Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
132~313
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The present invention relates to a rocking chair a
seat and a reclini.ng back rest oE which are supported
by a spring, and particularly to a rocking chair in
whic11 a relative position or an anqle between the seat
and the back rest is automatically adjusted
appropriately according to a body form of a person
sitting on tlle cllair. .
Various kinds of rocking chairs of which back
rests, seats and back rests can do rocking movements
1.5 OppOSill9 to repulsion of supporting springs caused by
bodies of persons who sit thereon have been provided.
A chair of a type which can make rocking movement only
in the back rest has a simple structure, which results
in low manufacturing cost, however, because of the
following reason, that is, in such a chair the seat is
immovably made, so that the lower half of a body of a
person who is sitting on the seat is compulsorily made
to keep nearly same posture as that of his working
time. Thus, no comfortable reclining condition can be
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obtained. In addition, when the back rest is inclined,
the back of the sitting person is rubbed up by the back
rest of the chair, which gives him quite uncomfortable
feelings.
A rocking chair of a type which rocks the seat and
the back rest as one block is unstable for the reason
that when the chair rocks backwardly, the front edge of
the seat raises, toes of the person who is sitting on
the chair are departed from the floor, and because of
an angle between the seat and the back rest being the
same as that of the working time, no comfortable
reclining condition can be obtained.
To obtain comfortable reclining condition there is
provided a rocking chair of a type which is adapted
that an angle between the seat and the back rest is
gradually increased according to rocking movements of
the chair. However, in the rocking chair of this type,
though there are various and different conditions for
those persons who sit or will sit on the chair, for
example, in personal physique, liking, kinds of dressed
clothes, etc., the angle between the seat and the back
rest varies always constant rate, accordingly, the
chair of this type can not always give comfortable
feelings.
Further, there has been also provided a rockinq
chair of a ~ype which comprises a locking device for
locking the seat and the back rest at a position at
which they can not make rocking movements. However,
the conventional locking device is adapted that a
locking rod is inserted between the seat and the
pedestal or a lock pin is inserted in a pivot between
the seat and the back rest, so that the lock i5 shaky,
and both inserting and/or extracting operation is
ratl-er difficult.
Further, it is also well known that a rocking
chair provided witll a lever under the seat for locking
it. One of them is disclosed in the Japanese Utility
Mode] Publication No.59-5397, and according to the
disclosure the chair can be switched to do rocking
movement and/or unrocking movement by shifting
positions of the locking lever, however, the position
of the locking lever is not stable, accordingly it is
liable to cause sudden relaxation of locked condition
of the locking lever, which results in lacking in
stability.
~ o object oE the present invention is to provide a
rocking chair in which an angle between a seat and a
reclining back rest is adjustable according to a load
ca~sed by a sitting person.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide a rocking chair in which height of the front
edge o~ the seat is not varied even if the seat is in
backward rocking movement.
~ urther object of the present invention is to
provide a rocking chair which can adjust magnitude of
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backward rocking movement according to loaded weight appl ed onto
the seat.
An object of a still further aspect of the present invention
is to provide a rocking chair comprising a locking device for
fixing the seat in positions at which, as necessity requires, the
seat does not pexform rocking movement.
By one broad aspect of this invention, a rocking chair is
provided comprising a pedestal pole~ a supporting arm mounted at
the top portion of the pedestal pole and extended to the front
upper side of the chair; a seat board hinged at the front end of
the supporting arm with the front edge thereof; a concaved
connecting board hinged to the rear edge of the seat board with
its front edge of both sides thereof; first spring means provided
at the hinged portions of the seat board and the concaved
connecting board for energizing the concaved connecting board
upwardly; a back rest pivotally supported to the rear edge of the
concaved connecting board at both sides of its lower edge; and
second spring means provided at the hinged portion of the
concaved connecting board and the pivotally supported portion to
energize the back rest toward the front side of the chair.
The spring means for energizing the concaved connecting
board and hence for energizing the seat board preferably is a
plate or leaf spring which is mounted at one end on the
supporting arm and at the other end thereof is mounted for
raising the seat board. It is also preferred that such first
spring means be provided at the underside of the seat board, and,
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at that position, that it be contacted with a slidable block
which is ad~ustable in the front and the back directions to
energize the seat board. Preferably, the rocking chaix includes
a screw and handle drive means for adjusting the slidable block
in the front and the rear directions.
The rocking chair may further include a locking piece which
may be inserted between the supporting arm and the seat board,
and when such locking piece is inserted therebetween, downward
rocking movement of the seat board is locked. The locking means
preferably is adapted to be inserted or extracted from betwe~on
the supporting arm and the seat board by a push-lock and push-
release mechanism.
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In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rocking chair as
an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a seat
supporting mechanism in the embodiment of the present
invelltion;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view cut along A - A line in
~ig. 2;
Fig. 4 shows a schematic side view of a seat and a
reclining back rest of the embodiment of the present
invention;
Fig. S is a partially broken view cut along B - B
line in Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a front view of a connecting device of
the embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a sectional view cut along C - C line
shown in Fig. 6;
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Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a normal
position and a backward rocking position of the seat
and the reclining back rest of the embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of a seat
supporting mecilanism of another ernbodiment of this
invention;
Fig. 10 shows a sliding block of the supporting
mechanism shown in Fig. 9;
Fig. 11 is a sectional view cut along D - D line
showll in Fig. 9;
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation of a seat
supporting mechanism in the third embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view cut along E
- ~ line shown in Fig. 12;
F'ig. 14 is an enlarged sectional view cut along F
- F line shown in Fig. 12;
Fig. 15 is a sectional view cut along G - G line
20 shown in Fig. 13;
Fig~ 16 is an enlarged sectional view cut along H
- H line sl-own in Fig. 14;
Fig. 17 is an expanded sectional view of a guide
channel; and
Fig. 18 is a sectional front view of a main parts
o~ a variation of the locking device.
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Fig. 1 shows general appearance of a rocking chair
according to the present invention. Figs. 2 and 3 show
a supporting portion in the first embodiment in which a
supporting plate (3) and a connecting socket (4) are
provided at a supporting arm (2) mounted on the upper
edge of a pedestal (1). A base board (5) on which a
seat is mounted is hinged to the supporting arm (2) at
its front edge by a shaft (6) inserted into the socket
(4), and at the rear side of the base board (5) a bar
(7) is horizontally provided.
At the front part of the supporting plate (3)
there is provided a plate spring(s) (8) which is
extended to the rearward direction of the base board
(5) by a retaining plate (9) and a bolt (10). The end
portion of the plate spring (8) contacts with the bar
(7) and is held by the bar (7). Between the supporting
plate (3) and the plate spring (8) a supporting rod
(11) is inserted so as to be guided by the both ends of
the supporting arm (2), and it is movable in both the
front and rear directions. At the both sides of the
front edges of the supporting arm (2) and the base
board (5) there are provided two sets of tubular
stoppers (12) coaxially with the shaft (6). Opposing
faces of the respective stoppers (12) are cut out to a
semi~circular shape, and each of the opposing faces
there are formed projections (12a) respectively so that
they may engage with each other with a gap (13)
therebetween. The gap (13) is made so as to be
parallel to an axial direction.
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When a person sits on the seat of the rocking
chair, the base board (5) is rotated downwardly, by
receiving elastic force of the plate spring (8),
according to loaded weight, to a position at which the
gap (13) vanishes. By shifting the position of the
supporting rod (11) in the front-rear directions, and
by adjusting a distance between a point at which the
plate spring (8) is supported by the rod (11) and the
bar, the elastic force of the plate spring (8) against
the base board (5), i.e., against the seat can be
controlled.
In Figs. 4 and 5 show a seating block which is
constructed by a seating board (14), a reclining back
rest (15) and a curved connecting board (16) which is
disposed between the seating board (14) and the back
rest (15). At the rear edge of the seating board (14)
and the lower edge of the reclining back rest (15)
there are provided protuberances (14a) and (15a),
respectively, and they are fitted in recesses (16a)
which are formed at the both edges of the connecting
board (16). These side edges are hinged by connecting
means (17), as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.
One of the connecting means (17) has a case (18)
which is composed of a center plate (18a), a stopper
(18b) and a pair of side plates (18c), and at the upper
portion of the case (18) a connecting rod (19) on one
end of which a setting piece (20) is instalied is
provided through the side plates (18c). In the inside
of the case (18) actuatiny blocks (21) are secured to
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the connecting rods (19) by pins (22) respectively. At
the rear face of the actuating block (21) a slope (21a)
inclining in the front upper direction is formed, and
at the front face thereof a plate spring (23) is
installed by a pressing plate (24) and bolts (25). The
lower end ~23a) of the plate spring t23) is bent toward
the front side and contacts with the stopper (18b).
As shown in Fig. 5, four sets of the connecting
means (17) are installed at both the upper and the
lower sides of the connecting board (16), and the
connecting rods (19) are inserted into the seating
board (14) and the back rest (15), and installed
thereto by the setting pieces (20). The connecting
rods (19) projecting to the outside of the connecting
board (16) are connected with a flexible arm rest (26)
at respective sides thereof.
When a person sits on the seat of the rocking
chair of the above construction, the seating board (14)
presses the plate spring (8) and slightly lowers, and
if the sitting person further leans on the back rest
(15) to take a rest, as shown by a two dots line in
Fig. 8, the seating board (14) further inclinedly
lowers, and the seating board (14), the back rest (15)
and the connecting board (16) are pivoted about their
hinges to each position at which the slope (21a) of
each of the actuating blocks (21) in the connecting
means (17) contacts with the face of the center plate
(18a) of the case (18).
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Next, in Figs. 9 to 11, there is shown a seat
supporting mechanism of the second embodiment of the
present invention. In the seat supporting mechanism a
U-shaped supporting arm (32) is mounted on the top
S portion of a pedestal pole (31), and at the front end
of the supporting arm (32) a horizontal connecting
plate (33) is installed. A seat board (34) of a flax
box shape is pivotally installed at the front portion
of the supporting arm (32) by a shaft (35), and on the
seat board (34) a seat is set (not shown). On the
upper surface of the connecting plate (33) a pile of
plate springs (36) are installed with a pressing plate
(37) and bolts (38). The plate springs (36) are
composed of a plurality of flat leaf springs of a same
size, and each of the plate springs is piled one on
another with a suitable space therebetween.
Holes (40) and (41) bored at each of central
portions of the rear brim (34a) of the seat board (34)
and a downwardly curved plate (39) of the underside
thereof respectively rotatably support a screw shaft
(42) and a handle (43) is provided at the projecting
rear end of the shaft (42). A sliding block (44) is
made of plastic material such as polyacetal etc., and
the lower edge thereof is formed to be convex and
U-shape. As shown in Fig. 10, a nut (4~) is fixed
therein, and on both the front and rear faces holes
(46~ are bored. The sliding block ~44) is engaged with
the screw shaft (42) between the rear brim (34a) and
the downwardly curve plate (39), and elastic force
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generated by the springs (36) serves to support the
rear portion of the seat board (34) through the sliding
block (44).
In Fig. 9 there is shown a state of the seat on
which no person is sitting. The seat board (34) is
slightly inclined (about 3 degrees) forwardly, and when
a person sits on the seat, as shown by a broken line,
the seat board (34) descends (about 8 degrees) by
pressing the spring (36) to a position at which the
under face thereof aligns with the upper inclining edge
of the supporting arm (32).
Elastic force, i.e., repulsive force of the
- springs (36) can be controlled to any desired level by
adjusting effective length of the springs (36). The
adjustment of the effective length is adjusted by
varying a position of the sliding block (44) by
rotating the handle (43). That is, in response to
weight and liking of a person who is sitting on the
seat, by operating the handle (43) suitably and
adjusting repulsion of the springs (36) so that the
sitting person can easily make himself comfortable.
Figs. 12 to 18 show a locking device for unrocking
a rocking chair, that is, the third embodiment of the
present invention. In this embodiment a pedestal pole
(51), a supporting arm (52), a connecting plate (53), a
seat board (54), a pivotal shaft t55), a spring (56), a
pressing plate (57), bolts (5B), plate ~59), a screw
shaft (60), a handle (61) and a sliding block (62) are
1 1
same as respective parts corresponding to those of the
second embodiment.
Referring to Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15, there is
shown a supporting plate (68) having downwardly curved
brim (63aj is installed at rear side of the pivotal
shaft (55) disposed at the underside of the seat board
(54), and between the seat board (54) and a receiving
plate (64) provided thereunder a slidable locking piece
(65) is inserted. The slidable locking piece (65) is
actuated outwardly by springs (66) provided between
itself and the brim (63a), and when the outer edge of
it (slidable locking piece (65)) is inserted between
the seat board (5~) and the upper edge (52a) of the
supporting arm (52), it locks the seat board (54) at
the highest position and prevents the seat board (54)
from being downwardly inclined. At the inner front
part of the locking piece (65) is connected to a handle
(not shown) provided at the underside of the seat by a
control wire (67), and at the inner rear part of the
locking piece (65) an actuating pin (68) which is to
engage with a guide plate (69) of a push-lock and
push-release mechanism is downwardly projected.
As shown in Fig. 16, in the left half portion of
the upper face of the guide plate (69) there is bored a
winding guide channel (70) in which four stepped parts
(71a), (71b), (71c) and (71d) of which sectional views
are shown in Fig. 17. The guide channel (69) is
pivotally supported with its right portion by a stud
(72) provided at the underside of the supporting plate
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(63), and energized upwardly by a spring (73) disposed
around the stud (72) so that the lower tip portion of
the pin (68) may engage with the guide channel (70).
With these guide plate (69) and the guide pin (68), the
push-lock and push-release mechanism is composed.
In the case of the pin (68) being in a first stop
position (74) in the guide channel (70), if the wire
(67) is pulled by operating the handle (61), the pin
(68) is energized to advance to the right side in the
guide channel (70) together with the locking piece
(65). With this advancement the pin (68) is guided by
vertical walls of the fourth stepped portion (71d), as
shown by an arrow line in Fig. 16, and advances, by
going over the first stepped portion (71a), up to a
lower right corner between the first and the second
stepped portions (71a) and (71b). Then, when the
control wire (67) is loosened, the pin (68) is
energized to move to the left side by the spring (66),
and guided by the vertical walls to move as shown by
the arrow line. The pin (68) is further moved so as to
cross over the second stepped portion (71b) and stops
at a recessed second position (75) between the second
stepped portion (71b) and the third stepped portion
(71c). According to the movement the locking piece
(65) shifts to the right side by a distance between the
first position (74) and the second position (75).
According to the shift of the locking piece (65), its
left edge comes off between the seat board (54) and the
upper edge (52a) of the supporting arm (52). Thus, the
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seat hoard (54) is leased ~rom the locked state so that
it may freely incline.
When the control wire (67) is pulled again, the
pin ( 68) is guided by the vertical walls of the second
stepped portion (71b) and advances to the upper corner
of the guide channel (70) by crossing over the third
stepped portion (71c). Next, when the control wire
(67) is loosened, the pin ( 68) is energized by the
spring ( 66) to move to the left side direction, and by
crossing over the fourth stepped portion (71d) it
returns to the first position ( 74) to stop there.
Then, the left edge of the locking piece (65) is again
inserted between the seat board (54) and the upper edge
~ (52a) of the supporting arm (52) to lock rocking
movements.
In Fig. 18 there is shown a variation of the
above-described push-lock and push-lease mechanism. A
supporting arm (81) and s seat board (82) correspond to
the supporting arm (52) and the seat board (54),
respectively, and a supporting plate ( 83) and a
receiving plate (84) also correspond to the supporting
plate (63) and the receiving plate (64) respectively.
A locking piece (85) is slidably supported between the
supporting plate (83) and the receiving plate (84), and
with a spring (86) provided between the receiving plate
(84) and a vertical partition (83a) of the supporting
plate (83), the locking piece ~85) is energized to move
to the outside ~in Fig. 18, right hand side), and when
the outer edge thereof is inserted between the upper
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edge (81a) of the supporting arm (81) and the seat
board (82), the seat board is locked. The inner side
of the locking piece (85) is connected with a stud
(88a) of an operating piece (88) which is slidably
mounted on the supporting plate (83) by a wire ~87),
At the upper side of an actuating pin (89) is provided,
and the lower side thereof a knob (90) is attached.
A guide pla-te (92) on the underside of which a
guide channel same as that of the afore-described is
bored is pivotably provided on a base plate (91) which
is installed on the supporting plate (83), and the
upper end of the actuating pin (89) is fitted in the
guide channel. In the device shown in Fig. 18 the
locking piece (85) is inserted between the seat board
(82) and the upper edge (81a) of the supporting arm
(81) by the push-lock and puch-release mechanism
constituted of a guide plate (92) and the pin (89) by
repeating pressing or pushing the knob (90) opposing to
the spring (86) by a finger (95) in a direction shown
by an arrow, and then it is driven so as to come off
therefrom: Thus, locking and/or releasing of rocking
movements of the seat board (82) are performed.
In the rocking chair according to the present
invention the seat is pivotally supported at its front
edge by the pedestal stand, the back rest is pivotally
hinged at the rear edge thereof through the connecting
board, and each of joints is energized by respective
springs, so that when a person sits on the seat, each
of the joints aligns to transform one another according
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to a body form of the sitting person so that the seat
and the back rest may form the most comfortable profile
of the sitting person. Further, the back rest is
pivotally installed at its lower edge, accordingly,
since the lower edge does not protrude to press back of
the sitting person, quite comfortable seat-feeling can
be obtained and thus physical fatigue caused by long
sitting time can be extremely reduced. In addition,
according to the present invention, repulsion caused by
elasticity of the spring supporting the seat is
adjustable, so that according to weight, personal
physique, liking or kinds of dressed clothes, the chair
can be set the best comfortable condition.
When the sitting person leans on the bac~ rest, it
slightly lowers together with the seat, so that the
back of the sitting person is not rubbed up by the back
res~ of the chair, accordingly, no unpleasant feeling
is never occurred. The seat is pivoted at the front
edge thereof, so that even the chair is being in
backwardly slanting position, height of the front edge
of the seat is constant, accordingly, there is no
instability for causing feet or toes of the person to
float away from the floor. Further, the seat, the
connecting board and the back rest are pivotally
installed at their both sides, so that by making center
portions of them to somewhat concave shape, it is
possible to obtain quite comfortable feeling in both
working and resting forms for the person who sits on
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the chair can set his or her hip at the center of the
seat.
It is further possible to lock the chair in the
working form at which no rocking movement will occur by
means of the afore-mentioned locking device as the
third embodiment of the present invention.
