Rocking chair
A rocking chair ( 1 ) is provided with a seat ( 30 ), a projecting member ( 40 ) provided on the lower side of the seat ( 30 ) and having a convex surface ( 41 a ) forming a part of a spherical surface (b) centered on a point (A) located above the seat ( 30 ), swivel casters ( 20 ) in contact with the convex surface ( 41 a ) of the projecting member ( 40 ) and guiding the projecting member ( 40 ) such that the projecting member ( 40 ) can rock along the spherical surface (b), and a support member ( 10 ) for the chair. The swivel casters ( 20 ) are mounted such that the axes (a) of swivel shafts ( 22 ) of the swivel casters ( 20 ) pass through the center point (A) of the spherical surface (b), and the seat ( 30 ) is guided in the direction of a force applied by rollers ( 25 ) of the swivel casters ( 20 ). Rocking of the projecting member ( 40 ) is smoother than that in rocking chairs using ball casters instead of the swivel casters ( 20 ), and noise caused by rocking is drastically reduced. The chair can be produced inexpensively because the swivel casters are inexpensive.
1. A rocking chair comprising:
a seat;
a projecting member provided on the lower side of the seat and having a convex surface forming a part of a spherical surface centered on a point located above the seat;
a guide member in contact with the convex surface of the projecting member for guiding the projecting member so as to enable the projecting member to rock along the spherical surface, and
a support member installed with the guide member for supporting the seat through the guide member and the projecting member,
the guide member comprising swivel casters, each of the swivel casters having a roller in contact with the convex surface of the projecting member, a yoke rotatably connecting the roller, and a swivel shaft fixed to the support member and rotatably connecting the yoke,
each of the swivel shafts having a central axis passing through the center of the spherical surface.
2. The rocking chair according to claim 1 , wherein at least three of the swivel casters are comprised in the guide member and the at least three swivel casters are aligned along a circular line at substantially equidistant spaces.