Chair with adjustable seat and back rest

Claim 2

A chair having a total of three fulcral pivots and comprising a leg having an upper portion; a seat having a profiled first base element; a first cushion provided on and following the profile of said first base element; a back rest having a second profiled base element, said base elements having adjacent edge faces; a second cushion provided on and following the profile of said second base element; a carrier connecting said seat to the upper portion of said leg, said carrier being rigid with said upper portion and with said seat; a first fulcral pivot including a hinge disposed between said edge faces and pivotally mounting said back rest on said carrier and including means for biasing said back rest forwardly; and means for movably coupling said back rest to said carrier, said coupling means consisting of a support rigid with said back rest, hydraulic damper means disposed between said support and said carrier and spaced apart from said back rest a second fulcral pivot connecting said damper means to said support, and a third fulcral pivot connecting said damper means to said carrier.

Claim 3

The chair of claim 1, wherein said damper means includes a first portion remote from said hinge and connected with said support by said second fulcral pivot, and a second portion remote from said hinge and connected with said carrier by said third fulcral pivot, said first and second portions being movable relative to each other to permit pivoting of said back rest relative to said seat.

Claim 4

The chair of claim 2, wherein one of said first and second portions includes a cylinder and the other of said first and second portions includes a piston rod.

Claim 5

The chair of claim 2, wherein said damper means further comprises means for releasably blocking the movements of said first and second portions relative to each other to thus maintain the back rest in a selected angular position with reference to said seat.

Claim 6

The chair of claim 4, wherein said hinge directly connects said carrier with said support.

Claim 7

The chair of claim 4, further comprising means for articulately connecting said second portion to said carrier said blocking means including a protuberance movably mounted on said second portion and further comprising means for moving said protuberance relative to said second portion to thereby release said first and second portions for movement relative to each other.

Claim 8

The chair of claim 6, wherein said second portion includes a piston rod and said protuberance extends substantially axially of and beyond said piston rod.

Claim 9

The chair of claim 6, wherein said seat has a first side and a second side and said moving means is disposed beneath and adjacent one side of said seat.

Claim 10

The chair of claim 8, wherein said moving means includes a shaft rotatably mounted on said carrier and having a handle at said one side of said seat, and a cam provided on said shaft adjacent said protuberance and movable by said shaft between at least one first position in which said blocking means releases said first and second portions for movement relative to each other, and at least one second position in which said blocking means prevents movements of said first and second portions relative to each other.

Claim 11

The chair of claim 9, wherein said shaft is journalled in said connecting means.

Claim 12

The chair of claim 9, further comprising means for biasing said cam to said at least one second position.

Claim 13

The chair of claim 4, further comprising means for changing the level of said carrier and means for actuating said level changing means.

Claim 14

The chair of claim 12, wherein said level changing means includes a gas spring in said leg and said actuating means comprises a projection movably mounted on said gas spring and means for moving said projection with reference to said gas spring.

Claim 15

The chair of claim 13, wherein said seat has a first side and a second side and said moving means is disposed beneath said seat adjacent one of said sides and includes a shaft rotatably mounted in said carrier means for rotating said shaft, and means for transmitting motion from said shaft to said projection in response to rotation of said shaft to at least one predetermined angular position.

Claim 16

The chair of claim 14, wherein said motion transmitting means comprises at least one cam on said shaft and a lever mounted on said carrier and pivotable by said cam to thereby move said projection.

Claim 17

The chair of claim 15, wherein said lever includes a first arm which engages said at least one cam and a second arm which engages said projection.

Claim 18

The chair of claim 16, wherein said second arm includes a plate.

Claim 19

A chair comprising a leg having an upper portion; a seat having a first side and a second side and including a first base element; a back rest having a second base element, said base elements having adjacent edge faces; a carrier connecting said seat to the upper portion of said leg, said carrier being rigid with said upper portion and with said seat; a hinge disposed between said edge faces and pivotally mounting said back rest on said carrier and including means for biasing said back rest forwardly; means for movably coupling said back rest to said carrier, said coupling means consisting of a support rigid with said back rest and hydraulic damper means connected between said support and said carrier and spaced apart from said back rest, said damper means including a first portion remote from said hinge and connected with said support, and a second portion remote from said hinge and connected with said carrier, said first and second portions being movably relative to each other to permit pivoting of said back rest relative to said seat, said damper means further including means for releasably blocking the movements of said first and second portions relative to each other to thus maintain the back rest in a selected angular position with reference to said seat; means for articulately connecting said second portion to said carrier, said blocking means including a protuberance movably mounted on said second portion; means for moving said protuberance relative to said second portion to thereby release said first and second portions for movement relative to each other, said moving means being disposed beneath and adjacent one side of said seat and including a shaft rotatably mounted on said carrier and having a handle at said one side of said seat, and a cam provided on said shaft adjacent said protuberance and movable by said shaft between at least one first position in which said blocking means releases said first and second portions for movement relative to each other and at least one second position in which said blocking means prevents movements of said first and second portions relative to each other; and means for biasing said cam to said at least one second position, said means for biasing said cam including a leaf spring and said cam including a flat which is engaged by said spring in the at least one second position of the cam.

Claim 20

A chair comprising a leg having an upper portion; a seat having a first side and a second side and including a first base element; a back rest having a second base element, said base elements having adjacent edge faces; a carrier connecting said seat to the upper portion of said leg, said carrier being rigid with said upper portion and with said seat; a hinge disposed between said edge faces and pivotally mounting said back rest on said carrier and including means for biasing said back rest forwardly; means for movably coupling said back rest to said carrier, said coupling means consisting of a support rigid with said back rest and hydraulic damper means connected between said support and said carrier and spaced apart from said back rest, said damper means including a first portion remote from said hinge and connected with said support, and a second portion remote from said hinge and connected with said carrier, said first and second portions being movably relative to each other to permit pivoting of said back rest relative to said seat, said damper means further including means for releasably blocking the movements of said first and second portions relative to each other to thus maintain the back rest in a selected angular position with reference to said seat; means for articulately connecting said second portion to said carrier, said blocking means including a protuberance movably mounted on said second portion; means for moving said protuberance relative to said second portion to thereby release said first and second portions for movement relative to each other, said moving means being disposed beneath and adjacent one side of said seat and including a shaft rotatably mounted on said carrier and having a handle at said one side of said seat, and a cam provided on said shaft adjacent said protuberance and movable by said shaft between at least one first position in which said blocking means releases said first and second portions for movement relative to each other and at least one second position in which said blocking means prevents movements of said first and second portions relative to each other; and means for biasing said cam to said at least one second position, said means for biasing said cam including a leaf spring and said cam including a flat which is engaged by said spring in the at least one second position of the cam.

Claim 21

The chair of claim 18, wherein said cam further comprises a substantially convex surface which is engaged by said spring in the at least one first position of said cam.

Claim 22

The chair of claim 19, wherein said spring includes a portion between said cam and said protuberance.