Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US10016060B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-10-14 12:19:12
Document Index: 789618258

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 1', 'Application No. 15165002', 'Application No. 08832398', 'Application No. 201510025856']

US10016060B2 - Load support structure - Google Patents
US10016060B2
US10016060B2 US14/614,127 US201514614127A US10016060B2 US 10016060 B2 US10016060 B2 US 10016060B2 US 201514614127 A US201514614127 A US 201514614127A US 10016060 B2 US10016060 B2 US 10016060B2
US14/614,127
US20150238016A1 (en
2015-02-04 Application filed by Herman Miller Inc filed Critical Herman Miller Inc
2015-02-04 Priority to US14/614,127 priority patent/US10016060B2/en
2015-08-27 Publication of US20150238016A1 publication Critical patent/US20150238016A1/en
2018-07-10 Publication of US10016060B2 publication Critical patent/US10016060B2/en
A body support structure includes a frame and a membrane attached to the frame. The membrane includes elastomeric filaments. The membrane has a first region with a first stiffness and a second region with a second stiffness. The second stiffness is greater than the first stiffness. The membrane may form a part of a seat or a backrest.
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/614,158, filed Sep. 13, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/075,940, filed Mar. 30, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,282,169, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/284,159, filed Sep. 18, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,926,879, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/994,737, filed Sep. 20, 2007, all of which are entitled “Load Support Structure,” and the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIG. 1a shows: a simplified side view of a first variant embodiment of a seat according to the invention in a basic position I;
FIG. 1b shows: a perspective schematic diagram of the seat shown in FIG. 1 a;
FIG. 2 shows: the seat shown in FIG. 1a in a resting position II;
FIG. 1a 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. 1b ). A fabric 8, which is only visible in FIG. 1b , 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.
FIG. 1b shows a simplified perspective view of the seat 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. For simplification, the seat 1 is described in more detail below only in the region of the first supporting arm 6. The upper support 6 a is connected in a region A of the front seat part 4 a to the lower support 6 b by a guide element 9. The guide element 9 is designed as a lever 10 which is connected rotatably at pivotal points D91 and D92 to the upper support 6 a and the lower support 6 b. The second supporting arm 7 is in each case of corresponding design. The supports 6 a, 6 b, or beam members, of the supporting arm 6, or beam, merge into each other as a single part in a region D of the upper backrest part 5 b and, according to a variant embodiment (not illustrated), are screwed or riveted to each other. The supports 6 a, 6 b can also be integrally formed. From the region D, the supports 6 a, 6 b have an intermediate space 11, or gap, with respect to each other over their entire extent. In particular in a region B of the rear seat part 4 b and in a region C of the lower backrest part 5 a, the supports 6 a, 6 b run in an arcuately curved manner and approximately at the same distance from each other. In this curved region B or C, the two supports 6 a, 6 b are connected to each other by a connecting link 12, or linking member. The connecting link 12 is designed as a lever 13 which is fastened rotatably to the supports 6 a and 6 b at pivotal points D121 and D122. The underframe 3 has a transverse support 14 to which the right and the left supporting arms 6, 7 of the seat element 2, and in particular the lower seat support are fastened. In particular, the lower seat support is fixedly connected to the support 14. FIGS. 1a and 1b both show the seat 1 in a basic position I in which the seat 1 is upright, if it is unloaded or if an individual is sitting on the seat 1 and is not leaning or is only slightly leaning against the backrest part 5.
FIG. 2 illustrates the seat 1 known from FIGS. 1a and 1b in a resting position II. The seat 1 or the seat element 2 takes up a resting position II of this type if an individual sitting on the seat 1 leans back in an arrow direction x against the backrest part 5. The action of leaning back changes an inner opening angle α of the seat element 2 between the seat part 4 and the backrest part 5 from α=90° (see FIG. 1a ) to α=80° (see FIG. 2). This change in the inner opening angle α is produced by the supporting arm 6 being bent, which takes place essentially in the regions B and C and at the transition of the region B into the region A, and by the front seat part 4 a being raised or inclined. An opening angle W6 relevant to the sitting comfort therefore increases from the basic position I into the resting position II by 10° from W6=90° to W6=100°. By the supporting arm 6 being bent, the upper support 6 a thereof is pulled, in particular in the region A, in the arrow direction x. This leads, because of the guide element 9, to the front seat part 4 a being raised or inclined. Said seat part can only move out of the basic position I, shown in FIG. 1a , on an arcuate path K9 which is predefined by the guide element 9 and is designed as a circular path K. In other words, the seat element 2 tips or sways or rocks about a rocking point WP in a manner similar to the beam of a beam-balance, with the two supporting arms 6 of the seat element 2 being deformed in the process as a function of their particular position. In the resting position II, not only has an orientation of the guide element 9, which is designed as a lever 10, but also an orientation of the mechanical connecting link 12, which is designed as a lever 13, then changed. When the supporting arm 6 is bent up, the upper support 6 a thereof is forced to describe a relatively large radius. However, this is only possible if the upper support 6 a with the pivotal point D121 for the lever 13 moves approximately in a direction m. The movement of the pivotal point D121 is predefined by the coupling of the upper support 6 a to the lower support 6 b by the mechanical connecting link 12 in order to prevent buckling or to obtain a defined movement. By means of the described active movement or deformation of the seat element 2 or of the front seat part 4 a, an individual sitting on the seat 1 is slightly raised in the region of his thighs as he leans back. This facilitates reaching the basic position I from the resting position II without energy having to be stored to a considerable extent in a spring element. The points of application of the weight of an individual sitting on the seat are therefore changed between the basic position I and the resting position II in order to obtain, as a function of the position of the seat element 2, a position which is oriented to an equilibrium. This makes it largely superfluous, during the leaning-back action, to store potential energy of the upper body in a force store, such as, for example, a spring, since the potential energy of the upper body of an individual is supplied by the kinematics of the seat element to the lower body of the individual as potential energy. For this reason, with the seat according to the invention similar sitting comfort is basically possible even for individuals of very different body weight without a spring having to be adjusted to the weight of the particular individual.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second variant embodiment of a seat 1 according to the invention in a basic position I and in a basic position II. Like the first variant embodiment, the second variant embodiment of the seat 1 has two supporting arms 6, the second supporting arm being concealed in the side view. In contrast to the first variant embodiment, in the second variant embodiment a right supporting arm 6 and a left supporting arm are of rigid design at free ends E1, E2 of their supports 6 a, 6 b. The free end E2 of the lower support 6 b therefore behaves, in principle, as an underframe 3, and an elastic region of the lower support 6 b is of shortened design in comparison to the first variant embodiment (see FIGS. 1a to 2).
FIG. 6 illustrates, as an analogy with FIG. 1a , a third variant embodiment of a seat 1 according to the invention with a seat element 2 in a basic position I. The description for FIGS. 1a to 2 basically applies to this seat 1. In addition, the seat 1 of FIG. 6 has an energy store or force store 15 which comprises a leaf spring 17 as the spring element 16. The leaf spring 17 is fastened in a lower support 6 b of a first supporting arm 6 and stands in the way of a stop 18 belonging to the energy store 15. The stop 18 is fastened to an upper support 6 a of the supporting arm 6. As soon as the seat element 2 moves from the illustrated basic position I into a resting position (not illustrated here) according to FIG. 2, the stop 18 presses against the leaf spring 17. By this means, the energy store 15 damps the movement of the support 6 a and assists a return movement into the basic position I. By displacement of a contact body 19 of the stop 18 in an arrow direction y′ by, for example, a displacement distance V1, a resetting force produced by the energy store 15 can be adjusted. The embodiment of a corresponding energy store is provided on a left supporting arm of the seat 1, which supporting arm is not visible in the illustration of FIG. 6.
W6 W4 W5 W9 I-Basic position 105 2 18 32 III-Intermediate position 118 6 33 40 II-Resting position 130 8 48 46
FIGS. 18 to 20 illustrate three further variant embodiments of seats 1 according to the invention. The three seats 1 are designed according to the seat shown in FIG. 1b and each have two supporting arms 6 which bear a fabric 8 as the covering 28. In the side views, the second supporting arm is entirely concealed by the first supporting arm 6. For simplification, only the supporting arm 6 is described in each case. The other supporting arm is constructed comparably in each case and is comparably fastened to an underframe 3.
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 Figure (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.
1.1.1 This test is based on ASTM Standard Test Methods for Flexible Cellular Materials-Slab, Bonded, and Molded Urethane Foams, designation: D 3574-91, Test B. The test is modified to accommodate the test fixtures that have been developed to monitor the pellicle tension in production.
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.
a membrane attached to the frame and comprising elastomeric filaments, the membrane having a first region with a first stiffness and a second region with a second stiffness, wherein said second stiffness is greater than said first stiffness, wherein said second region includes a central, longitudinally extending region of a backrest, and wherein said first region includes outboard, side regions of a backrest;
wherein said membrane further comprises a third region having a third stiffness greater than said first stiffness,
wherein said third region has a stiffness less than said second stiffness.
2. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said third region includes a lumbar region of a backrest.
3. The body support structure of claim 2 wherein said third region and said second region define a cross shape.
4. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said third region includes an upper region of a backrest.
5. The body support structure of claim 4 wherein said third region and said second region define a T-shape.
6. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said membrane comprises elastomeric monofilaments interwoven with multifilament yarn.
7. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said frame comprises spaced apart frame members defining an opening, wherein said membrane is secured to said frame members and is suspended over said opening.
8. The body support structure of claim 7 further comprising a carrier member secured to said membrane, and wherein said carrier member is coupled to said frame members.
9. The body support structure of claim 8 wherein said carrier member is molded with an edge of said membrane.
10. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said second stiffness is about two times as stiff as the first region said first stiffness.
11. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said third stiffness is about 1.5 times as stiff as the first region said first stiffness.
12. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said first and second regions have elastomeric filaments with flexural moduli.
13. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein said first and second regions have different quantities of elastomeric filaments per inch.
14. The body support structure of claim 1 wherein the outboard side regions include a pair of thoracic regions.
15. A body support structure comprising:
a membrane attached to the frame, and comprising elastomeric filaments, the membrane having a first region with a first stiffness, a second region with a second stiffness, and a third region with a third stiffness, wherein said first region comprises a rear region of a seat, said second region comprises a front region of said seat and said second stiffness is greater than said first stiffness, and said third region is positioned between said first region and said second region adjacent to said first region and said third stiffness is greater than said first stiffness and less than said second stiffness.
16. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said membrane comprises elastomeric monofilaments interwoven with multifilament yarn.
17. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said frame comprises spaced apart frame members defining an opening, wherein said membrane is secured to said frame members and is suspended over said opening.
18. The body support structure of claim 17 further comprising a carrier member secured to said membrane, and wherein said carrier member is coupled to said frame members.
19. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said second stiffness is about two times as stiff as the first region said first stiffness.
20. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said third stiffness is about 1.5 times as stiff as said first stiffness.
21. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said first and second regions have elastomeric filaments with flexural moduli.
22. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein said first and second regions have different quantities of elastomeric filaments per inch.
23. The body support structure of claim 15 wherein the third region is contiguous with the first region and the second region.
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