Chair control actuator with depiction

Details Chair control actuator with depiction Chair control actuator with depiction

2002-03-14

2003-08-26

Cranmer, Laurie K. (Department: 3636)

Chairs and seats

Chair hardware or attachment

C297S183100, C297S285000, C297S354100, C297S344160, C297S463200, C040S661120, C040S320000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06609760

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a chair control actuator.
In an effort to accommodate a wide range of user's preferences and physical characteristics, adjustable chairs have been manufactured with an increasing number of possible adjustments. Each new adjustment feature typically requires a new actuator. For modem office chairs, the result can be a chair control festooned with actuators. In consequence, a new or infrequent user of a chair may engage in considerable experimentation before succeeding in effecting desired chair adjustments.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,615 to Newhouse addresses this problem by providing a card with a pictorial guide for operating the adjustable chair. A device mounts the card to the bottom of the seat of the chair and allows the card to move between an extended position wherein the pictorial guide is visible to an occupant of the chair and a retracted position wherein the pictorial guide is not visible to the occupant of the chair. Also, the mounting device holds the card so that the orientation of the pictorial guide corresponds to the orientation of the controls for adjusting the chair when the card is in the extended position.
The approach of Newhouse, while helpful, requires that a user know of the existence of the card and be able to properly correlate the depiction of the controls with the actual controls. Additionally, the approach is dependent upon the pictorial guide not becoming dislodged from the chair.
Therefore, there remains a need for chair controls that are easily understood by a user even given wear and tear on the chair.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
A chair control actuator, such as a chair control paddle, is provided with a surface relief. The surface relief depicts a chair in two different positions illustrative of different chair positions which may result from use of the actuator. The surface relief has solid relief areas depicting a first of the two positions and outline relief areas depicting a second of the two positions.
The invention also contemplates a chair control mechanism having such chair control actuators.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2473648 (1949-06-01), Jakeway
patent: 2586978 (1952-02-01), Murray
patent: 3653136 (1972-04-01), Ruppert
patent: 6174031 (2001-01-01), Lindgren et al.
patent: 6227615 (2001-05-01), Newhouse et al.

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