chair

Abstract

To provide a chair capable of raising / lowering a seat part with a relatively small force.SOLUTION: In a chair 1, an elevating / lowering part 30 has: a first member which is formed into a shaft form, one end part of which is freely slidably connected to a seat part 10, and the other end part of which is freely slidably connected to a support part 20; a second member which is formed into a shaft form, one end of which is freely slidably connected to the seat part 10, and the other end of which is freely slidably connected to the support part 20; and an elastic member one end side of which is connected to the first connection part connected to the first member, the other end side of which is connected to the second connection part to which the second member is connected, and whose full length changes as a change of inner pressure based on a user's operation. By full length of the elastic member prolonging, the first connection part and the second connection part are separated, which causes a seat part to rise; by full length of the elastic member shrinking, the first connection part and the second connection part become close, which causes the seat part to lower.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a chair with a seat that can be raised and lowered. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, chairs for playing musical instruments and the like have a function of adjusting the height of the seat on which the user sits to suit the user's physique.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a chair for playing musical instruments in which X-shaped link mechanisms supported by a lower fixed base and an upper movable base are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction, and these two link mechanisms are connected by a turnbuckle-type bolt consisting of a right-handed thread and a left-handed thread, and by turning a knob located at the tip of the bolt, the seat plate, which is the seating portion located on the movable base, can be raised and lowered. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-14477 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when the seat plate is raised and lowered by rotating a turnbuckle-shaped bolt with a knob, the weight of the seat plate, etc., creates friction at the point where the link mechanism and the bolt screw together, resulting in the problem that a relatively large force is required to rotate the knob.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to provide a chair whose seat can be raised and lowered with a relatively small force. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) a seating portion on which a user sits; a support portion that supports the seat portion from below; a lifting unit fixed to the support unit and configured to lift and lower the seating unit, The lifting unit is a first member formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seat portion and the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion; a second member formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seat portion and the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion; an expandable member having one end connected to a first connection part connected to the first member and the other end connected to a second connection part to which the second member is connected, and whose total length changes depending on internal pressure based on a user's operation; When the entire length of the extensible member is extended, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are separated from each other, and the seating portion is raised. A chair characterized in that, when the entire length of the telescopic member is shortened, the first connection portion and the second connection portion come closer to each other, and the seat portion descends.

[0008] In the invention (1), the chair comprises a seating portion, a support portion, and a lifting portion. The seating section is where the user sits. The support portion supports the seat portion from below. The lifting unit is fixed to the support unit, has a first member, a second member, and an expandable member, and lifts and lowers the seating unit. The first member is formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seat portion, and the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion. The second member is formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seat portion, and the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion. The expandable member has one end connected to a first connection part connected to a first member, and the other end connected to a second connection part connected to a second member, and its overall length changes depending on the internal pressure based on the user's operation. As the entire length of the telescopic member expands, the first connection part and the second connection part move apart, causing the seating part to rise, and as the entire length of the telescopic member contracts, the first connection part and the second connection part move closer together, causing the seating part to lower.

[0009] According to the invention (1), based on the user's operation, the expandable member, whose total length changes depending on the internal pressure, expands, causing the first connection part and the second connection part to move apart and the seating part to rise, and the total length of the expandable member contracts, causing the first connection part and the second connection part to move closer together and the seating part to descend. This makes it possible to move the first and second connecting parts closer or farther apart and raise and lower the seat without using a member that would create friction due to the weight of the seat, such as a bolt or other screw-fitting member. Also, by using internal pressure to expand and contract the entire length of the expandable member, the seat can be raised and lowered smoothly. Therefore, it is possible to provide a chair whose seat can be raised and lowered with a relatively small force.

[0010] (2) The lifting unit is a first lifting unit including the first member and another first member formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seating portion, the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion, and the center of which is rotatably connected to the first member; a second lifting unit including the second member and another second member formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seating portion, the other end of which is slidably connected to the support portion, and the center of which is rotatably connected to the second member; The first connection portion is provided on the seating portion side, the second connection portion is provided on the support portion side, When the distance between both ends of the first member and the other first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the other second member become closer to each other, the seating portion rises, The chair described in (1) is characterized in that the seating portion descends when the distance between both ends of the first member and the other first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the other second member increase, respectively.

[0011] In the invention (2), the lifting section includes a first lifting section and a second lifting section. The first lifting section comprises a first member and another first member formed in an axial shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seating section, the other end of which is slidably connected to the support section, and which is rotatably connected to the first member at the center. The second lifting section comprises a second member and another second member formed in an axial shape, one end of which is slidably connected to the seating section, the other end of which is slidably connected to the support section, and which is rotatably connected to the second member at the center. The first connection portion is provided on the seating portion side. The second connection portion is provided on the support portion side. The seat of the chair rises as the distance between both ends of the first member and the other first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the other second member become closer to each other. Furthermore, the seating portion of the chair descends as the distance between both ends of the first member and the separate first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the separate second member increase.

[0012] According to the invention (2), one end (first connection part) of the telescopic member is connected to the seat side of the first lifting / lowering section that includes the first member, and the other end (second connection part) is connected to the support side of the second lifting / lowering section that includes the second member. In other words, the telescopic member is disposed obliquely with respect to the first lifting / lowering section and the second lifting / lowering section. This allows the seat to be raised and lowered with less force than when the first and second lifting sections are arranged horizontally, for example.

[0013] (3) The lifting unit is a first auxiliary member formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is rotatably supported on the seat portion and the other end of which is rotatably supported on an intermediate portion of the first member; A chair as described in (1) or (2), characterized in that it comprises a second auxiliary member formed in an axial shape, one end of which is rotatably supported on the seating portion, and the other end of which is rotatably supported on the middle portion of the second member.

[0014] In the invention (3), the lifting section includes a first auxiliary member and a second auxiliary member. The first auxiliary member is formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is rotatably supported by the seat portion, and the other end of which is rotatably supported by the middle portion of the first member. The second auxiliary member is formed in a shaft shape, one end of which is rotatably supported by the seat portion, and the other end of which is rotatably supported by the middle portion of the second member.

[0015] According to the invention (3), a first auxiliary member rotatably supported on the seating portion is rotatably supported in the middle part of the first member, and a second auxiliary member rotatably supported on the seating portion is rotatably supported in the middle part of the second member. Here, when the seating portion is lowered to the lowest position and the first and second members are horizontal or nearly horizontal, even if an attempt is made to extend the entire length of the telescopic member to separate the first and second connection portions, the ends of the first and second members will support the ends of the parts connected to the seating portion in the sliding direction, making it impossible to separate the first and second connection portions (the seating portion cannot be raised). According to the invention (3), by providing the first auxiliary member and the second auxiliary member, it is possible to prevent the first member and the second member from being in a horizontal or nearly horizontal state, thereby preventing a state in which the seating portion cannot be raised. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, a chair can be provided in which the seat can be raised and lowered with a relatively small force. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lifting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lifting unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, identical or similar components will be designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be omitted or simplified.

[0019] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the chair 1 is a chair for musical instruments, on which a user who plays a musical instrument such as a piano sits, but the chair 1 is not limited to this and can be applied to chairs for a variety of purposes.

[0020] The chair 1 comprises a seating section 10 on which a user sits, a support section 20 that supports the seating section 10 from below, a lifting section 30 that is fixed to the support section 20 and raises and lowers the seating section 10, and an auxiliary section 40 that is attached to the support section 20 and on which the user can place their feet.

[0021] The seating section 10 has a cushion on the upper surface thereof on which the user sits, and its lower surface is connected to the lifting section 30 fixed to the support section 20. In the example shown in Fig. 1, the seating section 10 is formed in a quadrangular shape when viewed from above, but is not limited to this and may be formed in a circular shape or other polygonal shapes.

[0022] The support portion 20 has a plurality of legs 21 (four in the example shown in FIG. 1) extending downward from the lower side near the outer periphery of the seating portion 10 (four corners in the example shown in FIG. 1), and a frame portion 22 connecting the upper ends of adjacent legs 21 to each other.

[0023] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a chair according to one embodiment of the present invention. The lifting unit 30 includes a lower member 310 fixed to the support unit 20, an upper member 320 fixed to the seating unit 10, and a lifting member 330 connected to the lower member 310 and the upper member 320 and moving the lower member 310 and the upper member 320 away from or closer to each other, thereby lifting and lowering the seating unit 10.

[0024] 3 and 4 are perspective views of a lifting unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed obliquely from below. Fig. 3 shows a state in which the lower member 310 and the upper member 320 are close to each other. Fig. 4 shows a state in which the lower member 310 and the upper member 320 are spaced apart from each other.

[0025] The lower member 310 is attached to the inner side surfaces of a pair of frame portions 22 (see FIG. 1) of the support portion 20 facing each other, and is formed of a plate-like body extending along the frame portions 22.

[0026] Each of the pair of lower members 310 is a hole that extends along the direction in which the frame portion 22 (see Figure 1) extends (left and right direction in the example shown in Figure 3), and is formed with a first guide 311 that slidably engages with the lower end of the first member 341 described later.

[0027] The pair of lower members 310 are holes that extend along the direction in which the frame portion 22 (see Figure 1) extends (left and right direction in the example shown in Figure 3), and the lower end of the second member 351 described later is slidably engaged with the holes to form a second guide 312 that is formed to the same length as the first guide 311.

[0028] The upper member 320 is attached to the underside of the seating portion 10 and is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from above.

[0029] The upper member 320 is a hole extending in the direction in which the opposing frames (frames arranged above and parallel to the pair of lower members 310) extending along the direction in which the seating portion 10 (see Figure 1) extends (left-right direction in the example shown in Figure 3) and has a first guide 321 formed therein that extends in the direction in which the frames extend, and into which the upper end of the first member 341 described later slidably engages.

[0030] In addition, the upper member 320 has a hole in the frame that extends in the direction in which the frame extends and is longer than the first guide 321, and has another first guide 322 formed therein with which the upper end of the other first member 342 described later can slide freely.

[0031] In addition, the upper member 320 has a second guide 323 formed in the frame, which extends in the direction in which the frame extends and is a hole of the same length as the first guide 321, with which the upper end of the second member 351 described later can slide.

[0032] In addition, the upper member 320 has a hole in the frame that extends in the direction in which the frame extends and has the same length as the separate first guide 322, and a separate second guide 324 is formed with which the upper end of the separate second member 352 described later can slideably engage.

[0033] A wall member (for example, a bellows) that can expand and contract in the direction of movement of the upper member 320 may be disposed between the lower member 310 and the upper member 320. This makes it possible to prevent the user's fingers from getting pinched when the lower member 310 and the upper member 320 move closer to each other after being separated from each other.

[0034] The lifting member 330 comprises a pair of first lifting sections 340 arranged opposite each other (front to back in the example shown in Figures 3 and 4), a pair of second lifting sections 350 arranged opposite each other (front to back in the example shown in Figures 3 and 4) in parallel with the first lifting sections 340 along the extension direction of the seating section 10 (see Figure 2), and an extendable member 370 that causes the first lifting sections 340 and the second lifting sections 350 to operate in conjunction with each other.

[0035] The first lifting / lowering section 340 is formed in a substantially X-shape when viewed from the front, and includes a first member 341 that is disposed at an incline in a predetermined direction, and another first member 342 that is rotatably connected to the first member 341 at the center and disposed at an incline in the opposite direction to the predetermined direction. The height of the first lifting / lowering section 340 increases (the upper end and the lower end are separated) when the first member 341 and the other first member 342 change from a state in which the upper and lower ends are separated from each other (the state shown in FIG. 3) to a state in which the upper and lower ends of the first member 341 and the other first member 342 are close to each other (the state shown in FIG. 4).

[0036] The first member 341 is formed in a shaft shape, and its upper end is slidably connected to a first guide 321 of an upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the first member 341 has its lower end slidably connected to a first guide 311 of a lower member 310 attached to the frame portion 22 of the support portion 20 (see FIG. 1).

[0037] The separate first member 342 is formed in a shaft shape, and its upper end is slidably connected to the separate first guide 322 of the upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the separate first member 342 has its lower end rotatably supported by the lower member 310 attached to the frame portion 22 of the support portion 20 (see FIG. 1).

[0038] The second lifting / lowering unit 350 is formed in a substantially X-shape when viewed from the front, and includes a second member 351 that is inclined in the direction opposite to a predetermined direction, and another second member 352 that is rotatably connected to the second member 351 at the center and is inclined in the predetermined direction. The second lifting / lowering unit 350 increases in height (the upper end and the lower end are separated) by changing from a state in which the upper and lower ends of the second member 351 and the other second member 352 are separated from each other (the state shown in FIG. 3) to a state in which the upper and lower ends of the second member 351 and the other second member 352 are close to each other (the state shown in FIG. 4).

[0039] The second member 351 is formed in a shaft shape, and its upper end is slidably connected to a second guide 323 of the upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the second member 351 has its lower end slidably connected to a second guide 312 of the lower member 310 attached to the frame portion 22 of the support portion 20 (see FIG. 1).

[0040] The separate second member 352 is formed in a shaft shape, and its upper end is slidably connected to the separate second guide 324 of the upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see FIG. 1). In addition, the separate second member 352 has its lower end rotatably supported by the lower member 310 attached to the frame portion 22 of the support portion 20 (see FIG. 1).

[0041] The pair of first members 341, the pair of different first members 342, the pair of second members 351, and the pair of different second members 352 are connected by first connecting portions 361 at the upper ends thereof.

[0042] Furthermore, the pair of first members 341, the pair of different first members 342, the pair of second members 351, and the pair of different second members 352 are connected by second connecting portions 362 at the lower ends thereof.

[0043] The first connecting portion 361 and the second connecting portion 362 are shaft-shaped bodies extending in the arrangement direction (front-rear direction in the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) of the pair of first members 341, the pair of separate first members 342, the pair of second members 351, and the pair of separate second members 352. The first connecting portion 361 and the second connecting portion 362 may be cylindrical or angular.

[0044] Furthermore, a first auxiliary member 363 is connected to each of the pair of first members 341. The first auxiliary member 363 is formed in an axial shape, with one end rotatably supported on the upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see Figure 1), and the other end rotatably supported on the middle portion of the first member 341.

[0045] Further, second auxiliary members 364 are connected to the pair of second members 351, respectively. The second auxiliary member 364 is formed in an axial shape and is rotatably supported on the upper member 320 attached to the seating portion 10 (see Figure 1), and the other end is rotatably supported on the middle portion of the second auxiliary member 364.

[0046] The expandable member 370 is composed of a cylinder such as a gas spring, metal spring, resin spring, or fluid spring, and one end is connected to a first connection part 361 that is connected to the upper end of the first member 341, and the other end is connected to a second connection part 362 that is connected to the lower end of the second member 351. For example, the overall length changes due to the internal pressure of a gas (gas inert) spring in the cylinder, and the expandable member 370 is locked or unlocked based on the user's operation. The expandable member 370 also has a locking mechanism such as a hydraulic or mechanical type.

[0047] For example, the telescopic member 370 can transition from a locked state, in which its overall length does not change, to a released state, in which its overall length is variable, by the user operating the operating unit 371. When the operating unit 371 is operated to transition the telescopic member 370 to the released state in the shortest state (the state shown in FIG. 3), the overall length of the telescopic member 370 extends to the state shown in FIG. 4. Furthermore, when the operating unit 371 is operated to transition the telescopic member 370 to the released state in the extended overall length state (the state shown in FIG. 4), if a user sits on the seat 10 (see FIG. 1) and applies pressure in a direction that shortens the overall length due to the user's weight, the telescopic member 370 will shorten, and when the operation of the operating unit 371 is stopped, the telescopic member 370 will be locked at the current overall length.

[0048] As described above, the chair 1 of this embodiment can be easily and quickly raised and lowered using a single diagonally arranged telescopic member 370, which is more space-efficient and economical than chairs equipped with other lifting mechanisms. Furthermore, the chair 1 makes extensive use of links that pivotally support each member throughout the chair, allowing for a wide range of motion. While a single telescopic member 370 is preferred, multiple members may be provided.

[0049] Next, the operation of the chair 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a chair according to one embodiment of the present invention. 1, when the user operates the operating unit 371 to unlock the telescopic member 370, the entire length of the telescopic member 370 is extended. Then, the first connecting part 361 connected to the upper end of the first member 341 of the first lifting part 340 and the second connecting part 362 connected to the lower end of the second member 351 move away from each other. As a result, the upper and lower ends of the first member 341 and the separate first member 342 of the first lifting / lowering section 340 and the second member 351 and the separate second member 352 of the second lifting / lowering section 350 are brought into close proximity (the state shown in Figure 4), and the seating section 10 shown in Figure 1 moves to a position away from the support section 20, resulting in the state shown in Figure 5.

[0050] 5, when the user operates the operating unit 371 to unlock the expandable member 370 and, for example, sits on the seat 10 and presses it downward, the overall length of the expandable member 370 is shortened. Then, the first connecting part 361 connected to the upper end of the first member 341 of the first lifting / lowering part 340 and the second connecting part 362 connected to the lower end of the second member 351 move closer to each other. As a result, the upper and lower ends of the first member 341 and the separate first member 342 of the first lifting section 340 and the second member 351 and the separate second member 352 of the second lifting section 350 are separated from each other (the state shown in Figure 3), and the seating section 10 shown in Figure 5 moves to a position close to the support section 20, resulting in the state shown in Figure 1.

[0051] When the user operates to raise or lower the seat 10 in this manner, by stopping the operation of the operating part 371 when the seat 10 reaches the desired height, the telescopic member 370 is locked, the entire length no longer extends or contracts, and the seat 10 can be fixed at the desired height.

[0052] 1, auxiliary part 40 is, for example, a plate-shaped member placed across the middle of two adjacent legs 21, and is a member on which a user places their feet when the height of seat 10 is adjusted to a position appropriate for playing a musical instrument (for example, piano), for example, when the user is a relatively small person such as a child and cannot place their feet on the floor. Auxiliary part 40 is configured to be adjustable in height at the middle of two adjacent legs 21.

[0053] According to such a chair 1, the expandable member 370, whose total length changes depending on the internal pressure, expands based on the user's operation, causing the first connecting portion 361 and the second connecting portion 362 to move apart, and the seating portion 10 to rise, and the total length of the expandable member 370 contracts, causing the first connecting portion 361 and the second connecting portion 362 to move closer together, and the seating portion 10 to descend. This makes it possible to move the first connecting part 361 and the second connecting part 362 closer or farther apart, thereby raising and lowering the seating part 10, without using a member that would become a frictional force due to the weight of the seating part 10, such as a bolt that threads together. Also, by using a gas spring, metal spring, or the like to expand and contract the entire length of the expandable member 370, the seating part 10 can be raised and lowered smoothly. Therefore, a chair can be provided in which the seat 10 can be raised and lowered with a relatively small force.

[0054] Furthermore, according to chair 1, one end (first connection portion 361) of telescopic member 370 is connected to the seating portion 10 side of first lifting / lowering section 340 including first member 341, and the other end (second connection portion 362) is connected to the support portion 20 side of second lifting / lowering section 350 including second member 351. In other words, telescopic member 370 is disposed obliquely with respect to first lifting / lowering section 340 and second lifting / lowering section 350. This allows the seating section 10 to be raised and lowered with less force than when the first and second lifting sections 340, 350 are arranged horizontally, for example.

[0055] Furthermore, according to chair 1, by providing first auxiliary member 363 and second auxiliary member 364, it is possible to prevent first member 341 and second member 351 from becoming horizontal or nearly horizontal, thereby preventing a situation in which it becomes impossible to raise seating portion 10.

[0056] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1 chair 10 Seating area 20 Support part 21 Legs 22 Frame 30 Lifting section 40 Auxiliary part 310 Lower member 311 First Guide 312 Second Guide 320 Upper member 321 First Guide 322 Separate First Guide 323 Second Guide 324 Separate Second Guide 330 Lifting member 340 First lift section 341 First member 342 Separate first member 350 Second lift section 351 Second member 352 Separate second member 361 First Connection 362 Second connection part 363 First auxiliary member 364 Second auxiliary member 370 Elastic Member 371 Operation section

Claims

1. a seating portion on which a user sits; a support portion that supports the seat portion from below; a lifting unit fixed to the support unit and configured to lift and lower the seating unit, The lifting unit is a pair of first members each formed in a shaft shape, with an upper end slidably connected to the seating portion and a lower end slidably connected to the support portion, the first members being disposed in positions facing each other; a pair of second members each formed in a shaft shape, with an upper end slidably connected to the seating portion and a lower end slidably connected to the support portion, the second members being disposed in positions facing each other; a first connection portion that connects the pair of first members at upper ends; a second connection portion that connects the pair of second members at lower ends; an expandable member having one end connected to the first connection part and the other end connected to the second connection part, and the total length of which changes depending on the internal pressure based on the operation of the user; When the entire length of the extensible member is extended, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are separated from each other, and the seating portion is raised. A chair characterized in that when the seating portion is pressed downward, the overall length of the expandable member contracts, the first connection portion and the second connection portion come closer to each other, and the seating portion descends.

2. The lifting unit is a first lifting unit including the first member and another first member formed in a shaft shape, the upper end of which is slidably connected to the seating portion, the lower end of which is rotatably connected to the support portion, and the center of which is rotatably connected to the first member; a second lifting unit including the second member and another second member formed in a shaft shape, the upper end of which is slidably connected to the seating portion, the lower end of which is rotatably connected to the support portion, and the center of which is rotatably connected to the second member; The first connection portion is provided on the seating portion side, the second connection portion is provided on the support portion side, When the distance between both ends of the first member and the other first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the other second member become closer to each other, the seating portion rises, The chair according to claim 1, characterized in that the seating portion descends when the distance between both ends of the first member and the other first member and the distance between both ends of the second member and the other second member increase, respectively.

3. The lifting unit is a first auxiliary member formed in a shaft shape, with an upper end portion pivotally supported on the seat portion and a lower end portion pivotally supported on an intermediate portion of the first member; The chair described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a second auxiliary member formed in an axial shape, with its upper end rotatably supported on the seat portion and its lower end rotatably supported on the intermediate portion of the second member.

Images