WO1987006440A1

WO1987006440A1 - Chair arrangement with adjustable calf support member

Info

Publication number: WO1987006440A1
Application number: PCT/NO1987/000028
Authority: WO
Inventors: Arne O. Rykken; So^/ren MEINERT
Original assignee: Rykken + Co. A/S
Priority date: 1986-04-28
Filing date: 1987-04-27
Publication date: 1987-11-05
Also published as: AU7306787A; NO162994C; DK165478B; DK165478C; NO162994B; DK688787A; NO861653L; DK688787D0

Abstract

A chair arrangement, where a chair upper part (32) is pivotable about a vertical axis relative to a chair under part (31), is equipped with a calf support member (32c) which can be adjusted between an active calf support position beyond seat portion (32b) of the chair upper part and an inactive position. The length of the seat portion (22b, 32b) and the combined length of the seat portion and the calf support member (22c, 32c) are respectively step-free regulatable, from a minimal seat length with the calf support member received in an inactive position shielded on the under side of the seat portion to a maximum length with the calf support member arranged in extension of the seat portion. The calf support member and the seat portion being designed in a coherent piece. While said length is regulatable by means of a pair or a set of mutually parallel, longitudinally displaceable support means (41a, 42a, 41b, 42b).

Description

CHAIR ARRANGEMENT WITH ADJUSTABLE CALF SUPPORT

MEMBER

The present invention relates to a chair arrangement equipped with an adjustable calf support member, comprising a chair lower part which supports a chair upper part, where the chair upper part is preferably pivotable about a vertical axis relative to the chair lower part, and where the chair upper part comprises a seat member with associated back portion together with a calf support member adjustable relative to the seat member which can be adjusted between an active calf support position beyond the seat portion and an inactive position arranged on the under-side of the seat portion.

In connection with chairs, especially arm chairs, it is usual to employ a calf support member in the form of a separate footstool. An initial problem with such separate footstools is that they demand extra space in an inactive or unused position. Another problem is. that such separate footstools, when they are in use, must be displaced on the ground gradually as the user of the chair moves or pivots the associated chair. It has been proposed to fasten the calf support member to the chair via a joint connection at the lower front edge portion of the seat member and to pivot the calf support member from a more or less horizontal or obliquely outwards and obliquely downwardly extending, active calf support position beyond the seat portion of the chair upper part to an inactive, vertically extending position along the

^ front edge of the chair lower part. In the active calf support position necessary support means between the chair and the calf support member will to a large degree affect and mar the appearance of the chair, while the 5 calf support member will in itself affect and mar the appearance of the chair in the inactive position of the calf support member, extending vertically downwards. In chairs where the upper part of the chair is able to be freely pivoted about a vertical axis relative

10. to the lower part of the chair, the calf support member must be fastened to the upper part of the chair in its totality, that is to say including necessary support means. Such a construction can involve significant complications for free and unhindered pivoting of the

15 upper part of the chair relative to the lower part of the chair.

With the present invention the aim is a chair arrangement where the calf support member can form a part of the chair, in the active as well as in the 0 inactive leg support position, without essentially affecting the appearance of the chair. In other words the objective is to work in the calf support member into the chair with a minimum space requirement, so that without extra modifications the chair can be shaped into 5 a series of different, aesthetically attractive, relatively slender forms of modern design.

In particular, but not exclusively, the aim is an arrangement which can be employed in connection with chairs where the upper part of the chair can be pivoted 0 about a vertical axis relative to the lower part of the chair.

From FI Laid Open Specification 67,174 and U.S. Patent Specification 2,919,746 a pivotable leg support member is known, which can be pivoted from an inactive position on the under side of the seat of the chair to an active position in front of the chair seat. The chair seat and the leg support constitute a coherent unit. From FR Patent Specification 1,315,414 and U.S.^' Patent Specification 4,515,407 an axially moveable calf support member is known which is physically separate from the seat of the chair and which can provide support at different distances from the chair seat. With the present invention the aim is to be able to support the user in a series of different positions, in a regulatable manner, as required. Thus the objective in certain circumstances is to be able to regulate the length of the chair seat depending for example on the length of the user's thigh, while in other instances the objective is to regulate the combined length of the chair seat and the support member length depending upon for example the length of the user's leg and depending upon whether the foot portion of the user is to be supported wholly or in part. Consequently one aims at users of different sizes (children, adults, the elderly) being able to adapt the length of the chair seat and the length of the chair seat and leg support as required in each individual case.

This is achieved according to the invention in that the length of the seat portion and the combined length of the seat portion and the calf support member are respectively regulatable free of steps, from a minimal seat length with the calf support member received in an inactive position shielded on the under side of the seat portion to a maximum length with the calf support member arranged in ex.tension of the seat portion, the calf support member and the seat portion being designed in a coherent piece, while said length is regulatable by means of a pair or a set of mutually 5 parallel, longitudinally displaceable support means. By being able to regulate according to the invention the length of the seat portion and the combined length of the seat portion and the calf support member step-free between the minimum length and the fCC maximum length, it is possible to support the user in a series of different ways as required for the individual users. In this way one can obtain as required a standard seat length or a specially short or specially long seat length with one and the same chair. Similarly

15 one can obtain with one and the same chair different lengths of the leg support portion or the calf support portion all according to the user's need for support of the foot or calf portions and all according to the length of the user's legs. With the aid of simple means

20 the adjustment mechanism can be shielded in the different use positions of the chair, the calf support member and its adjustment mechanism having a minimal space requirement and thereby can be rendered fairly limited in the height direction, so as to affect the

25 appearance of the chair in the different use positions to a minimal degree.

It is preferred that each support means is formed by a support member which is telescopically displaceable into a stationary or approximately stationary holder 0 member fastened to the seat member and which at the outer end supports a front portion of the calf support member. In this way there can be achieved an especially simple, but at the same time robust and reliable solution. According to a first embodiment of the invention the arrangement is characterised in that the calf support member is formed by a padded, track-shaped portion, braced in the lateral direction, and that the track-shaped portion extends in a loop over one or more equivalently curved guide means fastened to the outer end of support members of the support means, and that the track-shaped portion has its one end running as an extension of the seat portion of the seat member and its opposite end fastened to the under side of the seat member preferably via a length compensating arrangement between the support member and the holder member.

In this way several advantages can be achieved, for example the calf support member can be pushed out to different extents in front of the seat portion, according to need and all according to the length of the leg of the user, without such regulatable adjustment affecting to a substantial degree the general form of the calf support member. In this connection it is advantageous that the track-shaped portion can give effective lateral shielding as it is gradually drawn outwardly from the upper part of the chair the adjustment mechanism of the leg support member, including support means and the like by a simple rolling off of the track-shaped portion relative to the adjustment mechanism.

Further features of the invention will be evident from the following description having regard to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 and 2 show the arrangement according to the invention in connection with an arm chair, the chair under part of which is provided with four legs, illustrated with the calf support member in inactive and active positions. 6 Fig. 3 and 4 show the arrangement according to the invention in connection with an arm chair, the chair upper part of which is pivotably mounted about a vertical axis relative to the chair under part, illustrated with the calf support member in inactive and active positions.

Fig. 5 and 6 show schematically and in perspective the arrangement in a first, simple, manually driven construction, illustrated with the calf support member ■* 0 in inactive and active positions.

Fig. 7 and 8 show the same as shown in Fig. 5 and 6, illustrated in vertical section.

Fig. 9 shows in vertical section a detail in the calf support member. ή Fig. 10 and 11 show schematically and in perspective the arrangement in a second motor-driven construction, illustrated with the calf support member in inactive and active positions.

In Fig. 1 and 2 there is shown an arm chair 20 2₀ having a chair lower part 21 which is rigidly connected to a chair upper part- 22 in the usual manner. The chair under part comprises two parallel, inverted U-shaped, laminated bow members 21a,21b which together form four legs of the chair and which are connected to each other _. 25 via a transverse chair border. In the drawing there is only shown one side piece 21c of the border, which is illustrated rigidly connected to the associated bow member 21a. The chair upper part comprises a back member 22a which is rigidly connected to a seat member 3₀ 22b which in turn is connected to a calf support member 22c.

Alternatively the back member and the seat member can be jointedly connected to each other in a manner known per se, so that the back member can be adjusted 35 into various angular positions relative to the seat member. Furthermore the chair upper part can be jointedly connected to the chair lower part in a manner known per se, so that the seat member and the back member can be adjusted into various angular positions relative to each other and relative to the chair under part.

In Fig. 3 and 4 there is shown an arm chair 30 with a chair under part 31 which supports a chair upper part 32 pivotably mounted about a vertical axis on a supporting column 33 (Fig. 4) in a manner known per se. The chair under part 31 is provided with a U-shaped bow member 31a which is carried by the supporting column 33 at the middle of the central web of the bow member and which supports arm rests 31b and 31c at Qpposite ends of leg ends of the U shape. The chair upper part 32 can be designed similarly as described for the chair upper part 22, that is to say comprising a back portion 32a, a seat portion 32b and a leg support portion 32c in connected association. In Fig. 5-8 the chair under part is excluded in the drawing for the sake of clarity, while the chair upper part is shown schematically in the form of a track-shaped material 40a, which passes continuously from the back member via the seat member to the calf support member and with certain parts broken away for the sake of clarity. The support means for the calf support member consist in the illustrated embodiment of a rigid rectangular frame 41, a displaceable bow portion 42 with a pair of mutually opposite guide rollers 43 from which an associated handle 44 projects laterally outwards on each side of the calf support member. Alternatively there can be employed instead of the two guide rollers shown three or more guide rollers in a row or a continuous guide roll. The rectangular frame 41 comprises two duct-shaped holder members 41a and 41b with duct openings directed towards each other, where the holder members are mutually braced via transverse bracing members 41c and 41d. The bow portion 42 comprises two support members 42a and 42b which at the outer end are connected to each other by means of a transverse bracing member 42c. The support members 42a and 42b are axially displaceable in their respective holder members 41a and 41b, as is shown in Fig. 5 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment there are shown rectilinear holder members and rectilinear support members, so that the guide rollers can be displaced in a straight line between an inactive position as shown in Fig. 5 and an active position as shown in Fig. 6. In the illustrated embodiment the adjustment mechanism is shown running parallel to the seat portion of the upper part of the chair, which inpractice has most often a somewhat rearwardly inclined form. For the calf support member to have an inclination of outwardly and downwardly directed form relative to the seat member, the rectangular frame 41 can be correspondingly obliquely disposed relative to the seat portion. Alternatively or in addition the holder members and the support members can have a form curved in the longitudinal direction, so that the guide rollers are also pushed downwards at the same time as they are pushed outwards. In this way at the same time as the guide rollers are displaced a regulatable length beyond the seat portion, the guide rollers can also be displaced to a greater degree to regulatable heights relative to the seat portion.

In Fig. 7 and 8 the course of the track-shaped material 40a is shown in a loop around the guide rollers 43. By means of pull cords 45 the free end edge 40b of the material 40a is connected to the front edge of the associated holder member 41b (41a). The pull cords 45 extend on their sides in a loop about their respective turning wheels 46 on a bracket 47 on a guide-forming end portion of the support member 42b (42a), to form a length-compensating arrangement for the track-shaped material.

In Fig. 9 the track-shaped material is shown fastened to a roll top-like bracing plate 48 formed by a row of transverse bracing laths 49 jointed mutually sideways together which are mutually coupled together via rib-shaped projections 49a in the one side edge and associated grooves 49b in the opposite side edge. The material 40a can be connected to the laths 49 at end edges of the laths and can project from there a distance laterally outside the plate 48 to form shielding means (22d Fig. 2, and 32d Fig. 4) for screening the adjustment mechanism of the calf support member.

In Fig. 10 and 11 the same is shown as in Fig. 5 and 6, with the only difference that the handles (44 Fig. 5 and 6) for manual adjustment of the calf support member are excluded and these are replaced by a power-driven mechanism comprising a piston-cylinder arrangement 50,51 and a scissors mechanism 52. The piston-cylinder arrangement 50,51 comprises a combined screw arrangement and a pressure medium cylinder 50 known per se. The pressure medium cylinder 50 has its one end fastened to rear cross-piece 41c of the rectangular frame, while a piston rod 51 which projects endways outwards from the cylinder 50 and which passes through forward cross-piece 41d of the rectangular frame is connected to a central link point 52a in the scissors mechanism 52. The scissors mechanism 52 has a first outer link point 52c on transverse bracing member 42c of the bow 42.

Claims

10CLAIMS :

1. Chair arrangement equipped with an adjustable support member (22c,32c), comprising a chair lower part (21,31) which supports a chair upper part (22,32), where the chair upper part (32) is preferably pivotable about 5₅ a vertical axis relative to the chair lower part (31) anrd where the chair upper part comprises a seat portion (22i3,32b) with associated back portion (22a,32a) together with a calf support member (22c,32c) adjustable relative to the seat portion which can be adjusted

-try between.an active calf support position beyond the seat portion and an inactive position, characterised in that the length of the seat portion (22b,32b) and the combined length of the seat portion and the calf support member (22c,32c) are respectively step-free regulatable,

15ϊ from a minimum seat length with the calf support member received in an inactive position shielded on the under side of the seat portion to a maximum length with the calf support member arranged in extension of the seat portion, the calf support member and the seat portion

20 being designed in a coherent piece, while said length is regulatable by means of a pair or a set of mutually parallel, longitudinally displaceable support means (41a,42a,41b,42b) .

25 2. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1, charac¬ terised in that each support means (41a,42a,41b,42b) is formed by a support member (42a,42b) which is tele¬ scopically displaceable in a stationary or approxi- mately stationary holder member (41a,41b) fastened to the seat portion (22b,32b) and which at the outer end carries rollers or roller-forming means (43) supported by a front portion of the calf support member (22c,32c).

5

3. Arrangement in accordance with claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the calf support member (22c,32c) is formed by a padded (at 40c), track-shaped (at 40a) portion braced (at 48) in the transverse direction, and

-\ Q that the track-shaped portion passes in a loop over one or more correspondingly curved guide means (43) fastened to the outer end of support members (42a,42b) of the support means, together with the track-shaped portion having its one end running in extension of the seat

-1 portion (22b,32b) and its opposite end fastened to the under side of the seat portion preferably via a length- compensating arrangement (45,46) between the support member (42a,42b) and the holder member (41a,41b).

20 4. Arrangement in accordance with claim 3, charac¬ terised in that the track-shaped portion is formed by a base of transverse laths (49) relatively rigid in the longitudinal direction, mutually jointed together sideways and overlying upholstery (40c) together with

25 track-shaped cover material (40a).

5. Arrangement in accordance with claim 3, charac¬ terised in that the length-compensating arrangement consists of a pull cord (45), one end of which is 0 fastened to the free outer end (40b) of the track- shaped material (40a) and the opposite end of which is fastened to the free outer end of an associated holder member (41a,41b), the pull cord between the ends extending in a loop over a guide means (guide wheel 43) fastened to the inner end of the support member (42a,42b) .

6. Arrangement in accordance with claims 1-5, characterised in that the support members (42a,42b) are rigidly connected to an axially regulatable control means (50,51,52) placed in the intermediate space between the support members, the control means comprising a power-driven piston-cylinder arrangement (50,51) and a scissors link mechanism (52) connected thereto.