Controlled deflection front lip for seating

Claim 2

A chair, comprising: a base; a seat having a rearward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a thigh area of an adult user; said seat including means for permitting the forward portion of said seat to deflect with respect to and substantially independently of the rearward portion of said seat; means for independently supporting the rearward portion of said seat on said base; a spring mechanism independently supporting the forward portion of said seat on said base, and deflecting in response to upward and downward movement thereof, whereby body movement of a seated user deflects the forward portion of said seat upwardly and downwardly independently of the rearward portion of said seat to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user; said spring mechanism being preloaded to provide initial support, and relatively constant resilient resistance to the upward and downward movement of the forward portion of said seat throughout its range of travel; and wherein said spring mechanism includes a stop which positively limits the upward and downward movement of the forward portion of said seat.

Claim 3

A chair as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said seat includes a left-hand portion and a right-hand portion at opposite sides thereof; and said spring mechanism includes means for permitting the left-hand and right-hand portions of said seat to deflect upwardly and downwardly independently of each other.

Claim 4

A chair as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said spring mechanism comprises a leaf spring having a center portion thereof operably connected with one of said seat and said base, and opposite end portions thereof operably connected with the other of said seat and said base.

Claim 5

A chair as set forth in claim 3, wherein: said leaf spring is oriented transversely across the forward portion of said seat.

Claim 6

A chair as set forth in claim 3, including: first and second guides connected with the opposite end portions of said leaf spring; first and second brackets connected with said seat and shaped to receive said first and second guides therein, and permit upward and downward movement therebetween; said brackets being positioned to retain said leaf spring in an arcuate, preloaded configuration, and permitting the opposite ends of said leaf spring to flex independently to define at least a portion of said means for permitting the left-hand and right-hand portions of said seat to move independently of each other.

Claim 7

A chair as set forth in claim 5, including: means for connecting said first and second guides with said base; and means for positioning the center portion of said leaf spring to move with the forward portion of said seat, whereby downward movement of the forward portion of said seat tends to flatten the arcuate configuration of said leaf spring, thereby generating a biasing force which resists further downward movement of the forward portion of said seat.

Claim 8

A chair as set forth in claim 6, wherein: said leaf spring is positioned in a downwardly opening orientation.

Claim 9

A chair as set forth in claim 7, wherein: said first and second guides include upwardly opening pockets in which the opposite end portions of said leaf spring are closely received and retained.

Claim 10

A chair as set forth in claim 8, including: a front bracket having an upper surface thereof on which said seat is operably connected, and supported, and a lower surface; and said first and second brackets are connected with and depending from the lower surface of said front bracket.

Claim 11

A chair as set forth in claim 9, wherein: said first and second brackets are generally L-shaped, with sidewalls and bottom walls, and are positioned facing one another; and said first and second guides move vertically in said first and second brackets between the lower surface of said front bracket and the bottom walls of said first and second brackets.

Claim 12

A chair as set forth in claim 10, where said first and second guides include upper and lower surfaces which are positioned to abut the lower surface of said front bracket and the bottom walls of said first and second brackets as the forward portion of said seat moves between fully upward and fully downward positions to define at least a portion of said stop.

Claim 13

A chair as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said seat has a one-piece, integrally formed, flexible construction which permits the forward portion of said seat to deflect with respect to the rearward portion of said seat.

Claim 14

A chair as set forth in claim 12, including: a back operably connected with said seat, and positioned to selectively contact and support a back area of an adult user.

Claim 15

A chair as set forth in claim 13, including: means for supporting said back on said base, and permitting said back to tilt rearwardly.

Claim 16

A chair as set forth in claim 14, wherein: said base includes a control housing having outwardly protruding side flanges positioned along opposite sides thereof; and said first and second guides include inwardly facing slots into which said housing side flanges are received to mount said front arm bracket on said control housing.

Claim 17

A chair as set forth in claim 15, wherein: said guide slots and said housing side flanges are shaped to permit sliding movement therebetween.

Claim 18

A chair as set forth in claim 6, wherein: said seat has a one-piece, integrally formed, flexible construction which permits the forward portion of said seat to deflect with respect to the rearward portion of said seat.

Claim 19

A chair as set forth in claim 1, including: a back operably connected with said seat, and positioned to selectively contact and support a back area of an adult user.

Claim 20

A chair as set forth in claim 18, including: means for supporting said back on said base, and permitting said back to tilt rearwardly.

Claim 21

In a seat of the type having a normally, generally stationary support, and a seat bottom with a rearward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a thigh area of an adult user, the improvement of a controlled deflection front lip arrangement, comprising: means for connecting the rearward portion of the seat bottom with said support; a spring mechanism connecting the forward portion of the seat bottom with said support, and permitting selective, upward and downward movement therebetween which defects said spring mechanism; a stop positively limiting the upward movement of the forward portion of said seat at a fully upward position; means for preloading said spring mechanism to normally bias the forward portion of said seat into the fully upward position, and provide initial support thereto, whereby body movement of a seated user overcomes the initial support provided by said spring mechanism preloading means, and deflects the forward portion of said seat bottom downwardly of the rearward portion of said seat bottom to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user.

Claim 22

In a seat of the type having a normally, generally stationary support, and a seat bottom with a rearward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a thigh area of an adult user, the improvement of a controlled deflection front lip arrangement, comprising: means for connecting the rearward portion of the seat bottom with said support; a spring mechanism connecting the forward portion of the seat bottom with said support, and permitting selective, upward and downward movement therebetween which defects said spring mechanism; a stop positively limiting the upward movement of the forward portion of said seat at a fully upward position; means for preloading said spring mechanism to normally bias the forward portion of said seat into the fully upward position, and provide initial support thereto, whereby body movement of a seated user overcomes the initial support provided by said spring mechanism preloading means, and deflects the forward portion of said seat bottom downwardly of the rearward portion of said seat bottom to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user.

Claim 23

A seat as set forth in claim 20, wherein; said spring includes means for permitting left-hand and right-hand portions of said seat bottom to deflect upwardly and downwardly independently of each other.

Claim 24

A chair comprising: a base; a seat having a rearward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a thigh area of an adult user; means for connecting the rearward portion of said seat with said base; a spring mechanism connecting the forward portion of said seat with said base, and permitting selective, upward and downward movement therebetween which deflects said spring, whereby body movement of a seated user deflects the forward portion of said seat upwardly and downwardly independently of the rearward portion of said seat to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user; said spring mechanism including: a front bracket operatively connected with and supporting the forward portion of said seat, and including first and second L-shaped brackets depending from a lower surface thereof; a leaf spring oriented transversely across the forward portion of said seat, and having a center portion thereof operably connected with the forward portion of said seat, and opposite end portions extending laterally outwardly and downwardly from the center portion of said leaf spring; first and second guides positioned on the opposite end portions of said leaf spring; said first and second guides operably connecting the end portions of said leaf spring with said base, and being positioned in said first and second brackets to retain said leaf spring in an arcuate, preloaded configuration to provide initial support, whereby downward movement of the forward portion of said seat tends to flatten the arcuate configuration of said leaf spring, thereby generating a biasing force which resists further downward movement of the forward portion of said seat; and a stop positioned to positively limit the upward and downward movement of the forward portion of said seat.

Claim 25

A chair comprising: a base; a seat having a rearward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a buttock area of an adult user, and a forward portion thereof positioned to contact at least a portion of a thigh area of an adult user; means for connecting the rearward portion of said seat with said base; a spring mechanism connecting the forward portion of said seat with said base, and permitting selective, upward and downward movement therebetween which deflects said spring, whereby body movement of a seated user deflects the forward portion of said seat upwardly and downwardly independently of the rearward portion of said seat to alleviate undesirable pressure at the thigh area of the user; said spring mechanism including: a front bracket operatively connected with and supporting the forward portion of said seat, and including first and second L-shaped brackets depending from a lower surface thereof; a leaf spring oriented transversely across the forward portion of said seat, and having a center portion thereof operably connected with the forward portion of said seat, and opposite end portions extending laterally outwardly and downwardly from the center portion of said leaf spring; first and second guides positioned on the opposite end portions of said leaf spring; said first and second guides operably connecting the end portions of said leaf spring with said base, and being positioned in said first and second brackets to retain said leaf spring in an arcuate, preloaded configuration to provide initial support, whereby downward movement of the forward portion of said seat tends to flatten the arcuate configuration of said leaf spring, thereby generating a biasing force which resists further downward movement of the forward portion of said seat; and a stop positioned to positively limit the upward and downward movement of the forward portion of said seat.

Claim 26

A seat as set forth in claim 21, wherein: said spring mechanism comprises a leaf spring having a center portion thereof operably connected with one of said seat bottom and said support, and opposite end portions thereof operably connected with the other of said seat bottom and said support.

Claim 27

A seat as set forth in claim 23, wherein: said leaf spring is oriented transversely across the forward portion of said seat bottom.

Claim 28

A seat as set forth in claim 24, including: first and second guides connected with the opposite end portions of said leaf spring; first and second brackets connected with said seat bottom and shaped to receive said first and second guides therein, and permit upward and downward movement therebetween; said brackets being positioned to retain said leaf spring in an arcuate, preloaded configuration, and permitting the opposite ends of said leaf spring to flex independently to define at least a portion of said means for permitting the left-hand and right-hand portions of said seat bottom to move independently of each other.

Claim 29

A seat as set forth in claim 25, including: means for connecting said first and second guides with said support; and means for positioning the center portion of said leaf spring to move with the forward portion of said seat bottom, whereby downward movement of the forward portion of said seat tends to flatten the arcuate configuration of said leaf spring, thereby generating a biasing force which resists further downward movement of the forward portion of said seat bottom.

Claim 30

A seat as set forth in claim 26, wherein: said leaf spring is positioned in a downwardly opening orientation.

Claim 31

A seat as set forth in claim 20, wherein: said seat has a one-piece, integrally formed, flexible construction which permits the forward portion of said seat bottom to deflect with respect to the rearward portion of said seat bottom.

Claim 32

A seat as set forth in claim 20, including: a back operably connected with said seat bottom, and positioned to selectively contact and support a back area of an adult user.

Claim 33

A seat as set forth in claim 29, including: means for supporting said back on said support, and permitting said back to tilt rearwardly.