Connection assembly for a backrest and office or conference chair

Abstract

A connection assembly for a backrest, of an office or conference chair, includes a backrest structural element, a transverse support element, a transverse bearing by means of which the backrest structural element is rotatably coupled to the transverse support element in a direction perpendicular to a transverse direction, and a connection portion connecting the transverse support element to the backrest structural element, arranged and formed so that the backrest structural element is resiliently movable relative to the transverse support element.

Claims

1. A connection assembly for a backrest of a chair, comprising: a backrest structural element, a transverse support element, a transverse bearing configured to rotatably couple the backrest structural element to the transverse support element in a direction perpendicular to a transverse direction, and a connection portion connecting the transverse support element to the backrest structural element and being arranged and configured so that the backrest structural element is resiliently movable relative to the transverse support member, wherein the connection portion is configured and arranged as a return member to reset a rotary movement of the transverse bearing around an axis of rotation by elastic force.

2. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transverse support element is configured as an armrest support.

3. The connection assembly according to claim 2, wherein the transverse support element is configured in a fork shape having two fork arms, wherein each fork arm respectively comprises one armrest or is configured to receive one armrest.

4. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the backrest structural element is configured as a backrest frame.

5. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transverse bearing comprises a bearing pin rotatably supported in at least one of a lower bearing bush of the transverse support element and an upper bearing bush of the backrest structural element.

6. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transverse bearing is embedded in the connection portion.

7. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion is configured to have resilient properties realized by comprising an elastomeric material.

8. The connection assembly according to claim 7, wherein the connection portion is integrally molded of the elastomeric material.

9. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion is configured to have resilient properties realized by at least one of thinning of material of the connection portion, material recesses defined in the connection portion and different elastic properties of material of the connection portion at different portions thereof.

10. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion comprises at least one spring element.

11. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection portion comprises a return spring configured and arranged to reset a rotary movement of the transverse bearing around its axis of rotation by elastic force.

12. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transverse support element is molded of a plastic incorporating a metal reinforcement.

13. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein the transverse support element is disposed at a height of at least one of a seat support and a seating surface of the chair.

14. The connection assembly according to claim 1, wherein, in a region of the transverse support element adjacent the connection portion, the transverse support element is bent upwardly towards the backrest structural element or downwardly towards a base of the chair.

15. A chair, comprising: a backrest and at least two armrests coupled to a seat support, and a connection assembly according claim 1, wherein the seat support is coupled to the transverse support element and the backrest structural element forms a supporting portion of the backrest.

16. The chair according to claim 15, wherein the transverse support element is formed as a part of a synchronizing mechanism of the chair.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the examples of embodiments given in the schematic figures of the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an office chair, when viewed obliquely from the rear, including a connection assembly according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a rear view of the office chair of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the office chair of FIG. 1.

(5) The accompanying figures of the drawing are intended to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the invention. They illustrate embodiments and serve in conjunction with the specification to explain principles and concepts of the invention. Other embodiments and many of the mentioned advantages will become apparent in view of the drawings. The elements in the drawings are not necessarily shown true to scale to each other.

(6) Throughout the figures of the drawing, identical, functionally identical and identically acting elements, features and components are respectively designated by the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an office chair 10, when viewed obliquely from the rear, including a connection assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. The office chair 10 of FIG. 1 is shown in a rear view in FIG. 2 and shown in a side view in FIG. 3.

(8) The office chair 10 comprises a base 15, a seat support 14, a seating surface 16 as well as a backrest 2.

(9) The office chair differs from a conference chair substantially in the base 15, which, in the present case, is formed as a swivel base having castors. In case of a conference chair, for example, the base may be a swivel base without castors, a cantilever base or another type of base. Therefore, all features described below with reference to an office chair are equally applicable to a conference chair.

(10) Here, the office chair 10 is formed as an office swivel chair and furthermore comprises a connection assembly 1. The connection assembly 1 is formed by a transverse support element 3, a backrest structural element 4 and a connection portion 5. The connection portion 5 connects the transverse support element 3 to the backrest structural element 4 and is formed so that the backrest structural element 4 is resiliently movable relative to the transverse support element 3. On the one hand, here, elasticity can be attained by choosing an elastomeric material for the connection portion 5, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). On the other hand, the connection portion 5 may have spring elements 17 and/or be made thereof. In principle, these aspects may be combined with each other. In the figures, two spring elements 17 are drawn by way of example.

(11) Further, the office chair 10 is formed by a transverse bearing 6 by means of which the backrest structural element 4 is rotatably coupled to the transverse support element 3 in a direction perpendicular to a transverse direction (i.e., the backrest can be rotated perpendicular to the seating surface 16). The transverse bearing 6 is embedded in the connection portion 5 and therefore, for the sake of clarity, merely schematically marked in the figures by broken lines. The transverse bearing 6 comprises a bearing pin 11 rotatably supported in a lower bearing bush 12 of the transverse support element 3 and in an upper bearing bush 13 of the backrest structural element 4. In principle, it will disclose itself to a person skilled in the art that the bearing pin 11 may also be (fixedly) connected to the transverse support element 3 or the backrest structural element 4 or be molded on one of these two elements.

(12) The seat support 14 is coupled to the transverse support element 3. The backrest structural element 4 further forms a supporting portion of the backrest 2, here a backrest frame, for example. Here, the transverse support element 3 is formed as armrest support, the armrest support being formed in a fork shape having two fork arms 7, each of which respectively forms one armrest 8. Thus, each fork arm 7, i.e. each armrest 8, is connected to the backrest structural element 4 via the connection portion 5. In this embodiment, both the transverse support element 3 and the backrest structural element 4 may be injection-molded parts of plastic. In particular, the transverse support element 3 may thus be integrally molded with the fork arms 7 and the armrests 8, i.e. as a rigid and stiff plastic component.

(13) In this embodiment, the transverse support element 3 is formed as a part of a synchronizing mechanism 9 usually provided in an office chair. To this end, an end of the transverse support element 3 facing away from the fork arms 7 is coupled to the synchronizing mechanism 9 of the seat support 14 or the office chair 10 in a way generally known to a person skilled in the art. However, other embodiments without a synchronizing mechanism are also conceivable, particularly for conference seating furniture. In this case, the transverse support element 3 may be fixedly attached to the seat support 14.

(14) An optimum mobility of the backrest 2 of the office chair 10 is achieved by advantageous combination of resiliently connecting the transverse support element 3 (which functions here as rigid transverse support, i.e. as stiff substructure for connecting the backrest 2) to the backrest structural element 4 and rotatably coupling these two structural elements. A special advantage of the embodiment shown is here the direct coupling of the armrests 8 to the backrest 2 via the connection assembly 1. Hereby, an ergonomically advantageous mobility, preferably a dorsokinetic mobility, of the backrest 2 is provided. This connection of the backrest 2 provides a significant improvement in mobility compared to conventional solutions. In addition, the depicted solution is particularly robust and cost-efficient in production.

(15) In the previous detailed description, various features have been summarized in one or more examples to improve the stringency of representation. However, it should be clear that the above description is merely illustrative, but by no means limiting in nature. It serves to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents of the various features and examples of embodiment. In view of the above description, many other examples will immediately and directly be apparent to a person skilled in the art due to his/her professional knowledge.

(16) The examples of embodiment were chosen and described to present the underlying principles of the invention and applicabilities in practice thereof at best. Thereby, persons skilled in the art may optimally modify and use the invention and various embodiment examples thereof with reference to the intended use. In the claims and the description, the terms including and having are used as neutral terms for the respective terms of comprising. Moreover, using the terms a and an is not intended to exclude a plurality of such described features and components as a matter of principle.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

(17) 1 connection assembly 2 backrest 3 transverse support element 4 backrest structural element 5 connection portion 6 transverse bearing 7 fork arm 8 armrest 9 synchronizing mechanism 10 office or conference chair 11 bearing pin 12 lower bearing bush 13 upper bearing bush 14 seat support 15 base 16 seating surface 17 spring element