US6439665B1 — Ergonomic chair with mesh seat and back

Claim 1

Independent Claim 128 words

An ergonomic chair comprising: a frame, said frame comprising outer and inner peripheries defining a central opening, and an upper surface, a mesh supporting surface for supporting a portion of a body of a person, said mesh supporting surface being supported on said outer periphery of said frame, said mesh supporting surface being comprised of a yieldable resilient material said material is deflectable to at least a first pre-determined angle in the direction of said inner periphery of said frame when supporting a portion of the body of a person, and said inner periphery of said frame is disposed below the angle of deflection of said mesh so that said mesh does not engage said inner periphery when it supports a portion of the body of a person.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 128 words

An ergonomic chair comprising: a frame, said frame comprising outer and inner peripheries defining a central opening, and an upper surface, a mesh supporting surface for supporting a portion of a body of a person, said mesh supporting surface being supported on said outer periphery of said frame, said mesh supporting surface being comprised of a yieldable resilient material said material is deflectable to at least a first pre-determined angle in the direction of said inner periphery of said frame when supporting a portion of the body of a person, and said inner periphery of said frame is disposed below the angle of deflection of said mesh so that said mesh does not engage said inner periphery when it supports a portion of the body of a person.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A chair as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame includes at least an upper surface that slopes inwardly toward said central opening and away from said mesh supporting surface.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

A chair as defined in claim 2 wherein said mesh supporting surface is under tension when not supporting a portion of the body of a person.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

A chair as defined in claim 2 wherein said frame includes a lower surface and an outer surface, and said outer surface and said upper surface defining said outer periphery.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 29 words

A chair as defined in claim 2 wherein said frame includes a lower surface, and said lower surface includes means for connecting said mesh supporting surface to said frame.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

A chair as defined in claim 4 wherein said mesh supporting surface is in engagement with said outer surface and said lower surface of said frame.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 32 words

A chair as defined in claim 5 wherein said means on said lower surface comprises a groove, said mesh being in said groove, and means for retaining said mesh in said groove.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

A chair as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for retaining said mesh in said groove comprises a plurality of beads.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

A chair as defined in claim 8 wherein said beads are mounted on an elongated string.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 24 words

A chair as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises an elongated resilient member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 29 words

A chair as defined in claim 2 wherein said frame includes a lower surface, and said lower surface includes means for connecting said mesh supporting surface to said frame.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A chair as defined in claim 4 wherein said mesh supporting surface is in engagement with said outer surface and said lower surface of said frame.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 32 words

A chair as defined in claim 11 wherein said means on said lower surface comprises a groove, said mesh being in said groove, and means for retaining said mesh in said groove.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 22 words

A chair as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for retaining said mesh in said groove comprises a plurality of beads.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

A chair as defined in claim 14 wherein said beads are mounted on an elongated string.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

A chair as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises an elongated resilient member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 101 words

A chair part for ergonomically supporting a portion of a body comprising a frame, said frame having a plurality of peripheral walls that define a central opening, a mesh supporting surface for supporting said portion of said body, said mesh supporting surface being supported by said peripheral walls, said mesh supporting surface being operable to deflect at a first angle when supporting a body portion, said peripheral walls having an upper surface, said upper surface being disposed at a second angle which is in the same direction as said first angle, and said first angle is less than said second angle.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 101 words

A chair part for ergonomically supporting a portion of a body comprising a frame, said frame having a plurality of peripheral walls that define a central opening, a mesh supporting surface for supporting said portion of said body, said mesh supporting surface being supported by said peripheral walls, said mesh supporting surface being operable to deflect at a first angle when supporting a body portion, said peripheral walls having an upper surface, said upper surface being disposed at a second angle which is in the same direction as said first angle, and said first angle is less than said second angle.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 32 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said mesh comprises woven fibers, and said fibers are under tension when said chair part is not supporting a portion of a body.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 71 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said mesh comprises woven fibers, some of said fibers extend transversely across said frame, said frame having a mid-portion and ends, and said transversely extending fibers in the mid-portion of said frame are under more tension than the transverse fibers that are near the ends of said frame for distributing and support said body portion by reducing the deflection of said fibers.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said mesh comprises woven fibers, said fibers are comprised of a thermoplastic.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 37 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 including a cushion supported on the upper surface of at least one of said peripheral walls for cushioning said body portion, and said mesh supporting surface overlies said cushion.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 41 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said frame has an outer wall, said mesh supporting surface being in engagement with said outer wall, and means on said lower surface for connecting said mesh supporting surface to said frame.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 39 words

A chair part as defined in claim 22 wherein said means on said lower surface comprises a groove, a portion of said mesh supporting surface being in said groove, and means for retaining said mesh supporting in said groove.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

A chair part as defined in claim 23 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises a plurality of beads.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 17 words

A chair part as defined in claim 24 wherein said beads are mounted on an elongated string.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 17 words

A chair part as defined in claim 24 wherein said beads are a part of said mesh.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

A chair part as defined in claim 24 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises an elongated resilient member.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 79 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 including a chair and legs, and back frame comprising a lumbar support, said lumbar support comprising a generally elongated flat transversely extending member, said lumbar support being connected at its ends to said legs, and said lumbar support is bowed away from said mesh supporting surface on said back frame when a person sits on said chair said mesh supporting surface is deflected toward and is spaced from said lumbar support.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 31 words

A chair part as defined in claim 28 including a cushion supported on said lumbar support for cushioning the lumbar portion of the back of a person sitting on said chair.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 30 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 including a chair, and said chair is adapted to be telescopically received on another identical chair to form a stack of chairs.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 19 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 including a chair, and said chair includes a pair of armrests.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 41 words

A chair part as defined in claim 31 including a chair having a seat and a pair of rear legs, a distal end of each of said legs extends above said seat, and said armrests are supported by said distal end.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 63 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said frame includes a mid-portion and ends that define a seat and a back, and said back is generally “S”-shaped, a chair and base, and the ends of said frame that define said seat and said back are supported by said base in close relation to each other to provide a continuous seating surface.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 24 words

A chair part as defined in claim 17 wherein said frame for said seat has a front portion and said front portion turns downward.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 24 words

A chair part as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises a resilient annulus.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 24 words

A chair part as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for retaining said mesh supporting surface in said groove comprises a resilient annulus.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-08-26	2006-02-25	2006-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-08-26	2010-02-25	2010-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-08-26	2014-02-25	2014-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Ergonomic chair with mesh seat and back

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