Seating arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11259637-B2
Application number	US-201816234722-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Apr 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a base, a back arrangement and a seat arrangement each supported by the base, the back arrangement movable between an upright position and reclined position, the seat arrangement including a stop member, a shell supported on the base and forming at least a portion of the seat arrangement, the shell including a first portion and second portion movable relative to the first portion, the shell configured such that a downward force exerted on the first portion by a seated user forces the back arrangement from the reclined position toward the upright position, and a tilt limiter coupled to the base and configured to engage the stop member at both the upright position and the reclined position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seating arrangement, comprising:
a base;
a lower shell having a horizontal portion coupled to the base, a front link extending upward from the horizontal portion in a forward region, and a rear link extending upward from the horizontal portion in a rearward region;
an upper shell coupled to the front and rear links and spaced from the horizontal portion of the lower shell, the upper shell comprising a seat portion and a backrest portion moveable between an upright position and a recline position, the seat portion including a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal slots so as to define a central region and laterally spaced apart side regions in the seat portion, wherein the central region of the seat portion moves up relative to the side regions of the seat portion during recline of the backrest portion, and wherein a downward force exerted on the central portion forces the backrest portion toward the upright position; and
a tilt limiter coupled to the base and engaging at least one of the links when the backrest portion is moved to the recline position, and wherein a length of the front link remains constant as the backrest is moved between the upright and recline positions.

2. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the central region flexes a different amount than the at least one side region as the back arrangement moves between the upright and reclined positions.

3. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the tilt limiter engages at least one of the links when the backrest portion is moved to the upright position.

4. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the tilt limiter engages the rear link when in the upright and reclined positions.

5. The seating arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the rear link is substantially rigid.

6. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the front link is more substantially flexible than the rear link.

7. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the tilt limiter is visible from an exterior of the seating arrangement.

8. A seating arrangement, comprising:
a base;
a lower support having a horizontal portion coupled to the base, a front link extending upward and forwardly from the horizontal portion, a rear link positioned rearwardly from the front link and extending upwardly from the horizontal portion, a first flexible region between the horizontal portion and the front link and forming an integral, single-piece with at least one of the horizontal portion and the front link and a second flexible region between the horizontal portion and the rear link and forming an integral, single-piece with at least one of the horizontal portion and the rear link, where the first flexible region is more flexible than a first portion of the lower support that is adjacent the first flexible region, and where the second flexible region is more flexible than a second portion of the lower support that is adjacent the second flexible region; and
an upper support coupled to the front and rear links and spaced from the horizontal portion of the lower support, the upper support including a seat portion and a backrest portion moveable between an upright position and a recline position, the seat portion configured to move up during recline of the backrest portion, the upper support including a third flexible region positioned forwardly of the first flexible region, where the third flexible region is more flexible than a first portion of the upper support that is adjacent the third flexible region and wherein the first, second and third flexible regions each structurally deform as the backrest portion is moved between the upright and reclined positions;
wherein the lower support and the upper support are supported from the base via the lower support.

9. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the upper support includes a shell member that includes the seat portion and the back portion.

10. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the lower support includes a shell member that includes the horizontal portion and the front link.

11. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the first flexible region includes a reduced thickness region where a thickness of the front link is less than a thickness of a majority of the front link.

12. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the second flexible region includes a reduced thickness region where a thickness of the horizontal portion is less than a thickness of a majority of the horizontal portion.

13. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the third flexible region includes a reduced thickness region where a thickness of the seat portion is less than a thickness of a majority of the seat portion.

14. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the front link is substantially flexible along a majority of a length thereof, and wherein the rear link is substantially rigid along a majority of a length thereof.

15. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the upper support includes a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal slots so as to define a central region and laterally spaced apart side regions in the seat portion, wherein the central region of the seat portion moves up relative to the side regions of the seat portion as the backrest portion moves from the upright position toward the reclined position.

16. The seating arrangement of claim 8 , further comprising:
a stop member coupled at least one of the front link, the rear link and the seat portion; and
a tilt limiter configured to abut the stop member when the back portion is in both the upright position and the reclined position.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Ludwig James N
• Deevers Nickolaus William Charles
• Heidmann Kurt R
• Johnson William Thomas
• Smith Bruce M
• Spoelhof Mark William

Classifications

• A47C3/22

  with balancing device, e.g. by spring, by weight · CPC title

• A47C3/12

  with shell-shaped seat and back-rest unit, e.g. having arm-rests · CPC title

• A47C7/541

  of adjustable type (adjustable arm-rests of reclining or easy chairs A47C1/03) · CPC title

• A47C1/03277

  with bar or leaf springs · CPC title

• A47C7/445 Primary

  with bar or leaf springs · CPC title