has an uneven superficial finish 6 to provide the non-slip properties.

Each of the radial arms 3 forming part of the support base is, in one embodiment, T-shaped in cross-section. However, as shown in Fig. 9, the arm may have other suitable cross-sectional shapes, such as an inverted U-shape. If the arm is T-shaped it is highly desirable that the horizontal branches of that T, that is to say, the cross-bar portions, have hemispherical portions 7 which, apart from mechanically reinforcing the structure, do not form sharp edges which might damage the footwear of the user.

In the lower region of each arm 3, at the radially outer end 8 thereof, a blind hole 9 is formed. This may be either a simpie hole or a threaded hole and receives and retains the element 5.

Claims

1. A support member incorporating a footrest for a chair comprising a central body or core member and a plurality of identical, radially extending, support members integrally formed with the body or core member, the core or body member being capable of receiving the seat portion of the chair wherein each support member has an upper surface which has a substantially flat periphery, the flat periphery defining a housing for a support element, the support element having an upper surface which defines a non-slip tread pattern, the lower edges of the support elements which delimit the support area, and the perimeter thereof having a reinforcement thickening which eliminates the sharp edges of such areas, each of the support members having, at its radially outer end, a terminal portion capable of receiving and retaining the support elements.

2. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein each support member has a ramified cross-section such as a T-shape, the upper branch of the support member delimiting a sunken or mortised region occupying a major proportion of the upper surface of the member, the sunken or mortised region acting as a housing for receiving the support element, the edges of the upper branch being radiused and thickened to act as a reinforcement and to obviate sharp edges of the borders.

3. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each support member has, at its radially outer end a terminal element for retaining the support elements, the support elements being fixed supports or a self-orientated tread element of substantially semi-cylindrical form, the curved surface of which faces outwards, a blind opening being formed in the lower, radially outward end of the support member to house the assembly shanks of the support elements.

4. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the non-slip element is a laminar member formed of a pliable material which is firmly embedded and affixed in the sunken or mortised region, the laminar member having substantially the same dimensions and configuration as the sunken or mortised region such that the upper surfaces of the support member and of the support elements lie substantially flush with one another.

5. A support arrangement as claimed in claim 1 constructed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 or Figs. 1 to 3, 6, 7 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.