EP1947984B1 - Chair - Google Patents

Abstract

A chair includes a backrest and a seat surface. The backrest is adjustable relative to the seat surface, and the backrest is adjustable in its inclination independently of the position of the seat surface. The adjustment of the inclination of the backrest occurs in a stepless manner and without an operating mechanism.

Description

The invention relates to a chair with a relative to a seat adjustable backrest, wherein the backrest is adjustable independently of the chair position in their inclination. Such a chair is for example from the EP0 562 305 A1 known.

Armchairs are known that are adjustable between a sitting and reclining position. These are also referred to as sitting and lying furniture. They allow an adjustment of the position between a "normal" upright sitting position and an approximately horizontally oriented reclining position. A set inclination of the backrest is maintained or the inclination of the backrest can be adjusted separately and independently of the position of the chair.

In such, from the DE 296 00 282 U1 known armchair, it is possible to make the adjustment by shifting the seat without major forces, as a Parallellenkersystem is provided, which shifts the body weight and the center of gravity together with the seat back when moving the seat. The backrest tilt is adjusted by a gas spring, which is controlled by a valve that is actuated by an operating lever.

A similar chair is known by the company Steltemeier GmbH, Lippstadt. Also in this chair is an adjustment of the inclination of the backrest via a controlled by means of actuating lever and valve gas spring instead.

Such chairs have the disadvantage that the mechanism connected to the operating lever is complicated and prone. In addition, the user must operate the operating lever for adjusting the inclination, which is particularly difficult in the lying position. Furthermore, depending on the operating lever design, its operation is not always intuitive, but must be explained to the user.

The invention has for its object to provide a chair in which the inclination of the backrest in a particularly simple manner possible and in which also the mechanism for the adjustment of the backrest is simple and robust and intuitively operable.

This object is achieved by the recited in claim 1 armchair.

The fact that the chair is designed such that the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest is infinitely without actuating means, the operation is intuitive and simple. Furthermore, the structure of the chair is simplified and so robust and also cheaper in manufacturing and maintenance.

Actuating means are first understood by the operator to be operated levers, screws, knobs, wheels, knobs, handles, etc., which allow a change in the inclination of the backrest after operation, for which they trigger, for example, valves of gas springs, release locking mechanisms or released locking. In addition, actuating means are understood as meaning mechanical solutions which permit an adjustment of the inclination of the backrest only after release of a locking device by pressure on the backrest. An example of such a device is the use of a locking roller, which is held in the upright position of the backrest in a recess and must first be pushed out with a certain force to allow the movement of the backrest.

In the solution according to the invention, neither an actuating means, nor a locking or locking means is necessary. This is precisely what distinguishes the solution according to the invention.

It is particularly preferred if the adjustment of the inclination is designed such that the backrest can be additionally held in any position. Then it is possible to stop or adjust the backrest not only continuously, but also without special operation or locking or locking means in different positions. The backrest can therefore be tilted in any position and held there when the user leans back.

According to the invention, a gas spring is provided for adjusting the inclination of the backrest, which is provided regardless of their respective position with an increased initial insertion force. Such a gas spring is thus characterized by the fact that overcome a certain initial force to adjust the piston of the gas spring must be, according to which the further adjustment can be done with a smaller force. Such a gas spring thus serves for power assistance and stepless positioning of the backrest and on the other hand ensures that the backrest is held in any position in leaning back.

Preferably, the gas spring is a friction gas spring or a gas spring with pressure valve on the piston rear side. Friction gas springs are characterized in that the piston is provided via an additional element with a friction that must be overcome in order to move it. As such elements partially foams are used, which rest under a bias on the pipe wall and thus produce the necessary additional friction. In addition, such gas springs are suitable in which the piston is equipped with a arranged on the piston rear pressure valve, the valve prevents the replacement or insertion of the piston rod until a spring-loaded seal releases the piston bore.

Corresponding gas springs are available, for example, from the companies STABILUS GmbH, Koblenz, Germany or SUSPA GmbH, Altdorf, Germany.

The user must therefore only to achieve an adjustment of the inclination of the backrest, lean backwards and by additional impressions, eg. B. on the armrests, overcome the initial force of the gas spring. Then, the user leans back as far as desired and only has to stop the movement of the backrest to determine their position. If the user wishes to further increase the inclination, he can lean backwards, overcoming the initial force, so as to achieve the further adjustment of the backrest.

According to the invention, the gas spring on a lower extension force than insertion force. If the user wants to straighten up again, that is to say to reduce the inclination of the backrest or to make the backrest steeper, the user merely has to rise to the front. Despite the lower pushing force, this is high enough to reset the backrest.

It makes sense that the spring characteristic be chosen so that the forces are suitable for normal weight persons, i. These must apply a small additional pressure by supporting to achieve the respective adjustment.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Sessels ohne Verkleidung mit aufrechter Rückenlehne;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Sessels aus Fig. 1 mit geneigter Rückenlehne und

Fig. 3

ein schematisches Diagramm der Federkennlinie einer erfindungsgemäß eingesetzten Gasdruckfeder mit erhöhter Anfangseinschubkraft und ernied- rigter Ausschubkraft;

Further features, properties and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of an armchair according to the invention without panel with upright backrest;

Fig. 2

a perspective view of the chair Fig. 1 with inclined backrest and

Fig. 3

a schematic diagram of the spring characteristic of a gas spring used according to the invention with increased initial insertion force and ernied- ridden extension force;

In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an armchair according to the invention designated as a whole with an obliquely upper left in the sitting position without covering, that is, for better understanding, only the frame underlying the chair 1 and its mechanism are shown. In Fig. 1 the chair 1 is shown with an upright backrest, whereas the backrest in Fig. 2 tilted backwards.

The chair 1 essentially comprises a seat 2, a backrest 3, a swing-out leg rest 4 and a foot 5.

The seat 2 is displaceable for adjusting the position of the chair 1 between a sitting and lying position via a suitable link system, wherein the leg rest 4 extends from its retracted position or is pivoted back. Here, the inclination of the backrest 3 is not affected.

The backrest 3 comprises a head part 6 and a back part 7, which are each formed from a tubular frame and connected to one another via lateral latching joints 8, wherein between the sides of the parts cross struts 9 are provided to a Form support surface for the lining or upholstery. Furthermore, the chair 1 comprises a lower region 10 adjoining the back part 7 at the bottom, which forms a slight angle to the back part 7. In the illustrated upright sitting position of the lower portion 10 is approximately perpendicular and the back part 7, however, inclined by about 15 degrees from the vertical to the rear.

The backrest 3 is connected via the lower region 10 with the seat surface 2 or its mechanism, for which purpose a respective tab 11 or 12 is welded to the top and bottom of the lower region 10 for each side. The tabs 11 are arranged outside at the transition between the back part 7 and the region 10 and the tabs 12 at a small distance from each other approximately centrally on the lower transverse strut of the backrest 3.

The upper flaps 11 are each pivotally connected to a lever 14, which in turn is pivotally connected to a further lever 16 which is rigidly connected via a round rod 17 with its counterpart on the other side. On the round rod 17, in turn, two tabs are welded, which serve for articulated connection with the rest of the chair 1 and parts of the foot 5.

The arranged between the respective tab 11 and the lever 16 lever 14 has an approximately semicircular recess 18, which serves for the movable receiving the rear corner of the seat 2.

The lower tabs 12 are pivotally connected to a gas spring 13, which in turn is hinged to a longitudinal strut 15 of the seat 2, which is arranged approximately centrally between the front strut and the rear strut of the seat and each angled downwards in the edge region. The gas spring 13 is thus connected on the one hand to the tabs 12 and on the other hand via tabs 19 with the longitudinal strut 15.

The gas spring 13 serves to adjust the inclination of the backrest 3, which is independent of the seat surface 2.

It is in the gas spring 13 is a special gas spring which, regardless of their respective position with an increased initial insertion force F1 (see FIG. Fig. 3 ) is provided.

Can be used both so-called friction gas springs and gas springs with pressure valve on the back of the piston, as they are known under the name Hydro-Lift ® Stabilus.

The user therefore only has to reach an adjustment of the inclination of the backrest 3, lean backwards and overcome by additional pressing the initial insertion force F1 of the gas spring. Then only the reduced insertion force F2, which must be overcome, so that the user now only as far as desired, must lean back to take the desired position of the backrest 3.

At this point, the user simply reduces the pressure so that the backrest 3 stops at the set position due to the increased initial insertion force F1 always occurring from a standstill, where it is held against the weight of the person. The user can therefore lean on any position of the backrest 3 and the backrest 3.

If the user desires a further adjustment of the inclination, he can lean backwards, overcoming the initial insertion force F1, so as to achieve the adjustment of the backrest 3.

The gas spring 13 has next to a lower Ausschubkraft F3 than the insertion force F2. This results because the extension force F3 corresponds approximately to the insertion force F2 minus the friction.

If the user wants to straighten up again, that is to say to reduce the inclination of the backrest or to make the backrest 3 steeper, then the user merely has to rise to the front. The extension force F3 is thus chosen so that the backrest 3 does not "push" the user out of the chair 1, but the backrest 3 nevertheless recovers.

The insertion forces F1 and F2, as is generally the case with springs, increase slightly over the adjustment path. Accordingly, the extension force F3 also decreases slightly over the adjustment path.

It makes sense to use the spring characteristic ( Fig. 3 ) of the gas spring 13 is selected so that the forces F1, F2 and F3 are suitable for normal weight persons, ie they must apply a small additional pressure by supporting to tilt the backrest to the rear. Of course, the gas spring can also be chosen so that the chair 1 is suitable for heavyweight persons.

The chair 1 is thus configured such that the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest 3 is continuously without actuating means. In addition, the adjustment of the inclination is designed such that the backrest 3 can be held in any position. The adjustment of the inclination of the backrest 3 completely works without actuating means, such as levers, etc., and without locking or locking means. The operation is therefore particularly simple, because no special operation is necessary. Thus, the adjustment is intuitive and needs no explanation. In addition, the structure of the chair 1 is simplified, which leads to cost savings in manufacturing and also makes this more robust and easy to maintain.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

armchair

2

seat

3

backrest

4

leg rest

5

foot

6

headboard

7

back

8th

joint

9

crossbars

10

lower area of the back part

11

flap

12

flap

13

Gas spring

14

lever

15

longitudinal strut

16

lever

17

round bar

18

recess

19

tabs

Claims (5)

1. Chair having a backrest (3, 6, 7) able to be adjusted relative to a seat area (2), the inclination of the backrest (3) being able to be adjusted irrespective of the position of the chair, the chair being so designed that the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest (3) takes place steplessly without actuating means, characterised in that there is provided for the adjustment of the inclination of the backrest (3) a gas spring (13) which, irrespective of its position at the time, is provided with an increased initial push-in force (F1), and the gas spring (13) has a pull-out force (F3) which is lower than the push-in force (F2).
2. Chair according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustment of inclination is so arranged that the backrest (3) can be held in any desired position.
3. Chair according to claim 2, characterised in that the gas spring (13) is a friction-slowed gas spring or a gas spring having a valve at the rear end of the piston.
4. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the gas spring (13) is connected on the one hand to the backrest (13) and on the other hand to the seat area (2).
5. Chair according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the gas spring (13) is connected to the seat area (2) via a longitudinal strut (15).

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