JP2007105292A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve both functionality for flexibly adjusting the sitting feeling of a chair and excellent outside appearance as furniture. <P>SOLUTION: The chair comprises a pump 9 for injecting air into an air bag disposed inside a backrest 2, an operation member 5 to be operated with fingers by a user, and a transmission mechanism 6 for driving the pump 9 by utilizing the operation of the operation member 5. The chair is structured to conceal the pump 9 and the transmission mechanism 6 while the operation member 5 is exposed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a chair capable of adjusting a sitting comfort by deforming a backrest surface or a seating surface.

  Various ideas have been made for the purpose of improving the sitting comfort of chairs. Examples thereof include a mechanism that pushes the lumbar support portion in the backrest forward and a mechanism that lifts the Pervik support portion in the seat. These are mounted on the chair because the lumbar support and perbic support are adjusted appropriately according to the user's physique, bone shape, and how to sit down, and the waist and pelvis are supported appropriately and comfortably. This is to obtain a stable sitting comfort.

As this type of adjustment mechanism, for example, as shown in the following patent document, an airbag is built in a required part of the backrest or seat, and the part is inflated and contracted by injecting air into the airbag. Things have already been invented.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-032866

  However, in a chair such as the above example, a pump that is operated to inject air into the airbag, a tube that communicates the pump and the airbag, etc. are exposed to the outside. There is a disagreement that could damage This is particularly a problem with high-end chairs used in boardrooms and parliaments.

  In view of the above problems, in the present invention, in a chair in which an airbag is installed in a backrest or a seat and the backrest surface or the seating surface can be deformed by injecting air into the airbag. A pump for injecting air, an operation member operated by a user who wants to deform the backrest or seat, and a transmission mechanism for driving the pump by using an operation applied to the operation member The pump and the transmission mechanism are concealed (especially built in a structural member of the chair such as an armrest, a seat, and a backrest) while exposing the operation member. If it is such, the functionality which can adjust a seating comfort flexibly, the beauty | look as a furniture, and a tone can be reconciled. In particular, if the transmission mechanism converts the operation applied to the operation member into an operation for driving the pump and transmits the operation member, the operation member can be made independent of the pump, and the arrangement position thereof can be operated. And can be decided relatively freely in consideration of appearance. That is, the degree of freedom in design design increases.

  Specifically, the airbag is installed in the backrest and the lumbar support portion is inflated and contracted.

  In addition, if the operation member is disposed near the waist of the user who is seated, the operation member exists near the lumbar support portion, and the seated user can intuitively determine the position of the operation member. Can be grasped and operated.

  In order to conceal the transmission mechanism and the like while exposing the operation member, the transmission mechanism is provided integrally with the operation member, engages with the pump and drives the drive member, and rotates the operation member and the drive member. It is preferable that a hinge that is movably supported is used as an element, and a rotation operation applied to the operation member is transmitted to the pump via the drive member.

  When an external force is applied, the volume contracts and discharges air, and when no external force is applied, the volume is restored by an elastic force, and the pump is provided adjacent to the drive member. Then, when the operation member is no longer operated, the pump expands and the operation member returns to the initial position by the restoring force. That is, it is not necessary to provide a separate spring or the like to determine the initial position of the operation member, which contributes to a reduction in the number of parts.

  If the rotation shaft of the hinge extends in the front-rear direction, the operation member is exposed to the outside, and the operation member is lifted upward, the drive member rotates inward to drive the pump. In order to conceal the drive member and the pump inward from the outer edge of the chair component, it is easy to reach and operate for the user It will be convenient.

  If the operating end of the release valve that is opened when the air stored in the airbag is released to the outside is exposed in the vicinity of the operating member, the user knows where the operating end of the release valve is. Cheap.

  If the operation member is disposed below the upper surface of the component member such as an armrest or a seat and on the outer peripheral portion of the component member, and is movably supported so as to approach and separate from the upper surface of the component member This can be easily operated while the user is seated.

  If the distance between the operation member and the upper surface of the component member is set to such a size that the operation member and the component member can be grasped with one hand, the base of the thumb or palm is applied to the upper surface of the component member. The other finger can be operated by being hung on the finger-hanging portion of the operation member. That is, the user can operate the operation member as if grasping (or grasping) the armrest or the seat, and can easily apply force.

  Preferably, the operation member is provided on the armrest, and the pump and the transmission mechanism are incorporated in the armrest. Thereby, the pump and the transmission mechanism can be concealed without difficulty while ensuring the operability of the operation member.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the beauty | aesthetics and tone as furniture can be kept high, implementing the functionality which can deform | transform a backrest surface and a seat surface and can adjust sitting comfort flexibly.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the chair of the present embodiment includes a seat 1, a backrest 2, left and right elbows 3, and legs 4 that support these.

  The chair of this embodiment has a mechanism for deforming the backrest surface. That is, the airbag 7 is housed in the lumbar support portion of the backrest 2, and the lumbar support portion can be expanded and contracted back and forth by injecting air into the airbag 7. In order to inject air into the airbag 7, a manual pump 9 is driven. As schematically shown in FIG. 2, the discharge port of the pump 9 and the airbag 7 are connected by a tube, and a release valve 8 is interposed in the tube. The release valve 8 not only functions as a check valve that prevents the air pumped from the pump 9 toward the airbag 7 from flowing backward, but also the air in the airbag 7 when the operation end 81 is operated. The exhaust port for discharging the gas to the outside is opened.

  When the pump 9 is driven to inject air into the airbag 7, the operation member 5 is operated repeatedly. The operation applied to the operation member 5 is converted into an operation for driving the pump 9 via the transmission mechanism 6 and transmitted. The pump 9 having received the operation force from the transmission mechanism 6 discharges air from the discharge port and injects it into the airbag 7. On the other hand, when the air injected into the airbag 7 is to be discharged, the operation end 81 of the release valve 8 is operated.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation member 5, the transmission mechanism 6, the pump 9 and the release valve 8 are arranged on the elbow 3. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the elbow 3 includes an armrest 31 on which the upper limb of the user can be placed, a support 32 that supports the rear end of the armrest 31 from below, and an armrest. The lower arm 33 that curves from the front end of 31 to the rear lower side and continues to the lower end of the support rod 32 forms an annular circle elbow with an integral side view. An inner cover 34 is attached to the inner side of the elbow 3, and an outer cover 35 is attached to the outer side thereof to constitute side walls that shield the inner and outer sides of the armrest 31.

  The operation member 5, the transmission mechanism 6, the pump 9, and the release valve 8 are disposed at a position close to the rear end of the armrest 31 and the waist (or lumbar support portion) of the seated user. The operation member 5 is a member that is operated by a user directly placing his / her fingers. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the transmission mechanism 6 is provided integrally with the operation member 5, engages with the pump 9 and drives the drive member 61, and rotates the operation member 5 and the drive member 61. The hinge 62 that can be supported is an element. In the illustrated example, the operating member 5 and the drive member 61 are assembled to the outside of the holder 63 that holds the pump 9 via a hinge 62, and the holder 63 is fixed to the frame of the armrest 31 or the outward surface of the inner cover 34. Yes. The operation member 5, the transmission mechanism 6, and the pump 9 are positioned below the upper surface of the armrest 31 (the transmission mechanism 6 and the pump 9 are located immediately below the upper surface of the armrest 31).

  The operation member 5 and the drive member 61 are both crossed and connected to each other on the base end side. The distal end side of the operation member 5 protrudes outside through an opening formed in the outer cover 35, while the pump 9, the holder 63, the drive member 61, etc. are present on the inner side of the outer cover 35. That is, the operation member 5 is exposed to the outer side of the armrest 31, and the transmission mechanism 6 and the pump 9 are built in the armrest 31 and concealed.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in a steady state that is not operated by the user, the distal end side of the operation member 5 extends obliquely downward and outward in front view, and the distal end side of the drive member 61 extends obliquely upward and outward. Yes. In this initial position, the separation distance between the distal end side of the operation member 5 and the upper surface of the armrest 31 is set to a size that allows both to be grasped with one hand. The user seated on the chair can perform an operation of pulling up the operation member 5 by grasping the armrest 31 or holding the armrest 31.

  The pump 9 held by the holder 63 is close to the inside of the drive member 61. The pump 9 has a balloon shape that contracts when an external force is applied, discharges air from the discharge port, and restores the volume by an elastic force when no external force is applied. The operation member 5 is a flat member, whereas the drive member 61 is a substantially U-shaped interior and is empty. The drive member 61 is adjacent to the spherical pump 9 and the drive member 61. This is because the spherical pump 9 can be compressed properly.

  The operation member 5 and the drive member 61 rotate around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. When the operation member 5 is pulled upward, as shown in FIG. 5, the drive member 61 rotates inward to press and compress the pump 9. When the operating force applied to the operating body is lost, the driving member 61 rotates outward in the process of restoring the pump 9 by elasticity, and the operating member 5 is lowered again to the initial position shown in FIG.

  Further, the release valve 8 is exposed through a through hole formed in the outer cover 35 at the operation end 81, and the other portion is located inside the outer cover 35 so as to be concealed. The operation end 81 of the release valve 8 is arranged in the vicinity of the operation member 5, in the illustrated example, immediately after the operation member 5. The release valve 8 in this embodiment is a so-called push release type, and the operation end 81 is a push button, and when the push button is pressed, the discharge port is opened. However, the release valve 8 may not be a push-release type. The tube connecting the pump 9 and the airbag 7 is routed around the elbow 3, the backrest 2 or the seat 1 so as not to be exposed.

  According to the present embodiment, the pump 9 for injecting air into the airbag 7 built in the lumbar support portion of the backrest 2, the operation member 5 that the user operates with fingers, and the operation member 5 are added. And a transmission mechanism 6 for driving the pump 9 by using an operation, and a chair that conceals the pump 9 and the transmission mechanism 6 while exposing the operation member 5 is configured. It is possible to achieve both beauty and style as furniture. In particular, since the transmission mechanism 6 converts the operation applied to the operation member 5 into an operation for driving the pump 9 and transmits the operation, the operation member 5 can be made independent of the pump 9. The arrangement position can be determined relatively freely in consideration of operability and appearance. That is, the degree of freedom in design design increases.

  In addition, since the operation member 5 is disposed near the waist of the user who is seated, the operation member 5 is present in the vicinity of the lumbar support portion. Can be intuitively grasped and operated.

  The transmission mechanism 6 is provided integrally with the operation member 5 and includes a drive member 61 that engages with and drives the pump 9 and a hinge 62 that rotatably supports the operation member 5 and the drive member 61. Since the vertical rotation applied to the operation member 5 is transmitted to the pump 9 via the drive member 61, it is suitable for concealing the transmission mechanism 6 and the like while exposing the operation member 5. .

  When an external force is applied, the pump 9 contracts and discharges air, and when no external force is applied, the volume is restored by an elastic force. The pump 9 is adjacent to the drive member 61. Therefore, when the operation member 5 is not operated, the pump 9 expands and the operation member 5 returns to the initial position by its restoring force. That is, it is not necessary to provide a separate spring or the like to determine the initial position of the operation member 5, which contributes to a reduction in the number of parts.

  The rotating shaft of the hinge 62 extends in the front-rear direction, the operating member 5 is exposed outward, and when the operating member 5 is pulled upward, the driving member 61 rotates inward to drive the pump 9. Therefore, the drive member 61 and the pump 9 are arranged on the inner side of the outer edge of the armrest 31, that is, not only the reachable and easy to operate for the user who is seated on the operation member 5. Easy to do and convenient to conceal them.

  Since the operation end 81 of the release valve 8 that is opened when the air stored in the airbag 7 is released to the outside is exposed in the vicinity of the operation member 5, the operation end 81 of the release valve 8 is provided to the user. It is easy to understand where it is.

  The operation member 5 is disposed below the upper surface of the armrest 31 and on the outer periphery of the armrest 31, and is movably supported so as to approach and separate from the upper surface of the armrest 31, so that the user is seated. This can be easily manipulated.

  Since the distance between the operation member 5 and the upper surface of the armrest 31 is set to such a size that the operation member 5 and the armrest 31 can be grasped with one hand, the thumb or the base of the palm is hung on the upper surface of the component member. However, other fingers can be hung on the finger rest portion of the operation member 5 and operated. That is, the user can operate the operation member 5 as if grasping (or grasping) the armrest 31 or the seat 1 and can easily apply force.

  Since the operation member 5 is provided on the armrest 31 and the pump 9 and the transmission mechanism 6 are built in the armrest 31, the operability of the operation member 5 can be ensured and the pump 9 and the transmission mechanism 6 can be concealed without difficulty. .

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described in detail above. As shown in FIG. 6, the airbag 7 can be installed in a seat 1, for example, a Pelvic support portion, so that the seat surface can be deformed.

  The operation member 5, the transmission mechanism 6, the pump 9, and the release valve 8 may be disposed on the outer periphery of the seat 1 as shown in FIG. In that case, the operating end 5 of the operating member 5 and the release valve 8 is exposed to the outside of the seat 1, and the transmission mechanism 6 and the pump 9 are arranged inward of the outer edge of the seat 1 so as to be concealed. . The operation member 5 is movably supported so as to approach and separate from the upper surface of the seat 1. Further, the distance between the operation member 5 and the upper surface of the seat 1 is set to a size that allows the operation member 5 and the seat 1 to be grasped with one hand. The operation member 5 can be rotated in the up-down direction or the left-right direction. It is preferable that the operation end 81 of the operation member 5 or the release valve 8 is disposed at a position close to the user's buttocks (or Pelvic support portion) on which the operation member 5 is seated. Other configurations can be the same as in the above embodiment.

  The pump is not limited to a balloon-like pump, and may be a bellows-like pump, a piston pump, or the like.

  The configuration of the transmission mechanism is not limited to that in the above embodiment. For example, it is conceivable to provide a portion that can be displaced (or deformed) in the width direction on the outer cover (side wall) of the armrest and to provide a pump immediately adjacent to the inside. At this time, the outside of the part of the outer cover where the protrusion and displacement is displaced serves as the operation member, and the inside adjacent to the pump serves as the transmission mechanism.

  Other specific configurations of the respective parts are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

The side view which shows the chair which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows typically the relationship between a pump, a release valve, and an airbag. The principal part perspective view which shows an operation member, a transmission mechanism, and a pump. The principal part front sectional view which shows an operation member, a transmission mechanism, and a pump. The principal part front sectional drawing. The side view which shows one of the modifications of this invention. The side view which shows one of the modifications of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Seat 2 ... Backrest 5 ... Operation member 6 ... Transmission mechanism 61 ... Drive member 62 ... Hinge 7 ... Air bag 8 ... Release valve 9 ... Pump

Claims (11)

A chair in which an airbag is installed in the backrest or seat, and the backrest surface or seating surface can be deformed by injecting air into the airbag,
A pump for injecting air into the airbag;
An operation member operated by a user's finger to deform the backrest or seat; and
A transmission mechanism that drives the pump using an operation applied to the operation member,
A chair characterized in that the pump and the transmission mechanism are concealed while exposing the operation member. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the airbag is for inflating and contracting a backrest lumbar support portion. The transmission mechanism is provided integrally with the operation member, and engages with the pump to drive the drive member;
A hinge that rotatably supports the operation member and the drive member is an element,
The chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rotation operation applied to the operation member is transmitted to the pump via the drive member. The pump shrinks the volume when external force is applied, discharges air, and restores the volume with elastic force when no external force is applied,
The chair according to claim 3, wherein the pump is provided adjacent to the driving member. The rotation axis of the hinge extends in the front-rear direction,
Expose the operation member outward,
The chair according to claim 3 or 4, wherein when the operating member is pulled upward, the driving member rotates inward to drive the pump. The chair according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein an operation end of a release valve that is opened when air stored in an airbag is released to the outside is exposed in the vicinity of the operation member. The operation member is disposed below an upper surface of a component member such as an armrest or a seat and on an outer peripheral portion of the component member, and is movably supported so as to approach and separate from the upper surface of the component member. A chair according to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. The chair according to claim 7, wherein a distance between the operation member and the upper surface of the component member is set to a size that allows the operation member and the component member to be grasped with one hand. The chair according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the chair is disposed at a position close to a waist of a user on which the operation member is seated. The chair according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, wherein the operation member is provided on the armrest. The chair according to claim 10, wherein the pump and the transmission mechanism are built in the armrest.

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