JP2000287779A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an abdominal part from being pressurized when the upper part of the body of a user is bent forward and also to hold the angle between the back and the thigh part constant by providing an inclination angle adjusting means in a sheet support means in the leg part of the chair, by which the seat is inclined so that the rear part of the seat is positioned higher than the front part of it. SOLUTION: A first air bag 11 is fixed on the rear side of a support base 9 which is part of the chair leg. The rear part of the seat 12 is elevated by the first air bag 11. The air bag 11 and a controller 18 constitute the inclination angle adjusting means. The air bag 11 is stored in a case whose capacity is changed in accordance with the amount of air to be stored and the seat 12 is elevated/lowered with the case. The controller 18 is arranged on the rear lower surface of the support base 9. The controller 18 obtains power from the outlet of an electric light line to drive a motor, drives an air pump by the motor and controls the expansion contraction of the first air bag 11 as well as the second and the third air bags 16 and 17.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a chair capable of integrally adjusting a tilt of a seat and a seat back.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in an office chair, a seat for supporting the buttocks and thighs of a human body is supported by a support bracket attached to the upper end of a leg post, and the seat or the support bracket is attached to the seat or the support bracket. 2. Description of the Related Art A seat back that supports a back part of a human body is mounted so that the angle can be changed.

[0003]

However, when working with a monitor such as a personal computer or a keyboard on a desk, the operator may take a posture that leans forward for a long time. If such a posture is continued, the abdomen will be compressed and the back muscles will be stretched, increasing fatigue and reducing work efficiency.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and when the worker is bent forward, the abdomen is not pressed and the angle between the back and the thigh is kept constant. An object of the present invention is to provide a chair with a minimum degree of fatigue.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a chair according to the present invention, wherein a seat back for supporting a back portion of a human body and a seat for supporting a buttocks and thighs of a human body are integrated according to the inclination of the seat. A chair that is capable of adjusting the inclination of the seat, and wherein the supporting means on the leg side supporting the seat is provided with an inclination angle adjusting means for tilting the seat so that a rear portion thereof is positioned higher than a front portion. It is characterized by.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the chair according to the first aspect, wherein the inclination angle adjusting means includes a first airbag provided on the supporting means, and inflates or contracts the first airbag. A driving device, wherein the seatback is provided with a second airbag that expands or contracts under the control of the driving device to support a back portion of a human body.

A chair according to a third aspect of the present invention is the chair according to the second aspect, wherein the first airbag is formed in a bellows shape that can expand and contract vertically.

The chair according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the chair according to any one of the second to third aspects, wherein the second airbag is disposed at least below the seatback.
A waist support airbag which supports the waist of the human body and inflates simultaneously with the inflation of the first airbag is provided.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A chair according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a state where an operator 2 is seated on a chair 1. The leg 3 of the chair 1 is a support 4 provided at the center.
For example, five casters 7 extend radially from and can roll on the floor surface 6. The length of the column 4 can be adjusted by a lever (not shown). A boss 8 with a flange is fixed to the upper end of the support 4,
A flat support 9 is screwed to the flange of the boss 8. A pair of left and right bearings 10 are formed on the upper front side of the support base 9.

A bag-shaped first airbag 11 is fixed to a rear upper portion of a support 9 serving as support means for the legs.
The first airbag 11 lifts the rear portion of the seat 12 by compressed air, and the first airbag 11 and a control device 18, which will be described later, constitute an inclination angle adjusting unit. The first airbag 11 is stored in a case (not shown) whose capacity can be changed by the air to be stored, and moves the seat 12 up and down through the case. Instead of the first airbag 11, a bellows-shaped airbag or bellows may be used.

A seat body 14 in which a seat 12 and a seat back 13 are integrally formed is mounted on the support 9.
A bearing (not shown) protrudes from the lower surface on the front side of the seat 12, and the bearing on the seat 12 and the bearing 10 on the support base 9 are provided.
Are connected by a hinge pin (not shown) so as to be relatively rotatable. The rear lower surface of the seat 12 is the first airbag 11.
The seat body 14 is tilted forward about the hinge pin of the bearing 10 by the inflation of the first airbag 11 (see FIG. 2).

In the seat body 14 of this embodiment, the seat back 13 is fixed in a rigid state so that the inclination of the seat back 13 with respect to the seat 12 cannot be changed.

The seat back 13 may be supported so as to be adjustable in angle with respect to the seat 12. The tilt angle of the seat back 13 is separated from the forward tilt angle adjustment of the seat 12, and can be adjusted independently. I just need.

As shown in FIG. 3, a portion of the seat back 13 supporting the back of the human body includes a second air bag 16 supporting the upper portion of the back 15 of the worker 2 and a third air bag 16 supporting the waist of the human body 15. A back 17 is provided.

The second airbag 16 is for stretching the upper center of the back of the human body 15, and is provided at the upper center of the seat back 13 so that the back muscles can be stretched. A plurality of the second airbags 16 may be provided in the up-down direction or the left-right direction, and each may be individually inflated and contracted.

The third airbag 17 is inflated so as to slightly hold the portions near the left and right side surfaces of the waist, thereby preventing the waist from being displaced left and right. A central portion of the third airbag 17 is a fixing portion 17A for attachment, and compressed air is supplied to left and right portions 17R and 17L of the fixing portion 17A to expand and contract. In the left and right portions 17R and 17L, the length in the horizontal direction is set to be larger than the length in the vertical direction, and the support force of the waist is enhanced.

A control device 18 for controlling the expansion and contraction of the first airbag 11, the second airbag 16, and the third airbag 17 is provided on the lower rear surface of the support base 9. This control device 1
8 draws electric power from the outlet of the power line, drives a motor as a driving device, drives an air pump as a driving device by driving the motor, and outputs the first airbag 11 and the second and third airbags 16, 17 expansion and contraction.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control device 18. The control device 18 includes a power supply circuit 19 connected to an outlet, and a CPU circuit 20 supplied with power from the power supply circuit 19.
And an AD connected to the input / output port of the CPU circuit 20.
An interface 21 composed of a DA converter, a motor 23 fed from the power supply circuit 18 via a relay circuit 22, an air pump 24 driven by the motor 23, and a solenoid valve opened and closed by an output signal from a latch circuit of the interface 21 25 to 28, and switches S1 to S7 for inputting input signals to the CPU circuit 20 via the interface 21.

The power supply circuit 19 includes a transformer capable of generating a drive voltage for the CPU circuit 20 and a drive voltage for driving the motor 23, and a switching power supply circuit. CP
The U circuit 20 operates in an assembly language, for example, 8
A bit microcomputer, a ROM for storing a control program and control data, a RAM for storing input / output data, and a chip selection circuit for selecting a ROM / RAM / input / output port are provided.

S1 to S7 and solenoid valves 25 to 2
8 and the relay circuit 22 are connected to the interface 21 respectively. The interface 21 is a CP
U, which has a function of converting an output signal output from the input / output port of the CPU into a digital signal, latching the converted signal, and outputting the output signal to one of predetermined solenoid valves 25 to 28, and a switch from S1 to S7. It has a function of AD converting a signal and inputting the signal to an input port of the CPU.

The relay circuit 22 supplies and stops the power for driving the motor of the power supply circuit 19 to the motor 23 by the output current from the interface 21. The relay circuit 22 includes, for example, a relay contact.

The solenoid valves 25 to 28 close the air passage 29 when not energized, and maintain the position of the seat 12 when the power is turned off, thereby preventing frequent operation of changing the position. Solenoid valves 25 to 28 selectively connect the first to third airbags 11, 16, 17 and the air pump 24 by an output current from the interface 21.

The power supply circuit 19 is provided with a main switch MS for connecting the outlet and the power supply circuit 18.

The switch S1 is an input switch for inflating the first airbag 11, and the switch S2 is an input switch for contracting the first airbag 11.

The switch S3 is an input switch for inflating the second airbag 16, and the switch S4 is an input switch for contracting the second airbag 16.

The switch S5 is an input switch for inflating the third airbag 17, and the switch S6 is an input switch for contracting the third airbag 17.

The switch S7 is connected to the first to third airbags 1
This is a switch for opening the solenoid valve 28 to exhaust the air of 1, 16, and 17. The switches S1 to S7 provide an ON signal to the interface 21. The switches S1 to S7 are turned on while being pressed, and turned off again when released. These switches S1 to S7 and the main switch MS are provided, for example, on the side surface of the seat 12 to make it easier for the operator 2 to operate.

Next, the operation of the chair of the above embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, after the plug 30 of the cord 29 extending from the power supply circuit 28 is connected to the outlet and seated, the main switch MS is turned on. As a result, power is supplied to the power supply circuit 28. When power is supplied to the power supply circuit 28, a control program of the CPU circuit 20 is started, and input / output signals can be input / output.

As shown in the state transition table of FIG. 5, when the switch S1 is turned on for a desired time, an ON signal of the switch S1 is input to the CPU circuit 20 via the interface 21, and the solenoid valve 25 is connected to the air extending from the air pump 24. The passage 29 is closed after being opened for a predetermined time, and the solenoid valves 26 to 27 are kept closed. When the switch S1 is turned on, the relay circuit 22 operates for a predetermined time, and a motor drive current flows from the power supply circuit 28 to the motor 23 for a predetermined time. Note that the control program includes the switch S
It has a function of detecting the ON of the switches S1 to S7 for a predetermined time so as not to be affected by the chattering of S1 to S7.

In response to the input signal of the switch S1, the control program opens the solenoid valve 25 so that compressed air is supplied to the first airbag 11 during the pressing time of the switch S1. If the amount of expansion of the first airbag 11 is small, the switch S1 is pressed again. As a result, the first airbag 11 expands, and the seat 12 leans forward. At this time,
Since the seat back 13 is formed integrally with the seat 12 while maintaining the angle, the worker can lean forward with no pressure on the abdomen, and can continue work with less fatigue. I can do it.

When bleeding air from the first airbag 11 and returning the seat 12 to the original inclination, the air bleeding switch S
Press 2. When the switch S2 is turned on, the relay circuit 22 stops supplying power to the motor 23 for a predetermined time.
After the solenoid valves 25 and 28 are opened for a predetermined time, they are closed. As a result, the forward tilt state of the seat 12 gradually becomes the original horizontal state or slightly backward tilt state.

When the second airbag 16 is inflated and stretched, the switch S3 is pressed. By turning on the switch S3, as shown in FIG.
Turns on for a predetermined time to drive the motor 23 to inflate the second airbag 16. If the amount of expansion of the second airbag 16 is not enough, the switch 3 is pressed again.

When the first airbag 11 and the second airbag 16 are simultaneously inflated, the solenoid valves 25 and 26 are opened for a predetermined time while the solenoid valve 28 is closed.

When contracting the second airbag 16, the switch S4 is pressed for a desired time. Thereby, the solenoid valves 26 and 28 are opened for a predetermined time, and the amount of expansion of the second airbag 16 can be adjusted.

When the third airbag 17 is inflated to hold the waist, the switch S5 is pressed for a desired time. As a result, the relay circuit 22 is turned on for a predetermined time, the solenoid valve 27 is opened for a predetermined time, and the third airbag 17 expands by a predetermined amount. When the amount of expansion is not enough,
The switch S5 is pressed again for a desired time.

When contracting the third airbag 17,
Press the switch S6 for a desired time. As a result, the solenoid valves 27 and 28 are opened for a predetermined time, and the air in the third airbag 17 escapes by a predetermined amount. If the amount of expansion of the third airbag 17 is too large, the switch S6 is pressed again for a desired time.

To release the air from the first to third airbags 11, 16, 17 and return the sheet 12 to the horizontal state, the switch S7 is pressed for a desired time. As a result, the solenoid valves 25 to 28 are opened for a predetermined time, and the air in the first to third airbags 11, 16, and 17 is released.

In the above embodiment, the seat back 13 and the seat 12 may be formed integrally so that the opening angle between them may be maintained at a constant angle. If the seat back 13 is tilted to follow, the seat back 13 may be able to change the angle independently of the seat 12.

The supporting means for supporting the sheet 12 may be a bracket fixed to the support column or the like in addition to the flat support plate attached to the support column above the leg. Further, although the first airbag 11 is used as the inclination angle adjusting means, an actuator such as an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electromagnetic solenoid, a motor, and a gear mechanism may be used.

Further, pressure detection sensors are provided before and after the lower surface of the front end portion of the seat 12 or the upper surface of the support table 9 to detect the weight movement of the worker 2 in the front-rear direction. Via CPU
Input to the circuit 20 to calculate the load difference before and after the worker,
When the difference becomes a predetermined amount, a control program is configured in the same manner as when the switch S1 is turned on for a predetermined time, and if the seat 12 is tilted forward with the forward tilt of the worker 2, the worker 2 unintentionally Alternatively, the seat 12 and the seat back 13 may be inclined forward.

[0043]

According to the chair of the first aspect of the present invention, when the seat is tilted such that the front part of the seat supporting the knee side of the human body is located below the rear part of the seat supporting the buttocks side,
The seat back follows the inclination of the seat. That is, when the seat is tilted forward, the seat back also falls forward while the opening angle between the seat and the seat back is kept constant.

Therefore, when the seated person lowers the front part of the seat relative to the rear part so as to bend forward during operation of the personal computer or the like, the back is tilted forward, You can keep the angle between the thigh and the spine,
Fatigue is reduced as in a normal sitting state.

According to the chair of the second aspect of the present invention, the inclination of the seat can be adjusted by the first airbag, the back of the human body can be supported by the second airbag, and the back of the human body can be stretched or adjusted. Massage can be performed, and the driving device for the first and second airbags can be made common, so that the configuration is simplified.

According to the chair of the third aspect, since the first airbag expands and contracts in the vertical direction, the force required to move the seat up and down becomes efficient.

According to the chair of the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the first airbag is inflated and the seat is tilted forward, the waist support airbag is inflated simultaneously to hold the waist of the human body, and the waist is moved forward, backward, left and right. It can be prevented from shifting in the direction, and the seated person can be tilted forward in a stable state to reduce the degree of fatigue.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a state in which the chair of FIG. 1 is tilted forward;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a control circuit of the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a state transition table showing a state change due to input of switches S1 to S4 of the chair of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 chair 2 worker 11 first airbag 12 seat 13 seatback 14 seat body 16 second airbag 17 third airbag 18 controller

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A chair in which a seat back for supporting a back portion of a human body and a seat for supporting a buttocks and thighs of a human body can be integrally adjusted in tilt according to the tilt of the seat.
A chair provided with a tilt angle adjusting means for tilting the seat so that a rear portion thereof is located higher than a front portion, on a supporting means on a leg side supporting the seat. 2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the inclination angle adjusting means includes a first airbag provided on the support means, and a driving device for expanding or contracting the first airbag, and wherein the seat is provided. A chair provided with a second airbag provided on a back to support a back portion of a human body by expanding or contracting under the control of the driving device. 3. The chair according to claim 2, wherein the first airbag is formed in a bellows shape that can expand and contract in a vertical direction. 4. The chair according to claim 2, wherein the second airbag is disposed at least below the seatback, supports a waist of a human body, and inflates the first airbag. A chair comprising a waist support airbag which expands at the same time.