Seating furniture product

Abstract

A seating furniture product, with a support surface unit which forms a seat part and a backrest connected directly to the seat part, and with a frame, wherein the seat part is connected to the frame by means of a swivel joint allowing a rotation about a swivel axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product and the backrest is connected to the frame by a fastening point, is characterized in that the distance between the fastening point and the swivel joint can be changed in terms of the vertical direction of the seating furniture product, such that changing this distance is accompanied by a change in the inclination alignment of the seat part.

Claims

1. Seating furniture product comprising: a frame; and a support surface unit including a seat part and a backrest connected directly to the seat part, wherein the seat part is connected to the frame by means of a swivel joint allowing a rotation about a swivel axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product and the backrest is connected to the frame by a fastening point movable to a plurality of fixed positions, each of said plurality of fixed positions being at a different distance from the swivel joint in terms of the vertical direction of the seating furniture product, such that moving the fastening point from one of said plurality of fixed positions to another of said plurality of fixed positions is accompanied by a change in the inclination alignment of the seat part.

2. Seating furniture product comprising: a frame including a backrest base support and a slide; and a support surface unit including a seat part and a backrest connected directly to the seat part, wherein the seat part is connected to the frame by means of a swivel joint allowing a rotation about a swivel axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product, and the backrest is connected to the frame by a fastening point provided by said slide, wherein the distance between the fastening point and the swivel joint can be changed in terms of the vertical direction of the seating furniture product by moving the slide along the backrest base support portion, and changing the distance between the fastening point and the swivel joint is accompanied by a change in the inclination alignment of the seat part.

3. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the fastening point can be fixed in position at different distances from the swivel joint.

4. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, including a locking mechanism to lock the movement of the slide in at least one locking position.

5. Seating furniture product according to claim 4, wherein moving the slide to a release position and positioning the fastening point at a maximum distance from the swivel joint locks the movement of the slide.

6. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the fastening point comprises a swivel joint allowing rotation about a swivel axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product.

7. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the seat part has a saddle part which can swivel in relation to a base element of the seat part about a pivot axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product.

8. Seating furniture product of claim 7 wherein the saddle part is arranged essentially flush inside a corresponding recess in the base element of the seat part.

9. Seating furniture product according to claim 7, including a mechanism, by means of which a pivot angle () between the base element of the seat part and the saddle part is increased as the distance between the fastening point and the swivel joint increases.

10. Seating furniture product of claim 9, wherein the mechanism retains the saddle part in substantial horizontal alignment, when the inclination alignment of the base element of the seat part is changed.

11. Seating furniture product according to claim 9, including a transmission element coupled with the fastening point and supporting the saddle part at a position at a distance from the pivot axis.

12. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the support surface unit is designed to be deformable and the fastening point comprises a swivel joint allowing rotation about a swivel axis aligned in a longitudinal direction of the seating furniture product.

13. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the fastening point is arranged centrally in relation to the transverse direction of the backrest.

14. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the frame has a seat base connected to the seat part by the swivel joint and a backrest support connected to the backrest by the fastening point, wherein the seat base and the backrest support are connected by a swivel joint allowing rotation about a swivel axis aligned transversely to the seating furniture product.

15. Seating furniture product according to claim 14, wherein the backrest support is adjustable in relation to the seat base between a first, upright attitude and a second, backward leaning attitude, wherein an angle (a) between the seat part and the backrest in the second attitude is greater than in the first attitude.

16. Seating furniture product according to claim 14, wherein the backrest support is adjustable in relation to the seat base between a first, upright attitude and a second, backward leaning attitude, wherein a re-adjustment between the two attitudes causes a front edge of the seat part to move in the vertical direction of the seating furniture product.

17. Seating furniture product according to claim 2, wherein the swivel joint allows rotation about a vertical swivel axis.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of embodiment examples illustrated in the drawings. Each of the drawings shows diagrammatically:

(2) FIG. 1: a side view of an embodiment of an inventive seating furniture product in an upright attitude and with a first inclination attitude of the seat part;

(3) FIG. 2: a side view of the seating furniture product as in FIG. 1 in a backwards inclined attitude and with the first inclination attitude of the seat part;

(4) FIG. 3: a side view of the seating furniture product as in FIGS. 1 and 2 in an upright attitude and with a second inclination attitude of the seat part;

(5) FIG. 4: a side view of the seating furniture product as in FIGS. 1 to 3 in a backwards inclined attitude and with the second inclination attitude of the seat part;

(6) FIG. 5: a side view of a second embodiment of an inventive seating furniture product in an upright attitude and with a first inclination attitude of the seat part;

(7) FIG. 6: a side view of the seating furniture product as in FIG. 5 in a backwards inclined attitude and with the first inclination attitude of the seat part;

(8) FIG. 7: a side view of the seating furniture product as in FIGS. 5 and 6 in an upright attitude and with a second inclination attitude of the seat part of this embodiment;

(9) FIG. 8: a top view of the seating furniture product as in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

(10) The seating furniture product illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 in form of a chair comprises a frame 1 and a support surface unit connected to the frame 1, said support surface unit being formed as seat shell 2.

(11) The frame 1 is made to be essentially rigid. Thus, it is designed such that the individual elements forming (supporting) the frame are not intended to deform when used in a proper manner.

(12) The seat shell 2 is formed integrally so that a section used as seat part 3 merges into a section of the seat shell 2 used as backrest 4. In this case, the seat shell 2 can be formed in one or in multiple pieces (then in particular advantageously with a one-piece upper seat shell part and a frame supporting the upper seat shell part).

(13) The seat shell 2 is connected to the frame 1 by three swivel joints 5, 6, 7. Here, a first swivel joint 5 is arranged in the vicinity of the seat front edge 8 of the seat shell 2. As regards the transverse direction of the chair, the first swivel joint 5 is positioned centrally and therefore practically in the sagittal plane of a user of the chair. The first swivel joint 5 allows rotation of the section of the seat shell 2, specifically essentially of the entire seat part 3, connected to this swivel joint 5, relative to the corresponding section of the frame 1 (of the seat base 9) about a first swivel axis 10. The first swivel axis 10 runs in the vertical direction of the chair. Specifically, it is aligned approximately vertically (with the chair standing on level ground). The second swivel joint 6 comprises two partial swivel joints (an embodiment is also possible with an advantageously continuous swivel joint), which are separated from each other in relation to the transverse direction of the chair and, therefore, each being approximately the same distance from the first swivel joint 5. The two partial swivel joints together define a second swivel axis 11, which runs transversely to the chair and specifically approximately parallel to the front seat edge 8 of the seat part 3 (alternatively, in the case of a curved front seat edge 8, parallel to the straight lines connecting both ends of the front seat edge 8). In addition, in each case a bearing pedestal 12 of each partial swivel joint is connected to the frame 1 of the chair, while a common bearing bridge 13 serves as a support for the seat part 3 of the seat shell 2 and incorporates a swivel bearing pin 14 of the first swivel joint 5. The seat part 3 of the seat shell 2, guided by the first swivel joint 5, is therefore mounted to rotate on the bearing bridge 13 of the second swivel joint 6.

(14) The third swivel joint 7 connects the seat shell 2 in the area of the backrest 4 to a backrest support 15 of the frame 1. In doing so, the third swivel joint 7 is arranged centrally in relation to the transverse direction of the chair and, thereforejust as with the first swivel joint 5practically in the sagittal plane of a user of the chair. The third swivel joint 7 is formed as a ball joint. As a result, it allows rotation of the backrest 4 relative to the backrest support 15 about a number of axes, amongst others, about at least one third swivel axis 16 running longitudinally to the chair as well as a fourth swivel axis 17 running transversely to the chair.

(15) The mounting of the seat shell 2 according to the invention allows the seat shell 2 to deform as the weight of a user shifts, wherein said seat shell is moved, in the transition from the seat part 3 to the backrest 4, to one side while the front seat edge 7 and a backrest edge 18 are pivoted towards the other side.

(16) The backrest support 15 of the frame 1 is formed so that it is structurally separate from the seat base 9 of the frame 1 and is connected to the seat base 9 by a fourth swivel joint 19 to rotate about a fifth swivel axis 20, also extending transversely to the chair. By allowing the backrest support 15 to rotate in relation to the seat base 9, the chair gains a function which inclines the backrest backwards which allows a user to lean backwards aided by the chair, which is shown by comparing FIGS. 1 and 2 in relation to FIGS. 3 and 4. The backward inclination of the seat shell 2 causes the tension in a spring element (not visible) to increase so that, when the pressure on the backrest is removed, it is restored back to the basic setting again automatically, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.

(17) Due to the distance of the fifth swivel axis 20 from the second swivel axis 11 formed by the second swivel joint 6 and extending transversely to the chair, an angle (.sub.1<.sub.2) formed between the seat part 3 and the backrest 4 increases when the seat shell 2 is inclined backwards.

(18) Furthermore, the chair incorporates a kinematic system which ensures that inclining the seat shell 2 backwards is accompanied by lifting (movement in the vertical direction) the first and second swivel joints 5, 6 and, therefore, the front seat edge 8. To do this, the fourth swivel joint 19, by means of which the backrest support 15 is connected to the seat base 9, is arranged with a gap from the second swivel axis 11. Furthermore, two (one each on each side of the backrest support 15) rods 21 (an embodiment with one rod 21 can suffice) are connected, and able to rotate about a (common) sixth swivel axis 22, directed transversely to the chair, to the backrest support 15 at the end of the backrest support 15 on which the fourth swivel joint 19 is arranged also. Here, the sixth swivel axis 22 is arranged with a gap from the fifth swivel axis 20 formed by the fourth swivel bearing 19. The rods 22 each extend respectively to one end of a lever 23, to which they are connected to rotate about a seventh (common) swivel axis 24 extending transversely to the chair. Each other end of the lever 23 is connected with the seat base 9 to rotate about an eighth (common) swivel axis extending transversely to the chair. This therefore produces a gap between the seventh swivel axis 24 and the eighth swivel axis 25. The bearing pedestals 12 of the second swivel joints 6 are connected by a transverse support to the two rods 21 in the vicinity of the seventh swivel axis 24. By attaching the second swivel joint 6 to the frame 1, it is possible to adjust the height as desired, coupled to the backward inclination of the seat shell 2, of the first and second swivel bearings 5, 6 and thus of the front seat edge 8.

(19) The section of the L-shaped (alternative: bow-shaped) backrest support 15 running in the vertical direction of the chair is formed telescopically and also comprises a backrest support 26 connected to the seat base 9 and a tubular slide 27 incorporating the third swivel joint 7, wherein said slide is guided to slide on the corresponding end of the backrest support 26, wherein the positioning of the slide 27 on the backrest support 26 can also be locked in different locking positions.

(20) As can be seen in particular by comparing FIGS. 1 and 3, a change in length of the section of the backrest support 15 running in a vertical direction by telescopically moving the slide 27 on the backrest support 26 causes a change in the inclination alignment of the seat part 3 due to an increasing, or, as the case may be, decreasing distance of the fastening point formed by the third swivel joint 7 between the backrest support 15 (and therefore the frame 1) and the backrest 4 of the seat shell 2. In this manner, the static inclination alignment of the seat part 3 can be adapted to the individual wish of a user. This is independent of a dynamic change in inclination which arises in conjunction with the functional ability of the chair to incline backwards.

(21) In order to be able to set different fixed inclination alignments, a locking mechanism (not shown in detail) is incorporated in the backrest support 4, wherein said locking mechanism is formed, for example, such that, when the slide 27 is raised manually, it passes over different consecutive latching positions each of which provides a lock against the movement of the slide 27 on the backrest support 26 causing a shortening of the section of the backrest support 15 aligned vertically, so that a selected inclination alignment of the seat part 3 corresponding to one of the locking positions is assured, even if pressure is being applied to the seat shell 2 by a user sitting on it. The locking action of the locking mechanism can be formed so that it can be released wherein the slide 27 is moved in the furthest possible position traveled and, therefore, defining the greatest possible distance from the second swivel axis 11. The telescopic section of the backrest support 15 extending vertically can be pushed in again completely and optionally pulled out again to achieve a new desired locking position.

(22) The chair illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8 differs from those in FIGS. 1 to 4 only by the incorporation of a saddle part 28 in the seat part 3, wherein the saddle part 28 can pivot in relation to a base element of the seat part 3 about a pivot axis 29 directed transversely to the chair. This pivoting of the saddle part 28 is carried out synchronously with a change of the inclination alignment of the seat part 3 by means of an appropriate mechanism, which comprises an approximately L-shaped transmission element 30 (alternative: bow-shaped), which is connected, on the one hand, with the slide 27 of the backrest support 15. On the other hand, the saddle part 28 rests on a place at a distance from the pivot axis 29 on the transmission element 30 so that a torque generated by pressure of the saddle part 28 is supported by the transmission element 30.

(23) This mechanism works by ensuring that the saddle part 28, which is arranged essentially flush inside a corresponding recess in the base element of the seat part 3 (pivot angle : zero) with the seat part 3 in a basic inclination position (cf. FIGS. 5 and 6), remains in approximately horizontal alignment, when the inclination alignment of the seat part 3 is changed by elongating the telescopic section of the backrest support 15 running vertically into a seat surface falling away towards the front seat edge 8. In doing so, the pivot angle formed between the base element and the saddle part 28 increases as the inclination alignment of the seat part 3 continues to increase. In the same way, this pivot angle again reduces when the inclination alignment of the seat part 3 is changed by pushing together the telescopic section of the backrest support 15 towards the basic inclination position.

(24) In the pivoted attitude compared with the base element, in which the saddle part 28, compared with the basic inclination position, also is arranged higher off the floor on which the chair is positioned, the saddle part 28 can serve as an alternative seat surface on which a user can support him-/herself while standing. This functionality allows the chair to be used as a standing seat.

(25) The chairs illustrated in the drawings are formed as swivel chairs. Thus, in each case, the seat base 9 of the frame 1 is connected to a foot part 33, only partially illustrated, of the frame 1 by a fifth swivel joint 31 to rotate about an extending ninth swivel axis 32 aligned in a vertical, in fact practically vertical, direction of the chair.

REFERENCE LIST

(26) 1 frame 2 seat shell 3 seat part 4 backrest 5 first swivel joint 6 second swivel joint 7 third swivel joint 8 front seat edge 9 seat base 10 first swivel axis 11 second swivel axis 12 bearing pedestal 13 bearing bridge 14 swivel bearing pin 15 backrest support 16 third swivel axis 17 fourth swivel axis 18 backrest edge 19 fourth swivel joint 20 fifth swivel axis 21 rod 22 sixth swivel axis 23 lever 24 seventh swivel axis 25 eighth swivel axis 26 backrest support 27 slide 28 saddle part 29 pivot axis 30 transmission element 31 fifth swivel joint 32 ninth swivel axis 33 foot part