Folding chair

Abstract

To provide a folding chair allowing a user to perform a changeover operation with one hand.MEANS: A folding chair changed over between a deployed state and a stored state according to a distance between a pair of left / right support units 31, comprises a linkage mechanism 6, the linkage mechanism 6 including an actuation unit 61 disposed between the pair of left / right support units 31, a swinging link 62 pivoted on both the actuation unit 61 and one support unit 31, and an interlocking link 63 whose one end is pivoted on any one of movable sleeves 312 of the pair of left / right support units 31, and whose other end is pivoted on the actuation unit 61, the folding chair is so configured that the pair of left / right support units 31 moves toward or away from each other by interlock between the actuation unit 61 and the swinging link 62 according to vertical movement of the actuation unit 61.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a folding chair.

Background Art

[0002] An example of a conventional folding chair is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in the drawings, the conventional folding chair includes a backrest means 11, support means 12 pivotally supported on both sides of the backrest means 11, a seat means 13 attached to the backrest means 11 and the two support means 12, and a supporter means 14 attached between the two support means 12. The backrest means 11 includes left and right backrest rods 111 extending vertically, and two rear supporters 112 pivotally connected to each other and oscillating according to the distance between the left and right backrest rods 111. Each support means 12 has two side supporters 121 pivotally supported so as to be oscillatable with respect to each other. The supporter means 14 has two front supporters 141 pivotally supported so as to be oscillatable with respect to each other.

[0003] With this configuration, the conventional folding chair can be switched between the unfolded state shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 and the stored state shown in FIG. 4 according to the distance between the left and right backrest rods 111. However, this switching operation is premised on the operator holding the left and right backrest rods 111 with both hands, and a folding chair that can be switched with one hand is desired.

[0004] In addition, a conventional folding chair as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is also described in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] As described above, the object of the present invention is to provide a folding chair that can be switched with one hand.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention is a folding chair including a backrest frame, a left and right side frame attached to the backrest frame one by one, a seat means attached to the backrest frame and the left and right side frames one by one, and a linkage mechanism attached to the backrest frame, wherein the backrest frame has a pair of left and right support units, and each of the support units has a main backrest rod extending vertically, a movable sleeve attached to the main backrest rod and slidable along the main backrest rod, and a first lower end pivot support block attached to the lower end of the main backrest rod. The left and right side frames are respectively attached to the pair of left and right support units, and each of them has a first side swing rod whose rear end is pivotally supported by the movable sleeve of the corresponding support unit, a second side swing rod whose rear end is pivotally supported by the first lower end pivot support block of the corresponding support unit, a second lower end pivot support block pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the first side swing rod and in front of the first lower end pivot support block attached to the lower end of the corresponding main backrest rod, and a front end pivot support block pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the second side swing rod and in front of the movable sleeve attached to the corresponding main backrest rod. In each of the side frames, the first side swing rod and the second side swing rod are pivotally connected to each other at their intermediate portions. The linkage mechanism includes an operating unit disposed between the main backrest rods respectively provided on the pair of left and right support units, a swing link pivotally supported on both the operating unit and one of the main backrest rods, and an interlocking link having one end pivotally supported on one of the movable sleeves of the pair of left and right support units and the other end pivotally supported on the operating unit or the swing link. In response to the vertical movement of the operating unit, the pair of left and right support units move closer to or away from each other through the interlocking of the operating unit and the swing link, so as to provide a folding chair configured to be able to switch between the folded state.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] With the above configuration, for the folding chair according to the present invention, by holding and moving the operating unit up and down with one hand, the distance between the main backrest rods respectively provided on the pair of left and right support units can be changed, so that a folding chair that can be switched with one hand can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] The following will describe each configuration example of the folding chair according to the present invention in more detail with reference to the respective drawings.

[0011] The first configuration example of the folding chair according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 5 to 10. As shown in the drawings, the folding chair includes a backrest frame 3, a pair of left and right side frames 4 attached to the backrest frame 3, a linkage mechanism 6 attached to the backrest frame 3, and a seat means 8 attached to the backrest frame 3 and the pair of left and right side frames 4. Here, the left and right used in the following description refer to the left and right when viewed from the back side of the chair.

[0012] The backrest frame 3 has a pair of left and right support units 31. Each support unit 31 is configured to have a main backrest rod 311 extending vertically, a movable sleeve 312 attached to the main backrest rod 311 and slidable along the main backrest rod 311, and a first lower end pivot support block 313 attached to the lower end of the main backrest rod 311.

[0013] Further, the backrest frame 3 has a first rear swing rod 321 whose lower end is pivotally supported by a first lower end pivot block 313 of the left support unit 31 on the lower end side, and whose upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by a movable sleeve 312 of the right support unit 31; and a second rear swing rod 322 whose lower end is pivotally supported by the first lower end pivot block 313 of the right support unit 31 on the lower end side, and whose upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the movable sleeve 312 of the left support unit 31. The first rear swing rod 321 and the second rear swing rod 322 are pivotally connected to each other at their intermediate portions respectively.

[0014] The side frames 4, one on each side, are respectively attached to a pair of left and right support units 31, and each has a first side swing rod 41 whose rear end is pivotally supported by a movable sleeve 312 of the corresponding support unit 31, a second side swing rod 42 whose rear end is pivotally supported by a first lower end pivot block 313 of the corresponding support unit 31, a second lower end pivot block 43 pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the first side swing rod 41, and a front end pivot block 44 pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the second side swing rod 42. Further, the first side swing rod 41 and the second side swing rod 42 are pivotally connected to each other at their intermediate portions respectively.

[0015] The linkage mechanism 6 is disposed between the main backrest rods 311 of a pair of left and right support units 31 respectively, and has an operating unit 61 formed as a rod-shaped body extending substantially horizontally, two swing links 62 pivotally supported by both the operating unit 61 and each main backrest rod 311 respectively, and two interlocking links 63 with one end pivotally supported by the movable sleeve 312 of each support unit 31 and the other end pivotally supported by the operating unit 61. According to the up and down movement of the operating unit 61, the pair of left and right support units 31 are configured to move closer to or away from each other by the interlocking of the operating unit 61 and the swing links 62.

[0016] In this first configuration example, each swing link 62 of the linkage mechanism 6 has a first end 621 pivotally supported by the operating unit 61, a second end 622 on the opposite side of the first end 621, and an intermediate portion 623 between the first end 621 and the second end 622, and is pivotally supported by the corresponding main backrest rod 311 at the second end 622.

[0017] There are no particular restrictions on the shapes of the movable sleeve 312 and the first lower-end pivot block 313, and any shape that can pivotally support the first side swing rod 41 and the second side swing rod 42 of the side frame 4, as well as the first rear swing rod 321 and the second rear swing rod 322, simultaneously is acceptable.

[0018] The folding chair further has a first front swing rod 51 whose lower end is pivotally supported by the second lower-end pivot block 43 of the left side frame 4 and whose upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the front pivot block 44 of the right side frame 4, and a second front swing rod 52 whose lower end is pivotally supported by the second lower-end pivot block 43 of the right side frame 4 and whose upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the front pivot block 44 of the left side frame 4. The first front swing rod 51 and the second front swing rod 52 are pivotally connected to each other at their intermediate portions.

[0019] There are no particular restrictions on the shapes of the second lower-end pivot block 43 and the front pivot block 44 of the left and right side frames 4, and any shape that can pivotally support the first side swing rod 41 and the second side swing rod 42 of the side frame 4, as well as the first front swing rod 51 and the second front swing rod 52, simultaneously is acceptable.

[0020] Also, in this first configuration example, the seat means 8 has a seat portion 81 attached to the left and right front pivot blocks 44 and the left and right main backrest rods 311, and a backrest portion 82 extending upward from the seat portion 81 and having its tip attached to the upper end of each of the left and right main backrest rods 311.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, in the first configuration example of the folding chair of the present invention, when the operating unit 61 of the linkage mechanism 6 is pulled upward in the unfolded state shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the ends of the two swing links 62 pivotally supported on the backrest rods 311 of each of the two swing links 62 swing so as to approach each other, and also with respect to the two interlocking links 63, the ends pivotally supported on the respective movable sleeves 312 swing so as to approach each other. Therefore, due to the swinging of the swing link 62 and the interlocking link 63, the main backrest rods 311 of the pair of left and right support units 31 move closer to each other, and thus can be switched to the storage state shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Further, in the storage state shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, when the operating unit 61 of the linkage mechanism 6 is pulled downward, similarly due to the interlocking of the swing link 62 and the interlocking link 63, the main backrest rods 311 of the pair of left and right support units 31 move away from each other, so that it can be switched to the unfolded state shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0022] Therefore, it is possible to provide a folding chair that can be switched between the unfolded state and the storage state by simply operating the operating unit 61 with one hand.

[0023] A second configuration example of the folding chair of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. As shown in the figure, since the configuration of the linkage mechanism 6 in this second configuration example is different from that of the first configuration example, the differences will be described in detail below.

[0024] In the linkage mechanism 6 in the second configuration example of the folding chair of the present invention, an operating unit 61 disposed between main backrest rods 311 respectively included in a pair of left and right support units 31, two swing links 62 pivotally supported on both the operating unit 61 and each main backrest rod 311, and two interlocking links 63 each having one end pivotally supported on a movable sleeve 312 of each support unit 31 and the other end pivotally supported on the swing link 62 are provided. In particular, in this configuration example, each swing link 62 has a first end portion 621 pivotally supported on the operating unit 61, a second end portion 622 on the opposite side of the first end portion 621, and an intermediate portion 623 between the first end portion 621 and the second end portion 622. The intermediate portion 623 is pivotally supported on the corresponding main backrest rod 311. Each interlocking link 63 has a first link portion 631 having one end pivotally supported on the corresponding movable sleeve 312, and a second link portion 632 pivotally connected to the first link portion 631, shorter than the first link portion 631, and having the other end pivotally supported on the second end portion 622 of the swing link 62.

[0025] With this configuration, in the second configuration example of the folding chair of the present invention, when the operating unit 61 of the linkage mechanism 6 is pulled downward in the deployed state shown in FIG. 11, the ends of the two swing links 62 pivotally supported on the backrest rods 311 of the two swing links 62 approach each other, so that the two swing links 62 swing, and the main backrest rods 311 of the pair of left and right support units 31 approach each other. And also with respect to the two interlocking links 63, the ends pivotally supported on the respective movable sleeves 312 of the two first link portions 631 approach each other in response to the approach of the main backrest rods 311, and the two second link portions 632 swing so as to approach each other in response to the movement of the two swing links 62. Therefore, it is possible to switch from the deployed state shown in FIG. 11 to the stored state shown in FIG. 12. Further, in the stored state shown in FIG. 12, when the operating unit 61 of the linkage mechanism 6 is pulled upward, the main backrest rods 31 of the pair of left and right support units 31 move away from each other due to the interlocking of the swing link 62 and the interlocking link 63, so that it is possible to switch to the deployed state shown in FIG. 11.

[0026] FIG. 13 shows a third configuration example of the folding chair of the present invention. As shown in the figure, in this third configuration example, it is shown that a configuration having only one of the interlocking links 63 of the linkage mechanism 6 in the first configuration example can also exhibit the same effect as the first configuration example.

[0027] As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and all modifications and equivalent configurations are included as various configurations within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation.

Industrial Applicability

[0028] As described above, for the folding chair according to the present invention, by holding the operating unit 61 with one hand and moving it up and down, the distance between the main backrest rods 311 respectively provided on the pair of left and right support units 31 can be changed. Therefore, it is possible to provide a folding chair that is more convenient than the conventional ones and can be switched with one hand.

Explanation of Signs

[0029] 3 Backrest Frame 31 Support Unit 311 Main Backrest Rod 312 Movable Sleeve 313 First Lower End Pivoting Block 321 First Rear Swing Rod 322 Second Rear Swing Rod 4 Side Frame 41 First Side Swing Rod 42 Second Side Swing Rod 43 Second Lower End Pivoting Block 44 Front End Pivoting Block 51 First Front Swing Rod 52 Second Front Swing Rod 6 Linkage Mechanism 61 Operating Unit 62 Swing Link 621 First End 622 Second End 623 Intermediate Portion 63 Interlocking Link 631 First Link Portion 632 Second Link Portion 8 Seat Means 81 Seat Portion 82 Backrest Portion

Claims

1. A folding chair comprising a backrest frame, a pair of left and right side frames attached to the backrest frame, a seat means attached to the backrest frame and the pair of left and right side frames, and a linkage mechanism attached to the backrest frame, wherein the backrest frame has a pair of left and right support units, each of the support units having a main backrest rod extending vertically, a movable sleeve attached to the main backrest rod and slidable along the main backrest rod, and a first lower end pivot block attached to the lower end of the main backrest rod, the pair of left and right side frames are respectively attached to the pair of left and right support units, and each of them has, a linear first side swing rod whose rear end is pivotally supported by the movable sleeve of the corresponding support unit, a linear second side swing rod whose rear end is pivotally supported by the first lower end pivot block of the corresponding support unit, a second lower end pivot block pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the first side swing rod and in front of the first lower end pivot block attached to the lower end of the corresponding main backrest rod, a front end pivot block pivotally supported at the front end on the opposite side of the rear end of the second side swing rod and in front of the movable sleeve attached to the corresponding main backrest rod, in each side frame, the first side swing rod and the second side swing rod are pivotally supported by each other at their intermediate portions, The linkage mechanism includes an operating unit formed as a rod-shaped body disposed between the main backrest rods respectively provided on the pair of left and right support units and extending substantially horizontally, a swing link pivotally supported on both an end of the operating unit formed on the rod-shaped body and one of the main backrest rods, and an interlocking link having one end pivotally supported on one of the movable sleeves of the pair of left and right support units and the other end pivotally supported on an end of the operating unit or an end of the swing link. In response to the vertical movement of the operating unit, the pair of left and right support units move closer to or away from each other through the interlocking of the operating unit and the swing link, and the folding chair is configured to be able to switch to the folded state.

2. The swing link has a first end pivotally supported on the operating unit, a second end on the opposite side of the first end, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end, and is pivotally supported on the corresponding main backrest rod at the second end. The folding chair according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The folding chair according to claim 2, characterized in that the other end of the interlocking link is pivotally supported on the operating unit.

4. The swing link has a first end pivotally supported on the operating unit, a second end on the opposite side of the first end, and an intermediate portion between the first end and the second end, and is pivotally supported on the corresponding main backrest rod at the intermediate portion, The interlocking link has a first link portion having the one end pivotally supported on the corresponding movable sleeve, and a second link portion pivotally supported on the first link portion, shorter than the first link portion, and having the other end pivotally supported on the second end of the swing link. The folding chair according to claim 1, characterized in that.

5. A first rear swing rod having a lower end pivotally supported on one of the first lower end pivot blocks of one of the support units and an upper end on the opposite side of the lower end pivotally supported on the other movable sleeve of the other support unit, The lower end is pivotally supported by the other first lower end pivot block of the other support unit, and the upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the movable sleeve of one of the one support units. The folding chair according to claim 1, further comprising a second rear swing rod, wherein the first rear swing rod and the second rear swing rod are pivotally supported by each other at their intermediate portions.

6. A first front swing rod, the lower end of which is pivotally supported by one second lower end pivot block of one of the side frames, and the upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the other front pivot block of the other side frame. A second front swing rod, the lower end of which is pivotally supported by the other second lower end pivot block of the other side frame, and the upper end on the opposite side of the lower end is pivotally supported by the one front pivot block of the one side frame. The folding chair according to claim 1, further comprising: The folding chair according to claim 1, wherein the first front swing rod and the second front swing rod are pivotally supported by each other at their intermediate portions.

7. The seat means includes a seat portion attached to the front pivot blocks, one on each side, and the main backrest rods, one on each side. The folding chair according to claim 1, further comprising a backrest portion extending upward from the seat portion and having a tip attached to the upper end of each of the main backrest rods, one on each side.

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