Source: http://www.google.sh/patents/US7926879
Timestamp: 2013-05-21 20:03:16
Document Index: 92947484

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 1']

Patent US7926879 - Load support structure - Google PatentsSearch Images Play Gmail Drive Calendar Translate Books More »Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA load support member includes spaced apart beam members, a linking member and a stop member. In another aspect, the beam includes a support surface defining first and second landing regions, which are in contact with and support a membrane. In another aspect, a brace member is secured between laterally...http://www.google.sh/patents/US7926879?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7926879 - Load support structurePublication numberUS7926879 B2Publication typeGrantApplication number12/284,159Publication date19 Apr 2011Filing date18 Sep 2008Priority date20 Sep 2007Also published asCN101868168AEP2200480A2EP2200480A4US8282169US20090102268US20110175423WO2009039231A2WO2009039231A3InventorsJohn Fredric AldrichAndrew Keith HectorClaudia PlikatJohann Burkhard SchmitzCarola Eva Marianne ZwickRoland Rolf Otto ZwickOriginal AssigneeHerman Miller, Inc.U.S. Classification297/452.19297/452.18297/340International ClassificationA47C7/02Cooperative ClassificationA47C7/54A47C7/543A47C1/03255A47C7/02A47C1/03288A47C1/03294A47C11/005A47C1/03277A47C5/12European ClassificationA47C7/02A47C5/12A47C7/54A47C1/032FA47C11/00BA47C1/032C6A47C7/54CA47C1/032C10A47C1/032BReferencesPatent Citations (108)Non-Patent Citations (19)External LinksUSPTOUSPTO AssignmentEspacenetLoad support structureUS 7926879 B2Abstract A load support member includes spaced apart beam members, a linking member and a stop member. In another aspect, the beam includes a support surface defining first and second landing regions, which are in contact with and support a membrane. In another aspect, a brace member is secured between laterally spaced beams, with the brace member having a greater height than width at the end thereof and a greater width than height at the middle thereof. In another aspect, a pair of armrests are joined to a cross member and a pair of spaced apart beams in a releasable engagement. In yet another aspect, a pair of beam members are fixedly joined with a cross member, which is pivotally connected to a link pivotally connected to the beams. A method of assembling a load support structure is also provided.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/994,737, filed Sep. 20, 2007 and entitled �Load Support Structure,� the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a load support structures, for example and without limitation load support structures used in seating structures.
BACKGROUND DE 42 35 691 C2 describes a seat in which the seat is to be automatically adapted to the body weight of the particular user. A drawback of seats of this type is the enormous constructional complexity which leads to high costs and to the seat being heavy.
SUMMARY In one aspect of the invention, a seat has been developed, in which, in order to provide basic compensation for different body weights of the individuals using the seat, the use of a rocking device in the sense of a complex mechanism, in which movements are used to automatically change spring forces or spring characteristics, is to be omitted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 a shows: a simplified side view of a first variant embodiment of a seat according to the invention in a basic position I;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 a illustrates a seat 1 in side view. The seat 1 includes a seat element 2 and an underframe 3. The seat element 2 has a seat part 4 which is divided into a front seat part 4 a and a rear seat part 4 b. Furthermore, the seat element 2 has a backrest part 5 which is divided into a lower backrest part 5 a and an upper backrest part 5 b. The seat element 2 includes two supporting arms 6, 7, otherwise referred to as beams or carrier members, which are each formed by an upper support 6 a or 7 a, or first beam member, and a lower support 6 b, 7 b, or second beam member (also see FIG. 1 b). A fabric 8, which is only visible in FIG. 1 b, is stretched between the two supporting arms 6, 7 and the upper supports 6 a, 7 a thereof. Other body support components, such as a shell or membrane, alone or in combination with the fabric, can also bridge between the two supporting arms.
Referring to FIGS. 56 and 59-61, at least some of a plurality, and in one embodiment all, of linking members 612 are non-linear, for example being curved or bent forwardly at a lower connecting portion 622 thereof, and curved or bent rearwardly at an upper connecting portion 624 thereof (reversed �S� shape when viewed from the exterior side of the beam), such that a tangent line T through a middle of the link is not oriented perpendicular to the upper and lower carrier arms 606 a, 606 b, when the seating structure is in a neutral, upright position as shown in FIG. 59. In a preferred embodiment, at least the lower linking members beneath the seat and buttock portion are curved. As the user reclines in the seating structure, the linking members straighten out as shown in FIG. 60 (partially reclined position) and can become completely straight in a fully reclined position, wherein the linking members are put in tension. In this way, the linking members do not take any substantial load in compression, but rather only in tension. It should be understood that the linking members could be configured with only a curved upper portion or only a curved lower portion, and furthermore that the curvature could be directed in the opposite direction, or that both curvature are directed in the same direction.
The end portions 224, 226 are spaced from an adjacent beam 6 a, 6 b or carrier member when the carrier members are in the first position, e.g., an unloaded position. The end portions 224, 226 engage one of the upper and lower carrier members 6 a, 6 b as the carrier members are moved to the second, loaded position, with the stop members 214 preventing further movement of the carrier members relative to each other once engaged, so as to prevent the collapse of the beam. It should be understood that the stop members 214 can �engage� a carrier member 6 a, 6 b directly or indirectly, for example by way of engaging an adjacent linking member 212 connected to the carrier member. In a preferred embodiment, the stop member 214 engages the carrier member 6 a, 6 b at a junction 228 or interior shoulder between the beam and the linking member. It should also be understood that, while the load support structure is shown in connection with a seating arrangement, it may have other structural applications. It should also be understood that the term �coupled� as used herein means connected, whether directly or indirectly, for example by way of an intervening component, and includes integral formation of two or more components, or connection of separately formed components for example with various fasteners, including without limitation mechanical fasteners, adhesives, welding, stitching, tabs, snap-fits, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the upper and lower carrier members 6 a, linking members 212 and stop members 214 are integrally formed. The stop members 214 prevent the beam from collapsing, for example when a user applies a load to the armrests of the chair when exiting the chair, or any other counterclockwise torsional load or downward vertical load when viewed from the left-hand side.
3.1 Machine capable of applying an increasing load at a rate 6�1 in./min. and approximately 2 in./min. 3.2 Fixtures to support the test specimen such that the loaded area is approximately horizontal. 3.3 A circular load head TD-128 having a flat central section and curved peripheries. 4. Procedure
4.1 Mount the test specimen in a way that supports the seat frame with the loaded area approximately horizontal. 4.2 Position the geometric center the specimen beneath the center of the TD-128, unless otherwise specified. 4.3 Preflex the area to be tested by twice lowering TD-128 to a deflection of 2.0″�0.1″ at 6″�1″ per minute. 4.4 Allow the specimen to rest 6�1 min. without load after the preflex. 4.5 Bring the TD-128 into contact with the suspension material to determine the starting point, with less than 1 lbs. or preload. (Reference point=0 deflection.) 4.6 Load the specimen at 2 in./min. until 2.0″�0.1″ of deflection is obtained. 4.7 Allow the TD-128 to remain in the position for 60�3 seconds and record the resultant force. 4.8 Remove the TD-128 and note any changes in the components. 5. Specifications
5.1 The following items must be specified to perform this test: Load location, if different from the center of the seat. Seat orientation if different than horizontal. In another embodiment, a membrane blank 730, or suspension material, is tapered from a lower edge 732, intended to be disposed at the front edge of the seat, to a top edge 734, intended to be disposed at a top of the backrest. For example, in one exemplary embodiment, the front edge has a width of 473.1 mm, with an additional 9 mm on each side 738 for in-molding with the carrier 290, while an intermediate width, adjacent the transition 736 from the seat to back, is 464.5 mm and a top edge 734 has a width of 448.6 mm. The overall length is 1045.3 mm, with a length between the top edge 734 and the intermediate transition location 736 of 679.4 mm The top edge has a 2.5% stretch, while the intermediate region has a 5% stretch, and the side edges 738 having no stretch. Stretch is defined in terms of strain, i.e. (change in length)/(original length), or elongation. By providing a taper, or a narrower width at the top versus the bottom, the relative stretch can be tuned the seat and back of the chair, or even between different portions of the seat or back. For example, if the top of the suspension membrane is 15 inches across and the bottom is 20 inches across, and the beams are moved apart 1 inch during assembly, the bottom stretch would be 5% (1 inch/20 inches) and the top stretch would be 6.7% (1 inch/15 inches). In one preferred embodiment, however, the distance between the tops of the beams are closer than the distance between the lower portions of the beams, such that the stretch of the back portion of the suspension membrane is less than the stretch of the seat portion of the suspension membrane. If the membrane �blank� were rectangular, then it is possible that a negative stretch (saggy fabric) would be imparted to the backrest portion of the suspension material when the seat is stretched a desired amount.
Referring to FIGS. 67 and 68, after the membrane is secured to the sides of the beams with the carriers 290, the top 734 of the membrane is wrapped around one or more laterally extending cross member 750 and is secured to a fastener plate 752 disposed inside the cross member, for example with snaps or Christmas tree fasteners. The cross member 750 can be formed from two separate and spaced apart members joined with the fastener plate 752 that form a gap therebetween adjacent the middle of the top edge of the backrest. Of course, the membrane 730 can be secured to the cross member with conventional screws or adhesives, or combinations of the various fasteners. In another embodiment, an edge portion of the fabric is secured in a groove of the cross member, or is trapped between the cross member and fastener plate. In one embodiment, the cross member 750 is formed as a half or partial tubular structure, and is preferably a flexible material such as TPE. The fastener plate 752 is relatively rigid, such as a hard plastic such as polyester. After the fabric is secured to the cross member and/or fastener plate, the cross member 750 and fabric 730 are rotated to pull the fabric tight in the longitudinal/vertical direction. End portions 754 of the cross member are then secured to the ends of the beams 6, for example with a snap fit or with fasteners. The cross member 750 has end portions 754 configured and shaped (e.g., non-circular or oblong or �T� shaped) to prevent the cross member 750 from rotating relative to the beams 6. The cross member 750 allows the fabric 730 to maintain a curved appearance across the top edge of the backrest, while also allowing the membrane or fabric to be pulled tight toward the middle of the back to prevent a wrinkled appearance. The shape and material of the cross member 750 ensure that it does not interfere with the comfort of the user. The cross member also provides a handle or grippable portion for a user to move the chair about when not seated therein.
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