KR20210015185A - Ergonomic office chair with improved performance - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ergonomic office chair (10) with an improved performance, which comprises four bar connection mechanisms. A frame (100) includes a rigid front surface support unit (130), and a rigid rear surface support unit (120) whose seat (30) is pivotably connected to the front surface support unit (130). Back support assemblies (20, 200) have an upper support unit pivotably connected to an upper end unit of the rear surface support unit (120) of the frame. A linkage member is pivotably connected to the rear surface support unit (120) of a seat member on a first end unit, and is connected to a lower support unit of the back support on a second end unit. Such novel arrangement allows the leaning movement of the back support toward a rear surface against a lower frame member serves as the cause for the elevation of the rear surface part of the seat member, to make the feet left on the floor, and to reduce the pressure on the thighs of the user. However, the rotation in general occurs to be equal to the pivot shaft supporting the buttocks of the user while keeping a uniform gaze line.

Description

Ergonomic office chair with improved performance}

The present invention generally relates to a chair in a form suitable for use in an office environment, and more particularly, a number of ergonomics and office comfort with various structural and operational characteristics that provide other excellent advantages compared to the conventional technology. It relates to a reclining office chair.

For decades, design of a chair for use in an office environment that is comfortable in use and does not cause fatigue to users even for long periods of use has been attempted. In one simple form, the chair may be provided with a swivel base for easy rotation, and may include a control mechanism that allows the chair to rock.

The disadvantage of such a relatively simple chair is that the combined rocking movement of the chair's seat and back causes the user's feet to naturally lift from the floor, which can cause stability problems. , It is possible to place an upward force on the front of the user's thigh, which can reduce blood flow in the user's leg.

In order to improve the structure of the conventional chair mentioned above, a chair control provided for synchronous movement of the seat and the back of the chair has been disclosed. Where office chairs are concerned, “synchronous movement” means an arrangement of associated or independent back adjustments and seat adjustments, i.e. the adjustment of the back tilt is essentially the seat It can also be a result of the adjustment of the surface. An example of concurrent chair control is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,318,345 registered to Olson and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. With the Olson control described above, the chair back is created to tilt at a predetermined rate of recline, and the seats are tilted simultaneously at a smaller rate. Thus, the user's feet are inaudible from the floor when the backrest is reclined. In addition, the blood flow of the user's leg is not disturbed by the substantial upward movement of the front end of the seat. Another advantage of this control is that undesirable “shirt pull” is minimized by the strategic location of the warp axis. Other examples of co-moving chair controls are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,366,274 and 5,860,701, to mention a few.

In U.S. Patent No. 6,125,521 it is preferably disclosed to provide a chair with a seat and backrest that generally pivots about the axis of a user's hip joint. However, the disadvantage of such a chair is that when the backrest of the chair is reclined, the rear portion of the seat is also inclined downward, and the gaze angle of the user is changed.

Furthermore, in such a chair, the armrest is also inclined together with the chair back, and thus the user's arm is positioned away from the work surface. In U.S. Patent No. 5,979,984, the seat is arranged to slide back and forth, and the rear portion of the seat moves downward as the backrest is reclined.

Another embodied feature of the recently created office chair that offers significant ergonomics is the tilt limiter for the chair back. With this mechanism installed in the chair control, the user can selectively set the degree of reclining of the backrest at a predetermined angle, so comfort is added as the chair is used. An example of such a tilt limiter mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,102,477 registered to Kurtz and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. This special mechanism has the advantage of providing for an infinitely variable tilt angle within a predetermined full range. This mechanism can also be manufactured very cost-effectively.

However, another feature of the currently ergonomically created chair is the provision of arm pads with adjustable height and pivot. This feature has a special advantage of providing additional support for arms, forearms, wrists and shoulders to the user in order to minimize repetitive stress injuries, for example when the user works on the keyboard while sitting in a chair. An example of such an adjustable arm pad using a gas cylinder is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,908,221 to Neil.

Other features of current ergonomically created office chairs include an adjustable lumbar support mechanism to provide preselected chair back tension within the user's lower back. The adjustable lumbar support allows the chair user to select a comfortable level of pressure on the lower back according to the specific task to be performed. Such a mechanism is disclosed, for example, in US 5,797,652.

Another characteristic of certain ergonomically created office chairs, especially recent products, is the inclusion of a fabric mesh in the structure of the chair seat or/and backrest. Such a material provides on the surface the advantages of enhanced air circulation for the human body of the chair user and the resulting heat transfer from the human body, which can improve the comfort of the chair. An example of the use of such a woven net for office chairs is disclosed in the aforementioned US Patent No. 6,125,521 to Stumpf et al.

Other features of ergonomically created specific chairs are the possibility of effective heat transfer from the hips of the chair user, and a seat cushion that has the possibility of providing adequate support and comfort to the user while sitting. Is to do. Known seat cushions with this possibility may include passive or active airflow circulation features of the type disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,179,706.

1 is a perspective view showing an ergonomic chair including all of the improved module components manufactured according to the principles of the present invention from the front left side
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view
Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing in more detail the central support module of the present invention
Figure 4a is a left side view showing the assembled chair of Figure 1
4B is a right side view showing the assembled chair of FIG. 1
5 is a front view
6 is a rear view
7 is a plan view
7A is a partial plan view showing a chair seat from which the cushion assembly has been removed
Figure 8 is a bottom view showing the assembled chair of Figure 1
9 is a bottom view from which the chair base is removed
Fig. 10 is a partial left side view showing the chair in a completely vertical position
Fig. 10a is a schematic side view showing a preferred dimensional relationship between chair components with a chair back in a fully vertical position;
11 is a partial left side view showing the chair in a partially reclined position
12 is a partial left side view showing the chair in a fully reclined position
12A is a schematic side view showing the preferred dimensional relationship between chair components when the chair back is in a fully reclined position.
13 is a schematic side view showing a linkage arrangement of a chair
14 is a schematic side view showing the kinematics of a chair
15 is a perspective view showing a preferred chair back assembly of the present invention
Figure 16a is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred chair back assembly of the present invention
16B is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a backrest frame without a backrest
Figure 17 is a perspective view of a chair back assembly showing the adjustability of the preferred shape of the adjustable lumbar support.
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 18-18 of FIG. 15
19 is an enlarged view showing a circular portion of FIG. 18
FIG. 20 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a relationship between a waist member of a mesh carrier substantially taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 15;
Figure 21a is an enlarged view showing one form of a mesh arrangement for use in the present invention
Figure 21b is an enlarged front view showing a second preferred embodiment of the mesh arrangement for use in the present invention
21C is an enlarged rear view showing the mesh of FIG. 21B
22 is an enlarged exploded view showing a form of a mesh assembly on a carrier
FIG. 23 is a view similar to FIG. 22 showing an adhesive attachment method for binding a mesh to a carrier
Fig. 24 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing a carrier installed on top of a backrest frame
Fig. 25 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view showing the carrier installed in the lower part of the backrest frame
26 is an enlarged partial bottom view showing some details of the inclination limiting mechanism with the base, arm, and seat removed for convenience of understanding
Fig. 26a is a cross-sectional view taken along line 26a-26a of Fig. 26, showing more clearly details of the link and the tilt limiting mechanism
Fig. 27 is an enlarged perspective view of the bottom showing in more detail the tilt limit mechanism
28 is an enlarged perspective view showing a stop plate of the tilt limiting mechanism
Fig. 29 is a top perspective view showing a seat plate
30 is a cross-sectional view of the sheet plate taken along line 30-30 in FIG. 29
31A is an exploded perspective view of an assembly seat plate and a seat pan upward
31B is an exploded perspective view of an assembly seat pan and a seat plate downward
Figure 32 is an exploded perspective view showing a preferred seat cushion assembly of the present invention
33 is a front view showing a preferred form of an arm assembly for use in the present invention
FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred arm assembly taken along lines 34-34 of FIG. 33
FIG. 35 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the arm assembly in which the armrest is in a locked position as shown in the dotted circular portion of FIG. 34;
Fig. 36 is an elevation view of a guide tube
FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line 37-37 in FIG. 36
FIG. 38 is a front cross-sectional view taken along line 38-38 in FIG. 36
FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line 39-39 in FIG. 36
40 is an enlarged isometric view showing the top of the guide tube and the activator nut
41 is an enlarged front view of a rod
Figure 42 is a perspective view looking down the armrest base
43 is a perspective view looking up at the armrest base
FIG. 44 is a front cross-sectional view taken along line 44-44 of FIG. 42
45 is a top plan view of the cap
46 is a front view of the cab
47 is a bottom plan view of the cap
48 is an enlarged perspective view of a lever
FIG. 49 is a cross-sectional plan view taken along line 49-49 of FIG. 33 showing the armrest in the locked position.
FIG. 50 is a view similar to FIG. 49 except that the armrest is in a non-locked position.
51 is a perspective view showing another ergonomic chair manufactured including all of the principles of the present invention and the improved module components from the front left side
52 is a perspective view showing the chair shown in FIG. 51 from the front right side
FIG. 53 is an enlarged perspective view showing the chair shown in FIG. 51
54 is a right side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
55 is a left side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
56 is a front view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
57 is a rear view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
58 is a plan view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
59 is a bottom view of the chair shown in FIG. 51
60 is a bottom view of the chair base removed and shown as in FIG. 59
61 is a partial plan view showing the seat of the chair shown in FIG. 51 with the cushion removed
FIG. 62 is a partial left side view showing the chair shown in FIG. 51 and in a fully vertical position
FIG. 63 is a schematic side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51 showing the preferred dimensional relationships between chair components with a chair back in a fully vertical position
FIG. 64 is a partial left side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51 in a partially reclined position
FIG. 65 is a partial left side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51 in a fully reclined position
FIG. 66 is a schematic side view of the chair shown in FIG. 51 showing the preferred dimensional relationships between chair components when the chair back is in a fully reclined position.
Figure 67 is a schematic side view of the chair shown in Figure 51 showing the linkage arrangement of the chair
Figure 68 is a schematic side view of the chair shown in Figure 51 showing the kinematics of the chair

The present invention includes simple but improved functional and aesthetic characteristics in all areas of the chair module structure, and in use, simultaneous tilting of the backrest and seat, tilt limit control, individual chair adjustment, armrest adjustment, adjustable waist support, cushion It is to provide an entirely redesigned ergonomic chair that includes airflow, net attachment, and modular baseframe assembly.

The various subfeatures of these various components are the subject of the following individual patent applications, all of which are assigned in common, and all disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Multi-position tilting limiting mechanism

U.S. Application No. 09/882,500, filing date 2001615

Locking device for the chair seat leveling mechanism

U.S. Application No. 09/881,896, filing date 2001615 and

Adjustable chair seat locking mechanism

Serial Application No. 10/077,313, filing date 2002215

Height and pivot adjustable chair arm

U.S. Application No. 09/881,818, filing date 2001615 and

Vertical and horizontal adjustable chair armrest

Serial Application No. 10/077,073, filing date 2002215

Lumbar Support for a Chair

U.S. Application No. 09/881,795, filing date 2001615

Body Support Member

U.S. Application No. 09/882,503, filing date 2001615

Chair Back Construction

U.S. Application No. 09/882,140, filing date 2001615 and

Chair back structure

Serial Application No. 10/077,540, filing date 2002215

Chair of Modular Construction

U.S. Application No. 09/881,897, filing date 2001615

In each of these cases, the features are combined to provide an overall chair that is significantly improved over the prior art.

Thus, for example, the present invention is a reclining chair having a four bar linkage system that causes the rear portion of the seat to rise while the backrest provides a special and comfortable balance while reclining. (reclining chair) is provided. A very simple and economical tilt limit control conveniently and effectively limits the angle of inclination of the chair back to one of several base positions by manual movement of the lever. The horizontal position of such a seat cushion can be implemented by the use of a simple but secure locking device that allows the chair user to select a preferred horizontal seat cushion position. The arms of the height and pivotable chair can be adjusted simply and reliably with the push of a button or simple rotation providing convenient adjustment to suit a particular task. The lumbar support can be easily adjusted in height by providing tension to the backrest frame, and no screws or adjustment knobs are required in the adjustment mechanism, and the user's back is directly You can do that without contact. The modular cushion seat includes a uniquely ventilated gel layer and a comfortable thermal air flow layer for air circulation, stress and pressure management.

The back of the chair has a fabric mesh structure and includes a new attachment system for superior convenience. The base and back of the chair is a modular structure that facilitates assembly and gives rigidity to the chair structure, and the open skeletal frame structure adds aesthetic appeal and represents the simplicity of the chair structure.

The main object of the present invention is characterized in that substantially all weight and bulk users can be continuously balanced in a chair at a specific selected reclining position, thus enhancing “comfort” and “suitability”. It is to provide a reclinable chair. The present invention is ergonomic with four bar connection arrangement, characterized in that the lower frame member is provided with a rigid front support and a rigid rear support having a seat member pivotally connected to the front support. It is improved over the conventional technology by providing a chair. The backrest has a first pivot point connected at the upper end of the rear support of the lower frame member. The link member is pivotally connected to the rear support of the seat member at a first end, and at a second end to a second lower pivot point on the backrest. This new arrangement allows the feet to be in contact with the floor, relieves pressure on the user's thighs, and causes the rear portion of the seat member to rise at the same time, causing the tilting movement of the backrest relative to the lower frame member to move backward. To allow. This is generally done by a linkage mechanism that generates an instantaneous rotation axis of the seat and backrest on the user's hip, and the movement of the seat and backrest causes undesirable “shirt pull”. Decrease. In addition, this arrangement is more responsive to the user and provides accurate back support through tilting.

The above-described features and advantages of the present invention, as well as other novel features and advantages, will be better understood by the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings.

10: chair 20: back
30: seat 40: armrest assembly

Claims (40)

With a base (15),
A gas cylinder (17) attached to the base (15),
A frame 100 having an aperture 131 at the pivot point P30 and an aperture 121 at the pivot point P20 and rigidly attached to the gas cylinder 17,
A sheet mounted on the frame 100 so as to be pivotable only around the hole 131 of the pivot point P30 and having a rear end 333 including a pivot point P32 A sheet (seat, 30) comprising an assembly (seat assembly, 300),
It includes a back 200 including a backrest assembly 200 that is movable between a vertical position and an inclined position and disposed vertically, the backrest assembly 200 comprising an upper portion and a lower portion and Has a middle part,
The upper part and the middle part are for supporting the backrest, the lower part is attached to the pivot point P34 and the middle part is rotatably connected to the hole 121 of the pivot point P20, With the back (200) and,
The pivot point (P32) and the pivot point (P34) is mounted to be pivotable, and the pivot when the backrest assembly 200 is in the vertical position rather than when the backrest assembly 200 is in the inclined position. A chair having a back (back, 20) and a seat (seat, 30), characterized in that it comprises a link member (link member, 64, 216) having a larger height between the point P32 and the pivot point P34. chair, 10) The method according to claim 1, wherein the frame (10) comprising a floor support member (60) and a seat rest (62) in the pivot portion (P20, P30, P32, P34). The seat assembly (300), the backrest assembly (200) including a back rest (66) and the connecting member (64) is a four-bar mechanism (four-bar mechanism) The increased portion of the user's weight supported by the chair 10 while the backrest assembly 200 is reclined from the seat assembly 300 to the backrest assembly 200 Chair (10) characterized in that it is transmitted The seat assembly (300) of claim 1, wherein the link member (216) is at a position below the connection position of the connection member (216) connected to the backrest assembly (200) at a pivot point (P34). Chair (10), characterized in that connected to the rear end (333) of the The chair (100) according to claim 1, wherein a front support (130) of the frame (100) extends upwardly of the frame (100). The chair (100) according to claim 1, wherein a rear support (120) of the frame (100) extends downwardly of the frame (100). According to claim 1, wherein the frame (100) is connected to the opposite ends (104) of the mounting section (101) and forms the front support (130) and the rear support (120), a pair of Chair (10), characterized in that it comprises a support member (110) spaced apart Chair (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the mounting section (101) comprises means for connecting to the base (15) of the chair (10) The method of claim 6, wherein the backrest assembly 200 comprises a skeletal frame having a pair of spaced uprights 201, and a pivot point (P20) at the end of the rear support 120 Chair (10), characterized in that it comprises a lower transverse member (208) having an outer end (210) pivotally connected to the aperture (121) of The method of claim 8, wherein the carrier (220) is attached to the pair of spaced apart vertical members (201) and the lower transverse member (208), wherein the carrier (220) is attached to the fabric net (290) Chair (10), characterized in that it comprises a The lumbar member 250 according to claim 9, which is disposed on a skeletal frame and is disposed horizontally across the back of the carrier 220 at the waist of the user's back. In addition, the waist member 250 is a chair 10, characterized in that it is configured to provide a desired pressure location for supporting the user's back. The chair (10) according to claim 10, wherein the lumbar member (250) is height adjustable regardless of the inclination of the backrest assembly (200). The skeletal frame of claim 1, wherein the backrest assembly 200 is mounted on a skeletal frame to provide a support conforming to the user's back when the chair is in any tilted position. Chair (10), characterized in that it includes a mesh fabric (290) of an elastic material disposed in a carrier (carrier, 220) The seat pan of claim 1, wherein the seat assembly (300) includes a seat cushion assembly (500) and can independently move in a horizontal direction relative to the back support assembly (200). (Seat pan, 301), characterized in that the user can configure the seat assembly 300 in a desired position with respect to the backrest assembly 200 for greater comfort. The method of claim 1, wherein the frame 100 includes a mounting section 101, a pair of spaced apart front support portions 130 supported by the installation section 101 and extending forward, And the chair (10), characterized in that it comprises a pair of spaced rear support portions (120) that are supported by the installation section (101) and extend rearwardly to support the backrest assembly (200). 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the front support portion 130 and the rear support portion 120 of each of the seats comprise a single support member (110) fixedly coupled to the installation section (101). Chair(10) The chair (10) according to claim 1, wherein the chair (10) further comprises a pair of height-adjustable armrest assemblies (40) on the left and right sides of the chair (10). The chair (10) according to claim 1, wherein the seat assembly (300) is inclined downward toward the rear of the chair (10) when the backrest (20) is in a completely vertical position. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein in a fully vertical position of the backrest assembly (200), the seat assembly (300) is tilted rearward of the chair (10) at an angle within a range between about 10 to 20 degrees from horizontal. Chair characterized by losing (10) The chair (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that in a fully vertical position of the backrest assembly (200), the seat assembly (300) is inclined to the rear of the chair (10) at an angle of about 157 degrees from the horizontal. 10) 18. The method of claim 17, wherein in a fully vertical position of the backrest assembly (200), the seat assembly (300) is tilted rearward of the chair (10) at an angle within a range between about 6 degrees and 10 degrees from horizontal. Chair characterized by losing (10) The chair (10) according to claim 17, characterized in that in a fully vertical position of the backrest assembly (200), the seat assembly (300) is inclined to the rear of the chair (10) at an angle of about 87 degrees from the horizontal. 10) The chair (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the pivot position (P30) and the pivot position (P32) is in the range of about 10 inches to 15 inches. 23. The chair of claim 22, wherein the distance between the pivot position (P30) and the pivot position (P32) is about 12889 inches. The chair (10) according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal distance between the pivot position (P30) and the pivot position (P20) is within a range of about 12 inches to 17 inches. 25. A chair (10) according to claim 24, characterized in that the horizontal distance between the pivot position (P30) and the pivot position (P20) is about 145 inches. The chair (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the pivot position (P32) and the pivot position (P34) is within a range of between about 15 inches and 25 inches. 28. A chair (10) according to claim 26, characterized in that the distance between the pivot position (P32) and the pivot position (P34) is about 201 inches. The chair (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the pivot position (P20) and the pivot position (P34) is in the range of about 3 inches to 6 inches. 29. The chair of claim 28, wherein the distance between the pivot position (P20) and the pivot position (P34) is about 47 inches. The backrest assembly (200) according to claim 1, comprising at least one extension spring (75) connected between the rear end (333) of the seat assembly (300) and the backrest assembly (200). The chair (10), characterized in that facing the vertical position Base member,
Sheet member,
No backrest, and
It includes a connection assembly for connecting the seat member and the back member to the base member, wherein the pivot movement of the seat member relative to the back member occurs around a pivot axis aligned in line with the user's hip joint, The connection assembly is a tiltable chair, characterized in that the rear portion of the seat member is raised and at the same time the backrest member is configured and arranged to incline downward and rearward. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the base member extends forwardly, pivotably connected to a front portion of the seat member, and extends upwardly around a hip pivot axis of the user and a rear end positioned above the seat member. Comprising a configured portion, wherein the upwardly extending portion is pivotally connected to a portion of the backrest member, and at least one connecting member is pivotable to a lower portion of the backrest member at a rear portion of the seat member. Connection, and tilting backward by the user causes the tilting movement of the connecting member with respect to the base member so that the seat tilts upward while the backrest is tilted downward and backward. A reclinable chair characterized in that it causes the pivot around the pivot axis. The method of claim 1 or 31, wherein the seat member comprises a rigid seat pan, a foam layer, a plurality of spaced foam risers defining a plenum, and the foam. A reclinable chair comprising a cushion consisting of an assembly of an elastic member over a riser, an air permeable layer over the elastic layer, and a fabric covering the layers. The method of claim 1 or 31, further comprising a pair of armrest assemblies disposed on the base member on opposite side surfaces of the seat member, wherein the armrest assembly comprises the armrest assembly during the inclining process of the chair. A reclinable chair, characterized in that it remains in the same posture regardless of the tilt angle of the seat member or the backrest member The method of claim 34, wherein each of the armrests is rotatable around an axis adjacent to a corresponding lateral edge portion of the back, and the axis is positioned to be aligned with an elbow of a user having a forearm resting on the armrest. A reclinable chair characterized by being The method of claim 31, wherein the back member comprises a skeletal frame to which a carrier is attached, and the carrier has a fabric disposed therein for contact with the user's back. Tiltable chair characterized by The method of claim 1 or 31, further comprising a height adjustable waist member positioned horizontally across the back member at a waist portion of the user's back, wherein the waist member is height adjusted by the user. Reclinable chair, characterized in that it is possible The tiltable chair of claim 34, further comprising a pair of height-adjustable armrests adapted to rotate laterally in a horizontal plane to adjust the angle at which the user's forearm is positioned. The tiltable chair according to claim 1 or 31, further comprising an adjustable tilt limiting means for the user to selectively predetermine the maximum tilting degree of the chair back. A central support base member,
A support member for supporting a pair of spaced seats and backs mounted on the base member,
A sheet member including a seat plate pivotably connected at a front end of a support member supporting the sheet,
A seat pan that is adjustable to slide in a horizontal plane with respect to the seat plate,
A backrest member comprising a pair of spaced apart vertical members having one or more transverse members pivotally connected to the rear end of the support member supporting the backrest, and at least one connecting member having first and second pivot ends And one of the end portions is connected at a pivot point on the backrest vertical member and connected to a rear portion of the seat plate at an opposite end thereof, and the second pivot point is a first connection with the transverse member It is characterized in that the pivot of the end is at a lower position on the resin material than is positioned around the pivot of the second connection end, and the rear seat portion is raised by tilting to the rear of the backrest member. Can chair

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