Chair back with lumbar and pelvic supports

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9538849-B2
Application number	US-201414499705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2014
Priority date	Mar 1, 2005
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

An office chair is provided having a back assembly which is configured to provide supplemental support to the back of a chair occupant in addition to the support provided by the primary support surface of the chair back. The chair back includes a lumbar support unit having a lumbar support pad that includes a plurality of support rings disposed one inside of the other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A back support pad for a chair comprising:
a plurality of elastomeric support rings disposed one inside of the other, said support rings each having peripheral edges, said support rings spaced from each other such that said support rings are separated from each other along a majority of their peripheral edges; and
spaced apart connector webs extending between adjacent support rings to join each said support ring to an adjacent said support ring, each of said support rings and connected to said adjacent support ring by a plurality of said connector webs which are spaced apart from each other at selected locations, with each next outwardly successive one of said support rings being connected to an inwardly successive one of said support rings by said connector webs extending therebetween.

2. The back support pad according to claim 1 , wherein said back support pad has opposite side sections disposed on opposite sides of a vertical centerline extending across a face of the lumbar pad, said connector webs being disposed at variable distances from said centerline to govern the pressure distribution applied by said back support pad to a chair occupant disposed in contact therewith.

3. The back support pad according to claim 1 , wherein a first one of said connector webs extending between a first pair of said support is aligned with a second one of said connector webs extending between a second pair of said support rings.

4. The back support pad according to claim 3 , wherein said first one of said connector webs extends between a first said support ring and a second said support ring and said second one of said connector webs extends between said second support ring and a third said support ring.

5. The back support pad according to claim 1 , including at least one resilient support arm extending from said back support pad for attaching said back support pad to a frame.

6. A back support pad for a chair comprising:
a plurality of elastomeric support rings spaced away from each other to define a support surface of the back support pad for supporting the body of a chair occupant, the support rings being disposed one inside of the other and having adjacent peripheral edges which are spaced from each other such that the support rings are separated from each other along a majority of the peripheral length thereof; and
at least one support arm extending from the back support pad for attaching the back support pad to a frame;
said back support pad including a plurality of spaced apart connector webs extending crosswise between adjacent support rings to join each support ring to an adjacent support ring, each adjacent pair of the support rings having a plurality of the connector webs which are spaced apart from each other at selected locations along the length of the support rings such that an inner one of the support rings supports a next successive one of the support rings by the connector webs connected therebetween with each next outwardly successive one of the support rings being connected to an inwardly successive one of the support rings by the connector webs extending therebetween.

7. The back support pad of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support arms are integrally formed, the back support pad further including a central mounting section for attachment to the support arm.

8. The back support pad of claim 7 wherein the central mounting section defines laterally spaced apart suspension slots for attachment to the support arm.

9. The back support pad of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support rings defines a concave front pad face that curves forwardly about a vertical centerline.

10. The back support pad of claim 9 wherein adjacent connector webs are staggered laterally outwardly relative to the vertical centerline.

11. The back support pad of claim 10 wherein the connector webs in a lower half of the back support pad are disclosed closer to the vertical centerline than the connector webs in an upper half of the back support pad.

12. The back support pad of claim 6 wherein the plurality of support rings are laterally elongate and define a rearwardly convex vertical central groove in general alignment with the spinal column of the chair occupant.

13. A back support pad for a chair comprising:
a plurality of concentric support rings, each of the plurality of support rings being spaced apart from an adjacent support ring along a substantial portion thereof;
a central mounting section spaced inward of the plurality of concentric support rings; and
a plurality of connector webs extending between adjacent support rings to join each support ring to an adjacent support ring, wherein the plurality of support rings, the plurality of connector webs and the central mounting section from an integrally molded lumbar support that curves forwardly about a vertical centerline.

14. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein the central mounting section is attached to a resilient support arm extending from a frame.

15. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein adjacent connector webs are staggered laterally outwardly relative to the vertical centerline.

16. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein the connector webs in a lower half of the lumbar support are disposed closer to the vertical centerline than the connector webs in an upper half of the lumbar support.

17. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein the lumbar support defines a vertical groove in general alignment with the spinal column of a chair occupant.

18. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein the plurality of concentric support rings each define a substantially rectangular cross section.

19. The back support pad of claim 13 wherein at least two of the plurality of concentric support rings form an endless loop about the central mounting section.

Assignees

• Haworth Inc

Inventors

• Beyer Pete J
• Willette Joe
• Wilkerson Larry A
• Bellingar Teresa

Classifications

• A47C7/462 Primary

  adjustable by mechanical means · CPC title

• A47C7/46 Primary

  with special, e.g. adjustable {, lumbar region support} profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs · CPC title

• A47C7/40

  for the back · CPC title

• A47C7/44

  with elastically-mounted frame · CPC title

• A47C7/445 Primary

  with bar or leaf springs · CPC title