WO2019073287A1

WO2019073287A1 - Seat having an underframe clip-fastenable to the seat cushion

Info

Publication number: WO2019073287A1
Application number: PCT/IB2017/056304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bérénice KLEIN; Jean-Marc Schneider
Original assignee: Steelcase Inc.
Priority date: 2017-10-12
Filing date: 2017-10-12
Publication date: 2019-04-18

Abstract

The invention relates to a seat having a support structure 10 having legs and a shell 1 connected to at least one seat cushion 2. This seat is characterized in that: - said legs are joined in upper part thereof by two cross members 11, 12; - the shell 1 has means 20 for positioning on the structure that engage with a first 11 of the two cross members and means 30, 40 for automatically securing to the structure by elastic deformation that engage with a second 12 of the two cross members; - the positioning means 20 immobilize the shell 1 on the first cross member 11 when the means 30, 40 for securing the shell 1 to the second cross member 12 are activated.

Description

SEAT WITH CLIPSABLE FOOTBED

The present invention is very generally in the field of furniture, and may include office furniture. More particularly, it relates to a seat whose design is intended to facilitate the operating phases involving storage in quantity, for example for transport.

The problem underlying the invention lies in the fact that the seats, considered individually, generally occupy a large volume because of the existence of a joint and the seat / backrest assembly, which respond to distinct functions giving rise to spatially very different configurations. Except for some particular stackable models, the mass storage of seats therefore requires the use of storage volumes that can quickly become considerable, even for reasonable quantities.

In passing, it is useful to remember that stacking involves very particular structural characteristics, which it is certainly possible to implement if this property is preferred, but often to the detriment of other functional characteristics and / or comfort. The constraint of stacking to optimize the storage volumes has in a word the consequence of the renunciation of certain other characteristics, to preserve this objective which becomes central.

In the opposite hypothesis, the most common one, of a design which privileges other aspects, it is not generally possible to arrive at a configuration which saves space satisfactorily in the perspective of storage. When the inherent qualities of the seats are highlighted, the problem of the management of stocks and their volumes arises especially when it is planned to ship them via the usual means of transport, for which the volume occupied obviously translates into a financial burden depending on the size of the said volume. In purely economic terms, there is a conflict between the increase in the quantities sent, the objective sought to increase the business flow, and the financial weight due to the space occupied during the transport, which is a strong deterrent as it costs the final costs. This is the reason why alternative solutions have been sought, especially in the direction of removable configurations.

It is thus possible to dissociate certain elements of the seat so as to gain storage space by storing together smaller component parts, which are also optionally individually nestable or stackable. The economic problem is then at least partially shifted to the aspects related to assembly / disassembly, the sequential operations to be provided in this regard for example for transport involving time and, in some cases, know-how. To gain useful volume, it is for example known to separate the base of the seat or to separate the folder, these components must of course be reassembled later to rebuild the seat. In existing solutions, the assembly of the seat is not immediate, and instead requires adapted tools, or know-how that is not within the reach of all. In all cases, the time required for operations on the seat is not negligible, which represents a cost all the more important that the capacities required for assembly are high.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by proposing a solution in which the configuration is designed so that the assembly is feasible in a few gestures that require no tools and are immediately intelligible to all. The editing time does not exceed a few seconds, and we can in practice consider it almost immediate. Finally, the elements to be assembled each have a good degree of stackability, leading to a considerable reduction in the volumes required for storage of seats, for example for transport.

To these effects, the seat of the invention, conventionally comprising a support structure comprising feet and a shell connected to at least one seat, is such that:

- said feet are connected in the upper part by two crosspieces;

- The shell comprises positioning means on the structure cooperating with a first of the two sleepers and automatic fixing means on the structure by elastic deformation cooperating with the second of the two sleepers;

the positioning means immobilize the shell on the first cross-member when the means for attaching the shell to the second cross member are activated. The two sleepers therefore have different functions relative to the seat shell, and first allow to ensure a correct relative positioning of the two main elements of the seat before proceeding to the actual fixing, the latter ensuring in somehow the total locking of one on the other. The securing of these elements is very fast, fixing being virtually instantaneous as soon as the positioning of the shell on the structure is achieved.

According to one possible configuration, the shell comprises, parallel to a first edge, at least two profile fasteners adapted to fit on the first cross member and, parallel to an opposite edge, a first part of clipping means, the second part of which is placed on the second crossbar of the structure.

In this case, the fasteners of the first edge are nested on a cross member and, simultaneously or more preferably in a second step, the clipping means are actuated to fix by elastic mutual assembly the shell to the structure at the opposite edge.

Preferably, according to the invention, the first crossbar may consist of a circular section tube, the fasteners each having a groove adapted to accommodate the inner profile tube comprising a circle portion, the transverse dimension of an opening to outlet of the groove and the diameter of the portion of a circle being close to the diameter of the tube. The interlocking of the fasteners is effected via said openings, the arrival of the tube abutting against the portion of the circle allowing a relative movement of the shell and the first cross member, in this case a rotation, for the purpose of fixing on the second crosses. More specifically, the opening may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the median plane of the cross members in the hull attachment position, and preferably lead away from the second cross member. After activation of the clipping means, the shell is then completely immobilized with respect to the structure, since the only degree of freedom allowed by the connection made by the fasteners, because of the positioning of said opening, is parallel to said plane median. However, any movement in this direction is prevented by the other connection, that which is performed by the clipping means.

According to one possibility, the second crossmember consists of a U-section open at the top and provided with at least two removable blocks each having a housing and constituting the second part of the clipping means. The blocks are for example of such shape that they fit naturally in the profile, where they can then be fixed non-definitively. More specifically, said blocks may comprise an upper axial opening bordered by two flexible oblique walls converging towards one another to delimit said opening at the outlet of a hollow interior volume forming the housing. The upwardly flaring oblique walls are in practice an initial guide form for the first clipping means integral with the shell.

These have at least one rib of perpendicular shape to said shell whose free end is provided with at least one relief projecting laterally from the rib and adapted to be housed inside the housing for clipping. According to one possible configuration, each rib may have a section in the form of arrow with two inclined faces protruding from the free end of the rib. These panels form the counterpart of the oblique walls of the blocks subject to the structure, constituting together a configuration guiding and facilitating the clipping.

At the time of clipping, said inclined faces repel the flexible oblique walls bordering the axial opening of each housing as they approach the slot constituting the opening, to exceed it, causing a reverse displacement of the oblique walls which elastically resume their initial position, thus blocking the ribs in the blocks and ensuring the attachment of the shell to the structure. The thickness of the rib must therefore be less than the width of the slot constituting the axial opening.

According to the invention, each rib is on a base attached to the shell. This base is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the rib, and in particular designed to take care of fixing the first part of the clipping means to the shell.

An additional positioning of these components may also be performed, in particular with a view to centering, in the direction of the axis of the profile, the ribs and the axial openings of the blocks at the time of assembly, for example by providing in each block a recess provided for housing a stud protruding from the base in the vicinity of the rib.

To return to the support structure, of which the two crosspieces have been mentioned, it can comprise, according to an industrially favorable configuration, two tubular hoops with straight top section, each comprising a front foot and a foot back of the seat. Said sleepers are then fixed in the vicinity of the two longitudinal ends of the summit sections.

It follows from the configuration described above that, for all situations before assembly, the seats of the invention are in two main parts easily stackable, to gain considerable space in a storage perspective, for example in view of a transport. The assembly, then, on the place of exploitation or marketing, is immediate and does not require the least know-how.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended figures which represent an example of a nonlimiting implementation of the invention, and for which:

Figure 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the shell of a seat according to the invention, and the positioning means and the fixing means;

- Figure 2 shows in perspective view a seat support structure according to the invention;

Figure 3 illustrates in section the assembly of the components of Figure 1; and

Figures 4 and 5 show in perspective view the two parts of the clipping means of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the shell 1 comprises in the example of Figures a seat 2 and a backrest 3, the lower face of the seat 2 being provided with solidarity means to a support structure 10 visible in Figure 2. Thus, positioning fasteners 20 are for example screwed into the seat 2 in the vicinity of the front edge of the shell 1 and parallel to him. These fasteners 20, in the example shown, are two in number. Similarly, a first portion 30 of clipping means consists of two parts 31 screwed into said seat 2, in the vicinity of and parallel to its rear edge, at which is the rounded extension ending at the base of the backrest 3.

The second portion 40 of the clipping means also appears in FIG. 1, in the form of two blocks 41, as well as the U-shaped section 12 of the support structure 10 (see FIG. 2) in which the two blocks 41 are intended to be fixed. . This section 12 is in fact one of the two crosspieces of the support structure 10. The other crossbar consists of a cylindrical tube 11. These crosspieces 11, 12 connect two arches 13, 14 with a straight horizontal section of horizontal appearance . Each of these arches 13, 14 includes in practice a front foot and a rear foot of the seat of the invention, and they are connected to each other not only by said sleepers 11, 12 at the level of the summit sections, but also by a stiffening rod 15 developing substantially at mid-height of the base and joining the 4 feet.

The two parts 30, 40 of the clipping fastening mechanical connection comprise on the one hand the blocks 41, receptacles fixed in the U-shaped cross member 12 forming the object of FIG. 4, and on the other hand platens 31 of which protruding axial ribs protrude into the blocks 41, illustrated in FIG. 5. Each block 41 comprises two inclined walls 42 converging towards the inside and delimiting at their free edges a slot 43 surmounting a hollow volume 44. At both ends of the blocks 41, guide guns 45 allow the passage of fixing screws blocks 41 to the bottom of the profile 12 of the support structure 10. These guns 45 are contiguous to recesses 46 provided to cooperate with a stud 36 (see Figure 5) protruding from the bases 32 of the plates 31, for purposes of mutual positioning.

More specifically, these plates 31 thus comprise a base 32 which projects in the central part a rib 33 whose free edge has two inclined faces 34 conferring on the rib 33, in cross section, an arrow shape. Orifices 35 are provided for the passage of fastening screws to the lower face of the seat 2 of the shell 1. A stud 36 placed in the vicinity of the longitudinal end of the base 32 is intended for the relative positioning of the plate 31 with a block 41, through a recess 46 of the block 41, to ensure the clipping of one into the other in good conditions.

In practice, when the rib 33 of the plate 31 is directed towards the slot 43 of the block 41, which is of a width less than the greatest thickness of the rib 33 at the free ends of the inclined faces 34, the tip the rib 33 elastically deflects the inclined walls 42 until the free edges of the panels 34 are crossed. The walls 42 then close again and the fixing by clipping of one into the other is carried out. It should be noted that for this to work properly, the thickness of the rib 33 at a level devoid of the inclined faces 34 is, on the other hand, less than the width of the slot 43. At the end of clipping, the summit ridges 47 of the inclined walls 42 are in contact with the surfaces 37 of the base 32, as appears in FIG. FIG. 3. These clip-fastening means organize a good immobilization in a direction of a course perpendicular to the seat 2, but also in a direction parallel to said seat, because of the rigidity of the materials (plastics) chosen for the parts. 41 and 31.

At the other end of the seat 2, side free edge before, the fasteners 20 organize in a first stage the relative positioning of the shell 1 and the support structure 10. The fasteners 20 comprise for this purpose an inner profile of which one portion 22, at the bottom of a groove 21, is of circular section of diameter slightly greater than the external diameter of the tube 11 of circular section of the support structure 10. Said groove 21 has an opening 23 facing away from the connection of clipping fastener which has just been described. When the clipping is performed, the tube 11 is pushed back to the bottom of the groove 21, and the walls of the horizontal shape of this groove 21 prohibit any vertical movement of the shell 1 relative to the support structure 10, removing any degree of freedom from one to the other. Solidarisâtion is complete, the seat is used in good conditions of comfort and safety for users.

The assembly of the shell to the structure is carried out very simply by tilting the shell shown in Figure 3 forwards (anti-clockwise), then by threading the tube 11 of the structure 10 in the grooves 21 of the fasteners 20 , and finally by pivoting by shape-matching the shell 1 around the tube 11 in the opposite direction (clockwise) so that the plates 31 fixed under the shell 1 are in front of the blocks 41, the clipping occurring at the end of rotation. Assembling the assembly is therefore very simple, and takes only a few seconds, without requiring the least tool and without the operator being asked for operations involving any physical force, insofar as the fasteners 20 and the components 30, 40 involved in the clipping are assembled to their respective supports 2, 12. It should be noted that this assembly can be done upstream, for example in the factory, without degrading too much the possibilities of stacking shells 1 d ' on the one hand, and support structures 10 on the other.

The invention is not limited to the example described and explained with reference to the figures, which should be considered as a simple non-exhaustive illustration thereof. On the contrary, it encompasses the variants of particular form falling within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. Seat comprising a support structure 10 comprising feet and a shell 1 connected to at least one seat 2, characterized in that:

- said feet are connected in the upper part by two crosspieces 11, 12;

the shell 1 comprises means 20 for positioning on the structure cooperating with a first 11 of the two crosspieces and means 30, 40 for automatically fixing the structure by elastic deformation cooperating with a second 12 of the two crosspieces;

- The positioning means 20 immobilize the shell 1 on the first cross member 11 when the means 30, 40 for fixing the shell 1 on the second cross member 12 are activated.

2. Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the shell 1 comprises, parallel to a first edge, at least two fasteners 20 with profiles adapted to fit on the first crosspiece 11 and, parallel to an opposite edge, a first part 31 of means 30, 40 clipping of which the second part 41 is placed on the second cross member 12.

3. Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the first crosspiece 11 consists of a circular section tube, the fasteners 20 each having a groove 21 adapted to accommodate the inner profile tube 11 comprising a portion of a circle 22, the transverse dimension of an opening 23 at the outlet of the groove 21 and the diameter of the circle portion 22 being close to the diameter of the tube 11.

Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the opening 23 is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the median plane of the crosspieces 11, 12 in the fixing position of the shell 1, opening preferably opposite the second crosspiece 12.

Seat according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the second crosspiece 12 consists of a U-shaped section open at the top and provided with at least two removable blocks 41 each having a housing 44 constituting the second part of the means 30, 40 clipping.

Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said blocks 41 comprise an upper axial opening 43 bordered by two flexible oblique walls 42 converging towards one another to define said opening 43 at the outlet of a hollow interior volume 44 forming the housing.

Seat according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that the first portion 31 of the clipping means 30, 40 integral with the shell 1 has at least one rib 33 of shape perpendicular to said shell 1 whose free end is provided with at least one relief projecting laterally from the rib 33 and adapted to be housed inside the housing 44 for clipping.

Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that each rib 33 has an arrow-shaped section with two inclined faces 34 protruding from the rib free end 33.

Seat according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that each rib 33 is on a base 32 fixed to the shell 1.

10. Seat according to one of claims 8 and 9, characterized in that each block 41 comprises a recess 46 provided for housing a stud 36 projecting from the base 32 in the vicinity of the rib 33.

11. Seat according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the support structure 10 comprises two tubular hoops 13, 14 rectilinear head section, each comprising a front foot and a rear foot of the seat.