Chair assembly with upholstery covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11464341-B2
Application number	US-202117230595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2021
Priority date	Sep 20, 2012
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A chair includes a base structure, a seat support structure, a back frame comprising a front surface, a rear surface and a forwardly extending bottom portion pivotably connected to the base, a biasing member biasing the back frame from a reclined position toward an upright position, wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure, and a back shell comprising a forwardly extending bottom portion connected to the seat support structure, a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, and a top portion extending laterally between and connected to the side portions, wherein each of the side portions are exclusively connected to the back frame at a first location.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A chair, comprising:
a base structure;
a seat support structure pivotably connected to the base structure;
a back frame comprising a front surface, a rear surface and a forwardly extending bottom portion pivotably connected to the base, wherein the back frame is movable between an upright position and a reclined position;
a biasing member configured to bias the back frame from the reclined position toward the upright position, wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure;
a back shell comprising a forwardly extending bottom portion connected to the seat support structure, a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, and a top portion extending laterally between and connected to the side portions, wherein each of the side portions are connected to the back frame at a first location which is the exclusive connection between the back shell and the back frame; and
a cover extending across the opening and connected to the side portions and the top portion of the back shell.

2. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member is entirely spaced from the back shell.

3. The chair of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base assembly configured to abut a floor surface and pivotably coupled to the base structure such that the base structure is pivotable about a vertical pivot axis, wherein a first end of the biasing member is located forward of the pivot axis and a second end located rearward of the pivot axis.

4. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring.

5. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the cover covers the front surface of the back shell.

6. The chair of claim 5 , wherein the cover covers a laterally outwardly facing edge of the back shell.

7. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the cover is less compliant in a lateral direction than in a vertical direction.

8. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the back shell is pivotably connected to the back frame at the first location.

9. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the seat support structure is pivotably connected to the base.

10. The chair of claim 1 , wherein the back frame is pivotably connected to the base structure forward of the rearward most edge of the seat support structure.

11. A chair, comprising:
a base structure;
a seat operably coupled to the base structure and configured to support a seated user thereon;
a back frame having a front surface and a rear surface and comprising a laterally extending frame portion having opposite end portions, wherein the back frame is movable between an upright position and a reclined position;
a biasing member configured to bias the back frame from the reclined position toward the upright position:
a single, one-piece back shell comprising a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, wherein the side portions are exclusively connected to the laterally extending frame portion at the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion, wherein the connections between the side portions of the back shell and the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion are the only connections between the side portions of the back shell and the back frame, wherein the connections between the side portions of the back shell and the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion are located above a lumbar support area of the back shell, and wherein the back shell is entirely spaced from the biasing member; and
a cover extending across the opening and connected to the side portions of the back shell.

12. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure.

13. The chair of claim 11 , further comprising:
a base assembly configured to abut a floor surface and pivotably coupled to the base structure such that the base structure is pivotable about a vertical pivot axis, wherein a first end of the biasing member is located forward of the pivot axis and a second end located rearward of the pivot axis.

14. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the biasing member comprises a coil spring.

15. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the cover covers the front surface of the back shell.

16. The chair of claim 15 , wherein the cover covers a laterally outwardly facing edge of the back shell.

17. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the cover is less compliant in a lateral direction than in a vertical direction.

18. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the side portions are pivotably connected to the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion.

19. The chair of claim 11 , wherein the seat support structure is pivotably connected to the base.

20. The chair of claim 11 , where the back frame is pivotably connected to the base structure forward of a rearward most edge of the seat.

21. The chair of claim 1 , further comprising:
a base assembly configured to abut a floor surface, wherein the base structure is pivotably coupled to the base assembly for pivoting movement about a vertical pivot axis, and wherein the biasing member has a first end located forward of the vertical pivot axis and a second end located rearward of the vertical pivot axis.

22. A chair, comprising:
a base structure;
a seat operably coupled to the base structure and configured to support a seated user thereon:
a back frame including a front surface, a rear surface, a laterally extending frame portion having opposite end portions located above a lumbar region of the back frame, and a pair of forwardly extending support portions spaced from one another and located below the lumbar region of the back frame, wherein each of the support portions are pivotably coupled to the base structure such that the back frame is movable between an upright position and a reclined position:
a back shell comprising a front surface, a rear surface positioned in front of the front surface of the back frame, a pair of laterally spaced side portions defining an opening therebetween, wherein the side portions are exclusively connected to the laterally extending frame portion at the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion, wherein the connections between the side portions of the back shell and the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion are the only connections between the side portions of the back shell and the back frame, wherein the connections between the side portions of the back shell and the opposite end portions of the laterally extending frame portion are located above a lumbar support area of the back shell; and
a cover extending across the opening and connected to the side portions of the back shell.

23. The chair of claim 22 , further comprising:
a biasing member configured to bias the back frame from the reclined position toward the upright position, wherein the back shell is entirely spaced from the biasing member.

24. The chair of claim 23 , wherein the biasing member is located entirely forward a rearward most edge of the seat support structure.

25. The chair of claim 23 , further comprising:
a base assembly configured to abut a floor surface and pivotably coupled to the base structu

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A47C7/185

  with a stiff, rigid support · CPC title

• A47C7/44 Primary

  with elastically-mounted frame · CPC title

• A47C7/40

  for the back · CPC title

• A47C3/20

  Chairs or stools with vertically-adjustable seats · CPC title

• A47C7/462

  adjustable by mechanical means · CPC title