Seating device having a tilt mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9585485-B2
Application number	US-201615144942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2016
Priority date	May 15, 2015
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

Abstract

A seating device can include a seat and a base connected to the seat to support the seat. A tilt mechanism can be connected to at least one of the base and the seat. The tilt mechanism can include at least one of (a) at least one seat connecting member connecting the seat to an upper portion of the base, (b) a plurality of resilient fingers that are attached to the base to engage a floor and flex in response to a user providing a force while sitting or leaning on the seat, and (c) an elastomeric floor engagement member that is attached to the base and has a bottom peripheral portion that contacts a floor and is flexible in response to a user providing the force. In some embodiments, the tilt mechanism may include all of elements (a)-(c).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seating device comprising:
a seat;
a base connected to the seat to support the seat;
a tilt mechanism connected to at least one of the base and the seat, the tilt mechanism comprising:
an elastomeric floor engagement member that is attached to the base such that an outer peripheral portion of a bottom of the floor engagement member contacts the floor, the floor engagement member being configured to flex in response to a force provided by a user sitting or leaning on the seat;

the bottom of the floor engagement member being concave in shape such that the outer peripheral portion of the bottom contacts the floor and flexure or deformation of the floor engagement member results in a portion of the bottom inside of the outer peripheral portion of the bottom being moved into contact with the floor; and
wherein the floor engagement member is comprised of an elastomeric material.

2. The seating device of claim 1 , wherein the tilt mechanism also comprises at least one seat connecting member connecting the seat to an upper portion of the base, the at least one seat connecting member having a first deformable member and a second deformable member;
the first deformable member extending from a first side of the seat to the upper portion of the base;
the second deformable member extending from a second side of the seat to the upper portion of the base, the second side of the seat being opposite the first side of the seat.

3. A seating device comprising:
a seat;
a base connected to the seat to support the seat;
a tilt mechanism connected to at least one of the base and the seat, the tilt mechanism comprising:
at least one seat connecting member connecting the seat to an upper portion of the base, the at least one seat connecting member having a first deformable member and a second deformable member;
the first deformable member extending from a first side of the seat to the upper portion of the base;
the second deformable member extending from a second side of the seat to the upper portion of the base, the second side of the seat being opposite the first side of the seat;

wherein the base is comprised of:
a vertically elongated member that is connected to lower ends of the first and second deformable members;
first and second inclined members that are connected to a bottom end of the vertically elongated member; and
a generally horizontal member having a first end connected to a lower end of the first inclined member and a second end connected to a lower end of the second inclined member.

4. The seating device of claim 3 , wherein the tilt mechanism is also comprised of a plurality of resilient fingers that are attached to the base to engage a floor, the fingers being configured to flex in response to a force provided by a user sitting or leaning on the seat, the fingers being attached to the generally horizontal member for being attached to the base.

5. The seating device of claim 4 , wherein the tilt mechanism is also comprised of an elastomeric floor engagement member that is attached to the base such that an outer peripheral portion of a bottom of the floor engagement member contacts the floor, the floor engagement member being configured to flex in response to a force provided by a user sitting or leaning on the seat, the floor engagement member being connected to the generally horizontal member such that the floor engagement member encloses the fingers.

6. The seating device of claim 5 , wherein the floor engagement member entirely encloses all of the fingers and also encloses a portion of the generally horizontal member.

7. The seating device of claim 6 , wherein the first and second deformable members are portions of a unitary seat connecting member structure that is formed as a one piece structure that is generally triangular in shape; and
wherein the base also comprises a first inclined arm that extends outwardly away from an upper end of the vertically elongated member adjacent to a first side of the seat and a second inclined arm that extends outwardly away from the upper end of the vertically elongated member adjacent to a second side of the seat, the first inclined arm attached to the first deformable member and the second inclined arm attached to the second deformable member; and
wherein the first and second inclined members and the generally horizontal member are connected together to define a generally triangular shaped base member.

8. The seating device of claim 6 , wherein the seat is comprised of a core member and a covering attached to the core member, the core member being attached to the first and second deformable member.

9. The seating device of claim 8 , wherein the core member is within the covering.

10. The seating device of claim 9 , wherein:
the covering has an opening defined in a bottom of the covering, and
the core member is attached to the first and second deformable members via an inner seat connecting element that extends between the first and second deformable members, the inner seat connecting element connected to the core member in the opening of the covering.

11. The seating device of claim 10 , wherein the core member has a plurality of holes.

12. The seating device of claim 10 , wherein the first deformable member has a first inner element within a covering of that member and the second deformable member has a second inner element within a covering, the inner seat connecting element extending between the first and second inner elements and being integrally connected to the first inner element and the second inner element.

13. The seating device of claim 12 , wherein the first and second deformable members are portions of a unitary seat connecting member structure that has a generally triangular shape.

14. The seating device of claim 13 , wherein the first and second inclined members are attached to the generally horizontal member to define a generally triangular shaped base member.

15. A seating device comprising:
a seat:
a base connected to the seat to support the seat;
a tilt mechanism connected to at least one of the base and the seat, the tilt mechanism comprising:
(i) a plurality of resilient fingers that are attached to the base to engage a floor, the fingers being configured to flex in response to a force provided by a user sitting or leaning on the seat, and
(ii) an elastomeric floor engagement member that is attached to the base such that an outer peripheral portion of a bottom of the floor engagement member contacts the floor, the floor engagement member being configured to flex in response to a force provided by a user sitting or leaning on the seat; and

the base is comprised of:
a vertically elongated member;
first and second inclined members that are connected to a bottom end of the vertically elongated member; and
a generally horizontal member having a first end connected to a lower end of the first inclined member and a second end connected to a lower end of the second inclined member, the fingers being attached to the generally horizontal member for being attached to the base; and

the floor engagement member being connected to the generally horizontal member such that the floor engagement member encloses the fingers.

16. The seating device of claim 15 , wherein the first and second inclined members and the generally horizontal member are connected together to define a generally triangular shaped base member.

17. The seating device of claim 15 , wherein each of the fingers extend away from the generally horizontal member and are configured to at least one of flex and

Assignees

• Knoll Inc

Inventors

• Murray Seth
• Recor Bret
• Deskevich Adam
• Harper Michael
• Melhuish Robert A
• Van Hekken Hendrik R
• Gatrall Simon
• Moolsintong Pinida Jan
• Ko Alexander Kwok Yin
• Janssens Steven Howard

Classifications

• A47C7/566 Primary

  Resiliently mounted seat or back-rest · CPC title

• A47C7/004

  for chairs or stools with central column, e.g. office chairs · CPC title

• A47C3/02 Primary

  Rocking chairs · CPC title

• A47C9/002

  with exercising means or having special therapeutic or ergonomic effects · CPC title