Support for a seating furniture

Abstract

Support (2) for a piece of seating furniture, characterized by a connecting unit (16) attached to a base body (15) of the support (2) for connecting the support (2) to a support element (6) of a subframe, wherein the connecting unit (16) has a mounting device (5) for the support element (6), wherein the connecting unit (16) is attached to the base body (15) in such a way that the inclination of the base body (15) relative to the support element (6) is variable, for which purpose the base body (15) has a contact base (17) which is contacted by a contact head (18) of the connecting unit (16) in the attached state to form a non-surface contact.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a support for a piece of seating furniture and a piece of seating furniture with such a support.

[0002] Office chairs typically feature a seat assembly firmly attached to a base frame. This base frame allows the chair to rest on a surface, such as the floor. If the base frame is a star base or similar, a central support column typically serves as the sole support element. The support column may incorporate a height-adjustable gas spring to adjust the seat height. The upper end of the support column, which is usually conical, is housed in a correspondingly shaped conical socket on the underside of the seat assembly. For reasons of stability, this conical socket is usually integrally connected to the corresponding component of the seat assembly.

[0003] In office chairs, the seat assembly typically includes a chair mechanism. Synchronous mechanisms, asynchronous mechanisms, and rocker mechanisms are known as office chair mechanisms.

[0004] The term synchronous mechanism refers to components in the seat base of an office chair that are coupled together to create a specific relative movement between the seat and backrest. The office chair seat, which is usually equipped with an upholstered seat, is mounted on the seat support. The backrest support, which typically extends backward from the actual synchronous mechanism, supports the backrest of the office chair on an upwardly extending arm. The seat support and backrest support are usually coupled in such a way that a backward pivoting movement of the backrest - as can be caused, for example, by the chair user leaning against the backrest - induces a downward lowering movement of the rear edge of the seat. This prevents the so-called "shirt-pulling effect" and increases seating comfort.

[0005] The term asynchronous mechanism refers to assemblies in which a pivoting of the backrest does not cause any movement of the seat support. In other words, only the backrest moves when pivoting backward. Seating comfort is reduced compared to synchronous mechanisms. In particular, asynchronous mechanisms can cause the so-called "shirt-pulling effect" due to a "divergence" of the movements of the backrest and seat. However, due to their comparatively simple design, such assemblies are significantly less expensive to manufacture than the previously described synchronous mechanisms.

[0006] Rocking mechanisms are relatively simple assemblies in the seat base of chairs, in which the backrest support is more or less rigidly connected to the seat support, the seat, or the frame of the chair. The resulting seat support-backrest support combination can be pivoted backwards about a pivot axis running transversely to the seat's longitudinal direction using the rocking mechanism when the chair user leans against the backrest. Such rocking mechanisms are often used instead of synchronous mechanisms in inexpensive visitor or conference chairs to implement a simple rocking function. Due to their relatively simple design, rocking mechanisms are usually significantly cheaper to manufacture than the mechanisms described above.

[0007] What all these mechanisms have in common is that a pivoting movement of individual or multiple mechanical components in the longitudinal direction of the seat, ie forwards or backwards, is possible.

[0008] In addition, mechanisms have already been introduced that, in addition to a pivoting movement of one of the mechanical components forward or backward, also allow a lateral tilting movement of individual mechanical components to the right or left, i.e., transverse to the longitudinal direction of the seat. This can partially eliminate restrictions regarding the movement of mechanical components in inexpensive chair mechanisms. However, such additional lateral mobility can also be associated with disadvantages. In particular, the resulting overall movements of the mechanisms are often not optimal from an ergonomic perspective.

[0009] Due to biomedical considerations, the lack of an additional degree of freedom is increasingly perceived as a disadvantage in certain mechanical concepts, regardless of whether the specific mechanics already provide for tilting movements of individual or multiple mechanical components transverse to the longitudinal direction of the seat in addition to a pivoting movement of individual or multiple mechanical components in the longitudinal direction of the seat.

[0010] In the technical solutions proposed so far, both the provision of additional lateral mobility of mechanical components and the attempts to provide an additional degree of freedom of movement for one or more mechanical components are always associated with a significantly increased design effort, which increases the cost of the seating furniture.

[0011] DE 93 19 802 U1 and DE 196 20 725 A1 describe seating furniture in which a seat support with a spherical cap-shaped lower end is movably mounted in a mount provided on a chair column. For this purpose, the chair column must be modified accordingly; the use of standard chair columns is not possible.

[0012] An object of the present invention is to provide a piece of seating furniture with an additional degree of freedom of movement with particularly low constructional effort and therefore at low cost.

[0013] This object is achieved by a support according to claim 1 or a mechanism according to claim 14 or a piece of seating furniture according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

[0014] One idea of ​​the invention is that the seat assembly is arranged so as to be movable, in particular movable in all directions, on a fixed support element of a base frame.

[0015] A further idea of ​​the invention is to design a mounting device for the support element, in particular the cone receptacle, as a separate component. In other words, the mounting device is neither integrally connected to the seat assembly, in particular not an integrated component of the base support of a chair mechanism, nor is the mounting device permanently connected to the seat assembly. Instead, it is provided that a support component of the seat assembly is designed at least in two parts, wherein one part of the support component, hereinafter referred to as the connecting unit, comprises the mounting device for the support element that can be connected to the support element, while the other part of the support component, hereinafter referred to as the base body, is movably arranged on the part comprising the mounting device. The support component is a structure that supports part of the seating furniture and is hereinafter also referred to as the support for short.The support component is a part of the seat assembly. Specifically, the support component is a base support for a chair mechanism.

[0016] A further idea of ​​the invention is to design the interaction of the two parts of the support in such a way that the base body has a contact base against which the connecting unit with a contact head preferably only rests at one point, but in any case not across its entire surface. This is ensured by a suitable, coordinated geometric design of the contact surfaces of the contact base and contact head. In a preferred simple embodiment, the contact base is convex, and the contact head is either flat or has an oppositely convex shape. The contact base of the base body and the contact head of the connecting unit are in contact at all times, forming a point-like contact. When the base body moves relative to the stationary chair column, the base body rolls with its contact base on the contact surface of the contact head. The contact base does not slide on the contact head.

[0017] This point-based support provides an additional degree of freedom of movement for the base body and thus an additional degree of freedom for all components attached to the base body in all spatial directions. In other words, additional tilting of the seat assembly relative to the support element is possible in all directions (360 degrees). Due to the lack of a defined pivot point or axis of rotation, the arrangement according to the invention does not provide a conventional swivel joint.

[0018] Advantageously, the inventive inclination of the base body of the support relative to the support element only occurs when the center of gravity of the user sitting on the seating furniture shifts. Such a shift in the center of gravity generally only occurs due to a deliberate shift of their weight by the user. During the process of sitting down on the seating furniture and while sitting on the seating furniture without a shift in the center of gravity, however, no inclination of the base body occurs. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, this is achieved by arranging the interacting contact surfaces of the contact base and contact head at an angle to the horizontal. This ensures that the virtual pivot point is close to or on the user's center of gravity when the seating assembly is not tilted.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a receiving space is provided in the base body, preferably on its underside facing the support element, for at least partially, but preferably completely or essentially completely, receiving the connecting unit. In this way, no additional installation space is required for the two-part design of the support, and the two-part design of the support, as well as the additional property of the base body's inclinability relative to the support element, realized by the invention, are not visible from the outside.

[0020] In one embodiment of the invention, the base of the receiving space is designed as a spherical segment. This socket, with a circular contact surface, forms the contact base of the base body for direct contact with the contact head. In another embodiment of the invention, an additional component is located in the receiving space, which has a corresponding contact surface and forms the contact base.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a reset arrangement is provided with the aid of which the inclined base body automatically returns to its non-inclined starting position. For this purpose, the reset arrangement advantageously comprises a number of elastic reset elements. If a receiving space for the connecting unit is provided in or on the base body, the reset elements act between the contact base of the base body, on the one hand, and a support element firmly connected to the base body of the base carrier, on the other hand. The support element is in particular the closure lid that closes off the receiving space at the bottom. It is particularly advantageous that the user's weight does not have to be supported by the reset elements.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a locking arrangement with a number of locking elements is provided, which can selectively prevent the base body of the support from tilting against the support element. Depending on the user's preference, the seating furniture can then be used either with an additional (tilt) degree of freedom or without this degree of freedom.

[0023] With the help of the invention, a piece of seating furniture with an additional degree of freedom of movement is provided with particularly low construction effort and therefore at low cost.

[0024] The invention makes it possible to tilt a support, or structural elements or components connected to a support, of a seat assembly, a chair mechanism, a seat, or generally a piece of seating furniture, in all directions relative to a support element. This tilting movement is possible both in addition to and independently of whether the support can also perform a pivoting and / or tilting movement. The tilting movement provided by the invention can also be the only type of movement of the support relative to the support element.

[0025] The invention differs from all previously known solutions for implementing an additional degree of freedom both in the choice of the location for decoupling the movements and in the design of this decoupling. While the prior art always assumes that the connection between the support element and the seat assembly must always exhibit the highest possible strength and stability, especially since the cone mount is the most delicate part of the seating furniture from a structural perspective, where the greatest forces act during use, the invention proposes allowing a relative movement between the support and the support element precisely at this point.

[0026] The support according to the invention, comprising a correspondingly designed base body and the matching connecting unit, can be designed not only as part of an (office) chair mechanism, in particular as the base support of a synchronous, asynchronous, or rocking mechanism. However, the invention is not limited to use in mechanisms, but can also be applied to all other types of seating furniture, for example by using a support with these properties as part of a seat assembly of any design or by providing a seat of a piece of seating furniture with such a support in another way. In particular, an otherwise completely rigid seat assembly, such as a one-piece seat shell or a one-piece seat-backrest combination, can also have such a support.

[0027] The invention is preferably applicable to seating furniture whose base frame has a single, preferably centrally arranged support element. However, other uses are also possible, in particular those in which a seating furniture item comprises two or more supports according to the invention. This can be the case, for example, when a seating assembly comprises several partial seat elements arranged next to one another, each of which is individually placed on support elements of a base frame. In such a case, a support according to the invention can be assigned to each of these support elements, so that the partial seat elements can perform the tilting movement relative to their support elements independently of one another.

[0028] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 a chair mechanism of an office chair diagonally from below, Fig. 2 the chair mechanism with a connecting unit removed from the receiving space (exploded view) in a first perspective view, Fig. 3 the chair mechanism with the connecting unit removed from the receiving space (exploded view) in a second perspective view, Fig. 4 a longitudinal section through the chair mechanism along the line AA in the non-inclined state relative to the chair column, Fig. 5 a cross-section through the chair mechanism along the line BB in the non-inclined state relative to the chair column, Fig. 6 a longitudinal section through the chair mechanism along the line AA in the inclined state relative to the chair column, Fig. 7 a cross-section through the chair mechanism along the line BB in the inclined state relative to the chair column.

[0029] All figures depict the invention not to scale, but merely schematically and with only its essential components. Like reference numerals correspond to elements with the same or comparable function.

[0030] "Front" or "front" means that a component is positioned at the front in the longitudinal direction of the seat or refers to a component that extends toward the front edge of the seat or points in this direction. "rear" or "rear" means that a component is positioned at the rear in the longitudinal direction of the seat or refers to a component that extends toward the backrest or backrest support or the rear edge of the seat or points in this direction. The terms "top" and "bottom" refer to the intended use of the office chair or the office chair mechanism.

[0031] The chair mechanism is a synchronous mechanism 1, which has a base support 2, a seat support 3 and a backrest support 4. The base support 2 is placed on the upper end of a chair column 6 by means of a conical holder 5, as shown in Fig. 5 is indicated by broken lines. The chair column 6 forms the supporting element of a base frame (base, not shown).

[0032] The seat support 3 is designed to accommodate or mount a preferably upholstered seat (not shown). Assembly is performed in the usual way using fastening elements (not shown in detail). A backrest (not shown in detail) is attached to the backrest support 4, which is height-adjustable in modern office chairs. The backrest can also be connected to the backrest support 4 as a single piece.

[0033] The entire synchronous mechanism 1 is constructed with mirror symmetry with respect to its central longitudinal plane, as far as the actual kinematics are concerned. Therefore, the following description of the mechanism always assumes that the structural elements are present in pairs on both sides.

[0034] In all figures, the basic position of the synchronous mechanism 1 is shown, in which the seat support 3 assumes a substantially horizontal position and the backrest support 4 is not pivoted backwards relative to the base support 2. In the Fig. 6 and Fig. The inclination illustrated in Figure 7 is the inclination of the base support 2 and thus also of all structural elements connected to the base support 2, including the seat support 3 and the backrest support 4, relative to the fixed, i.e. non-inclined, chair column 6.

[0035] In the rear region of the mechanism 1 as seen in the longitudinal direction 7 of the seat, the backrest support 4, which can be pivoted about a first transverse axis 8 defining the fixed main pivot axis of the mechanism 1, is directly connected in an articulated manner to the base support 2 on the one hand at the level of the conical holder 5 and on the other hand to the rear region of the seat support 3.

[0036] The backrest support 4 is directly hinged to the base support 2 with its cheeks 9 extending toward the front seat area. With upwardly extending catches 10 of the cheeks 9, the backrest support 4 is directly hinged to the seat support 3, forming a second transverse axis 11. To achieve the synchronous movement desired with this special mechanism and for weight adjustment purposes, the second transverse axis 11 is located behind the first transverse axis 8, as seen in the seat's longitudinal direction 7.

[0037] The seat support 3 is also articulated to the base support 2 in the front seating area, so that when the backrest support 4 is pivoted backwards, the seat support 3 is moved backwards relative to the base support 2, resulting in the desired synchronous movement of the seat support 3 and backrest support 4. A spring arrangement 12 mounted inside the mechanism 1 defines the pivoting resistance of the backrest support 4 and serves to return the backrest support 4 from the pivoted position to its original position as soon as the chair user is no longer leaning against the backrest. The position of the front ends of the spring elements used in the spring arrangement 12 can be adjusted by an adjustment mechanism, whereby the pivoting resistance of the synchronous mechanism can be adjusted.

[0038] The base support 2 has a base body 15. This is essentially the housing of the base support 2. A connecting unit 16 is attached to the base body 15 for establishing a connection between the base support 2 and the chair column 6. The connecting unit 16 has a mounting device for the chair column 6, namely the conical receptacle 5 for the upper, conical end of the chair column 6. The connecting unit 16 is attached to the base body 15 in such a way that the inclination of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6 can be changed with the aid of or by the connecting unit 16. For this purpose, the base body 15 has a convex contact base 17, which is contacted by a contact head 18 of the connecting unit 16 in the attached state, forming a non-flat, in particular a point-like contact.As a result, the base support 2 only rests on the chair column 6 at specific points, since the shape of the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18 differs from the shape of the contact base 17 of the base body 15, in particular because the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18, which is shaped as a counterpart to the contact base 17, is flat (plane) and not concave, adapted to the shape of the contact base 17. As an alternative to a flat design of the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18, it can also be convex, i.e. curved towards the contact base 17, or the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18 can have a different surface design that ensures that the contact base 17 of the base body 15 rests on the contact head 18 only at specific points.

[0039] In the illustrated example, the connection unit 16 is attached to the base body 15 by arranging the connection unit 16 between the contact base 17 and a closure cover 20 of the base body 15. The closure cover 20 can be firmly connected to the base body 15 using suitable fastening means, such as screws, and closes off a receiving space 21 of the base body 15. The closure cover 20 closes the access opening 25 of the receiving space 21. This receiving space 21 is located inside the base body 15 and essentially completely accommodates the connection unit 16. Only a portion of the conical receptacle 5 protrudes downward from the closure cover 20 in the assembled state, for which purpose the closure cover 20 has an outlet opening 22. For mounting the closure cover 20, it has mounting openings 23 for screws; Corresponding threaded openings 24 are provided on the base body 15.

[0040] The base support 2 comprises a return arrangement 26 with a number of resilient return elements 27, wherein these return elements 27 are designed and arranged such that at least one of the return elements 27 is acted upon when the base body 15 is tilted relative to the chair column 6. The return elements 27, which serve as energy storage devices for a return force, are designed in the form of elastic spring elements. These are preferably elements made of a suitable solid material, in particular an elastomer. Thus, any tilting of the base support 2 relative to the chair column 6 always occurs against the spring force of the return arrangement 26. In other words, the return arrangement 26 serves to return the base body 15 from an inclined position to its initial position. Due to the selected design of the return arrangement 26, the spring elements 27 do not have to bear the user's weight.This allows them to be particularly small and / or made from materials with lower requirements in terms of material properties.

[0041] Since the return arrangement 27 moves with the base body 15, ie when the base body 15 is inclined relative to the fixed connecting unit 16 firmly connected to the chair column 6, the return arrangement 26 is to be assigned to the base body 15 from a movement point of view.

[0042] In the illustrated example, the connecting unit 16 is attached to the base body 15 of the base support 2 in such a way that the spring elements 27 of the return arrangement 26 are supported on the one hand on the contact head 18 of the connecting unit 16 and on the other hand on a support element firmly connected to the base body 15 of the base support 2, wherein the support element is the closure cover 20 of the receiving space 21.

[0043] Thus, in the attached state, the connecting unit 16 is essentially completely inserted into the receiving space 21 of the base support 15 and lies loosely in this receiving space 21, with the base body 15 resting with its contact base 17 at certain points on the contact head 18. In other words, the base body 15 can tilt in all directions relative to the stationary chair column 6. The connecting unit 16 is firmly attached to the upper end of the chair column 6 by placing the cone of the chair column 6 in the cone receptacle 5 of the connecting unit 16. The inclination of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6 depends on the force exerted on the base body 15 by the user of the chair. The inclination occurs around a certain maximum angle of inclination α, which is determined, among other things, by the curvature orCurvature of the contact base 17 of the base body 15 and by the design-provided distances between the components moving relative to one another or the existence of defined stops.

[0044] In the illustrated example, the contact base 17 is not designed as an integrated part of the base body 15. Instead, the contact base 17 is formed by an intermediate piece 32 that interacts with the base body 15, namely, that rests against the base body 15.

[0045] In the illustrated example, both the base body 15 and thus also the floor of the receiving space 21 as well as the contact head 18 of the connecting unit 16, and in any case the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18, are made of a metallic material, here an aluminum material, so that an intermediate piece 32 made of a plastic material is inserted between the connecting unit 16 on the one hand and the base support 2 on the other. In this way, direct contact between the two metallic components 15, 18 is prevented. The surface of the intermediate piece 32 is designed to be particularly slippery. In particular, a plastic material with a low coefficient of friction is used. The intermediate piece 32 is designed such that its upper side fits precisely into the receiving space 21.The underside of the intermediate piece 32 serving as contact base 17 has the convex shape required for the inventive interaction with the contact head 18.

[0046] The circular intermediate piece 32 has a wall 33 surrounding the contact base 17 and having two outwardly projecting centering lugs 34, with which the intermediate piece 32 rests in the receiving space 21. While the centering lugs 32 interact with corresponding centering receptacles (not shown) on the inner wall 36 of the receiving space 21 to ensure a rotationally secure arrangement of the intermediate piece 32 in the receiving space 21, the wall 33 of the intermediate piece 32 prevents the contact head 18 of the connecting unit 16, which is always located within this wall 33 in the assembled state, from touching the inner wall 36 of the receiving space 21. The intermediate piece 32 is firmly connected to the base body 15 in the assembled state and is therefore assigned to the base body 15 from a movement perspective.

[0047] The connecting unit 16, which is loosely inserted in the receiving space 21, comprises the contact head 18 with a rotationally symmetrical, circular contact surface 19, which, in the assembled state, points upwards toward the contact base 17. On the side of the contact head 18 opposite the contact surface 19, the downwardly open conical receptacle 5 is provided as a mounting device for the cone of the chair column 6.

[0048] The cylindrical outer wall 37 of the contact head 18, which extends downward from the circumference of the contact head 18 and encloses the contact surface 19, is equipped with radially extending connecting struts 38 to the conical receptacle 5 in such a way that circular segment-shaped receiving pockets 39 for a corresponding number of return elements 27 are formed between the inner side of this outer wall 37 and the outer side of the receiving cone of the conical receptacle 5. The connecting struts 38 simultaneously serve as stiffening ribs to increase the mechanical stability of the connecting unit 16.

[0049] In the illustrated example, a total of four receiving pockets 39 are formed to accommodate four corresponding return elements 27. In the example shown, four identical spring elements 27 in the form of ring segments are used. With a corresponding structural modification, a different number of return elements 27 can also be used. For example, the use of a single, annular (hollow-cylindrical) return element is also conceivable.

[0050] By selecting a suitable material for the spring elements 27, the tilt resistance of the base body 15 can be determined. Particularly when multiple elastic return elements 27 are used within a contact head 18, the tilt characteristic of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6 can also be adjusted directionally, for example, by using materials of different elasticity. For example, different tilt resistances and return forces can be set for an inclination of the base body 15 in the longitudinal direction 7 of the seat, on the one hand, and an inclination transverse to the longitudinal direction 7 of the seat, on the other.

[0051] The spring elements 27 engage with their one ends in the receiving pockets 39 of the contact head 18 and are supported with their opposite other ends on the closure cover 20 as an abutment. The spring elements 27 are enclosed and positioned relative to one another by a retaining ring 40 designed as a separate component, with four spacer elements 41 extending radially inward from the annular body of the retaining ring 40 and running in alignment with the connecting struts 38 preventing the spring elements 27 from touching one another in the region of their base ends. This retaining ring 40 is provided on its underside with mounting pins 42 which, when mounted, engage in corresponding mounting receptacles 43 in the closure cover 20 and thus prevent rotation of the return arrangement 26 in the receiving space 21 of the base support 2 and, at the same time, prevent rotation of the connecting unit 16 in the receiving space 21 about the chair column axis 44.

[0052] When the base body 15 is not tilted relative to the chair column 6, the connecting unit 16 rests with the contact head 18, more precisely with its inner side opposite the contact surface 19, on the spring elements 27, while the conical receptacle 5 extends downwards out of the base body 15 through the closure cover 20. If the base body 15 of the base support 2 is tilted relative to the chair column 6 by a movement of the chair user, the base body 15 rolls with the contact base 17 of the intermediate piece 32 on the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18. This results in a corresponding loading of one or more spring elements 27, which are compressed, see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. For such an application of the spring elements 27, the direction of the inclination of the base body 15 is irrelevant. For example, Fig. 6 a rearwardly inclined base body 15 and Fig. Figure 7 shows a base body 15 tilted to the right. However, the tilt can also be backward and right simultaneously, etc. The loading of the spring elements 27 and, in the simplest case, the strength of this loading are independent of the direction of tilt (0° to 360°), so that the tilt resistance and the restoring force are the same in all directions.

[0053] If the load on the base body 15 by the user of the chair is removed, the base body 15 automatically straightens itself from the tilted position to the non-tilted starting position due to the restoring forces of the loaded spring elements 27.

[0054] Depending on how the user sitting on the chair moves, the tilting movement of the base body 15, caused by a shift in the user's center of gravity on the seat, on the one hand, and the pivoting movement of the synchronous mechanism 1, caused by a load on the backrest, on the other hand, overlap. If the pivoting movement is temporarily blocked by a backrest or seat support blocking device that may be present on the mechanism 1, then during this time only the tilting movement according to the invention occurs, and leaning by the user against the backrest does not result in a synchronous movement of the backrest support 4 and the seat support 3. If, on the other hand, the tilting movement is blocked, a shift in the user's center of gravity does not result in a tilting of the base body 15 of the base support 2 of the mechanism 1.

[0055] To block the tilting movement, in the example shown, the base support 2 is provided with a blocking arrangement 28 which has a number of first blocking elements 29, wherein the first blocking elements 29 can be transferred by a movement of at least a part of the blocking arrangement 28 relative to the base support 2 from a functional position in which a tilting of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6 is possible, into a blocking position and back, in which the tilting of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6 is not possible, wherein the first blocking elements 29 of the blocking arrangement 28 cooperate in the blocking position with second blocking elements 30 arranged on the connecting unit 16 to form a positive connection which prevents a relative movement of the base body 15 and the chair column 6. Since the blocking arrangement 28 also moves with the base support 2, ieWhen the base body 15 is tilted relative to the fixed connecting unit 16 which is firmly connected to the chair column 6, the blocking arrangement 28 is also to be assigned to the base body 15 from a movement point of view.

[0056] In the illustrated embodiment, the blocking arrangement 28 comprises a blocking ring 47 that can be manually operated by the chair user by actuating a handle 48 attached to the outside of the ring 47, which, when mounted, extends through a corresponding opening in the wall of the receiving space 21. The blocking ring 27 can be moved from the functional position to the blocking position and back by rotation about the chair column axis 44. In the blocking position, stops 29 attached to the inside of the blocking ring 47 are arranged in relation to blocking lugs 30 attached to the outside of the outer wall 37 of the contact head 18 and serving as counterparts to the stops 29, such that an inclination of the blocking ring 27, and thus of the base body 15, relative to the connecting unit 16 firmly attached to the chair column 6 is no longer possible.The inner diameter of the blocking ring 47 is dimensioned so large that it encompasses the retaining ring 40 for the spring elements 27, and in the blocked state, the stops 29 of the blocking ring 47 are directly opposite the blocking lugs 30 of the contact head 18. The outer diameter of the retaining ring 40 is matched to the inner diameter of the blocking ring 47 in such a way that the blocking ring 47 holds the retaining ring 40 in the assembled state.

[0057] The blocking ring 47 can be moved into two defined locking positions, one of which corresponds to the functional position and the other to the blocking position. The position of the blocking ring 47 in the locking positions is secured by a suitable locking device, for example, by means of a spring-loaded locking ball 49 attached to the outside of the blocking ring 47, which can be locked into a corresponding locking recess 50 in the base body 15.

[0058] The essential parts of the blocking arrangement 28, namely all parts except the blocking lugs 30, are to be assigned to the base body 15 from a movement perspective, since they move with the base body 15 when the latter is tilted. The second blocking elements 30 attached to the connecting unit 16, which are also functionally part of the blocking arrangement 28, are, however, to be assigned to the fixed combination of the connecting unit 16 and the chair column 6 from a movement perspective.

[0059] The inclination of the base body 15 of the base support 2 in all directions, enabled by the connecting unit 16, is preferably 5° ± 1° relative to the vertical (chair column axis 44). The extent of the inclination can be limited by suitable stops. In the illustrated example, the end face 51 of the outer wall 37 of the contact head 18 serves as the limit. This circular stop end face 51 is formed by the downwardly facing free end of the outer wall 37. In its maximally inclined state, the base body 15 abuts this end face 51 with the upper side 58 of the retaining ring 40, see Fig. 6 and Fig. 7. By using the circumferential retaining ring 40 as a tilt stop, it is possible to limit the angle of inclination for inclinations in all directions (360°).

[0060] The conical receptacle 5 of the connecting unit 16 is oriented vertically, corresponding to the typically vertical arrangement of the chair column 6. However, the position of the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18 and the position of the corresponding contact base 17 of the intermediate piece 32 on the base body 15 do not necessarily have to be horizontal in the non-inclined initial position. In the illustrated example, the base of the receiving space 21 of the base support 2 is arranged obliquely to the horizontal in the seat longitudinal direction 7, namely rising from front to back.

[0061] Accordingly, the intermediate piece 32 is also provided with an inclined contact base 17, and the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18 also runs not horizontally, but diagonally to the chair column axis. Accordingly, the height of the outer wall 37 of the contact head 18 changes along the seat's longitudinal direction 7.

[0062] Due to such an oblique arrangement of the rolling surfaces 17, 19, the virtual pivot point 59 of the mechanism 1 is located near or ideally exactly on the center of gravity of the user, if the base body 15 is not inclined, see Fig. 4. This prevents the base body 15 from tilting relative to the chair column 6 simply by sitting in the chair. Instead, tilting the base body 15 requires a conscious shift of the user's center of gravity. However, a non-oblique, i.e., completely horizontal, arrangement of the contact surface 19 or the contact base 17 is also possible when using the invention in a different chair mechanism, seat assembly, or the like.

[0063] The chair column 5 used in the example has a gas spring (not shown) for adjusting the height of the seat assembly. To operate this gas spring, the base of the receiving space 21, the intermediate piece 32, and the contact surface 19 of the contact head 18 are each provided with through-holes 53, which are aligned with one another in the final assembly state, for an actuating pin or the like (not shown).

[0064] In the final assembly state, the intermediate piece 32, the return assembly 26 with its spring elements 27 and the associated retaining ring 40, as well as the blocking assembly 28, are thus fixedly located in the receiving space 21. At the same time, the connecting unit 16 lies loosely in the receiving space 21. The receiving space 21 is closed off by the closure cover 20. In the assembled state, the shaft 54 ​​of the conical receptacle 5 partially protrudes from the underside 55 of the base support 2. For this purpose, the closure cover 20 has a central outlet opening 22. In order to allow an inclination of the base body 15 relative to the chair column 6, the diameter of the outlet opening 22 which follows the inclination movement is larger than the diameter of the fixed conical receptacle 5. The blocking ring 47 and the retaining ring 40 for the spring elements 27 are also provided with sufficiently large through openings 56, 57 for the conical receptacle 5 attached to the contact head 18.

[0065] All features presented in the description, the following claims and the drawings can be essential to the invention both individually and in any combination with one another. List of reference symbols 1 chair mechanism, synchronous mechanism 2 base supports 3 seat supports 4 backrest supports 5 cone holder 6 chair column 7 Seat longitudinal direction 8 first transverse axis, main axis of rotation 9 Cheek 10 carriers 11 second transverse axis 12 Spring arrangement 13 (free) 14 (free) 15 basic bodies 16 Connection unit 17 Contact base 18 Contact head 19 Contact surface 20 closure lids 21 Recording room 22 Exit opening 23 Mounting opening 24 threaded opening 25 Access opening 26 Reset arrangement 27 Return element, spring element 28 Blocking arrangement 29 first blocking element, stop 30 second blocking element, blocking nose 31 (free) 32 intermediate piece 33 wall 34 Centering nose 35 (free) 36 interior wall 37 Exterior wall 38 connecting strut 39 Recording pocket 40 retaining ring 41 spacer element 42 Mounting pin 43 Mounting bracket 44 Chair column axis 45 (free) 46 (free) 47 Blocking ring 48 Handle 49 locking ball 50 locking recess 51 Stop face 52 (free) 53 passage opening 54 shaft 55 Underside of the base support 56 Passage opening 57 Passage opening 58 Top of the retaining ring 59 virtual pivot point, instantaneous center α angle of inclination

Claims

[1] Support (2) for a piece of seating furniture, characterized by a connecting unit (16) attached to a base body (15) of the carrier (2) for connecting the carrier (2) to a support element (6) of a subframe, wherein the connecting unit (16) has a mounting device (5) for the support element (6), wherein the connecting unit (16) is attached to the base body (15) in such a way that the inclination of the base body (15) relative to the support element (6) is variable, for which purpose the base body (15) has a contact base (17) which is contacted by a contact head (18) of the connecting unit (16) in the attached state to form a non-surface contact. [2] Carrier (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the base body (15) has a convex contact base (17). [3] Carrier (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the contact base (17) is contacted by a contact head (18) of the connecting unit (16) in the attached state, forming a point contact. [4] Carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the connecting unit (16) is arranged between the contact base (17) and a closure cover (20) of the base body (15), which closure cover (20) is firmly connected to the base body (15) and closes off a receiving space (21) of the base body (15), which receiving space (21) at least partially receives the connecting unit (16). [5] Carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by a return arrangement (26) with a number of return elements (27), wherein at least one of these return elements (27) is acted upon by the connecting unit (16) when the base body (15) is tilted relative to the support element (6). [6] Carrier (2) according to claim 5, characterized bythat at least one of the restoring elements (27) is acted upon by the contact head (18) when the base body (15) is tilted relative to the support element (6). [7] Carrier (2) according to claims 5 and 6, characterized by that the connecting unit (16) is attached to the base body (15) in such a way that the restoring elements (27) of the restoring arrangement (26) are supported on the one hand on the contact head (18) of the connecting unit (16) and on the other hand on a support element firmly connected to the base body (15). [8] Carrier (2) according to claim 7, characterized by that the support element is the closure cover (20). [9] Carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized bya blocking arrangement (28) with a number of first blocking elements (29), wherein the first blocking elements (29) can be transferred by moving at least one part (47) of the blocking arrangement (28) relative to the base body (15) from a functional position in which tilting of the base body (15) relative to the support element (6) is possible, into a blocking position and back, in which tilting of the base body (15) relative to the support element (6) is not possible. [10] Carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the contact base (17) is designed as an integrated part of the base body (15) or is formed by an intermediate piece (32) interacting with the base body (15). [11] Carrier (2) according to claim 10, characterized by that the intermediate piece (32) rests against the base body (15). [12] Carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized bythat the interacting contact surfaces of the contact base (17) and contact head (18) are arranged obliquely to the horizontal. [13] Carrier (2) according to claim 12, characterized by that the interacting contact surfaces of the contact base (17) and the contact head (18) are arranged obliquely to the horizontal, rising from front to rear as seen in the longitudinal direction of the seat (7). [14] Mechanism (1) for a piece of seating furniture, characterized by a carrier (2) according to one of claims 1 to 13. [15] Seating furniture, with a support (2) according to one of claims 1 to 13 or with a mechanism (1) according to claim 14.

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