Load support member for chair and chair

Abstract

To make a chair in which a backrest is connected to a pair of armrests and a load support member for the chair robust by suppressing a seating state from becoming unstable.SOLUTION: The load support member 9 includes a seat receiving portion 30 having a lower surface supported by the support structural body from below and an upper surface side 30u supporting the seat supporting the hip of the seated person from below, a pair of left and right horizontal rod portions 35 extending outward from the seat receiving portion 30 in the left-right direction, a pair of left and right upright rod portions 40 extending upward from the pair of horizontal rod portions in a space outside the seat in the left-right direction, and an upper connection rod portion 45 having a pair of left and right armrest portions 46 and a backrest portion 47 extending between the pair of armrest portions 46 and connecting the pair of upright rod portions 40 to each other. The seat receiving portion 30, the pair of horizontal rod portions 35, the pair of upright rod portions 40, and the upper coupling rod portion 45 are integrally formed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a load-bearing member for a chair and a chair. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a chair that is integrally formed with a seat body, a pair of armrests connected to both the left and right sides of the seat body, and a backrest that connects the pair of armrests (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Because the backrest is connected to the pair of armrests, the load applied to the backrest can be distributed in a balanced manner to the pair of left and right armrests. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Registered Utility Model No. 3172848 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, when a pair of left and right armrests are connected to the seat body, the load applied to the pair of armrests may be biased to one side, causing the seat body to tilt and making the seating position unstable.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention provides a chair having a backrest connected to a pair of armrests and a load-supporting member for the chair that is robust and prevents the seated position from becoming unstable. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The load support member for a chair according to the first aspect of the present invention comprises a seat support portion having a lower surface that is supported from below by a support structure and an upper surface that supports from below the seat member that supports the buttocks of a seated person, a pair of left and right outward portions extending outward in the left-right direction from the seat support portion, a pair of left and right upright portions extending upward from each of the pair of outward portions through the space outside the left-right direction of the seat member, a pair of left and right armrest portions, and a connecting portion that has a backrest portion extending between the pair of armrest portions and connects the pair of upright portions together, and the seat support portion, the pair of outward portions, the pair of upright portions and the connecting portion are formed integrally.

[0007] According to the first aspect, a connecting part having a backrest and a pair of armrests is connected to a seat support part supporting the seat member via an upright part and an outward-facing part. This prevents the load applied to the connecting part from being directly transmitted to the seat member, unlike a configuration in which the armrests extend from the seat member. Therefore, tilting of the seat member when the load applied to the pair of armrests is biased to one side can be prevented. As a result, a sturdy chair can be constructed that prevents the seating position from becoming unstable.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is a load support member for a chair, wherein in the load support member for a chair according to the first aspect, the seat support portion has an upper wall portion having the lower surface and the upper surface, and a pair of left and right side wall portions extending downward from the upper wall portion, and the pair of outward portions may be connected to the pair of side wall portions.

[0009] According to the second aspect, compared to a configuration in which the outward portion is connected to the upper wall portion, it is possible to make it more difficult for force to be transmitted from the outward portion to the seat member via the seat support portion, thereby making it even more difficult for the load applied to the connecting portion to be transmitted to the seat member via the upright portion and the outward portion.

[0010] A third aspect of the present invention provides a load support member for a chair in the second aspect, wherein the seat support portion includes the pair of side wall portions and has a peripheral wall portion extending downward from the entire outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and is formed in a box shape that opens downward.

[0011] According to the third aspect, the seat receiving portion itself can be configured to be robust, and it is possible to make it even more difficult for force to be transmitted from the outward portion to the seat member via the seat receiving portion.

[0012] A load support member for a chair according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a load support member for a chair according to any one of the first to third aspects above, further comprising a lower connecting portion connecting the pair of standing portions together, and the lower connecting portion may be connected to a point lower than the connection portion of the standing portion with the connecting portion.

[0013] According to the fourth aspect, the pair of standing portions are connected at two locations, upper and lower, by the connecting portion and the lower connecting portion, so that the rigidity of the load support member itself can be improved.

[0014] A load support member for a chair according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is a load support member for a chair according to any one of the first to fourth aspects above, wherein at least one of the pair of outward portions, the pair of upright portions and the connecting portion may be a rod-shaped member.

[0015] According to the fifth aspect, the robustness of the load supporting member can be ensured.

[0016] A chair according to a sixth aspect of the present invention comprises a load support member for a chair according to any one of the first to fifth aspects described above, and the support structure connected to the seat support portion so as to be unable to move in the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0017] According to the sixth aspect, it is possible to provide a chair in which the load-bearing member is firmly supported by the support structure.

[0018] A chair according to a seventh aspect of the present invention may be the chair according to the sixth aspect, further comprising the seat member connected to the seat receiving portion so as not to be displaceable in the up and down direction.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect, the support structure and the seat member overlap with the seat receiving portion, which allows the portion where the load support member, the support structure and the seat member are connected to be formed thick, ensuring robustness.

[0020] A chair according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is the chair according to the seventh aspect, wherein the seat receiving portion and the seat member may be fastened to each other.

[0021] According to the eighth aspect, the load support member, the support structure, and the seat member are more integrated, and the robustness of the portion where the load support member, the support structure, and the seat member are connected can be ensured. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] According to the present invention, a chair having a backrest connected to a pair of armrests and a load support member for the chair can be made robust by preventing the seated state from becoming unstable. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment, seen from above. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment, seen from below. [Figure 3] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 6. [Figure 4] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a load support member 9 according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a front view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a side view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] 1 is a plan view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 5. [Figure 10] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 5. [Figure 11]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 5. [Figure 12] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 5. [Figure 13] 10 is a rear view showing the middle portion in the left-right direction of the upper connecting rod portion 45 of the embodiment. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, components having the same or similar functions will be designated by the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these components may be omitted. In the following description, directions such as front, back, up, down, left, and right will be the same as the directions of a person (seater) sitting normally in a chair. That is, the direction in which a seated person faces forward will be referred to as "forward," and the opposite direction will be referred to as "rear." Furthermore, in each drawing, the arrow UP indicates upward, the arrow FR indicates forward, and the arrow LH indicates leftward. In this embodiment, "integrally formed" means that at least a portion of all parts of a target are formed from a single member. That is, when multiple parts are integrally formed, a continuous member is provided for all of the target parts. However, a member other than the single member may be provided for some of the target parts.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair 1 according to an embodiment, seen from above. 1, a chair 1 of the embodiment includes a support structure 3, a seat 5, and a backrest 7. The chair 1 has a seating space S above the seat 5.

[0026] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the chair 1 according to the embodiment, seen from below. Note that in Fig. 2 and subsequent figures, an upholstery material 70, which will be described later, may be omitted from the illustration. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the support structure 3 includes legs 10 and a support base 15 .

[0027] The leg body 10 includes a multi-leg 11 and a leg post 12. Each leg of the multi-leg 11 is fitted with a caster that allows it to run on the floor. A footrest may be attached to the multi-leg 11. The leg post 12 extends upward from the center of the multi-leg 11. A gas spring, which is the lifting mechanism for the chair 1, is built into the leg post 12. The gas spring is configured such that an inner tube is supported so as to be able to move up and down and rotate relative to an outer tube (not shown) provided within the leg post 12. A support base 15 is connected to the upper end of the leg post 12 (inner tube). The support base 15 supports the seat 5 from below. A lever for operating the gas spring is attached to the support base 15.

[0028] The seat 5 supports the buttocks and thighs of the seated person. The seat 5 is indirectly supported by the support base 15 of the support structure 3 via the backrest 7. The seat 5 comprises a seat plate 20 that receives the seating load, and a cushion 23 arranged above the seat plate 20. The seat plate 20 is formed in a circular or rectangular shape in plan view so that its shape in plan view approximately matches the shape of the seat 5 in plan view. The cushion 23 is arranged along the upper surface of the seat plate 20 and is supported by the seat plate 20. The cushion 23 is arranged so as to overlap the entire seat plate 20 when viewed from above.

[0029] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 6. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 7. As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the seat 5 further includes a seat plate support member 26. The seat plate support member 26 supports the seat plate 20 from below. The seat plate support member 26 is connected to the seat plate 20 so that it can be displaced in the front-to-rear direction. The seat plate support member 26 connects the seat plate 20 so that it cannot be displaced in the up-down direction or the left-to-right direction.

[0030] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the backrest 7 is supported by the support structure 3. The backrest 7 has a load support surface 8 that supports the weight of a seated person and is located above the seat 5. The backrest 7 cannot tilt relative to the seat 5. The backrest 7 is formed substantially symmetrically. The backrest 7 includes a load support member 9 and an upholstery material 70.

[0031] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the load support member 9 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the load support member 9 includes a seat receiving portion 30, a pair of left and right horizontal rod portions 35, a pair of left and right standing rod portions 40, an upper connecting rod portion 45, and a lower connecting rod portion 50.

[0032] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the seat support portion 30 is connected to the support structure 3 so that it cannot move up and down or left and right. The seat support portion 30 is connected to the seat 5 so that it cannot move up and down. The seat support portion 30 has a lower surface 30l that is supported by the support structure 3 and an upper surface 30u that supports the seat 5 from below. The seat support portion 30 is connected to the seat plate support member 26 of the seat 5 from below, and is interposed between the seat 5 and the support base 15, thereby indirectly connecting the seat 5 and the support base 15 to each other. The seat support portion 30 has an upper wall portion 31 that extends horizontally, and a peripheral wall portion 32 that extends downward from the upper wall portion 31. The upper wall portion 31 and the peripheral wall portion 32 are formed integrally.

[0033] The upper wall portion 31 is a portion of the seat support portion 30 that has a lower surface 30l and an upper surface 30u. The upper wall portion 31 is a plate-like shape that has a rectangular shape in a plan view, with one pair of sides extending in the front-to-rear direction and the other pair of sides extending in the left-to-right direction. The support base 15 is connected to the upper wall portion 31 from below, and the seat plate support member 26 is connected to the upper wall portion 31 from above. The support base 15 and the seat plate support member 26 are fastened to the upper wall portion 31 by a common fastening member.

[0034] The peripheral wall portion 32 extends downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion 31. The peripheral wall portion 32 is connected to the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion 31 around the entire periphery. As a result, the peripheral wall portion 32 has a pair of left and right side wall portions 32a extending along the front-rear direction, and a front wall portion and a rear wall portion extending along the left-right direction. The seat receiving portion 30 is formed in a box shape that is open downward. The support base 15 is arranged inside the seat receiving portion 30.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a front view of the chair 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the pair of horizontal rod portions 35 correspond one-to-one to the pair of side wall portions 32a. The horizontal rod portions 35 are connected to the side wall portions 32a. The horizontal rod portions 35 are formed integrally with the seat support portion 30. In this embodiment, the entire horizontal rod portion 35 is formed integrally with the entire seat support portion 30. The horizontal rod portions 35 are connected to the middle portion of each side wall portion 32a in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the horizontal rod portions 35 are connected to positions spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction from the front end and rear end of each side wall portion 32a. The horizontal rod portions 35 extend outward in the left-to-right direction from each side wall portion 32a. The horizontal rod portions 35 extend in the left-to-right direction in the space below the seat 5. It is desirable that the horizontal rod portion 35 does not contact the seat 5, but for example, in a configuration in which the seat plate 20 does not displace in the front-to-rear direction relative to the seat plate support member 26, the horizontal rod portion 35 may contact the seat 5. The outer end of the horizontal rod portion 35 is located outside the seat 5 in a plan view.

[0036] The cross section of the horizontal rod portion 35 perpendicular to the left-right direction is rectangular with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. The upper surface 35u of the horizontal rod portion 35 is connected to the upper surface 30u of the seat support portion 30 via a stepped surface 32b provided on the side wall portion 32a and facing outward in the left-right direction. As a result, the upper surface 35u of the horizontal rod portion 35 extends outward in the left-right direction from a position lower than the upper surface 30u of the seat support portion 30. Note that the normal direction of the stepped surface 32b does not have to be parallel to the left-right direction, as long as the normal vector of the stepped surface includes a component pointing outward in the left-right direction.

[0037] FIG. 7 is a side view of the chair 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the pair of standing rods 40 correspond one-to-one to the pair of horizontal rods 35. The standing rods 40 are connected to the horizontal rods 35. The standing rods 40 are formed integrally with the horizontal rods 35. In this embodiment, the standing rods 40 are formed integrally with the entire horizontal rods 35. The standing rods 40 have a length in the vertical direction. The standing rods 40 have lower ends connected to the outer left-right ends of each horizontal rod 35. The standing rods 40 extend upward from their lower ends in the space outside the left-right direction of the seat 5 in a front view. The load support member 9 is smoothly bent at the connection between the horizontal rods 35 and the standing rods 40 so that the outer surface is continuous. The standing rods 40 cross the seat 5 in a side view from the left-right direction. The upper end of the standing rod portion 40 is within the range in which the seat receiving portion 30 is formed in the front-rear direction.

[0038] The cross section of the standing rod portion 40 perpendicular to the up-down direction is rectangular with the longitudinal direction extending in the front-to-rear direction. The rectangular cross section of the standing rod portion 40 improves rigidity against loads from vertically above. The standing rod portion 40 has a front surface 40f facing forward and an inner surface 40i facing the seating space S. For example, the front surface 40f is defined by an area of ​​the outer surface of the standing rod portion 40 that is visible from the front. The front surface 40f extends over the entire length of the standing rod portion 40. The inner surface 40i extends over the entire length of the standing rod portion 40. The inner surface 40i is continuous with the upper surface 35u of the horizontal rod portion 35.

[0039] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the chair 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figures 5 and 8, the upper connecting rod 45 connects the upper ends of the pair of upright rods 40. The upper connecting rod 45 is formed integrally with the upright rod 40. In a plan view, the upper connecting rod 45 is formed in a U-shape that opens forward and is curved so as to convex rearward. The upper connecting rod 45 is arranged to surround the seating space S from both the left and right sides and the rear. In a side view seen from the left and right direction, the upper connecting rod 45 extends upward and rearward from the front end of the upper connecting rod 45 (see Figure 7). The load support member 9 is smoothly bent so that the outer surface is continuous at the connection between the upright rod 40 and the upper connecting rod 45. The upper connecting rod 45 includes a pair of left and right armrests 46, a backrest 47, and an extension 48.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5 , the pair of armrests 46 correspond one-to-one to the pair of upright rods 40. The armrests 46 have a length in the front-to-rear direction. The armrests 46 have front ends connected to the upper ends of the upright rods 40. The front ends of the pair of armrests 46 are the front ends of both the left and right sides of the upper connecting rods 45. The armrests 46 extend rearward from their front ends in a plan view. The cross section of the armrests 46 perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction is a rectangle with one pair of sides extending in the up-down direction and the other pair of sides extending in the left-to-right direction. The upper corners 46a, which are outermost in the left-to-right direction, of the armrests 46 are located at the outermost left-to-right position of the armrests 46 in any position in the front-to-rear direction.

[0041] The backrest 47 is connected to the pair of armrests 46. The backrest 47 is formed integrally with the pair of armrests 46. The backrest 47 extends between the rear ends of the pair of armrests 46. The backrest 47 extends outward in the left-right direction from a left-right intermediate portion of the upper connecting rod 45 and is connected to the rear ends of the pair of armrests 46. The backrest 47 only needs to have a region that includes the left-right intermediate portion of the upper connecting rod 45 and extends along the left-right direction, and the boundary between the armrests 46 and the backrest 47 does not need to be uniquely identified. However, for example, if the upper connecting rod has a clearly bent portion in a planar view, the bent portion may be defined as the boundary between the armrests and the backrest.

[0042] The cross section of the backrest 47 perpendicular to the left-right direction has a rectangular shape with one pair of sides extending vertically and the other pair of sides extending upward and rearward. The upper and rear corner 47a of the backrest 47 is located at the rearmost position of the backrest 47 regardless of the position of the backrest 47 in the front-to-rear direction. The upper and rear corner 47a in the middle of the backrest 47 in the left-to-right direction is the upper rear end of the upper connecting rod 45. The upper and rear corner 47a of the backrest 47 is continuous with the upper and outer corner 46a of the armrest 46 in the left-to-right direction. In other words, the upper and outer corner 45a of the upper connecting rod 45 in the horizontal direction is the edge located at the horizontally outermost position of the upper connecting rod 45. In this embodiment, the horizontally outer and upper corner 45a of the upper connecting rod portion 45 is located at the outermost position of the seat 5 and the load support member 9 in the horizontal direction.

[0043] The extension portion 48 extends downward from a middle portion in the left-right direction of the backrest portion 47. The entire extension portion 48 is formed integrally with the backrest portion 47. The extension portion 48 extends in the left-right direction along the backrest portion 47.

[0044] The upper connecting rod portion 45 has an upper surface 45u facing upward and an inner surface 45i facing the seating space S. For example, the upper surface 45u is defined by a region of the outer surface of the upper connecting rod portion 45 that is visible from above. The upper surface 45u is provided over the entire length of the upper connecting rod portion 45. That is, the upper surface 45u is provided continuously from the front ends of the pair of armrests 46 to the backrest portion 47. The upper surface 45u is continuous with the front surface 40f of the upright rod portion 40. In this embodiment, the upper surface 45u is a flat surface that is continuous over the entire length except for the rounded portions on both side edges. The upper surface 45u faces forward and upward. That is, the upper surface 45u faces upward and forward when viewed from the left and right (see FIGS. 6 and 7). Note that the upper surface 45u may also face upward when viewed from the left and right. The portions of the upper surface 45u formed on the armrests 46 are armrest surfaces on which the seated occupant rests their arms (including elbows). The armrest surface of this embodiment can support the arm of the seated occupant from the forearm to the elbow. However, it is sufficient that the armrest surface can support at least the forearm or elbow of the seated occupant. The armrest surface may face upward and inward in the left-right direction when viewed from the front-to-back direction, or upward and outward in the left-to-right direction.

[0045] The inner surface 45i is a concave curved surface that extends in a U-shape in plan view, corresponding to the shape of the upper connecting rod 45 in plan view. The inner surface 45i is provided over the entire length of the upper connecting rod 45. That is, the inner surface 45i is provided continuously from the front ends of the pair of armrests 46 to the backrest 47. The inner surface 45i is continuous with the inner surface 40i of the standing rod 40. Furthermore, the inner surface 45i is provided continuously from the backrest 47 to the extension 48. The portions of the inner surface 45i formed on the armrests 46 face inward in the left-right direction when viewed from above (see FIG. 8). The portions of the inner surface 45i formed on the backrest 47 and the extension 48 face forward when viewed from above (see FIG. 8). The region of the inner surface 45i that is located in the range in which the extension portion 48 is formed in the left-right direction extends downward and forward (see FIG. 9).

[0046] The lower connecting rod 50 connects a pair of standing rods 40 together. The lower connecting rod 50 is located below the upper connecting rod 45. The lower connecting rod 50 is connected to a point on the standing rod 40 below the connection point with the upper connecting rod 45. In other words, the lower connecting rod 50 is connected to the vertical middle of the standing rod 40. The lower connecting rod 50 is formed integrally with the standing rod 40. The lower connecting rod 50 is located above the seat 5 and has a vertical gap with respect to the seat 5 in front view (see FIG. 6). The lower connecting rod 50 is formed in a U-shape that opens forward in plan view and is curved so as to convex backward. The lower connecting rod 50 is located to surround the seating space S from both the left and right sides and the rear. The lower connecting rod portion 50 extends rearward from its front end in a side view from the left-right direction. The left-right middle portion of the lower connecting rod portion 50 is located forward of the left-right middle portion of the upper connecting rod portion 45.

[0047] In this embodiment, substantially the entire load support member 9 is formed from a single member, so that the seat receiving portion 30, the pair of horizontal rod portions 35, the pair of upright rod portions 40, and the upper connecting rod portion 45 are integrally formed.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the lower connecting rod portion 50 has a lower surface 50l facing downward and an inner surface 50i facing the seating space S. For example, the lower surface 50l is defined by a region of the outer surface of the lower connecting rod portion 50 that is visible from below. The lower surface 50l is provided over the entire length of the lower connecting rod portion 50. The inner surface 50i is a concave curved surface that extends in a U-shape in plan view, corresponding to the shape of the lower connecting rod portion 50 in plan view. The inner surface 50i is provided over the entire length of the lower connecting rod portion 50. The inner surface 50i is continuous with the inner surface 40i of the upright rod portion 40.

[0049] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Fig. 5. Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in Fig. 5. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in Fig. 5. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in Fig. 5. 5 and 9 to 12, the load support member 9 is formed with an engagement recess 60 into which the upholstery material 70 engages. The engagement recess 60 comprises an upper engagement recess 61 formed in the upper connecting rod portion 45, a pair of left and right side engagement recesses 62 formed in each upright rod portion 40, and a lower engagement recess 63 formed in the lower connecting rod portion 50. The engagement recess 60 extends continuously in an annular shape.

[0050] As shown in Figures 5, 9, and 10, the upper engagement recess 61 is formed in the upper connecting rod portion 45. The upper engagement recess 61 opens to the upper surface 45u of the upper connecting rod portion 45. The upper engagement recess 61 opens to the edge of the upper surface 45u on the seating space S side. The upper engagement recess 61 extends along the extension direction of the upper connecting rod portion 45. The upper engagement recess 61 is provided continuously over the entire length of the upper connecting rod portion 45. The upper engagement recess 61 includes a pair of left and right armrest engagement recesses 61a located in the armrest portion 46 and a backrest engagement recess 61b located in the backrest portion 47. The armrest engagement recess 61a and the backrest engagement recess 61b are directly connected to each other.

[0051] As shown in Figures 5 and 11, the side engagement recesses 62 are formed in each standing rod portion 40. The side engagement recesses 62 open to the front surface 40f of the standing rod portion 40. The side engagement recesses 62 extend in the extension direction of the standing rod portion 40. The side engagement recesses 62 extend along the edge of the front surface 40f on the seating space S side. The upper end of the side engagement recesses 62 is connected to the end of the upper engagement recess 61. As a result, the side engagement recesses 62 are directly connected to the upper engagement recess 61. The lower end of the side engagement recesses 62 opens continuously from the front to the downward direction.

[0052] As shown in Figures 5 and 12, the lower engagement recess 63 is formed in the lower connecting rod part 50. The lower engagement recess 63 opens to the lower surface 50l of the lower connecting rod part 50. The lower engagement recess 63 extends in the extension direction of the lower connecting rod part 50. The lower engagement recess 63 extends along the edge of the lower surface 50l on the seating space S side. The lower engagement recess 63 is provided continuously over the entire length of the lower connecting rod part 50. An end of the lower engagement recess 63 is connected to the lower end of the side engagement recess 62. As a result, the lower engagement recess 63 is directly connected to the side engagement recess 62.

[0053] As shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 , the load support member 9 has a communication recess 65 that connects the engagement recess 60 and the seating space S. The communication recess 65 is adjacent to the engagement recess 60 from the seating space S side. The communication recess 65 is formed so as to step down together with the engagement recess 60 from the surface of the load support member 9 where the engagement recess 60 opens. The communication recess 65 extends along the entire length of the engagement recess 60. The communication recess 65 opens from the surface of the load support member 9 where the engagement recess 60 opens to the inner surface facing the seating space S. For example, the portion of the communication recess 65 adjacent to the upper engagement recess 61 opens from the upper surface 45u of the upper connecting rod portion 45 to the inner surface 45i and steps down downward from the upper surface 45u. As a result, the open end of the engagement recess 60 opens to the seating space S side through the communication recess 65. The communication recess 65 is formed shallower than the engagement recess 60 when the plane of the load support member 9 where the engagement recess 60 opens is used as the reference.

[0054] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5 , the upholstery material 70 is stretched over the load support member 9 to form a load support surface 8. The upholstery material 70 is stretched over the load support member 9 so that the load support surface 8 faces the torso of the seated occupant from the horizontal outer side. The upholstery material 70 is stretched over the upper connecting rod 45, the pair of upright rods 40, and the lower connecting rod 50. The upholstery material 70 includes a sheet body 71 and a hem material. The sheet body 71 is formed from a sheet material such as mesh fabric, knit fabric, or cloth. The sheet body 71 is formed by cutting the sheet material into a desired shape. In this embodiment, the sheet body 71 is formed in a rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the frame-like portion of the load support member 9 consisting of the upper connecting rod 45, the pair of upright rods 40, and the lower connecting rod 50.

[0055] An edge material is bonded to the edge of the sheet body 71. The edge material forms the edge of the upholstery material 70. For example, the edge material is provided around almost the entire periphery of the edge of the upholstery material 70. The edge material is made of a material that is more rigid than the sheet body 71. The upholstery material 70 engages with the engagement recess 60 by inserting the edge material into the engagement recess 60 (see Figures 9 to 12). The edge material is provided on the upper edge 72, left and right side edges 73, and lower edge 74 of the upholstery material 70. The upper edge 72 of the upholstery material 70 engages with the upper engagement recess 61. The left and right side edges 73 of the upholstery material 70 engage with the side engagement recess 62. The lower edge 74 of the upholstery material 70 engages with the lower engagement recess 63. The outer peripheral edge of the upholstery material 70 is inserted into the engagement recess 60 around the entire periphery.

[0056] The sheet body 71 is pulled out from the engagement recess 60 through the communicating recess 65 toward the seating space S. The upholstery material 70 is positioned so that, when the sheet body 71 passes through the communicating recess 65, it does not protrude from the surface of the load support member 9 where the engagement recess 60 opens. When the sheet body 71 is pulled out from the engagement recess 60 toward the seating space S, the sheet body 71 is positioned so as not to cover the horizontally outer and upper corners 45a of the upper connecting rod 45. The upholstery material 70 exposes the majority of the entire length of the upper surface 45u of the upper connecting rod 45 so as to expose the outer edge of the upper surface 45u in a planar view. In this embodiment, the upholstery material 70 exposes the entire portion of the upper surface 45u of the upper connecting rod 45 that is outward in a planar view (opposite the seating space S) from the width center at all positions in the extension direction of the upper connecting rod 45. The seat body 71 covers the inner surface 45i of the upper connecting rod 45, the inner surfaces 40i of the pair of standing rods 40, and the inner surface 50i of the lower connecting rod 50 from the seating space S side. The seat body 71 closes the inner space of the frame body formed by the upper connecting rod 45, the pair of standing rods 40, and the lower connecting rod 50 from the seating space S side.

[0057] Here, the portion of the load support member 9 where the tension material 70 is tensioned is referred to as the tensioning portion 80. In this embodiment, the tensioning portion 80 is a frame-shaped portion consisting of the upper connecting rod portion 45, the pair of upright rod portions 40, and the lower connecting rod portion 50. The inner region 80a and the outer region 80b in the cross section of the tensioning portion 80 are defined as follows: The inner region 80a is the region that includes the end portion on the horizontal side of the seating space S. The outer region 80b is the region that includes the end portion on the opposite side of the seating space S in the horizontal direction.

[0058] FIG. 13 is a rear view showing the middle part in the left-right direction of the upper connecting rod part 45 of the embodiment. 9 and 13, the tensioning portion 80 includes an inner protrusion 81 provided in the inner region 80a and a handle portion 82 provided in the outer region 80b. The formation areas of the inner protrusion 81 and the handle portion 82 overlap with each other in the extension direction of the tensioning portion 80. However, the formation areas of the inner protrusion 81 and the handle portion 82 do not have to coincide with each other, and the formation area of ​​one of the inner protrusion 81 and the handle portion 82 may be wider than the formation area of ​​the other.

[0059] The inward protruding portion 81 protrudes further inward than the outer region 80b in the cross section of the tensioned portion 80. The inward protruding portion 81 is located on the opposite side of the seating space S across the load support surface 8 of the tensioned material 70, and extends along the back surface of the seat body 71.

[0060] The handle portion 82 is provided on the opposite side of the upholstery material 70, with the inward protruding portion 81 in between. The handle portion 82 has a convex shape in the cross section of the stretched portion 80 so that the user can hook their fingers around it. The handle portion 82 protrudes inward of the stretched portion 80 in the cross section of the stretched portion 80. The handle portion 82 is spaced apart from the inward protruding portion 81 in a direction away from the sheet body 71. As a result, a recessed portion 83 that opens inward is formed in the stretched portion 80. The recessed portion 83 receives the fingertips of fingers hooked on the handle portion 82.

[0061] In this embodiment, the inner protrusion 81 is the extension 48. That is, in this embodiment, the inner protrusion 81 and the handhold 82 are provided on the upper connecting rod 45. The inner protrusion 81 protrudes downward from the front of the backrest 47. The handhold 82 protrudes downward from the rear of the backrest 47. The handhold 82 extends in the left-right direction along the backrest 47. Because the inner protrusion 81 and the handhold 82 protrude downward from the backrest 47, they are convex when viewed from the front-to-back direction. The recess 83 opens on the underside of the upper connecting rod 45. Note that the handhold 82 does not have to protrude downward from the backrest 47, and may be formed on the backrest itself. For example, a recess may be formed on the underside of the backrest at a position behind the extension 48, and the rear wall of the recess in the backrest may be made convex, thereby allowing the convex portion to serve as a handhold. Alternatively, a rear and lower corner of the backrest may be used as a handhold without providing a recess behind the extension 48.

[0062] As described above, in this embodiment, the seat support portion 30, the pair of horizontal rods 35, the pair of upright rods 40, and the upper connecting rod 45 of the load support member 9 are integrally formed. With this configuration, the upper connecting rod 45, which has the backrest 47 and the pair of armrests 46, is connected to the seat support portion 30 that supports the seat 5 via the upright rods 40 and the horizontal rods 35. This prevents the load applied to the upper connecting rod 45 from being directly transmitted to the seat 5, unlike a configuration in which the armrests extend from the seat. Therefore, tilting of the seat 5 when the load applied to the pair of armrests 46 is biased toward one side can be prevented. As described above, the load support member 9 of this embodiment makes it possible to configure a sturdy chair 1 that prevents the seated position from becoming unstable.

[0063] The seat support 30 has an upper wall 31 having a lower surface 30l and an upper surface 30u, and a pair of left and right side walls 32a extending downward from the upper wall 31. A pair of horizontal rods 35 are connected to the pair of side walls 32a. This configuration makes it more difficult for force to be transmitted from the horizontal rods 35 to the seat 5 via the seat support 30, compared to a configuration in which the horizontal rods 35 are connected to the upper wall. Therefore, it is even more difficult for a load applied to the upper connecting rod 45 to be transmitted to the seat 5 via the upright rods 40 and the horizontal rods 35.

[0064] The seat support 30 is formed in a box shape that is open downward, and includes a pair of side walls 32a and a peripheral wall 32 that extends downward from the entire outer periphery of the upper wall 31. This configuration allows the seat support 30 itself to be made sturdy, making it even more difficult for force to be transmitted from the horizontal rod 35 to the seat 5 via the seat support 30.

[0065] The load support member 9 further includes a lower connecting rod 50 that connects the pair of standing rods 40 together. The lower connecting rod 50 is connected to the standing rod 40 at a location lower than the connection between the standing rod 40 and the upper connecting rod 45. With this configuration, the pair of standing rods 40 are connected at two locations, above and below, by the upper connecting rod 45 and the lower connecting rod 50, thereby improving the rigidity of the load support member 9 itself.

[0066] The pair of horizontal rods 35, the pair of upright rods 40, and the upper connecting rod 45 are rod-shaped members. With this configuration, the robustness of the load support member 9 can be ensured.

[0067] Chair 1 includes the above-mentioned load support member 9 and support structure 3 connected to seat receiving portion 30 so as not to be displaceable in the vertical and horizontal directions. With this configuration, chair 1 can be provided in which load support member 9 is firmly supported by support structure 3.

[0068] Chair 1 further includes seat 5 that is connected to seat support portion 30 so that it cannot be displaced in the vertical direction. With this configuration, support structure 3 and seat 5 overlap seat support portion 30. This allows the portions where load support member 9, support structure 3 and seat 5 are connected to be made thick, ensuring robustness.

[0069] The seat receiving portion 30 and the seat 5 are fastened together. This configuration increases the unity of the load support member 9, the support structure 3, and the seat 5, ensuring the robustness of the area where the load support member 9, the support structure 3, and the seat 5 are connected.

[0070] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment explained with reference to the drawings, and various modifications are possible within the technical scope of the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the horizontal rod portion 35, the upright rod portion 40, the upper connecting rod portion 45 and the lower connecting rod portion 50 of the load support member 9 are formed in a rod shape (e.g., a rod shape or a tube shape), but these rod-shaped members may be replaced with plate-shaped members.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the horizontal rod 35 is connected to the middle portion of the side wall 32a of the seat support 30 in the front-to-rear direction, but this configuration is not limited thereto. That is, the horizontal rod may be connected to the front or rear end of the side wall. Furthermore, the horizontal rod 35 only needs to have its outer end in the left-to-right direction positioned outward of the seat 5 in the left-to-right direction relative to the side wall 32a of the seat support 30. Depending on the positional relationship of the upright rod 40 to the seat support 30 in the front-to-rear direction, the horizontal rod 35 may be inclined in either the front-to-rear direction relative to the left-to-right direction in a plan view.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the upholstery material 70 is arranged so that it does not protrude from the surface where the engagement recess 60 in the load support member 9 opens, as the sheet body 71 passes through the communicating recess 65. However, if the load support member 9 does not have a communicating recess 65, the upholstery material 70 may be arranged so that it protrudes from the surface where the engagement recess 60 opens. Even in this case, it is desirable that the upholstery material does not protrude outward in the direction in which the load support surface widens in the cross section of the tensioned portion. For example, in the backrest portion 47, it is desirable that the upholstery material does not protrude above the corners 47a.

[0073] In addition, the components in the above-described embodiments can be replaced with well-known components as appropriate, without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Chair 3...Support structure 5... Seat (seat member) 9...Load support member (load support member for chair) 30...Seat 30l…bottom surface 30u…Top surface 31...Top wall part 32...Peripheral wall part 32a...Side wall part 35... Lateral rod part (outward part) 40…Erection rod part (erecting part) 45...Upper connecting rod part (connecting part) 46...Armrest 47...Backrest 50...Lower connecting rod part (lower connecting part)

Claims

1. a seat support having a lower surface that is supported from below by the support structure and an upper surface that supports from below a seat member that supports the buttocks of a seated person; a pair of left and right outward portions extending outward in the left-right direction from the seat receiving portion; a pair of left and right upright portions extending upward from the pair of outward facing portions in a space outside the seat member in the left-right direction; a connecting portion having a pair of left and right armrest portions and a backrest portion extending between the pair of armrest portions, the connecting portion connecting the pair of standing portions; Equipped with A load-supporting member for a chair in which the seat receiving portion, the pair of outward facing portions, the pair of upright portions, and the connecting portion are integrally formed.

2. The seat receiving portion is an upper wall portion having the lower surface and the upper surface; a pair of left and right side wall portions extending downward from the upper wall portion; and The pair of outward facing portions are connected to the pair of side wall portions.

2. The load-bearing member for a chair according to claim 1.

3. The seat receiving portion includes the pair of side wall portions and has a peripheral wall portion extending downward from the entire outer peripheral edge of the upper wall portion, and is formed in a box shape that is open downward.

3. The load-bearing member for a chair according to claim 2.

4. Further provided is a lower connecting portion that connects the pair of upright portions to each other, The lower connecting portion is connected to the upright portion at a position lower than the connection portion with the connecting portion.

2. The load-bearing member for a chair according to claim 1.

5. At least one of the pair of outward portions, the pair of upright portions, and the connecting portion is a rod-shaped member.

2. The load-bearing member for a chair according to claim 1.

6. A load-supporting member for a chair according to any one of claims 1 to 3; The support structure is connected to the seat support portion so as not to be displaceable in the vertical and horizontal directions; A chair equipped with:

7. The chair according to claim 6, further comprising the seat member connected to the seat receiving portion so as not to be displaceable in the vertical direction.

8. The seat receiving portion and the seat member are fastened to each other.

8. The chair of claim 7.

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