Chairs and seats – Movable bottom – Bottom and back movable as a unit
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-12
2001-05-01
Cuomo, Peter M. (Department: 3624)
Chairs and seats
Movable bottom
Bottom and back movable as a unit
C248S404000, C248S161000, C297S344190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224155
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vertical height adjustment mechanisms for chairs.
Many existing chairs have vertical height adjustment mechanisms that include vertically extendable gas springs. Typically, the gas spring includes a vertically operated release button that extends above the gas spring into an area under a chair seat, and the seat includes an actuator that can be manipulated by a seated user to depress the release button to unlock the gas spring. Upon release, the gas spring biases the seat upwardly. Alternatively, the seated user can, after unlocking the release button, press downwardly on the chair to overcome the bias of the gas spring to force the seat downwardly. However, the upright vertical position of the release button and its vertical operation cause these known height adjustment arrangements to require significant vertical space above the gas spring and under the seat. This is inconsistent with many modem chair designs, which call for a thin seat construction having sleek lines. Further, the structure necessary to provide the vertical space required for the vertically operated release button results in a heavier chair with more expensive and massive parts. Another problem with known vertical height adjustment mechanisms is that many are relatively complex and intricate, such that they are subject to mis-assembly, quality problems, and/or field failure.
Accordingly, a vertical height adjustment mechanism is desired that is reliable, is relatively non-complex, solves the aforementioned problems, and has the aforementioned advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention includes a chair having a base that includes a vertically extendable gas spring having a top-mounted release button operably movable between a vertically disposed locked position where the gas spring is locked and non-extendable, and a laterally shifted actuated position where the gas spring is released and extendable. A seat is supported on the base and operably connected to the gas spring for assisted vertical height adjustment. The seat includes an actuator constructed to selectively move the release button laterally from the locked position to the actuated position.
In another aspect, a chair includes a base having a tubular center post and a vertical height adjustment mechanism positioned in the center post, the adjustment mechanism including an upper end and a release button positioned at the upper end. A seat includes an actuator with a link slidably attached to the seat and located horizontally adjacent the release button for horizontal sliding movement to engage and actuate the release button.
In another aspect, a chair includes a base that includes a vertically extendable gas spring having a top-mounted vertically extending release button operably movable between a locked position where the gas spring is locked and non-extendable, and an actuated position where the gas spring is released and extendable. A seat includes an actuator for operating the release button. The actuator has a horizontally extending link with an aperture shaped to vertically engage and receive the release button during assembly. The aperture characteristically has angled sides to facilitate downward installation onto the release button during assembly, but the angled sides having portions defining a narrow width so that the link is constructed to selectively move the release button from the locked position to the actuated position when assembled to the seat and when the actuator is horizontally operated.
In another aspect, a chair includes a base, a control housing, and an actuator. The base includes a vertically extendable gas spring having a top-mounted vertically extending release button operably movable between a locked position where the gas spring is locked and non-extendable, and an actuated position where the gas spring is released and extendable. The control housing has a bottom wall and sidewalls, with the bottom wall including an aperture shaped to mateably engage the gas spring, such that the release button is positioned between the sidewalls. The actuator is configured to engage and operate the release button. Specifically, the actuator includes a link configured to operate the release button, a lever operably connected to the link to operate the link, a pivot-forming bracket attached to one of the sidewalls that pivotally supports the lever, and a spring. The spring is configured to bias the lever toward a first position, where the link does not operate the release button, such that the release button naturally moves to the locked position, but the spring is configured to flex when the lever is moved to a second position, where the link is operated to move the release button to the actuated position.
In yet another aspect, a chair control for a chair having a seat includes a control housing having a tapered socket adapted to engage a matingly tapered end of a cylinder of a gas spring, and an actuator slidably attached to the control housing over the tapered socket. The actuator is configured to slide horizontally, such that the actuator is adapted to laterally and horizontally shift a release button of the gas spring to operate the release button.
These and other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill upon reading the following description and claims together with reference to the accompanying drawings.
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DeKraker Larry
Heidmann Kurt R.
Cuomo Peter M.
Price Heneveld Cooper DeWitt & Litton
Steelcase Development Inc.
Vu Stephen
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