JP2016073692A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a chair which is improved by enhancing use value.SOLUTION: A chair comprises a backrest 3 and a back frame 4 behind it. The backrest is deformable by body pressure of a user, and an upper end part is attached to the back frame with a first support device 12. Both left and right end parts of a height portion at a contact part of the backrest with a lumbar part of the user or slightly higher are attached to the back frame with a second support device 13. The first support device is bent and deformed by the body pressure. The rigidity of the second support device is higher than that of the first support device. The lumbar part of the user is supported stably. The upper end part of the backrest is deformed following the body motion. The backrest comprises a frame body 9 constituting an outer periphery, and a body support part 10. The body support part is divided into a center area consisting of a group of laterally long center stays 41 and side areas consisting of groups of laterally long side stays 40. The center stays and the side stays are arranged alternately in a vertical direction. The stays adjacent in a horizontal direction are connected integrally through connection pieces in an inclined posture.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to a chair, and is particularly suitable for a chair used in an office.

  The first of the elements that the chair should hold is the comfort of the user. In particular, comfort is an important factor because chairs used in offices keep people sitting for a long time. There are several factors that impede comfort, but typically there are a feeling of pressure due to a hard part that hits the body and a tight feeling that makes it difficult to move the body. Therefore, measures are taken to reduce the feeling of pressure and tightness.

  The problem of pressure is dealt with by placing cushions on the seat and back, or by configuring the seat and back with a mesh. Adopting a deformable structure for the seat plate and the backrest plate is also effective for improving the softness.

  On the other hand, in order to prevent or reduce the feeling of cramping, it is only necessary to allow the body to move while sitting. Giving the chair a rocking function is an effective means for relieving the feeling of cramping. However, there is a limit to improving comfort with only a locking function. This is because a person takes various postures while seated, but a simple rocking function cannot follow changes in the posture of the person.

  For example, it is normal for a seated person to turn the body and turn sideways, but if the backrest has a rigid structure, the person's twisting the body will reduce the contact area with the backrest. The user receives a feeling of pressure and comfort is reduced.

  Therefore, ingenuity has been made to improve the followability of the backrest to the movement of the body. As an example, in References 1 to 4, the backrest is supported by a back frame at three locations, the left and right middle portions of the lower end of the left and right two portions of the upper end, as a structure that can deform the backrest by the body pressure of the seated person. It is described.

  If the backrest is freely deformed by the body pressure of the seated person, the stability of the body is impaired and the comfort is inferior. In other words, the backrest is required to have a function to firmly support the body. In particular, when a person sits on a chair and performs various desk work, if the body is bent forward, the internal body will be stressed and the burden on the body will increase, so even if the person is not locked, It can be said that it is highly necessary to support and keep the back straight.

  Looking at each known document from the viewpoint of such a stable support function of the body, the back of each known document is supported at three points of the left and right upper part of the upper end and the left and right middle part of the lower end part. It can be said that there is no deformation. However, since the lower part of the backrest is easily deformed, it cannot be said that the function of firmly supporting the body in the non-locking state and holding the back muscles extended is high. That is, each known document may not have a sufficient body support function in a non-locking state.

  Also, as a use mode of the chair, it is common to twist the body to the right or left or shift the shoulder to the left or right in a locked state, and in this case, the load concentrates on the left or right side of the upper part of the backrest, In each known document, the upper part of the backrest is difficult to be deformed, so it cannot be said that the followability to the body posture change is high, and there is room for improvement in comfort in this aspect as well.

  The back of the chair is often provided with a resin back plate. However, as a means to relieve pressure and improve cushioning and fit, the back plate is made to have a flexible structure. For example, the applicant of the present application disclosed in Document 5 that the body support portion is formed of a multi-stage strip group by providing left and right laterally elongated grooves in multiple stages on the back plate. In this document 5, each strip is provided with thin trimming grooves at the left and right ends in order to facilitate deformation.

  On the other hand, Document 6 discloses a back plate having a form similar to a honeycomb structure, and Document 7 has a net-like structure by regularly arranging cross-shaped holes and straight holes. A backrest is disclosed.

  In Reference 6 and Reference 7, the body support part of the backrest has a mesh structure, and the group of thin lines constituting the body support part is bent, so that the group of line lines stretches and deforms due to body pressure. Therefore, the entire body support portion can be deformed so as to be recessed rearward.

  Now, considering the support function of the body by the backrest, it is not necessary to have a high degree of flexibility, and the function of stably supporting the body is also important. For example, if the body tends to sway in the rocking state, comfort may be lost.

  In addition, when a seated person performs deskwork such as operating a personal computer in a non-locking state, it is preferable that the waist is firmly supported because it is held in an appropriate posture with the back straight, but the flexibility of the backrest is high. If too much, the body cannot be supported stably.

  Since Documents 6 and 7 are a kind of mesh structure and have a structure that is easily deformed as a whole, it can be said that there is room for improvement in terms of stable support of the body although the cushioning property is high. On the other hand, the band plate of Document 5 is excellent in supporting stability of the body because it does not stretch and deform excessively, but there is room for improvement in terms of flexibility because there is a limit to the elongation of each band plate. I can say.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2002-119366 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-129966 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-063831 U.S. Pat. No. 7,249,802 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-041615 Japanese Patent No. 4015673 U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,758

  The present invention has been made against the background of such a situation, and intends to provide a chair that is improved in use value and improved. In addition, the present application includes many improved configurations, and may be provided.

  The present invention has been made against the background of such a situation, and an object thereof is to provide an improved backrest.

  This application is composed of a group of inventions having a hierarchical and planar spread, and the typical examples are specified as the first to fifteenth inventions.

[First invention]
Of these, the first invention constitutes a superordinate concept, and includes, as a basic configuration, a seat, a backrest, and a rigid structure back frame arranged with a space behind the backrest. The backrest includes a first support device disposed at a height near the upper end of the backrest and a second support device disposed at a position lower than the first support and higher than the seat surface. It is attached to the back frame, and the first support device is attached to a portion of the backrest that is close to the left and right intermediate portion.

  In addition, the 1st support apparatus should just be attached to the upper end of the backrest, or its vicinity, and the backrest may protrude on the 1st support apparatus. That is, the mounting position of the first support device has a vertical width. The same applies to the second support device.

  In the present invention, the backrest is so-called three-point support of the left and right middle part of the upper end part and the two right and left parts below it. And, when the user is sitting without leaning on the backrest to perform desk work such as PC operation, the lumbar part etc. can be stably supported by the part supported by the left and right points of the backrest. it can. Therefore, the state where the back is stretched can be accurately maintained, and the user can take an appropriate working posture.

  On the other hand, since the first support device is close to the left and right middle portion of the backrest, the upper end portion (or upper portion) of the backrest protrudes to the left and right outer sides of the first support device and becomes a free end. That is, the left and right ends of the upper end (upper part) of the backrest are free ends that are not supported from the back. Therefore, by making the upper part of the backrest deformable with body pressure, it is possible to deform the backrest following the torsion of the body while leaning against the backrest, and in this state Can contribute to the improvement of comfort.

[Second invention]
The second invention is an example of the development of the first invention. In this invention, the first support device is deformed when the body pressure of the seated person is applied to the backrest, and the upper portion of the backrest is allowed to shift backward. On the other hand, the second support device has rigidity that does not essentially bend and deform even when the body pressure of the seated person is applied, or is elastically deformed by the body pressure of the seated person. The degree is an elastic strength lower than the elastic strength of the first support device.

  In the second aspect of the invention, since the first support device has a spring property, it is allowed that the upper part of the backrest moves so as to approach the back frame when a person is leaning on the backrest. That is, the reaction force of the first support device acts on the upper portion of the backrest from behind, and this reaction force provides comfort to the user as a cushioning action. In addition, since the torsional deformation of the backrest is allowed by the deformation of the first support device, the following deformability when the person twists the body to the right or left while leaning on the backrest is also improved.

  Moreover, since the second support device is hardly deformed by the body pressure of the seated person or is deformed, the degree of the second support device is smaller than that of the first support device. In addition, if the lower part of the backrest is excessively deformed in a leaning state such as a rocking state, the stability of the body may be impaired and the comfort may be impaired. However, in the second invention, the backrest may be in a leaning state. Since the body is stably supported in the lower part, it is possible to improve comfort by preventing the body from moving excessively.

[Third invention]
The third invention is a development example of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the first support device is vertically long in a side view, while the second support device is separated into two on the left and right. These left and right second support devices are inclined so that the distance between the left and right second support devices increases toward the front in plan view.

  In the present invention, the first support device and the second support device can adopt various modes. However, when the third invention is adopted, the portion extending between the back frame and the backrest of the first support device and the second support device is simple. Since a simple plate-like form is sufficient, there is an advantage that the structure can be simplified. In addition, since the first support device 12 is long in the vertical direction, it can be easily deformed so as to bend backward due to the body pressure of the seated person, so that the followability to the body change and the cushioning property can be improved.

[Fourth Invention]
The fourth invention is a development example of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the back frame has a pair of left and right vertically long members, and the left and right vertically long members become narrower as they go upward. The upper end is integrally connected via a connecting portion, the first supporting device is attached to the connecting portion of the back frame, and the second supporting device is attached to left and right vertically long members. Yes. The specific matter of the fourth invention can also be applied to the third invention.

  For example, the back frame can be composed of a single member located at the left and right middle part of the backrest, or can adopt an inverted U shape having left and right vertical parts. Adopting the inverted V-shaped form) has an advantage of ensuring high strength while being simple.

[Fifth Invention]
The fifth invention is a development example of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the backrest has a resin main member attached to the back frame, and the main member constitutes the outer periphery. A loop-shaped frame body and a body support portion located inside thereof, and the body support portion has a number of slits or holes and is easily deformed by the body pressure of the seated person. ing. The specific matters of the fifth invention can also be applied to the third invention or the fourth invention.

  Although the backrest can adopt various structures, in the fifth invention, since the main member is an integrally molded product, it is possible to save the manufacturing effort compared to the case where the frame body and the body support portion are configured as separate members. In addition, quality variations can be prevented.

  In the fifth invention, the body support portion is provided on the frame body at a constant level. However, as described above, the body support portion is made of a flexible material such as a mesh material, and the flexible material is used as the frame body. It is also possible to adopt a mounting configuration. In any case, it is preferable that the frame is deformed flexibly by the body pressure of the seated person.

[Sixth Invention]
In the fifth invention, the backrest can be constituted only by the main member, and the body pressure of the seated person can be directly received by the main member. However, in the sixth invention, which is a development example of the fifth invention, the front surface of the main member is provided. Is provided with a cushion, and at least the cushion is covered with a skin material. In the structure of this 5th invention, the softness to a body is securable with a cushion.

[Seventh Invention]
The seventh invention is also a development example of the fifth invention. In this invention, the lower end of the main member is located near the seating surface, and the lumbar support member that supports the waist of the seated person on the front or rear surface of the main member. Further, the main member is attached to the second support device at a position slightly above the lumbar support member. The specific matters of the seventh invention can also be applied to the first to fourth inventions and the sixth invention.

  When the lumbar support member is provided as in the seventh invention, it is possible to accurately support the seated person's waist, and thus the seated person can contribute to maintaining an appropriate posture. And since the 1st support apparatus is attached to the main member on the lumbar support member, it can prevent that the horizontal width of the main member becomes large too much. Moreover, since the attachment part of a 2nd support apparatus and the attachment part of a lumbar support member are near, the rigidity of the location of the attachment part of a lumbar support member among main members can also be raised, and a user's body stability is improved. You can contribute even more.

[Eighth Invention]
The eighth invention is a development example of the first invention or the second invention, and in this invention, the backrest tilts backward when the body pressure of the seated person is applied. Although the eighth invention is applied to a rocking chair, it is naturally applicable to the third to seventh inventions. In a rocking chair, it is widely performed to link the seat to the backrest. The present invention is naturally applicable to such a synchro-type chair.
Since the flexural deformation of the backrest appears remarkably in the rocking state, the present invention is particularly effective under the eighth invention.

[Ninth Invention]
Among these, the back of the ninth invention is composed of a plurality of areas where the body support portion to which the body pressure of the seated person is applied is divided into left and right with a certain interval, and each of the areas is a plurality of horizontally long Consists of book stays, stays in adjacent areas are shifted up and down, and adjacent stays in adjacent areas are connected by connecting pieces that are inclined in front view. The inclined postures of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are reversed.

  In the ninth aspect of the invention, since each stay has a horizontally long posture, basically, the body support portion is deformed so as to extend in the left-right direction, and thus the body support stability is excellent. That is, since the deformation of the body support part is directional, the body support part does not deform excessively following the movement of the body, and the body support stability is excellent.

  And since the connecting piece is inclined, the posture of the connecting piece is changed and the opening angle of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other in the vertical direction is reduced, so that the interval between the stays adjacent to the left and right is widened. The body support part is in the same state as extending and deforming substantially in the left-right direction. Thereby, high cushioning properties can be secured. In addition, each stay bends, twists and deforms, so it has excellent fit to the body.

[Tenth Invention]
In the backrest of the tenth aspect, the group of stays is vertically oriented. That is, according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the body support portion to which the body pressure of the seated person is applied is composed of a plurality of areas separated vertically by a certain distance, and each of the areas has a plurality of vertically long stays. The stays in the adjacent areas are shifted to the left and right, and the adjacent stays in the adjacent areas are connected by connecting pieces that are inclined in a front view. The inclined postures of adjacent connecting pieces are reversed.

  In the eleventh invention, the body support portion extends in the left-right direction and is easily deformed, but basically the same effect as in the ninth invention is exhibited.

[11th invention]
The eleventh invention is a preferred development of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the width of the connecting piece is smaller than the width of the stay in a front view. If comprised in this way, deformation | transformation of a connection piece can be facilitated and a cushion can be improved, increasing the support area of a body and improving support stability of a body.

[Twelfth Invention]
The twelfth invention is a specific example of the ninth invention, and in this invention, the bases of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other vertically or horizontally are close to each other, and therefore the connecting pieces adjacent vertically or horizontally are V-shaped. Forms.

  Although it is possible to separate the bases of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other vertically or horizontally, in this case, the number of connecting pieces may be reduced and the strength may be reduced. On the other hand, in the configuration of the fourth invention, since the connecting pieces are in a continuous state without interruption, the number of connecting pieces can be increased, and as a result, the strength of the body support portion can be ensured.

[13th invention]
The thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a preferred embodiment of the ninth aspect of the present invention. In this aspect of the invention, the center area has a center area located at the left and right center part, and left and right side areas arranged on both right and left sides. It is composed of a group of center stays, the side area is composed of side stays, and a group of connecting pieces connecting the group of center stays and the group of side stays forms a zigzag form.

  The number of areas in which the body support part is configured can be arbitrarily set, but if there are too many areas, the number of connecting pieces also increases, so there is a concern that if some measure is not taken, the flexibility will become too high . On the other hand, if it is composed of one center area and two side areas as in the thirteenth aspect of the invention, it is preferable because the body support stability and cushioning properties can be well matched.

[14th invention]
The fourteenth aspect of the present invention is a preferred embodiment of the ninth aspect of the present invention. In this aspect, the density of the stay is high at the lumbar support portion that supports the seated person's waist. In this invention, the seated person's waist is accurately supported, which is beneficial for improving the stability of the user's body. In the tenth invention as well, it is preferable to take means for increasing the rigidity of the lumbar support portion. In both the first invention and the second invention, as means for increasing the rigidity of the lumbar support portion, means different from the fourteenth invention such as increasing the plate thickness of the stay can be adopted.

[15th invention]
The fifteenth aspect of the present invention is a preferred embodiment of the ninth aspect of the present invention. In the present invention, each stay has a plate-like shape in which the front and rear thicknesses are smaller than the vertical width. Left and right longitudinal ribs are formed, and the ribs are also integrally connected to the connecting piece.

  According to the fifteenth aspect of the present invention, necessary bending strength can be ensured while making each stay as thin as possible. Therefore, it is suitable for saving material (resin). Further, since the rib and the connecting piece are connected, it is possible to prevent the end portion of the stay from being bent intensively and to realize smooth deformation. There is also an advantage of improving durability by preventing stress concentration. In addition, providing a rib on the rear surface of the stay can also be applied to the tenth invention.

  According to the present invention, comfort in a state of leaning on a chair is improved. Furthermore, the strength of the chair can be ensured, and the manufacturing labor can be saved, and variations in quality can be prevented.

1A and 1B are views showing the overall appearance of a chair according to an embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view seen from the rear. 2A and 2B are views showing the overall configuration of the chair, in which FIG. 2A is a partially separated perspective view, and FIG. 2B is a side view. 3A and 3B are separated views of the main part, in which FIG. 3A is a view showing a state in which the backrest is shifted in a normal posture, and FIG. 3B is a view in which the backrest is horizontally turned and separated. 4A and 4B are diagrams showing the relationship between the support device and the back frame, in which FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the first support device and the back frame separated, and FIG. 4B is a view of the first support device, the second support device, and the backrest. An exploded perspective view, (C) is an exploded perspective view of the second support device and the backrest. FIG. 5 is a separation view showing the relationship between the first support device and the backrest. FIG. 6 is a separation view showing the relationship between the second support device and the backrest. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a lumbar support member, (A) and (B) are separated perspective views, and (C) is a plan view of a backrest. FIG. 8 is a front view of the backrest. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the backrest as seen from the front. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the backrest as seen from behind. FIG. 11 is a separation diagram for explaining the function.

  Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is applied to a swivel chair often used in an office or the like. In addition, in order to specify a direction in the following embodiments and claims, the words “front and rear” and “left and right” are used, and these directions are based on a person who normally sits on a chair.

(1). Outline of Chair As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the chair includes a leg device 1, a seat 2, and a backrest 3 as main elements, and the backrest 3 is attached to a back frame 4 arranged behind the leg device 1. ing. The leg device 1 includes a leg support 5 in a vertical posture and a center tube 6 that supports the leg column 5, and five branch arms extend in the radial direction from the center tube 6. A caster is attached to the tip of each branch arm.

  The leg support 5 is composed of an extendable gas cylinder having an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. As shown in FIG. 2B, a base 7 is attached to the upper end of the leg support 5 and the back frame 4 is attached to the base 7. Are connected via a joint member 8 so as to be tiltable backward. The back frame 4 and the joint member 8 can be integrated. The inner cylinder and the outer cylinder constituting the leg column 5 are rotatable relative to each other. Therefore, the base 7 (and the seat 2 and the backrest 3) can be rotated horizontally.

  Although not shown, the base 7 incorporates a locking spring that elastically supports the rearward tilting of the back frame 4. The seat 2 is attached so that an intermediate member (not shown) provided on the base 7 can be moved backward while being tilted rearward around the front portion. The intermediate member and the joint member 8 are connected to each other so as to be capable of relative movement with a horizontally long shaft. For this reason, the seat 2 tilts backward while moving backward in conjunction with the backward tilt of the backrest 3.

  The backrest 3 has a main member manufactured by an injection molding method using a resin such as polypropylene as a material. When the backrest 3 has a cushion and a skin material, the backrest 3 and the main member must be distinguished. In this embodiment, the main member constitutes the entire backrest 3, and therefore the two are distinguished. The profit is thin. Therefore, in order to simplify the explanation, the wording of the backrest 3 is used without using the wording of the main member.

  The backrest 3 is composed of a frame body 9 that forms the outer periphery of the backrest 3 and a body support portion 10 that is positioned inside the frame body 9. As shown in FIG. 8, the frame 9 has a pair of side members 9 a that constitute both the left and right sides, a horizontally long upper member 9 b that constitutes the upper end portion, and a left and right horizontally elongated lower member 9 c that constitutes the lower end. It is formed in a close form.

  The lower end of the backrest 3 is located in the vicinity of the seat surface. A lumbar support member 11 that supports the waist of the seated person is disposed on the front surface of the backrest 3 at a height corresponding to the waist of the seated person. Since the height and preference of the seated person varies, the lumbar support member 11 can be adjusted in height.

  The backrest 3 of the present embodiment has a constricted shape so that the attachment portion of the lumbar support member 11 is the narrowest. However, it is not necessary to be limited to this, and as the form of the backrest 3, the lateral width is substantially constant, the inverted trapezoidal shape having a wide upper end and a narrow lower end, or an inverted base having a narrow upper end and a wide lower end Arbitrary forms, such as a shape, can be adopted.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the back frame 4 has left and right vertically long members 4a that are inclined so as to approach each other as the distance therebetween increases. The left and right vertically long members 4a are integrally connected at the upper ends via connecting portions 4b.

  Accordingly, the left and right vertical members 4a form an inverted V shape. The lower ends of the left and right vertically long members 4a are integrally connected via a lower stay portion 4c. Further, a forward-facing arm portion 4d is integrally provided at the lower ends of the left and right vertically long members 4a. The forward arm portion 4d and the lower stay portion 4c are connected to the joint member 8 shown in FIG. For example, as is apparent from FIG. 4B, the longitudinal member 4a of the back frame 4 is formed in an L-shaped cross section having a back plate and a side plate. For this reason, although it is lightweight, it has a structure resistant to the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and torsion.

  The back frame 4 of the present invention employs a resin molded product or an aluminum die-cast product, but can also be manufactured using a metal plate or metal pipe as a material. It is also possible to make a composite product of different materials. In addition, it is not necessarily an integral structure, and for example, the left and right vertically long members 4a may be separately manufactured and connected at the upper end, and may be configured by a plurality of parts. It is also possible to employ a shell structure product for the back frame 4.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the left and right intermediate portions of the upper member 9 b of the backrest 3 are attached to the connecting portion 4 b at the upper end of the back frame 4 via the first support device 12. The left and right side members 9 a are attached to the vertically long member 4 a of the back frame 4 via the second support device 13 at a portion above the attachment portion of the lumbar support member 11. This point will be described in detail below.

(2). Backrest Mounting Structure As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the first support device 12 has two spring portions 12a arranged in a V shape when viewed from the front. A left and right horizontally long upper mounting portion 12b is integrally connected to the upper end of the spring portion 12a. And the lower attachment part 12c which protruded back is integrally connected to the lower end of the right-and-left spring board part 12a. The first support device 12 is manufactured by injection molding using a resin such as polypropylene, and the spring plate portion 12a has a vertically long posture, but is wide in a front view and narrow in a side view. Forms. For this reason, it can be easily bent and deformed by the force from the front.

  The lower mounting portion 12c is formed in a horizontally long block shape (boss shape). In the connecting portion 4b of the back frame 4, a rear first concave portion 15 of a forward opening into which the lower mounting portion 12c is fitted is formed. The lower attachment portion 12c is fixed to the rear first recess 15 by a first bolt 16 inserted from below. As shown in FIG. 4A, a nut insertion hole 17 for setting a nut into which the first bolt 16 is screwed is opened backward in the mounting portion 12c of the first support device 12.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the upper member 9b of the backrest 3 has an inner / outer triple structure having an outer wall, an inner wall 18 and an intermediate wall 19 (drawing modification), and therefore, two long grooves opened rearward. 20 is formed. And the front side 1st recessed part 21 in which the upper attachment part 12b of the 1st support apparatus 12 fits is formed by notching the left-right intermediate part of the inner wall 19, for example. The upper mounting portion 12b of the first support device 12 is fixed to the upper member 9b by a second bolt 22 inserted from below (because the reference numeral is 16 in the drawing, it is corrected).

  The upper member 9b of the backrest 3 is formed with a nut holding portion 23 that opens rearward. On the other hand, on the upper mounting portion 12b of the first support device 12, a stopper piece 24 is provided so as to protrude upward from the nut holding portion 23 of the upper member 9b.

  The second support device 13 is manufactured using a resin having high rigidity, such as nylon resin. As shown in FIGS. 5B and 5C, the second support device 13 includes a belt-like arm portion 13a that is gently bent in a waveform in plan view. A rear boss portion 13b is integrally provided at the rear end of the arm portion 13a, and a front boss portion 13c is integrally provided at the front end of the arm portion 13a. The arm portion 13a has rigidity that is not easily deformed by the body pressure of the seated person (however, it may be slightly deformed).

  The rear boss portion 13 b is fitted into a rear second concave portion 25 provided on the vertically long member 4 a of the back frame 4. A third bolt 26 is inserted into the rear second concave portion 25 from below. A nut (not shown) into which the third bolt 26 is screwed is incorporated in the rear boss portion 13 b of the second support device 13. The rear boss portion 13b is provided with a flange 13d that overlaps the opening edge of the rear second concave portion 25.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the front side second recess 27 into which the front boss 13 c of the second support device 13 is fitted is formed in the side member 9 a of the backrest 3. The front second concave portion 27 has a substantially box-like appearance, and a bolt hole 28 through which a bolt (not shown) passes is formed in the inner wall 27a. On the other hand, a nut mounting groove 29 is provided in the front boss portion 13 c of the second support device 13, and a bolt is screwed into a nut disposed in the nut mounting groove 29.

  In this case, the inner plate 25a of the front second concave portion 27 is formed with a step portion 30 for increasing the strength by thickening the bolt hole 28 portion. On the other hand, a notch 31 is formed in the front boss 13c of the second support device 13 so as to overlap the step 30 of the front second recess 27. The front boss portion 13 c of the second support device 13 is provided with a flange 13 e that overlaps the opening edge of the front second concave portion 27.

(3) Lumber support member Next, the lumbar support member 11 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. The lumbar support member 11 is a molded product made of a resin, and is made of a material having a certain degree of elasticity, such as polypropylene. The lumbar support member 11 has a laterally long shape that crosses the backrest 3 and is gently curved in a concave shape in a plan view. Further, the lumbar support member 11 is slightly curved in a forward projecting shape when viewed in a longitudinal side view.

  The left and right ends of the lumbar support member 11 are integrally formed with a slide boss body 34 that protrudes rearward in a prismatic shape. The slide boss body 34 is slidably fitted to a vertically long guide frame portion 35 provided on the side member 9 a of the backrest 3. As shown in FIG. 6, the inner periphery of the guide frame portion 35 is configured by a plate portion, and the above-described front second concave portion 27 is integrally connected to the upper end of the guide frame portion 35.

  As shown in FIG. 7, a block-like forward projecting portion 36 a provided on the knob 36 is fitted to the rear end of the slide boss body 34. The forward projecting portion 36a of the knob 36 is fixed to the slide boss body 34 by a bolt (not shown). The slide boss body 34 is provided with a nut insertion groove 37. The lumbar support member 11 can hold the height stepwise, and as a height adjusting means, as shown in FIG. Provided.

  Now, providing a lumbar support member on the backrest is widely performed, but generally it is often arranged on the back side of the cushion or the back side of the mesh material. However, if a cushion or mesh material is interposed between the lumbar support member and the body, it may feel unsatisfactory for a person who seeks a strong “feel”. In some cases, such as when the backrest is not provided with a cushion or mesh, the lumbar support member must be disposed in front of the back plate.

  As an example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2008-237333 discloses that a backrest is composed of a frame portion and a back plate inside the frame, and a plurality of slits are provided in the back plate. It is disclosed to arrange in front. In this document, a clip-type handle that is fitted to the frame portion from the outside is integrally provided at both left and right end portions of the lumbar support member, and the frame portion is elastically held by the handle.

  However, in the configuration in which the handle is fitted from the outside as in this publication, since the handle protrudes to the left and right outside of the frame portion, a person's clothes are caught on the handle, or an object hits the handle and the handle is damaged. Is concerned. Further, since the handle only holds the height by friction, the lumbar support member may slide down or rise up due to the body pressure of the seated person.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the slide bosses 34 provided at the left and right ends of the lumbar support member 11 penetrate the guide frame portion 35 of the frame body 9, so that the knob 36 protrudes from the left and right outer sides of the frame body 9. Can be arranged so that there is no. Thereby, it can prevent or remarkably prevent that clothes are caught on the knob 36 or an object hits it. In addition, since it is easy to provide the guide frame portion 35 with a means for holding the height of the stopper hole 38 for adjusting the height, the lumbar support member 11 can be held at a desired height and cannot be moved.

  The height adjusting means can employ various configurations. When the stopper hole 38 is provided in the guide frame portion 35 as in the embodiment, an elastic member that fits and detaches from the guide frame portion 35 may be provided in the block-like forward projecting portion of the knob 36. Since the guide frame portion 35 has a certain width in the front-rear direction, there is no reduction in strength due to the penetration of the slide boss body 34. The knob 36 can be simply plate-shaped and screwed to the slide boss body 34.

(4). Structure of the backrest Next, the details of the structure of the body support portion 10 in the backrest 3 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 8, in the present embodiment, the body support unit 10 includes a group of horizontally long side stays 40 connected to the left and right side members 9 a and a group of horizontally long center stays 41 positioned between the group of side stays 40. The groups of both stays 40, 41 are arranged in a vertically displaced state. A center area is constituted by a group of center stays 41, and a side area is constituted by a group of side stays 40.

  The left and right ends of the center stay 41 adjacent to the left and right and the tip of the side stay 40 are integrally connected by a connecting piece (joint stay) 42. In this case, there is a little left-right distance between the tip of the side stay 40 and the end of the center stay 41, and thus the connecting piece (joint stay) 42 is in an inclined posture in front view. Further, since the center stay 41 and the side stay 40 are arranged so as to be shifted vertically, the posture of the connecting pieces (joint stays) 42 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction is reversed. And the base of the connection piece (joint stay) 42 adjacent to the upper and lower sides and the stays 40 and 41 are integrally connected. Accordingly, the group of connecting pieces (joint stays) 42 has a zigzag shape in front view.

  The backrest 3 is confined in a front view so that the lower portion is narrow, and for this reason, the backrest 3 is curved in a concave outward shape with the side member 9a of the backrest 3, but the connecting piece (joint stay) ) 42 is also curved outwardly in a concave shape so as to follow the shape of the side member 9a. Further, the side member 9a and the center stay 41 have substantially the same left and right lengths.

  The side stay 40 and the center stay 41 have a plate-like structure in which the front and rear surfaces are wide surfaces. As shown in FIG. 10, ribs 43 are integrally provided on the rear surfaces of the side stay 40 and the center stay 41. Yes. Accordingly, the cross-sectional shapes of the side stay 40 and the center stay 41 are laterally T-shaped. The rear surface of the rib 43 is flush with the rear surface of the connecting piece (joint stay) 42. The connecting piece (joint stay) 42 has the appearance of a thin strip, and therefore can be easily deformed so that the angle of the lateral direction V widens or narrows. That is, in the lumbar support member 111, the density of the stays 140 and 141 is high. For this reason, the lumbar support part has higher rigidity than other parts.

  Since the group of the side stays 40 and the center stays 41 are arranged in multiple stages, left and right horizontally long spaces 44 are vacant between the side stays 40 adjacent to each other vertically and between the center stays 41. . In the present embodiment, the vertical width dimension of the space 44 is about twice the vertical width of the stays 40 and 41 except for the lumbar support portion. In the lumbar support portion, the vertical width dimension of the space 44 is set to be the same as the vertical width of the stays 40 and 41. For this reason, the lumbar support portion has high rigidity.

  Of course, the vertical width and pitch (density) of the side stay 40 and the center stay 41 can be arbitrarily set. For example, the vertical width dimension of the stays 40 and 41 and the space 45 can be set to the same level over the entire vertical direction. The vertical width dimension of the stays 40 and 41 can be made smaller than the vertical width dimension of the space 45 throughout.

  In the present embodiment, the body support portion 10 is configured by the two rows of side stays 40 and the one row of center stays 41. However, the body support portion 10 is not limited to this, and the left and right sides are not provided without providing the center stays 41. The stay 40 and one connecting piece (joint stay) 42 that connects the stay 40 and the two rows of side stays 40 and the two rows of intermediate stays positioned therebetween may be used. When two rows of intermediate stays are provided, three connecting pieces (joint stays) 42 are required. Furthermore, the body support portion 10 can also be constituted by five rows of stay groups of two rows of side stays 40, one row of center stays 41, and two rows of intermediate stays. Furthermore, the backrest 3 can adopt other forms.

(5) Summary Next, the operation will be described with reference to FIG. 11 (this description assumes a state in which a person with a general weight / physique is using). First, the locking state will be described.

  For example, the body pressure of the seated person in the rocking state acts on the backrest 3 from the front as shown by the arrow F, and the load acting on the backrest 3 is supported by the first support device 12 and the second support device 13. The first support device 12 can be bent and deformed in a side view so that the upper end moves rearward with a load from the front as indicated by an arrow Y, while the second support device 13 has a distal end as indicated by an arrow X. Can be bent and deformed in plan view so as to move backward, but since the second support device 13 has high rigidity, the back frame 4 of the backrest 3 is firmly held by the second support device 13 and is seated. The lumbar region is held stably.

  On the other hand, the moment due to locking greatly affects the backrest 3 at the upper end, but the first support device 12 is less rigid than the second support device 13 and is easily deformed by body pressure. The backrest 3 can be deformed as its upper end approaches the upper end of the back frame 4. This bending deformation of the backrest 3 can improve the cushioning property at the time of locking.

  In addition, when a person twists the upper body to the right or left in the locked state or shifts the shoulder to the right or left, the left and right spring portions 12a constituting the first support device 12 bend and deform unevenly. Thus, the backrest 3 can be deformed so as to be twisted following the twisting or shifting of the body. Therefore, the backrest 3 can be made to follow changes in the posture of the body, and as a result, comfort can be improved.

  As is clear from FIG. 11, the backrest 3 is gently curved in a concave shape facing forward in plan view, the degree of curvature is greatest at the contact with the lumbar support member 11, and the upper end portion is almost flat. Yes. For this reason, it is easy to shift the shoulder (or a portion close to the shoulder) to the left and right while holding the waist portion so as not to be shifted to the left and right. From this point, high comfort can be obtained.

  As shown in FIG. 2B, in the neutral state where the seated person is not leaning on the backrest 3, the backrest 3 is slightly tilted backward, and the lumbar support member 11 is located at the foremost position. When the user performs desk work such as operating a personal computer, the user takes a posture in which his / her waist is placed on the lumbar support member 11 of the backrest 3, but the second support device 13 has a high rigidity so that the seated person is in a neutral state. The back 3 is not bent and deformed by the body pressure, and the human waist is stably supported by the back 3. For this reason, the upper body of the user is held in a preferable posture in which the back is not stretched and the back is stretched. Therefore, the posture maintaining function in the neutral state (non-locking state) is also excellent.

  The backrest 3 according to the present embodiment includes a body support portion that is supported by the body pressure of the seated person because the side stay 40 and the center stay 41 are displaced vertically and the connecting piece (joint stay) 42 has a zigzag shape. 10 can bend and deform so that it can expand back. For this reason, while being excellent in the fitting property to a user's body, it is excellent also in the followable | trackability to a body movement.

  In addition, when the connecting pieces (joint stays) 42 adjacent to each other in the vertical direction are deformed so as to reduce the mutual opening angle (angle V), the center stay 41 tends to shift backward. As a result, The body support part 10 is deformed so as to expand backward. For this reason, the fit to a cushion and a user's body can be improved.

  This application is based on a US provisional application (61 / 831,763) filed on June 6, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

  According to the present invention, a chair with improved comfort in a leaning state can be provided. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a chair that can ensure strength and save manufacturing effort and prevent variation in quality.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Leg apparatus 2 Seat 3 Back 4 Back frame 5 Leg support 6 Center cylinder 7 Base 8 Joint member 9 Frame member 9a Side member 9b Upper member 9c Lower member 10 Body support part 11 Lumber support member 12 First support apparatus 12a Spring part 12b Upper mounting portion 12c Lower mounting portion 13 Second support device 13a Arm portion 13b Rear boss portion 13c Front boss portion 13e Flange 15 Rear first recess 16 First bolt 18 Inner wall 19 Intermediate wall 22 Second bolt 23 Nut holding portion 24 Stopper piece 25 Back side second recess 25a Inner plate 26 Third bolt 27 Front side second recess 28 Bolt hole 29 Nut mounting groove 30 Step portion 31 Notch portion 34 Slide boss body 35 Guide frame portion 36 Knob 36a Forward projecting portion 37 Nut insertion groove 38 Stopper hole 40 Side stay 41 Center stay 42 connecting piece 43 rib 44 space 45 space 111 lumbar support member 140 stay 141 stay

Claims (17)

A seat and a backrest, and a back frame having a rigid structure arranged with a space behind the backrest,
The backrest includes the first support device disposed at a height position near the upper end of the backrest and the second support device disposed at a position lower than the first support body and higher than the seat surface. Attached to the frame,
The first support device is attached to a portion of the backrest that is close to the left and right intermediate portion of the upper end,
The second support device is attached to the left end and the right end of the backrest,
A chair characterized by that. While the first support device has elastic strength that allows the seat back to be deformed and the upper part of the backrest is displaced backward when the body pressure of the seated person is applied to the backrest,
The second support device has a rigidity that does not essentially bend and deform even when the body pressure of the seated person is applied, or is elastically deformed by the body pressure of the seated person, but the degree thereof is the first support device. The elastic strength is lower than the elastic strength of
The chair according to claim 1. The first support device is vertically long in a side view, while the second support device is separated into two on the left and right, and the left and right second support devices are the second on the left and right in a plan view. It is in an inclined posture where the interval of the support device spreads toward the front,
The chair according to claim 1. The back frame has a pair of left and right vertically elongated members, the left and right vertically elongated members are inclined so that the interval decreases as they go up, and the upper ends are connected together via a connecting portion,
The first support device is attached to a connecting portion of the back frame, and the second support device is attached to left and right longitudinal members.
The chair according to claim 1. The backrest has a resin main member attached to the back frame;
The main member has a loop-shaped frame body constituting the outer periphery and a body support portion located inside the loop-shaped frame body,
The body support part has a large number of slits or holes and is easily deformed by the body pressure of the seated person.
The chair according to claim 1. A cushion is disposed on the front surface of the main member, and at least the cushion is covered with a skin material.
The chair according to claim 5. The lower end of the main member is located near the seat surface,
A lumbar support member that supports the waist of the seated person is disposed on the front surface or the rear surface of the main member,
The main member is attached to the second support device at a position slightly above the lumbar support member,
The chair according to claim 5. The backrest tilts backward when the body pressure of the seated person is applied,
The chair according to claim 1. The body support part to which the body pressure of the seated person is applied is composed of a plurality of areas divided to the left and right with a certain interval, and each area is composed of a large number of horizontally long stays. The stays in the adjacent areas are shifted up and down, and the adjacent stays in the adjacent areas are connected by connecting pieces that are inclined in front view. Inclined posture is reversed,
The back of the chair. The body support portion to which the body pressure of the seated person is applied is composed of a plurality of areas separated vertically by a certain interval, and each area is composed of a plurality of vertically long stays. The stays in the combined area are shifted to the left and right, and the adjacent stays in the adjacent areas are connected by connecting pieces that are tilted in front view. The posture is reversed,
The back of the chair. The width of the connecting piece is smaller than the width of the stay in front view,
The backrest of the chair according to claim 9. The width of the connecting piece is smaller than the width of the stay in front view,
The chair back according to claim 10, wherein:   The backrest of the chair according to claim 11, wherein the bases of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other vertically or horizontally are close to each other, and therefore the connecting pieces adjacent to each other vertically or horizontally are formed in a V shape. The bases of the connecting pieces adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions are close to each other, and therefore, the connecting pieces adjacent to each other in the vertical and horizontal directions are formed in a V shape.
13. A chair back according to claim 12, characterized in that It has a center area located in the center of the left and right and left and right side areas arranged on the left and right sides, the center area is composed of a group of center stays, and the side area is composed of side stays,
A group of connecting pieces connecting the center stay group and the side stay group is formed in a zigzag form.
The backrest of the chair according to claim 9. The density of the stay is high at the lumbar support part that supports the seater's waist.
The backrest of the chair according to claim 9. Each of the stays has a plate-like form in which the front and rear thicknesses are smaller than the vertical width, and left and right longitudinal ribs are formed on the rear surface of each stay, and the ribs are also integrated with the connecting piece. It is connected,
The backrest of the chair according to claim 9.

Images