WO2008041102A2

WO2008041102A2 - Convertible chair with reclining backrest

Info

Publication number: WO2008041102A2
Application number: PCT/IB2007/002923
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alessandro Marchello
Original assignee: Verdesign S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-10-05
Filing date: 2007-09-26
Publication date: 2008-04-10
Also published as: WO2008041102A3; ITPN20060074A1

Abstract

Chair (40) convertible into chaise longue comprising a support frame (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51), a seat (42), a backrest (41) which is displaceable into a plurality of reclining positions with respect to the seat (42) and a seat/legrest (43) which is linked to the seat (42) and which can oscillate between a retracted position which is overlapped with the seat (42) of the chair (40), and a turned over or lying position according to what is described in the Patent Application N. PN2005 A000010 filed by the same Applicant, The lower side of the backrest's (41 ) underframe (47) is folded towards the undeiframe (48) of the seat (42) and is oscillately linked to the said support frame (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) of the chair (40). Release and return means (57), manually activable by the user, are associated with the underframe (48) of the seat (42) and with the lower side of the underframe (47) of the backrest (41) for allowing the user to recline the backrest (41), to raise the backrest (41) or to stop the backrest (41 ) into an intermediate position between said raised and reclined positions.

Description

Convertible chair with reclining backrest Description

The invention relates to a seating chair which , thanks to its particular construction, can be converted for various uses into a lying chair or chaise longue and which is equipped with a backrest designed to be moved between a plurality of reclined positions.

Generally, this kind of chairs are relatively expensive and uneconomical because they require a large number of separate components and mechanical sliding, rotating and translating devices which are not only expensive but they undesirably complicate the structure as well as the manufacturing and assembling phases of the chair. In order to obviate the above mentioned limitations, the same Applicant of the present patent application has filed the Patent Application N. PN2005 AOOOO 10 disclosing a chair which can be easily and quickly converted into a lying chair or chaise longue. As is well known in the art, the backrest of the chair can be equipped with mechanical devices which are adapted to allow a plurality of reclined positions of the backrest with re- spect to the seat section.

But, the known mechanical devices for reclining the backrest have proved to be too complex and they would have changed the structural simplicity of the chair. Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the above-described drawbacks and limitations of the known mechanical devices by providing a chair which can be converted into a lying chair or chaise longue and which is advantageously equipped with a backrest which can be easily and quickly moved between a plurality of reclined positions.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a chair of the above mentioned kind wich has an essential structure and which does not require complicated assembling opera- tions of its components. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a chair which can be easily and rationally converted into various modes of use whether in household environment ( for example as a furniture component of a dining room) or in working environment ( for example as a furniture component of an office or a sanitary structure ). These and other objects are attained according to the invention by a convertible chair having the hereinafter claimed features.

The aims and features of the chair according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

- the Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the chair according to the invention in the sitting position;

- the Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the chair of Figure 1;

- the Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of an embodiment of the chair according to the invention in the lying or chaise longue position;

- the Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of the chair of Figure 3; - Figures from 5 to 8 illustrate respective operational phases for converting the chair according to the invention, from the sitting position, into the lying or chaise longue position;

- Figures from 9 to 11 illustrate respective reclining positions of the backrest of the chair according to the invention; - the Figure 12 is a perspective view of a frame portion of the chair according to the invention;

- the Figure 13 (exploded view 2) is a partly exploded perspective view of the support frame of the chair according to the present invention.

- the Figure 14 (exploded view 3) shows an enlarged detail of the chair in Figure 13. - the Figure 15 (exploded view 4) shows a view of the lower side of the chair according to the invention;

- the Figure 16 shows an enlarged detail of the chair in Figure 15.

- the Figure 17 reports an enlarged detail of the lower side of the chair according to the invention; - the Figures 18 and 19 are bottom views of the chair frame with the backrest in raised and reclined position respectively.

The description and the figures make primary reference, by way of non-limiting example, to an embodiment of a preferably upholstered chair 40. However, it will become apparent from the following description that the features of the chair 40 according to the present invention are also advantageous in embodiments which are different from that hereinafter described..

With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the chair 40 according to the invention is provided with a frame for supporting a backrest 41 , a seat 42 and a seat/legrest 43 which are provided with respective upholsteries. With particular reference to the Figures 12 and 13, the support frame comprises a base which is substantially constituted by a stationary element 44 and two mobile elements 45 and 46. The stationary element 44 comprises a "C" shaped horizontal portion for support on the floor of the building. Two vertical uprights are projecting upward from the ends of the "C" shaped horizontal portion. Two brackets 50 are respectively fixed on the inner sides of the two horizontal branches of the base. Each bracket presents a "L" shaped transversal section the upper side of which presents an upwardly protruding vertical projection. Each vertical projection has a through hole for reasons to be described hereinafter. Each of the two mobile elements 45, 46 presents a "C" shape and they are linked to the vertical uprights of the stationary element 44 so as to oscillate about rotational horizontal axes for reasons to be described hereinafter.

As is known in the art, the support frame is preferably made of lengths of metallic draw pieces having a quadrangular cross section.

Said draw pieces can be joined together whether in removable way , by means of known screw joining devices, or in fixed way by means of welding processes.

With particular reference to the Figure 13, a plurality of quadrangular grids are fixed, preferably by means of welding processes, to the base stationary element 44 and to the two mobile elements 45, 46 of the support frame. Said grids are adapted to form an un- derframe 47 for the backrest 41, an underframe 48 for the seat 42 and an underframe 49 for the seat/legrest 43 which is shown in dashed line in Fig. 13 for clarity reasons.

The underframes 47, 48 and 49 are obviously adapted to be covered with upholtery material.

As is known in the art, also the quadrangular grids 47, 48 and 49 are substantially constituted by a peripheral frame, which is made of lengths of metallic draw pieces having a quadrangular cross section, a reticular structure made of metallic wire and fixed to the peripheral frame, for example by means of welding processes, and/or a plurality of stiffening bars.

The underframe 48 for the seat 42 is fixed, at an inclined position to the horizontal plane, to two anchoring tongues 62 , which form one piece with the brackets 50 of the stationary element 44 of the base (Figure 17), and to a second trasverse 51 which connects the middle portions of the two vertical uprights of the stationary element 44 of the base (Figure 12). The underframe 49 for the seat/legrest 43 is fixed to the free ends of the two mobile elements 45, 46 at an inclined position to the horizontal plane and substantially parallel with the position of the underframe 48 for the seat 42. With particular reference to the Figures 14 and 15, the lower ends of the underframe 47 for the backrest 41 are solidly connected by a plate 52 and are folded towards the un- derframe 48 for the seat 42 so as to form approximately a 60-degree angle with respect to the remaining portion of the underframe 47.

Two slits 53 are respectively realized near the ends of the plate 52 and are opened toward the front side of the plate 52. With particular reference to the Figure 14, two support stems 54, having a respective through hole, are raising from the plate 52 in a position respectively adjacent to each slits 53. As it is clearly illustrated in the Figures 15 , 16 and 17, the slits 53 receive the vertical projections of the brackets 50. A rotational shaft 55 is inserted through the through holes of the support stems 54 and of the brackets 50. In this manner, the backrest 41 results linked, in oscillating way, to the stationary element 44 of the base.

As can be clearly seen in the Figures 17, a bridge 56 is fixed on the lower side of the plate 52 for anchoring the cylinder of a gas spring 57 by means of a rotating pin. The piston rod of the gas spring 57 is coupled , in a free rotational way, with the un- derframe 48 of the seat 42. In particular, the lower side of the underframe structure 48 for the seat 42 comprises a trasversal support element 58 (Figure 15). A bridge 59 is fixed on the lower side of the trasversal support element 58 for anchoring the eye of the piston rod of the gas spring 57 by means of a rotating pin. As is well known in the art, the release and the blockage of the gas spring 57 can be reali- zed by means of a lever mechanism 60 which is clearly seen in the Figure 16.

The lever mechanism 60 is fixed on the lower side of the underframe 48 for the seat 42 at a position which can be easily reached by the user in order to recline the backrest 41 with respect to the seat 42 as illustrated in the Figures from 9 to 1 1. As is well known in the art, a Bowden cable 61 connects the lever mechanism 60 with the gas spring 57. The gas spring 57 has a double action. A first action of the gas spring slows down the lowering of the backrest 41 under the pushing of the user's trunk, in such a way as to allow a fine adjustment of the inclination desired by the user. A second action of the gas spring facilitates the user to raise again the backrest 41 because the piston rod of the gas spring 57 pushes only to exit from its housing when the backrest 41 is raised again.

Obviously, the operation of the gas spring 57 and of the lever mechanism 60 can be adjusted according to the needs of the user.

For example, the operation of the gas spring 57 and of the lever mechanism 60 can be adjusted whether to allow a continuous release action between two end positions, or a di- scontinuous release action between a plurality of positions which are chosen each time by the user.

The chair 40 according to the invention operates in the following way. The user can oscillate the mobile elements 45, 46 and the seat/legrest 43, in the direction indicated by arrow in the Figures from 5 to 8 , between a retracted position (as best seen in the Figures 1, 2, 5 ) and a turned over or lying position (as seen in the Figures 3, 4 and 8). In the retracted position, said mobile elements 45, 46 operate as side arms to support the arms of the person sitting on the seat 43 which is overlapped with the seat 42 of the chair 40. In the turned over or lying position, the mobile elements 45, 46 are turned in contact with the floor and they support the seat 43 operating as legrest for the person lying on the backrest 41 and the seat 42 of the chair 40 converted into chaise longue. It is clear that the underframe 49 for the seat/legrest 43 is upholstered on both sides in order to allow the sitting mode on one side and the legresting mode on the opposite side. To bring back the chair 40 into the sitting position illustrated in the Figures 1, 2, 5, the mobile element 45, 46 and the seat/legrest 43 are oscillated in the opposite direction until they reach their retracted position..

To recline the backrest 41 of the chair 40 into the position illustrated in the Figures 11 and 19, the user activates the lever mechanism 60 and, in the meantime, it pushes down the backrest 41 until the latter reaches the position desired by the user. In particular, the lever mechanism 60 can be adjusted to a continuous release action for continuously lowering the backrest 41 until its maximum reclining position (Figures 1 1 and 19), or to a discontinuous release action for stopping the backrest 41 also in an intermediate reclining position (Figure 10). To raise again the backrest 41 of the chair 40 into the position illustrated in the Figures 9 and 18, the user activates again the lever mechanism 60 and the gas spring 57 pushes the plate 52 of the backrest's underframe 47 in such a way as to bring back the backrest 41 into its fully raised position.

Obviously, the operation of the lever mechanism 60 can be adjusted to a continuous return action, allowing the backrest 41 to be moved into its fully raised position (Figures 9 and 18), or to a discontinuous return action allowing the user to act against the return action of the gas spring so as to stop the backrest 41 into any intermediate position between its fully raised and fully reclined positions .

From what stated, it will be seen that the primary object of the present invention is achieved by a chair 40 which can be easily and quickly converted into a lying chair or chaise longue and which is advantageously equipped with a backrest which can be easily and quickly moved between a plurality of reclined positions.

Moreover, the chair 40 according to the invention has an essential structure and it does not require complicated assembling operations of its components. A further object achieved by the chair 40 according to the invention is that to be easily and rationally converted into various modes of use whether in household environment or in working environment.

It is well understood that modifications and variations may be made to the chair 40 forming the object of the present invention without departing however from the scope defined by the following claims with reference to the accompanying drawings and thence from the protection extent of the present industrial invention.

For example, the structure of the chair 40 can be made of wood and/or plastic material and/or composite material in order to be used as garden chair or beach chair and it can be provided with removable cushions instead of upholstery material that is fixed, for example by means of bonding, to the support frame of the chair 40.

Claims

1) Chair (40) convertible into chaise longue comprising a support frame (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51), a seat (42) fixed to said support frame, a backrest (41) which is displa- ceable into a plurality of reclining positions with respect to the seat (42) and a seat/le- grest (43) which is linked to the seat (42) and which can oscillate between a retracted position which is overlapped with the seat (42) of the chair (40), and a turned over or lying position according to what is described in the Patent Application N. PN2005 AOOOO 10 filed by the same Applicant, characterized in that the lower side of the backrest's (41) underframe (47) is folded towards the underfirame (48) of the seat (42) and is oscillately linked to a stationary element (44) of said support frame (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51) of the chair (40) , and that known release and return means (57), manually activable by the user, are associated with the underframe (48) of the seat (42) and with the lower side of the underframe (47) of the backrest (41) for al- lowing the user to release the backrest (41) towards its fully reclined position, to return the backrest (41) into its fully raised position or to stop the backrest (41) into an intermediate position between said fully raised and fully reclined positions.

2) Chair (40) according to the claim 1, characterized in that said release and return means are constituted by a gas spring (57) activable and disactivable by the user by means of a known lever mechanism (60) , that the ends of said gas spring (57) are coupled, in a freely rotatable way, with the underframe (48) of the seat (42) and with the lower side of the backrest's (41 ) underframe (47) for allowing the user to release the backrest (41) towards its fully reclined position, to return the backrest (41) into its fully raised position or to stop the backrest (41) into an intermediate position between said fully raised and fully reclined positions. 3) Chair (40) according to the claims 1 and 2 , characterized in that the lower side of the underframe (47) of the backrest (41) comprises a trasversal plate (52) on the lower side of which are fixed means (56) for anchoring , in a freely rotatable way, the cylinder of said gas spring (57) and that the lower side of the underframe's structure (48) for the seat (42) comprises a trasversal support element (58) on the lower side of which are fixed means (59) for anchoring , in a freely rotatable way, the eye of the piston rod of said gas spring (57).

4) Chair (40) according to the preceeding claims, characterized in that the release or the blockage of said gas spring (57) is realized by means of a lever mechanism (60) which is fixed to the lower portion of the underframe (48) for the seat (42) and which is connected to the body of the gas spring (57) by means of a Bowden cable (61). Prata, 04 October 2006