Stents and methods for manufacturing stents

Abstract

A bracket for assembling a backrest to a seat base and a method of manufacturing the bracket are provided. The bracket includes a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, the body forming a channel configured to slidingly receive a seat base fixture and prevent movement between the backrest and the seat base fixture in a transverse direction, at least one stop disposed adjacent the first end, the at least one stop configured to abut an end of the seat base fixture, and a ramp disposed adjacent the second end of the body.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally, but not exclusively, to a bracket for assembling a backrest to a seat base and a method of manufacturing a bracket. BACKGROUND

[0002] Chairs commonly used in offices or homes are designed to provide comfort to a user. For example, a backrest can be reclined. A typical chair having a reclining feature includes a foot base, a seat base secured to the seat base fixture and mounted on the foot base, and a backrest mounted on the seat base. Although a chair can be assembled at a factory and then delivered to an end user, the assembled chair is bulky and difficult to transport. Therefore, some chairs are designed to be assembled by an end user.

[0003] In a typical chair assembly process, an end user first needs to attach a seat base to a foot base. The seat base can have a seat base fixture as part of a reclining assembly. Then, the user needs to attach a backrest to the seat base. Mounting the backrest to the seat base is cumbersome because the user typically needs to support and balance the backrest at an angle of about 45 degrees while also trying to align mounting holes of the backrest with mounting holes of the seat base. Once the mounting holes are aligned, four screws are used to fasten the backrest and the seat base together. Throughout the fastening process, the backrest needs to be held in place until the backrest and the seat base are secured together.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need to provide a bracket for assembling a backrest to a seat base to address at least some of the problems described above. SUMMARY

[0005] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a bracket for assembling a backrest to a seat base, comprising: a main body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, the main body forming a channel configured to slidingly receive a seat base fixture and prevent movement between the backrest and the seat base fixture in a transverse direction; at least one stop disposed adjacent to the first end, the at least one stop configured to abut an end portion of the seat base fixture; and a ramp disposed adjacent to the second end of the main body.

[0006] The main body can include a pair of rails shaped to form the channel.

[0007] The main body, the at least one stop, and the pair of rails can form a unitary construction.

[0008] The bracket can further include a plurality of openings disposed between the first end and the second end of the main body, the plurality of openings positioned to align with corresponding backrest mounting holes disposed on the backrest.

[0009] A selected opening among the plurality of openings can be configured to align with a seat base mounting hole provided on the seat base fixture when at least one stop abuts against the end of the seat base fixture.

[0010] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a support, comprising the steps of: forming a body extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end; forming a channel in the body such that the channel can slidably receive a seat base fastener and prevent movement between the backrest and the seat base fastener in the lateral direction; providing at least one stop adjacent to the first end such that the at least one stop can abut against an end of the seat base fastener; and providing a ramp adjacent to the second end of the body.

[0011] The step of forming a channel on the body may include forming a pair of guide rails.

[0012] The main body, at least one stop, and a pair of guide rails can be formed by machining a single blank using a stamping process.

[0013] The method may also include the step of: providing a plurality of openings between the first end and the second end of the main body, such that the plurality of openings are aligned with corresponding backrest mounting holes provided on the backrest.

[0014] The step of setting multiple openings may further include: positioning a selected opening among the multiple openings such that when at least one stop abuts against the end of the seat base fixture, the selected opening among the multiple openings is aligned with a seat base mounting hole provided on the seat base fixture. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The embodiments and implementation methods are provided by way of example only, and will be better understood by those skilled in the art from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016] Figure 1A This is an isometric view of the bracket according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0017] Figure 1B yes Figure 1A Top view of the bracket shown;

[0018] Figure 1C yes Figure 1A The front view of the bracket shown;

[0019] Figure 1D yes Figure 1A Side view of the bracket shown;

[0020] Figure 2A This is a schematic diagram of the bracket shown in Figure 1 located above the seat base fixing component;

[0021] Figure 2BThis is a schematic diagram of the bracket being assembled to the seat base fastener shown in Figure 1; and

[0022] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of a method for manufacturing a support according to an exemplary embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0023] Embodiments will be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. Similar reference numerals and characters in the drawings refer to similar parts or equivalents.

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention provide a tilt guide, which can be a bracket capable of guiding and aligning the backrest to a seat base fixture. In use, the bracket is typically first installed on the lower part of the backrest, i.e., the position where the backrest will be fitted to the seat base. Then, the bracket is used to slide the backrest along the seat base fixture to assemble it with the seat base. Once the backrest and seat base fixture are aligned, the bracket can hold the backrest temporarily in place. This allows the user to easily insert and tighten screws to secure the backrest and seat base together without manually holding the backrest in place during assembly.

[0025] Figure 1A This is an isometric view of the bracket 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1B It is a top view. Figure 1C It is a front view, and Figure 1D This is a side view. The bracket 100 is adapted to assemble a backrest to a seat base and includes a body 102 extending longitudinally from a first end 114 to a second end 104. The body 102 forms a channel 103 configured to slidably receive a seat base fastener and prevent lateral movement between the backrest and the seat base fastener. The bracket 100 also includes at least one stop 112 disposed adjacent to the first end 114. The at least one stop 112 is configured to abut against an end 216 of the seat base fastener. Figure 2A More details will be discussed later with reference to Figure 2.

[0026] In one embodiment, the body 102 of the support 100 may include a pair of guide rails 110a and 110b shaped to form a channel 103. The guide rails 110a and 110b may be, for example, L-shaped or C-shaped. In some embodiments, the guide rails 110a and 110b may extend through substantially the length of the body 102 of the support 100. In other embodiments, the guide rails 110a and 110b have a shorter length and are disposed along the length of the body 102 of the support 100.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the main body 102 of the bracket 100, at least one stop 112, and a pair of guide rails 110a and 110b can be integrally formed. For example, the main body 102 of the bracket 100, at least one stop 112, and a pair of guide rails 110a and 110b can be manufactured by stamping a single blank.

[0028] The bracket 100 may also include a ramp 106 disposed at a second end 104 adjacent to the main body 102. For example... Figure 1D As shown, the plane containing the inclined surface 106 can be tilted at an angle between 10° and 45° relative to the plane of the body 102. The inclined surface 106 facilitates guiding the seat base fastener into the channel 103, allowing the bracket 100 to easily slide and receive the seat base fastener during assembly. Specifically, the user does not need to align the second end 104 of the body 102 of the bracket 100 with the end 216 of the seat base fastener before the backrest can slide along the seat base fastener. Figure 2A Precise positioning. Even with a small lateral offset between the bracket 100 and the seat base fastener, the presence of the ramp 106 allows the seat base fastener to be guided along the angled surface of the ramp 106 and easily slide through the bracket 100. This significantly saves the user the time and effort required to assemble the backrest and seat base fastener together.

[0029] The bracket 100 may further include a plurality of openings 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d disposed between a first end 114 and a second end 104 of the main body 102. The plurality of openings 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d are positioned to align with corresponding backrest mounting holes provided on the backrest. This arrangement allows the bracket 100 to be secured to the backrest through the openings 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d, and exposes selected backrest mounting holes to facilitate the insertion and tightening of screws when the openings and backrest mounting holes are aligned, thereby securing the backrest and seat base together.

[0030] Figure 2A Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram 200 of the bracket 100 located above the seat base fixing component. Figure 2B This is a schematic diagram 200 of the bracket 100 shown in Figure 1 assembled to the seat base fastener. The seat base fastener is part of a tilting mechanism that allows the chair back to tilt. Typically, the seat base fastener may include a first component configured to be mounted to the seat base and an upwardly extending second component. In the assembled chair, the second component extends into the side of the backrest. In some configurations, the second component is rotatable about the first component to allow the chair to tilt.

[0031] In some embodiments, a seat base fastener is attached to each side of the seat base. The backrest may have a bracket 100 attached to one side and a mounting plate on the other side. The bracket 100 is used to initially position the backrest relative to the seat base before tightening screws to secure the backrest and seat base to that side. Thereafter, the mounting plate can be used to directly secure the other side. As described above, the seat base fastener includes an end 216. Further, the seat base fastener also includes a plurality of openings 218a and 218b (hereinafter interchangeably referred to as seat base mounting holes 218a and 218b) such that once the backrest and seat base are aligned, screws can be inserted to fasten them together.

[0032] During chair assembly, the seat base, attached to the seat base fastener, can be held in place while the backrest, attached to the bracket 100, slides along the seat base fastener until at least one stop 112 on the bracket 100 abuts against the end 216 of the seat base fastener. The seat base and backrest will then be positioned as follows: Figure 2B The alignment position is shown.

[0033] As described above, a selected opening among the plurality of openings in the bracket 100 is positioned to align with a corresponding backrest mounting hole. The selected opening among the plurality of openings can be configured such that when at least one stop 112 abuts against the end 216 of the seat base fixing member (which is not in...) Figure 2B As shown in the figure, when it is concealed below the stop member 112, it is aligned with the seat base mounting holes 218a and 218b provided on the seat fixing member.

[0034] like Figure 2B As shown, in the aligned position, at least one stop 112 on the bracket 100 restricts further sliding of the backrest along the seat base fixing member. Furthermore, the channel of the bracket 100 restricts the lateral movement of the seat base fixing member. Thus, the backrest and seat base are effectively secured in the aligned position. In other words, the user can now release their grip on the backrest.

[0035] from Figure 2B It can also be seen that the selected backrest mounting holes, the selected openings among the multiple openings 108a, 108b, 108c, and 108d (Figure 1) on the bracket 100, and the seat base mounting holes 218a and 218b are aligned with each other at the alignment position. The user can easily secure the backrest and seat base together by inserting screws into the aligned holes and tightening them. A single user can efficiently complete the assembly of the chair without any assistance or troublesome positioning.

[0036] Figure 3This is a flowchart 300 of a method for manufacturing a support according to an exemplary embodiment. Step 302: Forming a body extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. Step 304: Forming a channel in the body such that the channel can slidably receive a seat base fastener and prevent movement between the backrest and the seat base fastener in the lateral direction. Step 306: Providing at least one stop adjacent to the first end such that the at least one stop can abut against an end of the seat base fastener.

[0037] As a non-limiting example, the bracket may be manufactured by processing a single sheet of blank using a stamping process. Step 304, forming the channel on the body, may include forming a pair of guide rails. As mentioned above, the guide rails may be, for example, L-shaped or C-shaped. These shapes can be formed by bending the blank accordingly. Similarly, step 306, providing at least one stop at a first end adjacent to the bracket, may include bending the blank accordingly to form the stop.

[0038] In other words, the steps of forming the main body, setting at least one stop, and forming a pair of guide rails may include forming them into an integral structure.

[0039] The method for manufacturing the support further includes the step of setting a bevel at a second end adjacent to the main body. Similar to forming guide rails and stops, the bevel is formed by bending one end of the blank to the desired angle.

[0040] The method of manufacturing the support may further include the step of: providing a plurality of openings between a first end and a second end of the main body, such that the plurality of openings are aligned with corresponding backrest mounting holes provided on the backrest. The plurality of openings may be formed, for example, by stamping or milling.

[0041] The step of providing a plurality of openings between the first and second ends of the main body may include: positioning a selected opening among the plurality of openings such that when at least one stop abuts against the end of the seat base fixing member, the selected opening among the plurality of openings is aligned with a seat base mounting hole provided on the seat base fixing member.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will understand that various changes and / or modifications can be made to the invention shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. For example, the specific dimensions of the bracket may vary depending on the dimensions of the seat base fastener. Furthermore, the bracket may be manufactured using other manufacturing processes, such as casting. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects.

Claims

1. A bracket for assembling a backrest to a seat base, the bracket comprising: a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end, the body forming a channel configured to slidingly receive a seat base fixture and prevent movement between the backrest and the seat base fixture in a transverse direction; at least one stop disposed proximate the first end, wherein the at least one stop is configured to abut an end of the seat base fixture; and a ramp disposed proximate the second end of the body, wherein a plane of the ramp is inclined at an angle between 10° and 45° relative to a plane of the body.

2. The stent of claim 1, wherein, the body comprises a pair of rails shaped to form the channel.

3. The stent of claim 2, wherein, the body, the at least one stop, and the pair of rails form a unitary construction.

4. The stent of any of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of openings disposed between the first end and the second end of the body, wherein, the plurality of openings are positioned to align with respective backrest mounting holes disposed on the backrest.

5. The stent of claim 4, wherein, selected ones of the plurality of openings are configured to align with seat base mounting holes disposed on the seat base fixture when the at least one stop abuts the end of the seat base fixture.

6. A method of manufacturing a bracket, comprising the steps of: forming a body extending in a longitudinal direction from a first end to a second end; forming a channel on the body such that the channel is capable of slidingly receiving a seat base fixture and preventing movement between a backrest and the seat base fixture in a transverse direction; disposing at least one stop proximate the first end such that the at least one stop is capable of abutting an end of the seat base fixture; and disposing a ramp proximate the second end of the body, wherein a plane of the ramp is inclined at an angle between 10° and 45° relative to a plane of the body.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, forming the channel on the body comprises shaping a pair of rails.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, the body, the at least one stop, and the pair of rails are formed using a stamping process on a single piece of stock material.

9. The method of any one of claims 6 to 8, further comprising the step of: disposing the plurality of openings between the first end and the second end of the body such that the plurality of openings align with respective backrest mounting holes disposed on the backrest.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, disposing the plurality of openings further comprises positioning selected ones of the plurality of openings such that, when the at least one stop abuts the end of the seat base fixture, the selected ones of the plurality of openings align with seat base mounting holes disposed on the seat base fixture.

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