JP2021037065A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a structure which does not cause false operation even when touched unintentionally and is excellent in durability and smooth movement in an operation member to unlock a gas cylinder for a seat.SOLUTION: A knob 12 is a rotary type, and in its boss part 49, a ball holding groove 59 and a wire holding groove 61 are formed. When the knob 12 is rotated, a ball 43 moved upwards and the wire 42 is drawn (wound up), and the gas cylinder is unlocked. Since the knob 12 is the rotary type, false operation does not happen even when the fingertips of a person strongly touch it. An inner peripheral surface 61a of a wire holding groove 61 is formed into a non-circular shape near a shaft center O3 of the knob 12. When the knob 12 rotates, the wire 42 is deformed and presents a tendency to wind the inner peripheral surface 61a of the wire holding groove 61, but bending of the wire 61 is suppressed, so that durability can be improved and the movement can be smoothed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

The present invention relates to a chair provided with a movable member such as a gas cylinder.

In chairs, the type in which the pedestal is composed of a gas cylinder and the height of the seat can be adjusted is widely used. The gas cylinder can be switched between a stretchable free state and a non-stretchable locked state by operating a push valve. Therefore, in this type of chair, an operating member for unlocking the gas cylinder is provided somewhere in the chair.

The operating member is often arranged on the side of the seat, but Patent Document 1 discloses that a button-shaped operating member that pushes up is provided on the lower surface of the elbow pad. In Patent Document 1, the operating member is provided at the front end of the rotary lever, and when the operating member is pushed upward, the lever rotates, and the movement of the lever is pushed by the push valve via the wire inserted into the tube. It is transmitted to the member.

As described above, the operating member for unlocking the gas cylinder is often arranged on the side of the seat, but when the operating member is provided on the elbow pad as in Patent Document 1, the movement of lowering the hand to the side of the seat. Is not required, so it is understood that the operability is good.

In addition, when adjusting the height of the seat, the user needs to operate the operating member with one hand while maintaining the height of the seat in the mid-waisted state, but the operating member is located on the side of the seat. If there is, it may be difficult to firmly grasp the seat, but if the elbow rest is provided with an operating member, the operating member can be operated while firmly grasping the elbow rest, so that the height adjustment of the seat is stable. There is also an advantage that can be done with.

JP-A-2007-105293

As described above, since the positions of the operating members for unlocking the gas cylinder are different, it may be necessary to find out where the operating members are. If it is provided on the lower surface of the elbow pad as in Patent Document 1, visibility is poor, and it can be said that the user is often confused.

Looking at the relationship between the chair and the user, there are cases where one person continues to use one chair and cases where it is used by an unspecified person, but when it is used by an unspecified person, it is specified. Since this type of chair is often used for the first time, it can be said that the user is often confused without knowing where the operating member is (for example, the operating member that controls the locking of the backrest). The same can be said.)

Regarding this point, for example, it is conceivable to provide the elbow pad so that the operating member can be visually recognized, but in the conventional rotary lever or push button method, the fingertips swing and a certain amount of force is applied. Then, the lock of the gas cylinder will be released, and there is a concern that erroneous operation is likely to occur.

The present invention has been made to improve such a situation.

The present invention includes various configurations, and a typical example thereof is specified in each claim. Of these, the invention of claim 1 forms a superordinate concept.
"A seat, an operation member for operating (controlling) the movable member of the chair, and an operation cable for transmitting the movement of the operation member to the movable member are provided.
The operating cable comprises a wire inserted into the tube and a locking body fixed to the end of the wire. "
In the basic configuration
"The operating member is a knob that rotates around the axis, and a wire that communicates with the locking body holding groove in which the locking body is arranged and the locking body holding groove and opens in the outer peripheral direction. A holding groove is formed,
When the knob rotates, the wire is deformed so as to wind around the inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove, and the locking body moves, so that the wire is pulled and the movable member is operated. ing"
The configuration is added.

The invention of claim 2 is a suitable development of claim 1.
"The inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove is formed in a non-round shape close to the axis of the knob."
It is configured as.

The invention of claim 3 is claimed in claim 1 or 2.
"A side support higher than the seat is arranged on the side of the seat.
At the upper end of the side support, a cavity is formed in which the boss portion forming the wire holding groove and the locking body holding groove of the knob is fitted, and the front end surface of the side support is formed. , A long groove with a forward opening through which the wire can be inserted from the front is formed so as to communicate with the cavity.
Further, in the hollow portion of the side support, a ring-shaped bearing bush (also referred to as a bearing sleeve) that fits in a portion of the boss portion of the knob in front of the wire holding groove partially fills the long groove. It is configured so that it is placed in a closed state.

The invention of claim 4 is the invention of any one of claims 1 to 3.
"On the side of the seat, a side support having a front-rear longitudinal upper horizontal portion is arranged at the upper end of the support column, while the side support is arranged.
The knob has an operation portion exposed in front of the upper horizontal portion and a boss portion that has entered the inside of the upper horizontal portion, and the boss portion has the locking body holding groove and the wire holding groove. Is formed,
Further, a cap made of a soft material is attached to the operation portion of the knob so as not to rotate relative to each other, and the upper horizontal portion of the side support is covered from above with a protective cover made of a soft material having substantially the same diameter as the cap. ing"
It is configured as.

The invention of claim 5 is claimed in claim 3 or 4.
"While the boss portion of the knob is formed with an annular groove that is open at least on the upper surface,
A receiving bracket is arranged in a portion of the side support behind the knob, in which an upper support frame having a backrest at the rear end supports an elastic body that imparts resistance to locking from above. The receiving bracket is formed with a hook-shaped portion that fits into the annular groove of the knob from above and holds the knob so that it cannot be pulled out. "
It is configured as.

◎ Effect of claim 1 In the present invention, the knob does not rotate unless the fingertip is twisted, and the gas cylinder is not unlocked even if a strong force is applied to the fingertip when the fingertip is simply touched. Absent. Therefore, for example, even if the gas cylinder is placed on an elbow pad or an elbow pad-shaped member in a easily visible state, the lock of the gas cylinder is not accidentally released. Even if an object is caught, no erroneous operation will occur.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation even though the chair has improved visibility and the height of the seat can be adjusted without the user being confused. In addition, the picking can be formed into a simple shape such as a circular shape that does not give a sense of discomfort, and can be made compact because it is sufficient as long as it can be picked by a person with a fingertip. Therefore, it is also excellent in design.

◎ Effect of claim 2 In this type of operation cable, a locking bracket is attached to one end of the tube, and by fixing the position of one end of the tube with the locking bracket, the locking body such as a ball moves. The structure is such that the wire is pulled. Then, when the knob is rotated, the locking body such as a ball moves and the wire is pulled (although the wire is wound up), but the locking body such as the ball moves around the axis of the knob, so that the knob rotates. As a result, the wire bends in the vicinity of the locking body such as a ball and in the vicinity of the locking metal fitting.

When the inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove is an arcuate surface concentric with the axis of the knob, the wire bends between the vicinity of the locking body such as a ball and the vicinity of the locking metal fitting. The wire tends to bend sharply, which may reduce the durability of the wire or increase the sliding resistance to the tube to increase the force required for unlocking.

In this regard, if the configuration of claim 2 is adopted, the degree of bending of the wire can be loosened by moving the vicinity of the locking body such as a ball of the wire closer to the axial side of the knob. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the durability of the wire and reduce the sliding resistance of the wire with respect to the tube to realize a light unlocking.

◎ Effect of claim 3 The knob can be placed at any part, but if it is placed at the upper end of the side support that stands up on the side of the seat as in claim 3, it is excellent in both visibility and operability. Is suitable. Further, by inserting the operation cable into the long groove formed on the front surface of the side support, the knob can be attached to the side support with the wire attached in advance to the knob, so that the workability is also excellent.

On the other hand, since the long groove is open to the hollow portion, if the boss portion of the knob is simply fitted into the hollow portion, the knob may hit the opening edge at the upper end of the long groove and smooth rotation may be hindered. On the other hand, in the invention of claim 3 of the present application, since the knob is rotatably held by the bearing bush without being affected by the long groove, the knob can be smoothly rotated while retaining the advantage of providing the long groove. Can be secured.

◎ Effect of claim 4 The picking can be configured as, for example, a single-structured product made of synthetic resin, but in the case of a single-structured product, the fingertips may become slippery. On the other hand, if a cap made of a soft material is provided as in claim 4, it is possible to prevent the fingertips from slipping and improve the operability of picking.

In addition, since the upper horizontal part of the side support is covered with a protective cover made of soft material, it is possible to improve the appearance and feel, but since the protective cover and the cap have almost the same diameter, the design It is unified and can be aesthetically pleasing. In addition, when a person sits on a chair or stands up from a chair, he / she may grasp the upper horizontal part of the side support with his / her hand to raise / lower the body. In this case, the protective cover is made of soft material and the hand is used. Since it is possible to prevent the cover from slipping from the upper horizontal portion, it can also contribute to improving the stability when a person puts his / her hand on the upper horizontal portion and sits on or leaves the chair.

◎ Effect of claim 5 When the configuration of claim 5 is adopted, the backrest has a locking function, so that the comfort of the user can be improved. A chair having a rocking function requires an elastic body that imparts elasticity to resistance to rocking, but in the invention of claim 5, a receiving bracket that supports the elastic body is used to prevent the knob from coming off. Since it can be prevented, the number of members can be suppressed, which can contribute to cost reduction and compactness.

It is a figure which shows the appearance of the chair which concerns on 1st Embodiment, (A) is a perspective view seen from the front upper side, (B) is a partial front view, (C) is a perspective view seen from the rear upper side, (D) is It is a perspective view seen from the rear lower part. (A) is a plan view, (B) is a side view, and (C) is a rear view. (A) is a partial side view in the state before locking, and (B) is a side view in the locking state. It is a figure which shows the connection structure of the upper support frame, (A) is the perspective view which separated the protective cover, (B) is the perspective view which separated the upper support frame. It is a figure which shows the connection structure of the upper support frame, (A) is a separated perspective view seen from the front upper side, (B) is a separated perspective view seen from the rear upper side. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line VI-VI of FIG. 2 (A). It is a figure which shows the modification of the support structure of a backrest, (A) is a separated perspective view seen from the back, (B) is a separated perspective view, (C) is a separated perspective view which a part of a member is seen from the front, (D). ) Is a perspective view of the upper horizontal portion, and (E) is a cross-sectional view of the same portion as in FIG. 6 (A). (A) and (B) are separate perspective views of the pedestal unlocking operation portion viewed from the front upper side, and (C) is a partial perspective view of the right side support viewed from below. (A) is a separated perspective view of the unlocking operation unit viewed from the front and lower sides, (B) is a perspective view of the groove cap viewed from the back, (C) is a perspective view of the groove cap holder, and (D) is a groove cap. It is a DD view sectional view of (A) in the mounted state. In the figure which shows the unlocking operation part, (A) is a perspective view seen from the front upper side, (B) is a perspective view seen from the rear lower part, (C) is a perspective view seen from the rear upper part with some members separated. (D) is a perspective view of the picking cap as viewed from behind, and (E) is a perspective view showing a wire mounting procedure. 10A is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI, FIG. 10A is a view in a locked state, and FIG. 10B is a view in an unlocked state. It is a figure which shows the lock release mechanism part of a gas cylinder, (A) is a perspective view which separated the lever, (B) is a perspective view which omitted the base, (C) is a perspective view of the end of a cable, (D) is It is a separation perspective view of a lever and a cable.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the front-back and left-right problems are used to specify the direction, but this direction is based on the state seen by a person who normally sits in a chair. The front view direction is the direction facing the seated person.

(1). Outline of the chair First, the outline of the chair will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. As shown in FIG. 1, the chair includes a leg device 1, a seat 2, and a backrest 3 as basic elements. The leg device 1 has a structure in which a pedestal 5 made of a gas cylinder is erected at the center of a grounding body 4 having a plurality of (five) branch arms, and casters are provided at the tips of the respective arms. Therefore, this embodiment is applied to a swivel chair.

As shown in FIG. 1 (D), a substantially quadrangular base 6 is fixed to the upper end of the pedestal 5 in a bottom view (and a plan view). A seat receiving member 7 is mounted on the base 6 so as to be slidable back and forth, and a seat 2 is attached to the upper surface of the seat receiving member 7. The base 6 is, for example, an aluminum die-cast product, and the seat receiving member 7 is, for example, a molded product of synthetic resin.

The seat support member 7 is urged to a retracted position by a spring as an example of an elastic body, and when the seated person's body becomes stretchable during locking, the seat 2 and the seat support member 7 are pushed by the buttocks to move forward. obtain. In FIG. 3B, the state in which the seat 2 is advanced is displayed. As can be understood from the comparison between (A) and (B) of FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, the seat receiving member 7 and the seat 2 move forward while slightly ascending.

The chair includes an upper support frame 8 arranged so as to surround the seated person from behind at a position higher than the seat 2. Therefore, the upper support frame 8 has left and right side portions (forward-facing arm portions) 8a located on the left and right sides of the seated person and the backrest 3 in the front view, and a rear portion located behind the seated person and the backrest 3 in the front view. It has 8b, and the backrest 3 is connected to the rear portion 8b so as to be tiltable backward.

The left and right forward arm portions 8a of the upper support frame 8 are connected to the side supports 9 arranged on the left and right sides of the seat 2 so as to be tilted backward. The side support 9 is, for example, an aluminum die-cast product, and has a vertically elongated plate-shaped strut portion 9a and a front-rear longitudinally substantially circular upper horizontal portion 9b integrally formed at the upper end thereof. .. Then, the forward arm portion 8a of the upper support frame 8 is connected to the rear portion of the upper horizontal portion 9b so as to tilt backward against elasticity. The upper horizontal portion 9b is covered with an elastomer-based protective cover 10.

At the lower end of the support column portion 9a of the side support 9, a base portion 9c that wraps around below the seat 2 is integrally formed, and the tip portion of the base portion 9c is an engaging hole 11 formed in the base 6 (FIG. It is fitted in 1 (D) and FIG. 2 (B)), and the tip portion is fixed to the base 6 with a bolt.

As described above, the pedestal 5 is composed of a gas cylinder, and when the gas cylinder is unlocked, the heights of the seat 2 and the backrest 3 can be freely adjusted. Then, for example, as clearly shown in FIGS. 1A and 1C, a knob (knob) for unlocking the gas cylinder is provided on the upper horizontal portion 9b of the right side support 9 as an example of an operation knob. ) 12 is mounted so that it can be rotated around the axis of the upper horizontal portion 9b. The knob 12 can be rotated in either the left or right direction, and the lock of the gas cylinder is released even if the knob 12 is rotated in either direction.

As shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIGS. 2A and 2B, it is also possible to attach the elbow pad 13 to the upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9. As roughly shown in FIG. 1 (B), the backrest 3 includes a back inner shell (back plate) 14a made of synthetic resin and a back cushion 14b stretched on the front surface thereof, and the entire backrest 3 is a cloth or the like. It is covered with the skin material 14c of. Therefore, the skin material 14c has a bag shape. The back cushion 14b may wrap around to the rear surface of the back inner shell 14a.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 1C and 1D, square recesses 15 opened rearward are formed in the lower portion and the left and right portions of the back inner shell 14a, and are arranged in the square recesses 15. The backrest 3 is connected to the rear portion 8b of the upper support frame 8 so as to be tiltable backward by the connecting unit 16. Therefore, the connecting unit 16 includes a support shaft and a spring receiving bracket, and the backrest 3 tilts backward against the elasticity of an elastic body such as resin rubber.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the present embodiment, when the seated person leans against the backrest 3, the upper support frame 8 first tilts backward with respect to the side support 9, so that the first stage of locking is performed. Then, when the seated person recedes the upper body backward, the backrest 3 tilts backward with respect to the upper support frame 8, and the second stage locking is performed.

Therefore, even if the rotation angle of the upper support frame 8 and the rotation angle of the backrest 3 are not so large, the rearward tilt angle as a whole can be increased. Therefore, although it has a simple structure, it is possible to give a high degree of comfort to the seated person. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 2A, the rotation axis O1 of the backrest 3 is located in front of the rear surface of the backrest 3 and near the lower end of the backrest 3.

(2). Mounting structure of the upper support frame In the present embodiment, the knob 12 is provided on the side support 9 to which the upper support frame 8 is connected. Therefore, prior to the explanation of the structure related to the knob 12, the connection structure of the upper support frame 8 to the side support 9 will be described. The drawings mainly refer to FIGS. 4 to 6. Here, the part on the left side that does not have the knob 12 will be taken up and described.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 5, a pushing bracket 18 having left and right upward side plates 18a is fixed to the side portion 8a of the upper support frame 8. The push bracket 18 includes a channel-shaped portion having an upward side plate 18a and a boss portion 19 located behind the channel-shaped portion, and the boss portion 19 is fixed to the side portion 8a of the upper support frame 8 by welding or the like. ing. A flange 20 corresponding to the front end surface of the upper support frame 8 is integrally formed at the base of the boss portion 19. The push bracket 18 is made of a cast steel product.

As shown in FIG. 5, a flat portion 21 is formed in substantially the latter half of the upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9, and the flat portion 21 has a square block portion 22 and a tap hole 23 located behind the flat portion 21. And are formed. A channel-shaped lower receiving bracket 24 having an upward side plate 24a is stacked on the flat portion 21, and the lower receiving bracket 24 is fixed to the flat portion 21 by a lower screw 25 screwed into the tap hole 23. Has been done. A notch for avoiding interference with the block portion 22 is formed in the front portion of the lower receiving bracket 24, and the side plates 24a of the lower receiving bracket 24 are located on the left and right sides of the block portion 22.

An upper receiving bracket 27 having a downward side plate 27a is fitted inside the lower receiving bracket 24. The upper receiving bracket 27 holds the block portion 22 from above, and the front portions of the side plates 27a and 24a of the upper and lower receiving brackets 27 and 24 and the block portion 22 are connected by the left and right longitudinal front shafts 28. A downward hook portion 29 is bent and formed at the front end of the upper receiving bracket 27.

Further, the pushing bracket 18 is inserted inside the upper receiving bracket 27, and the rear portions of the side plates 27a and 24a of the upper and lower receiving brackets 27 and 24 and the rear portion of the side plates 18a of the pushing bracket 18 are the left and right longitudinal support shafts 30. Are connected by. An elastic body 31 made of resin rubber such as a urethane foam elastomer is interposed between the pushing bracket 18 and the upper receiving bracket 27.

The upper and lower receiving brackets 27 and 24 are fixed so as not to rotate, while the pushing bracket 18 is connected by one support shaft 30, and faces the left and right side plates 18a of the pushing bracket 18 toward the front. The inclined portion 32 which becomes lower is formed. Therefore, the upper support frame 8 can deform the elastic body 31 and tilt backward by the spread angle θ between the inclined portion 32 and the upper receiving bracket 27 around the axis of the support shaft 30. The elastic body 31 is pre-compressed.

As shown in FIG. 6, the upper receiving bracket 27, the block portion 22, and the front shaft 28 are fixed by a front screw 33 screwed into the front shaft 28 from above, and the pushing bracket 18 and the support shaft 30 are fixed to each other. It is fixed by a rear screw 34 screwed into the support shaft 30 from below.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 6, the lower receiving bracket 24 is formed with a downward protruding portion 24b into which the head of the lower screw 25 enters, and a correspondingly flat portion of the upper horizontal portion 9b is formed. The recess 21a into which the downward protrusion 24b enters is formed in the 21.

The upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9 is covered with the protective cover 10 described above. As is clearly shown in FIG. 5B, the rear portion of the protective cover 10 is a complete tubular portion 10a, and a downward opening 35 is formed behind the tubular portion 10a. Further, inside the protective cover 10, a large number of ribs 36 (see FIG. 5B) are formed in the front-rear and longitudinal directions.

In the present embodiment, the upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9 has a connecting function of the upper support frame 8 as a basic function, and the upper horizontal portion 9b for connecting the upper support frame 8 so as to be tiltable backward. Since the shape portion 9b can be used as an elbow pad or as a gripping member when the user sits or stands up, the structure is not complicated. Therefore, the cost can be suppressed, and the simplicity is maintained and the aesthetics are also excellent.

Further, since the upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9 is long in the front-rear direction, it is possible to secure a space for arranging the members when connecting the upper support frame 8 so as to be tiltable backward. Therefore, the upper support frame 8 can be connected to the upper horizontal portion 9b with a required strength.

(3). Deformation example of the mounting structure of the upper support frame FIG. 7 shows a deformation example of the form of the upper horizontal portion 9b and the connection structure of the upper support frame 8. In this modification, first, the upper horizontal portion 9b has a square shape, and the block portion 22 has a U shape in a plan view. Further, also in this embodiment, the upper and lower receiving brackets 27 and 24 are provided, but the front shaft 28 in FIG. 5 is not provided. The upper receiving bracket 27 is formed with an upward bulging portion 27b that holds the elastic body 31 so as not to be displaced.

Further, in this modification, the protective cover 10 is opened forward, and the portion in front of the opening 35 is divided by the front slit 10c which is opened downward. The front surface of the protective cover 10 is closed with a resin front cap 37. The front cap 37 is integrally formed with a lower rib 37a projecting rearward and an upper rib 37b having a wider left-right width than the lower rib 37a.

On the other hand, a wall 10d overlapping the front surface of the upper horizontal portion 9b is formed on the front portion of the protective cover 10, and a front cap 37 is formed on the wall 10d of the protective cover 10 and the upper horizontal portion 9b of the side support 9. The front slits 10c and 9f into which the upper ribs 37b of the above are fitted are formed. An engaging claw 37c is formed at the rear end of the upper rib 37b of the front cap 37, and the engaging claw 37c engages with the engaging portion 9g formed inside the upper horizontal portion 9b. As a result, the front cap 37 is held so that it cannot be pulled out.

The upper half of the lower rib 37a of the front cap 37 is fitted into the front slit 10c of the protective cover 10. The lower half of the lower rib 37a of the front cap 37 is an umbrella portion that extends to the left and right, and the umbrella portion of the lower rib 37a is covered from below at both sides of the front slit 10c of the protective cover 10. ing. Therefore, even if a person's fingertip hits the front portion of the protective cover 10 from below, the protective cover 10 will not be rolled up.

Although the protective cover 10 is manufactured by an injection molding method, it can be manufactured in a state where it can be easily die-cut by having a front slit 10c in the form of a forward opening, while both sides of the front slit 10c sandwich the front slit 10c of the front cap 37. Since it is covered with the lower rib 37a, it is possible to prevent curling due to contact with a person's fingertip. The protective cover 10 is molded by using a mold and then elastically deformed and die-cut. However, due to the presence of the front slit 10c, the protective cover 10 can be easily deformed into a die-cutting state.

(4). Arrangement structure of the pedestal unlocking cable Next, the unlocking operation means of the pedestal 5 and the configuration related thereto will be described. The drawings mainly refer to FIGS. 8-11.

As shown in FIGS. 8 (A) and 9 (A), a long groove 39 closed by a groove cap 38 is formed on the front surface of the side support 9 over the entire length, and the long groove 39 has a long groove 39. The operation cable 40 partially shown in FIG. 8 is arranged. The side support 9 is an aluminum die-cast product, while the groove cap 39 is a synthetic resin molded product. Therefore, the groove cap 39 is manufactured of a resin having a metallic color having the same appearance as aluminum, or is coated with a metallic color. The groove cap 39 may be divided into a plurality of members.

The operation cable 40 is a well-known one, and includes a tube 41 and a wire 42 slidably inserted inside the tube 41, and both ends of the wire 42 are exposed to the outside of the tube 41 to expose the exposed portion. A ball 43 as an example of a locking body is fixed to the tip of the wire. Further, locking bodies 44 having an annular groove are fixed to both ends of the tube 41. As described above, when the knob 12 is rotated, one end of the wire 42 is pulled, and the lock of the pedestal 5 is released.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9D, the groove cap 38 includes inward ridges 38a fitted in the long groove 39, and the ridges 38a are arranged in the long groove 39 at appropriate intervals. It is sandwiched and held from the left and right. As is clearly shown in FIG. 9C, the holder 45 is arranged in the wide portion 39a of the long groove 39, and the ridge 38a of the groove cap 38 is also tightly fitted to the long groove 39. Since the groove cap 38 has the ridge 35a, a flange is formed on the outside of the ridge 35a. On the other hand, the long groove 39 is formed with a stepped portion into which the flange is fitted.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 9 (C), the holder 45 has a pair of holding portions 45a that sandwich the ridge 38a, and as shown in FIG. 9 (D), the base portion is formed by a screw 46 to form the bottom surface of the elongated groove 39. It is fixed to. The sandwiching portion 45a is formed in a frame shape that opens to the left and right, and is tightly fitted into the long groove 39. There is a gap in which the operation cable 40 can be arranged between the substrate of the holder 45 and the ridge 38a of the groove cap 38.

The holding portion 45a of the holder 45 has a frame shape, and the inside is an engaging hole 45b. On the other hand, the groove cap 38 is formed with an engaging claw 45c that is forcibly fitted into the engaging hole 45b of the holder 45. Therefore, the groove cap 38 is held inseparably. The portion of the long groove 39 into which the holder 45 is fitted is formed to have a wide width without a step portion.

The groove cap 38 can be attached to the strut portion 9a only by fitting the ridge 38a into the long groove 39, but in this case, the long groove is caused by a variation in dimensions due to a difference in molding shrinkage of the groove cap 38 or the like. There is a possibility that the fitting strength to 39 may vary. On the other hand, when the holder 45 made of synthetic resin is used in combination as in the embodiment, even if the groove cap 38 has a variation in size, it can be firmly fixed by utilizing the elastic deformation of the holder 45.

As described above, the side support 9 has a base portion 9c that wraps around below the seat 2. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9D, the groove cap 38 is formed over the entire length of the side support 9, but the base 6 of the base 9c of the side support 9 is engaged. The portion corresponding to the tip portion (fitting portion) 9e to be fitted into the joint hole 11 is composed of only the ridge 38a and does not have a flange portion.

This is because the tip portion 9e of the base portion 9c of the side support 9 is tightly fitted into the engagement hole 11 (see FIG. 1 (D)) formed in the base 6, so that the groove cap 38 is also engaged. The flange portion is cut off at the portion fitted in the hole 11. Since the ridge 38a is fitted into the engaging hole 11 of the base 6, the groove cap 38 is held below the groove cap 38 so that it cannot be pulled out forward.

(5). Basic structure of the knob The unlocking operation unit includes the above-mentioned knob 12 as a main member, and the wire 42 is pulled by the rotation of the knob 12. The knob 12 is made of synthetic resin, and as shown in FIG. 7, the operating portion 48 exposed in front of the upper horizontal portion 9b (and the protective cover 10) of the side support 9 and the upper horizontal portion 9 of the side support 9. It has a boss portion 49 that has entered the hollow portion (internal space) of the portion 9b, and the outer circumference and the front surface of the operation portion 48 are covered with a bottomed tubular cap 50 made of a soft material such as rubber. There is.

For example, as is clearly shown in FIG. 10A, a plurality of recesses 52 separated by a plurality of vertical ribs 51 arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the operation portion 48 of the knob 12. The recess 52 is partitioned back and forth by a lateral rib 53 that is long in the circumferential direction. On the other hand, as is clearly shown in FIG. 10D, a protrusion 54 that fits into the recess 52 of the operating portion 48 is formed on the inner surface of the cap 50.

The cap 50 is forcibly attached to the operating portion 48 against its elasticity, and the group of protrusions 54 fits into the group of recesses 52, so that the cap 50 cannot rotate relative to the operating portion 48. It is held so that it cannot be pulled out from the front. Further, since the cap 50 is made of rubber, the fingertip does not slip when the user picks it up with the fingertip and rotates it. If knurled irregularities are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cap 50, the anti-slip effect can be further improved.

Further, the outer diameter of the cap 50 and the outer diameter of the protective cover 10 are substantially the same, and therefore, the outer diameter of the cap 50 and the protective cover 10 appear to be connected in a series. Therefore, it is aesthetically pleasing. As an engaging means for holding the cap 50 so as not to rotate relative to the operating portion 48, an engaging groove may be formed in the cap 50 and an engaging protrusion may be formed in the operating portion 48.

Therefore, even if the long groove 39 is opened in the hollow portion of the upper horizontal portion 9b, the knob 12 can be rotated smoothly. The bearing bush 56 is made of a resin having low friction and excellent wear resistance. The bearing bush 56 is a notch portion, and as can be inferred from FIG. 10, the rib 36 provided in the protective cover 10 is inserted in the notch portion of the bearing bush 56. Therefore, the bearing bush 56 is held non-rotatably by the rib 36 of the protective cover 10. Of course, the bearing bush 56 may be formed in a tubular body continuous in the circumferential direction.

For example, as shown in FIG. 10A, an annular groove 57 is formed in a portion of the boss portion 49 behind the bearing bush 56, and a downward hook formed at the front end of the upper receiving bracket 27 is formed in the annular groove 57. The portion 29 is fitted from above. Therefore, the knob 12 is held by the downward hook portion 29 of the upper bracket 27 so as not to be movable back and forth. Since there is a slight gap between the downward hook portion 29 and the annular groove 57, the rotation of the knob 12 is not hindered. The annular groove 57 deviates from the literal meaning, but may be opened at least upward. Therefore, it can be said that it is more appropriate to call the annular groove 57 a "positioning groove".

As a means for holding the knob 12 rotatably without being pulled out, for example, it is possible to adopt a dedicated screw screwed into the upper support frame 8 and insert the tip of the screw into the annular groove 57. By using the downward hook portion 29 of the upper receiving bracket 27 as in the embodiment, the number of member steps can be reduced.

The operation portion 48 of the knob 12 has a larger diameter than the boss portion 49, and as shown in FIGS. 10 (A), (B), and (E), the upper end of the groove cap 38 abuts on the lower surface of the bearing bush 56. The head portion 38b is formed. The head portion 38b projects toward the front, a narrow engaging protrusion 38c is formed on the front end surface thereof, and the split groove 58 formed at the front end portion of the protective cover 10 is fitted to the engaging protrusion 38c. .. Therefore, the head portion 38b of the groove cap 38 is held by the protective cover 10 so that it cannot be pulled out forward.

The groove cap 38 is held at a plurality of positions by the holder 45 while the upper portion and the lower portion thereof are held from the long groove 39 so as not to be pulled out forward. Therefore, although it has a simple structure of being fitted into the long groove 39 from the front, it can be firmly held so as not to come off to the front.

As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8C, a small diameter portion 9d is formed at the front end of the upper horizontal upper portion 9b on the right side, and a small diameter portion 10b is also formed at the front end portion of the protective cover 10 accordingly. Has been done. Then, the ring 63 shown in FIG. 8A is fitted to the small diameter portion 10b of the protective cover 10. Therefore, the front end portion of the protective cover 10 is held by the ring 63 so as not to be opened.

The rear ends of the left and right upper horizontal portions 9b are aligned in the front-rear position, and the front ends of the left upper horizontal portion 9b and the front ends of the knobs 12 arranged on the right are aligned. Therefore, it is aesthetically pleasing. When the knob 12 is provided only on one upper support frame 9b as in the embodiment, it is also possible to provide a dummy knob having the same appearance as the knob 12 on the other upper horizontal portion 9b without rotating.

(6). Ball pulling structure by picking For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 (E) and 10 (C), the ball 43 of the operation cable 40 is placed from behind at the rear end of the boss portion 49 behind the annular groove 57. The ball holding groove 59 to be fitted and the wire insertion groove 60 communicating with the ball holding groove 59 are opened behind, and further, a wire insertion groove is formed on the front side of the ball holding groove 59 in the boss portion 49. A pair of left and right wire holding grooves 61 communicating with 60 are formed. The ball holding groove 59 is an example of a locking body holding groove.

The wire holding groove 61 is open toward the outer periphery of the boss portion 49, but as shown in FIG. 10, the inner peripheral surface 61a of the wire holding groove 61 is formed in an L shape, and the axial center of the boss portion 49 is formed. It is drawn to O3 and the vertically long center line O2 passing through it. That is, the inner peripheral surface 61a is formed in an L shape including a portion parallel to the vertically long center line O2 and a portion crossing the vertically long center line O2 and close to the ball 53, and has a non-arc shape. ..

As shown in FIG. 11 (see also FIG. 8C), the upper portion of the long groove 39 is a wide portion 39a, and a locking body provided at the upper end of the tube 41 is provided on the constricted rib 62 formed in the wide portion 39a. 44 is fitted and attached.

When the knob 12 is rotated in either the left or right direction, the ball 43 is pulled upward and the wire 42 is pulled (wound up). In this case, if the inner peripheral surface 61a of the wire holding groove 61 is an arc surface concentric with the axis of the knob 12, the wire 42 is in the vicinity of the ball 43 as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 11 (B). The portion and the portion in the vicinity of the locking body 44 are sharply bent, which not only reduces the durability of the wire 42, but also reduces the slidability of the wire 42 with respect to the tube 41, so that the knob 12 can be rotated. May be difficult to do lightly.

On the other hand, when the inner peripheral surface 61a of the wire holding groove 61 is brought closer to the vertically long center line O2 as in the present embodiment, the bending of the wire 42 is remarkably suppressed, so that the durability of the wire 42 can be improved and the durability of the wire 42 can be improved. The slidability of the wire 42 with respect to the tube 41 is prevented from being lowered, and the rotation operation of the knob 12 can be performed lightly. In the embodiment, since the lower end of the inner peripheral surface 61a of the wire holding groove 61 is rounded, the left and right inner peripheral surfaces 61a form a U-shape (a J-shape when only one is viewed). ing.

On the other hand, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 11A, it is also possible to form the inner peripheral surface 61a in a straight line so that the left and right inner peripheral surfaces 61a form a V shape. Alternatively, the inner peripheral surface 61a can be formed in a chevron shape bulging on the side opposite to the vertically long center line O2 and the axial center O3. The chevron in this case may be a triangle or a rounded bow.

In the present embodiment, since the knob 12 is provided at the front end of the vertically longitudinal upper horizontal portion 9b, the chair user can rotate the knob 12 in a natural state without raising the forearm so much. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the burden on the person when adjusting the height of the seat.

Further, since the knob 12 is immediately noticeable to the seated person, the user can immediately understand its function and operate the knob 12 to adjust the height of the seat 2. Then, even if a person firmly grasps the upper horizontal portion 9b, the knob 12 does not rotate. Therefore, when a person sits or stands while holding the upper horizontal portion 9b, the lock of the pedestal 5 is erroneous. There is no unforeseen situation that will be canceled. Further, even if an object is caught in the picking 12, no erroneous operation occurs. Therefore, it is also excellent in safety. A mode in which the knob 12 is provided on the upper horizontal portion 9b of the left and right side supports 9 and the lock is released by operating any of the knobs 12 can also be adopted.

The knob 12 is attached by the following procedure. First, the operation cable 40 is pulled out from the engaging hole 11 of the base 6, and the side support 9 is attached to the base 6 in that state. Then, after locking the knob 12 on the upper end of the wire 42, the operation cable 40 is fitted into the long groove 39 of the side support 9, the knob 12 is fitted into the upper horizontal portion 9b, and then the groove cap 38 is fitted into the long groove. It is attached to 39 and the knob 12, then the protective cover 12 is attached and the ring 63 is fitted, and finally, the cap 50 is attached to the knob 12.

In the side support 9 provided with the knob 12, after inserting the knob 12 into the upper horizontal portion 9b, the upper and lower receiving brackets 27 and 24 are fixed, and the downward hook portion 29 provided on the upper receiving bracket 27 is picked. It will be fitted into the annular groove 57 of 12.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various ways. For example, the knob can be provided at the front end of the elbow pad on which the user's elbow can be stably placed. When the backrest is attached via the upper support frame as in the embodiment, the upper support frame may be fixed to the side support. In this case, the backrest may be fixed to the upper support frame or may be connected so as to be tilted backward. As the locking body, a columnar body or a conical body can be used instead of the ball. The present invention can also be applied to a fixed chair whose seat height can be adjusted.

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

2 seats 5 pedestals (gas cylinder)
9 Side support 9a Strut part 9b Upper horizontal part 10 Protective cover 12 Knob 27 Upper receiving bracket 29 Hook-shaped part 38 Groove cap (lid)
39 Long groove 40 Operation cable 41 Tube 42 Wire 43 Ball as an example of locking body 44 Locking body 48 Operation part 49 Boss part 50 Cap 56 Bearing bush 57 Ring groove 59 Ball holding groove 60 as an example of locking body holding groove Wire insertion groove 61 Wire holding groove 61a Inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove

Claims (5)

It is provided with an operation member for operating the movable member of the seat and the chair, and an operation cable for transmitting the movement of the operation member to the movable member.
The operation cable has a configuration including a wire inserted into the tube and a locking body fixed to the end of the wire.
The operating member is a knob that rotates around an axial center, and the locking body holding groove in which the locking body is arranged and a wire holding that communicates with the locking body holding groove and opens in the outer peripheral direction are communicated with the knob. Grooves are formed,
When the knob rotates, the wire is deformed so as to wind around the inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove, and the locking body moves, so that the wire is pulled and the movable member is operated. ing,
Chair. The inner peripheral surface of the wire holding groove is formed in a non-round shape close to the axis of the knob.
The chair according to claim 1. A side support higher than the seat is arranged on the side of the seat.
At the upper end of the side support, a cavity is formed in which the boss portion forming the wire holding groove and the locking body holding groove of the knob is fitted, and the front end surface of the side support is formed. , A long groove with a forward opening through which the wire can be inserted from the front is formed so as to communicate with the cavity.
Further, in the hollow portion of the side support, a ring-shaped bearing bush that fits in a portion of the boss portion of the knob that is in front of the wire holding groove is arranged in a state of partially closing the long groove. ,
The chair according to claim 1 or 2. On the side of the seat, a side support having a front-rear longitudinal upper horizontal portion provided at the upper end of the support column is arranged, while
The knob has an operation portion exposed in front of the upper horizontal portion and a boss portion that has entered the inside of the upper horizontal portion, and the boss portion has the locking body holding groove and the wire holding groove. Is formed,
Further, a cap made of a soft material is attached to the operation portion of the knob so as not to rotate relative to each other, and the upper horizontal portion of the side support is covered from above with a protective cover made of a soft material having substantially the same diameter as the cap. ing,
The chair according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An annular groove opened at least on the upper surface is formed in the boss portion of the knob, while
A receiving bracket is arranged in a portion of the side support behind the knob, in which an upper support frame having a backrest at the rear end supports an elastic body that imparts resistance to locking from above. The receiving bracket is formed with a hook-shaped portion that fits into the annular groove of the knob from above and holds the knob so that it cannot be pulled out.
The chair according to claim 3 or 4.

Images