Chair

Abstract

To provide technique for restricting cancellation of limit due to mistaken operation for a locking mechanism which is for limiting chair operation.SOLUTION: A chair is equipped with a seat body that can be seated by a user and a support body that supports the seat body. By displacement of the support body, transition is possible for a first state and a second state in which the position of the seat body is different respectively. This chair has a locking mechanism and a suppression part. The locking mechanism is provided with an operation member which is structured movably to an operation position by adding a load downward in a prescribed position. Then the locking mechanism, when the operation member is in the prescribed position, is restricted in transition from the above mentioned first state to the second state and, when the operation member is in the operation position, the transition is allowed in the structure. In addition, the suppression part restricts the approach of an object which adds a load downward for the operation member, to the upper lateral face of the operation member in the prescribed position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a chair capable of changing the position of a seat body.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a chair has been proposed that is configured to be rockable and can change its form between when it is in use and when it is not in use. An example of such a chair is a stepped moving viewing seat. In the stepped moving viewing seat, when not in use, the chairs can be stored by stacking them on the stepped floor with a small gap by tilting the chairs along the stepped floor. Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for controlling the raising and tilting of a chair using a motor as a stepped moving viewing seat.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described stepped moving viewing seat, if the chair transitions from an upright state to a tilted state while a user is seated, the seated state of the user cannot be maintained, which is not preferable. Therefore, it is conceivable to provide a locking mechanism that restricts tilting so that the chair does not easily tilt. However, if the above-described restriction on tilting is accidentally released, there is a risk that the chair will accidentally tilt.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to propose a technique capable of suppressing the release of a restriction due to an accidental operation with respect to a locking mechanism for restricting the operation of a chair.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a chair including a seat on which a user can sit and a support that supports the seat. The position of the seat can be transitioned to a first state and a second state, respectively, with different positions by the displacement of the support. This chair includes a locking mechanism and a restricting portion. The locking mechanism includes an operating member configured to be movable to an operating position by applying a downward load at a predetermined position. The locking mechanism is configured such that the transition from the first state to the second state described above is suppressed when the operating member is at the predetermined position, and the transition is permitted when the operating member is at the operating position. The restricting portion restricts the entry of an object that applies a downward load to the upper surface of the operating member at the predetermined position with respect to the operating member.

[0007] With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress the permission of the transition to the second state by an object (hereinafter, also simply referred to as an object) that applies a downward load to the operating member pressing the upper surface of the operating member. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the locking mechanism for restricting the operation of the chair from being released due to a malfunction.

[0008] In the chair described above, the operating member described above may be configured to be rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis. Further, the restricting portion described above may include obstacles provided on both sides in the length direction of the rotation axis of the operating member. With such a configuration, the movement of an object moving upward from above the operating member in the length direction described above is restricted by the obstacles. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the operating member from being pressed by the object.

[0009] In the chair described above, the operating member described above may be configured to be rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis. Further, the restricting portion described above may include a wall portion provided at a position farther from the rotation axis and above in the horizontal direction than an operating end portion that is an end portion on the side away from the rotation axis in the operating member when the operating member is at the predetermined position.

[0010] With such a configuration, an object moving from the operation end side of the operation member upward toward the operation member can have its movement restricted by the wall portion, so that it is possible to suppress the operation member from being pressed by the object.

[0011] In addition, when the chair transitions to the second state, the above-described wall portion may move to a position where it interferes with the operation member if the operation member is in a predetermined position. With such a configuration, since the wall portion moves to a position close to the operation member, it is possible to suppress the suppression portion from protruding greatly and make the chair compact.

[0012] In the above-described chair, the vertical interval between the lower end of the above-described wall portion when the chair is in the first state and the upper end of the operation member in a predetermined position may be 2 cm or less. With such a configuration, since the vertical interval between the lower end of the wall portion and the operation member is small, it is possible to satisfactorily suppress the entry of an object above the operation member.

[0013] In the above-described chair, an opening may be formed between the lower end of the above-described wall portion when the chair is in the first state and the upper end of the operation member in a predetermined position, and a plate-like member arranged parallel to the installation surface can be inserted by moving it parallel to the installation surface. With such a configuration, the plate-like member can be brought into contact with the upper surface of the operation member to press the operation member.

[0014] In the above-described chair, the support body may be configured to be able to change the position of the seat body by rotating and displacing about a predetermined rotation axis. Further, the lock mechanism may be configured to control the suppression and permission of the transition of the chair from the first state to the second state by controlling the rotation of the support body.

[0015] With such a configuration, by rotating the support body, the position of the seat body can be greatly changed. Further, by the lock mechanism controlling the rotation of the support body, the change in the position of the seat body can be controlled.

[0016] In the chair described above, the first state may be a state in which the seat body is relatively separated from the installation surface of the chair, and the second state may be a state in which the seat body is relatively close to the installation surface of the chair. With such a configuration, by bringing the chair closer to the installation surface in the second state, it can be stored in a small size.

[0017] In the chair described above, the chair may include a plurality of seat bodies supported by a support body and a plurality of locking mechanisms. Further, the plurality of locking mechanisms may be configured such that when the operating member is in the operating position in any one of the locking mechanisms, the transition of the chair from the first state to the second state is permitted.

[0018] With such a configuration, since the chair can be transitioned to the second state by operating any one of the locking mechanisms, it is possible to achieve both a high degree of restriction on the transition to the second state by the plurality of locking mechanisms and a simple unlocking operation.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a chair including a seat body on which a user can sit and a support body that supports the seat body, wherein the position of the seat body can be transitioned to a first state and a second state that are different from each other as the support body is displaced. This chair includes a locking mechanism including an operating member configured to be rotatably movable from a predetermined position to an operating position about a predetermined rotation axis. The locking mechanism is configured such that the transition from the first state to the second state is suppressed when the operating member is in the predetermined position, and the transition is permitted when the operating member is in the operating position. And when the chair is in the first state, when the operating member is in the predetermined position, the operating end portion, which is the end portion on the side away from the rotation axis, is at a position along a specific member constituting the chair. Also, when the chair is in the first state, when the operating member is in the operating position, the operating end portion is at a position relatively farther from the specific member than when it is in the predetermined position.

[0020] With such a configuration, when the chair is in the first state, since the operating end of the operating member at the predetermined position is at a position along the specific member, it is difficult for hands, feet, etc. to get caught, and it is possible to prevent the locking mechanism from being released due to an accidental operation.

[0021] In the chair described above, the locking mechanism may be configured such that, by displacing a restricting member that restricts the displacement of the support body by coming into contact with the support body as the operating member moves, the above-described transition is permitted. The restricting member may not need to be displaced when the operating member is between the predetermined position and the starting position that is between the predetermined position and the operating position. Further, when the operating member is at the starting position, the operating end may be at a position relatively farther from the specific member than when it is at the predetermined position.

[0022] With such a configuration, when moving the operating member from the predetermined position to the starting position, no load is applied to move the restricting member. When moving the operating member from the starting position to the operating position, a load is generated to move the restricting member, but since the operating end is away from the specific member when at the starting position, it becomes easier to apply a load. Therefore, the operation for releasing the lock can be easily performed.

[0023] In the chair described above, the specific member may be configured to move to a position where it interferes with the operating member if the operating member is at the predetermined position when the chair transitions to the second state. With such a configuration, since the specific member moves to a position close to the operating member, it is possible to suppress the specific member from protruding greatly and make the chair more compact.

[0024] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a chair including a seat on which a user can sit and a support that supports the seat. The support is configured to be displaceable to transition between a first state and a second state in which the position of the seat is different respectively. This chair includes a locking mechanism including an operating member configured to be rotatably movable from a predetermined position to an operating position about a predetermined rotation axis. The locking mechanism is configured such that the transition from the first state to the second state is suppressed when the operating member is in the predetermined position, and the transition is permitted when the operating member is in the operating position. And when the chair is in the first state, when the operating member is in the predetermined position, at least a part of the operating member extends along the support. With such a configuration, since at least a part of the operating member is along the support, it is possible to prevent the operating member from being accidentally operated.

[0025] In the chair described above, the end portion of at least a part of the operating member that is away from the rotation axis may be inclined in a direction away from the surface of the support. With such a configuration, when operating the operating member, the operation can be easily performed using the end portion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0026]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. [1. First Embodiment] [1-1. Overall Configuration of Chair] The chair 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a chair used for a stepped moving viewing seat. The stepped moving viewing seat, although not shown in the drawings, has a plurality of stepped floors with different heights, a storage state in which the plurality of stepped floors overlap in the vertical direction, and a state in which the plurality of stepped floors are deployed in a stepped manner to form a viewing seat. It is a viewing seat that transitions to a deployed state.

[0028] The chair 1 includes three seat bodies 11 and backrests 13, a support body 15, two locking mechanisms 17 (see FIG. 4) housed in a case 29, and a suppression unit 19. In the following description, based on a user correctly seated on the seat body 11, directions such as front, rear, left, and right are defined. The direction from the backrest 13 toward the seat body 11 is the front, and the opposite is the rear. The left - right direction is the direction in which the three seat bodies are arranged.

[0029] The seat body 11 is configured to allow a user to sit. This seat body 11 is rotatably attached to a support column 21 described later, and is biased to a position along the backrest 13 as shown in FIG. 1 by a biasing member such as a spring (not shown). When rotated to a position substantially orthogonal to the backrest 13, the user can sit on the seat body 11. The backrest 13 supports the back of the user sitting on the seat body 11. This backrest 13 is provided integrally with a support column 21 described later.

[0030] The support body 15 supports the seat body 11 and the backrest 13. When the support body 15 is displaced, the chair 1 can transition between an upright state and a toppled state. As shown by the dashed line in FIG. 2, the upright state is a state in which the backrest 13 rises at an angle perpendicular to or close to the installation surface 5, and the seat body 11 is relatively separated from the installation surface 5. Also, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 2, the toppled state is a state in which the backrest 13 is substantially parallel to the installation surface 5, and the seat body 11 is relatively close to the installation surface 5. The upright state is an example of the first state of the present disclosure, and the toppled state is an example of the second state of the present disclosure.

[0031] Note that the upright state and the toppled state mean states determined by the position of the support body 15, and the seat body 11 may be in any rotational state. However, in the case of the toppled state, the seat body 11 is in a state along the backrest 13.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 1, the support body 15 includes six support columns 21, connecting rods 23, two support legs 25, and the like. The support columns 21 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the seat body 11 respectively, and rotatably support the seat body 11. Also, the lower ends of the backrest 13 are connected to the upper ends of the support columns 21 on both the left and right sides respectively.

[0033] The connecting rod 23 is a columnar member extending in the left - right direction. The six support columns 21 described above are provided on the connecting rod 23 so as to extend from the connecting rod 23. Also, the support legs 25 are provided at two positions spaced apart in the left - right direction of the connecting rod 23.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 4, the support leg 25 includes a pair of plate - shaped side plates 25a that extend so as to be perpendicular to the above - described left - right direction, and a front plate 25b that connects the front ends of the pair of side plates 25a and extends in the left - right direction. The front plate 25b is located on the front side of the support leg 25 in the upright state and on the lower side in the toppled state.

[0035] The support leg 25 is configured to be rotationally displaceable about the leg rotation axis 27. Along with this rotational displacement, the position of the seat body 11 changes. The leg rotation axis 27 is attached to the case 29. The case 29 has a pair of left and right plate-shaped side portions 29a that extend so as to be orthogonal to the above-described left and right direction. The pair of side portions 29a have their lower ends fixed to the installation surface 5, and their upper ends are connected via a plate member that extends in the width direction.

[0036] [1-2. Configuration of the locking mechanism] The locking mechanism 17 is disposed inside the case 29. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A to 5D, the locking mechanism 17 includes an operating member 31, an interlocking member 33, a pin 35, and a hole 37 provided in the side plate 25a of the support leg 25, etc.

[0037] The operating member 31 is rotatable about a first rotation axis 41 having a length in the left and right direction. Further, the operating member 31 is biased by a spring 43 in the clockwise direction in FIGS. 4 and 5A about the first rotation axis 41, and when no load is applied from the outside, it is in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5A. This position is an example of a predetermined position in the present disclosure, and hereinafter will be referred to as the predetermined position. Also, the operating member 31 is movable to the position shown in FIG. 5B. This position is an example of an operating position in the present disclosure, and hereinafter will be referred to as the operating position.

[0038] The operating member 31 is provided with a plate-shaped contact portion 31a that extends in the left and right direction, and the pressing portion 3a can contact this contact portion 31a to apply a load downward. The end portion of the contact portion 31a on the side away from the first rotation axis 41 becomes the operating end portion 31b. The contact portion 31a is inclined so that the front is higher, and at the predetermined position, the operating end portion 31b is at the highest position. Further, the operating member 31 is formed with a long hole 31c in which the pin 35 is disposed inside, and the position of the pin 35 in the long hole 31c moves according to the rotational position of the operating member 31.

[0039] The interlocking member 33 is rotatable about a second rotation axis 45 having a length in the left - right direction. The interlocking member 33 holds the pin 35 at a position away from the second rotation axis 45. The pin 35 is configured to undergo a rotational displacement about the second rotation axis 45 by the interlocking member 33.

[0040] Also, the connecting rod 47 shown in FIG. 1 is provided at a position coaxial with the second rotation axis 45 and rotates as the interlocking member 33 rotates. Since the connecting rod 47 is connected to each of the interlocking members 33 in the two locking mechanisms 17, when the interlocking member 33 rotates in one locking mechanism 17, the interlocking member 33 also rotates similarly in the other locking mechanism 17.

[0041] The hole 37 provided in the support leg 25 has an arc - shaped arc portion 37a centered on the leg rotation axis 27 and a linear portion 37b extending linearly in a direction away from the leg rotation axis 27. Both the arc portion 37a and the linear portion 37b are formed to have a width through which the pin 35 can pass.

[0042] [1 - 3. Operation of the Locking Mechanism] The operation of the locking mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A - 5D. As shown in FIG. 5A, when the operating member 31 is in a predetermined position, the pin 35 is accommodated in the linear portion 37b. When the support leg 25 attempts to rotate about the leg rotation axis 27, the end face constituting the linear portion 37b of the support leg 25 comes into contact with the pin 35. Therefore, the above - described rotation of the support leg 25 is restricted.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 5B, when the contact portion 31a is pushed down and the operating member 31 moves to the operating position, the pin 35 is pushed up while moving inside the long hole 31c of the operating member 31 and moves to the position where the linear portion 37b and the arc portion 37a intersect.

[0044] In this state, when the support leg 25 attempts to rotate about the leg rotation axis 27, as shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, the pin 35 relatively moves inside the arc portion 37a. Therefore, the inhibition of the rotation of the support leg 25 by the pin 35 is eliminated, that is, the rotation of the support leg 25 is permitted.

[0045]

[0046]

[0045]

[0047] [1-4. Configuration of the suppression part] In the present embodiment, the front plate 25b of the support leg 25 and the side part 29a of the case 29 constitute the suppression part 19. The suppression part 19 suppresses the entry of an object that applies a downward load to the upper surface of the operation member 31 at a predetermined position with respect to the operation member 31. In the following description, an object that applies a load toward the operation position to the operation member 31 and is other than an object for the purpose of operating the operation member 31 such as the lever 3 is simply referred to as an object. Examples of the object in the present embodiment include body parts such as shoes, feet, and hands, as well as umbrellas, bags, etc. that may be placed under the chair.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 6A to 6C, the operation member 31 at a predetermined position is pushed down by the plate-shaped pressing part 3a provided at the tip of the lever 3 coming into contact with the upper surface of the operation member 31 and a downward load being applied. Here, the upper surface means a surface that comes into contact when an object located above the operation member 31 moves downward. Therefore, the specific shape of the upper surface is not particularly limited.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 4, the front plate 25b is provided in front of and above the operation end portion 31b of the operation member 31 when the operation member 31 is in a predetermined position. Here, the front refers to a position away from the first rotation axis 41 forward in the horizontal direction. Note that the front plate 25b is an example of the wall portion of the present disclosure. Also, the pair of side portions 29a are provided on both sides in the length direction of the first rotation axis 41 of the operation member 31. This side portion 29a is an example of the obstacle of the present disclosure.

[0050] An opening 7 is formed between the lower end of the front plate 25b when the chair 1 is in the upright state and the upper end of the operation member 31 in a predetermined position. The opening 7 is approximately rectangular when viewed from the front and has a shape into which a plate-like member, that is, the pressing portion 3a, parallel to the installation surface 5 can be inserted. The vertical interval of this opening 7 is set to be 2 cm or less.

[0051] Also, as shown in FIG. 5D, the front plate 25b moves to a position where it interferes with the operation member 31 if the operation member 31 is in a predetermined position when the chair 1 transitions to the overturned state. In other words, even if the support 15 rotates to the overturned state due to the operation member 31 moving to the operation position, the front plate 25b does not contact the operation member 31.

[0052] [1-5. Other configurations] As shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 7A to 7C, a damper 51 and a spring 53 are provided in the case 29. The spring 53 is housed in the spring case 53a shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, but the illustration of the spring case 53a is omitted in FIGS. 7A to 7C.

[0053] The damper 51 is a so-called swing damper, and its rotation axis is connected to the support leg 25 via the leg rotation axis 27. This damper 51 attenuates the force when the support leg 25 falls forward, that is, when transitioning from the upright state to the overturned state, and suppresses the increase in the rotation speed.

[0054] The spring 53 has one end locked to the protrusion 55 provided on the support leg 25 and the other end locked to the case 29. By pulling the support leg 25 backward via the protrusion 55, the spring 53 applies a load in a direction such that the support leg 25 rises, that is, in a direction from the overturned state to the upright state. Thereby, in cooperation with the damper 51, the increase in the rotation speed when the chair 1 is in the overturned state is suppressed, and when the user lifts the chair to make it in the upright state, the lifting is assisted and the load required for lifting is reduced.

[0055] [1-6. Effect] According to the first embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained. (1a) The chair 1 of the present embodiment includes a lock mechanism 17 and a suppression unit 19. The lock mechanism 17 is configured such that the transition from the upright state to the overturned state described above is suppressed when the operation member 31 is in a predetermined position, and the transition is permitted when the operation member 31 is in the operation position.

[0056] And the suppression unit 19 suppresses the entry of an object such as a shoe or a hand onto the upper surface of the operation member 31 in a predetermined position, so that it is difficult for the operation member 31 to be pressed downward by the object. As a result, the release of the lock due to an accidental operation or the like can be suppressed.

[0057] (1b) In the chair 1, the operation member 31 described above is configured to be rotatable about the first rotation axis 41. Further, the suppression unit 19 described above includes a pair of side portions 29a provided on both sides in the left-right direction of the operation member 31. The pair of side portions 29a can suppress the movement of an object such as a shoe onto the upper surface of the operation member 31 from the left-right direction, thereby suppressing the unintended release of the lock.

[0058] (1c) In the chair 1, the above-described suppression portion 19 includes a front plate 25b. This front plate 25b is provided at a position in front of and above the operation end portion 31b, which is the front end portion of the operation member 31, when the operation member 31 is in a predetermined position. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the movement of an object such as a shoe from the front direction of the chair 1 onto the upper surface of the operation member 31. In the contact portion 31a, since the operation end portion 31b is the portion that is most distant from the first rotation axis 41 and is thus easy to perform a pressing operation, by suppressing the movement of an object to the operation end portion 31b, the erroneous operation of the operation member 31 can be suppressed more favorably.

[0059] In addition, when the chair 1 transitions to a fallen state, if the operation member 31 is in a predetermined position, the above-described front plate 25b moves to a position where it interferes with the operation member 31. In other words, this position is the region where the operation member 31 in the predetermined position exists. That is, since the front plate 25b moves to a position close to the operation member 31, it is possible to suppress the front plate 25b from protruding greatly outward, and the chair 1 can be made more compact.

[0060] When the chair 1 is in an upright state, the vertical interval between the lower end of the above-described front plate 25b and the upper end of the operation member 31 in a predetermined position is 2 cm or less. By making the vertical interval between the lower end of the front plate 25b and the operation member 31 small in this way, it is possible to highly suppress the entry of an object above the operation member 31.

[0061] When the chair 1 is in an upright state, an opening 7 is formed between the lower end of the above-described front plate 25b and the upper end of the operation member 31 in a predetermined position, into which a plate-like member arranged parallel to the installation surface 5 can be moved and inserted backward. Therefore, while it is possible to make a plate material such as the pressing portion 3a enter the inside of the opening 7, it is possible to suppress the entry of a thick member, and it is also possible to suppress the entry of a member that is a plate material and is greatly inclined with respect to the installation surface 5. That is, since it is possible to release the lock by appropriately handling a member with an appropriate shape, the occurrence of an erroneous operation can be suppressed.

[0062] (1d) In the chair 1, the support 15 is configured to be able to change the position of the seat body 11 by rotating and displacing about the leg rotation axis 27. Therefore, the position of the seat body 11 can be greatly moved. Further, the lock mechanism 17 can control the suppression and permission of the transition of the chair 1 from the standing state to the fallen state by controlling the rotation of the support 15.

[0063] (1e) The chair 1 includes a plurality of seat bodies 11 supported by the support 15 and two lock mechanisms 17. Each lock mechanism 17 is configured such that when the operating member 31 is in the operating position in any one of the lock mechanisms 17, the transition of the chair 1 from the standing state to the fallen state is permitted.

[0064] Since it is configured in this way, in order to release the lock, any one of the lock mechanisms 17 provided on the chair 1 may be operated, and the operation becomes simple. Further, in order to suppress the transition of the chair 1 to the fallen state by the plurality of lock mechanisms 17, for example, even if there is a failure in one lock mechanism 17, the standing state can be maintained by the normal lock mechanism 17. That is, it is possible to achieve both a high degree of restriction on the transition to the fallen state by the plurality of lock mechanisms 17 and a simple unlocking operation.

[0065] [2. Second Embodiment] [2-1. Overall Configuration of Chair] The chair 101 of the second embodiment is a chair used for a stepped moving viewing seat in the same manner as the chair 1 of the first embodiment, and has the same configuration as the chair 1 except for the lock mechanism 103 and the mechanisms around it. Therefore, for the same configuration as the chair 1, the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used, and detailed description is omitted.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 8, the chair 101 includes a seat body 11, a backrest 13, a support 15, and a lock mechanism 103 housed in a case 29. The chair 101 is provided with three seat bodies 11 and three backrests 13, and two lock mechanisms 103, as in the case of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 schematically shows the seat body 11, the backrest 13, and the support column 21.

[0067] The locking mechanism 103 is mostly disposed inside the case 29. The locking mechanism 103 includes an operating member 105, an interlocking member 33, a pin 35, and a hole 37 provided in a side plate 25a of a support leg 25. The operating member 105 has a base portion 111, a front plate portion 112, and an operating end portion 113.

[0068] The base portion 111 is disposed inside the case 29 and is connected to the front plate portion 112 and the operating end portion 113 located outside the case 29. The front plate portion 112 is a plate-shaped member that extends orthogonally to the front-rear direction in the upright state shown in FIG. 8 and extends parallel to the front plate 25b along the front plate 25b. Although not shown, the lateral width of the front plate portion 112 is equal to or less than that of the front plate 25b. The operating end portion 113 is a plate-shaped member that extends forward and upward from the upper end of the front plate portion 112. The operating end portion 113 is located along a part of the support body 15 such as the front plate 25b and the connecting rod 23. The support body 15 is an example of a specific member in the present disclosure. Here, the phrase "position along a part of the support body 15" means that the distance between the portion suitable for applying a load to operate the operating member 105 (the operating end portion 113 in this embodiment) and the support body 15 is within a certain range (for example, 2 cm) or less, and it is more preferable that the entire operating end portion 113 (the entire range where a load can be applied) is included in the above-mentioned certain range. Further, the operating end portion 113 does not necessarily need to be provided parallel to a part of the support body 15, and the distance may vary depending on the part.

[0069] Explaining from another perspective, a part of the operating member 105 (the front plate portion 112) extends along the surface of the support leg 25 which is a part of the support body 15. That is, when the chair 101 is in the upright state and the operating member 105 is in a predetermined position, at least a part of the operating member 105, which is the front plate portion 112, extends along the support leg 25. Further, the operating end portion 113, which is an end portion away from the first rotation axis 41 in a part thereof, is inclined in a direction away from the surface of the support leg 25.

[0070] Further, a hole 114 in which a pin 35 is disposed inside is formed in the base portion 111, and the position of the pin 35 in the hole 114 moves according to the rotational position of the operation member 105. The hole 114 has an arcuate arc portion 114a centered on the first rotation axis 41 and a linear portion 114b linearly extending in a direction away from the first rotation axis 41.

[0071] [2-2. Operation of the locking mechanism] The operation of the locking mechanism will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A to 9D. As shown in FIG. 9A, when the operation member 105 is in a predetermined position, the pin 35 is located in the arc portion 114a in the hole 114 and fits in the linear portion 37b in the hole 37. At this time, the rotation of the support leg 25 is restricted.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 9B, when the operation member 105 is rotated, the pin 35 relatively moves to a position where the arc portion 114a and the linear portion 114b intersect. For the operation member 105, this position is set as the starting position. When the operation member 105 is between the predetermined position and the starting position, since the pin 35 moves inside the arc portion 114a, the pin 35 does not displace. Then, when the operation member 105 moves from the starting position toward the operation position, the pin 35 is pushed up while moving inside the linear portion 114b, and as shown in FIG. 9C, it moves to a position where the linear portion 37b and the arc portion 37a intersect in the hole 37.

[0073] In the above state, when the support leg 25 attempts to rotate about the leg rotation axis 27, the pin 35 relatively moves inside the arc portion 37a. Therefore, the inhibition of the rotation of the support leg 25 by the pin 35 is eliminated, and as shown in FIG. 9D, the rotation of the support leg 25 is permitted. FIG. 9D shows a state in which the chair 101 has transitioned to a toppled state. The pin 35 is an example of a restricting member in the present disclosure.

[0074] As described above, the locking mechanism 103 is configured such that the transition from the standing state to the fallen state is suppressed when the operating member 105 is between the predetermined position and the starting position as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9B, and the transition is permitted when the operating member 105 is in the operating position as shown in FIGS. 9C to 9D. Further, the locking mechanism 103 restricts the displacement of the support body 15 by the contact of the pin 35 with the support body 15. By displacing the pin 35 as the operating member 105 moves, the above transition is permitted.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 9B, when the operating member 105 is in the starting position, the operating end portion 113 is at a position relatively farther from the support body 15 than when it is in the predetermined position shown in FIG. 9A. At this position, the operating end portion 113 can be pushed downward by a shoe or the like.

[0076] Further, as shown in FIG. 9D, when the chair 101 transitions to the fallen state, the front plate 25b moves to a position where it interferes with the operating member 105 if the operating member 105 is in the predetermined position. In other words, even if the support body 15 rotates to the fallen state due to the movement of the operating member 105 to the operating position, the front plate 25b does not contact the operating member 105.

[0077] [2-3. Effect] According to the second embodiment described in detail above, the following effects can be obtained. (2a) The chair 101 of this embodiment includes a seat body 11 on which a user can sit and a support body 15 that supports the seat body 11. The chair is configured such that when the support body 15 is displaced, the position of the seat body 11 can transition between a first state (standing state) and a second state (tipping over), where the positions of the seat body 11 are different in each state. This chair 101 is provided with an operation member 105 configured to be rotatably movable from a predetermined position to an operation position about a predetermined rotation axis (leg rotation axis 27). When the operation member 105 is in the predetermined position, the transition from the first state to the second state is suppressed, and when the operation member 105 is in the operation position, a lock mechanism 103 is provided to permit the transition. When the chair 101 is in the first state, when the operation member 105 is in the predetermined position, an operation end portion 113, which is an end portion on the side away from the rotation axis, is at a position along a specific member (support body 15, support leg 25) that constitutes the chair 101. When the operation member 105 is in the operation position, the operation end portion 113 is at a position relatively farther away from the specific member than when it is in the predetermined position.

[0078] Therefore, in the chair 101, when in the standing state, since the operation end portion 113 of the operation member 105 in the predetermined position is at a position along the support body 15, it is difficult for hands, feet, etc. to get caught, and it is possible to prevent the lock mechanism 103 from being accidentally released.

[0079] In the chair 101, although the support leg 25 of the support body 15 is exemplified as an example of the specific member, the operation end portion 113 when the operation member is in the predetermined position may be at a position along a member other than the support body. For example, it may be at a position along the case 29. Also, it may be at a position along the support column 21 or the connecting rod 23 of the support body 15.

[0080] (2b) In the chair 101, the lock mechanism 103 is configured to displace a limiting member (pin 35) that abuts against the support 15 to limit the displacement of the support 15 as the operating member 105 moves, so that the above transition is permitted. When the operating member 105 is between the predetermined position and the starting position that is between the predetermined position and the operating position, the limiting member does not displace. When the operating member 105 is at the starting position, the operating end 113 is at a position relatively farther from the specific member than when it is at the predetermined position.

[0081] Therefore, in the chair 101, when the operating member 105 is displaced from the predetermined position to the starting position, the operating member 105 can be operated without applying a load for moving the pin 35. That is, the operating member 105 can be operated by hooking the end of a hand or a shoe. When the operating member 105 is at the starting position, since the operating end 113 is away from the support 15, it becomes easier to apply a large load near the center of the shoe. Thus, the operation for releasing the lock can be easily performed.

[0082] (2c) In the chair 101, when the chair 101 transitions to the second state, the specific member (support 15) moves to a position where it interferes with the operating member 105 if the operating member 105 is at the predetermined position. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the specific member from protruding greatly, and the lower part of the chair 101 in particular can be made compact.

[0083] (2d) In the chair 101, when the chair 101 is in the upright state and the operating member 105 is at the predetermined position, the front plate portion 112, which is at least a part of the operating member 105, extends along the support 15 (support leg 25). Further, the end (operating end 113) away from the first rotation axis 41 in a part thereof is inclined in a direction away from the surface of the support leg 25.

[0084] With such a shape, the operating member 105 arranged along the support 15 is less likely to cause an accidental operation, and the operation of the operating member 105 can be easily realized by using the operating end 113.

[0085] [3. Other Embodiments] As described above, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been explained. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments at all, and it goes without saying that the present disclosure can take various forms as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0086] (2a) In the above first embodiment, as an example of the suppression unit, a configuration including the front plate 25b and the pair of side portions 29a is illustrated. However, the specific configuration of the suppression unit is not particularly limited. For example, only one of the front plate 25b and the side portion 29a may be provided. That is, (i) by providing the front plate 25b, even if one or both of the side portions 29a are not provided, it is possible to suppress the approach of an object from the front where there is a high possibility that the object approaches the operation member 31. Also, (ii) by providing the pair of side portions 29a, even if the front plate 25b is not provided, it is possible to suppress an object wider than the interval between the pair of side portions 29a from approaching the upper surface of 31.

[0087] Note that the front plate 25b may not be provided at a portion that is displaced as the support 15 is displaced, such as the rotating support leg 25. Also, the front plate 25b may be configured so as not to overlap with the region where the operation member 31 is located at a predetermined position when the chair 1 transitions to a toppled state.

[0088] Also, the suppression unit does not necessarily have to be formed of a plate-like or wall-like member. For example, various shapes having a function of coming into contact with an object that applies a load downward to the operation member, such as a net shape or a rod shape, and suppressing the entry of the object can be adopted.

[0089] Also, the vertical interval between the lower end of the front plate 25b when the chair 1 is in an upright state and the upper end of the operation member 31 at a predetermined position may exceed 2 cm, or may be configured to be 1 cm or less. Also, the horizontal interval between the pair of side portions 29a may be, for example, 6 cm or less, and by making the interval small in this way, the entry of an object can be suppressed. Note that the suppression unit of the present disclosure does not necessarily have to suppress operations by specific objects such as shoes or hands. That is, the operation member may be configured to be operable by hands or shoes.

[0090] Also, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which a substantially rectangular opening that can be inserted by moving a pressing portion 3a parallel to the installation surface 5 backward is formed between the lower end of the front plate 25b when the chair 1 is in the upright state and the upper end (operation end portion 31b) of the operation member 31 at a predetermined position. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. At least, it suffices that the contact portion 31a of the operation member 31 can be pressed by a member having a specific shape.

[0091] (2b) In the above first embodiment, an example is shown in which at least the operation member 31 at a predetermined position is housed inside the case 29. However, as long as the operation from the outside to the operation member is restricted by the suppression unit, the specific configurations of the lock mechanism and the suppression unit are not particularly limited. Also in the second embodiment, the lock mechanism can take various forms. For example, the chair 71 shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B includes a support leg 81 that rotates about a leg rotation axis 82, an operation member 83, an interlocking portion 84, and link members 86 and 87. Note that the upper side of the connecting rod 23 is not shown and the detailed description thereof is omitted.

[0092] The operation member 83 is disposed outside the case 29 and is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis 85. The rotation axis 85 is connected to an interlocking portion 84 disposed inside the case 29, and when the operation member 83 is operated, the interlocking portion 84 also rotates. In FIG. 10A, the support leg 81 cannot rotate to tilt the seat body forward by the link members 86 and 87 that constitute the toggle mechanism. Then, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the interlocking portion 84 pushes up a connecting shaft 89 that connects the link members 86 and 87, the support leg 81 can rotate.

[0093] In addition, the chair 71 is provided with a suppression portion 91. The suppression portion 91 is provided above the operation member 83 and is a plate-shaped member that extends in the horizontal direction. A small gap is provided between the operation member 83 at a predetermined position and the suppression portion 91. By this suppression portion 91, the movement of an object to the upper surface of the operation member 83 is suppressed, and malfunction can be suppressed. Further, instead of the suppression portion 91, like the chair 101 of the second embodiment, it may be configured such that when the operation member is at a predetermined position, the operation end portion 113 is at a position along any member of the chair 101.

[0094] (2c) In each of the above embodiments, as the chairs 1 and 101, a configuration used for a stepped moving viewing seat is exemplified, but the configuration of the present disclosure may be applied to chairs used for purposes other than stepped moving viewing seats. Further, in the above embodiments, the chairs 1 and 101 are exemplified as having a configuration in which the support 15 rotates and displaces, and the seat body 11 transitions between a state close to the installation surface 5 and a state away from the installation surface 5. However, for example, the seat body may be configured to slide. In that case, the lock mechanism may be configured to suppress the sliding movement of the seat body.

[0095] In each of the above embodiments, a configuration in which the distance from the installation surface 5 of the seat body 11 is different between the standing state (first state) in which the chairs 1 and 101 stand up and the fallen state (second state) in which the chair 1 falls down is exemplified. However, the specific modes of the first state and the second state are not limited to the above examples, and for example, it may be configured such that the distance from the installation surface of the seat body does not change between the first state and the second state. For example, the seat body may be configured to move forward and backward or left and right.

[0096] In each of the above embodiments, a configuration in which a plurality of seat bodies 11 and backrests 13 are supported by the support 15 and they rotate and displace simultaneously is exemplified. However, the number of seat bodies and the like provided in the chair is not particularly limited. For example, in a chair having one seat body and a backrest, the lock mechanism and the suppression portion of the present disclosure may be applied. The number of lock mechanisms is also not limited, and it may be one or three or more for the chair. Further, the chair may not be provided with a backrest.

[0097] (2d) In each of the above embodiments, as the lock mechanisms 17 and 103, a configuration that allows the rotation of the support 15 by changing the position of the pin 35 according to an operation was exemplified. However, the specific configuration of the lock mechanism is not particularly limited, and any configuration may be used as long as the rotation of the support 15 is allowed on the condition that at least a pressing operation of the operating member 31 to the operating position is performed. In the above embodiment, a configuration that allows the transition from the standing state (the first state) to the fallen state (the second state) was exemplified. However, regarding the transition from the second state to the first state, it may also be configured such that unlocking by the operating member is required.

[0098] (2e) In the above second embodiment, as the operating member 105, a configuration including a plate-shaped front plate portion 112 and an operating end portion 113 was exemplified. However, the shape of the operating member in the second embodiment is not limited to those, and various shapes can be adopted.

[0099] For example, in the operating member 121 shown in FIG. 11, portions corresponding to the front plate portion 112 and the operating end portion 113 in the operating member 105 of the second embodiment are formed of rod-shaped members. The lower end portion 123 of this rod-shaped member, which is located on the lower side in the standing state shown in FIG. 11, is connected to the base portion 111, and the central portion 125 extends vertically substantially parallel to the front plate 25b. Further, the upper end portion 127 located on the upper side is inclined in a direction away from the front plate 25b.

[0100] Both the above-described central portion 125 and upper end portion 127 are located at positions along a part of the support 15, such as the front plate 25b and the connecting rod 23. Here, the "position along a part of the support 15" means that the distance between the central portion 125, the upper end portion 127, and the support 15 may be within a certain range (for example, 2 cm) or less. Further, it is more preferable that the central portion 125 and the upper end portion 127 are included in the above-described certain range.

[0101] As shown by the broken line in FIG. 11, the operating member 121 can be rotated forward about the first rotation axis 41. Thereby, unlocking can be executed in the same manner as the operating member 105.

[0102] Note that the operation member 121 does not necessarily have an upper end portion 127 that bends forward and extends, or for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member extending in the left-right direction may be arranged at the upper end of the rod-shaped member. The upper end of the rod-shaped member may bend and extend in the left-right direction. In that case, the bent portion may also extend along the front plate 25b, the connecting rod 23, or the like.

[0103] (2f) A plurality of functions of one component in the above embodiment may be realized by a plurality of components, or one function of one component may be realized by a plurality of components. Also, a plurality of functions of a plurality of components may be realized by one component, or one function realized by a plurality of components may be realized by one component. Further, a part of the configuration of the above embodiment may be omitted. Also, at least a part of the configuration of the above embodiment may be added to or replaced with the configuration of another of the above embodiments.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0104] 1... chair, 3... lever, 3a... pressing portion, 5... installation surface, 7... opening, 11... seat body, 13... backrest, 15... support, 17... locking mechanism, 19... restraining portion, 21... column, 23... connecting rod, 25... support leg, 25a... side plate, 25b... front plate, 27... leg rotation shaft, 29... case, 29a... side portion, 31... operation member, 31a... contact portion, 31b... operation end portion, 31c... long hole, 33... interlocking member, 35... pin, 37... hole, 37a... arc portion, 37b... straight portion, 41... first rotation shaft, 43... spring, 45... second rotation shaft, 47... connecting rod, 51... damper, 53... spring, 53a... spring case, 55... protrusion, 71... chair, 81... support leg, 82... leg rotation shaft, 83... operation member, 84... interlocking portion, 85... rotation shaft, 86... link member, 87... link member, 89... connecting shaft, 91... restraining portion, 101... chair, 103... locking mechanism, 105... operation member, 111... base portion, 112... front plate portion, 113... operation end portion, 114... hole, 114a... arc portion, 114b... straight portion, 121... operation member, 123... lower end portion, 125... central portion, 127... upper end portion

Claims

1. A chair comprising a seat body on which a user can sit and a support body that supports the seat body, wherein the support body can be displaced to transition to a first state and a second state in which the positions of the seat body are different from each other, comprising an operating member configured to be movable to an operating position by applying a load downward at a predetermined position, wherein when the operating member is at the predetermined position, the transition from the first state to the second state is suppressed, and when the operating member is at the operating position, a locking mechanism is configured to permit the transition, and a suppression portion that suppresses entry of an object that applies a load downward with respect to the operating member onto an upper surface of the operating member at the predetermined position.

2. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is configured to be rotatably movable about a predetermined rotation axis, and the suppression portion includes obstacle bodies provided on both sides in the length direction of the rotation axis in the operating member.

3. The chair according to claim 1, wherein the operating member is configured to be rotatably movable about a predetermined rotation axis, and the suppression portion includes a wall portion provided at a position farther from the rotation axis and above in the horizontal direction than an operating end portion that is an end portion on a side away from the rotation axis in the operating member when the operating member is at the predetermined position.

4. The chair according to claim 3, wherein the wall portion moves to a position where it interferes with the operating member if the operating member is at the predetermined position when the chair transitions to the second state.

5. The chair according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein a vertical interval between a lower end of the wall portion when the chair is in the first state and an upper end of the operating member at the predetermined position is 2 cm or less.

6. The chair according to claim 3 or claim 4, an opening is formed between a lower end of the wall portion and an upper end of the operation member at the predetermined position, when the chair is in the first state, the opening being formed so that a plate-like member arranged parallel to the installation surface can be inserted by being moved parallel to the installation surface.

7. The chair according to claim 1, the support body is configured to be able to change the position of the seat body by rotating and displacing about a predetermined rotation axis, the locking mechanism controls the suppression and permission of the transition of the chair from the first state to the second state by controlling the rotation of the support body.

8. The chair according to claim 1, the first state is a state in which the seat body is relatively separated from the installation surface of the chair, and the second state is a state in which the seat body is relatively close to the installation surface of the chair.

9. The chair according to claim 1, the chair includes a plurality of the seat bodies supported by the support body and a plurality of the locking mechanisms, the plurality of locking mechanisms are configured such that when the operation member is in the operation position in any one of the locking mechanisms, the transition of the chair from the first state to the second state is permitted.

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