Chair arm assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12226028-B2
Application number	US-202217817793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2022
Priority date	Sep 20, 2012
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

A chair assembly includes a base assembly, a seat assembly having a pair of side edges and a fore-to-aft extending longitudinal centerline, a back assembly movable between upright and reclined positions, and an arm assembly including an arm base extending from a first location between the side edges to a second location laterally outward of one of the side edges, wherein the arm base extends at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal centerline and at an upward angle from the first location toward the second location, a support assembly supported by and extending upwardly from the arm base, and an armrest supported by the support assembly that is adjustable to support the armrest between a plurality of selected vertical positions, wherein the arm assembly and back assembly move at a different rate from one another as the back assembly is moved between the upright and reclined positions.

First claim

We claim:

1. A control assembly for a chair, comprising:
a base structure defining an upper portion having a lower portion located below the upper portion;
a seat support structure having a forward portion operably coupled to the base structure and a rearward portion located rearward of the forward portion, and wherein the seat support structure is adapted to support a seated user;
a back support structure having a forward portion operably coupled to the base structure and a rearward portion located rearwardly of the forward portion, wherein the back support structure is adapted to move between a first position and a second position; and
a control link having a first end operably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure, and a second end operably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure, wherein a select one of the base structure and the control link is fixed for rotation with respect to a ground support surface as the back support is moved between the first and second positions.

2. The control assembly of claim 1 , wherein the forward portion of the seat support structure is pivotably coupled to the upper portion of the base structure for rotation about a first pivot point.

3. The control assembly of claim 2 , wherein the forward portion of the back support structure is pivotably coupled to the lower portion of the base structure for rotation about a second pivot point.

4. The control assembly of claim 3 , wherein the first end of the control link is pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the seat support structure, for rotation about a third pivot point and wherein the second end of the control link is pivotably coupled to the rearward portion of the back support structure for rotation about a fourth pivot point.

5. The control assembly of claim 4 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the second pivot point.

6. The control assembly of claim 5 , wherein the third pivot point is located at a greater vertical height than the fourth pivot point when the back support structure is in the first position.

7. The chair assembly of claim 4 , wherein the chair assembly comprises an office chair assembly.

8. An energy mechanism, comprising:
a spring generating a spring force upon deformation of the spring;
an enclosure having first and second opposite ends with openings therethrough, the enclosure housing at least a portion of the spring therein;
a fitting including a first connector, the fitting extending through the opening at the second end of the enclosure and having an inner portion disposed inside the enclosure, and wherein the first connector is disposed outside the enclosure, the enclosure including a non-movable integral retaining structure at the second end engaging the fitting such that an axial tension force applied to the first connector of the fitting causes an axial tension force on the enclosure;
an actuator extending through the opening at the first end of the enclosure, the actuator having a first portion disposed inside the enclosure and operably engaging the spring, and a second portion extending out of the first end of the enclosure to transmit a spring force outside the enclosure, the actuator being movable in a first direction from an initial position wherein the spring is deformed a fixed initial amount and generates a fixed, non-adjustable initial spring force acting on the actuator, to a second position wherein the spring is deformed a second amount and generates a second spring force that is greater than the initial spring force;
wherein the spring is, in use, supported in a partially stressed condition within the enclosure after being prestressed to deform the spring to the fixed, non-adjustable initial amount of deformation to generate the fixed, non-adjustable initial spring force, such that an applied force acting on the actuator must be at least as great as a predetermined non-adjustable initial force to shift the actuator in the first direction from its initial position, wherein the non-adjustable initial spring force is within a predefined range; and
wherein the second portion of the actuator includes a second connector that is spaced apart from the first connector a distance that is not adjustable when the actuator is in its initial position.

9. The energy mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the enclosure defines an axis that extends through the first and second opposite ends of the enclosure, the non-movable integral retaining structure comprises a flange at the second end of the enclosure that extends inwardly in a direction that is transverse to the axis, and the flange engaging the inner portion of the fitting and retaining the inner portion of the fitting inside the enclosure.

10. The energy mechanism of claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a sidewall extending parallel to the axis, and wherein the flange is integrally formed with the sidewall such that the sidewall and the flange have a continuous one-piece construction.

11. The energy mechanism of claim 10 , wherein the enclosure comprises a tubular member having generally cylindrical inner and outer surfaces.

12. The energy mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the enclosure comprises a tubular member, the first end being at least partially closed by a spring-engaging structure, and the actuator includes an elongated rod having a spring-engaging flange at an inner end of the actuator, and wherein the spring is disposed between the spring-engaging structure and the spring-engaging flange.

13. A chair including the energy mechanism of claim 8 , wherein the chair includes a seat and a back that are movably interconnected by a linkage, and wherein the energy mechanism biases the linkage to an upright configuration in which the back is in an upright position relative to the seat.

14. The chair of claim 13 , wherein the chair comprises an office chair assembly.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A47C1/03279

  of torsion type · CPC title

• A47C7/282

  with mesh-like supports, e.g. elastomeric membranes · CPC title

• A47C3/18

  Chairs or stools with rotatable seat (adjustable in height by rotation A47C3/24) · CPC title

• A47C7/541

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

• A47C31/023

  connecting upholstery to frames, e.g. by hooks, clips, snap fasteners, clamping means or the like · CPC title