chair

Abstract

To provide a chair for securing design while reducing a load on a chair main body with connection of a panel member.SOLUTION: A chair comprises: a chair main body 3 including a backrest part 6 having a back support surface for supporting the back of a sitting person and a lower surface directed downward, and a seat part 5 having a seat surface on which the sitting person sits and an upper surface opposing to the lower surface of the backrest part 6; a panel unit 4 arranged on a rear surface side of the backrest part 6; and first engagement parts 71 fixed to a panel member 8 of the panel unit 4 and arranged between the lower surface of the backrest part 6 and the upper surface of the seat part 5, so as to fix the panel member 8 to the chair main body 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chair. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Chairs having a panel member provided on the rear surface of a backrest are conventionally known. The chair disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a configuration in which a backrest portion and a panel member provided behind a back cushion are connected to the underside of the seating portion by a support plate provided on the underside of the seating portion. The chair disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a configuration in which a panel member is fixed to both the legs and the backrest via brackets. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6381105 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5939763 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the chair described in Patent Document 1, the panel member and the backrest are supported only by the underside of the seat. Therefore, when a moment in the forward and backward directions is applied due to the weight of the panel member and the backrest or an external force (for example, the seating load acting on the backrest), a large load is applied to the connecting portion between the seat and the support plate. In addition, in the chair described in Patent Document 1, when a backward moment originating from the connecting portion between the seat and the support plate is applied to the backrest or the panel member, a space may be generated between the backrest and the seat. In this case, it may cause a loss of design of the chair.

[0005] The chair described in Patent Document 2 requires that an engaged portion with which the bracket engages be formed on the backrest. This makes it difficult to standardize the backrest between a specification in which a panel member can be attached and a specification in which a panel member cannot be attached. If the backrest described in Patent Document 2 is used as it is for a specification in which a panel member cannot be attached, the engaged portion will be visible, which will cause a loss of design.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a chair that ensures aesthetic design while reducing the load on the chair body caused by connecting panel members. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a chair according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a chair body having a backrest portion having a back support surface that supports the back of a seated occupant and a lower surface facing downward, and a seating portion having a seating surface on which the occupant sits and an upper surface that faces the lower surface of the backrest portion, a panel member arranged on the back side of the backrest portion, and a first engagement portion fixed to the panel member and arranged between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seating portion, and fixing the panel member to the chair body.

[0008] According to the above aspect, the panel member is fixed to the seating portion via the first engagement portion disposed between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seating portion. Therefore, the distance from the rear end of the first engagement portion to the upper end of the panel member can be made shorter than in the conventional case where the panel member is fixed to the seating portion below the seating portion. Therefore, when the height of the upper end of the panel member is the same in the conventional chair where the panel member is fixed to the seating portion below the seating portion and the chair of this aspect, the moment in the front-rear direction with the first engagement portion as a fulcrum against the panel member can be made smaller. Therefore, the load applied to the backrest portion and the seating portion via the first engagement portion can be reduced. Moreover, even if a rearward moment is applied to the panel member with the first engagement portion as a fulcrum, it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the seating portion and the panel member, thereby ensuring the design of the chair. According to the above embodiment, the panel member and the seating portion are fixed by the first engagement portion disposed between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seating portion, so that, for example, it is not necessary to provide a connecting portion for connecting the panel member to the rear surface of the seating portion or the backrest portion. Therefore, even if the seating portion and the backrest portion (hereinafter referred to as the chair body) according to this embodiment are adopted in a specification in which the panel member cannot be attached, the connecting portion is difficult to be seen. Therefore, the design of the chair can be ensured.

[0009] In the chair of the above aspect, the first engagement portion may be sandwiched between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seat portion. According to the above aspect, the first engagement portion is tightly sandwiched between the backrest portion and the seat portion, making it difficult for the first engagement portion to be displaced in the up-down direction, thereby increasing the support strength of the panel member against the chair.

[0010] The chair of the above-mentioned aspect may include a second engagement portion arranged below the first engagement portion and fixed to the panel member, and the seating portion may have a seat side engaged portion with which the second engagement portion engages. According to the above aspect, the second engagement portion is engaged with the seating portion together with the first engagement portion, so that the connection strength between the seating portion and the panel member can be further improved. Moreover, since the panel member is engaged with the chair body at multiple points of the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion, it is possible to prevent the load from being concentrated on one part of the chair body.

[0011] In the chair of the above aspect, the seat-side engaged portion may include a recess that opens downward, and the second engaging portion may be engaged with the recess. According to the above aspect, when attaching the panel member to the chair, the second engagement portion can be engaged with the seating portion while the chair remains in a seatable state (upright position), thereby improving work efficiency.

[0012] In the chair of the above aspect, the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion may be integrally connected by a connecting base to form a bracket, and the bracket may be fixed to the panel member via the connecting base. According to the above aspect, the first and second engaging parts can be formed separately from the panel member. Therefore, the first and second engaging parts can be designed without being restricted by the design requirements of the panel member, taking into consideration the engagement strength of the second engaging part with the seat-side engaged part of the seat and the engagement strength of the first engaging part with the upper surface of the seat and the lower surface of the backrest. Therefore, the panel member can be more firmly fixed to the chair body.

[0013] In the chair of the above aspect, the panel member may include an upward protruding portion located above the first engagement portion and facing the backrest portion in the front-to-back direction, and a downward protruding portion located below the first engagement portion and facing the seat portion in the front-to-back direction. According to the above aspect, when a first moment (a moment rotating in a direction away from the backrest) that causes the upward protrusion located above the first engagement part to fall backward is applied due to its own weight, an external force, or the like, the downward protrusion extending below the first engagement part tries to rotate forward. Then, a second moment that acts in the opposite direction to the first moment acts on the contact portion between the downward protrusion and the seat part. In other words, the first moment can be offset by the second moment, so that the connection between the panel member and the chair body can be stabilized.

[0014] The chair of the above aspect may further comprise an elastic member provided below the first engagement portion and sandwiched in the front-rear direction between the downward protrusion and the panel member. According to the above aspect, the downward protrusion comes into contact with the elastic member in a state where the elastic member is elastically deformed, so that the contact area between the downward protrusion and the seating portion can be increased, thereby reducing the pressure acting between the downward protrusion and the seating portion and the load acting on the chair body. In addition, since the downward protrusion comes into contact with the elastic member in a state where the elastic member is elastically deformed, a gap is less likely to occur between the seat portion and the panel member, which results in an improved design of the chair.

[0015] In the chair of the above-mentioned aspect, the first engagement portion has an engagement recess that opens toward at least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion, and at least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion may have a protrusion that protrudes toward the other of the seating portion and the backrest portion and engages with the engagement recess of the first engagement portion. According to the above aspect, since the panel member has the protrusion that engages with the engagement recess of the first engagement portion, it is possible to suppress movement of the panel member in the left-right and front-rear directions relative to the chair body.

[0016] In the chair of the above aspect, the protrusion may connect the seat portion and the backrest portion via the engagement recess. According to the above aspect, by using the same protrusion to connect the chair body and the panel member, and to connect the seating portion and the backrest portion, the first engagement portion can be fixed to the seating portion and the backrest portion. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the above-described aspects of the present invention, it is possible to provide a chair that ensures design while reducing the load on the chair body caused by connecting panel members. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. [Diagram 3] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a part of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a chair according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a chair according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a chair according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a chair according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modifications described below, the same reference numerals may be used to designate corresponding configurations, and the description may be omitted. In the following description, expressions indicating relative or absolute arrangements, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," "center," and "coaxial," do not only strictly indicate such arrangements, but also indicate a state in which the components are relatively displaced with a tolerance or an angle or distance to an extent that the same function is obtained.

[0020] In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the directions of front, back, up, down, left and right are defined as the direction in front of a person sitting in a normal posture on a chair placed on a horizontal floor F, as "front", and the opposite direction as "rear", and the directions are the same as those seen from the seated person. In the drawings, the arrow UP indicates upward, the arrow FR indicates forward, and the arrow LH indicates left.

[0021] [chair] 1 is a perspective view of a chair 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the chair 1 has a support structure 2, a chair body 3, and a panel unit 4.

[0022] <Support structure> The support structure 2 is placed on a floor surface F. The support structure 2 is composed of four legs 20. The legs 20 are provided in pairs in the front-rear direction and in the left-right direction of the chair 1. The legs 20 each include a floor contact portion 21, a rod-shaped portion 22, and a support portion 23. The floor contact portion 21 is in contact with the floor surface F. The rod-shaped portion 22 extends upward from the floor contact portion 21. The support portion 23 is a plate-shaped member provided at the upper end of the rod-shaped portion 22. The support portion 23 is connected to the rod-shaped portion 22 by welding, bolts, or the like. The support portion 23 is connected to the four corners of the lower surface of the chair body 3. The support structure 2 is not limited to being rod-shaped, and may be plate-shaped, box-shaped, or the like. The rod-shaped portions 22, or the support portions 23, or the rod-shaped portions 22 and the support portions 23 of the adjacent legs 20 in the front-rear or left-right direction may be connected by a connecting member extending in the direction in which the adjacent legs 20 are adjacent to each other.

[0023] <Chair body> The chair body 3 includes a seating portion (first chair constituent portion) 5 and a backrest portion (second chair constituent portion) 6 extending upward from the rear end portion of the seating portion 5. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a part of the chair 1 on an enlarged scale. As shown in Fig. 2, the seating portion 5 is formed in a rectangular plate shape with the thickness direction being the up-down direction. The upper surface (first load support surface) of the seating portion 5 functions as a seating surface that supports the buttocks of a seated person. The seating portion 5 includes a seat frame 31, a seat cushion portion 32, an elastic member 33, and a seat cover 40.

[0024] The seat frame 31 is made of a hard material such as wood, metal, or resin, and is a strong member that supports the weight of a seated person. The seat frame 31 includes a base frame 34, a front frame 35, a rear frame 36, and a side frame 37. The frames 34 to 37 are appropriately assembled together via bolts, stays, etc. The base frame 34 constitutes the lower wall of the seat frame 31. The base frame 34 extends in the left-right direction with the thickness direction being the up-down direction. The shape of the base frame 34 when viewed from above is formed in a rectangular shape that is slightly smaller than the seating portion 5. The support portion 23 of the support structure 2 is fixed to the base frame 34 by welding, bolts (not shown), or the like.

[0025] The front frame 35 is a frame located at the front of the seating portion 5. The front frame 35 includes a front side portion 35b and a seat base portion 35c. The front side portion 35b extends upward from the front end of the base frame 34. The seat base portion 35c extends rearward from the upper end of the front side portion 35b.

[0026] The rear frame 36 is a frame located at the rear of the seating portion 5 (below the backrest portion 6). The rear frame 36 includes a seat rear side portion 36b, an upper surface base portion 36c, and a partition portion 36d.

[0027] The seat rear side portion 36b extends upward from the rear end of the base frame 34. The upper surface base 36c extends forward from the upper end of the seat rear side portion 36b. The upper surface base 36c is provided with a seat hole 36e that opens in the vertical direction. The partition portion 36d extends downward from the front end of the upper surface base 36c. The rear end of the seat base 35c is fixed to the partition portion 36d. The lower end of the partition portion 36d is fixed to the base frame 34. The upper surface of the upper surface base 36c may or may not be flush with other areas on the upper surface of the seating portion 5 that constitutes the seating surface. For example, it may protrude upward from the upper surface of the seating portion 5 that constitutes the seating surface.

[0028] The side frames 37 extend upward from both left and right ends of the base frame 34. The front frame 35 and the rear frame 36 are bridged between the left and right side frames 37.

[0029] The seat frame 31 is formed with a recess (corresponding to the seat side engaged portion in the claims) 39 that opens downward. The recess 39 is an inner space of the seat frame 31 that is opened through an open hole 38 formed in the base frame 34. A plurality of recesses 39 are provided at intervals in the left-right direction. In a top view, the open hole 38 extends in the front-rear direction sandwiching the partition portion 36d. The recess 39 is divided into a front recess 39a in front of the partition portion 36d and a rear recess 39b behind the partition portion 36d. In this embodiment, the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b (the rear end edge of the open hole 38) is located rearward of the seat hole 36e of the upper surface base portion 36c. However, as long as the seat hole 36e is accessible through the open hole 38, the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b may be located forward of the seat hole 36e. In addition, the recess 39 may have at least only the rear recess 39b.

[0030] The seat cushion portion 32 is provided at least on the upper surface of the seat base portion 35c. In this embodiment, the seat cushion portion 32 covers from the lower end of the front surface of the front side portion 35b to the rear end of the upper surface of the seat base portion 35c. The seat cushion portion 32 is made of a material that is softer and more elastic than the material that forms the seat frame 31. A material such as a urethane foam material is suitable for forming the seat cushion portion 32.

[0031] The elastic member 33 is provided on the rear surface of the seat rear side portion 36b. The elastic member 33 is made of a material that is softer and has elasticity than the material that forms the seat frame 31. Urethane foam material, rubber material, etc. are suitable materials for forming such elastic member 33. The seat cushion portion 32 and the elastic member 33 may be formed integrally. Also, the seat cushion portion 32 and the elastic member 33 may be made of materials with different elastic moduli.

[0032] The seat cover 40 forms the outer surface of the seating portion 5, and covers at least the outer surface of the seat cushion portion 32. In this embodiment, the seat cover 40 covers the entire seat frame 31, the seat cushion portion 32, and the elastic member 33. The outer peripheral end of the seat cover 40 is fixed to the underside of the seat frame 31 (base frame 34) by a tacker or the like. The seat cover 40 is made of a cloth material, a vinyl leather material, a natural leather material, or the like.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 1, the backrest 6 is formed in a rectangular plate shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 2, the backrest 6 is provided so as to rise upward from the rear of the seat 5. The backrest 6 is provided behind the seated person when the person is seated on the seating part 5. The front surface (second load supporting surface) of the backrest 6 functions as a back supporting surface that supports the back of the seated person. The lower surface of the backrest 6 faces the upper surface (seating surface) of the seating part 5 in the vertical direction. The backrest 6 comprises a backrest frame 41, a backrest cushion part 42, and a backrest cover 43.

[0034] The backrest frame 41 is formed of a hard material such as wood, metal, resin, etc. The backrest frame 41 includes a lower surface base 41a, a backrest rear side wall 41b, an upper back beam 41c, and a side frame 41d. The lower surface of the lower surface base 41a faces the upper surface base 36c of the rear frame 36 of the seating portion 5 in the vertical direction. The lower surface of the lower surface base 41a and the upper surface of the upper surface base 36c are flat surfaces perpendicular to the vertical direction and preferably parallel to each other in a cross-sectional view in the left-right direction.

[0035] The lower surface base 41a is provided with a back hole 44 that opens in the vertical direction at a position where it overlaps with the seat hole 36e provided in the seat 5 in a top view. The lower surface base 41a and the upper surface base 36c are connected with a screw (protruding portion) 45. The screw 45 penetrates the seat hole 36e and the back hole 44 from below. The screw 45 is fastened to, for example, a countersunk nut embedded in the lower surface base 41a. This allows the seat 5 and the backrest 6 to be assembled. The screw 45 may be fastened to a fixing nut (not shown) provided in the lower surface base 41a.

[0036] The backrest rear wall portion 41b is fixed to the rear end of the lower surface base portion 41a and rises upward from the rear end of the lower surface base portion 41a. The upper back beam 41c extends forward from the upper end of the backrest rear wall portion 41b. The side frames 41d constitute the left and right side walls of the backrest frame 41. The lower surface base 41a, the backrest rear wall portion 41b, and the back upper beam 41c are bridged between the side frames 41d.

[0037] The backrest cushion portion 42 covers at least the front and the top of the backrest frame 41. In this embodiment, the backrest cushion portion 42 covers from the front end of the lower surface base portion 41a of the backrest frame 41 (the front lower end of the backrest frame 41) through the upper surface of the back upper beam 41c to the lower end of the backrest rear wall portion 41b. The backrest cushion portion 42 is made of a material that is softer and has elasticity than the material that forms the backrest frame 41. A urethane foam material or the like is suitable as a material for forming such a backrest cushion portion 42.

[0038] The backrest skin 43 forms the outer surface of the backrest portion 6. The backrest skin 43 covers the outer surface of the backrest cushion portion 42. The outer peripheral edge of the backrest skin 43 is fixed to the underside of the backrest frame 41 (lower surface base portion 41a) by a tack or the like. The backrest skin 43 is made of a cloth material, a vinyl leather material, a natural leather material, or the like.

[0039] <Panel unit> 1 to 3, the panel unit 4 is provided at the rear of the chair body 3. The panel unit 4 includes a bracket 7 and a panel member 8. As shown in Fig. 3, the bracket 7 is a plate-like member integrally formed in a C-shape opening forward in a side view. The bracket 7 connects the chair body 3 and the panel member 8. A plurality of brackets 7 are provided at intervals in the left-right direction, for example, for each open hole 38. The following will explain one bracket 7 as an example.

[0040] The bracket 7 includes a first engagement portion 71, a connecting base portion 72, and a second engagement portion 73. The first engagement portion 71 extends in the front-rear direction with the thickness direction being the vertical direction. The first engagement portion 71 is disposed between the upper surface of the seating portion 5 and the lower surface of the backrest portion 6. In this embodiment, the first engagement portion 71 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the seating portion 5 and the lower surface of the backrest portion 6. In this embodiment, the first engagement portion 71 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the upper surface base 36c and the lower surface of the lower surface base 41a via the seat cover 40, the backrest cover 43, etc. However, the first engagement portion 71 may be directly sandwiched between the upper surface of the upper surface base 36c and the lower surface of the lower surface base 41a. The first engagement portion 71 has an engagement recess 74 penetrating in the vertical direction. The screw 45 connecting the upper surface base 36c and the lower surface base 41a penetrates the engagement recess 74.

[0041] The connecting base 72 connects between the first engaging portion 71 and the second engaging portion 73. In this embodiment, the connecting base 72 extends downward from the rear end of the first engaging portion 71. The connecting base 72 is provided at the rear of the seating portion 5 with a length that covers the seating portion 5 from the upper end to the lower end. The connecting base 72 abuts against the elastic member 33 of the seating portion 5 from the rear with the seat cover 40 sandwiched therebetween. The connecting base 72 is provided with a plurality of first holes 75. In this embodiment, for example, four first holes 75 are provided (up-down direction x left-right direction: 2 columns x 2 rows). It is preferable that the connecting base 72 abuts against the elastic member 33 in a state where the elastic member 33 is elastically deformed in the front-rear direction.

[0042] The second engagement portion 73 extends forward from the lower end of the connecting base portion 72. The second engagement portion 73 includes a forward extending portion 73a and a hook portion 73b. The forward extending portion 73a is disposed along the underside of the seating portion 5. The front end edge of the forward extending portion 73a is located forward of the rear end edge of the open hole 38. A second hole 76 is provided in the center of the forward extending portion 73a in the front-rear direction. A connecting member 85 such as a screw is inserted into the second hole 76 from below. The connecting member 85 is fastened to the rear end portion of the base frame 34.

[0043] The hook portion 73b is connected forward from the forward extending portion 73a. The hook portion 73b is engaged with the rear end edge of the open hole 38. The hook portion 73b is bent in an L-shape in a side view. The hook portion 73b has a hook portion 77a extending upward from the front end edge of the forward extending portion 73a and a protruding portion 77b extending forward from the upper end of the hook portion 77a. The hook portion 73b is engaged with the seating portion 5 by the hook portion 77a being hooked from the front to the rear end edge of the recess 39 (rear recess 39b) of the rear frame 36 of the seating portion 5.

[0044] The length of the second engagement portion 73 in the front-rear direction is shorter than the length of the first engagement portion 71 in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the front end of the protruding portion 77b of the second engagement portion 73 terminates rearward of the engagement recess 74 of the first engagement portion 71 in a top view. However, as long as the engagement recess 74 is accessible through the open hole 38, the front end of the second engagement portion 73 (protruding portion 77b) may overlap with the engagement recess 74 in a top view. Note that the bracket 7 may be configured so that the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73 are elastically deformable in the up-down direction. The second engagement portion 73 may be configured to engage with the support structure 2.

[0045] The panel member 8 is formed of a plate-like member having a flat surface, and is located on the back side (rear side) of the backrest portion 6. When viewed from the front, the panel member 8 extends upward beyond the upper end of the backrest portion 6 and downward beyond the lower end of the seating portion 5. The lower end of the panel member 8 is spaced apart from the floor surface F. The panel member 8 includes an upward protruding portion 81 located above the first engaging portion 71 and facing the backrest portion 6, and a downward protruding portion 82 located below the first engaging portion 71 and facing the seating portion 5. The lower portion of the upward protrusion 81 is close to or in contact with the rear surface of the backrest. Of the downward protruding portion 82, a portion facing the rear surface of the seating portion 5 with the bracket 7 (connecting base portion 72) therebetween abuts against the elastic member 33 via the bracket 7. On the other hand, of the downward protruding portion 82, a portion directly facing the rear surface of the seating portion 5 abuts against the elastic member 33 in a state in which the elastic member 33 is elastically deformed.

[0046] The panel member 8 is fixed to the chair body 3 via the bracket 7. Specifically, the downward protrusion 82 of the panel member 8 is fixed to the seating portion 5 via the connecting base 72 of the bracket 7. A connecting member 84 such as a screw is fastened to the panel member 8 through a first hole 75.

[0047] <<How to assemble the chair>> A method for assembling the chair 1 will now be described. First, the support structure 2 is fixed to the seating portion 5. With the upper surfaces of the support portions 23 of the support structure 2 abutting against the lower surface of the base frame 34 of the chair body 3, the support portions 23 are fixed to the four corners of the lower surface of the chair body 3. Next, the panel unit 4 is assembled. First, the panel member 8 is placed on the floor surface F with the front surface of the panel member 8 facing upward. Then, the connecting base 72 of the bracket 7 and the panel member 8 are fixed together using the connecting member 84. In this way, the panel unit 4 can be assembled.

[0048] Next, the panel unit 4 is assembled to the seating portion 5. The front surface of the panel unit 4 (panel member 8) is made to face the rear surface of the elastic member 33 provided on the seating portion 5. The upper end of the panel member 8 is tilted rearward beyond the lower end of the panel member 8, and the panel unit 4 is tilted.

[0049] With the panel unit 4 tilted, the hook portion 73b of the second engagement portion 73 is inserted into the open hole 38 of the rear frame 36, and the rear surface of the hook portion 77a is brought into contact with the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b. The panel unit 4 is raised forward from the contact portion between the hook portion 77a and the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b. Then, the upper protrusion 81 of the panel unit 4 is pushed forward until the connecting base 72 abuts against the elastic member 33. When the panel unit 4 is pushed forward and stands up against the floor surface F, the hook portion 73b of the second engagement portion 73 can be engaged with the open hole 38 provided in the rear frame 36 of the seating portion 5. When the panel unit 4 is pushed forward, the first engagement portion 71 is placed on the upper surface of the upper surface base 36c via the seat cover 40. Then, the left-right position of the panel unit 4 is adjusted so that the engagement recess 74 of the first engagement portion 71 and the seat hole 36e of the seating portion 5 overlap in the up-down direction.

[0050] The backrest 6 is placed on the seating portion 5 so that the engagement recess 74 of the first engagement portion 71 and the seat hole 36e of the seating portion 5 overlap in the vertical direction, and further so that the back hole 44 of the backrest 6 overlaps with the engagement recess 74 and the seat hole 36e in the vertical direction. At this time, the first engagement portion 71 is sandwiched between the upper surface of the seating portion 5 and the lower surface of the backrest 6. A screw 45 is inserted into the rear recess 39b from the open hole 38 provided in the rear frame 36 of the seating portion 5. The screw 45 is passed through the engagement recess 74, the seat hole 36e and the back hole 44 to fix the seating portion 5 and the backrest portion 6 via the first engagement portion 71 of the bracket 7. Finally, a connecting member 85 is driven into the underside of the base frame 34 while passing through the second hole 76 of the bracket 7. This allows the panel unit 4 to be attached to the chair body 3.

[0051] [effect] According to the above configuration, the panel member 8 is fixed to the seating portion 5 via the first engagement portion 71 arranged between the lower surface of the backrest portion 6 and the upper surface of the seating portion 5. Therefore, compared to the conventional case in which the panel member 8 is fixed to the seating portion 5 below the seating portion 5, the distance from the rear end of the first engagement portion 71 to the upper end of the panel member 8 can be made shorter. Therefore, when the height of the upper end of the panel member 8 is the same in the conventional chair in which the panel member 8 is fixed to the seating portion 5 below the seating portion 5 and the chair 1 having the above configuration, the moment in the front-rear direction with the first engagement portion 71 as a fulcrum against the panel member 8 can be made smaller. Therefore, the load applied to the backrest portion 6 and the seating portion 5 via the first engagement portion 71 can be reduced. Moreover, even if a rearward moment acts on the panel member 8 (panel unit 4) with the first engagement portion 71 as a fulcrum, it is possible to prevent a gap from being generated between the seating portion 5 and the panel member 8. Therefore, the design of the chair 1 can be ensured. Furthermore, according to the above configuration, since the panel member 8 and the seating portion 5 are fixed by the first engagement portion 71 arranged between the lower surface of the backrest portion 6 and the upper surface of the seating portion 5, for example, it is not necessary to provide a connecting portion for connecting the panel member 8 to the rear surface of the seating portion 5 or the backrest portion 6. Therefore, even if the chair body 3 according to this configuration is adopted in a specification in which the panel member 8 cannot be attached, the connecting portion is difficult to be seen. Therefore, the design of the chair 1 can be ensured.

[0052] In the chair 1 of this embodiment, the first engagement portion 71 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the backrest portion 6 and the upper surface of the seat portion 5. According to the above configuration, the first engagement portion 71 is tightly sandwiched between the backrest portion 6 and the seat portion 5, making it difficult for the first engagement portion 71 to be displaced in the up-down direction. Therefore, the supporting strength of the panel member 8 with respect to the chair 1 is increased.

[0053] The chair 1 of this embodiment is provided with a second engagement portion 73 arranged below the first engagement portion 71 and fixed to the panel member 8, and the seating portion 5 is configured to have a seat-side engaged portion with which the second engagement portion 73 engages. According to the above configuration, the second engagement portion 73 is engaged with the seating portion 5 together with the first engagement portion 71, thereby further improving the connection strength between the seating portion 5 and the panel member 8. Moreover, since the panel member 8 is engaged with the chair body 3 at multiple points of the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73, concentration of the load on one part of the chair body 3 can be suppressed.

[0054] In chair 1 of this embodiment, the seat-side engaged portion has a recess 39 that opens downward, and second engaging portion 73 is configured to engage with recess 39. By engaging second engaging portion 73 with recess 39, seating portion 5 and panel member 8 are connected to each other. According to the above configuration, when attaching the panel member 8 to the chair 1, the second engagement portion 73 can be engaged with the seating portion 5 while the chair 1 remains in a seatable state (chair 1 in an upright position), thereby improving work efficiency.

[0055] In the chair 1 of this embodiment, the panel member 8 is configured to include an upward protrusion 81 located above the first engagement portion 71, and a downward protrusion 82 located below the first engagement portion 71. According to the above configuration, when a first moment (a moment rotating in a direction away from the backrest 6) acts on the upward protrusion 81 located above the first engagement portion 71, which is caused by its own weight, an external force, or the like, causing it to fall backward, the downward protrusion 82 extending below the first engagement portion 71 tries to rotate forward. Then, a second moment acting in the opposite direction to the first moment acts on the contact portion between the downward protrusion 82 and the seating portion 5. In other words, the first moment can be offset by the second moment, so that the connection between the panel member 8 and the chair body 3 can be stabilized.

[0056] The chair 1 of this embodiment is configured to include an elastic member 33 that is provided below the first engagement portion 71 and is sandwiched between the seat portion 5 and the downward protruding portion 82 in the front-rear direction. According to the above configuration, the downward protrusion 82 comes into contact with the elastic member 33 in a state where the elastic member 33 is elastically deformed, thereby increasing the contact area between the downward protrusion 82 and the seating portion 5. As a result, the pressure acting between the downward protrusion 82 and the seating portion 5 can be reduced, and the load acting on the chair body 3 can be reduced. In addition, the downward protruding portion 82 comes into contact with the elastic member 33 in a state where the elastic member 33 is elastically deformed, so that a gap is less likely to occur between the seating portion 5 and the panel member 8. As a result, the design of the chair 1 can be improved.

[0057] In this embodiment, the chair 1 forms a bracket 7 in which a first engagement portion 71 and a second engagement portion 73 are connected together by a connecting base 72, and the bracket 7 is fixed to a panel member 8 via the connecting base 72. According to the above configuration, the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73 can be formed separately from the panel member 8. Therefore, the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73 can be designed without being restricted by the design requirements of the panel member 8, taking into consideration the engagement strength of the second engagement portion 73 with the recess 39 (the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b) of the seating portion 5 and the engagement strength of the first engagement portion with the upper surface of the seating portion 5 and the lower surface of the backrest portion 6. Therefore, the panel member 8 can be fixed more firmly to the chair body 3.

[0058] In this embodiment, since the screw 45 that engages with the engaging recess 74 of the first engaging portion 71 is provided, movement of the panel member 8 relative to the chair body 3 in the left-right and front-rear directions can be restricted.

[0059] The chair 1 of this embodiment is configured such that the seat portion 5 and the backrest portion 6 are connected by the screw 45 through the engagement recess 74 . According to the above configuration, the first engagement portion 71 can be fixed to the seating portion 5 and the backrest portion 6 by using the same screw 45 to connect the chair body 3 and the panel member 8, and to connect the seating portion 5 and the backrest portion 6.

[0060] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims.

[0061] [Other embodiments] Other embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. 4 to 6 are cross-sectional views showing chair 1 according to other embodiments.

[0062] In the present embodiment, the configuration has been described in which the downward protrusion 82 is fixed to the seating portion 5 via the connecting base portion 72 of the bracket 7, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in Fig. 4, the panel member 8 does not need to be provided with the downward protruding portion 82. The first engagement portion 71 is fixed to the upward protruding portion 81 of the panel member 8 by a fixing piece 172 extending upward from the rear end of the first engagement portion 71. In the example shown in Fig. 4, the seating portion 5 does not need to be provided with the elastic member 33. According to the above configuration, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment.

[0063] In the present embodiment, the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73 are connected via the connecting base portion 72, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in Fig. 5, the bracket 7 may not be provided with the connecting base 72, and the first engagement portion 71 and the second engagement portion 73 may be separate. In this case, as shown in Fig. 5, a first fixing piece 272a for fixing the first engagement portion 71 to the panel member 8 may be provided at the rear end of the first engagement portion 71. Also, as shown in Fig. 5, a second fixing piece 272b for fixing the second engagement portion 73 to the panel member 8 may be provided at the rear end of the second engagement portion 73. The first fixing piece 272a and the second fixing piece 272b are provided with a first hole 75. A connecting member 84 is fastened to the panel member 8 through the first hole 75, whereby the panel member 8 and the chair body 3 are fixed together.

[0064] According to the above configuration, the first engaging portion 71 and the second engaging portion 73 can be configured as separate members. Therefore, when a design change is made to at least one of the first engaging portion 71 and the second engaging portion 73, only the member whose design has been changed needs to be changed, which is economical. In addition, since the connecting base 72 is not provided from the first engaging portion 71 to the second engaging portion 73, the material cost required for the connecting base 72 can be saved.

[0065] In the present embodiment, the bracket 7 is described as including the first engagement portion 71, the connecting base portion 72, and the second engagement portion 73, but is not limited to this. The bracket 7 only needs to have at least the first engagement portion 71. In this case, the rear end of the first engagement portion 71 and the panel member 8 may be integrally connected. 6, the bracket 7 has a first engagement portion 71 and a first connecting base portion 372a. The first connecting base portion 372a is connected to the rear end of the first engagement portion 71 and extends downward from the rear end of the first engagement portion 71. A first hole 75 is provided between the upper end and the lower end of the first connecting base portion 372a. The first hole 75 is fixed to an engagement hole 83 of the panel member 8 by a connecting member 84. According to the above configuration, it is possible to configure the bracket 7 without providing the second engagement portion 73. Therefore, the bracket 7 is not exposed on the lower surface side of the seating portion 5, making it difficult to access the bracket 7.

[0066] In the present embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the lower end of the panel member 8 is spaced apart from the floor surface F, but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 6, the lower end of the downward protruding portion 82 of the panel member 8 may come into contact with the floor surface F. According to the above configuration, when the chair 1 is viewed from behind, the panel member 8 can shield the area from the upper end of the panel member 8 to the floor contact portion 21 of the support structure 2. Furthermore, of the panel unit 4, the panel member 8 is held not only by the bracket 7 but also at the portion of contact with the floor surface F. Therefore, movement of the panel member 8 in the front-rear direction can be restricted by the bracket 7 and the floor surface F.

[0067] (Other variations) Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not limited by the above description, but is limited only by the scope of the attached claims.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the first engagement portion 71 is sandwiched between the lower surface base 41a of the backrest portion 6 and the upper surface base 36c of the seating portion 5, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first engagement portion does not have to be sandwiched between the lower surface base 41a and the upper surface base 36c. The first engagement portion 71 does not have to abut against either or both of the lower surface base 41a and the upper surface base 36c. For example, a rod extending in the vertical direction may penetrate the first engagement portion 71 when the seating portion 5 and the backrest portion 6 are separated from each other. In this case, it is preferable that the first engagement portion 71 has a configuration that restricts the vertical movement of the first engagement portion 71 relative to the rod, and it is also preferable that the first engagement portion 71 is provided with a separate means for preventing it from coming off backward.

[0069] In the present embodiment, the second engagement portion 73 extends forward from the lower end of the connecting base portion 72, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is sufficient that the second engagement portion 73 extends forward below the first engagement portion 71. In the present embodiment, the hook portion 73b of the second engagement portion 73 is engaged with the seating portion 5 by the hook portion 77a being hooked from the front onto the rear end edge of the rear recess 39b of the rear frame 36 of the seating portion 5, as described above, but the present invention is not limited to this. The second engagement portion 73 may be engaged with any portion of the seating portion 5 that is located below the upper surface base portion 36c, and may be engaged with a portion other than the rear recess 39b.

[0070] In this embodiment, the seat side engaged portion is the recess 39, but the present invention is not limited to this. The seat side engaged portion may have any shape that engages with the second engaging portion 73. For example, the seat side engaged portion may be a convex portion that protrudes downward, or may be a recess provided in the second engaging portion 73 that engages with the seat side engaged portion.

[0071] In the present embodiment, the screw 45 is configured to fix the upper surface base 36c, the first engagement portion 71, and the lower surface base 41a, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a fixing member that fixes the seating portion 5 (upper surface base 36c) and the backrest portion 6 (lower surface base 41a) may be provided separately from the screw 45. The upper surface base 36c, the first engagement portion 71, and the lower surface base 41a may be fixed by a protruding portion. For example, the upper surface base 36c, the first engagement portion 71, and the lower surface base 41a may be fixed by engaging the engagement recess 74 or the back hole 44 with a pin or the like provided on the upper surface base 36c that protrudes upward. Also, the upper surface base 36c, the first engagement portion 71, and the lower surface base 41a may be fixed by engaging the engagement recess 74 or the seat hole 36e with a pin or the like provided on the lower surface base 41a that protrudes downward.

[0072] In the present embodiment, the engaging recess 74 penetrates the first engaging portion 71 in the up-down direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The engaging recess 74 may be, for example, a bottomed hole that opens on the upper and lower surfaces of the first engaging portion 71. In this case, for example, protrusions protruding from the seat portion 5 and the backrest portion 6 may be fitted into the engaging recess 74. Furthermore, the first engagement portion 71 does not have to be fixed by the screw 45, but rather is merely sandwiched between the upper surface of the upper surface base portion 36c and the lower surface of the lower surface base portion 41a.

[0073] In the present embodiment, the panel member 8 is formed of a plate-like member having a flat surface, but the present invention is not limited to this. The panel member 8 may be a curved arc-shaped plate-like member that does not have a flat surface.

[0074] In this embodiment, the elastic member 33 is integrally assembled to the seating portion 5, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The elastic member 33 may be integrally assembled to the panel member 8, or may be provided between the panel member 8 and the seating portion 5 as a separate member. Moreover, the elastic member 33 does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0075] A part or all of the chair 1 according to the embodiment described above can be noted as follows. [Appendix 1] A chair body including a backrest portion for supporting the back of a seated person and a seat portion on which the seated person sits; A panel member is disposed on the rear side of the backrest portion, The chair body includes: a first chair component having a first load support surface for supporting the load of a seated person; A second chair component having a second load support surface that supports the load of a seated person and facing the first chair component in a first direction among the up-down direction and the left-right direction, a first engagement portion that is fixed to the panel member and is sandwiched between the first chair component and the second chair component, and that fixes the panel member to the chair body; A chair equipped with:

[0076] FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a chair 1 according to another embodiment. The chair 1 of the example shown in FIG. 7 includes a plurality of backrests 6 arranged in the left-right direction. The first engagement portion 471 of the bracket 407 is sandwiched between the side frames 41d of the adjacent backrests 6. The first engagement portion 471 of the bracket 407 is sandwiched between the side frames 41d of the middle backrest (first chair component) 6 and the side frames 41d of the two backrests (second chair components) 6 located on the left and right of the middle backrest 6. At this time, the fixing piece 472 connected to the rear end of the first engagement portion 471 is disposed on the rear surface of the middle chair 1. The fixing method between the fixing piece 472 and the panel member 8 is not limited, and they may be fixed by welding or the like. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the panel member 8 is integrally provided across both the left and right ends of the rear surfaces of the three chair bodies 3.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 7, left and right through-holes 41f penetrating in the left and right direction are provided in the side frames 41d of the chair body 3. Screws (protrusions) 45 pass through the left and right through-holes 41f. Adjacent chair bodies 3 are fixed to each other by the screws 45.

[0078] According to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the left-right movement of the panel member 8 relative to the chair body 3. In addition, since the bracket 407 is difficult to see from the outside of the chair 1, the design of the chair 1 is improved.

[0079] In the above-mentioned configuration, the left and right through-holes 41f are provided in the side frames 41d of the backrest 6, but the present invention is not limited to this. The first engagement portion 471 may be sandwiched between the side frames 37 of the adjacent seating portions 5. In this case, through-holes may be provided in the side frames 37, and the adjacent seating portions 5 may be connected to each other with screws 45 or the like. Note that the opposing chair components may be connected to each other with connecting members other than the screws 45. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Chair 5...Seating section (first chair component, second chair component) 6...Backrest part (first chair component, second chair component) 33...Elastic member 39...Concave portion (seat side engaged portion) 45...Protruding part 71...first engagement portion 72...Connection base 73...Second engagement portion 74...Engagement recess 81...Upward protrusion 82...Downward protrusion

Claims

1. A chair body including a backrest portion having a back support surface for supporting the back of a seated person and a lower surface facing downward, and a seating portion having a seating surface on which the seated person sits and an upper surface facing the lower surface of the backrest portion; A panel member disposed on a rear side of the backrest portion; a first engagement portion that is fixed to the panel member and is disposed between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seat portion, and that fixes the panel member to the chair body; A chair equipped with:

2. 2. The chair according to claim 1, The first engagement portion is sandwiched between the lower surface of the backrest portion and the upper surface of the seat portion.

3. The chair according to claim 1 or 2 comprises: a second engagement portion disposed below the first engagement portion and fixed to the panel member; The seating portion has a seat-side engaged portion with which the second engaging portion engages.

4. The chair according to claim 3, The seat-side engaged portion has a recess that opens downward, The second engagement portion is engaged with the recess.

5. The chair according to claim 3 or 4 comprises: a bracket is formed in which the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are integrally connected by a connecting base portion, A chair in which the bracket is fixed to the panel member via the connecting base.

6. A chair according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The panel member is an upward protruding portion located above the first engagement portion and facing the backrest portion in the front-rear direction; A chair comprising: a downward protruding portion located below the first engagement portion and facing the seat portion in the front-to-rear direction.

7. 7. The chair according to claim 6, A chair comprising an elastic member provided below the first engagement portion and sandwiched in the front-to-rear direction between the seat portion and the downward protrusion.

8. A chair according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The first engagement portion has an engagement recess that opens toward at least one of the seat portion and the backrest portion, At least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion is provided with a protrusion that protrudes toward the other of the seating portion and the backrest portion and engages with the engagement recess of the first engagement portion.

9. 9. The chair according to claim 8, The protrusion connects the seat portion and the backrest portion via the engagement recess.

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