Patent ID: 6533352
Filing Date: 2003-03-18
Classification: A47C

Abstract:
A chair having a forward side and a rearward side, and further comprising:(a) a seat support combination comprising a seat support structure and a seat supported upon the seat support structure, the seat having a top side disposed in a generally horizontal seat plane; (b) a back rest support element having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being pivotally hinged to the lower portion along a horizontal pivot axis, the lower portion being attached to the seat support combination by a clamp, the pivot axis being disposed below the generally horizontal seat plane; (c) a back rest attached to the upper portion of the back rest support element, the back rest having a forward side and a rearward side, the back rest being alternatively deflectable between a forward-most position wherein the back rest is disposed in an at-rest plane and a rearward-most position wherein the back rest is disposed in a full tilt plane, the intersection of the at rest plane and the seat plane being rearward of the pivot axis; (d) the upper portion or the lower portion of the back rest support element further comprising an at-rest stop tab for preventing the deflection of the back rest in the forward direction, beyond the forward-most position; (e) the upper portion or the lower portion of the back rest support element further comprising a full tilt stop tab for preventing the deflection of the back rest in the rearward direction beyond the rearward-most position; and (f) a flat spring disposed within the back rest support element under sufficient pre-tension to urge the back rest to the forward-most position when the chair is unoccupied.