JP6258548B1 - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a mobile chair having casters on its legs, and particularly suitable for matrix tracking, which is excellent in any of straightness, quick movement, and direction change. A caster is attached to each of the pair of left and right legs in the front part of the chair and the pair of left and right legs in the rear part of the chair. At that time, the casters of the three legs are fixed casters in which the direction of the wheels is fixed to the moving direction of the chair, the other legs are the free casters on which the axles are turned, and the legs having the free casters are Install it on the front of the chair and on the moving side. Furthermore, the gripping rod is installed perpendicularly to the seating surface at the position of the front part of the seat part and the corner on the moving direction side. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a chair. More specifically, the present invention relates to a chair that can be tracked and moved to a queue while sitting down when waiting for an order in line.

  In various daily situations, such as entering a restaurant, purchasing tickets, using an automated teller machine, and waiting for entry / opening at an event venue, you are often forced to wait in line. Aside from the case where the turn comes around without waiting too much, if the line is long or only moves little by little, the person who waits is accompanied with great pain. In preparation for such a case, it is convenient if there is a chair that can be tracked in a queue while the user is sitting.

  The use of casters on chair legs is widely used as a common technique so that the user can move while sitting on the chair. The casters include a fixed caster in which the traveling direction is fixed and a free caster that can be advanced in an arbitrary direction by turning the axle. The fixed caster is excellent in straightness, but it is difficult to change the traveling direction. For this reason, chairs in which all casters are free casters (hereinafter referred to as “chairs with free casters”) are frequently used in office chairs. On the other hand, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-125974 (hereinafter referred to as Patent Document 1) discloses a rear caster with a fixed caster as an auxiliary chair that can rest legs while acting in shopping and exhibition appreciation. A chair with a free caster attached to a wheel is disclosed (the same document, [0009], [0046], [Claim 4]).

JP 2000-125974 A

  Therefore, when the "chair with a free caster" was first tried for tracking the matrix, the following problems were found.

  The first problem is that the “chair with a free caster” can move in any direction, but is easy to meander, that is, lacks “straightness”. Lack of straightness must move many roads to the moving point, increasing the burden on the user. Meandering becomes noticeable when the road surface is uneven.

  The second problem is that when a “chair with a free caster” is used for the purpose of tracking a matrix, it is difficult to quickly respond to a sudden movement or direction change at the end of the queue. This is because in the case of a “chair with a free caster”, the directions of the four wheels in a stationary state immediately before the start of movement are likely to be uneven. As a result, extra effort is required to align all the wheels in the same direction, and it takes some time to reach a stable traveling state in a desired direction. In other words, it lacks “movement responsiveness”. In the case of use as an office chair, the movement of the chair is limited to a narrow range around the desk, and it is not necessary to move quickly. Therefore, generation of such labor and time is not a problem in use. However, if the purpose of tracking is to reach the start of the movement, it will disturb the pace of the movement of the line and cause trouble for the people waiting for the turn. Therefore, lack of mobility is a problem that cannot be overlooked.

  On the other hand, there is an auxiliary chair disclosed in Patent Document 1 that “the auxiliary chair as a whole can be easily turned by swinging the rear wheel side to the left or right without moving the position of the front wheel”. Document [0046]), even if it is easy for the assistant to swing the rear wheel side to the left and right while pushing the chair from the back, it is difficult for the user to swing the rear wheel side to the left and right while sitting on the auxiliary chair It is. That is, it is inferior to “direction changeability”.

  Therefore, the present inventor has eagerly studied to provide a chair that is excellent in any of straightness, movement responsiveness, and direction change when tracking a procession while sitting on a chair.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have intensively studied and found that a chair having the following configuration efficiently solves the above-mentioned problems, thereby completing the present invention.

  In the present invention, when a person sitting on a chair looks forward with the body and face in a natural posture, the direction is “front”, the opposite direction is “rear”, and the right hand direction is “right” The direction of the left hand is referred to as “left”. In the seated state, the front part of the chair or seat is referred to as “front part”, the rear part as “rear part”, the right part as “right part”, and the left part as “left part”. In addition, as will be described later, the chair of the present invention is a chair that moves in any one direction of “front”, “right”, or “left” as viewed from the seated person, but the chair moves. The direction is referred to as “movement direction”.

The present invention is a chair that moves in any one of the front, left, and right directions of a seated person while sitting down, and the chair includes a substantially square seat portion in a plan view and a grip A rod and a leg,
The leg portion includes four legs including a pair of left and right legs installed on the “front part” of the chair, and a pair of left and right legs installed on the “rear part” of the chair. The grounding end is installed so as to be located at the apex of a substantially square in plan view.
Of the above four legs,
B) The three legs are equipped with fixed casters whose wheels are fixed in the direction of movement of the chair,
B) The other leg is equipped with a free caster on which the axle turns.
C) The leg provided with the above-mentioned universal caster is provided on the “front” of the chair and on the “moving direction” side of the chair,
The gripping rod is installed perpendicularly to the seating surface from the corner on the “front” and “moving direction” side of the seat,
It is a chair characterized by this.

  In the above description, the “substantially square shape” includes not only a square shape but also a shape with corners and a shape in which a portion corresponding to a side bulges in a convex shape.

  Since the chair of the present invention configured as described above has casters on four legs, it can move while sitting on the chair. Here, out of the four casters provided in the leg, three are fixed casters fixed in advance to the “movement direction” of the chair. Therefore, since the traveling direction is limited in the direction in which the wheels of these three fixed casters are facing, there is no meandering or oblique movement, and “straightness” is excellent.

  And at the start of movement, among the four wheels, the direction of the three wheels is already aligned, so the movement starts smoothly just by aligning the direction of the remaining one free caster wheel with the direction of these wheels. . That is, the labor and time required for starting the movement of the chair are significantly reduced as compared with the case of the “chair with a free caster”, and “moving responsiveness” is excellent.

In addition, since the chair of the present invention is provided with a gripping rod, the user can maintain a comfortable posture when he / she is stationary, and on the other hand, when he / she moves by kicking his / her foot Can keep the upper body posture stable.
Furthermore, as will be described later, when the user moves the weight while grasping the grasping rod, a moment is generated between the grip portion of the grasping rod and the grounded end portion of the leg, and a series of changing the weight movement and the direction of the chair. Can be operated easily. The chair of the present invention has excellent “direction changeability” due to the interlocking action of the gripping rod and the universal caster.

  As described above, in the chair of the present invention, the three legs including the fixed casters, the one leg including the free casters, and the gripping bar are provided at specific positions according to the “movement direction”. Therefore, the chair is excellent in any of “straightness”, “movement responsiveness”, and “direction changeability” as compared with the conventional chair.

It is a perspective view which shows the one aspect | mode of the chair of this invention with a seated person. It is a plane view schematic diagram of a right grip stick and a forward moving chair. It is a plane view schematic diagram of a left grip stick and a forward moving chair. It is a plane view schematic diagram of a right movement chair. It is a plane view schematic diagram of a left movement chair. In this invention, it is a figure which shows the aspect which the lower end part of the holding | grip stick | rod joined to the leg. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement mechanism which changes direction of a right grip stick and a forward movement chair to the right. It is explanatory drawing which shows the operation | movement mechanism which changes the direction of a right grip stick and a forward movement chair to the left.

Hereinafter, the chair of this invention is demonstrated using figures.
As shown in FIG. 1, the chair 1 of the present invention includes a seat portion 2, a leg portion 3, and a gripping rod 4 that are substantially square in plan view.
The seat 2 is supported by the legs 3. The leg portion 3 includes four legs 5. 2 to 5 schematically show the arrangement of the seat 2 in the chair 1, the gripping rod 4 installed on the seat 2, and the fixed casters and the universal casters installed on the ends of the legs 5 in plan view. (For convenience, the “movement direction” of the chair 1 is indicated by an arrow in the figure for the sake of convenience. The legs are not shown). The leg 5 has a pair of left and right at the “front” of the chair 1, a pair of left and right at the “rear”, and the grounding end of the leg 5 is positioned at the apex of a substantially square in plan view (FIGS. 2, 3, 4, and 4). And 5).
From the viewpoint of stability during movement, it is preferable that the ground contact end portion of the leg 5, which has a substantially square apex in plan view, is located outside the outer periphery 22 of the seat portion in plan view.

  A caster is attached to each end of the leg 5. Of these, the three legs include fixed casters 5 a, 5 c, 5 d in which the directions of the wheels are fixed to the “movement direction” of the chair 1. The other leg is provided with a universal caster 5b whose axle 6 turns around the turning axis 7 (FIGS. 2 to 5 and 6). In this case, the leg provided with the universal caster 5b must be a leg on the “front” and “moving direction” side of the chair 1. 2 to 5, the fixed casters 5a, 5c, and 5d are schematically shown as rectangles facing in the moving direction, and the universal casters 5b are schematically shown as rectangles that are enclosed in circles.

  Therefore, due to symmetry, when the “movement direction” of the chair 1 is “front” (hereinafter, referred to as “front movement chair”), the leg 5 b provided with the universal caster is the “front” of the chair 1. Any of the left and right legs may be used (FIGS. 2 and 3). On the other hand, when the movement direction of the chair 1 is “right” (hereinafter, referred to as “right movement chair”), the leg provided with the free caster is a pair of legs of the “front” of the chair 1. The leg must be located in the “right” part of the chair (FIG. 4). For the same reason, when the moving direction of the chair 1 is “left” (hereinafter, referred to as “left moving chair”), the leg provided with the free caster is a pair of “front” legs of the chair 1. Of these, the leg must be located on the “left part” of the chair (FIG. 5).

  The chair 1 of the present invention includes a gripping bar 4. The gripping bar 4 extends perpendicularly to the seating surface 21 at the corners on the “front” and “moving direction” sides of the seat (FIGS. 1 to 5). A leg having a universal caster 5b is positioned below the chair at the front part of the seat and the corner on the moving direction side. The grip rod 4 may extend only above the seating surface, but the grip rod 4 penetrates the seat portion 2 in consideration of the structural durability of the seat portion 2 and the grip rod 4. You may join with the leg provided with the universal caster 5b (FIG. 6).

  From the viewpoint of stability when moving in the sitting posture, the axis of the gripping rod 4 is the same as the pivot axis 7 of the axle of the universal caster in a plan view, or the chair center is more than the pivot axis. It is preferable that it exists inward toward. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the center distance da between the shaft of the gripping rod 4 and the pivot shaft 7 of the axle of the universal caster is 5 cm or less (FIG. 6).

  The diameter and length of the gripping rod 4 are adjusted as appropriate. The diameter is preferably in the range of 2 to 5 cm from the standpoint of maintaining the sitting posture and the weight shift described later. Further, the length above the seating surface 21 of the gripping rod 4 is preferably in the range of 10 to 60 cm, regardless of whether or not the seat portion is penetrated.

  As described above, in the “front moving chair”, the leg 5b provided with the free caster may be either the left or right leg of the “front” of the chair 1, so It is installed corresponding to the position of the caster 5b. Hereinafter, in the “forward moving chair”, a chair in which the gripping bar 4 is installed on the “front” and “right” of the chair 1 will be referred to as “right gripping bar / forward moving chair” (FIG. 2). A chair 4 is installed on the “front” and “left” of the chair 1 is referred to as a “left grip bar / forward moving chair” (FIG. 3).

  When the seat 2 has 90-degree rotational symmetry, the “right gripping bar / forward moving chair” and the “left moving chair” can be converted to each other by changing the sitting position (FIGS. 2 and 5). . Similarly, the “right gripping bar / forward moving chair” and the “leftward moving chair” can be converted to each other (FIGS. 3 and 4).

  While the gripping bar 4 is kept stationary, the gripping bar 4 is held to assist in maintaining a comfortable posture. In addition, when the seated person moves with the chair while stepping on his / her foot, it acts by gripping it and performing a stable movement. The most important function of the gripping bar 4 is to provide a function that allows the seated person to easily change the moving direction of the chair in conjunction with the free caster 5b when changing the moving direction of the chair 1. Details of the function of changing the moving direction will be described later.

Since the chair 1 of the present invention includes three fixed casters 5a, 5c, and 5d among the four legs 5, the chair 1 can be used as a forward moving chair, a right moving chair, or a left moving chair. However, the advancing direction is determined by the direction in which the fixed caster is facing. Therefore, it is excellent in straightness.
Further, since the directions of the wheels of the three fixed casters 5a, 5c, and 5d are already aligned, the movement of the chair starts as soon as the directions of the wheels of the movable caster 5b are aligned with the directions of the wheels of the fixed casters. Therefore, it is excellent in movement responsiveness.

The chair 1 of the present invention can change its direction by the following simple operation.
Hereinafter, the case of the “right grip bar / forward moving chair” will be described as an example.
FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing the motion of a person sitting on the chair 1 while moving the weight while holding the gripping rod and changing the direction of the chair 1 to the right, and the movement of each caster and the chair. FIG. Also in this figure, for convenience, the fixed casters 5a, 5c, 5d are vertically long rectangles facing the moving direction (that is, “forward”, upward in the figure), and the free casters 5b are vertically long rectangles that fit in circles. This is schematically shown.

  In order to change the direction of the chair 1 to the right, the user moves the weight slightly to the “right” while holding the gripping rod 4 while stepping on the ground with his / her foot (weight in FIG. 7 and FIG. 7). Is indicated by a thick arrow). Then, the load applied to the fixed casters 5a and 5c is reduced, and conversely, the free caster 5b and the fixed caster 5d are in a state of supporting most of the load (in FIG. (Indicated in light). Accordingly, the frictional force between the wheels of the fixed casters 5a and 5c and the road surface is reduced, and the frictional force between the wheels of the free casters 5b and the fixed caster 5d and the road surface is increased. In this state, the direction of the wheel of the fixed caster 5d is fixed to “front”, so that it does not move rightward. On the other hand, the wheel of the universal caster 5b easily follows the rightward movement. As a result, the fixed caster 5d serves as a fulcrum, the free caster 5b serves as a power point, and the chair 1 changes its direction slightly to the right (FIG. 7). If this operation is continued continuously or intermittently several times, the degree of right turn increases.

Next, a series of operations for changing the direction of the chair 1 to the left and the movement of the chair will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the user grasps the gripping rod 4 while stepping on the ground with his / her foot and moves the weight slightly forward. Then, the load applied to the fixed casters 5c and 5d is reduced, and the fixed caster 5a and the universal caster 5b are in a state of supporting most of the load. Along with this, the frictional force between the wheels of the fixed casters 5c and 5d and the road surface decreases, and the frictional force between the wheels of the free casters 5b and the fixed casters 5a and the road surface increases. In this state, if the weight is further tilted to the front left, the direction of the wheels of the fixed caster 5a is fixed to “front”, so that it is difficult to move to the left. It is easy to follow the movement. As a result, the fixed caster 5a serves as a fulcrum, and the free caster 5b serves as a power point, so that the chair 1 changes its direction slightly to the left (FIG. 8). If this operation is continued continuously or intermittently several times, the degree of left turn increases.

In other words, of the four casters located at the apex of the approximately square, if the weight is moved using the gripping rod so that the load is supported by the universal caster and any one of the fixed casters adjacent to it, the fixed caster is Since the force that moves the free caster in an arcuate path around the center of rotation acts, the direction can be changed to the right or left direction.
For the right moving chair and the left moving chair, the direction of the chair can be changed by the same simple operation as described above.
As described above, the chair of the present invention is also excellent in direction changeability.

  Since the chair of the present invention is excellent in straightness, movement responsiveness, and direction change, it is most suitable as a moving chair for matrix tracking. “Front moving chair” is for cash dispenser users and people waiting for entrance / opening at event venues, and “Right (left) moving chair” is for personal use for restaurant users (customers). It can be expected to be used as a chair or a facility permanent chair for users. The chair of the present invention has high industrial utility value for an aging society.

1 Chair 2 Seat
21 Seating surface
22 Seat part outer periphery 3 Leg part 4 Gripping rod 5 Legs 5a, 5c, 5d Fixed caster 5b Swivel caster 6 Swivel caster axle 7 Swivel caster axle pivot axis da Gripping stick axis and Swivel caster axle Distance between the center of the axis and the pivot axis

Claims (3)

A chair that moves in any one of the front, left, and right directions of a seated person while sitting down, and the chair includes a seat portion having a substantially square shape in plan view, a gripping rod, and a leg portion. With
The leg includes four legs including a pair of left and right legs installed on the front part of the chair and a pair of left and right legs installed on the rear part of the chair, and a grounding end of the legs It is installed to be located at the apex of a substantially square in plan view, and among the four legs,
B) The three legs are provided with a fixed caster in which the direction of the wheel is fixed to the moving direction of the chair,
B) The other leg is equipped with a free caster on which the axle turns.
C) A leg provided with the universal caster is provided on the front part of the chair and on the moving direction side of the chair,
The gripping rod is installed perpendicularly to the seating surface at the corner of the front portion and the moving direction side of the seat portion,
A chair characterized by that. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the ground contact end portion of the leg located at the apex of the substantially square in plan view is located outside the outer periphery of the seat portion in plan view. The chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a lower end portion of the gripping rod is joined to a leg including the universal caster .