GB2197190A

GB2197190A - A convertible chair

Info

Publication number: GB2197190A
Application number: GB08722930A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edwin Beer; Alfred Felder
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-10-04
Filing date: 1987-09-30
Publication date: 1988-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2007-09-30
Also published as: FR2604613B1; FR2604613A1; DE8717402U1; ES1011269U; GB8722930D0; ES1011269Y; DE3732578A1; GB2197190B; CH675059A5

Description

1 GB2197190A 1

SPECIFICATION

A convertible chair 1 15 1 1 The present invention relates to a chair convertible into a sitting or reclining position, and to an adjustment means for said chair.

The invention is particularly suitable for, but not restricted to, a tubular folding reclining chair.

Reclining chairs generally constitute a compromise based on a number of requirements. Reclining chairs must be lightweight, comfortable, easy to transport, easy to handle, inexpensive, stable, durable, usable as a sitting chair, etc. Thus, in order to be able to fulfil all these requirements, the design of reclining chairs has become ever more demanding and complicated, rather than simpler. Many of the problems have been solved through the use of new materials, such as lightweight tubing, synthetic fibre fabrics, plastic parts and the like. New design and construction possibilities have often resulted from the use of specific materials.

Many of the aforementioned requirements are fulfilled by camping folding chairs with an aluminium lightweight tubing construction and a strong synthetic fibre fabric web. The basic construction thereon can be used for the design of a sitting and reclining chair.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a means permitting the very simple conversion of a sitting chair, especially of the aforementioned type, into a reclining chair and back again.

A further aim of the invention is to further develop the basic structure of the aforementioned folding chair to give a reclining chair using the means for adjustment purposes between a sitting and a reclining position.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a chair convertible into a sitting or a reclining position, said chair comprising front and rear U-shaped standing frames, a U-shaped back frame, arm-rests and seat fabric in which a two-position guide member is located between one of said standing frames and an associated arm-rest.

According to another aspect of the inven- tion there is provided an adjustment means for a chair convertible into a sitting or a reclin ing position and comprising front and rear U shaped standing frames, a U-shaped back frame and arm rests; said adjustment means comprising a two-position guide member lo cated between one of said standing frames and an associated arm-rest.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with refer- 125 ence to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Figures 1A and 1B illustrate a sitting/reclin ing chair according to the invention in the sit ting and reclining positions.

Figures 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate the sequence of movements involved in adjusting the essential element of the adjusting means according to the invention from a reclining po- sition into a sitting position.

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the adjusting means, as shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 1A and 1B show a sitting/reclining chair in a perspective view, on the one hand in the sitting position (Fig. 1 A) and on the other hand in the reclining position (Fig. 18). The basic constructional elements are stressed. They comprise a front standing Ushaped frame 1, a rear standing U-shaped frame 2 crossing the former, two arm rests 3, a back U-shaped frame 4, a sitting edge 6 and a sitting fabric 5, which is hung between the frame 4 and the sitting edge 6. It is advantageous to fix the sitting fabric in the re- gion of the person's seat by a cleat. This construction can be folded together to give a relatively flat object. Note should be taken in the drawings of the position of the arm rests in the hand region or in the vicinity of frame articulation 7. In the sitting position, the rest part is advanced and in the reclining position moved back. This displacement is made pos sible according to the invention in the follow ing way.

Apart from showing the sequence of the adjustment, Figs. 2A, 2B and 2C show the basic elements of the adjusting means. These can best be seen in the position according to Fig. 2B. The crossed standing U-shaped frames 1 and 2 are interconnected in rotary manner by a frame spindle 7. In addition, one of the two frames, in this case the front frame 1 is connected in rotary manner by means of a spindle 8 to a two-position control member 10, on whose other end is articulated in rotary manner by means of another spindle 9 the arm rest 3. The two-position control member 10 can be a flat metal piece. The spacing of the two axial bores for the frame/control member spindle 8 and for the arm rest/control spindle 9 is made sufficiently large that on the one hand by adequate extension a comfortable reclining position is obtained and on the other a comfortable sitting position is obtained. The two spindle form the radius of a circle, on whose circumference the arm-rests are moved as for a crank. Thus, Fig. 2A shows the reclining position, Fig. 2B the crank movement and Fig. 2C the sitting position. In the case of fixed positions, the arm-rests 3 are supported on the end part of the rear standing U-shaped frame 2. Naturally several solutions are possible and only the principle and one embodiment are shown.

Seen from the front, Fig. 3 shows the adjustment means to the left in the apex of the crank, namely in the position with the articulation of the arm-rest/control member spindle 9 and to the right in the crank centre in the position with the articulation frame/control 2 GB2197190A 2 member spindle 8. It is also possible to see the frame spindle 7 for the articulation of the front and rear frames 1 and 2, as well as the sitting edge 6 and the back U-shaped frame 4. It is possible to see the flat construction of the two-position control member 10, as is fixed on the one hand to the front frame 1 and on the other to the arm-rest 3.

It is clear that by esthetic shaping, the pre sently shown adjustment means can be inte- 75 grated into any sitting and reclining chair. It is easily possible to fit widening arm-rest sup ports, although they are not shown here.

Through the shaping of the rear frame ends, bearings B are obtained, as shown to the right 80 of Fig. 3. The adjustment means according to the invention can be subsequently integrated into finished steel structures. If it has e.g.

been found that an existing adjustment means has a hooking or catching tendency, this can 85 be eliminated by reconstruction and replaced by the adjustment means according to the in vention.

The practical possibility of folding together such stools is not impaired by the incorpora tion of the inventive means. As usual, the chair is picked up at the sitting edge 6 and back frame 4 and folded together and this can even take place directly from both positions, but normally from the sitting position.

Using known manufacturing methods, a re clining chair according to the invention can be simply manufactured in lightweight manner.

The adjusting means can be very inexpen sively manufactured as a result of its simpli city. Nevertheless a chair with above-average adjustment comfort in connection with the ad justment process is obtained, it merely being necessary to raise and move forwards or backwards.

The described embodiment discloses a con trol member 10 pivotally coupled to the front frame 1 and the arm rest 3.

This invention includes within its scope an adjustment means, which may be in the form of crank means, between the arm-rests 3 and frames 1, 2 and 4; the arm-rest 3 and frames 1 and 2, the arm-rest 3 and back frame 4, and the arm-rest 3 and frames 1 and 2 and frame 4.

Claims

1. A chair convertible into a sitting or a reclining position, said chair comprising front and rear U-shaped standing frames, a Ushaped back frame, arm-rests and seat fabric in which a two-position guide member is located between one of said standing frames and an associated arm-rest.

2. A chair as claimed in claim 1, in which two of said guide members are located one on each side of said front standing frame with each guide member pivotally coupled at spaced locations thereon to its associated front standing frame and arm-rest.

3. A chair as claimed in claim 2, in which said spaced locations are more than three centimetres apart.

4. A chair as claimed in any preceding claim in which the ends of said rear standing frame serve as bearings for the arm-rests.

5. A chair as claimed in any preceding claim in which the said back frame extends to the head of an occupant.

6. An adjustment means for a chair convertible into a sitting or a reclining position and comprising front and rear U-shaped standing frames, a U-shaped back frame and arm rests; said adjustment means comprising a two-position guide member located between one of said standing frames and an associated arm-rest.

7. An adjustment means as claimed in claim 6 in which two of said guide members are located one on each side of said front standing frame with each guide member pivotally coupled at spaced locations thereon to its associated front standing frame and armrest.

8. A convertible chair substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

9. An adjustment means for a convertible chair substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.

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