KR20080033892A - Casual control tilt lockout - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling tilting of a cantilever tilting equipment is provided to prevent a chair having the cantilever tilting equipment from being tilted backward and to lock out the cantilever tiling equipment by having a tilt lock out at the chair through operating or not-operating the tilting form in accordance with choice of a user. A furniture article(100) comprises: a cantilever(130) having a distal end and a proximal end; a frame portion coupled to the distal end; a base portion coupled to the proximal end; and a locking device(140) coupled to the frame portion, the base portion or the cantilever and is characterized in that the locking device has a locking position and an unlocking position and the locking device prevents the frame portion from being tilted regarding the base portion when it is at the locking position and the locking device allows the frame portion to be tilted regarding the base portion when it is at the unlocking position. In the furniture article, the locking device comprises a body(142) having the distal end and the proximal end, an arm(144) fixed at the proximal end; and a block(148) fixed at the distal end.

Description

Casual Control tilt lockout {Casual Control tilt lockout}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to tilting chairs and locking devices for fixing tilt positions, in particular locking devices for cantilever-type tilting mechanisms for general use in casual chairs and related furniture products. It is about.

In general, you need a chair that can be tilted back according to a person's choice. The tilted form (hereinafter referred to as 'tilting') can be achieved using a variety of mechanisms including springs, shafts and gas cylinders, but small and complex tilting mechanisms are cantilevers. The cantilever is attached to the top of the chair at one end and attached to the bottom of the chair at the other end and is strong enough to maintain the top of the chair in an upright position when the chair is empty or a person is sitting upright in the chair. However, when a person leans back on the top of the chair, the cantilever bends, thereby causing the top of the chair to tilt against the bottom of the chair. Cantilevers can be used for any type of chair but are most commonly found on ordinary outdoor dining chairs.

It is necessary that the chair can be tilted, but sometimes it is not necessary to use the tilting mechanism. For example, when a person eats at the table, the inclined chair may be informal, distracting, and / or otherwise unnecessary. Thus, it is advantageous to have a tilt lockout in the chair to enable or disable the tilting form at the option of the person. Therefore, a reliable device for locking out the tilting mechanism for the cantilever tilting mechanism while preventing the chair having the cantilevered tilting mechanism from tilting backward is disclosed.

In one aspect, the present invention includes a cantilever having a distal end and a proximal end, a frame portion connected to the distal end, a base portion connected to the proximal end, and a locking device connected to the frame portion, the base portion or the cantilever; And a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the locking device prevents the tilting of the frame portion relative to the base portion when the locking device is in the locking position. In the locked position, the locking device bears the distal end of the cantilever and limits the downward bending of the cantilever. In an embodiment, the locking device comprises a block, wherein the locking device contacts both the cantilever and the base portion in its locking position.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a furniture product having a base portion, a frame portion connected to be inclined with respect to the base portion, and a locking device having a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein the locking device is connected to the frame portion when in the locking position. It rests between the base parts, thereby preventing the inclination of the frame part relative to the base part, the frame part comprising a piece of furniture inclined with respect to the base part when the locking device is in the unlocked position.

As a third aspect, the present invention provides a base, a tilter connected to the base so as to rotate relative to the base, a cantilever having a proximal end and a distal end connected to the tilter, a frame connected to the distal end to support a seat, And a chair having a locking position and an unlocking position and having a locking device connected to the tilter, cantilever or frame.

According to the present invention, the cantilever tilting mechanism can be provided while the chair having the cantilever-type tilting mechanism is prevented from tilting backward by providing a tilt lockout in the chair so as to enable or disable the tilting form according to a person's selection. A reliable device for locking out is disclosed.

Reference will now be made to the drawings for a more complete understanding of the invention and for details and advantages of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the chair 100 incorporating a casual control tilt lockout generally includes a frame portion 110, a base portion 120, one or more cantilever 130 and a locking device ( Four components). In FIG. 1, frame portion 110 consists of a sheet 112 and a frame 114. Seat 112 is generally, but not necessarily, padded to cushion a person sitting on chair 100. The frame 114 provides structural support for the seat 112 and connects the seat 112 to one or more cantilevers 130. One or more cantilevers 130 allow frame portion 110 to tilt rearward relative to base portion 120.

In FIG. 1, the base portion 120 consists of a base 122 and a tilter 124. The base 122 supports the chair 100 at the floor and generally has a wider floor than the widest portion of the chair 100. Due to this configuration, the chair 100 is prevented from falling back by the person sitting on the chair 100, thereby improving the stability of the chair 100. In FIG. 1, the tilter 124 includes a shaft 125, a tilter body 126 and a head 127. The shaft 125 is generally a cylindrical pole extending downward from the tilter body 126 and shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2. In FIG. 1, the shaft 125 fits into a hole in the top of the base 122 and allows the tilter 124, cantilever 130 and frame portion 110 to pivot 360 degrees relative to the base 122. It can rotate within 122. In FIG. 1, the tilter body 126 extends horizontally and vertically from the shaft 125. Thus, in FIG. 1, the tilter body 126 provides an angled or inclined support that extends (forwards) from the base 122. Due to the vertical and horizontal shape of the tilter body 126, the frame 114 may be disposed with a margin above the tilter body 126 to fit the block 148 between the frame 114 and the tilter body 126. The form is described in more detail below. Head 127 in FIG. 1 connects tilter 124 to one or more cantilevers 130. If the chair 100 is provided with a plurality of cantilevers 130, the head 127, as shown in Fig. 3, in order to properly separate between the plurality of cantilevers 130 (with respect to the locking device 140). To provide space and may extend outwardly (laterally) away from the tilter body 126 horizontally. Two examples of tilter 124 are described in US Patent No. D422,814, filed Feb. 11, 1999 and entitled "Casual Chair Control," issued to Sulzer, and 1 July 2004. Filed in US Patent No. D520,780, filed with the name "Casual Tilter" and issued to Sulzer, both patents have been fully tried and incorporated herein by reference.

 One or more cantilevers 130 allow frame portion 110 to tilt relative to base portion 120. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the frame portion 110 can be tilted at any angle with respect to the horizontal. In certain embodiments, the tilt angle is 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 degrees or other angles. While any number of cantilevers 130 are used as the chair 100, the chair 100 in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 is formed of two cantilevers 130. In FIG. 1, the cantilever 130 is bolted, welded, or otherwise connected to the tilter 124 at their proximal end 132 and to the frame 114 at their distal end 134. do. These connections are generally rigid connections such that the distal end 134 and the frame 114 move vertically, for example as one. In FIG. 1, the cantilever 130 is a rectangular piece of generally flat material that is bendable under weight such that the frame portion 110 is inclined relative to the base portion 120. By attaching the frame 114 to the distal end 134 of the cantilever 130 (away from the attachment of the cantilever 130 to the head of the tilter 124), the chair has a sufficient weight applied to the frame portion 110. It is designed to be tilted backwards (by the person sitting inclined backwards on the chair) backwards (towards the comfort position). For the cantilever 130 of FIG. 1, the proximal end is generally referred to as the front facing end 132 of the chair and the distal end is generally referred to as the rear facing end 134 of the chair (of these terms) Although a person skilled in the art will understand that a particular orientation is optional and that the terms are used to describe any two opposing ends of the part). Although various materials are suitable for making cantilevers, suitable materials for FIG. 1 are metals, in particular aluminum, iron or steel. Those skilled in the art can select a particular grade of material, the material thickness of which is determined by the weight of the person sitting in the chair 100, the weight of the frame portion 110, the amount of inclination, the length of the cantilever 130, and the design of the chair. It is necessary to achieve a certain amount of tilt based on various factors, including but not limited to. Further, while the front of the chair 100 is generally referred to herein as the proximal end and the rear of the chair 100 is generally referred to as the distal end, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the term proximal and distal specific orientations are arbitrary and that the chair ( It is understood that it is used to describe any two opposing ends of the part of 100).

The locking device 140 of FIG. 1 consists of one or more brackets 150, a body 142, an arm 144, a handle 146, and a block 148. The bracket 150 of FIG. 1 is clipped or otherwise secured to the tilter 124 and the body 142 can slide forward (proximal direction) and rearward (distal direction) relative to the tilter 124. Is slidably connected to the body 142 of the locking device. Bracket 150 of FIG. 1 is generally secured in place, while also optionally providing sufficient frictional reluctance to movement of body 142 to prevent locking device 140 from inadvertently sliding away from its locking position. to provide. The block 148 of FIG. 1 is connected to the distal end of the body 142 and when the locking device 140 is positioned in the locking position (block 148 supports the distal end 134 of the cantilever 130 Resisting bending of the cantilever downward] generally prevents the frame portion 110 from tilting relative to the base portion 120. In FIG. 1, block 148 is a support segment that is the approximate height of the gap between the tilter body 126 and the unbent cantilever 130. Thus, when the locking device 140 of FIG. 1 is in its locking position (relative to block 148 in the proximal position wedge fixed between the cantilever 130 and the tilter 126), the block 148 is framed. The distal end 134 of the cantilever 130, which is aligned approximately with the 114 and the shaft 125, and resists downward bending that permits backward tilting of the frame portion 110 with respect to the base portion 120 of the chair. Fully support In FIG. 1, the arm 144 is connected to the proximal end of the body 142 and extends outward from below the seat 112. Suitably, arm 144 extends outward from the front of seat 112, but those skilled in the art understand that chair 100 is formed such that arm 144 extends from either the side or the back of seat 112. Doing. Regardless of its position, the arm 144 of FIG. 1 is arbitrarily fitted to the handle 146 to facilitate the user's easy operation of the locking device 140 between the locked and unlocked positions. Although not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, block 148 may also be formed with at least one pad 149 on its upper and / or lower surface. The pad 149 is usually made of a softer material than the material used for the tilter 124 and / or the frame 114, so that the block 148 is scratched or marked from the tilter 124 and / or the frame 114. Prevents me from flying Optionally, the pad can also be made of a material having a higher coefficient of friction to secure the block in its locking position. In one embodiment, pad 149 is a polymeric material, such as polypropylene, polyester, or polyurethane.

1, 3, 4, 7 and 8 show various views of the locking device 140 in the unlocked position. In the unlocked position, the handle 146 can be positioned relatively close to the tilter 124 and hidden under the seat 112. In addition, block 148 is positioned away from the proximal portion of frame 114 and tilter 124 when the block 148 is in the unlocked position so that block 148 does not interfere with the tilting movement of frame portion 110. On the other hand, in the unlocked position, the block 148 does not contact at least one of the cantilever 130 or the tilter 124, so that the moving range of the cantilever 130 (downward bending) is not limited by the block 148. Do not. Thus, when the locking device 140 is in an unsecured position, the person sitting on the chair 100 leans back and the frame portion 110 with respect to the base portion 120 without the locking device 140 which obstructs the inclination. Backward or downward pressure may also be applied at the back of the seat 112 to tilt it.

When a person sitting on the chair 100 of FIG. 1 wants to prevent the chair 100 from tilting, the person unlocks the locking device 140 by operating the locking device 140 forward. Change from position to locking position. In particular, the person pulls the handle 146 forward (in the near direction) so that the arm 144 also moves forward. As the arm 144 moves forward, the body 142 of the locking device slides forward through the bracket 150 and pulls the block 148 to a position between the frame 114 and the tilter 124. In other words, block 148 of FIG. 1 is such that the range of motion of cantilever 130 is limited (interfering the ability of distal end 134 to bend downward), and cantilever 130 and tilter body 124. ) Contact with everyone. In general, the person sitting on the chair 100 will not lean back in such an operation or otherwise provide a back or downward pressure on the back of the seat 112. In some cases, the person sitting on the chair 100 leans forward or otherwise rests on the back of the seat 112 relative to the locking device 140 to fully operate the locking device 140 in the unlocked position. It may also be possible to provide forward or upward pressure.

2, 5, 6, 9 and 10 show various views of the locking device 140 in the locked position. In the locked position, the handle 146 is positioned relatively far away from the tilter 124 and generally projects from below the chair 100 (see FIG. 6). Also, by placing block 148 of FIG. 2 between frame 114 and tilter 124, block 148 secures the cantilever 130 by vertically securing distal end 134 of the cantilever to the base portion. ), So that the distal end 134 cannot be bent downward. Thus, in its locked position, even when a person sitting on the chair 100 leans back or otherwise provides a back or downward pressure on the back of the seat 112, the locking device 140 may be frame part 110. The inclination against this base portion 120 is limited.

When a person sitting on the chair 100 wants to tilt the chair 100, the person moves the locking device 140 from the locking position to the unlocked position by operating the locking device 140 backward. Change. In particular, the person pulls the handle 146 backwards so that the arm 144 also moves backwards. As the arm 144 moves backwards, the body 142 slides backward through the bracket 150, pushing the block 148 away from between the frame 114 and the tilter 124. In general, in such an operation, the person sitting on the chair 100 will not lean back, or otherwise provide a back or downward pressure on the back of the seat 112. In some cases, a person sitting on the chair 100 leans forward or otherwise climbs the seat 112 relative to the locking device 140 to initiate operation of the locking device 140 toward the unlocking position. It may also be possible to provide forward or upward pressure on the bed.

11-15 show a detailed view of the locking device 140. 11 and 12 illustrate a block 148, a body 142, an arm 144, and a handle 146 of the locking device 140. The block 148 is located on the rear side of the body 142 and may include a hole (not shown) for inserting a pad 149 (see FIGS. 3-6) into the block 148. The body 142 may be angled with respect to a horizontal plane such that the locking device 140 may be generally parallel to the surface of the tilter 124 when the locking device 140 is installed on the base portion 120. Such configuration improves the aesthetic appearance of the chair 100 by reducing the appearance of the locking device 140. In addition, the arm 144 may be generally horizontal so that a person does not come into contact with the seat 112 when operating the arm 144 between a locked position and an unlocked position. The handle 146 is attached to the end of the arm 144 and may be angled upward to improve the ergonomic and / or operability of the locking device 140. If necessary, a decorative logo or instructions for operating the locking device 140 may be printed or placed on the front surface of the handle 146. Optionally, the handle can be padded for ergonomic improvement.

13 to 15 show the bracket 150 of the locking device 140. In the drawings, the bracket 150 connects the rest of the locking device 140 to the tilter 124 and includes a plurality of clips 152, a lower guide 154, and an upper guide 156. do. The clips 152 have a shape surrounding the lower and side portions of the tilter 124, thus fixing the bracket 150 to the tilter 124. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the bracket 150 does not necessarily clip clip the tilter 124. Rather, the bracket 150 may be any of the frame portion 110, the base portion 120, the cantilever 130, or any of the three, using any suitable attachment means such as screws, bolts, welding, and / or adhesives. It can be connected to the combination part of. The lower guide 154 is formed to coincide with the upper surface of the tilter 124 and is positioned below the body 142 to act as a lower support for the body 142. In one embodiment, the body 142 slides across at least a portion of the upper surface of the lower guide 154. The upper guide 156 acts as a guide for the upper surface of the body 142 such that the body 142 is positioned below at least a portion of the upper guide 156. In one embodiment, the body 142 slides through the bracket 150 by sliding across at least a portion of the lower surface of the upper guide 156. If necessary, the bracket 150 may additionally have a shape having lower guides 154 or upper guides 156. Therefore, the bracket 150 of such a shape can act to fix the locking device 140 in place horizontally and vertically, and can slide the body 142 from the locking position to the unlocking position.

16-22 illustrate alternative embodiments of Casual Control Tilt Lockout. An alternative embodiment of the locking device 140 is similar to the previous embodiment of the locking device 140 except that the locking device 140 includes a plurality of fingers 160 instead of the bracket 150. As shown in FIG. 22, the finger 160 is located on both sides of the body 142 as well as on the top and bottom surfaces of the body 142. If desired, locking device 140 may be configured with more fingers than shown in the figure. When the locking device 140 is installed on the chair 100, the fingers 160 extend above and below each cantilever 130 and hold the locking device 140 located between the cantilevers 130. Finger 160 also allows locking device 140 to slide back and forth along cantilever 130. The travel of the locking device 140 along the cantilever 130 is limited in the forward direction by the head 127 of the tilter 124 and in the backward direction by the frame 114. Preferably, an alternative embodiment of the locking device 140 is such that the locking device 140 is in the locked position when the finger 160 contacts the head 127 and the locking device (when the finger contacts the frame 114). 140 is configured to be in the unlocked position. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the locking device 140 is in the unlocked position when the finger contacts the head 127 and the locking device when the finger 160 contacts the frame 114. It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments of the locking device 140 can be configured such that is in the locked position.

The various components shown and described herein can be made from any type of material and can be manufactured by any acceptable method. For example, various parts may be made of wood, metal, plastic, other materials, or a combination thereof. The parts can be made by milling, casting, forging, extrusion, any other manufacturing method, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the parts are aluminum and are made by a diecasting method. One method of die casting aluminum parts is disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,772,821 to Fulton et al., Entitled “System for Manufacturing Die Casting,” incorporated by reference as if reproduced in its entirety. And while the locking device described generally provides a single forward locking position, the invention is not so limited. Rather, the locking device may provide locking positions at various tilts (preventing additional rear tilting past a given locking position), or may allow for various locking positions. By way of non-limiting example, the block may be an angled wedge or a series of extended supports of varying heights such that, depending on the position of the arm (hence the height of the support block element in contact with the cantilever), the chair may be in multiple positions. Can be locked.

While many preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, variations thereof can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and teaching of the present invention. The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to be limiting. Many variations, combinations and modifications of the disclosed invention are possible and within the scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention is not limited by the above description, but is defined by the following claims, which include equivalents to all aspects of the claims.

1 is a side view of a chair of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in an unlocked position.

2 is a side view of a chair of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

3 is a top view of a chair of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in an unlocked position.

4 is a side view of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in an unlocked position.

5 is a plan view of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

6 is a side view of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

7 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the casual control tilt lockout in the unlocked position.

8 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the casual control tilt lockout in the unlocked position.

9 is a top rear side perspective view of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

10 is a perspective view of the top angle of an embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

11 is a plan view of an embodiment of a locking device of the casual control tilt lockout.

12 is a side and partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a locking device of the casual control tilt lockout taken along line 12-12 of FIG.

13 is a plan view of an embodiment of a bracket of casual control tilt lockout.

14 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a bracket of casual control tilt lockout taken along line 14-14 of FIG.

15 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a bracket of casual control tilt lockout taken along line 15-15 of FIG.

16 is a top view of another embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in an unlocked position.

17 is a side view of another embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in an unlocked position.

18 is a top view of another embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

19 is a side view of another embodiment of a casual control tilt lockout in a locked position.

20 is a plan view of another embodiment of a locking device of the casual control tilt lockout.

FIG. 21 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of the locking device of the casual control tilt lockout taken along line 21-21 of FIG. 20; FIG.

22 is a rear view of another embodiment of a locking device of the casual control tilt lockout.

Claims (20)

A cantilever having a distal end and a proximal end; A frame portion coupled to the distal end; A base portion coupled to the proximal end; A locking device coupled to the frame portion, the base portion, or the cantilever; The locking device has a locking position and an unlocking position, and the locking device limits the inclination of the frame portion with respect to the base portion when in the locking position. The method of claim 1, In the locked position, the locking device supports the distal end of the cantilever. The method of claim 1, And the cantilever is flexible to bend such that the frame portion is inclined relative to the base portion. The method of claim 3, wherein In the locked position, the locking device limits the downward deflection of the cantilever. The method of claim 1, The locking device, A body having a proximal end and a distal end; An arm fixed to the proximal end; And And a block fixed to the distal end. The method of claim 5, wherein The block is in contact with the cantilever and the base portion. The method of claim 5, wherein The locking device further comprises a bracket attaching the body to the frame portion, the cantilever, or the base portion, The body is operable to slide through the bracket. The method of claim 5, wherein And the locking device further comprises a plurality of fingers sliding along the cantilever. The method of claim 1, The base portion is A base for supporting the article of furniture on the ground, And a tilter coupled to the base such that the tilter rotates about the base. Base portion; A frame portion coupled to the base portion such that the frame portion is operable to tilt relative to the base portion; And A locking device having a locking position and an unlocking position, The locking device stays between the frame portion and the base portion when in the locking position to prevent the frame portion from tilting with respect to the base portion; The locking device is operable to tilt the frame portion relative to the base portion when in the unlocked position. The method of claim 10, And a cantilever having a proximal end coupled to the base portion and a distal end coupled to the frame portion. The method of claim 10, And the locking device includes a plurality of fingers sliding along the cantilever. The method of claim 10, The locking device A body having a proximal end and a distal end; An arm attached to the proximal end; And And a block attached to the distal end. The method of claim 13, The locking device further includes a bracket attaching the body to the frame portion or the base portion, And the body is operable to slide relative to the bracket. Base; A tilter coupled to the base such that the tilter rotates with respect to the base; A cantilever having a proximal end and a distal end coupled to the tilter; A frame supporting a sheet and coupled to the distal end; And And a locking device having a locking position and an unlocking position, the locking device being coupled to the tilter, the cantilever, or the frame. The method of claim 15, The sheet is operable to tilt relative to the base; When the locking device is in the locking position, the locking device prevents the seat from tilting with respect to the base; The seat tilts freely relative to the base when the locking device is in the unlocked position. The method of claim 15, The cantilever is flexible and the cantilever allows the seat to tilt with respect to the base. The method of claim 15, The locking device A body having a proximal end and a distal end; An arm attached to the proximal end; And And a block attached to said distal end. The method of claim 18, The locking device further comprises a bracket attaching the body to the frame portion, the cantilever, or the base portion, And the body is operable to slide through the bracket. The method of claim 18, And the locking device further comprises a plurality of fingers sliding along the cantilever.

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