EP0010990A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Chair controls
Assignee: Steelcase Inc
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Filing: 1979-11-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 1999-11-06
Abstract
Abstract A chair control employing an open top, generally rectangular, drawn cup (11) for housing an energy storage package (12). An axle (20) secured to and extending between stretchers (15, 16) which are secured to a tilting chair or member thereof, is journalled in the drawn cup and carries the energy storage package. Means (88) for adjusting the preload of the energy package and reducing the likelihood of an energy package failure are provided. First (21) and second (22) interlocking spindle support members are provided which form a cup reinforcing and stress distributing structure roughly box-shaped in cross section. The four outsids corners of the cup are strengthened by indented sidewall portions (60-63). A strengthening flange (56) is disposed about the periphery of the cup and the axle, journalled in the cup, has a relatively large diameter for distributing stress.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander Albert Karrip
- 👤 Jack Richard Knoblauch
- 👤 Charles Craig Pergler
- 👤 Donald Dean Korell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 18:21
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C3/00; A47C3/02; A47C3/025; A47C3/026; A47C7/00; A47C7/36; A47C7/40; A47C7/44; A47C7/441; A47C7/443; A47C7/444; A47C7/445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A chair control comprising: an open top, generally rectangular, deep drawn cup (11) having five sides for enclosing a torsional energy storage package (12); means (14)for securing a base structure to the cup and evenly distributing stresses to the walls of the cup, the securing means comprising first (30) and second (31) generally L-shaped interlock'ng spindle support members, the support members having apertures (21, 22) for receiving a spindle and the support members forming a roughly box-shaped cup reinforcing structure welded to the bottom (35) and three adjoining sidewalls (32, 33, 34) of the cup; and means for journalling a tilting chair member about the cup, including first (-15) and second (16) stretchers for securing the chair control to a tilting chair member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
A chair control comprising: an open top, generally rectangular, deep drawn cup (11) having five sides for enclosing a torsional energy storage package (12); means (14)for securing a base structure to the cup and evenly distributing stresses to the walls of the cup, the securing means comprising first (30) and second (31) generally L-shaped interlock'ng spindle support members, the support members having apertures (21, 22) for receiving a spindle and the support members forming a roughly box-shaped cup reinforcing structure welded to the bottom (35) and three adjoining sidewalls (32, 33, 34) of the cup; and means for journalling a tilting chair member about the cup, including first (-15) and second (16) stretchers for securing the chair control to a tilting chair member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A chair control according to Claim 1 characterised by stop means disposed on the top four corners of the cup for defining an arc of travel of a tilting chair member journalled about the cup.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A chair control according to Claim 2 characterised in that the stop Deans comprise a plurality of elastomer buttons (54), each elastomer button including an integrally formed projection (55) for improving the feel of the stop means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A chair control according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 characterised by means for strengthening the top four corners of the cup comprising an indented sidewall portion (60 - 63) interconnecting two sides of the cup below each of the four corners of the cup.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A chair control according to Claim 4 characterised by a flange (56) disposed about the periphery of the cup, the flange strengthening the cup and providing a mounting platform for the stop means in each of the top four corners of the cup.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A chair control according to any of Claims 1 to 5 characterised in that the first and second interlocking spindle support members are provided with an interface between the support members disposed so that the support members are fused together and to the cup with a single weld (42).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
A chair control according to any of Claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the means for journalling a tilting chair member about the cup further comprises; a relatively large axle (20) for distributing stress from the chair to the cup, the axle being secured to and extending between the stretchers and the axle being journalled in opposing sidewalls of the drawn cup.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A chair control according to Claim 7 characterised in that the axle has a diameter of at least 25 mm to evenly distribute stress from the chair to the walls of the drawn cup.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A chair control according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 characterised in that the first and second stretchers are embossed at the points (72) at which the axle is secured thereto to provide clearance for the said flange.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
A chair control according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 or Claim 9 characterised in that the ends of the axle are slotted (74) and the first and second stretchers are provided with webbed openings (75) through which the ends of the axle project, the axle being secured to the first and second stretchers by swagging the ends (77) of the axle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
A chair control according to any of Claims 1 to 10 characterised by means for adjusting the preload of an energy package and reducing the likelihood of an energy package failure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A chair control according to any of Claims 1 to 11 which includes an energy package characterised in that the energy package comprises a pair of torsionally loaded coil springs (80, 81) encompassing the axle and each including first (82, 84) and second (83, 85) tails, the first tails resting under the first and second stretchers and the second tails being secured to the cup.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A chair control according to Claim 12 characterised by a plastic sleeve (86) disposed between the coil springs and the axle for improving the feel of the chair control and reducing wear from metal-to-metal contact between the springs and the axle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A chair control according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 characterised in that the stretchers include integrally formed spring locators (87) comprising a pair of projections disposed on each stretcher, the first tails being centred therebetween.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
A chair control according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 or Claim 14 characterised by means (88) for adjusting the preload of the energy package comprising: a bracket (89) for catching the second tails and including a threaded bracket aperture (95); a threaded adjustment rod (94) engaging the bracket aperture; a cup aperture (96) disposed in the cup, the adjustment rod extending therethrough; a circumferential shoulder (98) disposed on the adjustment rod outside the cup; and means (97) for turning the adjustment rod to vary the preload of the energy package.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
A chair control according to Claim 15 characterised by means for reducing the likelihood of an energy package failure comprising a second circumferential shoulder (100) disposed on the adjustment rod outside the cup and outside the first circumferential shoulder.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
179 words
A chair control according to Claim 11 characterised in that the means for adjusting the preload of an energy package and reducing the likelihood of energy package failure comprises: a threaded bracket (89) engaging an energy package for varying the preload of an energy package; a threaded adjustment rod (94) engaging the bracket for varying the position of the bracket and thus varying the preload of an energy package; a plastic handle (97) for facilitating rotation of the adjustment rod and for varying the position of the bracket with respect to an energy package structural support; a first shoulder (98) defined by the plastic handle for fixing the position of the adjustment rod with respect to an energy package housing; and a second metal shoulder (100) defined by the adjustment rod, the plastic handle being cast therearound, the second metal shoulder serving to fix the position of the adjustment rod with respect to an energy package housing upon failure of the plastic handle, the second metal shoulder thereby preventing an energy package failure upon failure of the plastic handle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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