Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02416542 2003-01-20
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AUDITORIUM CHAIR
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the art of chairs, particularly chairs installed in
rows in auditoriums.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a chair for use in an auditorium
comprises side standards onto which are mounted a pivotal seat portion and a
bracket for support of a back portion. Axles, or shafts, extend from each
standard to engage a spherical bearing on the seat portion to pivotally
support
the seat portion on the standards. This arrangement allows the axles to be
unaligned or non-parallel, which also means that the standards themselves do
not have to be parallel to each other. Thus, adjacent standards may be
arranged
at an angle, for example, when the row of chairs is curved. As well, the
standards need not be at identical vertical positions, variations of two
inches or
so being easily accommodated. When utilizing a row of chairs, adjacent chairs
share a standard and an axle.
The spherical bearings may be any of several arrangements. One
preferred arrangement is to provide a race as part of the bottom of the
structural
part of the seat portion that receives a spherical bearing member. That
structural
part may be plastic and the bearing race molded therein. An axle then extends
from the standard into the bearing member. The race may be removable or an
integral part of the seat portion and may be a single element or two or more
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parts. Preferably, part of the race is molded into the bottom of the seat and
another part bolted to the bottom. Also, a short axle extends from the
standard to
the bearing, and a single axle element may extend through the standard to
engage spherical bearings on adjacent seats on opposite sides of the standard.
Retaining clips are secured to the axles to retain the seat bottom in the
desired location, which is generally centrally located between the standards.
The
retaining clips may be of different sorts but a preferred clip is a coiled
spring that
normally assumes a condition where the helical coils grip the axle tightly in
the
normal position but which can be released from the axle by squeezing the ends
of the spring to unwind the coils slightly. Other retaining clips that can be
easily
attached are known to those of skill in the art.
The axle shafts preferably have a threaded central portion whereby they
can be attached to the standards by nuts that clamp the standard between them.
Clearly other techniques for securing the axle to a standard may be used.
The back portion of the chair is preferably mounted on a bracket that is
pivotally mounted on a standard. The angular orientation of the bracket in a
vertical plane may be adjusted with respect to the standard by aligning
adjustment holes in the bracket with a mounting hole in the standard and
securing the bracket to the standard through these holes by a bolt. Other
securing arrangements, such as a detent mechanism or a frictional engagement,
are contemplated.
One end of the pivotal seat portion is provided with a stop portion that
engages the bottom of the back portion when the chair is in the use position
such
that the orientation of the use position of the chair is determined by the
position of
the back portion. Thus, adjustment of the orientation of the back portion
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automatically adjusts the orientation of the seat portion, and the bracket and
seat
are arranged so that a rearward tilt of the back portion automatically results
in a
more upward tilt of the seat portion and vice-versa. This simplifies
adjustment of
the orientation of the chairs.
A further feature of the invention is that the standards are cast metal and
the top portions are recessed slightly. This allows a coating of soft
material, such
as a plastic to be coated on the top to provide a cap for added comfort of
users.
Preferably, the coated is applied by dipping the standard in the material.
Thus there is provided a row of chairs comprising a plurality of chairs and
a plurality of standards wherein each of the chairs comprises a seat portion
and a
back portion and adjacent chairs are separated by one of the standards. Each
of
the seat backs comprises brackets adjustably mounting the angular orientation
of
the seat backs to the standards to allow selective angular positioning of the
back
with respect to the standards. Each of the seats comprises a rear portion that
engages a lower portion of the back when the seat pivots from a non-use
position
to a use position to prevent further rotation of the seat from the non-use
position.
There is provided a single shaft extending through an opening in each
respective
one of the standards and extending outward from each side of the standard to
form two separate axles for supporting each seat portion. There is also a
spherical bearing race on each side of each seat portion and a spherical
bearing
having a hole for engaging a respective one of the axles. The spherical
bearing
is received in said spherical bearing race whereby the axles support the seat
portion. A retaining clip engages each of the axles and maintains the
spherical
bearing on the axle.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of a chair in accordance with the invention.
Figure 2 is an assembly view of the bottom of the chair shown in figure 1.
Figure 2 A is a side view, partially in cross section of a second
embodiment of the bearing of figure 2.
Figure 3 is an assembly view of a second embodiment of the bottom of the
chair shown in figure 1.
Figure 4 is a front view showing a preferred installation of two chairs in
accordance with the invention.
Figure 5 is partial vertical cross section of a preferred axle and seat
installation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to figure 1 of the drawings, a chair in accordance with the
invention comprises a seat portion 2, a back portion 4, and side standards 6
onto
which the seat and back portions are mounted.
The back portion is mounted on opposed brackets 8, which are generally
vertical plates. The lower parts of the brackets 8 are mounted on the standard
at
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pivots 10 for pivotal movement in a vertical plane. The upper parts of the
brackets are provided with a series of adjustment holes 12 that selectively
align
with a mounting hole on the standard to secure the bracket in a given
orientation.
Thus, the angle of the back portion with respect to the horizontal can be
adjusted
by pivoting the bracket to align a selected hole 12 with the mounting hole in
the
standard. In the preferred embodiment, the bracket is secured in that position
by
passing a bolt through the holes in the bracket and into a threaded portion of
the
hole in the standard.
The lower part of the back portion extends rearward from the bracket 8
such that it moves in an arc as the angle of the bracket, and, hence, the
angle of
the back portion is adjusted. The seat portion 2 is pivotally mounted to the
standards as well, and includes a rear portion 16 that engages the bottom
portion
14 of the back portion when the chair is in the use position. Thus, the angle
of
the seat portion 2 in the use position is a function of the vertical position
of the
bottom portion 16 of the back portion 4. The vertical position of the bottom
portion 14 of the back portion 4 is, in turn, determined by the angular
orientation
of the brackets 8. Thus, adjustment of the angular orientation of the back
portion
4 automatically adjusts the angular orientation of the seat portion 2 when in
use.
The structure is arranged such that tilting the back portion 4 away from the
vertical causes the orientation of the seat portion 2 to tilt toward the
vertical.
The rear portion 16 is preferably weighted to pivot the seat portion 2
vertical when not in use.
Figure 2 shows one construction of the seat portion 2. The seat portion 2
includes a bottom part 18 onto which is mounted two spherical bearing sets,
each
comprising a lower race or cradle 20 for a spherical bearing element 22. An
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upper race or cap 24 is secured onto the lower race 20 to hold the bearing
element. The seat is supported on two shafts 26 that pass through or from
opposed standards 6 to engage respective spherical bearings. Because the
bearings are spherical, the shafts 26 need not be parallel or aligned.
Figure 2a illustrates a preferred embodiment of the bearing. The cap 24
has ears 25 that extend outward from the bearing race and receive screws 27
for
securing the cap to the bottom 18 of the seat.
Figure 3 shows another embodiment wherein the bearing race and the
bearing element are integrally molded, eliminating the separate cap 24.
The standards are preferably cast metal with the vertical and horizontal
parts defining a boundary 28 that is recessed or stepped. This allows the tops
to
be dipped in a soft material to the thickness of the recess or step to provide
the
standards with an upholstery-like covering that is very durable and
attractive, as
well as a uniform-looking or smooth surface between the lower part of the
standard and the top part.
Figure 4 shows a preferred installation in accordance with the invention,
and figure 5 is an assembly view of the elements of the installation of figure
4. In
accordance with this embodiment, the axles 26 comprise rods with centrally
located threaded portions 30. The axle is installed in a standard by placing
the
axle through a hole 32 and by securing the axle to the standard by tightening
nuts
34. Nuts 34 may both be removable, or one may be fixed to the axle. As well,
the axle may have a fixed shoulder serving the function of the head of a bolt
in
place of one of the nuts 34. In that case each axle would have a single
removable nut 34.
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A spring retainer clip 36 is provided to retain a bearing 22 on the axle.
Preferably the retainer clip is a coiled spring that can be released by
squeezing
the ends to expand the coil to allow it to move onto the axle. When the coils
are
released, the clip is frictionally held to the axle.
Installation is preferably accomplished as follows. First the standards are
installed. Then the seat backs 4 are installed to stabilize the standards. The
axles 26 are then installed by bolting them into the standards. The seat
cushions
are installed onto the axles sliding the spherical bearings onto the axles and
securing the caps to the seats. Generally, one starts at one end of a row and
proceeds to the other end. After the seats are installed the bottom cushions
are
centered between the standards and the retainer clips are then installed to
retain
the cushions centered.
Modifications within the scope of the appended claims will be apparent to
those of skill in the art.
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