IP Library Granted Patent US 7,147,286
Granted Patent B2
US 7,147,286 · App. 10/856,164 · Granted Dec 12, 2006

Versatile chair

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,147,286
App. No.
10/856,164
Granted
Dec 12, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A versatile chair having a back assembly, a seat assembly and a leg assembly. Two brackets are formed on the leg assembly and create an axis of rotation for the back assembly and for the seat assembly independent of the back assembly. The back assembly rotates due to a user's weight. The seat assembly is rotated manually. The chair is stackable and nestable with identically structured chairs. A tension system is aligned on an oblique axis to bias the back assembly to an upright position. The tension system is mounted within front legs of the leg assembly.

Claims (40)

1. A versatile chair comprising:

a leg assembly including a front pair of legs and a rear pair of legs connected to said front pair of legs;

a seat assembly mounted to said leg assembly;

a back assembly pivotally mounted to said leg assembly; a pair of biasing elements mounted within said front pair of legs and connected to said back assembly wherein said back assembly is pivotable while said seat assembly is stationary;

wherein said seat assembly is pivotable independently of said back assembly; and said seat assembly and said back assembly are pivotable about an identical axis.

2. The chair of claim 1 wherein: each leg of said front pair of legs is spaced from the other leg a smaller distance than the distance between the legs of said rear pair of legs.

3. The chair of claim 2 wherein: said leg assembly and said seat assembly are structured to allow said chair to be nested and stacked with chairs of identical structure.

4. The chair of claim 1 including: a pair of arms mounted to said back assembly and pivotable therewith.

5. The chair of claim 1 wherein: said leg assembly and said seat assembly are structured to allow said chair to be nested and stacked with chairs of identical structure.

6. The chair of claim 1 including: a caster attached to each leg of said leg assembly.

7. A versatile chair comprising: a leg assembly having a two front legs fixedly attached to two rear legs and structured to form an axis of rotation; a back assembly mounted to said leg assembly to rotate about said axis in response to shifting weight of a user; and a seat assembly mounted to said leg assembly to rotate about said axis independently from rotation of said back assembly, said seat assembly being manually rotatable from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position.

8. The chair of claim 7 wherein: said axis forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said leg assembly.

9. The chair of claim 8 wherein: said two front legs are connected by a bar.

10. The chair of claim 8 wherein: said two rear legs are portions of a bent tube, said tube having a middle portion for bridging the leg portions.

11. The chair of claim 10 wherein: said two front legs are connected by a bar.

12. The chair of claim 7 wherein: said two rear legs are portions of a bent tube, said tube having a middle portion for bridging the leg portions; and said axis forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said middle portion of said bent tube.

13. The chair of claim 7 wherein: said back assembly includes a back support and two side posts; and each of said side posts includes a hole for aligning with said axis of rotation.

14. The chair of claim 13 including; a fastener connected to each of said side posts and to said axis forming structure.

15. The chair of claim 14 wherein: said axis forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said leg assembly.

16. The chair of claim 13 including: a motion limiting washer mounted to engage said leg assembly after a predetermined rotation of said back assembly.

17. The chair of claim 7 wherein: said seat assembly includes projections having holes for aligning with said axis of rotation.

18. The chair of claim 17 including: a fastener connected to each of said projections and to said axis forming structure.

19. The chair of claim 18 wherein: said axis forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said leg assembly.

20. The chair of claim 19 wherein: said back assembly includes a back support and two side posts; and each of said side posts includes a hole for aligning with said axis of rotation.

21. The chair of claim 20 wherein; said fastener is connected to each of said side posts and to said pair of brackets.

22. A versatile chair comprising:

a leg assembly having a two front legs and two rear legs, said front legs each having an interior space; said leg assembly is structured to form an axis of rotation;

a seat assembly mounted to said leg assembly to rotate about said axis of rotation independently from rotation of said back assembly, said seat assembly being manually rotatable from a generally horizontal position to a generally vertical position;

a back assembly mounted to said leg assembly to rotate about said axis of rotation in response to shifting weight of a user; and

a spring and connector components mounted in each front leg and being connected to said back assembly, said spring and connector aligned along a tension axis;

wherein said axis of rotation forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said leg assembly and said two rear legs are portions of a bent tube, said tube having a middle portion for bridging the leg portions; and said pair of brackets is mounted to said middle portion of said bent tube.

23. The chair of claim 22 wherein: said connector components include a rod, a spring guide and a frame cap.

24. The chair of claim 23 wherein: said frame cap is secured to a front leg of said leg assembly.

25. The chair of claim 24 wherein: said rod extends through said frame cap; and including a fastener mounted to said back assembly for engaging said rod.

26. The chair of claim 22 wherein: said back assembly includes a back support and two side posts; and each of said side posts includes a hole for aligning with said axis of rotation.

27. The chair of claim 26 including: a motion limiting washer mounted to engage said leg assembly after a predetermined rotation of said back assembly.

28. The chair of claim 27 wherein: said connector components include a rod, a spring guide and a frame cap; said frame cap is secured to a front leg of said leg assembly; said rod extends through said frame cap; and including a fastener mounted to said back assembly for engaging said rod.

29. A nestable and stackable chair comprising: a first horizontal axis; a back assembly pivotally mounted about said first axis; a seat assembly pivotally mounted about said first axis; a leg assembly including a front pair of legs; a rear pair of legs, said front and rear pairs of legs for supporting said back assembly and said seat assembly; a second axis aligned with said front pair of legs; and a pair of biasing elements aligned with said second axis, said pair of biasing elements being connected to said back assembly.

30. The chair of claim 29 including: a motion limiting washer mounted to engage said leg assembly after a predetermined rotation of said back assembly.

31. The chair of claim 30 wherein: said axis of rotation forming structure is a pair of brackets mounted to said leg assembly.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 8, 2005
From: HON TECHNOLOGY INC.
To: HNI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 015877/0733 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 23, 2004
From: CESARONI, WILLIAM; BARRETT, SHAWN; CRUVER, CURTIS; KEITEL, JOSEPH; GROULX, JAMES; GREEN, RANDALL E; LEWIS, RONALD
To: HNI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Reel/Frame 015021/0874 →