Control assembly for chair

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10206507-B2
Application number	US-201815891962-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2018
Priority date	Sep 20, 2012
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A chair control assembly includes a base structure having first and second pivot points spaced from one another, a seat support structure coupled to the first pivot point, a back support structure coupled to the second pivot point and adapted to move between first and second positions, wherein the base structure does not move as the back support structure moves between the first and second positions, and a control link pivotably coupled to the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point and pivotably coupled to the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point, wherein the third pivot point is rearward of the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the upright position, and the third pivot point moves forward relative to the fourth pivot point as the back support structure moves from the upright to reclined positions.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
a base structure defining a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base support structure;
a seat support structure pivotably coupled to the first pivot point, wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user;
a back support structure pivotably coupled to the second pivot point, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first position and a second position, and wherein the base structure does not move as the back support structure moves between the first and the second positions; and
a control link pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure for rotation about a third pivot point, and pivotably coupled to the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point;
wherein the third pivot point is rearward of the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the upright position and the chair is in an upright position on a floor surface, and wherein the third pivot point moves forward relative to the fourth pivot point as the back support structure moves from the upright position to the reclined position.

2. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a first vertical height and the second pivot point is located at a second vertical height, and wherein the first vertical height is greater than the second vertical height.

3. The control assembly of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one biasing assembly exerting a biasing force that biases the back support structure from the second position towards the first position.

4. The control assembly of claim 3 , wherein the biasing force is adjustable between varying magnitudes when the back support structure is in the first position.

5. The control assembly of claim 3 , wherein the biasing force biases the third pivot point away from the second pivot point.

6. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movement of the back support structure includes a rotational movement between the first position and the second position.

7. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control link rotates the seat support structure at a rate of rotation slower than a rate of rotation of the back support structure as the back support structure is rotated between the first and second positions.

8. The control assembly of claim 7 , wherein the rate of rotation of the seat support structure is about half of the rate of rotation of the back support structure as the back support structure is rotated between the first and second positions.

9. The control assembly of claim 7 , wherein the seat support structure is rotated about 9° from a position of the seat support structure corresponding to the back support structure in the first position when the back support structure is rotated about 18° from the first position.

10. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control link includes a longitudinally extending axis, and wherein the longitudinally extending axis of the control link is substantially more vertically oriented when the back support structure is in the second position than when the back support structure in the first position.

11. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the control link includes a longitudinally extending axis that forms a first acute angle with a seat support surface of the seat support structure when the back support structure is in the first position and a second acute angle with the seat support structure when the back support structure is in the second position, and wherein the longitudinally extending axis of the control link does not form an obtuse angle with the seat support surface as the back support structure is moved between the first and second positions.

12. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
a base structure including a first pivot point and a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, wherein the base structure is adapted to attach to a ground-abutting base structure;
a seat support structure directly pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the first pivot point, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user;
a back support structure directly pivotably coupled to the base structure for rotation about the second pivot point, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first full-travel position and a second full-travel position opposite the first full-travel position; and
a control link having a first end operably coupled to the seat support structure, and a second end operably coupled to the back support structure, wherein the control link is adapted to move between a first position and a second position as the back support structure moves between the first full-travel position and the second full-travel position, the control link includes a longitudinally extending axis that substantially more vertically oriented when the back support structure is in the second full-travel position than when the back support structure in the first full-travel position.

13. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the longitudinally extending axis of the control link is not adapted to form an obtuse angle with the seat support surface.

14. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the longitudinal axis of the control link is substantially more vertically oriented when the back support structure is in the second full-travel position than when the back support structure in the first full-travel position.

15. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the movement of the back support structure includes a rotational movement of the back support structure from the first full-travel position and the second full-travel position.

16. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein a rate of rotation of the seat support structure is within the range of from about ⅓ of a rate of rotation of the back support structure to about ⅔ of the rate of rotation of the back support structure as the back support structure is rotated between the first and second positions.

17. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the rate of rotation of the seat support structure is about half of the rate of rotation of the back support structure as the back support structure is rotated between the first and second positions.

18. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the back support structure is rotated twice as much as the seat support structure is when the back support structure is in the second position.

19. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the seat support structure is rotated about 9° from a position of the seat support structure when the back support structure is in the first full-travel position when the back support structure rotated about 18° from a position of the back support structure when the back support structure is in the first full-travel position.

20. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the control link is pivotably coupled to the seat support structure, and wherein the second end of the control link is pivotably coupled to the back support structure.

21. The control assembly of claim 12 , wherein the first end of the control link is operably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure, and wherein the second end of the control link is operably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Battey Robert J
• Andres Todd T
• Karsten Gary Lee
• Heidmann Kurt R
• Peterson Gordon Jay
• Krupiczewicz Todd David

Classifications

• A47C1/03261

  characterised by elastic means · CPC title

• A47C31/02

  Upholstery attaching means · CPC title

• A47C5/12

  of plastics, with or without reinforcement · CPC title

• A47C7/185

  with a stiff, rigid support · CPC title

• A47C7/14

  of adjustable shape; elastically mounted {; adaptable to a user contour or ergonomic seating positions (movably-coupled seat and backrests with elastic adjustment means A47C1/03261)} · CPC title