Seating arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021000257-A1
Application number	US-202017031180-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 24, 2020
Priority date	Jun 9, 2016
Publication date	Jan 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seating arrangement includes a rigid back frame, a flexible back shell coupled to the back frame and including a pair of vertical side portions and at least two strap portions extending laterally between the side portions and including a forwardly-facing surface configured to support a back of a seated user, the at least two strap portions including a lowermost strap portion, the lowermost strap portion configured to deflect a first distance when a rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lowermost strap portion by a seated user, and a lumbar assembly supported from the back frame and configured to support the lumbar region of a back of a seated user, the lumbar assembly configured to deflect a second distance when the rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lumbar assembly by a seated user, wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially similar.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A seating arrangement, comprising:
a substantially rigid back frame; a flexible back shell coupled to the back frame and including a pair of vertical side portions and at least two strap portions extending laterally between the side portions, the at least two strap portions including a forwardly-facing surface configured to support a back of a seated user, the at least two strap portions including a lowermost strap portion, the lowermost strap portion configured to deflect a first distance when a rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lowermost strap portion by a seated user; and a lumbar assembly supported from the back frame and configured to support the lumbar region of a back of a seated user, the lumbar assembly configured to deflect a second distance when the rearwardly-directed force is exerted on the lumbar assembly by a seated user; wherein the first distance and the second distance are substantially similar.

2 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the side portions and the lowermost strap portion of the back shell are an integral, single piece.

3 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the side portions and the at least two strap portions of the back shell are an integral, single piece.

4 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the deflection of the lowermost strap portion and the deflection of the lumbar assembly is in a rearward direction.

5 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the back frame includes a horizontal top frame portion, a horizontal bottom frame member, and a pair of vertical side frame portions extending between the top frame portion and the bottom frame portion and cooperating with the top frame portion and the bottom frame portion to define an interior space of the back frame, and wherein at least a portion of the lowermost strap portion and at least a portion of the lumbar assembly are positioned within the interior space of the back frame.

6 . The seating arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the lumbar assembly is vertically adjustable within the interior space of the back frame.

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

8 . A seating arrangement, comprising;
a seat having an upper surface configured to support a seated user thereon; and a lumbar assembly vertically adjustable with respect to the upper surface of the seat, the lumbar assembly including a forwardly-facing support surface configured to support the back of seated user, the support surface including a first portion and a second portion located at a different vertical height than the first portion, wherein the second portion is movable between a first position where the second portion is located forward of the first portion and defines a forward-most surface of the support surface along a centerline of the seating arrangement, and a second position where the second portion is substantially planar with the first portion.

9 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the second portion extends laterally across the forwardly-facing surface.

10 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the second portion is at least partially spaced from the first portion by a gap.

11 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the first portion is located at a greater vertical height than the second portion.

12 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the support surface further includes a third portion located at a lesser vertical height than the second portion, and wherein the third portion remains substantially planar with the first portion as the second portion moves between the first and second portions.

13 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the second portion of the support surface is biased from the second position toward the first position.

14 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the lumbar assembly is configured such that the forward-most surface of the support surface is vertically adjustable with respect to the upper surface of the seat for a distance of at least 50 mm.

15 . The seating arrangement of claim 14 , wherein the lumbar assembly is configured such that the forward-most surface of the support surface is vertically adjustable with respect to the upper surface of the seat for a distance of at least 80 mm.

16 . The seating arrangement of claim 15 , wherein the lumbar assembly is configured such that the forward-most surface of the support surface is vertically adjustable with respect to the upper surface of the seat for a distance of at least 100 mm.

17 . The seating arrangement of claim 8 , wherein the lumbar assembly is configured such that the forward-most surface of the support surface is vertically adjustable with respect to the upper surface of the seat assembly within a range of equal to or less than 170 mm to equal to or greater than 220 mm.

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

19 . A method for testing the vertical movement of a lumbar assembly of a seating arrangement, comprising;
providing a seat having an upper surface configured to support a seated user thereon; providing a lumbar assembly configured to be vertically adjustable with respect to a back frame, the lumbar assembly including a forwardly-facing support surface configured to support the back of seated user, the support surface including a first portion and a second portion located at a different vertical height than the first portion, wherein the second portion is movable between a first position where the second portion is located forward of the first portion and defines the forward-most surface of the support surface along a centerline of the seating arrangement, and a second position where the second portion is substantially planar with the first portion; moving the lumbar assembly vertically with respect to the upper surface of the seat to a first vertical position; locating the forward-most surface of the support surface along the centerline of the seating arrangement with the lumbar assembly located at the first vertical position, wherein the forward-most surface of the support surface is defined by the second portion while in the first position; moving the lumbar assembly vertically with respect to the upper surface of the seat to a second vertical position, where the second vertical position is located at a greater vertical height than the first vertical position; and locating the forward-most surface of the support surface along the centerline of the seating arrangement with the lumbar assembly located at the second vertical position, wherein the forward-most surface of the support surface is defined by the second portion while in the first position.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second portion extends laterally across the forwardly-facing surface.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the second portion is at least partially spaced from the first portion by a gap.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first portion is located at a greater vertical height than the second portion.

23 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the support surface further includes a third portion located at a lesser vertical height than the second portion, and wherein the third portion remains substantially planar with the first portion as the second portion moves between the first and second portions.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Peterson Gordon J
• Battey Robert J
• Vander Veen Mark

Classifications

• A47C7/42

  of detachable {or loose} type · CPC title

• A47C1/03255 Primary

  with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs · CPC title

• A47C3/026

  with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs; Tilting chairs · CPC title

• A47C3/025

  with seat, or seat and back-rest unit, elastically mounted in a rigid frame · CPC title

• A47C1/0307

  adjustable rectilinearly in horizontal direction · CPC title