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US4733910A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Article of furniture

Assignee: Sebel Furniture Ltd
•
Filing: 1986-03-17
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Granted: 1988-03-29
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Expires: 2006-03-17
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Abstract

Abstract The present invention discloses a chair having a seat and a backrest which is hinged to the seat by a resilient hinge. The hinge is substantially moulded together with the shell formed by the seat and backrest. The degree of flexure of the backrest exceeds any flexure of prior art. One piece plastic shells and stops are preferably provided to limit the degree of flexure of the hinge. Moulding the hinge with the shell substantially reduces costs.

Inventors

  • 👤 James W. Brennan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 06:31
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C3/00; A47C3/12; A47C3/04; A47C5/00; A47C5/12; A47C7/00; A47C7/36; A47C7/40; A47C7/44; A47C7/445; A47C7/448; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S297/00; Y10S297/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 175 words
A moulded plastic chair having a seat and a backrest moulded as a single shell with said backrest being connected to said seat by a resilient hinge means at least a portion of which is moulded together with said shell; wherein said backrest is movable by the action of said hinge means between a rest position adopted by the backrest in the absence of a sitter, and a rearwardly inclined position into which said backrest is resiliently urged by rearward movement of the back of a sitter; wherein said chair is provided with two pairs of mating stop surfaces, one of said stop surface pairs limiting the forward motion of said backrest in said rest portion of said stop surface pairs limiting the rearward motion of said backrest in said rearwardly inclined position; and wherein said hinge means includes a recess facing towards the rear of said backrest, and an insert located in said recess, each stop surface pair being formed by a corresponding portion of said recess and a cooperating portion of said insert.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 175 words
A moulded plastic chair having a seat and a backrest moulded as a single shell with said backrest being connected to said seat by a resilient hinge means at least a portion of which is moulded together with said shell; wherein said backrest is movable by the action of said hinge means between a rest position adopted by the backrest in the absence of a sitter, and a rearwardly inclined position into which said backrest is resiliently urged by rearward movement of the back of a sitter; wherein said chair is provided with two pairs of mating stop surfaces, one of said stop surface pairs limiting the forward motion of said backrest in said rest portion of said stop surface pairs limiting the rearward motion of said backrest in said rearwardly inclined position; and wherein said hinge means includes a recess facing towards the rear of said backrest, and an insert located in said recess, each stop surface pair being formed by a corresponding portion of said recess and a cooperating portion of said insert.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein a resilient member is located in said recess, and retained therein by said insert to resiliently bias said backrest into said rest position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 26 words
A chair as claimed in claim 2 wherein said insert is retained in said recess by a fastener passing through said insert and into said backrest.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
A chair as claimed in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the front surface of said backrest opposite said recess is provided with a plurality of substantially horizontal grooves.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 19 words
A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chair is able to be stacked upon a like chair.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinge means comprises a single hinge arrangement.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
A chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinge means comprises two hinge arrangements located one to either side of a central opening in said backrest.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 172 words
A moulded plastics chair having a seat and a backrest moulded as a single shell with said backrest being connected to said seat by a resilient hinge means moulded together with said shell; wherein said backrest is movable by the action of said hinge means between a rest position adopted by the backrest in the absence of a sitter, and a rearwardly inclined position into which said backrest is resiliently urged by rearward movement of the back of a sitter; wherein said chair is provided with two pairs of mating stop surfaces, one of said stop surface pairs limiting the forward motion of said backrest in said rest position and the other of said stop surface pairs limiting the rearward motion of said backrest in said rearwardly inclined position; and wherein said hinge means includes a recess facing towards the rear of said backrest and an insert located in said recess; each said stop surface pair being formed by a corresponding portion of said recess and a co-operating portion of said insert.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 172 words
A moulded plastics chair having a seat and a backrest moulded as a single shell with said backrest being connected to said seat by a resilient hinge means moulded together with said shell; wherein said backrest is movable by the action of said hinge means between a rest position adopted by the backrest in the absence of a sitter, and a rearwardly inclined position into which said backrest is resiliently urged by rearward movement of the back of a sitter; wherein said chair is provided with two pairs of mating stop surfaces, one of said stop surface pairs limiting the forward motion of said backrest in said rest position and the other of said stop surface pairs limiting the rearward motion of said backrest in said rearwardly inclined position; and wherein said hinge means includes a recess facing towards the rear of said backrest and an insert located in said recess; each said stop surface pair being formed by a corresponding portion of said recess and a co-operating portion of said insert.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3031227A Cited
US3669496A Cited
US4032190A Cited
US4169628A Cited
US4333683A Cited
US4557521A Cited
US4529247A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1991-03-29 1991-09-28 1992-03-29 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1995-03-29 1995-09-28 1996-03-29 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1999-03-29 1999-09-28 2000-03-29 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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