Claims
- 1. Adjustable seating having a frame that includes a seat-supporting portion and a back-supporting portion, a seat bottom mounted on the seat-supporting portion for sliding movement between rearward and forward positions, and a seat back mounted on the back-supporting portion by at least one resilient articulating linkage for tilting movement in all positions of and independently of the position of the seat bottom between a resiliently restrained upright position and a tilted-back position, characterized in that the seat back is mounted on an upper linkage member of the resilient articulating linkage to slide up and down relative to the back-supporting portion of the frame, in that a bendable but substantially non-extensible coupling member connects the seat back to the seat bottom, in that the coupling member is constrained to follow a predetermined path from the seat back to the seat bottom, and in that a configuration control spring is engaged under compression between the seat back and the back-supporting portion of the frame and yieldably biases the seat back to an upward position and in so doing yieldably biases the seat bottom to its rearward position by means of the coupling member, whereby when the seat bottom is moved forwardly or rearwardly, the seat back moves downwardly or upwardly in correspondence with the forward and rearward movements of the seat bottom.
- 2. Adjustable seating according to claim 1 wherein the seat back includes a downwardly opening socket receiving the upper linkage member of the resilient articulating linkage and further characterized in that the upper linkage member is tubular and is received in the socket in sliding and guiding relation and in that the configuration control spring is received within the socket and the upper linkage member and is compressed between a shoulder in the top of the socket and a spring retainer member received within the upper linkage member.
- 3. Adjustable seating according to claim 2 and further characterized in that the spring retainer member includes a guide portion that receives a portion of the configuration control spring and constrains it laterally against deflection into engagement with the upper linkage member.
- 4. Adjustable seating according to claim 2 and further characterized in that a reinforcing member is received within and affixed to the socket of the seat back.
- 5. Adjustable seating according to claim 4 and further characterized in that an anti-friction sleeve of a polymeric material is received within and affixed to the reinforcing member in sliding and guiding relation to the upper linkage member.
- 6. Adjustable seating according to claim 4 and further characterized in that the coupling member is attached to the anti-friction sleeve.
- 7. Adjustable seating according to claim 4 and further characterized in that the reinforcing member is a tubular casing, the configuration control spring is received in the casing and the shoulder is formed on the casing.
- 8. Adjustable seating according to claim 7 and further characterized in that the tubular casing receives telescopically within it the upper linkage member in sliding and guiding relation.
- 9. Adjustable seating according to claim 2 and further characterized in that the seat-supporting and back-supporting portions of the frame are parts of a frame side member that is generally L-shaped in lateral profile and that the coupling member is tubular and is slidably received over the frame side member such that the frame side member constrains it to a predetermined path of movement.
- 10. Adjustable seating according to claim 2 and further characterized in that the upper linkage member has a lower edge seated on the upper edge of a tubular lower linkage member, in that the lower end of a coupling rod is pivotally attached to the lower linkage member and extends upwardly within the upper linkage member, in that the upper end of the coupling rod is connected to a spring abutment member, and in that an articulation control spring is compressed between the abutment member and a shoulder on the upper linkage member below the abutment member so as to yieldably bias the lower edge of the upper linkage member against the upper edge of the lower linkage member and thereby yieldably restrain the seat back in an upright position.
- 11. Adjustable seating according to claim 10 and further characterized in that the retainer member engages the spring abutment member, whereby the force of the configuration control spring is transmitted to the side frame tube by the coupling rod.
- 12. Adjustable seating according to claim 1 and further characterized in that a spring guide member receives a portion of the configuration control spring and constrains it laterally against deflection into engagement with the upper linkage member.
- 13. Adjustable seating according to claim 1 and further characterized in that there is a first stop means for establishing an uppermost position of the seat back and a rearward-most position of the seat bottom and a second stop means for establishing a lowermost position of the seat back and a forward-most position of the seat bottom.
- 14. Adjustable seating according to claim 1 and further characterized in that the seat-supporting and back-supporting portions of the frame are parts of a single frame member that is generally L-shaped in lateral profile and in that the coupling member is tubular and is received over the frame member such that the frame member constrains it to the predetermined path of movement.
- 15. Adjustable seating according to claim 1 and further characterized in that there is a means for selectively and releasably coupling the seat bottom to the frame in either its rearward position or its forward position such as to establish a fixed configuration of the seat bottom and seat back on the frame.
- 16. Adjustable seating according to claim 15 and further characterized in that the seat bottom coupling means includes an abutment on the underside of the seat member and a movable latch member on the frame movable to engage either a front edge or a rear edge of the abutment.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/436,490 filed Nov. 14, 1989, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
852467 |
Feb 1940 |
FRX |
7316482 |
Nov 1973 |
NLX |
665375 |
Jan 1952 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
436490 |
Nov 1989 |
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