AU4620597A - Creation of Inventions and Patents with Artificial Intelligence

AU4620597A – Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs
– Google Patents

AU4620597A – Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs
– Google Patents
Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs

Info

Publication number
AU4620597A

AU4620597A
AU46205/97A
AU4620597A
AU4620597A
AU 4620597 A
AU4620597 A
AU 4620597A
AU 46205/97 A
AU46205/97 A
AU 46205/97A
AU 4620597 A
AU4620597 A
AU 4620597A
AU 4620597 A
AU4620597 A
AU 4620597A
Authority
AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
slide
section bar
guide element
adjustment device
rest
Prior art date
1996-09-06
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)

Granted

Application number
AU46205/97A
Other versions

AU718001B2
(en

Inventor
Claudio Gorgi
Paolo Scagnellato
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Imarc SpA

Original Assignee
Imarc SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
1996-09-06
Filing date
1997-09-04
Publication date
1998-03-26
Family has litigation

First worldwide family litigation filed
litigation
Critical
https://patents.darts-ip.com/?family=11424204&utm_source=google_patent&utm_medium=platform_link&utm_campaign=public_patent_search&patent=AU4620597(A)
“Global patent litigation dataset” by Darts-ip is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

1997-09-04
Application filed by Imarc SpA
filed
Critical
Imarc SpA

1998-03-26
Publication of AU4620597A
publication
Critical
patent/AU4620597A/en

2000-04-06
Application granted
granted
Critical

2000-04-06
Publication of AU718001B2
publication
Critical
patent/AU718001B2/en

2017-09-04
Anticipated expiration
legal-status
Critical

Status
Expired
legal-status
Critical
Current

Links

Espacenet

Global Dossier

Discuss

Classifications

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL

A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS

A47C7/00—Parts, details, or accessories of chairs or stools

A47C7/36—Support for the head or the back

A47C7/40—Support for the head or the back for the back

A47C7/402—Support for the head or the back for the back adjustable in height

Description

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE BACK-REST OF A SEAT BACK PORTION, IN PARTICULAR IN OFFICE CHAIRS
This invention relates to a device for adjusting the height of the backrest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs Office chairs are known comprising a spoke-type base with feet or wheels, a column mounted on said base and provided with a gas piston for adjusting the height of the sitting plane from the floor, and a seating portion which can be separate from a seat back portion or joined to it and supported by said column Generally the seat back portion consists of a pair of tubes which engage telescopically, one tube being rigid with the seating portion and the other tube being provided with a padded back-rest
A known type of height adjustment device for the back-rest consists of a locking pin rigid with one of the tubes and shdable within a slotted hole provided in the other tube
In another known device consists of a pin eπgagable in a hole provided in one tube and engagable elastically in a plurality of superposed holes provided in the other tube
To another known type of adjustment device, one of the telescopic tubes comprises a plurality of notches in which a rigid tooth element elastically engages
These known devices have however certain drawbacks, and in particular
– laborious construction due to the large number of components involved, – laborious assembly, which is generally effected in the factory and results in a substantial space requirement during transport,

– laborious operation in adjusting to the desired height,
– unreliable adjustment as it is related to the distance between the holes
An object of the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks by providing a height adjustment device for the back-rest of a seat back portion, which can be easily and comfortably operated
A further object of the invention is to provide a device having only a small number of components
A further object of the invention is to provide a device enabling fine adjustment to be effected All these and further objects which will be apparent from the ensuing description are attained according to the invention by a device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs as described in claim 1
A preferred embodiment of the present invention and a modification thereof are described in detail hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, on which Figure 1 is a transparent section through the back-rest height adjustment device, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough on the line ll-ll of Figure 1 , Figure 3 is a cross-section therethrough on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1 , Figures 4-8 are views thereof during adjustment, Figure 9 is a schematic side view of a chair provided with the device according to the invention, and Figure 10 shows a different embodiment of the device As can be seen from the figures, the device of the invention is applied

to a traditional office chair 1 comprising a spoke-type base 2 with feet 3 or wheels, on column 4 mounted on said base and a support plate 5 for the seating portion 6 and for the support slide 7 for the back-rest 8
The support slide 7 for the back-rest 8 is formed from a first substantially C-shaped section bar with its flanges bent inwards and internally housing, at its upper end, a plastic insert 10 formed substantially from two mutually facing toothed portions 11 with the tooth cavities inclined upwards
To ensure secure fixing of the insert 10 this is provided at its rear with two appendices 12 engaging in corresponding holes 14 provided in the surface of said section bar 9
The insert 10 also comprises two parallel seats 15 in which there are guided the flanges 16 of a substantially U-shaped section bar 17, to the upper end of which the back-rest 8 is fixed by means of a pin 13 To said section bar
17 there is applied a U spring 18, fixed to it by a rivet 19 and by two punched portions 20 of the U-shaped section bar
The flanges 16 of the U-shaped section bar form with the outer edges of the toothed portions 11 two parallel longitudinal channels 21 , the purpose of which will be clarified hereinafter At its free ends, the U spring 18 is provided with two appendices 22 bent at 90° to the surface of the section bar In the absence of external stresses the distance between the spring appendices 22 is less than the distance between the two longitudinal channels 21 and greater than the distance between the ends of the two facing teeth
In a position overlying said toothed portions 11 , the insert comprises a stop element 23 shaped as an isosceles trapezium with oblique sides 24 and with its major base 25 consisting of two arched portions

Said profiled element 23 has a width greater than the distance between the appendices 22 of the spring 18 when in the unstressed condition, and defines with the flanges 16 of the U shaped section bar two apertures 26 substantially aligned with the longitudinal channels 21 The back-rest adjustment device operates as follows the section bar 17 is firstly inserted in the section bar 9 guided by its flanges 16 in the seats 15 of the insert 10 During this stage (see Figure 4) the appendices 22 engage the oblique sides 24 of the profiled element 23 to become spaced apart so as to be able to pass through the apertures 26 and then be guided to slide along the channels 21
The travel of the section bar halts when it rests with its lower edge on suitable punched portions 27 provided on the section bar 9 This configuration corresponds to minimum back-rest height above the seating portion (see Figure 5) To height-adjust the position of the back-rest 8 the user firstly pulls the section bar 17 upwards to partly withdraw it from the section bar 9
During this operation the appendices 22 continually pass over the passive flank of each tooth to successively engage in the cavity between two adjacent teeth Consequently at each advancement the section bar 17 emerges from the section bar 9 by a distance corresponding to the pitch between the teeth (see Figure 6) This operation is repeated until the user has positioned the back-rest at the desired height
If this position is too high, to return the back-rest to a lower position the user continues to withdraw the section bar 17 from the section bar 9 until the appendices 22 disengage from the upper teeth and, as a result of the

elastic reaction of the spring 18, become spaced apart to interfere with the surface 25 of the element 23 and halt the upward travel of the section bar 17 The user now pushes the section bar 17 into the section bar 9, by which the appendices 22 interact with the curved edge 28 of the toothed portions 11 and are again inserted into the longitudinal channels 21 where they slide freely to enable the section bar 17 to slide along the section bar 9 (see Figure 8) and hence return to the initial position shown in Figure 5
From the aforegoing it is apparent that the adjustment device according to the invention has numerous advantages, and in particular – it enables fine adjustment to be achieved, based on the pitch of the teeth of the toothed portions,
– it is of pleasant appearance because of the total elimination of exposed adjustment elements,
– it enables the position of the back-rest to be adjusted in a simple and comfortable manner,
– mutual engagement of the section bars 17 and 9 can be achieved easily and quickly, hence reducing the time required for assembly, which can be carried out directly by the final user as the section bar 17 can be already fixed to the back-rest 8 In the embodiment shown in Figures 10 and 11 the back-rest 8 is rigid with a plate 30 to which there is applied a profiled insert 31 comprising two toothed portions 32 with the tooth cavities facing each other downwards
In said toothed portions there engages a spring 33 mounted on a guide 34 fixed lowerly to the support plate for the seating portion The operation of the adjustment device of this embodiment is

substantially similar to the preceding. In this respect, after the user has engaged the appendices 22 with the upper tooth of the toothed portions (minimum back-rest height configuration), to adjust the position the user pulls the back-rest 8 and consequently the plate 30 upwards, compelling said appendices 22 to pass over the passive flank of the teeth and engage in the active flank of the teeth passed.
When the plate 30 has reached a height such that the appendices 22 are positioned in the lower teeth of the toothed portions, further upward movement of said plate 30 causes the appendices to become spaced apart by virtue of the elastic reaction of the spring 33, and to interact with the curved portion 35 of the insert 31
Consequently the user can push the back-rest 8 downwards, which because of the free travel of the appendices within the channels 36 can be brought to the configuration corresponding to the lowest position

Claims (3)

C L A I M S

1. A device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs, characterised by comprising:
– a guide element (9,34) rigid with the support plate of the seating portion (6), – for supporting the back-rest (8), a slide (17,30) engagable with said guide element (9,34) and slidable along it,
– means (18) rigid with said slide (17) (said guide element 34) which are engagable elastically and selectively in the teeth of a toothed portion (11 ) provided on said guide element (9) (said slide 30) to ensure the stability of the position of said slide relative to said guide, said elastic means (18) being able to slide freely along the passive flanks of the teeth of the toothed portion (11 ,32) duπng the raising of the back rest, and being locked by the active flanks after each passage over a tooth, said elastic means (18), following their elastic reaction and for a predetermined position of said slide (17,35) relative to said guide element, being disengagable from said teeth to hence enable said slide (17,30) to slide by gravity relative to said guide element (9,34)

2. An adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that said guide element (9) consists of a C-shaped section bar with its flanges bent inwards and housing internally an insert (10) consisting of two mutually facing toothed portions (11 ) with their tooth cavities inclined upwards

3. An adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 and 2, characterised in that said slide (17) consists of a substantially U-shaped section bar housed within the section bar (9) 4 An adjustment device as claimed in claims 2 and 3, characterised in that said insert (10) comprises two parallel seats (15) in which the flanges (16) of the section bar (17) are guided.
5 An adjustment device as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that elastic means consisting of a U spring (18) are applied to said section bar (17) 6 An adjustment as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that said U spring (18) is provided at its free ends with two appendices (22) bent at 90° and engaging between the teeth of the toothed portions (11 ,32)
7 An adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that with the outer edges of the toothed portions (11 ), the flanges (16) of the section bar (17) form two parallel longitudinal passages (21 ) for the free travel of the appendices (22) when lowering the back-rest
8 An adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that the section bar (9) also comprises an element (23) forming a stop surface for the appendices (22) on termination of their travel along the teeth of the toothed portions (11 )
9 An adjustment device as claimed in claim 1 , characterised in that elastic means consisting of a U spring (33) are applied to said guide element (34)
10 An adjustment device as claimed in claims 5 to 9, characterised in that said spring (18,33) is fixed to said slide (30) (said guide element 34) at a rivet (19)

AU46205/97A
1996-09-06
1997-09-04
Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs

Expired

AU718001B2
(en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

ITVE96A000028

1996-09-06

IT96VE000028A

IT1288164B1
(en)

1996-09-06
1996-09-06

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF THE BACKREST, IN PARTICULAR IN OFFICE CHAIRS.

PCT/EP1997/004800

WO1998009553A1
(en)

1996-09-06
1997-09-04
Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs

Publications (2)

Publication Number
Publication Date

AU4620597A
true

AU4620597A
(en)

1998-03-26

AU718001B2

AU718001B2
(en)

2000-04-06

Family
ID=11424204
Family Applications (1)

Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date

AU46205/97A
Expired

AU718001B2
(en)

1996-09-06
1997-09-04
Device for adjusting the height of the back-rest of a seat back portion, in particular in office chairs

Country Status (9)

Country
Link

US
(1)

US6155643A
(en)

EP
(1)

EP0932353B1
(en)

CN
(1)

CN1135087C
(en)

AU
(1)

AU718001B2
(en)

DE
(1)

DE69709383T2
(en)

ES
(1)

ES2168679T3
(en)

IT
(1)

IT1288164B1
(en)

PL
(1)

PL184561B1
(en)

WO
(1)

WO1998009553A1
(en)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

ITTO980034A1
(en)

1998-01-16
1999-07-16
Miotto Int Comp

MECHANICAL DEVICE FOR THE CONTROL OF THE SYNCHRONOUS MOVEMENT OF THE SEAT AND BACKREST OF A SEAT.

IT249888Y1
(en)

1999-03-09
2003-06-09
Imarc Spa

HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE IN PARTICULAR FOR BACK AND ARMRESTS IN OFFICE CHAIRS.

TW400709U
(en)

1999-08-19
2000-08-01
Tay Huah Furniture Corp
Chair back height adjusting device

CH696482A5
(en)

2000-03-29
2007-07-13
Stoll Giroflex Ag
Apparatus for adjustment of a first component of a chair from a second component of a chair.

US7066536B2
(en)

2002-02-11
2006-06-27
Graco Children’s Products Inc.
Child seat

DE50208342D1
(en)

2002-08-25
2006-11-16
Stoll Sedus Ag

Adjustable neck support for a chair

US7775593B2
(en)

2008-10-09
2010-08-17
Jung-Hua Hu
Adjusting device of a chair backrest

US8272690B2
(en)

2009-01-15
2012-09-25
Cosco Management, Inc.
Juvenile vehicle seat with headrest-height controller

US8459746B2
(en)

2010-05-12
2013-06-11
Yu-Shan Lai
Adjustable armrest structure for a chair

US9096151B2
(en)

2011-05-27
2015-08-04
Husqvarna Ab
Lawn care vehicle adjustable seat

EP3311704A1
(en)

2016-10-18
2018-04-25
Vitra Patente AG
Backrest device

US11096496B2
(en)

2019-04-11
2021-08-24
Hugh Charles Murray
Therapeutic chair with adjustable back and method of using the same

Family Cites Families (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

DE3527783A1
(en)

1985-08-02
1987-02-12
Froescher August Gmbh Co Kg

ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR THE STEP-BY-STEP LOCKING HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT OF BACKRESTS ON WORK CHAIRS

US4639039A
(en)

1985-09-10
1987-01-27
Milsco Manufacturing Company
Height adjustment mechanism for chair backrest

GB2246287B
(en)

1990-06-12
1993-10-20
Unit Press Limited
Back support pillar for a chair

IT239565Y1
(en)

1995-03-21
2001-03-05
Miotto Internat Company

HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR A CHAIR BACKREST

DE19517659A1
(en)

1995-05-13
1996-11-14
Link Wilhelm Kg

Chair, especially office chair

US5649741A
(en)

1996-02-16
1997-07-22
Northfield Metal Products Ltd.
Adjusting mechanism

US5695249A
(en)

1996-06-24
1997-12-09
Lotfi; Mehdian
Height adjustment mechanism for chair components

1996

1996-09-06
IT
IT96VE000028A
patent/IT1288164B1/en
active
IP Right Grant

1997

1997-09-04
CN
CNB97197702XA
patent/CN1135087C/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1997-09-04
WO
PCT/EP1997/004800
patent/WO1998009553A1/en
active
IP Right Grant

1997-09-04
AU
AU46205/97A
patent/AU718001B2/en
not_active
Expired

1997-09-04
PL
PL97331935A
patent/PL184561B1/en
unknown

1997-09-04
EP
EP97944827A
patent/EP0932353B1/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1997-09-04
ES
ES97944827T
patent/ES2168679T3/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1997-09-04
US
US09/147,754
patent/US6155643A/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1997-09-04
DE
DE69709383T
patent/DE69709383T2/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

Also Published As

Publication number
Publication date

DE69709383D1
(en)

2002-01-31

CN1135087C
(en)

2004-01-21

ITVE960028D0
(en)

1996-09-06

PL184561B1
(en)

2002-11-29

EP0932353B1
(en)

2001-12-19

US6155643A
(en)

2000-12-05

DE69709383T2
(en)

2002-08-14

EP0932353A1
(en)

1999-08-04

AU718001B2
(en)

2000-04-06

ITVE960028A1
(en)

1998-03-06

WO1998009553A1
(en)

1998-03-12

IT1288164B1
(en)

1998-09-11

CN1229342A
(en)

1999-09-22

PL331935A1
(en)

1999-08-16

ES2168679T3
(en)

2002-06-16

Contact information