EP0348274A1 - Foldable chair with adjustable inclination of the backrest and seat level - Google Patents

Abstract

On each side the chair comprises a base crosspiece (7), the rear leg (8) of which is articulated about a spindle (20) under the front part of a seat (1) and the front leg (8) of which is connected to the rear part of the latter by means of a finger (24)/rack (21) pair. It also comprises a back (4) articulated about a spindle (16) on the front leg (8). Finally, it comprises an arm rest (10) articulated about a spindle (26) on the back (4) and connected by means of a finger (31)/rack (27) pair to a compass device (11) whose front branch (12) is articulated about a spindle (32) on the seat and whose rear branch (13) is articulated about the spindle (16). <??>According to the invention, the rack (21) can be uncoupled from the finger (24) and the rack (27) can be released with respect to the finger (31) so that the chair can be folded flat. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a folding chair with multiple positions adjustable in backrest tilt and seat level.

A known armchair of this type, which the applicant operates, comprises on each side of the seat and the backrest:
- a cross brace whose front and rear legs are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin,
a seat, the front part of which is connected to the upper part of the rear foot by a hinge pin and the rear part of which is provided with a rack capable of cooperating with a finger projecting from the upper part of the front foot,
- a compass, the rear branch of which is pivotally mounted about an articulation axis connecting the lower part of the backrest to the upper part of the front foot, an axis which is located above the finger of the front foot combined with the seat rack , and the front leg of which is connected to the seat by a hinge pin located between the rack thereof and its hinge pin of the front leg,
- an armrest, the rear part of which is connected to an intermediate part of the backrest by a hinge pin and the front part is provided with a rack capable of cooperating with a finger projecting from the front arm of the compass above the 'axis of articulation of the two branches.

In this known armchair, the rear branch of each compass is terminated by a hook which can be clipped elastically so that in the position in which the armchair is used, the hooks can pivot around the axis of articulation of the backrest on the front leg during the backrest tilt adjustment, the hooks must be removed when folding the chair. Furthermore, the fingers of the compass are trapped in the racks of the armrests in a stroke limited to the pivoting of the backrest.

Therefore, folding the chair is relatively awkward and difficult to perform by a single person. As for deployment, it requires some learning and perfectly combined centering on both sides: in the selected notch on the five of each lateral rack for adjusting the seat level and in the selected notch on the four of each lateral rack for the backrest tilt adjustment.

This known armchair has a second drawback which results from its folding into a toad by bringing the backrest to the seat by flattening the cross brace, disengaging the hook of the rear branch of each compass and flattening each armrest on the front branch of the compass. corresponding. The folded armchair is difficult to store for storage in a garden shed or a sales store, since due to its shape it is unstable on its support base and awkward to put in lateral support against other . More important from the economic point of view is that the storage capacity in a vehicle of these folded and wedged armchairs in parallelepipedic cardboard packaging is reduced: of the order of 5 to 6 armchairs per cubic meter. Consequently, the cost of transport is relatively high.

Another known chair is marketed by Kettler. Like the previous one, it includes:
- a backrest and seat pivotally mounted one on the other,
- a cross brace whose two feet, located on each side, are articulated relative to each other and connected to the seat; but the front foot is articulated to the rear part of the seat, while the rear foot has a protruding finger cooperating with an anterior lateral rack of the seat,
- armrests articulated on the backrest and extending above the seat, each armrest being supported by an upright which, at the top, has a projecting finger cooperating with a front rack of the armrest considered and, at the bottom, East connected to the seat by a lockable pivot hub for different inclinations using a lever.

This chair is even more difficult than the previous one to fold by one person, because it would take three hands if it were not assisted. Furthermore, the tilting mechanism and its lever are relatively fragile and because they are subjected to intense stresses, they break frequently, making the use of the chair dangerous.

Above all, this chair also folds back into a toad, its storage is awkward and the loading capacity of a vehicle is reduced, leading to a relatively high transport cost.

A third known armchair is described in Italian patent application No. 5208 A / 82. It looks more like the first and indeed includes:
- a backrest mounted to pivot on each side on a front leg which is articulated on a rear leg in order to constitute a cross brace,
- a seat, the front part of which is articulated on each side of the corresponding rear foot and the rear part of which has on each side a rack cooperating with a projecting finger located at the top of the front foot,
- armrests articulated on the backrest and extending above the seat, each armrest being supported by a compass, the two arms of which are hinged at the top relative to each other and connected by a finger to a front rack of the armrest in question,
- A front arm of the compass having a constant length and a rear telescopic arm, the two parts of which are connected to each other by a push-lock allowing, when actuated, to vary the length of said arm during folding up the chair.

This third known armchair has the same drawbacks as the second: inability for a single person to easily fold the armchair, fragility of the two lateral latches which could make the use of this armchair dangerous, storage inconveniently folded up chair and limited transport capacity.

The object of the present invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks of known armchairs by making the folding of the armchair as well as its storage without packaging easy and easy, by considerably improving its robustness and by reducing the bulk of the folded and wrapped armchairs such that the storage capacity of transport vehicles is significantly increased, reducing the cost of transport in the same proportion.

For this purpose, the armchair of the invention is similar to the first known aforementioned armchair and comprises on each side of the seat and the backrest:
- a cross brace whose front and rear legs are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin,
a seat, the front part of which is connected to the upper part of the rear foot by a hinge pin and the rear part of which is provided with a rack capable of cooperating with a finger projecting from the upper part of the front foot,
- a compass, the rear branch of which is pivotally mounted about an articulation axis connecting the lower part of the backrest to the upper part of the front foot, an axis which is located above the toe of the front foot and whose front branch is connected to the seat by a hinge pin, the two branches being connected to each other at their upper ends by a hinge pin,
an armrest, the rear part of which is connected to an intermediate part of the backrest by a hinge pin and the front part is provided with a rack capable of cooperating with a finger projecting from a part of the compass,
and in accordance with the invention, on each side, the seat rack is detachable with the finger of the front foot and the rack of the armrest is releasable relative to the compass finger so that, for folding the chair, the backrest can be extended from the front feet and concomitantly, on the one hand, the armrests can be folded down on the backrest, while the compasses flatten and, on the other hand, the seat is applied to the flattened assembly : front footrest, while the rear feet fold over the front feet.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, each rear rack of the seat opens above a guide element holding the finger of the corresponding front foot prisoner during the adjustments of the level of this seat, this element delimiting a rear passage towards the low for the finger so that the rack considered can be dislodged.

The front rack of each armrest opens out above a guide element holding the finger of the corresponding compass trapped during the backrest tilt adjustments, these rack and guide element being extended rearwards by a slide allowing the finger to move back without escaping from the armrest considered during the folding of the chair.

The finger of the front foot, cooperating with the rack of the seat, is located under the axis of articulation of this front foot with the backrest.

The compass finger, cooperating with the rack of the armrest, is located on the front arm of this compass above its axis of articulation on the rear arm.

The hinge pin of the compass on the seat is located between the rack of the seat and the hinge pin of the latter on the rear leg.

As is apparent from the above, the folding of the chair can be carried out very easily and effortlessly by a single person; it is carried out flat so that the size of this folded chair is very small; its storage in a garden shed, for example, is very easy by simply pressing against a wall; the loading capacity of such armchairs packed in a truck or other means of transport is significantly increased and the cost of transport thus reduced; moreover, this armchair has a very attractive aesthetic and remarkable comfort in any of its twenty positions; in moreover, the passage from one position to another is very convenient and does not require any learning; Finally, the chair is extremely robust and solid.

Various other characteristics and advantages of the invention will also emerge from the detailed description which follows.

An embodiment of the subject of the invention and variants are shown, by way of nonlimiting examples, in the appended drawing.

• - la figure 1 est une élévation montrant une forme de réalisation du fauteuil déployé dans celle des vingt positions réglables qui correspond à la position assise haute,
• - la figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 pour la position assise basse,
• - la figure 3 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 pour la position allongée basse,
• - la figure 4 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 illus­trant le fauteuil replié, et
• - les figures 5 à 7 sont des vues partielles faisant res­sortir trois variantes de réalisation du fauteuil.

On this drawing :

• FIG. 1 is an elevation showing an embodiment of the wheelchair deployed in that of the twenty adjustable positions which corresponds to the high sitting position,
• FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for the low sitting position,
• FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 for the low lying position,
• - Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the folded chair, and
• - Figures 5 to 7 are partial views showing three alternative embodiments of the chair.

Figures 1 to 4 show that the chair has:
a seat 1 whose lateral members 2 are integral with transverse slats 30,
a backrest 4 whose lateral members 5 are integral with transverse slats 6,
a base constituted by two lateral cross-pieces 7 possibly interconnected by cross braces not shown, each cross-over base comprising a front foot 8 and a rear foot 9,
- side armrests 10,
- compasses 11 for supporting these armrests and having two articulated branches, one front 12 and the other rear 13.

These components of the chair and their connections, described below for the right side, are preferably made of molded plastic.

Considering FIG. 1, the lower end of the right member 5 of the backrest 4 and the upper end of the front leg 8 are extended by eyelets 14 and 15, respectively arranged side by side, and crossed by a hinge pin 16 .

The front 8 and rear 9 legs of the right frame cross 7 are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin 17 which passes through them.

An eyelet 18 extending the upper end of the rear foot 9 is applied against an ear 19 protruding under the front part of the right frame 2 of the seat 1, this eyelet 18 and this ear 19 being connected one to the another by a hinge pin 20 which passes through them.

The rear part of the right frame 2 of the seat 1 comprises a rack 21, five notches 22 of which open out above a substantially horizontal guide ramp 23. The notches 22 of the rack 21 are capable of cooperating selectively with a finger 24 projecting from the inner face of the upper end of the right front foot 8 and into the cavity 25 delimited by said rack 21 and said ramp 23. Finger 24 is located slightly under the hinge pin 16 of the front leg 8 on the backrest 4. This finger is trapped in the cavity 25 but the distance from this rack to this ramp is greater than the diameter of the finger so that by lifting the seat 1 and modification of the opening of the cross 7, it is possible to change the locking notch 22 and thus adjust the level of this seat.

The rear end of the right armrest 10 is connected to the corresponding frame 5 of the backrest 4 by a hinge pin 26 located above the axis 16. The armrest 10 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the seat 1. Its front part delimits an internal rack 27 of which four notches 28 open above lateral guide ramps 29 by delimiting a cavity 30 in which is held a finger 31 supporting said armrest.

The rear branch 13 of the right compass 11 is pivotally mounted around the hinge pin 16 connecting the backrest 4 to the front leg 8. The front leg 12 of this compass is connected to the right frame 2 of the seat 1 by a hinge pin 32 located between the axis 20 and the rack 21. The two branches 12 and 13 of said compass are connected to each other at their upper ends by a hinge pin 33.

A bent extension 34 of the upper end of the front arm 12 of the compass extends between the ramps 29 of the right armrest 10 and enters the cavity 30 where the rack is located 27. The extension 34 carries the finger 31 which protrudes on both sides above said ramps 29. The finger is therefore trapped in the cavity 30 and provides support for the armrest 10 by the compass 11 by cooperating with the selected notch 28 of the rack 27. To change the notch , simply lift the armrest and move it forwards or backwards, which has the effect of modifying the inclination of the backrest.

Figure 1 shows the chair adjusted for the high seat position. On each side, the finger 24 of the front foot 8 is housed in the first notch 22 located at the front of the rack 21 of the seat 1, so that the spider 7 is raised to the maximum; the finger 31 of the compass 11 is housed in the last notch 28 located at the rear of the rack 27 of the armrest 10, so that the backrest 4 is straightened as much as possible.

Figure 2 shows the chair adjusted for the low sitting position. On each side, the finger 24 is housed in the last notch 22 located at the rear of the rack 21, so that the spider 7 is flattened to the maximum; the finger 31 of the compass 11 is always housed in the last notch 28 located at the rear of the rack 27, so that the backrest 4 is straightened as much as possible although its slope is less steep than in the previous position.

Figure 3 shows the chair set for the low reclining position. On each side, the finger 24 is housed in the last notch 22 located at the rear of the rack 21, so that the spider 7 is flattened to the maximum; the finger 31 of the compass is now housed in the first notch 28 located at the front of the rack 27 of the armrest 10, so that the backrest 4 is lowered to the maximum and extends substantially in extension of the seat 1.

As is clear from FIG. 1, each rack 21 of the seat 1 can be disengaged from the finger 24 of the front foot 8. In fact, the guide ramp 23 is interrupted and delimits a rear passage 35 which opens downwards and through which the finger 24 can be extracted, thereby releasing the seat 1 relative to the rear feet 9.

In addition, the rack 27 of each armrest 10 is releasable relative to the finger 31 of the corresponding compass 11. To this end and according to the particularly advantageous example which is shown in this FIG. 1, the rack 27 and the ramps 29 are extended by a slide 36 extending rearward. Thus, the finger 31 can approach the axis 26 as much as desired for the folding of the chair described in the following. Beforehand, it should be noted that the rack 27 can also be disengaged from the finger 31 as the rack 21 is relative to the finger 24.

To carry out the folding of the chair as illustrated for figure 4, it is necessary:
- release the seat 1 by disengaging the racks 21 from the fingers 24,
- put the backrest 4 as an extension of the front legs 8,
- flatten the cross-pieces 7 and the compasses 11, by concomitantly folding down, on the one hand, the armrests 10 along the backrest 4 by pivoting around the axes 26 of their anterior ends towards the top of the backrest and, on the other hand, the 'seat 1 on the back 4 by pivoting about the axes 19 of its rear end upwards.

Another way of defining the invention consists in considering on each side:
the deformable triangle, the sides of which consist of the front leg 8, the rear leg 9 and the seat 1, while the vertices consist of the axes 17, 19 and the finger 24,
- the deformable convex pentagon, the five sides of which consist of the seat 1, the front arm 12 of the compass, the armrest 10, the backrest 4 and the front leg 8, while the tops are formed by the axis 32, the finger 31, the axes 26, 16 and the finger 24, the rear branch 13 of the compass extending substantially diagonally between axes 16 and 33.

It is then found that after release of the racks 21 and 27, the triangle and the pentagon are transformed into a single pentagon whose sides are constituted by the seat 1, the front branch 12 of the compass, the rear branch 13 of the compass, the front leg 8 and rear leg 9, while the tops are formed by the axes 32, 33, 16, 17 and 19, the transformed polygon causing during its flattening, the folding of the corresponding armrest 10 which, pushed by the finger 31 of the front branch 12, pivots about the axis 26 of the backrest 4 until it is placed against it.

A first alternative embodiment of the chair is illustrated in FIG. 5. According to this variant, the finger 24 cooperating with the rack 21 of the seat 1 is a pin 37 extending coaxially projecting the articulation axis 16 connecting the backrest 4 at the front foot 8.

A second variant embodiment of the chair is illustrated in FIG. 6. According to this variant, the hinge axis 32 of the lower end of the front branch 12 of the compass coincides with the hinge axis 20 of the seat 1 on the rear leg 9.

A third alternative embodiment of the chair is illustrated in FIG. 7. According to this variant, the hinge pin 33 of the arms 12 and 13 of the compass 11 constitutes the finger 31 cooperating with the rack 27 of the armrest.

Claims (9)

1. Folding armchair with multiple positions adjustable in backrest tilt and seat level comprising on each side of the seat and backrest:
- a base cross (7), the front (8) and rear (9) feet of which are connected to each other in their substantially middle part by a hinge pin (17),
- A seat (1), the front part of which is connected to the upper part of the rear leg (9) by a hinge pin (20) and the rear part of which is provided with a rack (21) capable of cooperating with a finger (24) projecting from the upper part of the front leg (8),
- a compass (11) whose rear branch (13) is pivotally mounted about a hinge pin (16) connecting the lower part of the backrest (4) to the upper part of the front leg (8) and whose front branch (12) is connected to the seat (1) by a hinge pin (32), the two branches (12, 13) being connected to each other at their upper ends by a hinge pin (33),
- an armrest (10), the rear part of which is connected to an intermediate part of the backrest (4) by a hinge pin (26) and the front part is provided with a rack (27) capable of cooperating with a finger ( 31) projecting from a part of the compass (11),
characterized in that, on each side, the rack (21) of the seat (1) is removable from the finger (24) of the front leg (8) and the rack (27) of the armrest (10) is relatively releasable finger (31) of the compass (11) so that, for folding the chair, the backrest (4) can be extended to the front legs (8) and concomitantly, on the one hand, the armrests (10) can be folded down on the backrest (4), while the compasses (11) flatten out and, on the other hand, the seat (1) is applied to the flattened assembly: front footrest, while the feet rear (9) fold over the front legs (8). 2. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that each rear rack (21) of the seat (1) opens out above a guide element (23) holding the finger (24) of the corresponding front foot (8 ) prisoner during the adjustments of the level of this seat, this element (23) delimiting a rear passage (35) downwards for the finger so that the rack considered can be dislodged. 3. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the front rack (27) of each armrest (10) opens above a guide element (29) holding the finger (31) of the compass (11) corresponding prisoner during the backrest tilt adjustments, these rack and guide element being extended rearward by a slide (36) allowing the finger (31) to back up without escaping from the armrest considered during the folding of the chair. 4. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the finger (37) of the front leg (8) cooperating with the rack (21) of the seat (1) is located under the hinge axis (16) of this front leg (8) with the backrest (4). 5. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the finger (31) of the compass (11) cooperating with the rack (27) of the armrest (10) is located on the front branch (12) of this compass au- above its hinge pin (33) on the rear branch (13). 6. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation axis (32) of the compass (11) on the seat (1) is located between the rack (21) of the seat and the axis d 'articulation (20) thereof on the rear foot (9). 7. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the finger (37) of the front leg (8) cooperating with the rack (21) of the seat (1) is coincident with the axis of articulation (16) of the backrest (4) on said front leg (8). 8. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the finger (31) of the compass (11) cooperating with the rack (27) of the armrest (10) coincides with the articulation axis (33) of the two arms (12, 13) of the compass (11) between them. 9. Chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the articulation axis (20) of the rear leg (9) on the seat (1) coincides with the articulation axis (32) of the compass (11 ) on said seat (1).

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