Folding fixtures

Abstract

To disclose a piece of folding type furniture whose move in a folded state can be smoothly done while handleability in an open state is secured.SOLUTION: In one example of a piece of folding type furniture and a chair, the chair is changeable in a posture for an extended state and a folded state by the operation of stays 6, 7 and an interlock member (link) 8. In the extended state, front and rear legs 3, 4 are in a posture in which a mutual longitudinal interval spreads downward in an expanding posture and intersects in an X shape in the folded state. Casters 20, 21 are attached to a lower end of each of the legs 3, 4. The rear casters 21 are always unable to rotate while the front casters 20 are freely rotatable horizontally with a spindle 25 in a vertical posture in the extended state and becomes unable to rotate horizontally with the front legs 3 in a forward leaning posture in the folded state. As the front / rear casters 20, 21 are horizontally unrotated in the folded state, the chair can be pushed and moved in a stable state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application discloses a folding fixture such as a folding chair. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, chairs for conference rooms that need to be put away in a storeroom or in the corner of a room when not in use are often made foldable so that they can be stored in as small a space as possible. It has been proposed to provide casters on the bottom ends of the legs of folding chairs to make them easier for people to move when in use, and examples of this are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] It is common to provide casters on chairs with a foldable seat only, but casters are rarely provided on chairs with foldable front and rear legs. This is because, in a chair with a foldable seat only, the positions of the front and rear legs remain constant regardless of the position of the seat, and the chair can stand on its own on the floor via the casters even when the seat is foldable, whereas in a chair with foldable legs, it is difficult to keep the chair standing on the floor via the casters once the legs are folded.

[0004] In this regard, Patent Document 1 provides footrests at the lower ends of the front legs, and when the chair is placed against a wall with the footrest resting on the floor at the folded top, the casters are raised off the floor, allowing multiple chairs to be placed in a row one behind the other with the casters raised off the floor.

[0005] In Patent Document 2, the rear legs are provided with inverted L-shaped stoppers with downward portions, and are set so that when the chair is unfolded there is a small gap between the stoppers and the floor, and when the chair is folded, the stoppers come into contact with the floor, leaving a small space between the rear wheels and the floor. Therefore, in Patent Document 2, when the chair is folded, the front wheels and the stoppers come into contact with the floor, allowing the chair to stand on its own.

[0006] The casters have swivelonly There are types that can rotate freely and types that can swivel horizontally in addition to rotating, but the caster in Patent Document 1 is presumed to be a type that can swivel horizontally based on the drawings. On the other hand, the caster in Patent Document 2 is also presumed to be a type that can swivel horizontally based on the term "swivel caster" in the specification. Casters on swivel chairs and casters on chairs where only the seat can be lifted are almost always of the horizontal swivel type.

[0007] Tables are also foldable fixtures, and they often have casters, but because the tabletop of a folding table only rotates and the legs themselves do not fold, even if horizontally swivel casters are installed, the table will remain stable regardless of the position of the tabletop. Therefore, simply installing horizontally swivel casters allows for easy use and movement (however, in the case of tables, the rotation of the casters is often locked when in use). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Microfilm of Utility Model Publication No. 63-167948 [Patent Document 2] Microfilm of Utility Model Publication No. 3-60548 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] The advantage of making a chair foldable is that it requires less storage space when not in use; if the front and rear legs can be folded, the storage space required can be significantly reduced compared to a system in which only the seat can be flipped up.

[0010] Now, in the case of a chair where only the seat can be lifted up, the position of the front and rear legs does not change regardless of the position of the seat, and so the distance between the front and rear casters also remains constant. Therefore, even if each caster is of the horizontal swivel type, the chair can be moved without swaying from side to side even if you put your hands on the backrest and push or pull it. However, if the legs are of the foldable type, the distance between the bottom ends of the front and rear legs becomes narrower when they are folded, and when you push the chair with all four casters on the floor, the chair's direction of movement becomes unstable and it is likely to sway from side to side.

[0011] In this regard, it may be possible to pull the chair with only the front or rear wheels on the floor, but this method involves lifting the chair slightly, which puts strain on the person and negates the purpose of providing casters, and there are problems such as the chair being prone to hitting people's feet, and the inability to move multiple chairs when stacked one on top of the other (nested).

[0012] Therefore, it is preferable that the chair be able to be pushed forward when folded, but as mentioned above, when the front and rear legs are folded, the distance between the front and rear casters becomes narrow, and if each caster is of the horizontal swivel type, the chair becomes unstable in the forward direction and wobbles, making it difficult to move.However, if casters that cannot swivel but only rotate are used, it is difficult to move the chair in the desired direction when a person is sitting on it, which makes it difficult to use.

[0013] The present invention discloses a technique that can improve this current situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The present invention is directed to folding fixtures, and the technology relating to these folding fixtures can be viewed from various perspectives.

[0015] The invention according to the first aspect is as defined in claim 1: "A resting part on which a person's body or an object rests, a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs supporting the mounting portion; a front caster attached to a lower end portion of the front leg; a rear caster attached to a lower end portion of the rear leg; Equipped with The front legs and the rear legs can be in an unfolded state in which the distance between the lower end portions is widened, and in a folded state in which the distance between the lower end portions is narrowed. posture It is changeable and At least one of the front caster and the rear caster is With vertical support shafts Swinging casters in, When the support shaft is in a vertical position is a car A ring horizontal Turning is possible So, When the support shaft is tilted relative to the vertical direction, the wheel horizontal Turning suppression state It is a configuration that The support shaft of the swivel caster is set to be in a vertical position in the unfolded state and in an inclined position in the folded state, The support shaft of the swivel caster is fitted into the front leg or the rear leg from below via a bush having an internal hole into which the support shaft is fitted, and the bush is an eccentric type in which the axis of the internal hole is inclined relative to the axis of the outer circumferential surface, In the deployed state, the leg to which the swivel caster is attached is inclined relative to the vertical line, and the internal hole of the eccentric bushing is in a vertical position, so that the swivel caster is held so as to be freely swiveled horizontally, In the folded state, the legs to which the swivel casters are attached are inclined relative to the vertical line, and the internal holes of the eccentric bushings are also inclined relative to the vertical line, so that the swivel casters are restricted from rotating horizontally. " That is it.

[0016] In the first aspect of the invention, when the furniture is unfolded (in use) and can carry people or objects, at least one of the front and rear casters rotates horizontally, allowing the furniture to be easily moved in any direction. On the other hand, when the front and rear legs are folded, the horizontal rotation of the casters is locked, so even if the distance between the front and rear casters becomes narrow when they are folded, the furniture can move stably without wobbling.

[0017] Therefore, while maintaining ease of use when unfolded, the folded structure can be moved stably and easily with little effort. Because the structure can be pushed and moved using the casters in the folded state, it is also possible to move multiple pieces of furniture stacked one on top of the other, which contributes to improving the efficiency of moving the structure (carrying it in and out of the storage area).

[0018] Furthermore, the horizontal rotation of the swivel casters is locked by utilizing the change in leg position caused by folding, so no special work is required to lock the casters, making this product highly practical and of great practical value.

[0019] The invention according to the second aspect is, as stated in claim 2, premised on the first aspect, "One or both of the front and rear legs to which the swivel casters are attached shall be supported by the upper part of the leg as a fulcrum. In the forward and backward direction configured to rotate, The front legs and the rear legs are set so as not to cross each other in a side view in the unfolded state, and so as to cross each other in a side view in the folded state. The structure is as follows.

[0020] In the invention of the second aspect, the front and rear legs are not crossed in the unfolded state, so the furniture can be kept in a stable state. On the other hand, in the folded state, the front and rear legs are crossed, so the distance between the front and rear casters can be narrowed while maintaining the posture of the front and rear legs. In other words, the front and rear legs will not spread apart for some reason in the folded state. Therefore, the furniture can be kept in the folded state and moved or stored stably in an upright state.

[0021] The invention relating to the third aspect is a specific embodiment of the invention according to the second aspect, and as stated in claim 3, " The front caster and the rear caster both have the same structure and the support shaft, The front caster is attached to the front leg via the eccentric bush, thereby becoming the swivel type caster, The rear caster is held unable to rotate horizontally in either the unfolded state or the folded state because the axis of the rear leg is inclined with respect to the vertical line in either the unfolded state or the folded state. " The structure is as follows.

[0022] In the invention according to the third aspect, only the front casters are swiveled horizontally when unfolded, allowing for stable travel without wobbling in both the unfolded and folded states.More specifically, when folded and the front and rear legs are crossed, the front casters are generally positioned forward and the rear casters are positioned rearward when moving furniture, but the rear casters positioned forward in the direction of travel maintain a constant posture, allowing for travel in a stable position.

[0023] In particular, when applied to a chair, the axles (horizontal axes) of the front and rear casters are kept parallel when the chair is pushed by the backrest with hands, allowing the chair to be pushed straight without wobbling from side to side. Therefore, it is suitable for use in chairs. Furthermore, when applied to a chair, the front casters swivel horizontally when deployed, allowing the chair to move smoothly, similar to a front-wheel steering vehicle.

[0025] No. 1 perspective Return to the following and explain. The front and rear legs can be tilted relative to the vertical line and positioned so that the distance between them increases when viewed from the side, maintaining the stability of the furniture when unfolded while locking the horizontal rotation of the swivel casters when folded. This ensures both stability when unfolded and easy mobility when folded and not in use.

[0026] Fourth The invention according to the above aspect is Claim 4 As shown above, the first Third In any of the above respects, The base, the front legs, and the rear legs are connected to one another so that the posture of the base in a side view changes when the base is shifted from the unfolded state to the folded state. The structure is as follows.

[0027] This configuration has the advantage that the fixtures can be folded to make the entire unit compact, thereby promoting effective use of storage space.

[0028] No. 5 The invention according to the aspect is applied to a chair, 5 As shown above, No. 1 to No. 3 In any of the above respects, "The above-mentioned seating area is a seat on which a person sits, the seat and the front and rear legs are connected to each other so that the front and rear legs are folded when the seat is flipped up, In the folded state, it is configured to be able to be nested with other furniture in front and behind. The structure is as follows.

[0029] This chair is easy to use because it can be moved freely while sitting, just like a chair with casters. It is also foldable, allowing for efficient use of storage space. Furthermore, it can be moved by simply holding the backrest, making it easy to move even when folded. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned effects by virtue of the above-mentioned configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the appearance of an embodiment, in which (A) is a front perspective view in an unfolded state, and (B) is a front perspective view in a folded state. [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the appearance of an embodiment, in which (A) is a bottom perspective view in an unfolded state, and (B) is a bottom perspective view in a folded state. [Figure 3] (A) is a side view of the deployed state, (B) is a partial side view of the front legs, (C) is a separated side view of the front legs, and (C) is a separated side view of the rear legs. [Figure 4] (A) is a side view of the folded state, (B) is a longitudinal side view of the lower part of the front legs, (C) is a separated perspective view of the front legs, and (D) is a perspective view of the rear casters. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] Next, an embodiment (specific example) of a chair as an example of furniture disclosed in this application will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the terms "front, back," "left," and "right" are used to specify directions, but these directions are based on the direction of a person normally sitting in the chair. The front viewing direction is the direction facing the seated person.

[0033] (1).Basic structure First, an overview of the chair will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The chair of this embodiment is of a type often used in conference rooms, auditoriums, etc., and as shown in Figure 1, it comprises a seat 1, a backrest 2, and rod-shaped (straight) front legs 3 and rear legs 4 that support them. The seat 1 is an example of a support part. The upper ends of the front legs 3 and rear legs 4 are located above the seat 1. The legs 3 and 4 are made of metal pipes such as steel pipes.

[0034] The seat 1 is formed in a roughly trapezoidal shape with its width narrowing towards the rear in plan view. On the other hand, the backrest 2 is gently curved so that it concaves forward in plan view to fit the user's back, and is gently tilted backward in side cross-section view. It has a narrow vertical width and a sharp design.

[0035] As can be seen from Figure 1, the seat 1 is made of resin (or wood) and is in the shape of a plate. In other words, it has a single seat plate structure. However, the seat 1 can also be constructed with a seat plate (inner shell) covered with cushioning material, or with a frame with openings at the top and bottom covered with mesh material. The backrest 2 is a molded product made of synthetic resin, but can also be made of wood. Alternatively, a structure with cushioning material attached to the front can also be used.

[0036] Side frames 5, which are long from front to back, are integrally formed on both the left and right ends of the backrest 2. The side frames 5 are wide enough to function as armrests. Therefore, the armrests and the backrest 2 can be considered to be integrated. As shown in Figures 1(A) and 2, the backrest 2 is smoothly connected to the side frames 5 by decreasing in height on both the left and right sides.

[0037] The upper ends of the front legs 3 are fixed to the front ends of the side frame parts 5, while the rear legs 4 are connected to the side frame parts 5 so as to pivot back and forth around their upper ends as fulcrums. Therefore, the front legs 3 and rear legs 4 can be folded from an unfolded state in which the distance between them increases downward in side view to a state in which they intersect in an X shape in side view.

[0038] For example, as shown in Figure 2, the left and right front legs 3 are fixed together by left and right long front stays 6 at the height of the underside of the seat 1, and the front part of the seat 1 is rotatably connected to the front stays 6. On the other hand, the left and right rear legs 4 are also fixed together by left and right long rear stays 7 at the height of the underside of the seat 1. each other The rear stay 7 and the seat 1 are fixed, and are connected to each other via a link 8 that is bent into a trapezoidal shape so as to be able to rotate relative to each other.

[0039] When the seat 1 is unfolded, it is supported at the front and rear by stays 6 and 7. The stays 6 and 7 are made of metal pipes such as steel pipes and are fixed to the legs 3 and 4 by welding. When the rear end of the seat 1 is lifted, the seat 1 rotates around the front stay 6 as a fulcrum, and in conjunction with this, the interlocking member 8 is pulled up and rotated so that its rear end is raised higher. As a result, the rear legs 4 rotate relative to the front legs 3, the seat 1, and the side frame 5, and the seat is folded into the state shown in Figures 1(B) and 2(B).

[0040] As can be seen by comparing the unfolded state and the folded state in Figures 1 and 2, the left-right distance between the front legs 3 is greater than the left-right distance between the rear legs 4 in a front or plan view, so that when folded, multiple chairs can be nested one behind the other. A pull rib 9 is provided in the middle of the left and right parts of the rear end of the seat 1, where a person can place their hands when folding. In addition, the rear stay 7 has a crank-shaped bent portion 7a that protrudes forward so as not to get in the way when a person places their hands on the pull rib 9.

[0041] (2).Connection structure As shown in Figure 2, the front part of the seat 1 is rotatably connected to the front stays 6 by a pair of left and right front bearing parts 10 and front caps 11 that cover them. In addition, auxiliary bearing parts 12 that rest on the front stays are provided in the front part of the seat 1 near both left and right ends.

[0042] 2, the interlocking member 8 has a left-right long base portion 8a and front-rear long side portions 8b extending rearward from both left and right ends of the base portion 8a, and has a generally trapezoidal shape as a whole. The left-right intermediate portion of the base portion 8a is rotatably connected to the underside of the seat 1 by a rear bearing portion 13 and a rear cap 13a (omitted in FIG. 2(B)), and the rear ends of the left and right side portions 8b are rotatably connected to the rear stays 7 by a pair of upper and lower clamp-type bearing bodies 14.

[0043] As can be easily seen from Figure 1, the side frame 5 is basically a plate-like member with a width large enough for a person to rest their elbows on, with a flat upper surface and a downward rib 5a extending along its entire length on the inside. Therefore, the side frame 5 has a roughly inverted L-shaped cross section.

[0044] A front boss 15 that tapers downward is formed at the front end of the side frame 5, and the upper end of the front leg 3 is fitted into this front boss 15 via a joint shaft (not shown). On the other hand, the upper end of the rear leg 4 is connected to a rear boss 16 formed on the side frame 5 by a bracket 17 and a pin (not shown) having a longitudinal axis on the left and right. Therefore, the rear leg 4 rotates back and forth with its upper end as a fulcrum.

[0045] When the rear end of the seat 1 is lifted in the unfolded state, the seat 1 is flipped up and rotated so that the rear end becomes higher, with the front stay 6 as the fulcrum, and in conjunction with this, the base 8a of the interlocking member 8 is pulled upward. Then, the rear legs 4 rotate with their upper ends as the fulcrum.

[0046] When the seat 1 is fully rotated by lifting the entire chair off the floor or by lifting it with only the lower ends of the front legs 3 touching the floor, the center of gravity is located directly below the handle rib 9, causing the front legs 3 to lean forward and the rear legs 4 to lean backward, resulting in the front legs 3 and rear legs 4 crossing in an X-shape when viewed from the side.

[0047] Since the seat 1 is connected to the front stay 6 at a portion near its front end, the seat 1 can be rotated by putting a hand on the pull rib 9 at the rear end and lifting it up, but since the span from the pull rib 9 to the front stay 6 is large, the seat 1 can be reliably flipped up and rotated.

[0048] At the same time that the seat 1 is flipped up and rotated, the interlocking member 8 starts to rotate around its rear end as a fulcrum, and the rear legs 4 also start to rotate accordingly, but because the base 8a of the interlocking member 8 is connected to the front and rear midpoints of the seat 1, the interlocking member 8 rotates smoothly due to the lever action. Therefore, the rotation of the interlocking member 8 and the rear legs 4 is smooth, and when the entire chair is lifted, or when the rear legs 4 are lifted with the lower ends of the front legs 3 on the floor, the center of gravity shifts, causing the front legs 3 to lean forward and the rear legs 4 to lean backward, and the chair automatically transitions to the folded state.

[0049] The folded chair can stand on its own when placed on the floor, but when placed on the floor, the chair's own weight acts to widen the gap between the bottom ends of the front legs 3 and the rear legs 4, so the chair remains folded when placed on the floor. Therefore, there is no risk of the chair shifting to an unfolded position when stored.

[0050] (3) Caster For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a front caster 20 is attached to the lower end of the front leg 3, and a rear caster 21 is attached to the lower end of the rear leg 4.

[0051] As can be seen from Figures 3(C) and (D), the front caster 20 and the rear caster 21 have the same structure. As shown in Figure 4(B), the front caster 20 and the rear caster 21 are made of a synthetic resin bearing block 23 to which a horizontally oriented axle 22 is fixed, a wheel 24 rotatably held on the axle 22, and a wheel support 24. The wheel support 24 is installed vertically at a position of the bearing block 23 that is horizontally spaced from the axle 24. Vertically long The support shaft 25 is rotatably held by the bearing block 23 via a thrust bearing (not shown).

[0052] The support shaft 25 of the front caster 20 is fitted to the lower end of the front leg 3 via a front bushing 26, and the support shaft 25 of the rear caster 21 is fitted to the lower end of the rear leg 4 via a rear bushing 27, and the bushings 26, 27 are fixed to the legs 3, 4 with screws (not shown). At the lower end of each leg 3, 4, a tapped hole 28 opens inward, into which a screw can be screwed. The bushings 26, 27 have a horizontal hole 29 into which the tip of the screw can be fitted. It is also possible to screw screws into the front and rear bushings 26, 27.

[0053] The front and rear bushings 26, 27 are made of synthetic resin and have flanges 30, 31 that contact the lower end surfaces of the legs 3, 4 from above. The flanges 30, 31 of the bushings 26, 27 contact a flange 25a provided on the support shaft 25 from above. surface A group of annular grooves (or a group of annular protrusions) is formed in the front and rear bushings 26, 27, and therefore the outer peripheral surface is formed with a sawtooth cross section. This makes the front and rear bushings 26, 27 more easily deformable, allowing them to fit (fit tightly) securely onto the legs 3, 4.

[0054] As shown in Figures 3(C)(D) and 4(C)(D), the front and rear bushings 26, 27 are formed with a pair of front and rear positioning protrusions 32 connected to the upper surfaces of the flanges 30, 31, while the lower ends of the front and rear legs 3, 4 are formed with a pair of front and rear cutout portions 33 cut out downward into which the positioning protrusions 32 fit.

[0055] 3(D), the flange 31 of the rear bushing 27 has a uniform thickness all around, and the axis O1 of the inner peripheral surface coincides with the axis O2 of the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, the axis O3 of the support shaft 25 of the rear caster 21 coincides with the axis O4 of the rear leg 4.

[0056] 3(C) and 4(B), in the front bushing 26, the flange 30 has a thickness that varies from front to rear, and the axis O1 of the inner peripheral surface is tilted forward relative to the axis O2 of the outer peripheral surface. Therefore, the axis O3 of the support shaft 25 of the front caster 20 is tilted forward relative to the axis O4 of the front leg 3, but the support shaft 25 of the front caster 20 is in a vertical position.

[0057] That is, in order to allow the front casters 20 to rotate horizontally when the chair is in the unfolded state, the support shafts 25 of the front casters 20 must be maintained in a vertical position, whereas the front legs 3 are slightly tilted backward for the sake of stability of the chair. Therefore, in order to allow the front casters 20 to rotate horizontally while maintaining the front legs 3 in a straight and backward position, the front bushes 26 Internal hole 34 The axis O1 of the front leg 3 is tilted rearward relative to the axis O2 of the outer circumferential surface (and the axis O4 of the front leg 3). Therefore, the front caster 20 is of an eccentric type.

[0058] If the front legs 3 are formed so that the lower end is vertical and the majority of the upper part is inclined backward, the inner and outer concentric bushings 27 shown in Figure 3(D) can be used, but if the inner and outer eccentric front bushings 26 are used as in the embodiment, the front legs 3 can be formed in a straight shape, which gives them a neat and beautiful appearance and improves the design.

[0059] Furthermore, if only the lower end of the front leg 3 is partially bent, the lower end may be easily crushed and deformed during the bending process, which may make it impossible to fit the bush 27. However, in this embodiment, there is no need to bend the front leg 3, which has the advantage of ensuring that the front bush 26 fits in properly and improving quality and yield. The entire front leg 3 may also be set in a vertical position. In this case, the front bush 26 may also be of the inner and outer concentric type.

[0060] (4) Summary The chair of this embodiment has the above-mentioned configuration and can be freely changed between an unfolded state and a folded state. In the unfolded state, the front casters 20 can be rotated horizontally. CurrentlyTherefore, the user can move freely in any direction while sitting in the chair. Therefore, the chair can be used with the same ease as a normal swivel chair. The rear casters 21 can also be rotated horizontally, and in this case, the lower part of the rear legs 4 can be bent vertically.

[0061] When the chair is folded, the postures of the front and rear legs 3, 4 are reversed, and the legs 3, 4 cross in an X-shape in side view, as shown in Figure 4(A). As a result, the axis of the support shaft 25 of the front caster 20 tilts forward with respect to the vertical line, making the front caster 20 unable to rotate horizontally, and since the front leg 3 is in a backward tilted posture, the rear caster 21 is also held in an unsustainable state for horizontal rotation.

[0062] In the folded state, the chair's center of gravity is located between the front and rear casters 20, 21. This allows the chair to be pushed or pulled in a stable position. Also, because the casters 20, 21 are crossed in an X-shape, the distance between them is kept constant, allowing the chair to stand stably. Furthermore, because multiple units fit together front to back in the freestanding state, the distance between the chairs can be minimized, significantly reducing storage space.

[0063] Because it can stand on its own when folded, it is possible to push and move multiple units nested one behind the other. This means that one person can move multiple units. This significantly reduces the effort required to transport it into and out of storage areas such as warehouses.

[0064] Furthermore, since the distance between the front and rear casters 20, 21 is narrow in the folded state, when the front caster 20 rotates horizontally, the chair may become unstable and sway from side to side when moved. However, in this embodiment, the front caster 20 is also held so as not to rotate horizontally when folded, and the axles 22 of the front and rear casters 20, 21 are held parallel, so the chair can be pushed and moved in a stable state without swaying from side to side.

[0065] In particular, when changing the direction while pushing the chair, if the front casters 20 rotate horizontally, even a slight change in the way the force is applied to the chair to change the direction can cause the chair to move. The attitude of However, in this embodiment, the posture of the front and rear casters 20, 21 in a plan view is constant, so the chair can change direction smoothly without abrupt changes in posture. Straight-line movement can also be performed stably.

[0066] In the unfolded state, the planar posture of the front casters 20 is not constant, but when the front casters 20 contact the floor in the folded state, the axles 22 become stable in a left-right longitudinal position, and the front casters 20 automatically transition to a state in which the axles 22 are in a left-right longitudinal position. The folding operation can be performed with the front and rear casters 20, 21 in contact with the floor, or by lifting the entire chair onto the floor, or by leaving only the front casters 20 in contact with the floor. Either way Even if the front caster 20 is moved, the front caster 20 automatically shifts to a stable position with the axle 22 extending laterally.

[0067] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various other ways. For example, the present invention can be applied to various folding furniture such as folding tables and folding carts (wagons). Furthermore, the front and rear legs can be folded so that they are originally crossed in an X-shape when viewed from the side, and the crossing angle can be changed to narrow the distance between the front and rear casters.

[0068] The folding structure may not use a link mechanism as in the embodiment, but may instead connect the seat and legs with pins or hinges, etc. A folding structure in which a connecting pin slides through an elongated hole may also be used.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the front casters 20 are used as casters that can swivel horizontally in the unfolded state, but the rear casters 21 may be casters that can swivel horizontally in the unfolded state instead of or together with the front casters 20. In that case, the angle of the rear legs 4 may be set so that the support shafts of the rear casters 21 are inclined relative to the floor surface in the folded state. [Industrial Applicability]

[0070] The invention disclosed in this application can be embodied in folding furniture such as folding chairs, and is therefore industrially applicable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 seat 2 backrest 3 front legs 4 Hind legs 5 Side frame 6 Front stay that forms part of the folding mechanism 7 Rear stay that forms part of the folding mechanism 8 Links that form part of the folding mechanism 20 It is a swivel type caster. Front caster 21 Rear caster 22 axles 23 Bearing block 24 wheels 25 Spindle 26 Front bush (Eccentric bushing) 27 Rear Bush 34 internal holes

Claims

1. a placement portion on which a person's body or an object is placed; a pair of front legs and a pair of rear legs supporting the mounting portion; a front caster attached to a lower end portion of the front leg; a rear caster attached to a lower end portion of the rear leg; Equipped with the front legs and the rear legs are capable of changing their posture between an unfolded state in which the distance between their lower end portions is widened and a folded state in which the distance between their lower end portions is narrowed, At least one of the front casters and the rear casters is a swivel-type caster having a vertically elongated support shaft, and when the support shaft is in a vertical position, the wheel is in a horizontally swivel-enabled state, and when the support shaft is in a position inclined relative to the vertical, the wheel is in a horizontally swivel-restrained state; The support shaft of the swivel caster is set to be in a vertical position in the unfolded state and in an inclined position in the folded state, The support shaft of the swivel caster is fitted into the front leg or the rear leg from below via a bush having an internal hole into which the support shaft is fitted, and the bush is an eccentric type in which the axis of the internal hole is inclined relative to the axis of the outer circumferential surface, In the deployed state, the leg to which the swivel caster is attached is inclined relative to the vertical line, and the internal hole of the eccentric bushing is in a vertical position, so that the swivel caster is held so as to be freely swiveled horizontally, In the folded state, the legs to which the swivel casters are attached are inclined relative to the vertical line, and the internal holes of the eccentric bushings are also inclined relative to the vertical line, thereby restricting the swivel casters from rotating horizontally. Foldable fixtures.

2. One or both of the front legs and rear legs to which the swivel casters are attached are configured to rotate in the front-rear direction with their upper parts as fulcrums, The front legs and the rear legs are set so as not to cross each other in a side view in the unfolded state, and so as to cross each other in a side view in the folded state. A folding fixture according to claim 1.

3. The front caster and the rear caster both have the same structure with the support shaft, The front caster is attached to the front leg via the eccentric bush, thereby becoming the swivel type caster, The rear caster is held so as not to be able to rotate horizontally in either the unfolded state or the folded state because the axis of the rear leg is inclined with respect to the vertical line in either the unfolded state or the folded state. A folding fixture according to claim 2.

4. The mounting portion and the front and rear legs are connected to each other so that the side view posture of the mounting portion changes when the unfolded state is changed to the folded state. A folding fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The placing portion is a seat on which a person sits, the seat and the front and rear legs are connected to each other so that the front and rear legs are folded when the seat is flipped up, In the folded state, it is configured to be nestable with other furniture in front and behind. A folding fixture according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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