Seating arrangement and method of construction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11825955-B2
Application number	US-202117183461-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Jun 9, 2017
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a base member, and an integrally formed support member coupled to the base member and supporting a seat moveable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein a portion of the support member is bendable as the seat moves from the upright position to the reclined position such that a first side of the support member is put in tension and a second side generally opposite the first side is put in compression, and wherein the first side includes a tensile substrate so that the first side has as higher modulus of elasticity than the second side.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seating arrangement, comprising:
a base member; and
an integrally formed support member coupled to the base member and supporting a seat having a first portion configured to support a seated user thereon and a second portion moveable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein a portion of the support member is bendable as the seat moves from the upright position to the reclined position such that a first side of the support member is put in tension and a second side generally opposite the first side is put in compression, and wherein the first side includes a tensile substrate so that the first side has a higher modulus of elasticity than the second side.

2. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the first side is an upper side of the support member.

3. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the tensile substrate includes a plurality of strands.

4. The seating arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of strands includes glass fiber.

5. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein all the tensile substrate is located in the first side.

6. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the bendable portion of the support member comprises a thermoplastic.

7. The seating arrangement of claim 6 , wherein the tensile substrate comprise a material configured to bond to the thermoplastic.

8. The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the seating arrangement comprises an office chair assembly.

9. A seating arrangement, comprising:
a first portion of a seating component;
a second portion of the seating component moveable with respect to the first portion between a first position and a second position;
a transition portion of the seating component positioned between the first portion and the second portion, where the transition portion is configured to deform as the second portion is moved from the first position to the second position, the transition portion including a surface in tension as the transition portion is deformed and a surface under compression as the transition portion is deformed; and
a stranded material attached to the surface in tension of the transition area;
wherein the stranded material biases the second portion from the second position toward the first position.

10. The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the stranded material is attached to the surface in tension via an adhesive.

11. The seating arrangement of claim 9 , wherein the stranded material includes a plurality of strands.

12. The seating arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the stranded material includes a plurality of strands that are longitudinally-aligned with one another.

13. The seating arrangement of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of strands extend in a substantially fore-to-aft direction.

14. The seating arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the transition portion comprises a thermoplastic.

15. The seating arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of strands comprise a material configured to bond to the thermoplastic.

16. A method of constructing a seating arrangement, comprising:
providing a first material comprising a plurality of strands extending lengthwise with respect to one another;
placing the first material in a mold; and
molding a second material to the first material to form a seating component having a first portion, a second portion, and a deformable transition portion positioned between the first and second portions, a side in tension as the transition portion is deformed and a side under compression as the transition portion is deformed, wherein a majority of the strands are positioned in the side under tension.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of strands include glass fiber.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of strands extend in a substantially fore-to-aft direction.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the transition portion comprises a thermoplastic.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of strands comprise a material configured to bond to the thermoplastic.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein all of the plurality of strands are located in the side in tension.

22. A seating arrangement, comprising:
a first portion of a seating component;
a second portion of the seating component moveable with respect to the first portion between a first position and a second position; and
a transition portion of the seating component positioned between and integral with the first and second portions and configured to deform as the second portion is moved between the first and second position, the transition portion including a side in tension as the transition portion is deformed, a side under compression as the transition portion is deformed and a plurality of longitudinally-aligned strands where a majority of the plurality of strands of the transition portion are positioned in the side in tension, wherein the plurality of strands bias the second portion from the second position toward the first position.

23. The seating arrangement of claim 22 , further comprising:
a seat shell that includes the first portion, the second portion and the transition portion.

24. The seating arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the first portion includes a seat portion configured to support a seated user, and the second portion includes a back portion extending substantially upward from the seat portion.

25. The seating arrangement of claim 22 , further comprising:
a back configured to support the back of a seated user, wherein the transition portion flexes as a back of the seating arrangement moves between an upright position and a reclined position and biases the back from the from the reclined position toward the upright position.

26. The seating arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of strands include glass fiber.

27. The seating arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of strands extend in a substantially fore-to-aft direction.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Deevers Nickolaus William Charles
• Heidmann Kurt R
• Kemen Michael J

Classifications

• A47C7/445

  with bar or leaf springs · CPC title

• A47C3/22

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

• A47C3/20

  Chairs or stools with vertically-adjustable seats · CPC title

• A47C1/03277

  with bar or leaf springs · CPC title

• A47C7/541

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