WO2002007565A2

WO2002007565A2 - Auditorium chair

Info

Publication number: WO2002007565A2
Application number: PCT/US2001/023135
Authority: WO
Inventors: Trevor R. Haney; Victor Caro; Paul Allen Smeenge
Original assignee: American Seating Company
Priority date: 2000-07-21
Filing date: 2001-07-23
Publication date: 2002-01-31
Also published as: CA2416542C; WO2002007565A3; MXPA03000567A; CA2416542A1; US20030205923A1

Abstract

A chair particularly useful for an auditorium utilizes spherical bearings (22) to mount the seat bottom (18) of the chair to uprights standards. The spherical bearing (22) includes a first race portion (20) integral with the bottom of the chair and a removable cap portion (24) that is secured to the chair bottom to hold the spherical bearing. An axle (28) extends through each standard to engage the bearings to support adjacent chairs. The axles are threaded to receive a nut to secure the axles to the standards.

Description

AUDITORIUM CHAIR

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the art of chairs, particularly chairs installed in rows in auditoriums.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the invention, a chair for use in an auditorium comprises side standards onto which are mounted a pivotal seat portion and a bracket for support of a back portion. Axles, or shafts, extend from each standard to engage a spherical bearing on the seat portion to pivotally support the seat portion on the standards. This arrangement allows the axles to be unaligned or non-parallel, which also means that the standards themselves do not have to be parallel to each other. Thus, adjacent standards may be arranged at an angle, for example, when the row of chairs is curved. As well, the standards need not be at identical vertical positions, variations of two inches or so being easily accommodated. When utilizing a row of chairs, adjacent chairs share a standard and an axle.

The spherical bearings may be any of several arrangements. One preferred arrangement is to provide a race as part of the bottom of the structural part of the seat portion that receives a spherical bearing member. That structural part may be plastic and the bearing race molded therein. An axle then extends from the standard into the bearing member. The race may be removable or an integral part of the seat portion and may be a single element or two or more parts. Preferably, part of the race is molded into the bottom of the seat and another part bolted to the bottom. Also, a short axle extends from the standard to the bearing, and a single axle element may extend through the standard to engage spherical bearings on adjacent seats on opposite sides of the standard.

Retaining clips are secured to the axles to retain the seat bottom in the desired location, which is generally centrally located between the standards. The retaining clips may be of different sorts but a preferred clip is a coiled spring that normally assumes a condition where the helical coils grip the axle tightly in the normal position but which can be released from the axle by squeezing the ends of the spring to unwind the coils slightly. Other retaining clips that can be easily attached are known to those of skill in the art.

The axle shafts preferably have a threaded central portion whereby they can be attached to the standards by nuts that clamp the standard between them. Clearly other techniques for securing the axle to a standard may be used.

The back portion of the chair is preferably mounted on a bracket that is pivotally mounted on a standard. The angular orientation of the bracket in a vertical plane may be adjusted with respect to the standard by aligning adjustment holes in the bracket with a mounting hole in the standard and securing the bracket to the standard through these holes by a bolt. Other securing arrangements, such as a detent mechanism or a frictional engagement, are contemplated.

One end of the pivotal seat portion is provided with a stop portion that engages the bottom of the back portion when the chair is in the use position such that the orientation of the use position of the chair is determined by the position of the back portion. Thus, adjustment of the orientation of the back portion automatically adjusts the orientation of the seat portion, and the bracket and seat are arranged so that a rearward tilt of the back portion automatically results in a more upward tilt of the seat portion and vice-versa. This simplifies adjustment of the orientation of the chairs.

A further feature of the invention is that the standards are cast metal and the top portions are recessed slightly. This allows a coating of soft material, such as a plastic to be coated on the top to provide a cap for added comfort of users. Preferably, the coated is applied by dipping the standard in the material. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a side view of a chair in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an assembly view of the bottom of the chair shown in figure 1.

Figure 2 A is a side view, partially in cross section of a second embodiment of the bearing of figure 2.

Figure 3 is an assembly view of a second embodiment of the bottom of the chair shown in figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front view showing a preferred installation of two chairs in accordance with the invention.

Figure 5 is partial vertical cross section of a preferred axle and seat installation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to figure 1 of the drawings, a chair in accordance with the invention comprises a seat portion 2, a back portion 4, and side standards 6 onto which the seat and back portions are mounted.

The back portion is mounted on opposed brackets 8, which are generally vertical plates. The lower parts of the brackets 8 are mounted on the standard at pivots 10 for pivotal movement in a vertical plane. The upper parts of the brackets are provided with a series of adjustment holes 12 that selectively align with a mounting hole on the standard to secure the bracket in a given orientation. Thus, the angle of the back portion with respect to the horizontal can be adjusted by pivoting the bracket to align a selected hole 12 with the mounting hole in the standard. In the preferred embodiment, the bracket is secured in that position by passing a bolt through the holes in the bracket and into a threaded portion of the hole in the standard.

The lower part of the back portion extends rearward from the bracket 8 such that it moves in an arc as the angle of the bracket, and, hence, the angle of the back portion is adjusted. The seat portion 2 is pivotally mounted to the standards as well, and includes a rear portion 16 that engages the bottom portion 14 of the back portion when the chair is in the use position. Thus, the angle of the seat portion 2 in the use position is a function of the vertical position of the bottom portion 16 of the back portion 4. The vertical position of the bottom portion 14 of the back portion 4 is, in turn, determined by the angular orientation of the brackets 8. Thus, adjustment of the angular orientation of the back portion 4 automatically adjusts the angular orientation of the seat portion 2 when in use. The structure is arranged such that tilting the back portion 4 away from the vertical causes the orientation of the seat portion 2 to tilt toward the vertical.

The rear portion 16 is preferably weighted to pivot the seat portion 2 vertical when not in use.

Figure 2 shows one construction of the seat portion 2. The seat portion 2 includes a bottom part 18 onto which is mounted two spherical bearing sets, each comprising a lower race or cradle 20 for a spherical bearing element 22. An upper race or cap 24 is secured onto the lower race 20 to hold the bearing element. The seat is supported on two shafts 26 that pass through or from opposed standards 6 to engage respective spherical bearings. Because the bearings are spherical, the shafts 26 need not be parallel or aligned.

Figure 2a illustrates a preferred embodiment of the bearing. The cap 24 has ears 25 that extend outward from the bearing race and receive screws 27 for securing the cap to the bottom 18 of the seat.

Figure 3 shows another embodiment wherein the bearing race and the bearing element are integrally molded, eliminating the separate cap 24.

The standards are preferably cast metal with the vertical and horizontal parts defining a boundary 28 that is recessed or stepped. This allows the tops to be dipped in a soft material to the thickness of the recess or step to provide the standards with an upholstery-like covering that is very durable and attractive, as well as a uniform-looking or smooth surface between the lower part of the standard and the top part.

Figure 4 shows a preferred installation in accordance with the invention, and figure 5 is an assembly view of the elements of the installation of figure 4. In accordance with this embodiment, the axles 26 comprise rods with centrally located threaded portions 30. The axle is installed in a standard by placing the axle through a hole 32 and by securing the axle to the standard by tightening nuts 34. Nuts 34 may both be removable, or one may be fixed to the axle. As well, the axle may have a fixed shoulder serving the function of the head of a bolt in place of one of the nuts 34. In that case each axle would have a single removable nut 34. A spring retainer clip 36 is provided to retain a bearing 22 on the axle. Preferably the retainer clip is a coiled spring that can be released by squeezing the ends to expand the coil to allow it to move onto the axle. When the coils are released, the clip is frictionally held to the axle.

Installation is preferably accomplished as follows. First the standards are installed. Then the seat backs 4 are installed to stabilize the standards. The axles 26 are then installed by bolting them into the standards. The seat cushions are installed onto the axles sliding the spherical bearings onto the axles and securing the caps to the seats. Generally, one starts at one end of a row and proceeds to the other end. After the seats are installed the bottom cushions are centered between the standards and the retainer clips are then installed to retain the cushions centered.

Modifications within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to those of skill in the art.

Claims

I Claim:

1. A chair comprising a seat portion, a back portion, and opposed standards, wherein each of the standards includes an axle extending outwardly therefrom to engage a respective spherical bearing on the seat portion, and the back portion includes brackets pivotally mounted on each standard.

2. A row of chairs, each chair comprising a seat portion and a back portion, adjacent chairs separated by a standard including an axle extending outward from each side of the standard to engage a respective spherical bearing on each seat portion of each adjacent chair.

3. The row of chairs of claim 2, wherein each back portion of each chair has opposing brackets, each bracket being pivotally mounted to an adjacent standard, a bottom of the back portion engaging a rear part of the chair bottom.

4. The row of chairs of claim 2, wherein the row is curved such that the axles of the standards are not parallel.

5. A row of chairs according to claim 2 wherein said axle includes a central threaded portion and at least one nut for securing said axle to a said standard.

6. A row of chairs according to claim 5 further comprising a retaining clip engaging said axle and maintaining the position of a spherical bearing on said axle.