JP7650145B2 - Chair with armrests - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, paragraph 2 of the Patent Act applies. As per the disclosure facts stated in the "Certificate for Application of Exception to Loss of Novelty" submitted on December 15, 2020.

This invention relates to a chair with armrests integrated into the backrest.

Providing armrests on chairs is a common practice. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that armrests are molded integrally on the left and right sides of a chair with a simple structure in which the leg device is made of pipes and the backrest is a single structure made of synthetic resin.

In addition, in Patent Document 1, the leg device is a rod-leg type with a pair of legs on each side, but the rear legs are provided with a back support that extends above the seat, while a downward boss is formed that connects the rear underside of the armrest and the side of the backrest, and this boss is fitted into the back support.

Design Registration No. 1416606

As in Patent Document 1, molding the armrests integrally with the backrest has the advantage of reducing the labor required for installation and reducing costs, but the inventors of this application have found room for improvement.

For example, in Patent Document 1, the elbow pad is made entirely of a molded synthetic resin, so some users may find it hard when in use, and so there is room for improvement in terms of usability.

In addition, in Patent Document 1, the elbow rest is plate-shaped and the boss portion is cylindrical, and the elbow rest and the boss portion are separate from each other, so there is room for improvement in terms of the need for uniformity in design and the need for a sense of security in terms of strength.

The present invention was made in response to this current situation, and aims to improve the quality of chairs with armrests integrated into the backrest.

The present invention includes various configurations, typical examples of which are specified in claims 1 to 5. The chair according to claim 1 of the invention is as follows:
"The seat includes a leg device, a seat, a backrest, and left and right armrests arranged on the left and right outer sides of the seat in a plan view .
The backrest is a molded product of synthetic resin,
The armrest comprises an armrest body integrally formed with the left and right sides of the backrest below the upper end of the backrest, and an armrest pad disposed on the upper surface of the armrest body , and the backrest has an exposed side surface above the armrest body.
In a chair with armrests,
"The upper surface of the armrest body and the rear of the armrest pad are provided with a rear inward protruding portion whose front-to-rear width narrows toward the side of the backrest in a plan view,
The left and right side surfaces of the backrest are formed with steps into which the tips of the rear inward protruding portions of the elbow pads fit, and the left and right side surfaces of the backrest are formed so as to narrow upward while continuing with the upper surfaces of the elbow pads .
The structure is as follows.

The invention of claim 2 is the same as claim 1,
"The upper surface of the rear inward protruding portion of the armrest is curved so as to become higher toward the side of the backrest, while the lower portion of the side of the backrest is curved so as to shift inwardly to the left and right toward the top,
The upper surface of the rear inward protruding portion of the arm pad and the side surface of the backrest are smoothly continuous in a curved state as a whole.
The structure is as follows.
The invention of claim 3 is the same as in claim 1 or 2,
"Side blocks are formed on both the left and right sides of the backrest, narrowing downward in side and front views and with their upper parts extending in the front-to-rear direction. The upper parts of the side blocks form the armrest body which is longitudinal in the front-to-rear direction, and at least the lower parts of the side blocks form bosses into which the legs constituting the leg device are fitted from below."
The structure is as follows.

The invention of claim 4 is the same as claim 3 ,
"The thickness of the sides of the backrest is gradually increased toward the side block portion, thereby creating a smooth connection between the side block portion and the backrest."
The structure is as follows.

The invention of claim 5 is the same as claim 3 ,
"The boss portion is formed to be shifted to the rear side of the side block portion, and the armrest body protrudes significantly forward from the boss portion as viewed from the seated occupant ."
The structure is as follows.

In the present invention, the armrest is equipped with an elbow pad, which softens the impact on the user's elbow and arm, providing a comfortable feeling to the user. Therefore, the chair can be used comfortably even for long periods of time.

With the configuration as in claim 3 , the armrest body and the boss are integrated into the streamlined side block, so that the armrest body and the boss are integrated in design, resulting in an excellent aesthetic appearance. Also, the side block has a bulge, so it is strong. Therefore, it is evaluated as a chair with excellent strength and high design, and the product value is improved.

By adopting the configuration of claim 4 , the backrest and the side block portions are smoothly continuous on both the front and back sides, so that the backrest and the side block portions as a whole retain an elegance based on streamlined shapes while also exhibiting a strong and powerful presence, thereby further contributing to improving the marketability of the product.

In the configuration of claim 5 , the boss is located between the front and rear ends of the side block, and the side block is generally shaped like a T, which provides excellent support for the load applied to the elbow rest, as well as providing excellent balance in appearance and a stable design. Furthermore, the elbow rest body protrudes forward from the boss, ensuring the necessary length for the elbow rest and allowing it to fully maintain its function.

In the present invention , the rear inward protrusion of the elbow pad is tapered to reach the side of the backrest, which creates continuity between the elbow pad and the backrest, thus further contributing to improved design. In addition, since people cannot place their fingertips on the rear inward protrusion of the elbow pad, it is also effective in preventing the elbow pad from rolling up. In addition, the side of the backrest gradually becomes thinner toward the top, which enhances the streamlined design.

Furthermore, by adopting the configuration of the present invention , it is possible to reliably prevent the elbow pad from rolling up. Also, even if there are errors in the processing or installation of the elbow pad, there is an advantage in that the continuity between the rear inward protrusion of the elbow pad and the side of the backrest is ensured, thereby making the quality consistent.

1A and 1B are diagrams showing a chair according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a perspective view seen from the upper front, (B) is a perspective view seen from the upper rear, (C) is a side view, and (D) is a plan view. (A) is an exploded perspective view seen from the upper front, (B) is an exploded perspective view seen from the upper rear, (C) is a partial front view of the backrest, (D) is a side view of the backrest, and (E) is an exploded perspective view of the backrest seen from below. (A) is an oblique view seen from the front and bottom, (B) is an oblique view seen from the top and rear with the seat folded down, (C) is an oblique view seen from the bottom and front with the seat folded down, and (D) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line D-D of (A). 1A is a plan view of the elbow rest in a nested state, FIG. 1B is a side view of the elbow rest in a nested state, and FIG.

(1) Basic Structure of the Chair Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the chair comprises a leg device 1, a seat 2, and a backrest 3, with arm rests 4 provided on the left and right sides of the backrest 3. The arm rests 4 are located on the outsides of the seat 2 on the left and right sides in a plan view. The seat 2 can be flipped up and rotated with a portion near its rear end as a fulcrum.

The leg device 1 is equipped with left and right front legs 5 that are tilted backwards in side view, left and right rear legs 6 that are tilted forwards in side view, and left and right longitudinal reinforcing frames 7 (see Fig. 3(C)) that connect the upper parts of the left and right front legs 5, and has a Z-shaped form when viewed from the left side (a human-shaped form when viewed from the right side).

A caster 1a is attached to the lower end of each leg 5, 6. The front legs 5 and rear legs 6 are connected together via joints 8. As shown in Figures 2(A) and (B), the upper ends 6a of the rear legs 6 are exposed above the joints 8, and downward opening bosses 9 provided on the left and right ends of the backrest 3 are fitted and attached to the upper ends 6a of the rear legs 6. The front and rear legs 5, 6 and the reinforcing frame 7 are made of metal pipes such as steel pipes, and the joints 8 are cast products of metal such as steel.

For example, as shown in Fig. 1(D), the left and right front legs 5 are parallel in plan view, while the left and right rear legs 6 are positioned so that the distance between them increases toward the rear. As can be seen from Figs. 1(A) and (B), for example, the front legs 5 are positioned offset left and right inward from the rear legs 6. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4, by flipping the seat 2 upward and rotating it, multiple chairs can be nested (interlocked) one behind the other.

The seat 2 has a structure in which a cushioning material (not shown) is attached to the upper surface of the seat plate (seat shell plate) 10 shown in Figures 3 (A) and (C) and this is covered from above with a skin material, and a rectangular frame 11 is fixed to the underside of the seat plate 10, and the rear part of the frame 11 is connected to a part near the upper end of the front leg 5 by a support shaft 12 (and a nut) so that it can be flipped up and rotated. In addition, a posture-maintaining frame 13 that protrudes downward from the frame 11 and rests on the reinforcing frame 7 from above when the chair is unfolded, and a synthetic resin catch material 14 is attached to both the left and right sides of the posture-maintaining frame 13.

The backrest 3 is a molded product made of synthetic resin, and is long on both sides and concave toward the front when viewed from above. The backrest 3 is basically in the shape of a plate, and its upper end is formed into an upper flange piece 3a that curves backward. The upper flange piece 3a functions to reinforce the backrest 3, to function as a handle when moving it, and as a design feature.

(2) Elbow Rest The elbow rest body 15 constituting the elbow rest 4 is integrally formed on the left and right side portions 3b of the backrest 3, and the previously mentioned boss portion 9 having a mounting hole into which the upper portion 6a of the rear leg 6 fits is integrally formed on the side portion 3b of the backrest 3 and the elbow rest body 15. The elbow pad 19 softens the impact on the elbows and arms of the person, allowing for comfortable use over long periods of time.

For example, as shown in Fig. 1(C), the boss 9 is formed offset toward the rear of the armrest body 15. Therefore, the armrest body 15 protrudes significantly forward from the boss 9. The upper portion 6a of the rear leg 6 and the boss 9 are fixed by a first screw 17 (see Fig. 2(B)) that is inserted into the boss 9 from behind. For example, as shown in Fig. 4(C), the boss 9 is formed offset toward the side surface 3c of the backrest 3 of the armrest body 15.

2(D)(E), the armrest body 15 is connected to the boss 9 while narrowing downward in side and front views, and the boss 9 and the armrest body 15 are integrated in a manner that is difficult to distinguish. Therefore, the side block 18 narrowing downward in front and side views is formed on both the left and right sides 3b of the backrest 3, and the upper part of the side block 18 forms the armrest body 15, while the lower half of the side block 18 forms the boss 9 with an opening for a mounting hole. The side block 18 is provided in the approximate lower half of the side 3b of the backrest 3, so that both the left and right sides 3b of the backrest 3 have side surfaces 3c exposed above the side block 18.

An elastomer or soft synthetic resin elbow pad 19 is layered on the top surface of the elbow pad main body 15, and the elbow pad 19 is fixed to the elbow pad 4 by a second screw 20. The shaft of the second screw 20 is inserted from below into the front part of the elbow pad 4 and screwed into the elbow pad 19. The second screw 20 is only located on the front part of the elbow pad 4, but it is also possible to fix the elbow pad 19 to the elbow pad main body 15 at multiple points, such as the front and rear parts of the elbow pad 4.

The upper surface of the side block 18 (the upper surface of the elbow rest body 15) is formed with a group of recesses (not shown) to make the thickness as uniform as possible. Alternatively, it can be said that the side block 18 has an upward recess and a number of ribs are formed in the recess.

As shown in FIG. 1(D), the armrest 4 is long from front to back, with the front end 4a and rear end 4b formed in an arc shape. The armrest 4 is rounded from front to back and its width increases slightly toward the rear, but is inclined in plan view so that it approaches the backrest 3 as it moves rearward. Therefore, the left and right armrests 4 form a V-shape in plan view.

In addition, because the side block portion 18, consisting of the armrest body 15 and the boss portion 9, tapers downward, as shown in FIG. 3(D), the thickness of the left and right side portions 3b of the backrest 3 to which the side block portion 18 is connected changes smoothly toward the side block portion 18. Therefore, the side block portion 18 and the backrest 3 are smoothly connected, and the overall appearance is streamlined and beautiful.

As shown in Figure 1 (C), the top surface of the armrest 4 is tilted backwards at a slight angle so that it is lower towards the rear. This results in a certain height difference of dimension H between the front and rear ends of the armrest 4. A notch 21 is formed in the underside of the front end 4a of the armrest body 15, so that when multiple chairs are nested one behind the other as shown in Figure 4 (B), the front end 4a of the armrest 4 located at the rear rests on the rear end 4b of the armrest 4 located at the front. The second screw 20 is placed at the notch 21.

When the notch 21 is formed as in the embodiment, its wall surface 21a comes into contact with the rear end surface of the forward-positioned armrest 4, which has the advantage of ensuring the stopper function. In addition, the upper surface of the notch 21 rests from above on the rear end of the elbow pad 19 on the forward-positioned armrest 4, absorbing shocks and improving quietness when the chair stops moving.

As shown in FIG. 4(C), the notch 21 has a wall surface 21a against which the rear end 4b of the front-positioned armrest 4 abuts, and the wall surface 21a is formed to surround the rear end 4b of the front-positioned armrest 4 from the outside, left and right. Therefore, the chairs nested in front and back are held in place so that they do not shift left and right. This allows multiple chairs to be stored in a straight line that looks good. In addition, when multiple chairs are pushed and moved while nested in series, multiple legs can be moved stably.

1(A) and 1(D), the rear end of the elbow pad 19 has a rear inward protrusion 19a that comes into contact with the backrest 3 and is formed in a generally trapezoidal shape so that its front-to-rear width narrows toward the backrest 3 , and as can be seen in Fig. 1(C), for example , the rear inward protrusion 19a of the elbow pad 19 (and the rear inner end of the elbow rest body 15) is curved upward. Then, as shown in Fig. 2(B), for example, a step 22 is formed on the side surface 3c of the side portion 3b of the backrest 3 into which the rear inward protrusion 19a of the elbow pad 19 fits.

Therefore, the side surface 3c of the backrest 3 and the upper surface of the elbow pad 19 are continuous. Also, since the thickness of the side portion 3b of the backrest 3 gradually decreases upward above the side block portion 18, the side surface 3c of the backrest 3 is continuous with the rear inward protruding portion 19a of the elbow pad 19 and gradually narrows upward, as shown in Fig. 2(D) for example.

As a result, the side surface 3c of the backrest 3 and the upper surface of the armrest pad 19 are smoothly connected, giving a good appearance and preventing the armrest pad 19 from peeling off.

When nesting chairs, they can be nested by moving them from right to left in the position shown in Figure 4(B), or they can be nested by moving them from left to right in the position shown in Figure 4(B). In the former case, they can be moved by placing their hands on the upper flange piece 3a of the backrest 3, or by placing their hands on the left and right armrests 4. When nesting from left to right, it is easiest to move the chair by placing your hands on the left and right armrests 4.

3D, for example, the boss 9 is formed in the rear portion of the side block 18. Therefore, the side block 18 is basically T-shaped or inverted triangular in side view, with the elbow rest body 15 projecting forward (toward the viewer ) beyond the boss 9 .

The side block portion 18 is basically T-shaped or inverted triangular in side view, which gives it a well-balanced and stable appearance and provides excellent support strength for the load acting on the elbow rest 4. In addition, the elbow rest body 15 protrudes significantly forward, ensuring the necessary front-to-back length for the elbow rest 4.

The armrest 4 of this embodiment is larger in left-right width and front-to-back length than conventional products. The chair of this embodiment is a simple nestable type that is often used in lecture halls, etc., but even though it is a simple chair, the armrest 4 is large and has a high-end specification with arm pad 19, and the backrest 3 and side block portion 18 as a whole have an excellent design based on a streamlined shape. These features combine to ensure high quality.

In this embodiment, in order to form the side block portion 18 so that it tapers downward, the outer surface of the side block portion 18 is curved so that it is concave outward when viewed from the side and the front. This ensures strength while eliminating unnecessary material, improving the sophistication of the design.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various other ways. For example, the elbow pad can be formed into a rectangular shape or an oval shape that is long from front to back. The elbow pad can also be attached by forming a downward-facing annular wall on the outer periphery of the elbow pad and fitting the annular wall into the elbow pad body. Furthermore, the elbow pad can also have a structure in which the cushioning material is covered with a skin material.

Regarding the structure of the chair, the leg device does not need to be in a square (or human) shape, and a configuration in which the four legs are in a nearly vertical position can be adopted. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to non-folding (non-nesting type) chairs and lift-type chairs equipped with gas cylinders.

The present invention can be embodied in a nestable chair. Therefore, it can be used industrially.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Leg device 2 Seat 3 Backrest 3b Side of backrest 3c Side surface of backrest 4 Armrest 4a Front end of armrest 4b Rear end of armrest 5, 6 Leg 8 Joint 9 Boss 10 Seat plate 15 Armrest body 18 Side block 19 Arm pad 19a Rear inward protruding portion of arm pad
22 Step

Claims (5)

The seat includes a leg device, a seat, a backrest, and left and right armrests arranged on the left and right outer sides of the seat in a plan view ,
The backrest is a molded product of synthetic resin,
The armrest comprises an armrest body integrally formed with the left and right side portions of the backrest below the upper end of the backrest, and an armrest pad disposed on an upper surface of the armrest body , and the backrest has an exposed side surface above the armrest body,
The upper surface of the armrest body and the rear portion of the armrest pad are provided with a rear inward protruding portion whose front-to-rear width narrows toward the side surface of the backrest in a plan view.
The left and right side surfaces of the backrest are formed with a step into which the tip of the rear inward protruding portion of the elbow pad fits, and the left and right side surfaces of the backrest are formed so as to narrow upward while continuing with the upper surface of the elbow pad.
Chair with armrests. The upper surface of the rear inward protruding portion of the elbow pad is curved so as to be higher toward the side surface of the backrest, while the lower portion of the side surface of the backrest is curved so as to be shifted inwardly to the left and right toward the upper side,
The upper surface of the rear inward protruding portion of the armrest and the side surface of the backrest are smoothly continuous in a curved state as a whole.
2. A chair with armrests as claimed in claim 1. A side block portion is formed on each of the left and right sides of the backrest, the side block portion narrowing downward in a side view and the upper portion being longitudinal in the front-rear direction, the upper portion of the side block portion being the longitudinal armrest body, and at least the lower portion of the side block portion being a boss portion into which the leg constituting the leg device is fitted from below.
A chair with armrests according to claim 1 or 2 . The thickness of the side portion of the backrest is gradually increased toward the side block portion, thereby smoothly connecting the side block portion and the backrest.
A chair with armrests as claimed in claim 3 . The boss portion is formed to be shifted to the rear side of the side block portion, and the armrest body protrudes significantly forward from the boss portion as viewed from the seated person.
A chair with armrests as claimed in claim 3 .

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