CN105263367A - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

The chair has a backrest (3) and a back frame (4) arranged behind the backrest (3). The backrest (3) can be deformed in a curved manner by the body pressure from the seated person. The upper end of the backrest (3) is attached to the back frame (4) by first support means (12). The left and right ends of the portion of the backrest (3) at or slightly above the level of the user's lumbar spine are attached to the back frame (4) by second support means (13). The stiffness of the first support means (12) is such that it deforms in a bending manner due to body pressure. The stiffness of the second supporting device (13) is higher than that of the first supporting device (12). The user's lumbar spine is supported in a stable manner, and when swaying occurs, the upper end of the backrest (3) is deformable to follow the movement of the body. The backrest includes a frame (9) constituting the periphery of the backrest and a body support portion (10) that receives the body pressure of a seated occupant. The body support portion (10) is divided into a central region comprising a group of transversely long central stays (41) and side regions comprising a group of similar transversely long side stays (40). The central stay (41) and the side stays (40) are arranged to be vertically staggered. The struts (40, 41) laterally adjacent to each other are integrally linked by obliquely oriented links (42).

Description

Chair

technical field

The present invention relates to a chair, and in particular, an office chair is taken as a preferred object.

Background technique

For the user, the number one factor a chair possesses is comfort. Specifically, in chairs for offices, a person sits for a long time, and thus comfort is an important factor. There are some factors that compromise comfort. Usually, such factors include a feeling of pressure due to the fact that the part of the body hit is hard and a nervous feeling of not being able to move the body easily. Therefore, countermeasures are employed to reduce stress and tension.

The problem of the oppressive feeling is dealt with such that a cushion is arranged in a seat or a back made of a net or the like. Employing a deformable structure in a seat panel or a back panel is also effective in improving softness.

On the other hand, in order to prevent or reduce tension, it is sufficient to allow the body to move while sitting down. Giving a chair a rocking function is an effective means of relieving tension. However, the simple rocking function alone has only a limited effect in improving comfort. This is because people take various postures in a sitting state, and thus the simple rocking function cannot follow changes in a person's posture.

For example, it is common for a seat occupant to twist their body so as to turn to one side. However, in the case where the backrest has a rigid structure, when a person twists the body, the contact area with the backrest is reduced, so that the user receives a sense of pressure, and thus, the comfort is reduced.

Therefore, the movement of the body has been designed to improve the following properties of the backrest. As examples of these designs, as a structure in which the backrest can be deformed by the body pressure of the seat occupant, Documents 1 to 4 describe configurations in which the backrest is supported by the back frame at three positions by It consists of two left and right positions and a left and right middle position at the lower end.

When the backrest is freely deformed by the body pressure of the seated occupant, the stability of the body decreases and thus the comfort decreases conversely. That is to say, the backrest must have the function of firmly supporting the body. Specifically, in the case where a person sits on a chair and performs various desk jobs, internal organs are squeezed when the person is slouched, and thus strong stress acts on the body. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a high necessity that the human body (in particular, the lumbar spine) is supported and kept in a straight back state even in the non-swing state.

When the separate publicly known document is viewed from the viewpoint of such a function of stably supporting the body, the backrest of the separate publicly known document is supported at three positions, which are determined by the left and right sides at the upper end. It consists of two positions and the positions of the left and right middle parts of the lower end. Therefore, the conclusion is that excessive deformation is avoided. However, since the lower portion of the backrest is easily deformed, it is not expected to have a high function of firmly supporting the body in a non-swaying state and keeping the back straight. That is, in a single publicly known document, there is a possibility of insufficient function to stably support a body in a non-swing state.

In addition, as a mode of use of the chair, generally in a rocking state, the body is twisted from side to side, or alternatively, the shoulders are deviated from side to side. In this case, the load is concentrated on the left or right side of the upper part of the backrest. However, in a separate publicly known document, the upper part of the backrest cannot be easily deformed. Therefore, the height-following property of the posture change of the body is not expected, and therefore, from this point of view, there is also room for improving comfort.

Furthermore, in many cases, the backrest of the chair is provided with a backboard made of resin. In addition, as a means for alleviating the feeling of pressure and improving the cushioning properties and fitting properties, a configuration in which the back plate has a flexible structure is employed. For example, in Document 5, the applicant of the present application has disclosed that a large number of elongated grooves elongated horizontally in the left-right direction are provided in the back plate so that the body support portion is composed of multi-stage band plate groups. In this Document 5, fine trimming grooves are provided in left and right end portions of each strip plate so that deformation can easily occur.

On the other hand, Document 6 discloses a backsheet having a configuration similar to a honeycomb structure. Furthermore, Document 7 discloses a backrest in which cross-shaped holes and linear holes are regularly arranged so that a net-like structure is formed.

In Documents 6 and 7, the body support portion of the backrest is formed in a net structure. In addition, a group of thin wires constituting the body support portion are individually bent, and thus, the thin wires are allowed to perform stretch deformation according to body pressure. Therefore, the entire body support portion can be thus deformed to be concave backward.

Here, the function of supporting the body realized by the backrest is considered below. High flexibility alone is not enough, and the function of stably supporting the body is also important. For example, when there is a tendency for the body to vibrate in a rocking state, in some cases the comfort is conversely decreased.

Also, in the case where the seated person performs desk work like PC operation in a non-swing state, when the lumbar spine is firmly supported, an appropriate posture with the back straight is maintained, and thus, this situation is preferable. On the contrary, when the flexibility of the backrest is too high, the body cannot be stably supported.

In addition, in Documents 6 and 7, a mesh structure is employed, and therefore, the structure is easily deformed as a whole. Therefore, although high cushioning properties are obtained, it is concluded that there is room for improvement in stably supporting the body. On the other hand, the strap plate of Document 5 does not excessively perform stretch deformation, and therefore, is advantageous in supporting the stability of the body. However, since there is a limit on the elongation of the individual strips, it was concluded that there is room for improvement from a flexibility point of view.

reference list

patent documents

Patent Document 1: JP-A-2002-119366

Patent Document 2: JP-A-2004-129966

Patent Document 3: JP-A-2010-063831

Patent Document 4: US Patent 7249802

Patent Document 5: JP-A-2011-041615

Patent Document 6: Japanese Patent 4015673

Patent Document 7: US Patent No. 5,934,758

Contents of the invention

technical problem

The invention of the present application has been conceived in view of such present circumstances, and is intended to provide a chair with known enhancements in value of use and improvements which have been achieved. Furthermore, the present application includes a number of improved configurations and it may therefore be an object to provide such improved configurations.

Furthermore, the invention of the present application has been devised in view of such current circumstances. The object of the invention of the present application is to provide a more improved backrest.

Technical solutions

The present application consists of a set of inventions which are layered and broadened in scope. In addition, typical modes of the present application are identified as first to fifteenth inventions.

[First invention]

Among them, the first invention constitutes a superordinate concept. The basic configuration of the first invention includes: a seat; a backrest; and a back frame having a rigid structure and arranged behind the backrest with a space between the back frame and the backrest. In addition, the backrest is attached to the back frame by first support means arranged at a height close to the upper end of the backrest and by second support means arranged at a position lower than the first support means and higher than the seating surface. In addition, the first support device is attached to portions near right and left middle portions of an upper end portion in the backrest.

It is sufficient here that the first support means be attached to the upper end of the backrest or in the vicinity thereof. Thus, the backrest can run out on the first support device. That is, the attachment location of the first support means has a vertical width. The second support means is similar.

In the present invention, it can be said that the backrest is supported at three positions consisting of left and right middle parts of the upper end part and right and left two positions below the upper end part. In addition, in the case where the user sits without leaning on the backrest in order to perform desk work like PC operation, the lumbar spine and the like can be stably supported by portions supported at two left and right positions inside the backrest. Therefore, the straight back state can be properly maintained, and thus, the user is allowed to take an appropriate working posture.

On the other hand, the first support means is close to the left and right middle parts of the backrest, and therefore, the upper end portion (or upper part) of the backrest runs out to the outside of the first support means in the left-right direction to constitute a free end. That is, both the left and right ends of the upper end portion (upper portion) of the backrest serve as free ends that are not supported from behind. Therefore, when adopting a configuration in which the upper portion of the backrest can be deformed by body pressure, the backrest can be deformed so as to follow the twisting of the body in a state where the body is leaning on the backrest. This contributes to increased comfort in the reclining position.

[Second Invention]

The second invention is an expanded example of the first invention. In this invention, the first support means has an elastic strength that allows warping deformation and thereby allows the upper portion of the backrest to move and deviate, and the rigidity of the second supporting device is such that, even when the seat occupant's body pressure acts, the bending deformation does not substantially occur, or alternatively, although the occupant's body pressure causes elastic deformation, but the second supporting means has an elastic strength such that with said elastic strength, the magnitude of the elastic deformation of the second supporting means is lower than the magnitude of the elastic deformation of the first supporting means.

In this second invention, the first supporting means has a spring property. Therefore, in a state where a person leans on the backrest, the upper part of the backrest is allowed to move so as to approach the back frame. That is to say, the counterforce of the first support means acts from behind on the upper part of the backrest and thus provides a cushioning effect and thus comfort for the user. Furthermore, the deformation in the first support means allows torsional deformation in the backrest and thus also increases the following deformability in the event of a twisting of the body in the right or left direction when the person is leaning on the backrest.

Furthermore, the second support means is hardly deformed by the body pressure of the seated person, or alternatively, even when deformation occurs, the magnitude of the deformation is smaller than that in the first support means. Therefore, the function of supporting the body in the leaning state is appropriately achieved. In addition, when the lower portion of the backrest is excessively deformed in a reclined state such as a rocking state, the stability of the body decreases, so that in some cases, the comfort decreases conversely. However, in the second invention, even in the reclining state, the body is stably supported by the lower portion of the backrest, and thus, excessive movement of the body is prevented, making it possible to improve comfort.

[Third Invention]

The third invention is an example of an extension of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the first support means is in a vertically elongated posture in side view, and the second support means is divided into left and right parts, and the left and right second support means are inclined in plan view. posture, so that the interval between the left and right second supporting devices becomes wider as it goes toward the near side.

In the present invention, the first supporting means and the second supporting means can utilize various modes. However, when the third invention is employed, in both the first support device and the second support device, the portion extending between the back frame and the backrest can have a simple plate-shaped configuration. This provides the advantage of a concise structure. In addition, the first support device 12 is elongated in the up and down direction, and thus can be easily deformed and bent backward by the body pressure of the seated person. Therefore, following properties and cushioning properties against changes in the body can be improved.

[Fourth invention]

The fourth invention is an expanded example of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the back frame includes a pair of left and right vertically elongated members that are inclined so that the interval becomes narrower as they go upward, And the upper end is integrally connected by a coupling portion, and the first supporting device is attached to the coupling portion of the back frame, and the second supporting device is attached to the left vertical elongated member and the right vertical elongate member. Here, matters concerning the fourth invention can also be applied to the third invention.

For example, the back frame may be constructed from one member located in the left and right middle portions of the backrest, or alternatively, an inverted U-shaped configuration with left and right vertical portions may be utilized. However, when the fourth invention configuration (inverted V-shaped configuration) is adopted, an advantage is obtained that high strength can be ensured by adopting a simple configuration.

[fifth invention]

The fifth invention is an example of expansion of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the backrest includes a main member made of resin and attached to the back frame, the main member includes a skeleton and a body support portion, the skeleton has a ring shape and constitutes an outer periphery, The body support portion is located inside the frame, and the body support portion is provided with a large number of slits or holes so as to have strength such that body pressure of a seated person easily causes deformation. Here, matters concerning the fifth invention can also be applied to the third invention or the fourth invention. Various configurations are available for the backrest. However, in the fifth invention, the main member is constituted by an integrally molded product. Therefore, time and effort can be saved in terms of manufacturing, and also quality variation can be prevented, as compared with a configuration in which the skeleton and the body support portion are configured as separate members.

Here, in the fifth invention, the body support portion is set to be constant with respect to the frame. However, as described above, it is also possible to employ a configuration in which the body support portion is constructed from a flexible raw material such as a mesh material, and then the flexible raw material is attached to the frame. In either case, it is preferable that the skeleton performs warp deformation according to the body pressure of the seated person.

[Sixth Invention]

In the fifth invention, the backrest can be constructed separately from the main member, and the body pressure of the seated person can be directly received by the main member. In contrast, in the sixth invention serving as an expanded example of the fifth invention, a mat is arranged in the front face of the main member, and at least the mat is covered with a skin material. In this configuration of the fifth invention, softness to the body can be ensured by the cushion.

[The seventh invention]

The seventh invention is also an example of expansion of the fifth invention. In this invention, the lower end of the main member is positioned close to the seat surface, a lumbar support member for supporting the lumbar portion of the seated person is arranged on the front or rear of the main member, and furthermore, the The primary member is attached to the secondary support device at a position slightly higher than the lumbar support member. Here, the matters concerning the seventh invention can also be applied to the first to fourth inventions or the sixth invention.

When the lumbar support member as in the seventh invention is provided, the lumbar spine of the seated person can be properly supported. Therefore, this can contribute to maintaining a proper posture of the seated person. In addition, since the first support device is attached to the main member on the lumbar support member, this can avoid a situation where the width in the left-right direction of the main member becomes too large. In addition, since the attachment portion of the second support device and the attachment portion of the lumbar support member are close to each other, the rigidity of the portion of the attachment portion of the lumbar support member within the main member can also be increased, and thus, this can contribute to for further stability of the user's body.

[Eighth Invention]

The eighth invention is an example of expansion of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, when the body pressure of the seated person acts, the backrest is tilted backward. The eighth invention is applicable to rocking chairs. However, it is obvious that the eighth invention can also be applied to the third to seventh inventions. In rocking chairs, a configuration in which a seat is coupled to a backrest is widely adopted. Obviously, the invention can also be applied to such chairs of the synchronous type.

Warping deformation in the backrest remarkably occurs in a rocking state. Therefore, the effects of the present invention are utilized especially under the eighth invention.

[Ninth Invention]

Among them, in the backrest of the ninth invention: the body support portion is composed of a plurality of regions on which the body pressure of the seated person acts, the plurality of regions are divided into left and right regions, and in the left and right regions There is a certain amount of space between the areas; each area is composed of a large number of struts extending horizontally in the left-right direction; the struts in adjacent areas are arranged in a manner that deviates in the up-down direction; Adjacent stays are coupled together by links that are in inclined postures in a front view; and thus the inclined postures of adjacent links in the up-and-down direction are opposite to each other.

In the ninth invention, each stay is in a posture extended horizontally in the left-right direction. Therefore, basically, the body support portion is deformed so as to extend individually in the left and right directions. Therefore, this configuration is advantageous in supporting the stability of the body. That is, deformation in the body support portion has directionality, and thus, a situation where the body support portion excessively follows the movement of the body to be deformed is avoided. Therefore, this configuration is advantageous in supporting the stability of the body.

Furthermore, the link is in a tilted position. Therefore, when the posture of the link is changed so that the angle formed by the adjacent link in the up-down direction becomes smaller, the space between the adjacent stays in the left-right direction becomes wider. This achieves substantially the same state as the case where the body support portion has performed extension deformation in the left-right direction. By virtue of this, high cushioning properties can be ensured. In addition, the individual stays are deformed so as to be bent, twisted, and the like. Therefore, the configuration also has advantages in terms of the fitting properties to the body.

[Tenth Invention]

In the backrest of the tenth invention, the group of stays is oriented in the longitudinal direction. That is to say, in the tenth invention: the body support portion is composed of a plurality of regions on which the body pressure of the seated person acts, the plurality of regions are divided into upper and lower regions, and in the upper and lower regions There is a certain amount of space between the areas; each area is composed of a large number of vertically elongated struts; the struts in adjacent areas are arranged in a manner deviated in the left-right direction; adjacent struts in adjacent areas are coupled together by links that are inclined in a front view; and thus the inclined postures of the links adjacent in the left-right direction are opposite to each other.

In the eleventh invention, the body support portion easily performs extension deformation in the left-right direction. However, fundamentally, the same effects as those of the ninth invention are obtained.

[Eleventh Invention]

The eleventh invention is a preferred example of an extension of the first invention or the second invention. In this invention, the width of the link is smaller than the width of the stay in a front view. According to this configuration, in a state where the supporting area of the body is enlarged so that the stability of supporting the body is improved, deformation in the link is easily achieved, so that the cushion can be improved.

[Twelfth Invention]

The twelfth invention is a detailed example of the ninth invention. In this invention, the bases of the coupling pieces adjacent in the up-down direction or the left-right direction are close to each other so that the coupling pieces adjacent in the up-down direction or the left-right direction are formed in a V-shaped configuration. .

The bases of the links adjacent in the up-down direction or in the left-right direction may be separated from each other. In this case, however, the number of joints is reduced, so that there is a possibility of a decrease in strength. In contrast, in the configuration of the fourth invention, the links are continuous with each other and there is no gap between the links. Therefore, the number of joints can be increased, and therefore, the strength of the body support portion can also be ensured.

[The Thirteenth Invention]

The thirteenth invention is a detailed and preferable embodiment of the ninth invention. In this invention, the configuration includes: a central area located at the center in the left-right direction; and left and right side areas arranged on both left and right sides of the central area, the central area being composed of central stays. and the side regions are formed by side stays, wherein the set of couplings for connecting together the set of central stays and the set of side stays is formed in a zigzag configuration.

The number of regions constituting the body support portion can be arbitrarily proposed. However, when an excessively large number of areas is employed, the number of joints also increases, and thus, raises concerns about too high flexibility unless any measures are taken. On the contrary, like in the thirteenth invention, in the configuration constituted by one central region and two side regions, the stability of the supporting body and the cushioning properties can be coordinated with each other in a satisfactory manner, and therefore, this configuration is preferable of.

[The Fourteenth Invention]

The fourteenth invention is a detailed and preferable embodiment of the ninth invention. In this invention, the density of the stay is high in the portion of the lumbar support portion for supporting the vicinity of the lumbar portion of the seated person. In this invention, the lumbar spine of the seated person is properly supported, and therefore, this configuration is useful in improving the stability of the user's body. Here, also in the tenth invention, it is preferable to employ means for increasing the rigidity of the site of the lumbar support portion. In both the first invention and the second invention, as a means for increasing the rigidity of the lumbar support portion, means different from the fourteenth invention, such as increased plate thickness of the stay, may be employed.

[Fifteenth Invention]

The fifteenth invention is also a detailed and preferred embodiment of the ninth invention. In this invention, each stay has a plate-shaped configuration in which the plate thickness in the front-rear direction is smaller than the vertical width, and ribs elongated in the left-right direction are formed in each In the back of the stay, and the rib is also integrally connected to the link.

In the fifteenth invention, the necessary bending strength can be ensured in a state where each stay is made as thin as possible. Therefore, this configuration is preferable for saving material (resin). In addition, since the rib and the link are connected to each other, smooth deformation can be achieved, and a situation where bending is concentrated on the ends of the stays is avoided. Another advantage is also obtained, namely that stress concentrations are prevented and durability is thus improved. Here, the configuration in which the rib is provided in the back of the stay can also be applied to the tenth invention.

Invention effect

With the present invention, the comfort in the state of reclining on a chair is improved. In addition, the strength of the chair can be secured, manufacturing time and effort can be saved, and quality variation can be prevented.

Description of drawings

1(A) and 1(B) are diagrams showing an overall appearance of a chair according to an embodiment. FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view seen from the front, and FIG. 1(B) is a perspective view seen from the rear.

2(A) and 2(B) are diagrams showing the overall configuration of the chair. FIG. 2(A) is a partially exploded perspective view, and FIG. 2(B) is a side view.

3(A) and 3(B) are exploded views of main parts. Fig. 3(A) is an illustration in a state where the backrest is displaced in a general posture. Fig. 3(B) is an illustration in a state where the backrest is horizontally rotated and disassembled.

4(A) to 4(C) are diagrams showing the relationship between the support device and the back frame. Figure 4(A) is an exploded perspective view of the first support device and the back frame, Figure 4(B) is an exploded perspective view of the first support device, the second support device and the backrest, and Figure 4(C) is the second support device An exploded perspective view of the unit and backrest.

5(A) and 5(B) are exploded views showing the relationship between the first supporting device and the backrest.

6(A) and 6(B) are exploded views showing the relationship between the second supporting device and the backrest.

7(A) to 7(C) are explanatory diagrams of the lumbar support member. 7(A) and 7(B) are exploded perspective views, and FIG. 7(C) is a plan view of the backrest.

Figure 8 is a front view of the backrest.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the backrest viewed from the front.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the backrest viewed from behind.

Fig. 11 is an exploded view for describing functions.

detailed description

Next, embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is suitable for swivel chairs widely used in offices and the like. Herein, in the examples and claims given below, the terms "forward and backward" and "left and right" are used to identify directions. These directions are then defined with reference to a person normally sitting in a chair.

(1) Outline of the chair

As shown in FIGS. 1(A) to 2(B), the chair includes a leg unit 1 , a seat 2 and a backrest 3 as main elements. The backrest 3 is attached to a back frame 4 arranged behind the backrest 3 . The leg unit 1 includes: a leg post 5 in a vertical posture; and a center pipe 6 for supporting the leg post 5 . Five branch arms extend in radial direction from the central pipe 6 . Then, attach casters to the ends of each branch arm.

The leg support 5 is composed of an extendable air cylinder provided with an inner cylinder and an outer cylinder. As shown in FIG. 2(B), the base 7 is attached to the upper end of the leg post 5, and then, the back frame 4 is coupled to the base 7 through the joint member 8 in a manner that allows rearward inclination. Here, the back frame 4 and the joint member 8 may be integrated. The inner cylinder and the outer cylinder constituting the leg strut 5 are relatively free to rotate. Thus, the base 7 (and the seat 2 and backrest 3) are free to rotate horizontally.

Although illustration is omitted, a rocking spring inclined backward for elastically supporting the back frame 4 is built in the base 7 . In the seat 2, an intermediate member (not shown) provided in the base 7 is attached in such a manner as to allow rearward inclination and rearward movement about the front portion serving as a center. The intermediate member and the joint member 8 are coupled together by a shaft extending horizontally in the left-right direction in a manner that allows relative movement. By virtue of this, the seat 2 performs backward movement and rearward tilting in conjunction with the backward tilting of the backrest 3 .

The backrest 3 includes a main member manufactured by injection molding from a raw material of resin such as polypropylene. In the case where the backrest 3 includes a cushion and a skin material, it is necessary to distinguish the backrest 3 and the main member from each other. However, in the present embodiment, the entire backrest 3 is constituted by the main member, and thus the distinction between the backrest 3 and the main member does not provide a substantial advantage. Therefore, for simplicity of description, the term "main member" is not used, but the term "backrest 3" is used.

The backrest 3 is composed of a frame 9 constituting the outer periphery and a body support portion 10 located inside. As shown in FIG. 8 , the frame 9 is formed in a shape approximately close to a quadrilateral: a pair of side members 9a constitute left and right sides; an upper member 9b is horizontally elongated in the left and right direction and constitutes an upper end; and a lower member 9c is formed in the left and right direction. Elongate horizontally and form the lower end.

The lower end of the backrest 3 is positioned close to the seat surface. In the backrest 3 , a lumbar support member 11 for supporting the lumbar of the seated person is arranged in the front, and is arranged at a height position corresponding to the lumbar of the seated person. Body height and preference are based on individual occupants. Therefore, the lumbar support member 11 is in a height-adjustable manner.

The backrest 3 of the present embodiment has such a contracted shape that the attachment portion of the lumbar support member 11 is the narrowest. However, available configurations are not necessarily limited thereto. That is to say, as the configuration of the backrest 3, arbitrary shapes such as the following configurations can be adopted: a configuration whose width in the left-right direction is substantially constant; a shape of an inverted trapezoid with a wide upper end and a narrow lower end; and an inverted trapezoid with a narrow upper end and a wider lower end shape.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B), the back frame 4 includes left and right vertically elongated members 4a that The members 4a are inclined such that the gap between them becomes tighter upward. In the left and right vertically elongated members 4a, upper ends are integrally connected by coupling portions 4b.

Thus, the left and right vertical elongate members 4a form an inverted V-shaped configuration. The lower ends of the left and right vertically elongated members 4a are integrally connected by a lower stay portion 4c. Further, a front arm portion 4d is integrally provided at the lower ends of the left and right vertically elongated members 4a. The front arm portion 4d and the lower stay portion 4c are connected to the joint member 8 shown in FIGS. 2(A) and 2(B). For example, as clearly seen from FIG. 4(B), the vertically elongated member 4a of the back frame 4 is formed in an L-shaped cross section to have a rear panel and side panels. Thus, a lightweight structure that is strong in the front-rear direction as well as in the left-right direction and resistant to torsion is obtained.

In the back frame 4 of the present invention, a resin molded product or an aluminum die-cast product is used. Alternatively, manufacturing may be performed by employing a metal plate or a metal pipe as a material. Composite articles constructed from different types of materials may be employed. Furthermore, a one-piece construction is not inevitable. That is to say, for example, the left vertically elongated member and the right vertically elongated member 4a can be manufactured independently, and then the left vertically elongated member and the right vertically elongated member 4a are coupled together at the upper ends, that is to say , the left vertically elongated member and the right vertically elongated member 4a may be composed of multiple components. A shell-structured product can also be used as the back frame 4 .

In addition, for example, as shown in FIG. 3(A) and FIG. 3(B), in the backrest 3, the left and right middle parts of the upper member 9b are attached to the coupling portion 4b of the upper end of the back frame 4 through the first support device 12 . In addition, in a portion above the attachment portion of the lumbar support member 11 , the left and right side members 9 a are attached to the vertically elongated member 4 a of the back frame 4 through the second support device 13 . This is described in detail below.

(2) Attachment structure of the backrest

As shown in FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), the first supporting device 12 includes two spring portions 12a arranged in a V shape in a front view. An upper attachment portion 12b elongated horizontally in the left-right direction is integrally connected to an upper end of the spring portion 12a. In addition, a rearwardly protruding lower attachment portion 12c is integrally connected to the lower ends of the left and right spring portions 12a. The first supporting device 12 is manufactured from a raw material of resin such as polypropylene by injection molding. The reed portion 12a is in a posture elongated in the up-down direction, however, the reed portion 12a has a plate shape that is wide in a front view and narrow in a side view. Therefore, force from the front can easily cause bending deformation.

The lower attachment portion 12c is in the form of a block (boss shape) elongated horizontally in the left-right direction. A rear side first recess 15 serving as a forward aperture to which the lower attachment portion 12c is fitted is formed in the coupling portion 4b of the back frame 4 . The lower attachment portion 12c is fixed with a first bolt 16 inserted into the rear first recess 15 from below. As shown in FIG. 4(A), in the attachment portion 12c of the first supporting device 12, a nut insertion hole 17, into which a nut of the first bolt 16 is set, opens rearward.

As shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B), the upper member 9b of the backrest 3 has a triple structure inside and outside, that is, has an outer wall, an inner wall 18 and a middle wall 19 . Thus, two elongated grooves 20 open to the rear are formed. In addition, left and right middle portions of the inner wall 19 are cut, for example, so that a front first recess 21 into which the upper attachment portion 12b of the first support device 12 fits is formed. The upper attachment portion 12b of the first supporting device 12 is fixed to the upper member 9b by the second bolt 22 inserted from below.

A nut holding portion 23 opened rearward is formed in the upper member 9 b of the backrest 3 . On the other hand, in the upper attachment portion 12b of the first supporting device 12, a stopper 24 for abutting against the nut holding portion 23 of the upper member 9b from the rear is provided so as to protrude upward.

The second supporting device 13 is made of a raw material of resin having high rigidity, such as nylon resin. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5(B) and FIG. 5(C), the second supporting means 13 includes an arm portion 13a having a strip shape that is gradually bent into a wave in plan view. At the rear end of the arm portion 13a, a rear boss portion 13b is integrally provided. In addition, at the front end of the arm portion 13a, a front boss portion 13c is integrally provided. The arm portion 13a has rigidity such that the body pressure of a seated person does not easily cause deformation (however, minute deformation may occur).

The rear boss portion 13 b is fitted into a rear second recess 25 provided in the vertically elongated member 4 a of the back frame 4 . The third bolt 26 is inserted into the second rear recess 25 from below. A nut (not shown) into which the third bolt 26 is inserted is incorporated in the rear boss portion 13b of the second supporting means. A flange 13d overlapping the opening edge of the rear second concave portion 25 is provided in the rear boss portion 13b.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the front second recess 27 is formed in the side member 9a of the backrest 3, and the front boss 13c of the second supporting device 13 is fitted to the front second recess. In the recess 27. The front-side second recess 27 has a substantially box-shaped appearance, and thus, bolt holes 28 through which bolts (not shown) are inserted are opened in the inner wall 27 a. On the other hand, a nut attachment groove 29 is provided in the front boss portion 13 c of the second support device 13 . Then, the bolt is inserted into the nut arranged in the nut attachment groove 29 .

In this case, a stepped portion 30 for increasing the thickness of a portion of the bolt hole 28 to enhance strength is formed in the inner plate 25 a of the front-side second recess 27 . On the other hand, a cut-out portion 31 overlapping with the stepped portion 30 of the front-side second concave portion 27 is formed in the front boss portion 13 c of the second supporting device 13 . Further, a flange 13 e overlapping the opening edge of the front-side second concave portion 27 is provided in the front boss portion 13 c of the second supporting device 13 .

(3) Lumbar support member

Next, the lumbar support member 11 will be described below mainly with reference to FIGS. 7(A) to 7(C). The lumbar support member 11 is composed of a molded product made of a raw material of resin and formed of a raw material having a certain elasticity such as polypropylene. In addition, the lumbar support member 11 has a shape that is horizontally elongated in the left-right direction and crosses the backrest 3 . In plan view, the lumbar support member 11 has a concave shape that is gradually curved forward. In addition, in a vertical cross-sectional side view, the lumbar support member 11 has a slightly forward-curved convex shape.

Sliding boss members 34 having a prism shape and protruding backward are integrally formed at both left and right ends of the lumbar support member 11 . The slide boss member 34 is freely slidably fitted into a guide frame portion 35 elongated in the up-down direction provided in the side member 9 a of the backrest 3 . As shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the inner periphery of the guide frame portion 35 is constituted by a plate portion, and then, the above-mentioned front side second recess 27 is integrally connected to the upper end of the guide frame portion 35 .

As shown in FIGS. 7(A) to 7(C), a forward protruding portion 36 a having a block shape and provided in the knob 36 is fitted into the rear end of the slide boss member 34 . The forward protruding portion 36a of the knob 36 is fixed to the slide boss member 34 with a bolt (not shown). A nut insertion groove 37 is provided in the slide boss member 34 . The lumbar support member 11 can be held in a stepwise height adjustment manner. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6(A), a large number of stopper holes 38 are provided at a large number of vertical stages in the inner plate of the guide frame portion 35 as height adjusting means.

In addition, a configuration in which a lumbar support member is provided in a backrest is widely adopted. However, generally, in many cases, the lumbar support member is arranged on the rear side of the mat or on the rear side of the net material. However, in the case where a cushion or a net material is interposed between the waist-stack support member and the body, in some cases, people who expect a strong "butting feeling" feel dissatisfied. Furthermore, in some cases like the case where the backrest is not provided with cushions or nets, the lumbar support members need to be arranged on the proximal side of the backboard.

As an example of such a case, JP-A-2008-237333 discloses a method in which a lumbar support member is arranged in a configuration in which a backrest is composed of a frame portion and a backboard located inside the backboard and a large number of slits are provided in the backboard on the proximal side of the backplane. Furthermore, this document discloses a configuration in which clip-type handles fitted to the frame portion from the outside are integrally provided on both left and right end portions of the lumbar support member, and thus the frame portion is elastically held by the handle from below .

However, in the configuration in which the handle is fitted to the frame portion from the outside as in the above-mentioned prior art patent document, the handle runs out of the left and right outer sides of the frame portion, and therefore, trouble is expected as follows: people's clothes Getting stuck in the handle, or alternatively, an object abuts against the handle, causing damage to the handle. In addition, the handle maintains height only by friction, and therefore, there arises a possibility that the lumbar support member slides (such as ascending or descending) by the body pressure of the seated person.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, the slide bosses 34 provided in both left and right end portions of the lumbar support member 11 penetrate through the guide frame portion 35 of the skeleton 9 . Therefore, the button 36 can be arranged so as not to run out from the left and right outer sides of the frame 9 . By virtue of this, situations where clothing becomes lodged in the button 36 or alternatively an object abuts against the button 36 can be avoided, or alternatively significantly suppressed. Furthermore, it is easy to provide a height maintaining means constituted by the stop hole 38 for height adjustment of the guide frame portion 35 . Therefore, the lumbar support member 11 can be held at a desired height in a manner that does not allow deviating movement.

Here, the height adjustment device may utilize various configurations. In the case where the stop hole 38 is provided in the guide frame portion 35 like in this embodiment, an elastic member fitted to and detached from the guide frame portion 35 is provided at the block-shaped forward projecting portion of the button 36 is enough. The guide frame portion 35 has a certain amount of forward and rearward width, and therefore, penetration of the slide boss member 34 does not cause a decrease in strength. The knob 36 can be manufactured in a simple plate shape, and then, the knob 36 can be screwed to the slide boss member 34 .

(4) The structure of the backrest

Next, within the backrest 3 , details of the structure of the body support portion 10 will be described below mainly with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10 . As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, the body support portion 10 includes: a set of horizontally elongated side stays 40 connected to the left and right side members 9a; and a set of horizontally elongated central A stay 41 , the central stay 41 is located between the groups of side stays 40 . Both sets of stays 40 and 41 are arranged in a vertically deviated state. The central area is constructed from sets of central stays 41 and the side areas are constructed from sets of side stays 40 .

In addition, the left and right ends of the center stay 41 and the ends of the side stays 40 adjacent in the left-right direction are integrally connected by a link (joint stay) 42 . In this case, there is a slight gap between the ends of the side stays 40 and the end of the center stay 41 in the right-to-left direction. Therefore, the link (joint stay) 42 is in an inclined posture in a front view. Further, the central stay 41 and the side stays 40 are arranged in a vertically offset manner, and therefore, the links (joint stays) 42 adjacent in the up-down direction are in a posture of opposite orientation. In addition, the bases of the links (joint stays) 42 adjacent in the up-down direction and the stays 40 and 41 are integrally connected. Therefore, the group of couplings (joint stays) 42 has a zigzag shape in front view.

The backrest 3 contracts so that the portion near the lower side becomes narrower in front view. Thus, an outwardly curved concave shape is formed together with the side member 9 a of the backrest 3 . In addition, the link (joint stay) 42 is also concavely bent outward in front view so as to follow the shape of the side member 9a. In addition, the side member 9a and the center stay 41 have substantially the same length in the left-right direction.

The side stays 40 and the center stay 41 have a plate-like structure whose front and rear sides are wide. However, as shown in FIG. 10 , the rib 43 is integrally provided in the rear of the side stay 40 and the rear of the center stay 41 . Therefore, the cross section of the side stay 40 and the cross section of the central stay 41 have a side T shape. The back of the rib 43 is in the same plane as the back of the link (joint stay) 42 . The link (joint stay) 42 has the appearance of a thin strip plate, and therefore, can be easily deformed such that the angle of the side V is widened or narrowed. That is, in the lumbar support member 111, the density of the stays 140 and 141 is high. By virtue of this, the lumbar support portion has higher rigidity than other portions.

The sets of side stays 40 and central stays 41 are arranged at a large number of vertical stages. Therefore, the spaces 44 extending horizontally in the left-right direction are empty between the side stays 40 adjacent in the up-down direction and between the center stays 41 . In addition, in the present embodiment, the vertical width dimension of the space 44 is twice the vertical width of the stay 40 or 41 , etc., except for the lumbar support portion. In the waist stack support portion, the vertical width dimension of the space 44 is set approximately at the same level as the vertical width of the stay 40 or 41 . Therefore, the lumbar support portion has high rigidity.

From the beginning, the vertical width and pitch (density) of the side stays 40 and the center stays 41 can be set arbitrarily. For example, the vertical width dimension of the stay 40 or 41 and the space 44 may be set to be substantially at the same level as a whole in the up-down direction. Alternatively, the vertical width dimension of the stay 40 or 41 may be set smaller than the vertical width dimension of the space 44 as a whole.

Also in the present embodiment, the body support part 10 has been constructed from two rows of side stays 40 and one row of central stays 41 . However, available configurations are not necessarily limited thereto. That is, the central stay 41 may not be provided, and therefore, the body support portion 10 may be formed by the left and right side stays 40 and by a link (a joint stay) 42 for connecting the left and right side stays 40 stays. structure. Alternatively, the body support portion 10 may be constructed from two rows of side stays 40 and two rows of middle stays between the side stays 40 . Where two rows of intermediate stays are provided, three links (three joint stays) 42 are necessary. Furthermore, the body support portion 10 may be constructed from five row sets of stays consisting of two rows of side stays 40, one row of central stays 41 and two rows of middle stays. Furthermore, other configurations may be utilized for the backrest 3 .

(5) Summary

Next, the operation is described below with reference to FIG. 11 . First, the rocking state is described below.

For example, the body pressure of the seated person acts on the backrest 3 from the front as indicated by the arrow F in the rocking state. In addition, the load acting on the backrest 3 is supported by the first support device 12 and the second support device 13 . In addition, as indicated by the arrow Y, the first supporting device 12 may perform bending deformation such that the upper end is moved rearward by a load from the front in a side view. On the other hand, as indicated by the arrow X, the second supporting means 13 may perform bending deformation such that the tip moves backward in plan view. However, since the second support device 13 has high rigidity, the back frame 4 of the backrest 3 is firmly held by the second support device 13, and thus the lumbar spine of the seated person is held with satisfactory stability.

On the other hand, the moment caused by the sway largely acts on the upper end in the backrest 3 . However, the first supporting device 12 has lower rigidity than the second supporting device 13, and thus easily performs warping deformation according to body pressure. Therefore, when rocking, the backrest 3 can perform warping deformation such that the upper end portion of the backrest 3 is close to the upper end portion of the back frame 4 . This warping deformation of the backrest 3 can improve the cushioning properties at the time of rocking.

Furthermore, in the swing state, when a person twists the upper body in the right or left direction or alternatively displaces the shoulders in the right or left direction, the two left and right spring portions 12a constituting the first supporting device 12 perform bending unevenly. Deformable so that the backrest 3 can deform and twist to follow twisting or shifting of the body. Therefore, the backrest 3 can follow changes in the posture of the body. As a result, comfort can be improved.

As can be clearly seen from FIG. 11 , the backrest 3 has a concave shape that is gradually curved forward in a plane. The degree of bending is greatest near the lumbar support member 11, and the upper end is in an almost flat state. Therefore, in a state where the lumbar spine is kept such as not deviated to the right or left, the shoulders (or portions close to the shoulders) can be easily shifted left and right. Also, from this point of view, high comfort can be obtained.

As shown in FIG. 2(B), in a neutral state where the seat occupant does not lean on the backrest 3, the backrest 3 assumes a posture inclined slightly backward, and the lumbar support member 11 is located on the frontmost side. In addition, when the user performs desk work such as PC operation, the user takes a posture in which the lumbar spine rests against the lumbar support member 11 of the backrest 3 . However, since the second supporting device 13 has high rigidity, the backrest 3 does not perform the warping deformation associated with the body pressure of the seated person in a neutral state, and therefore, the human lumbar spine is supported by the backrest 3 satisfactorily. stability support. Therefore, the user's upper body does not become unstable and is kept in a preferred posture with a straight back. Therefore, the present configuration is also advantageous in the posture maintaining function in the neutral state (non-swaying state).

Since the side stays 40 and the center stay 41 deviate up and down, and the link (joint stay) 42 has a zigzag configuration, the backrest 3 of the present embodiment can perform warping deformation so that the body support portion 10 can be deformed according to the sitting person's posture. Body pressure bulges back. Thus, the present configuration has advantages in terms of fitting properties to the user's body and also in terms of following properties of body movements.

Furthermore, when the joints (joint stays) 42 adjacent in the up-down direction are deformed so that the mutual opening angle (angle of V) becomes small, there occurs a tendency for the center stay 41 to deviate backward. As a result, the body support portion 10 is deformed so as to bulge backward. This improves cushioning and fitting properties to the user's body.

This application is based on US Provisional Patent Application (61/831,763) filed June 6, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Industrial Applicability

The present invention can provide a chair with improved comfort in a reclining state. In addition, it is possible to provide a chair in which strength can be ensured, manufacturing time and effort can be saved, and quality variation can be prevented.

list of reference signs

1 leg device

2 seats

3 backrests

4 back frames

5 leg struts

6 central tube

7 base

8 joint components

9 skeletons

9a side member

9b upper member

9c lower member

10 body support parts

11 lumbar support member

12 first supporting device

12a spring part

12b upper attachment part

12c lower attachment part

13 Second supporting device

13a arm part

13b rear boss part

13c front boss part

13e flange

15 the first recess on the rear side

16 first bolt

18 inner wall

19 middle wall

22 second bolt

23 nut holding part

24 stopper

25 rear second recess

25a inner plate

26 third bolt

27 The second concave part on the front side

28 bolt holes

29 nut attachment groove

30 steps

31 resection

34 sliding boss member

35 bootstrap frame sections

36 buttons

36a forward projection

37 Nuts inserted into grooves

38 stop hole

40 side stays

41 central stay

42 connectors

43 ribs

44 spaces

Claims (17)

1. chair, comprising:

Seat;

Backrest; With

Back of the body framework, described back of the body framework has rigid structure and is disposed in the rear of described backrest, and has interval between described back of the body framework and described backrest, wherein

Described backrest is by the first bracing or strutting arrangement and be attached to described back of the body framework by the second bracing or strutting arrangement, described first bracing or strutting arrangement is disposed in the height and position place of the upper end near described backrest, described second bracing or strutting arrangement is disposed in lower than described first bracing or strutting arrangement and higher than seat surface position

Described first bracing or strutting arrangement is attached to the part in the middle part of the left and right of the upper end in described backrest, and

Described second bracing or strutting arrangement is attached to left part and the right part of described backrest.

2. chair according to claim 1, wherein

Described first bracing or strutting arrangement has following elastic strength, and when the body pressure of seated person acts on described backrest, described elastic strength allows buckling deformation and allows the top of described backrest move backward and depart from thus, and

The rigidity that described second bracing or strutting arrangement has makes, even if when the body pressure effect of seated person, flexural deformation does not also occur substantially, or alternatively, although the body pressure of described seated person causes elastic deformation, but the elastic strength that described second bracing or strutting arrangement has makes to utilize described elastic strength, the size of the elastic deformation of described second bracing or strutting arrangement is lower than the size of the elastic deformation of described first bracing or strutting arrangement.

3. chair according to claim 1, wherein

Described first bracing or strutting arrangement is in the posture of extending in the vertical direction in side view, and described second bracing or strutting arrangement is divided into two parts in left and right, and left and right second bracing or strutting arrangement is in inclination attitude in plan view, make the interval of described left and right second bracing or strutting arrangement along with moving towards comparatively nearside and broadening.

4. chair according to claim 1, wherein

Described back of the body framework comprises a pair left vertically elongate member and the vertical elongate member in the right side, and these left vertically elongate member and the vertical elongate member in the right side tilt to make along with upwards narrower intervals, and upper end is connected integratedly by coupling part, and

Described first bracing or strutting arrangement is attached to the described coupling part of described back of the body framework, and described second bracing or strutting arrangement is attached to the vertical elongate member of the vertical elongate member in a described left side and the described right side.

5. chair according to claim 1, wherein

Described backrest comprises main member, and described main member is by resin manufacture and be attached to described back of the body framework,

Described main member comprises skeleton and body-support portion, and described skeleton has ring-shaped and forms periphery, and described body-support portion is positioned at the inner side of described skeleton, and

Described body-support portion is provided with a large amount of slit or hole to have the intensity making the body pressure-volume of seated person easily cause distortion.

6. chair according to claim 5, wherein

Arrange mat in before described main member, and at least described mat is covered by skin material.

7. chair according to claim 5, wherein

The lower end of described main member is oriented near described seat surface,

Lumbar supports component for supporting the lumbar portion of seated person to be disposed in before described main member or below, and in addition,

Described main member is attached to described second bracing or strutting arrangement in the position a little more than described lumbar supports component.

8. chair according to claim 1, wherein

When the body pressure effect of seated person, described backrest tilts backwards.

9. the backrest of chair, wherein

Body-support portion is made up of multiple region, and the body pressure of seated person acts in described body-support portion, and described multiple region is divided into region, left and right, and has a certain amount of interval between region, described left and right,

Each region is made up of a large amount of stays of horizontal extension in the lateral direction,

Described stay in adjacent area is arranged in the mode departed from the vertical direction,

Adjacent stay in adjacent area is linked together by the connector in inclination attitude in front view, and

The inclination attitude of connector adjacent on described above-below direction is thus opposite each other.

10. the backrest of chair, wherein

Body-support portion is made up of multiple region, and the body pressure of seated person acts in described body-support portion, and described multiple region is divided into lower regions, and has a certain amount of interval between described lower regions,

Each region is made up of a large amount of stay vertically extended,

Described stay in adjacent area is arranged in the mode departed from the lateral direction,

Adjacent stay in adjacent area is linked together by the connector in inclination attitude in front view, and

The inclination attitude of described connector adjacent on described left and right directions is thus opposite each other.

The backrest of 11. chairs according to claim 9, wherein

In front view, the width of described connector is less than the width of described stay.

The backrest of 12. chairs according to claim 10, wherein

In front view, the width of described connector is less than the width of described stay.

The backrest of 13. chairs according to claim 11, the base portion of wherein adjacent on described above-below direction or described left and right directions connector is close to each other, and described connector adjacent on described above-below direction or described left and right directions is formed with V-shaped configuration.

The backrest of 14. chairs according to claim 12, wherein

The base portion of connector adjacent on above-below direction or described left and right directions is close to each other, and described connector adjacent on described above-below direction or described left and right directions is formed with V-shaped configuration.

The backrest of 15. chairs according to claim 9, comprises further:

Middle section, described middle section is positioned at the central authorities on described left and right directions; With

Be arranged in the left and right sides region on the left and right sides of described middle section, described middle section is made up of central stay group, and described side region is made up of side stay bar, wherein

For connector group that central stay group and side stay bar group are linked together with zigzag formation of structure.

The backrest of 16. chairs according to claim 9, wherein

For in the position to the lumbar supports part supported near the lumbar portion of seated person, the density of described stay is high.

The backrest of 17. chairs according to claim 9, wherein

Each stay has plate shape structure, in described plate shape structure, plate thickness is in the longitudinal direction less than vertical width, and the rib extended on described left and right directions be formed on each stay below in, and described rib is also integrally connected to described connector.