JP2003527911A - Equipment for adjusting chairs - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for adjusting a first component of a chair, in particular an office chair, with respect to a second component of the chair, the said device being provided with a latching unit by means of which one of the two components can be arranged in different positions with respect to the other component. The latching unit has a guide path which is arranged on the first component. A latching element is provided on the other component, it being possible for the latching element to be arranged in the guide path in latching positions which predetermine the positions of one component with respect to the other component. In order to obtain a functionally reliable latching procedure using a device of this type, it is proposed that the guide path (40) is of essentially groove-shaped design at least in the region of the latching positions, and the latching element (45) is guided in the groove-shaped guide path (40).

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a chair, and in particular to a device for adjusting one component of an office chair relative to the other component. The device comprises a latch unit that changes the latch position with respect to the other component so that one of the two components can be positioned in several positions. The latch unit has a guide path arranged in one of the two components and the other component is provided with a latching element. The latching element is located within the guide path in the latched position to position one component in position relative to the other component.

[0002]

[Prior art]

In such a chair, it is desirable to be able to place certain components, such as the backrest, at different positions. This allows the chair to be fitted to the user's body so as to create an ergonomically comfortable sitting position for the user.

In this connection, International Patent Publication WO-A98 / 09553 discloses a device for adjusting the height of the backrest, which has an adjustable height with respect to the seat plate and a fixed support element. It is placed on top. The support element is vertically movable and has a guide portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section, a grid rail arranged in the guide portion, and a slide rail that is guided and displaceable in the guide portion.
Further included is a spring element that engages the guide portion. The spring element has two contact arms, which can be brought into engagement with two teeth of a grid rail, the grid rail being arranged opposite the spring element, one side each being open. ing. When the backrest is lifted,
The contact arm can be latched in a desired position in the dentition as a result of the elastic return force of the spring.

With this device, the backrest can be adjusted from a specific position to an upper position. In particular, due to the relatively large length of the contact arm and the undefined movement selection, there is a risk that the contact springs for changing position may easily deform at either end or at either end.

However, both possibilities mean that the contact arm cannot be reliably guided in the arrangement of the dentition, and thus the backrest cannot be adjusted.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

The present invention therefore provides an apparatus of the type described above which leads to the effect that a functionally reliable latching action of the backrest relative to the two components of the chair, in particular to the seat body, is provided with a relatively simple structure. The purpose is to improve.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In the device according to the preamble of claim 1, the guide channel is essentially in the form of a groove, at least in the region of the latched position, and the latching element is guided in the groove-shaped guide channel. Since the latching element itself does not have to be actuated by force, it is guided by the shape of the guide path, in particular allowing functionally reliable guidance of the chair components.

Moreover, unlike International Patent Publication WO-A98 / 09553, only one latching element is required in the device according to the invention. By reducing the number of moveable components less, it has the advantage in the functional reliability of the device and enables a compact and simple device.

It has been found that the groove of the guide path is advantageous when it has a width with a slight play of the latching element, in the direction transverse to the course of the guide path. At least in the region of the latching section, this groove should be slightly larger than the width of the latching element. This means that the guidance between the latching elements in the guide path has one degree of freedom, ie, in the direction of the course of the guide path, as opposed to the instantaneous direction of relative movement between the latching elements in the guide path. Relative movement of the latching elements within is possible. The latching element can therefore be guided in an essentially conformal manner, so that a long-lasting reliable guide element can be achieved in a structurally particularly simple manner.

Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the latching element is configured as a pivotable lever, the latching pin being arranged in the guide path. This pivotal mounting is possible in a structurally particularly simple and functionally reliable manner for guiding the latching element into the guide path and for producing a relative movement between the latching element and the guide path element. be able to.

The device according to the invention is particularly preferred when used for adjusting the height of the back of an office chair. However, with this device according to the invention it is likewise possible to be able to adjust other components of the chair. For example, the armrest of the chair can be adjusted with respect to the seat surface. Other examples include adjusting the seat depth of the backrest relative to the seat surface, or adjusting the seat height of the seat surface relative to the chair base.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. The invention will be explained in more detail in connection with the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the schematic drawings.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a chair, in particular an office chair 10, whose height and tilt can be adjusted in a way not shown. This office chair 1
0 has a base frame 15, which comprises, for example, a plurality of support arms 11 and casters 12 attached to them, as well as a central vertical leg 1.
4 and a gas-filled compression spring 13 arranged therein.

A first support body 20 is attached to an upper end portion of the cylindrical vertical leg 14, and the support body 20 is connected to a gas-filled compression spring to operate, and is oriented in a direction toward the knee side of the chair. It is constructed in a cantilever format. Further, the second support body 19 is arranged on the first support body 20, as shown, on which the backrest unit is arranged, indicated generally by the reference numeral 75. The second support body 19 is attached to the first support body by a rotary / slide bearing 20 '.

The two bearing brackets 16 and 17 are arranged apart from each other in the transverse direction of the seat, and are fixed to the knee-side region of the first support body 20 and the backrest-side region of the second support body 19, respectively. Has been done. The bearing brackets 16, 17 are used to hold and secure the seat body 18 (schematically shown) by means of rotary bearings 16 ', 17' forming the respective pivots. The seat body 18, the first support body 20, the second support body 19, and the backrest unit 75 arranged on the second support body can be pivotally attached to each other, so that the seat body 18 and the backrest unit 75 are Different tilts can be achieved. A backrest unit 75, as schematically illustrated in FIG.
Includes a backrest support 30 arranged and fixed on the second support body 19 and a backrest 25 arranged on this backrest support.

The backrest 25 can be adjusted in height by means of a latching unit 35 designed to have an appropriate structure. For example, starting from the first basic position shown in FIG. 1, step by step in the direction latched with respect to the seat body 18 in the direction of arrow H, and according to the direction of arrow H ′, the total adjustment distance Can also be linearly returned to the basic position in one step. However, in another embodiment not shown, the backrest 25 can also be guided stepwise from the upper position in the direction of the seat body 18 in a latched step according to the direction of the arrow H ′. It is also possible to linearly return from the lower position to the upper position in the direction of arrow H.

FIG. 2 shows the backrest unit viewed according to the direction of the arrow X shown schematically in FIG. This figure shows a backrest support 30, which supports the second support body 19
And in a generally pocket-shaped recess 24 formed in the backrest 25 in the upper area.

In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the backrest 25 includes a latching unit 35.
, Which is located in the backrest support 30 and the backrest 25 and is shown schematically in FIGS. By raising the backrest 25, the latching unit can be adjusted stepwise with respect to the seat body 18 in the direction of the arrow H, and can also be returned from the upper end position to the lower position in the direction of the arrow H ′.

In FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment of the backrest unit 35 is shown in the line shown in FIG.
According to III-III, a cut-away plan view is shown. Bracket support 3
0, a part of the backrest 25, a plate-like support part 50 designed as a holding element and connected to the backrest 25, and a guide-path element 35 'arranged on the support part 50 and the forming part of the latching unit 35 are visible in this figure. To be The backrest unit 75 together with the individual elements 25, 30, 35 and 50 are described in detail below.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the backrest 25 includes a back wall 23 and an end wall 22 remote therefrom. The end wall 22 is divided into two subsections 22 ', 22 "so as to form a pocket-shaped recess 24. The subsections 22', 22" are integrated with them by the walls 21, 21 '. It is connected to the rear wall 23 in the region of the recess 24 formed in the. The recess 24 arranged on the end side surface 22 of the backrest 25 is open downward toward the seat surface 18 and supports the support portion 5
0 and used to hold the backrest support 30 partially disposed therein.

The backrest support 30 shown in FIG. 3 has a substantially U-shaped outer cross section,
It has an end wall 31 and rims 26, 26 'laterally arranged on it. Grooves 27, 27 'extending in a substantially straight line facing each other inside the two rims 26, 26'.
Is provided. Each groove has a first web 28, 28 arranged parallel to each other.
The boundary is defined by ', the second web 29, 29'.

The support portion 50, which is shown in FIG. 3 in external cross-section, is arranged in the recess 24 of the backrest 25. The backrest includes a plate 51 provided on one side with a plurality of ribs 52, the ribs being spaced apart from each other and connected to the backrest 25. There are respective webs 53, 53 'integrally formed on the two opposite ends of the plate 51, which webs have an L-shaped cross-section or an L-shaped rear side and have two grooves 27, 27 respectively. 'To engage. Back support 3
Groove 55 for the web 32 of the end wall 3 on the plate 51 of the support part 50.
It is provided between two webs 54, 54 'on the side facing inward. The webs 53, 53 ', 32 guide the backrest longitudinally in the grooves 27, 27', 55 in the direction of the backrest adjustment. With respect to the width of the support part 50, the guide path element 35 'is integrally formed approximately in the center of the support part, the sides of which are the backrest support 30.
Face to face.

Furthermore, the lever arm 45 has a spindle at one end and a latching pin 47 at the other end, like the latching element, on the backrest support 30 facing the guide path element 35 ′. It is located in. The lever arm 45 is attached to the backrest support 30 and is freely pivotable by the spindle body about an (imaginary axis) axis Y (see FIG. 4) of the spindle body 46. The lever arm is
Latching pins 46 that engage guide path elements 35 '(FIGS. 3, 4) connect and actuate the guide path elements.

In FIG. 4, the backrest unit 75 is shown in a sectional view along the line IV-IV shown in the region of the recess 24 in FIG. The swivel lever 45 can be seen in this view, and the spline body 46 is used to support the backrest support 30.
It is mounted on and engages the groove-shaped guide path 40 by means of a latching pin 47.

FIG. 5 shows the guide path element 35 ′ in more detail, showing a cross-section view according to the indicator line VV of FIG. 4. The guide path element of the embodiment illustrated here is arranged on the wall 51 of the support part 50. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a pivoting lever 50 mounted together on the spindle body by means of a latching pin 47, which is arranged on this pivoting lever and which has a latching stop 44. Positioned at 2. Furthermore, FIG. 5 is further diagrammatically shown by arrows 1, 2 and a dashed line without reference numerals. The procedure for moving the latching pin 47 occurs by adjusting the height of the backrest 25.

The guide path element 35 ′ is laterally delimited by the first webs 33, 33 ′ (FIG. 3) and is defined by the second webs 34, 34 ′ (FIG. 4) at the upper and lower ends. There is. Furthermore, the guide path element 35 'is provided with a self-restrained, groove-shaped guide path 40. This guide path 40 has a latching section 41 ′ and a return section 41 ″, which sections are raised by means similar to the groove-shaped deflection paths 42, 48 in order to form a self-regulating path. They are connected to each other at the end and the lower end, except for the return section 42, the width of the guide path 40 is slightly larger than the diameter of the latching pin, and, as can be seen in Figure 5, the pivoting of the latching element is possible. The lever arm 45 is substantially shorter than the longitudinal length of the return section (41 ″).

The latching section 41 ′ and the return section 41 ″ are spaced from each other and are functionally separated from each other by an intermediate member 36. The intermediate member 36 is of two sections 41 ′, 41 ″. Oriented parallel to the longitudinal extension.

The latching section 41 ′ of the groove-shaped guide path 40 is provided on the side facing the web 33 ′ and has a plurality of latching stops 44, 44.1-44.5.
The latching stops are spaced apart from each other and are connected to each other by a plurality of groove-shaped curved paths having a double curve. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the latching section 41 ′ consists of latching stops, which are arranged sequentially in the longitudinal course of the latching section, 44, 44.1, 44.2, 44.3. ,
The curved paths shown at 44.4 and 44.5 and connecting these latching stops to each other are shown at 43, 43.1, 43.2, 43.3 and 43.4.

Each curved path 43, 43.1-43.5 has a protrusion 39 formed on the web 33 ′.
, 39.1-39.4, and is tilted in the adjustment direction. Between the respective latching stop 44, 44.1-44.5 and the respective projection 39, 39.1-39.4, the latching pin is with respect to the guide path element 35 ′ which points in the clockwise direction of the guide path 40. Perform a curved relative movement. Each segment corresponding to one latching step of the latching section 41 is in each case divided between the projection and the next latching stop 44.1-44.5 by the deflection tips 38, 38.
1, 38.2, 38.3, and 38.4. The deflecting tip is an intermediate member 36.
Are formed integrally with each other. Deflection tip shapes 38, 38.1, 38.2, 38.3
, And 38.4 each cause a relative movement of the latching pin 47, which is curved counterclockwise with respect to the guide path element 35 ′. The end piece of each deflection tip is inclined in a ramp shape toward the adjustment direction H.

Therefore, the lever 45 pivots in two opposite directions during the latching step. Starting from the latching stop, while moving to the next latching stop,
The latching pin 47 is initially located on one side of the line 60, along which the pivot axis Y moves during the adjustment movement of the backrest 25. Latching section 41
Latching pin 4 by the projections 39, 39.1-39.4 which are the segments of
The turning movement of the turning device 7 around the turning axis Y turns the other side of the line 60. Due to the substantially S-shape of each segment, the latching pin pivots to the opposite side and the line 6
It comes to return to the original position side of 0. As soon as the latching pin hits the deflecting tips 38, 38.1-38.4 of the segments of the latching section 41 ', the deflecting tips that rise in an inclined state against the adjusting direction cause an adjustment movement of the backrest in the adjusting direction. To stop. Due to the slight movement of the backrest against the adjustment movement, the latching pin continues its pivoting movement to the next latching position 4
It can be displaced to 4.1-44.5.

This is indicated by the arrow 61 in FIG. 5 and correspondingly causes a relative movement of the latching pin from the particular deflection tip to the next latching stop. By this means, the backrest can also assume an intermediate position which is adjusted upwards by one latching step. In this position, the latching pin
Fixed to the latching stops 44, 44.1-44.5 in the undercut formed by the protrusions 39, 39.1-39.4, the backrest remains on the latching pin 47 by its own weight. FIG. 5 shows an example for a latching stop 44.2, intermediate between the backrest lower latching position (predetermined by latching stop 44) and the upper latching position (predetermined by latching stop 44.5). Determine the position.

Starting from the latching stop 44.5, the latching pin is routed via the deflection section 48, the return section 41 ″ and the deflection section 42 returning to the beginning of the latching section 41 ′, namely the latching stop 44 (arrow 2). During this movement, the backrest is displaced from its upper latching position to its lower latching position.

In another exemplary embodiment, not shown, it is possible to arrange the guide path on the backrest support and the lever on the backrest. The effect achieved by this is that the backrest can be displaced downwards in the latching step and it can also be returned from the lowermost position to the upper starting position in a single step.

The guide path elements 35 ′ described above in relation to the individual postures and their arrangement on the backrest or backrest support are not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described above. Further preferred embodiments and arrangements are possible without departing from the basic idea of the invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an office chair having a backrest support and a backrest unit formed from a height-adjustable backrest.

2 shows a backrest unit with a backrest support and a backrest according to the arrow direction X shown in FIG.

3 is a plan view of the backrest unit as seen from the cross section along the line III-III shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the backrest unit as seen from a section taken along line IV-IV in FIG. .

5 shows a cross-section according to line VV of FIG. 4, for example with a latching unit arranged on the backrest support and adapted to adjust the height of the backrest.

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Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for adjusting one component of a chair, in particular an office chair, with respect to the other component, wherein one of the two components is at a different position with respect to the other component. A self-contained guide path disposed on the one component, and a latching element disposed on the other component, the latching unit comprising: Has a latching pin (47) capable of disposing the position of the one component with respect to the other component in the guide path in advance, and the guide path (40) is at least In the area of the latching position, a groove-shaped structure is provided, and the latching pin of the latching element (45) is guided in the groove-shaped guide path (40), Quenching element, device, characterized in that the freely pivotable lever about the spindle body (46) (45). 2. The guide between the latching element (45) and the guide path (40) has only one degree of freedom, and the latching position of the latching element (45) is the latching section (41 ′) of the guide path (40). ), The latching element (45) has a latching section (41 ′).
Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is guided in conformity with the shape of (1). 3. The groove-shaped guide path (40) comprises a return section (41 ″) and a latching section (41 ′), the return section (41 ″) and the latching section (41 ′) being two deflections. Route (42
, 48), which are connected to each other so that the guide path is self-contained. 4. The latching segment (41 ′) has a plurality of latching positions, which are connected to each other by the same segment of the guide path (40). The apparatus according to any one of 3 above. 5. The guide path (40) is a guide path element (35 ') connected to one of the components.
5.) Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it is arranged on the upper part and said one component is linearly guided on the other component of the chair. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein the latching segment has a doubly curved shape. 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is provided for adjusting the height of one component with respect to the other component. 8. A latching element (45) is arranged on the support of the chair and a guide path (40).
Device according to claim 7, characterized in that it is arranged on a backrest movable relative to the support. 9. A plurality of deflection tips (38) spaced apart from one another by the intermediate member (36) oriented in the longitudinal direction of said two sections (41 ′, 41 ″). , 38.1-38.4) are integrally formed on the side surface of the intermediate member facing the latching section on the intermediate member (36). apparatus. 10. The deflecting tip (38, 38.1-38.4) is configured and adapted to allow a latching pin (47) to automatically engage a particular latching stop (44, 44.1-44.4) and an intermediate member (38).
36) Device according to claim 9, characterized in that it is integrally formed on. 11. A spindle body (46) of a freely pivotable lever (45) has a guide path (35 ').
Device according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that it is arranged on the opposite side of. 12. Device according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the swivelable lever (45) is shorter than the longitudinal length of the return section (41 ").