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EP-4739167-A1 - CHAIR

EP4739167A1EP 4739167 A1EP4739167 A1EP 4739167A1EP-4739167-A1

Abstract

A chair (1), comprising a substantially rectangular frame for a seat part of the chair, wherein the frame extends upwardly on each of its lateral sides in the shape of an inverted U. A base of each U is formed by a substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portion (24) of the frame which is elevated from a front (23) and a rear (21) frame portion of the frame and extends substantially perpendicular to and between the front (23) and the rear (21) frame portions. At each of the substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portions (24) of the frame a substantially upright frame part (14) is provided for connecting an armrest (13) thereto.

Inventors

  • SMIT, FERNANDO

Assignees

  • F. Smit Holding B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240705

Claims (16)

  1. 1. A chair, comprising a substantially rectangular frame for a seat part of the chair, wherein the frame extends upwardly on each of its lateral sides in the shape of an inverted U, wherein a base of each U is formed by a substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portion of the frame which is elevated from a front and a rear frame portion of the frame and extends substantially perpendicular to and between the front and the rear frame portions, wherein at each of the substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portions of the frame a substantially upright frame part is provided for connecting an armrest thereto.
  2. 2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein each upright frame part comprises two elongate upright frame members arranged parallel and adjacent to each other, wherein each armrest comprises two substantially downwardly extending elongate shafts arranged parallel and adjacent to each other, wherein the two upright frame members and the two shafts are configured such that each of the two shafts is connectable over at least part of its length to a different one of the two upright frame members so as to connect each armrest to its respective upright frame part.
  3. 3. The chair according to claim 2, wherein one of two legs of each inverted U- shaped frame portion on the lateral sides of the frame constitutes one of the two elongate upright frame members of each upright frame part.
  4. 4. The chair according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the two elongate upright frame members and the two shafts are correspondingly shaped such that each of the two shafts is insertable over at least part of its length in a different one of the two upright frame members or each of the two upright frame members is insertable over at least part of its length in a different one of the two shafts, so as to connect each armrest to its respective upright frame part.
  5. 5. The chair according to claim 4, wherein outer ones of the two upright frame members and the two shafts are directly structurally connected to each other by means of a connection member sandwiched between said outer ones of the two upright frame members and the two shafts.
  6. 6. The chair according to any one of claims 2-5, wherein the two upright frame members and the two shafts are configured such that the two shafts are moveable relative to the two upright frame members along their longitudinal axes so as to adjust a height position of the armrest.
  7. 7. The chair according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the rear frame portion is substantially U- shaped, a base of which being formed by a laterally extending rear frame part extending across the width of the frame, wherein at each of two opposing ends of the laterally extending rear frame part one of the two upright frame members extends upwardly, each being formed integrally with the laterally extending rear frame part, the front frame portion comprising parallel to the laterally extending rear frame part a laterally extending front frame part extending across the width of the frame and two substantially parallel rearwardly extending opposing side frame members elevated from the front frame part by intermediate vertically extending frame members between each of opposing ends of the front frame part and each side frame member, wherein the two side frame members extend toward the rear portion across the length of the frame, wherein at each end of the two side frame members facing the rear portion, the other one of the two upright frame members is formed integrally with its respective side frame member and extends in a substantially downward direction.
  8. 8. The chair according to claim 7, wherein a length of the intermediate frame members corresponds substantially to a length of the upright frame members of the rear portion, so that upper ends of the upright frame members of the rear portion are substantially flush with upper ends of the substantially downwardly extending upright frame members of the front portion.
  9. 9. The chair according to any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising for each armrest a height adjustment device for adjusting and fixing the height position of the armrest, wherein the height adjustment device is configured to engage at least one of the two downwardly extending shafts of the armrest and to fix the height position of the armrest.
  10. 10. The chair according to claim 9, wherein said at least one of the two downwardly extending shafts is provided with a series of notches arranged one above the other and wherein the height adjustment device comprises a protrusion member to be received in one of the notches of the series of notches.
  11. 11. The chair according to claim 10, wherein the protrusion member is spring loaded, such that in a rest position of the protrusion member, the protrusion member can protrude in one of the notches of the series of notches.
  12. 12. The chair according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the height adjustment device comprises a clamp device configured to clamp at least one of the two shafts of the arm rest onto its respective upright frame member.
  13. 13. The chair according to claim 12, wherein the clamp device comprises a clamping member configured to engage the at least one of the two shafts and a tensioning bolt to clamp said at least one of the two shafts between the clamping member and its respective upright frame member.
  14. 14. The chair according to claim 13, wherein the tensioning bolt is a quick release tensioning bolt.
  15. 15. The chair according to any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein the two upright frame members and the two shafts are correspondingly shaped such that each of the two shafts is insertable over at least part of its length in a different one of the two upright frame members, and wherein the height adjustment device is configured to embed therein a length portion of each of the two upright frame members and a portion of the side frame member at the end of which one of the two upright frame members is formed integrally.
  16. 16. The chair according to claim 15, when dependent on claims 9 to 13, wherein each of the two upright frame members comprise a recessed portion through which the protrusion member can protrude in one of the notches provided in said at least one of the two shafts and through which the clamping member can engage said at least one of the two shafts, preferably both shafts, for clamping clamp said at least one of the two shafts between the clamping member and its respective upright frame member.

Description

Chair The present invention relates to a chair, in particular an office chair. Known office chairs are typically designed for achieving proper ergonomics and ensuring user comfort. Thereto, contemporary office chairs are equipped with adjustability solutions such as seat height adjustment, backrest height and angle adjustment, armrest height and width adjustment, seat depth adjustment, tilt mechanisms, lumbar support adjustment, et cetera. While these measures can be beneficial for ergonomics and user comfort, the moveability of the different chair components needed to provide the adjustment options to obtain the desired ergonomics and comfort is typically at the expense of the stability of the chair as a whole. This stability is however important for chairs which are used intensively, such as chairs used by computer game players. Such players often sit in their seat for a prolonged period of time and, in the heat of the game, often move around intensively, whereby the chair and particularly some of its components are relatively heavily loaded. The invention has for its object to improve a chair of the above described type, such that it is better suited to intensive use, such as while playing computer games, while not compromising the adjustability thereof. According to the invention, this is achieved by a chair, comprising a substantially rectangular frame for a seat part of the chair, wherein the frame extends upwardly on each of its lateral sides in the shape of an inverted U. A base of each U is formed by a substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portion of the frame which is elevated from a front and a rear frame portion of the frame and extends substantially perpendicular to and between the front and the rear frame portions. At each of the substantially horizontally extending lateral frame portions of the frame a substantially upright frame part is provided for connecting an armrest thereto. The inverted U-shape of the frame on each of its lateral sides ensures that forces exerted on armrests connected to the upright frame parts are transmitted to the frame, in particular to the horizontally extending parts of the frame. In particular, the legs of each inverted U and the base thereof cooperate together to prevent any rotational movement of the upright frame parts about an horizontal axis extending laterally from the chair and perpendicular to the vertical extension direction of the upright frame parts. In other words, the frame and the upright frame parts provide a very rigid basis for the armrests of the chair. The chair is therefore very well suited for intensive use. The armrest connection provision provided by the upright frame parts allow to connect the armrests to a desk behind which the chair is used, thereby providing even greater stability to the chair. In a preferred embodiment of the chair, each upright frame part comprises two elongate upright frame members arranged parallel and adjacent to each other, and each armrest comprises two substantially downwardly extending elongate shafts arranged parallel and adjacent to each other. The two upright frame members and the two shafts are configured such that each of the two shafts is connectable over at least part of its length to a different one of the two upright frame members so as to connect each armrest to its respective upright frame part. A beneficial technical effect of this configuration comprising two parallel and adjacent upright frame members to which two shafts of each armrest can be connected is that a very stable armrest, since this configuration prevents any rotational movement about an axis substantially parallel to the substantially vertically extending longitudinal axes of the upright frame members and shafts as well as about an horizontal axis extending in a lateral direction from the chair and perpendicular to said substantially vertically extending longitudinal axes. In a preferred embodiment, one of two legs of each inverted U- shaped frame portion on the lateral sides of the frame constitutes one of the two elongate upright frame members of each upright frame part. This allows for a very efficient transmission of forces from the armrest to the frame for the seat part of the chair. In a preferred embodiment, the two elongate upright frame members and the two shafts are correspondingly shaped such that each of the two shafts is insertable over at least part of its length in a different one of the two upright frame members, so as to connect each armrest to its respective upright frame part. Alternatively, each of the two upright frame members is insertable over at least part of its length in a different one of the two shafts, so as to connect each armrest to its respective upright frame part. Connection of the shafts to the upright frame members by mutual insertion ensures a very solid connection. Preferably, outer ones of the two upright frame members and the two shafts are directly structurally connected to each