JP2017086375A - Body support medium of chair - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure bending of a back cushion material and provide durability of the back cushion material in a backrest in which the back cushion material is delimited into a plurality of areas and adjacent areas are relatively rotationally (bendably) connected.SOLUTION: A back cushion material 24 is delimited into a plurality of areas in both directions of the vertical and longitudinal directions by grooves 30 formed on a front face. The back cushion material 24 is fixed to a resin back inner frame 42 by insert molding. The back inner frame 42 includes hinge parts 46 formed at portions corresponding to the grooves 30 of the back cushion material 24. The shape of the back cushion material 24 is retained by the back inner frame 42. Accordingly, the back cushion material has high durability. Further, bending of the back cushion material 24 is guided by the hinges 46 of the back inner frame 42 so as to form sharp folds.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

  The present invention relates to a body support constituting a chair such as a backrest or a seat. The body support includes an optional headrest, elbow rest, shoulder rest, etc. in addition to the backrest and seat. The chair also includes a bench.

  For example, a swivel chair frequently used in offices has a seat and a backrest as essential elements. Both the seat and the back are required to be fit and cushioned against the user's body, and as a means to ensure cushioning, for example, a part that hits the body is made of a cushion material such as urethane. Yes.

  For example, the backrest is set to have a rounded front surface (body pressure support surface) to match the human body, but the backrest usually remains in a fixed shape, and the user's body The backrest shape remains almost constant even in the neutral state where the body is not hit or in the rocking state where the user's body pressure is greatly applied (the body pressure support element is the body pressure). Aside from bending and deforming.)

  However, in the state where the body is upright and the rocking state where the body is tilted backward, the way the body touches the backrest is different, and the role that the user requires for the backrest is also different, so depending on the posture of the user It is reasonable to change the shape of the backrest so that a suitable support mode is realized. Chairs developed from such a viewpoint are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 (both have the same contents).

  When Patent Documents 1 and 2 are described based on the illustrated embodiment (first embodiment), the backrest is divided into a center area and a left and right side area in the left-right direction, and the center area and the side area Are divided into three stages, an upper stage, a middle stage, and a lower stage. Therefore, the backrest is composed of nine areas (parts) as a whole, and the adjacent areas are hinged so that they can rotate relative to each other. Are connected through.

  On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses that a rear portion of a seat is bent downward by forming a hinge portion on the seat inner shell in a seat in which cushion materials are arranged in series on the upper surface of the seat inner shell. .

International Publication WO2013 / 164078 Special table 2015-519111 gazette Japanese Patent No. 5562001

  Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose that an area (side area) located in a side area rotates (bends) in conjunction with locking, and comfort of the area can be improved by movement of such an area. It can be said.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a current situation, and aims to improve the certainty of the movement of the area and the durability of the body support in a body support in which the area bends.

  The present invention has many configurations, and typical examples thereof are specified in the respective claims. Of these, the invention according to claim 1 is such that the surface side on which a human body hits is composed of a cushion material, and a shell body is disposed on the back side of the cushion material, and at least the cushion material can be bent relatively. A plurality of areas are continuously integrated, and the inner member in a frame shape is attached to the back surface of the cushion material so as not to spread over the entire back surface of the cushion material. The boundary part of the adjacent area among the said inner members is a hinge part, and the said inner member is attached to the said shell body.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the body support is a backrest, and the back cushion material constituting the backrest is divided into a plurality of areas in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The inner member includes a loop-shaped peripheral frame portion extending along the outer periphery of the back cushion material. As an example of development of claim 2, in claim 3, the peripheral frame portion is fixed to a plurality of areas so as to cross the inside of the peripheral frame portion, and joint portions are integrally connected.

  The invention of claim 4 is the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cushion material is partitioned into a plurality of areas by grooves opened on the surface side thereof, and on the surface of the cushion material, A skin material is stretched in a state of entering the groove, and the cushion material and the skin material are integrally bonded to the inner member by insert molding.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the hinge portion of the inner member is formed in a zigzag shape when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the surface of the inner member, and a cushion material. It bulges toward the surface side of.

  The invention of claim 6 is any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the shell body is divided into a plurality of areas corresponding to the area of the cushion material, and the shell body is also adjacent to the area. Is relatively bendable.

  In the present invention, since the inner member plays a role of reinforcing the cushion material, high durability can be ensured. Although it is troublesome to attach the cushion material directly to the shell body, in the present invention, since the cushion material is attached to the shell body via the inner member, it is easy to assemble a body support such as a backrest. Furthermore, since the bending fulcrum of the cushion material is defined by the hinge portion of the inner member, the movement of bending between areas is also accurate. Since the inner member has a hinge portion, the cushion material does not necessarily require a thinned hinge portion. Therefore, it is possible that the entire cushion material has the same thickness, and the boundary between adjacent areas is not clearly defined.

  Although various forms can be adopted for the inner member, if a form having a peripheral frame portion as in claim 2 is adopted, the outer shape of the cushioning material is defined by the peripheral frame portion. Further, the shape retention of the cushion material can be improved. In addition, since the bending of the cushion material is not impaired by the inner member, the bending deformation of the body support as a whole can be facilitated and ensured.

  When the body support body is large like a backrest, the strength may be lowered if the inner member is composed only of the peripheral frame portion. Since the frame portion is reinforced, it is possible to prevent a decrease in strength of the inner member. Moreover, since the area where the peripheral frame part is not fixed among cushioning materials can be fixed to a joint part, it can contribute further to the improvement of the support function of a cushioning material.

  In the configuration of claim 4, the cushion material is spread in a series as a whole, but is partitioned into a plurality of areas by grooves, so that it can be easily manufactured and the flexibility of the area can be improved. Moreover, since there is only one cushion material as a whole, the attachment work to the shell body is also easy.

  Further, the cushion material is usually covered with a skin material. However, in the structure of claim 4, the skin material is kept in a state where it is not loosely stretched over the entire surface of the cushion material while entering the inside of the groove. Has been. For this reason, it is excellent in aesthetics. In addition, since the attachment (attachment) of the skin material to the cushion material and the attachment of the cushion material to the inner member are performed simultaneously by insert molding, the body support can be manufactured easily and with high accuracy.

  The hinge part of the inner member can adopt various forms. However, when the structure of claim 5 is adopted, the distance between adjacent areas is widened or shortened during bending, or the case of a backrest is taken as an example when viewed from the front. It becomes easy to accompany movements such as relative changes in posture. That is, it is possible to easily realize that the adjacent areas bend while moving freely in three dimensions. Therefore, it is preferable to apply to the backrest disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

  Further, if the shell body is also constituted by a plurality of unit shells as in the sixth aspect, it is preferable when the backrest is entirely deformed as in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the chair which concerns on embodiment, (A) is the whole perspective view seen from the front, (B) is a top view, (C) is the perspective view seen from back. It is a figure which shows the external appearance of the chair which concerns on embodiment, (A) is a front view, (B) is a rear view, (C) is a side view, (D) is a front view of only a backrest. It is a figure showing the movement of the backrest, (A) is a side view showing the transition to the non-locking state, (B) is a side view showing the transition to the locking state, (C) is a plan view in which each state is written together, is there. It is the isolation | separation perspective view which mainly displayed the seat part and the base part. (A) is the isolation | separation perspective view of a lower stage center area and a rear seat outer shell, (B) is a perspective view of the state which connected the lower stage center area and the rear seat outer shell. It is a figure which shows a backrest, (A) is the perspective view which displayed the back outer shell, (B) is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted the back outer shell. (A) is the isolation | separation perspective view of a backrest, (B) is the perspective view which looked at the back cushion material from back. It is a separate perspective view of the component of a backrest. (A) is the perspective view which looked at the back inner frame from back, (B) is the partial perspective view which looked at the back inner frame from the lower part, (B) is the partial side view of a back inner frame. (A) is the perspective view which shows the relationship between a back support | pillar and a back outer shell, (B) is the partial perspective view which looked at the back outer shell from the downward direction. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a back support | pillar and a back outer shell, (A) is the whole isolation | separation perspective view, (B) is a perspective view which shows the relationship between a back support | pillar and a pressing member. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a back support | pillar and a back outer shell, (A) is a XIIA-XIIA partial sectional view of FIG. 2 (A), (B) is a vertical side view in the fastening part of a pressing member. (A) is an XIIIA-XIIIA cross-sectional view and cross-sectional view of FIG02 (A), (B) is an XIIIB-XIIIB cross-sectional view of FIG02 (A), and (C) and (D) are manufacturing apparatuses and methods for a back outer shell. It is principal part sectional drawing which shows an example. (A) is a partial perspective view of the backrest with the cushion omitted, and (B) is a partial perspective view of the outer shell. (A) is a partial perspective view of the backrest in a state where the cushion is omitted, and (B) is a partial perspective view of the back outer shell. (A) is a cross-sectional view of the backrest as seen from the XVIA-XVIA view point of FIG. 9, (B) (C) is a perspective view of the clip, (D) is a cross-sectional view showing the procedure for attaching the back inner frame to the back outer shell It is.

  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 for offices. In the following explanation, front / rear / left / right words are used to specify the direction, which is defined as a state viewed from a person who normally sits on a chair. The front view is a posture facing the seated person of the chair.

(1). Outline of Chair First, an outline of a chair will be described with reference to FIGS. The basic structure of the chair is the same as that of the prior art, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a leg device 1, a seat 2, and a backrest 3 are provided as main components. Moreover, the armrest device 4, the hanger 5, and the headrest 6 are provided as optional items. The armrest device 4 is a set of left and right pairs, but only one of them is shown in the figure.

  The leg device 1 has a leg column 7 made of a gas cylinder, and the leg column 7 is supported by a plurality of branch arms 8 extending radially. A caster is provided at the tip of each branch arm 8. As shown in FIG. 3, a fixed base 9 is attached to the upper end of the leg column 7, and the tilting base 10 is supported by a horizontally long support shaft 11 in a portion of the fixed base 9 on the front side of the leg column 5. It is connected. With the fixed base 9 and the tilting base 10 as main members, a base portion to which the seat 2 and the backrest 3 are attached is configured.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the seat receiving member 12 is supported by the fixed base 9 and the tilting base 10. A back support frame 13 to which the backrest 3 is attached is fixed to the tilting base 7. Accordingly, the backrest 3 locks together with the tilting base 10. Further, the seat receiving member 12 moves backward and backward in conjunction with the backward tilt of the tilt base 9. Accordingly, the seat 2 moves backward and backward (synchronizes) in conjunction with the backward tilting of the backrest 3. The armrest device 4 is fixed to the seat receiving member 12.

  Although not shown, a locking spring that provides resistance to locking is disposed inside the fixed base 9. The hardness of the locking spring can be adjusted, for example, by rotating the elasticity adjusting handle 14 shown in FIG. The elasticity adjustment handle 14 is arranged on the right side when viewed from the seated person, and is arranged simultaneously with the support shaft 11. On the side opposite to the elasticity adjustment handle 14, a height adjustment handle 15 that controls expansion and contraction of the leg support 5 is disposed. The height adjustment handle 15 is also arranged coaxially with the support shaft 8.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the seat 2 has a structure in which a seat cushion material 17 is stretched on a seat inner shell 16 made of synthetic resin. The seat 2 is attached to a seat outer shell 18 disposed below the seat 2. The seat outer shell 18 is disposed behind the seat main outer shell 19, the seat main outer shell 19 fixed to the seat receiving member 12, the seat front outer shell 20 that is slidably mounted on the seat main outer shell 19, and the seat main outer shell 19. The seat rear outer shell 21 is formed. Therefore, the seat 2 can also be considered as a structure in which the main part is formed by integrating the front part and the rear part. The seat rear outer shell 21 is connected to the seat main outer shell 19 by a horizontally long pin so as to be rotatable up and down.

  On the other hand, the seat inner shell 16 includes a seat main inner shell 16a fixed to the seat main outer shell 21, a seat front inner shell 16b integrally connected to the front end of the seat main inner shell 16a, and a seat main inner shell 16a. The seat rear inner shell 16c is integrally formed at the end. The seat front inner shell 16b has a horizontally long slit and can be wound downward and deformed. When the seat front outer shell 21 is retracted, the seat front inner shell 16b is wound downward. As a result, the longitudinal length (depth) of the seat 2 is increased. Get smaller.

  The seat rear inner shell 16c of the seat inner shell 16 is continuous with the seat main inner shell 16a so as to rotate up and down around its front end. The rear end of the seat rear inner shell 16c is connected to the lower end of the backrest 3 by left and right horizontally long pins. For this reason, when the backrest 3 is locked, the seat 2 is generally retracted and tilted backward, while the seat rear inner shell 16c is tilted relatively backward with respect to the seat main inner shell 16a.

(2). Outline of Appearance of Backrest The backrest 3 includes a back outer shell 23 and a back cushion material 24 arranged in front of it as main elements. The back outer shell 23 is an example of a body support. As clearly shown in FIG. 2D, the backrest 3 (or the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion material 24) is divided into three areas: a center area 25 and left and right side areas 26 in the left-right direction. In the vertical direction, the upper stage area 27, the middle stage area 28, and the lower stage area 29 are divided into three stages.

  Accordingly, the backrest 3 is divided into nine areas: an upper center area a, a middle center area b, a lower center area c, left and right upper side areas d, left and right middle side areas e, and left and right lower side areas f. . Areas a to f are common to the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion material 24. When the backrest 3 is displayed as an area as a whole, the symbols a to f are simply quoted. On the other hand, when it is necessary to individually display areas as elements of the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion member 24, reference numerals a to f are appended to 23 and 24, respectively.

  Therefore, the back outer shell 23 is divided into six unit shell bodies including an upper center shell 23a, a middle center shell 23b, a lower center shell 23c, an upper side shell 23d, a middle side shell 23e, and a lower side shell 23f.

  Similarly, the back cushion material 24 includes a back cushion material upper center area 24a, a back cushion material middle center area 24b, a back cushion material lower center area 24c, a back cushion material upper side area 24d, a back cushion material middle side area 24e, and a back cushion material. It is divided into cushion material side areas 24f.

  In the back cushion material 24, a groove 30 opened forward is formed at the boundary between adjacent areas 24a to 24f. The location of the groove 30 is a thin hinge. Therefore, the back cushion material 24 is manufactured as a single member, and the adjacent areas a to f are separated by the grooves 30. Each area 24a to 24f of the back cushion material 24 has a plateau shape due to the presence of the groove 30, but the surface that the body hits is substantially flat. The backrest 3 (the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion material 24) has a symmetrical shape.

  The groove 30 has a substantially V-shaped cross section with a round bottom, and the depth thereof is set to be approximately less than half the thickness of the back cushion material 24. However, the shape and depth of the groove 30 can be arbitrarily set. It is also possible to divide into a plurality of areas without providing grooves.

  The upper center area a and the lower center area c are slightly trapezoidal trapezoids, and the middle center area b is an inverted trapezoid having the same length and width. The upper side area d is generally an inverted trapezoid, the middle side area e is a trapezoid that is long in the vertical direction, and the lower side area f is an inverted triangle. Therefore, the backrest 3 has a form in which the backrest 3 is constricted by the upper stage area 27 and the middle stage area 28 and is swollen by the middle stage area 28 and the lower stage area 29 in a front view. The backrest 3 can be formed in a vertically long rectangular shape or an inverted trapezoidal shape as a whole when viewed from the front.

  Further, the side areas d to f are inclined so as to face toward the front with respect to the center areas a to c. That is, the side areas d to f are inclined so as to wrap the body of the seated person. Therefore, the backrest 3 has a forward concave shape in plan view. On the other hand, in the side view, the backrest 3 is formed with an upwardly convex mountain shape by the middle stage element area 28 and the lower stage area 29. Therefore, the front side of the backrest 3 (the center area 23 has a seater's The convex part L which the waist | hip | lumbar part hits is formed.To be exact, the convex part L is formed of the back cushion material 24 and the middle center areas 24b and 23b and the lower center areas 24c and 23c of the back outer shell 23. .

  On the other hand, the upper stage area 18 and the middle stage area 29 are bent slightly forward in a concave shape in a side view. The upper center area a and the middle center area b can be formed in a flat shape, or conversely, can be bent in a forward convex shape in a side view.

  In the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion member 24, the upper center areas 23a and 24a and the middle center areas 23b and 24b are integrated so as not to be relatively rotatable. Therefore, in the back cushion material 24, the groove 30 formed at the boundary between the upper center area 24a and the middle center area 24b has a design meaning and does not bend at this portion. In the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion member 24, other adjacent areas are connected to each other so as to be relatively rotatable.

  The back support frame 13 is a metal die-cast product or a resin molded product, and has a back column 13 a that extends upward behind the backrest 3. And the middle stage center area 31 of the back outer shell 23 is connected to the upper end of the back column 13a by a horizontally long pin (details will be described later). Therefore, the back column 13a rotates relative to the backrest 3 during locking.

  The hanger 5 and the headrest 6 are fixed to the upper center shell 24a. That is, the optional product support plate 31 shown in FIG. 7A is fixed to the front surface of the upper end portion of the upper center shell 24a with a screw. First, the hanger 5 is screwed together with the upper center shell 24a at its lower end portion. It is fastened to the optional product support plate 31.

  On the other hand, the headrest 6 has a structure in which a core plate 32 is wrapped with a back cushion material 33, a downward foot plate 34 is fixed to the core plate 32, and the foot plate 33 is fastened to the front surface of the optional product support plate 31 with screws. Has been. The shaft portion of the screw for fastening the foot plate 34 passes through the optional product support plate 31 and is screwed into the foot plate 34.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of the lower center shell 23 c is connected to the rear end portion of the seat rear outer shell 21 with a horizontally long pin 38. For this reason, on the lower end of the lower center shell 23 c and the rear end of the seat rear outer shell 21, connecting convex portions 39 and 40 are formed side by side.

(3). Deformation of the backrest In FIGS. 3 (A) to 3 (C), the reference state (neutral state) in the non-locking state and where the person does not put his back on the backrest 3 is indicated by the symbol N, and in the non-locking state The shape of the backrest 3 in the office posture in which the seated person has the upper body substantially upright is indicated by the symbol F. Since the lower center area c is connected to the seat rear outer shell 21, when the seated person sits only on the convex portion L of the backrest 3, the convex portion L retreats from the elastic body 41 and the middle center area b And the opening angle between the lower center area c increases. And it moves forward with the upper center area a.

  That is, the backrest 3 tilts forward with respect to the neutral state N in the office state F. 3A depicts a state in which the lower end of the backrest 3 is retracted backward, but in practice, the front and rear positions of the lower end of the backrest 3 are constant. As shown in FIG. 2C, an elastic body 41 is disposed between the upper end portion of the back column 13a and the middle center shell 23b, and the middle center shell 23b crushed and deforms the elastic body 41 in front. Rotate to the side. Therefore, the backrest 3 is maintained in the neutral state N by the elastic body 41.

  On the other hand, since the upper and lower three-stage side areas d to f are connected vertically, when the opening angle between the middle center area b and the lower center area d increases, the depression angle with respect to the center areas a to c decreases due to the urging action. It turns to the near side so that it may become. Therefore, the side areas a to c rotate in a direction to wrap the seated person's body, and the holding action on the seated person's body is enhanced. As a result, the seated person can work for a long time without getting tired.

  In FIG. 3B, the posture of the backrest 3 in a rocking state where the seated person leans against the middle center area b and the upper center area a is indicated by a symbol R. However, in FIG. 3 (B), the state in which the lower end of the backrest 3 is advanced with respect to the neutral state N is displayed, but this shows a tendency of movement. Tilt backwards.

  Therefore, the rocking state R shown in FIG. 3 (B) shows the relationship with the neutral state N. Then, when the backrest 3 shifts to the locking state R, the backrest 3 attempts to shift to a movement in which the back column 13a is tilted backward with the upper end portion as the center, but the lower end of the backrest 3 is connected to the seat rear outer shell 22. Therefore, the amount of backward tilt relative to the neutral posture N is small.

  The backrest 3 tilts relatively backward with respect to the neutral state N due to the rearward tilt angle of the back support frame 13 being larger than the rearward tilt angle of the seat outer shell 18. And the depression angle formed by the lower center area c becomes smaller. In other words, since the seated person stretches out when rocking, the human body pressure is applied to the middle center area b and the upper center area a, so that the depression angle formed by the middle center area b and the lower center area c becomes small. . Then, since the side areas d to f are connected to each other, the side areas d to f are pushed by the center areas a to c, and as a result, the side areas d to f widen the depression angle with respect to the center areas a to c. Rotate (bend). Therefore, the backrest 3 spreads and deforms in a direction toward a flat state in plan view.

  When the seat occupant shifts from the office posture to the rocking posture, the side areas df expand away from the seat occupant from the narrowed state so as to wrap the seat occupant. Accordingly, in the locked state, the human releasability is enhanced.

  In FIG. 3C, the left and right upper side areas d display only the work status F. In the lower side area f, on the right side, the three states of the neutral state N, the working state F, and the locking state R are displayed in an overlapping manner, and on the left side, the two states of the neutral state N and the locking state R are displayed. Are displayed in layers.

  3C shows a state in which the upper areas a and d are retracted with respect to the neutral posture N in the rocking state R, but actually, the backrest 3 is inclined backward as a whole. Therefore, at the time of locking, the upper areas a and d are shifted backward (downward in the drawing) from the position indicated by (C).

(4). Back inner frame As described above, the backrest 3 includes the back outer shell 23 and the back cushion member 24 as main elements. In this embodiment, each of the back inner shell 23 and FIG. As shown in the figure, a back inner frame 42 is provided as a main element. The back inner frame 42 is an example of an inner member, and is a molded product made of a resin such as polypropylene. The back inner frame 42 is an example of a shape retaining member that retains the shape of the back cushion material 24 and reinforces it.

  The back inner frame 42 has a frame structure opened in the front-rear direction, and the back cushion member 24 is fixed (adhered) to the back inner frame 42 by insert molding. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 16, a skin material 24 'is stretched on the surface of the cushion material 24. The skin material 24' is also attached to the cushion material 24 by insert molding.

  As can be understood from FIG. 7, the back inner frame 42 is not fixed to the middle center area 24 b of the back cushion material 24. As can be easily understood from this, the back inner frame 42 does not have to be fixed to all areas of the back cushion material 24. And since the back inner frame 42 has the surrounding frame part 43, there is no problem about the shape-retaining function of the back cushion material 24. Further, since the middle center area 24b of the back cushion material 24 is in a free state that is not restrained by the back inner frame 42, the deformation of the back cushion material 24 as a whole is easy.

  That is, the inner frame 42 is set in one mold of the pair of molds that can be adhered and separated, and the skin material 24 'is set in the other mold, and in this state, the cushion is placed in the cavity between the two molds. By injecting and solidifying the molten material of the material 24 ′, the cushion material 24 is bonded to the back inner frame 42, and at the same time, the skin material 24 ′ is bonded to the surface of the cushion material 24. Is done. The inner member and the skin material 24 'can be held on the mold so as not to fall off by, for example, vacuum suction.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the back inner frame 42 includes a loop-shaped peripheral frame portion 43 that overlaps the back surface of the outer peripheral portion of the back cushion material 24, and a left-right longitudinal direction that overlaps the upper end portions of the middle stage areas 31 and 34. Of the horizontal joint portion 44, and a frame portion 45 connected to the upper end portion of the peripheral frame portion 43 and the horizontal joint portion 44.

  Moreover, in order to allow the adjacent areas 24a to 24d of the back cushion material 24 to rotate relative to each other in the groove 30 (thin hinge portion) of the back cushion material 24 in the back inner frame 42, the hinge portion 46 is formed. The horizontally long joint portion 44 is connected to the peripheral frame portion 45 via a hinge portion 46. As shown in enlarged views in FIGS. 14 and 15, the hinge portion 46 is formed in a zigzag shape in a front view. For this reason, the deformation of the hinge portion 46 is further facilitated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9C, the hinge portion 46 is convex toward the front side (the back cushion material 24 side) when viewed from the outer peripheral direction such as a side view, a plan view, and a bottom view. Is bulging (curved). Due to the synergistic action of the zigzag shape and the bulging shape of the forward convex, the hinge portion 46 is easily deformed in three dimensions, such as expansion and contraction, bending in the front-rear direction, and twisting. As a result, the adjacent areas 24a to 24b of the back cushion material 24 can be bent relatively easily while freely changing the posture.

  Therefore, when viewed from the back cushion member 24 as a whole, it can be smoothly deformed so as to follow the body of the seated person. This is a great advantage of this embodiment.

  The back inner frame 42 basically has a band plate structure. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 (B), the lower inner portion 42a overlaps the lower portion 43a of the back cushion material lower center area 24f. An L-shaped laterally long reinforcing portion 47 is provided. As shown in FIG. 13, the reinforcing portion 47 covers a forward rib 48 formed on the lower center shell 23 c. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a large number of through holes 49 into which the back cushion material 24 enters are formed in the peripheral frame portion 45. Resin constituting the back cushion material 24 enters the through hole 49 and plays a role like a rivet, thereby preventing separation (peeling) from the back cushion material 24.

  The frame portion 45 of the back inner frame 42 is provided mainly for assisting attachment to the back outer shell 23. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the left and right intermediate portions are formed in an X shape for weight reduction. In addition, a vertically long plate-like portion 50 is provided on both the left and right sides thereof. A connection hole 51 for connection to the back outer shell 23 is formed in the vertically long plate-like portion 50, the peripheral frame portion 45, and the horizontally long joint portion 44.

  One connecting hole 51 is formed in the vertically long plate-like portion 50, and one connecting hole 51 is formed in the horizontally long joint portion 44 at a position below the vertically long plate-like portion 50. On the other hand, a large number of connecting holes 51 are formed in the peripheral frame portion 45 in a jumping manner. In addition, the connecting hole 51 has a horizontally long shape at the portion of the vertically long plate-like portion 50, but the longitudinal direction of the peripheral frame portion 45 and the horizontally long joint portion 44 at the portion of the peripheral frame portion 45 and the horizontally long joint portion 44. It has a long slot. The connection between the back inner frame 42 and the back outer shell 23 is performed using a clip attached to the connection hole 51, which will be described later.

  In the frame-like portion 45, a portion between the left and right vertically long plate-like portions 50 is a groove-like portion 52 that is recessed toward the front. Although this groove-shaped part 52 has the auxiliary function of attachment of the headrest 6, details are abbreviate | omitted.

  Further, since the frame portion 45 overlaps the back cushion material upper center area 24a and the horizontal joint portion 44 overlaps the back cushion material middle center area 24b, the frame portion 45 and the horizontal joint portion 44 do not bend. It has become. In other words, the upper center area 24a and the middle area 24b of the back cushion member 24 are relatively rotated even if the groove 30 is present by adopting a structure in which the frame portion 45 and the horizontally long joint portion 44 are not bent. It is in a state where it does not (bend).

(5) Back outer shell For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the back outer shell 23 has a separate structure except that the upper center area 23a and the middle center area 23b are integrated. For example, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 13A, adjacent areas 23a to 23f are integrally connected by a band hinge 55 made of an elastomer. The band hinge 55 is a band-shaped soft resin material.

  As shown in FIG. 8, reinforcing ribs 56 are formed on the front surfaces of the upper center area 23a and the middle center area 23b so as to be continuous therewith. Each of the areas 23a to 23f is formed in a shell shape (tray shape) having forward ribs (walls) around it. Therefore, each area of the back outer shell 23 can also be called a shell.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 13A, the band hinge 55 overlaps with the front surfaces of the areas 23a to 23f, and the band hinge 55 is slightly exposed on the back side. For this reason, the portion of the band hinge 55 appears in a grooved state on the back surface of the back outer shell 23 (see also FIG. 6A). For example, as shown in FIG. 6A, a laterally long groove 57 is formed at the boundary between the upper center shell 23a and the middle center shell 23b. The horizontally long groove 57 is provided for the purpose of design, and is not bent at this point.

  As can be understood from comparison between FIGS. 15A and 15B, the hinge portion 48 of the back inner frame 42 is disposed so as to overlap the band hinge 55 of the back outer shell 23 from the front.

  The band hinge 55 is formed by a two-color molding method or insert molding. In FIGS. 13B and 13C, the two-color molding method is displayed. In this two-color molding method, a mold apparatus having a fixed mold (cavity) 59 and a movable mold (core) 58 is used, and arranged on a mating surface of both molds 58 and 59 at a predetermined position and posture. Unit spaces 60 corresponding to the areas 23a to 23f are formed. In each unit space 60, a gate (not shown) is opened. The gate is generally provided in the fixed mold 58.

  For example, a portion of the movable mold 59 that straddles the adjacent unit spaces 60 is constituted by a slide mold 61 that slides in the same direction as the movement direction of the movable mold 58. A gate 62 is provided. Since the slide mold 61 has a shape corresponding to the band hinge 55 and is connected in series, the gate 62 may be one (preferably a plurality of locations).

  In the mold apparatus, each area 23a to 23f is formed by injecting molten resin into each unit space 60 in a state where the slide mold 61 is advanced and then solidifying, and then the slide mold 61 is retracted. Thus, a space corresponding to the band hinge 55 is formed, and a molten elastomer is injected into this space and hardened. After the elastomer is hardened and the band hinge 55 is formed, the mold is opened and the product is taken out.

  As described above, when the two-color molding method is employed, each of the areas a to f can be accurately positioned, so that the back outer shell 23 can be manufactured with high accuracy. Further, since the band hinge 55 is accurately formed, the connection strength between the elements is excellent. As a means for forming the band hinge 55, an insert molding method can also be employed. This is because a mold apparatus that does not include the slide mold 61 is used and the areas 23a to 23f are set at predetermined positions of the mold apparatus, and then an elastomer is injected into the space corresponding to the band hinge 55 to be solidified. It will be.

  The gate 62 can also be provided in the fixed mold 59 (this method is practical). In this case, the gate 62 is located between the adjacent unit shells of the back outer shell 23. In other words, the band hinge 55 can be formed by providing the gate 62 on the fixed mold 59 by providing a certain distance between adjacent elements of the back outer shell 23.

  Further, forward-facing wall-like ribs are formed on the outer circumferences of the shells 23a to 23f constituting the back outer shell 23, and the band hinge 55 overlaps the end surface of the rib. For this reason, the band hinge 55 can be shape | molded, improving the rigidity of each element 23a-23f.

  As shown in FIGS. 14, 15, and 8, a protrusion 55 a is provided at the upper end of the band hinge 55 and the tip of the portion that connects the upper side area 23 d and the middle side area 23 e. The protrusion 55 a covers a protrusion (not shown) formed in the shell of the back outer shell 23. For this reason, it is prevented more reliably that the band hinge 55 peels from each shell 23a-23f.

  As a means for preventing peeling of the band hinge 55, the band hinge 55 is formed in a state where the band hinge 55 is fitted into a boss projecting from the back outer shell 23, the head portion is formed by crushing the tip of the boss, and the band hinge 55 is formed by the head. It is possible to hold it down. Alternatively, the pressing plate may be overlapped with the band hinge 55 from the front, and the pressing plate may be fixed to the back outer shell 23.

  For example, as can be understood from FIGS. 8 and 14 to 16, in each area 23 a to 23 f constituting the back outer shell 23, a forward rib 63 is formed in a portion constituting the outer periphery of the backrest 3. The back inner frame 42 is disposed in a recess surrounded by the rib 63. For this reason, the back inner frame 42 is held so as not to be displaced. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, each of the back outer shells 23 a to 23 f is provided with a connecting rib 64 projecting forward so as to overlap the connecting hole 51 of the back inner frame 42 in a front view (the connecting structure will be described later). To do.)

(6). Connection structure between the back outer shell and the back column As described above, the upper end portion of the back column 13 is connected to the middle center area 23b of the back outer shell 23 so as to be relatively rotatable. This point will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 11, the left and right laterally long boss portions 66 are integrally formed at the upper end of the back column 13 in a forward tilt posture in a side view, and left and right laterally long connecting pins 67 are inserted into the boss portions 66. Has been. The connecting pin 67 protrudes from the left and right sides of the boss portion 66.

  On the other hand, a holding portion 68 that covers the boss portion 66 of the back column 13 protrudes rearward from the middle center shell 23b. As clearly shown in FIG. The insertion hole 70 into which the part 66 and the connecting pin 67 are fitted from below is vacant.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 11A, the holding portion 68 of the back outer shell 23 is a space of a forward opening surrounded by the reinforcing rib 71, and the connection pin 67 is placed inside this space. A pair of left and right bearing portions 72 with the left and right exposed portions overlapping from the front are projected forward, and the left and right exposed portions of the connecting pin 67 are pressed by the pressing member 73 to hold the connecting pin 67 so as not to be detached. Yes. The pressing member 73 is fixed to the holding portion 68 with four screws 74. Further, as clearly shown in FIG. 10, the pressing member 73 is formed with a pressing portion 73 a that presses both ends of the connecting pin 67 from the front side. A boss portion 66 is located between the left and right pressing portions 73a.

  Thus, by using the pressing member 73, the connecting pin 67 can be held in a state where it cannot be seen at all from behind. Further, since the movement of the connecting pin 67 in the left-right direction is blocked by the holding portion 68, a retaining means such as a snap ring is unnecessary. Of course, the connecting means between the back column 13 and the back outer shell 23 is arbitrary, and it is also possible to connect to the boss portion 63 with a connecting pin inserted through the holding portion 68.

  The back outer shell 23 is connected to the back column 13a at a slightly upper portion of the middle center area 23b. Therefore, when the seated person leans against the backrest 3, the backrest 3 tends to tilt backward about the connecting pin 64.

(9). Backrest Tilt Control Structure As shown in FIGS. 10A and 12, the elastic body 41 described above is disposed immediately below the boss portion 63 of the back column 13. The elastic body 41 is made of, for example, rubber (Cherast), but a spring body such as a coil spring can also be used. The elastic body 41 basically has a rod shape that is long in the front-rear direction, but the outer periphery is recessed so that the front-rear intermediate part has the smallest diameter. For this reason, it has a shape similar to an hourglass.

  A metal ring 41 a is fixed to the front surface and the rear surface of the elastic body 41 by bonding or the like, and the ring 41 a is fastened to the middle stage center shell 23 b and the back column 13 with bolts 77. Therefore, the ring 41a also functions as a nut. The middle stage center shell 23b and the back column 13 are formed with seats 76a and 76b with which the ring 41a is in close contact. A counterbore hole 77 for storing the bolt 76 is formed on the rear surface of the back column 13. It is also possible to project a screw shaft at both ends of the elastic body 41 and fix the screw shaft to the middle center shell 23b and the back column 13 with a nut.

  In FIG. 12B, for convenience, the neutral state N, the working state F, and the locking state R are displayed as three lines. In the neutral state N in which no body pressure is applied to the backrest 3, the elastic body 41 is in a free state in which neither compression nor extension is performed. In other words, since the restoring force does not act on the elastic body 41, the backrest 3 is held in the neutral state N.

  When only the convex portion L of the backrest 3 is pushed by the seated person's waist and the backrest 3 shifts to the working state F, the middle center area 23b is connected so that the upper end moves forward and the lower end moves backward. It rotates around the pin 67. Accordingly, the distance between the middle center area 23b and the back column 13a is narrowed. Therefore, the elastic body 41 undergoes compressive deformation and bending deformation. In other words, by elastically deforming the elastic body 41, the middle center area 23b rotates so that the upper end moves forward.

  It should be noted that the elastic body 41 is deformed so as to warp upward in a side view when transitioning from the neutral state N to the work state F. Since the elastic body 41 is shaped like an hourglass, the elastic body 41 can be easily bent and deformed. Therefore, the transition from the neutral state N to the work state F is performed smoothly. When the seated person moves the upper body from the office state F to the near side, the backrest 3 returns to the neutral state N by the restoring force of the elastic body 41.

  In the locking state R, the center of the body pressure of the seated person is above the center of rotation of the backrest 3 (the connecting pin 67). Therefore, when shifting from the neutral state N to the locking state R, the middle center area 23b With respect to the neutral state N, the upper end moves backward and the lower end moves backward so that the lower end moves forward. Accordingly, the distance between the back column 13a and the middle center shell 23b is wider than in the neutral state N. Accordingly, the elastic body 41 extends and deforms with respect to the neutral state N and bends and deforms so as to warp downward.

  When shifting from the working state F to the locking state R, the elastic body 41 once returns to the free state and then stretches and deforms. When the body is lifted from the locking state R, the backrest 3 returns to the neutral state N by the restoring force of the elastic body 41. In addition, it is performed by the rocking spring that the backrest 3 moves to the front generally. The elastic body 41 is for controlling a change in posture with respect to the neutral state N or a change in relative posture between the back column 13 a and the backrest 3.

  Also in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the backrest rotates relative to the back column. And the spring area 26 is provided as a return means for returning a backrest to the original position where the body pressure of a seated person is not applied. However, in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in the backrest 3, the side area is only narrowed and deformed from the original posture, and therefore the spring area is only compressed in the locked state.

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the backrest 3 changes its posture relative to the working state F and the locking state R with the neutral state N as a boundary, and accordingly, the elastic body 41 is compressed. The deformation mode differs between deformation and elongation deformation. The elastic body 41 is bent in the working state F and the locking state R in a bending direction that is bent downward and in a bending direction that is upward.

  Looking at this in reverse, by reversing the deformation mode of the elastic body 41, the backrest 3 can change its posture in the opposite direction from the neutral state N to the working state F and the locking state R. It can be said that Therefore, changing the posture of the backrest 3 between the work state F and the rocking state R is realized easily and reliably using one type of elastic body 41. This is one of the great advantages of this embodiment.

(9). Connection structure of back inner frame and back outer shell, etc. Next, the connection means between the back inner frame 42 and the back outer shell 23 will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the clip 79 shown in FIG. 16 is used for the connection between the back inner frame 42 and the back outer shell 23. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a group of plate-like ribs 80 corresponding to the connection holes 51 of the back inner frame 42 are provided on the back outer shell 23 so as to protrude forward. By fitting the clip 79 to the plate-like rib 80, the back inner frame 42 is connected to the back outer shell 23, and as a result, the back cushion material 24 is connected to the back outer shell 23.

  The clip 79 is made of a metal plate such as a stainless plate or spring steel, and has a pair of side plates 81 connected in a mountain shape. 16 (A) and 16 (D), the clip 79 is inserted into the connecting hole 51 of the back inner frame 42 from the back in a posture with a mountain first. The connecting hole 51 of the back inner frame 42 is formed in a forward-facing rib 80 that is slightly spaced from the back outer shell 23, and the connecting hole 51 is formed at the tip (free end) of the side plates 81. A holding portion 82 that holds the longitudinal opening edge portion 51a from the front and rear is bent.

  Accordingly, the clip 79 is held by the back inner frame 42 so as not to be separated from the front and rear. A step portion 83 facing the back cushion material 24 is formed at the longitudinal opening edge of the connecting hole 51, and therefore the longitudinal opening edge portion 51a is stepped down. Therefore, the holding portion 82 is disposed in a state shifted rearward from the front surface of the forward rib 80.

  The forward-facing rib 80 provided on the back outer shell 23 has a tapered shape that decreases in thickness toward the tip (front end), and is inserted between the two side plates 81 of the clip 79. Further, the side plate 81 of the clip 79 is formed by cutting and raising a holding piece 84 that sandwiches the forward rib 80 inward, and the nail 85 that bites into the forward rib 80 is cut and raised one by one on the holding piece 84. Yes.

  More precisely, first, the front end portions of the both sandwiching pieces 84 are formed in the guide portions 84a whose distances are widened toward the back outer shell 23, whereby the forward ribs 80 of the both sandwiching pieces 84 are formed. Invited smoothly. Further, the claw 85 extends from the guide portion 84 a toward the connecting portion of the both side plates 81, and the distance between the tips of the opposed claws 85 is set to be smaller than the thickness of the forward rib 80. Yes.

  For this reason, when the forward rib 80 is pushed in toward the inside of the clip 79, the claw 85 bites into the forward rib 80. Thereby, the back inner frame 42 is held so as not to be detached from the back outer shell 23. Two claws 85 are formed on one sandwiching piece 84, but can be formed one by one or three or more.

  In the present embodiment, the back cushion material 24 is bonded to the back inner frame 42 by insert molding. Since the back cushion material 24 is soft, the clip 79 can be inserted into the connection hole 51 while the back cushion material 24 is filled in the connection hole 51 and the clip 79 is pushed away. Alternatively, it is also possible to form a space in which the clip 79 fits in the back cushion material 24 by forming a protrusion similar to the outer shape of the back cushion material 24 in the insert molding die.

  Further, in the above description, the connection between the back inner frame 42 and the back outer shell 23 has been described as a method of inserting the forward rib 80 into the clip 79. However, in practice, the clip 79 is generally pushed into the forward rib 80. It can be said that. In this case, the clip 79 is pressed against the forward rib 80 via the back cushion material 24.

  The edge of the skin material 24a covering the back cushion material 24 is wound around the back side of the back inner frame 42. A hole for fitting the clip 79 is formed in the edge of the skin material 24a, and the edge of the skin material 24a is cleaned. It is also possible to perform the attachment of the clip 79 together. As a matter of course, the edge of the skin material 24a may be fixed to the back inner frame 42 with a tucker, or may be bonded with an adhesive.

  In the present embodiment, the skin material 24 a is integrated with the back cushion material 24 at the same time as the insert molding to the back inner frame 42. That is, by forming the back cushion material 24 in a state where the skin material 24a is set in the mold, it is possible to easily realize that the skin material 24a is held in the groove 44 as clearly shown in FIG. Of course, it is also possible to form the back cushion material 24 in advance and then adhere the skin material 24a to the back cushion material 24 with an adhesive or the like. Alternatively, the skin material 24a may be overlaid on the back cushion material 24, and the edge of the skin material 24a may be fixed to the back inner frame 42 with a tucker or the like.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 16A (see also FIG. 14 and FIG. 15), the back inner frame 42 is surrounded by a rib 63 on the outer periphery of the back outer shell 23. Therefore, even if the back inner frame 42 is provided, the problem of aesthetics does not occur. Further, as described above, since the back inner frame 42 is accurately positioned with respect to the back outer shell 23, the positional relationship between the clip 79 and the forward rib 80 can be accurately matched. For this reason, even if the clip 79 and the forward rib 80 are not visible, each clip 79 can be accurately attached to the forward rib 80 by simply pressing the portion of the back cushion member 24 where the clip 79 is located.

  For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A, the backrest 3 of the present embodiment also includes a lumbar support device 88 for adjusting the support height of the waist of the seated person. The lumbar support device 88 includes a lumbar support body 89 that hits the back cushion material 24 from behind, an operation lever 90 for moving the lumbar support body 89 up and down, and a support bracket 91 that holds the lever 90 so that its height can be adjusted. It has. As indicated by reference numeral 92 in FIG. 8, a recess 94 surrounded by a rib 93 is formed on the front surface of the lower end portion of the middle center shell area 23b, and the support bracket 91 is fixed to the recess 94 so as not to be displaced. ing.

  The upper end portion of the operation lever 90 is fixed to the back surface of the upper end portion of the lumbar support body 89 with screws. And the operation lever 90 is exposed below from the insertion hole 95 (refer FIG. 10) provided in the lower end part of the middle stage center shell 23b. Therefore, the seated person can turn the operation lever 90 up and down by turning his / her hand behind the backrest 3. The support bracket 91 is provided with a tongue piece protruding upward in front of the operation lever 90, and a forward engagement protrusion is provided at the upper end of the tongue piece, while an engagement protrusion is provided on the front surface of the operation lever 90. A large number of engaging grooves for fitting and disengaging are formed in multiple upper and lower stages. Due to the elastic deformation of the tongue piece, the engagement protrusion and the engagement groove are engaged and disengaged.

  As described above, the back inner frame 42 is not fixed to the back cushion center element 24b. As can be understood from FIG. 7A, the center middle stage element 24b and the center lower stage element 24b of the back cushion body 24 can be freely deformed. For this reason, the raising / lowering motion of the lumbar support body 89 is not inhibited, and the change of the height position which supports a seated person from back can be ensured.

  Although the above embodiment is applied to the back outer shell, the inner member can also be applied to other body supports such as a seat. Each component can be developed in various ways. For example, when it sees about an inner member, the form comprised only by the surrounding frame part can be employ | adopted, or the form which connected the vertical and horizontal joint to the surrounding frame part can be employ | adopted. The hinge part can adopt various modes, for example, formed in a waveform. In the body support such as the backrest and the seat, the pattern pattern of the area partitioned by the groove or the like can be variously embodied as necessary.

  The present invention can be embodied in a chair. Therefore, it can be used industrially.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Back as an example of a body support body 23 Back outer shell 23a-23f Unit shell which comprises back outer shell 24 Back cushion material 24a-24f Area which comprises back cushion material 30 Groove which divides the area of back cushion material 42 Inner Back inner frame as an example of member 43 Peripheral frame portion 44 Horizontal joint portion 45 Frame portion 46 Hinge portion

Claims (6)

The surface side where the human body hits is composed of a cushioning material, and the shell body is arranged on the back side of the cushioning material, and at least the cushioning material has a structure in which a plurality of areas that can be bent relatively continuously. Because
An inner member in the form of a frame is attached to the back surface of the cushion material so as not to spread over the entire back surface of the cushion material, and is adjacent to the adjacent area of the inner member. The boundary portion is a hinge portion, and the inner member is attached to the shell body,
Chair body support. The body support is a backrest, and the back cushion material constituting the backrest is divided into a plurality of areas in both the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, while the inner member is an outer periphery of the back cushion material. A loop-shaped peripheral frame portion extending along the
The body support of the chair according to claim 1. The joint portion is integrally connected to the peripheral frame portion, being fixed to a plurality of areas in a state of crossing the inside of the peripheral frame portion,
The body support of the chair according to claim 2. The cushion material is partitioned into a plurality of areas by a groove opened on the surface side, and a skin material is stretched on the surface of the cushion material in a state of entering the groove, and the cushion The material and the skin material are integrally bonded to the inner member by insert molding,
The body support body of the chair as described in any one of Claims 1-3. The hinge portion of the inner member is formed in a zigzag shape when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the surface of the inner member, and bulges toward the surface side of the cushion material.
The body support body in any one of Claims 1-4. The shell body is partitioned into a plurality of unit shell bodies corresponding to the area of the cushion material, and adjacent areas of the shell body are relatively bendable.
The body support body of the chair as described in any one of Claims 1-5.

Images