chair

Abstract

To provide a chair capable of securing fastness of fitting strength of an arm rest, when the arm rest is fitted to a seat support member.SOLUTION: A chair 1 includes a seat body 4 on which a seated person sits, a body part 30A supporting the seat body 4, a seat support member 5 having an arm rest fitting part 30B extending in a longitudinal direction from the body part 30A, and an arm rest 8 having an outer fitting part 52 fitting onto the arm rest fitting part 30B.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a chair that has armrest attachment parts (armrest attachment parts) for attaching armrests to opposing left and right sides of a seat support (seat support member) that supports the seat (seat body). The armrest attachment parts have a recess, and the armrest has a protrusion that can be inserted and removed from the recess. The armrest is fixed to the armrest attachment parts with bolt members, with the recess and protrusion engaged. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4726338 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The chair described above has an advantage in that the armrest attachment portion is provided on the seat support member, which is a strength member, ensuring the strength of the armrest attachment portion. However, in a structure in which the protrusion of the armrest is fitted into the recess of the armrest attachment portion, the protrusion becomes relatively thin compared to the recess, reducing the rigidity of the armrest side. When the armrest load acts on this armrest, moment loads tend to concentrate on the thin protrusion at the edge of the recess, which may cause damage.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a chair that can ensure the robustness of the attachment strength of the armrests when the armrests are attached to the seat support member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following aspects. A chair according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a seat body on which an occupant sits, a main body portion supporting the seat body, a seat support member having armrest mounting portions extending laterally from the main body portion, and armrests having external fitting portions that fit externally onto the armrest mounting portions.

[0007] According to this aspect, by fitting the armrest onto the armrest mounting portion of the seat support member, the fitting portion of the armrest can be made larger than the armrest mounting portion, thereby increasing the strength of the armrest against the armrest load.

[0008] In the chair according to the above aspect, the outer fitting portion may abut against the outer surface of the armrest attachment portion from both sides in the front-rear direction. According to this aspect, even if a moment load is generated in the front-to-back direction on the armrest due to the armrest load, the outer fitting portion, which is larger than the armrest mounting portion, abuts against the armrest mounting portion from both sides in the front-to-back direction, so that the moment load can be dispersed and transmitted to the armrest mounting portion, which is a strength member.

[0009] In the chair according to the above aspect, the outer fitting portion may abut against the outer surface of the armrest attachment portion from both sides in the front-rear direction and from a lower side in the up-down direction. According to this aspect, even if a moment load is generated on the armrest not only in the front-to-back direction but also in the left-to-right direction due to the armrest load, the outer fitting portion, which is larger than the armrest mounting portion, abuts the armrest mounting portion from below in the vertical direction, so that the moment load can be dispersed and transmitted to the armrest mounting portion, which is a strength member.

[0010] In the chair of the above embodiment, a gap may be formed in the left-right direction between the left-right side portions of the main body from which the armrest mounting portion extends and the external fitting portion, and a cover member may be provided to shield the gap from the bottom in the up-down direction. According to this aspect, the gap between the outer fitting portion of the armrest and the side of the main body in the left-right direction can be shielded from the bottom in the up-down direction by the cover member. It is difficult to achieve a gap-free contact between the outer fitting portion of the armrest and the side of the main body from the standpoint of precision and technology, so it is desirable to set the gap so that it is created. However, in that case, there is a risk that the seat support member exposed through the gap may come into contact with the hand. For this reason, the cover member is provided to prevent this.

[0011] In one aspect of the chair described above, the cover member has a lower shielding portion that shields the gap from the bottom in the vertical direction, and a side shielding portion that is formed integrally with the lower shielding portion and shields the outer surface of the side portion, and the side shielding portion may have a through hole formed therein through which the armrest mounting portion is positioned. According to this aspect, the gap between the outer fitting portion of the armrest and the side portion of the main body in the left-right direction is shielded by the lower shielding portion, and the outer surfaces of the side portions of the main body are shielded by the side shielding portion, so that the hand can be prevented from touching the seat receiving member more reliably. In addition, by providing a through hole in the side shielding portion and positioning the armrest mounting portion through the hole, the cover member can be easily attached to the seat receiving member.

[0012] In one aspect of the chair described above, the armrest mounting portion may be open at the top in the vertical direction, and the cover member may be formed integrally with the side shielding portion and include an upper shielding portion that shields the opening from the top in the vertical direction. According to this aspect, the upper opening of the armrest mounting part can be shielded by the upper shielding part, preventing a hand from reaching through the opening of the armrest mounting part. In addition, since the upper shielding part is formed integrally with the side shielding part, the number of parts can be reduced and assembly to the seat support member can be performed efficiently.

[0013] In the chair of the above aspect, a flange extending outward may be provided on the peripheral edge of the main body, and the cover member may have an engaging recess that sandwiches the flange in the vertical direction. According to this aspect, by providing an engaging recess in the cover member and clamping the flange provided on the peripheral edge of the main body portion in the vertical direction, it is possible to prevent the cover member from falling off the seat receiving member or being attached in an inclined state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to each of the above aspects, when armrests are attached to the seat receiving member, a chair can be obtained that can ensure robustness of the attachment strength of the armrests. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to a first embodiment, viewed from the front side. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a chair according to a first embodiment, viewed from the rear side. [Figure 3] 1 is a plan view of an armrest mounting structure according to a first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a plan view of the armrest mounting structure shown in FIG. 3 with the cover member removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VV in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat receiving member according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the top side. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the seat receiving member according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the top side. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a right side view of the seat receiving member according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the cover member according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 10] 1 is a perspective view of the armrest mounting structure according to the first embodiment, viewed from the bottom side. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XI-XI of FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a plan view of the armrest mounting structure according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12. [Figure 14]14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XIV-XIV in FIG. 12. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a seat receiving member according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the top side. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a seat receiving member according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the top side. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a cover member according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the armrest mounting structure according to the second embodiment, as viewed from the bottom side. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the direction indicated by the arrow FR in the drawing, which points to the front of a person seated in a chair in a normal posture, will be referred to as "front," and the opposite direction will be referred to as "rear." Furthermore, with regard to "up," "down," "left," and "right," the direction indicated by the arrow UP in the drawing above a person seated in a chair in a normal posture will be referred to as "up," and the opposite direction will be referred to as "down," and the direction indicated by the arrow LH in the drawing to the left of a person seated in a chair in a normal posture will be referred to as "left," and the opposite direction will be referred to as "right."

[0017] (First embodiment) Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a chair 1 according to a first embodiment as viewed from the front side, and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the chair 1 according to the first embodiment as viewed from the back side. As shown in these figures, chair 1 of this embodiment comprises legs 2 placed on the floor, a box-shaped support base 3 installed at the upper ends of legs 2, a seat body 4 on which an occupant sits, a seat support member 5 attached to the upper surface of support base 3 and supporting seat body 4, a backrest 6 that supports the back of an occupant seated on seat body 4, a backrest support member 7 that supports backrest 6 from behind, and armrests 8 that support the elbows of an occupant seated on seat body 4. Note that legs 2 and support base 3 form a support structure that supports seat support member 5.

[0018] The leg section 2 comprises a multi-leg 11 with casters 2a, and a pillar 12 that stands up from the center of the multi-leg 11 and has a built-in gas spring that serves as a lifting mechanism. A support base 3 is attached to the upper end of the pillar 12 so that it can rotate horizontally. A lifting adjustment mechanism (not shown) for the pillar 12 and a tilt adjustment mechanism (not shown) for the backrest support member 7 are built into the support base 3.

[0019] The seat body 4 comprises a seat body 20 and a seat plate 21 that supports the seat body 20. The seat plate 21 is a resin-molded plate-like member that forms the framework of the seat body 4. Although not shown in detail, the seat body 20 comprises a seat frame (not shown) that is attached to the outer periphery of the seat plate 21, a cushioning material (not shown) made of urethane or the like that is placed on the upper surface of the seat plate 21, and a seat covering material (not shown) that is stretched over the seat frame and covers the upper side of the cushioning material.

[0020] The backrest 6 has a curved shape that is convex backward in plan view, and comes into contact with the seated person and bears the weight. The backrest support member 7 is a strength member that supports the backrest 6 from behind at the center in the left-right direction. The backrest support member 7 has a roughly L-shape in side view, and the lower end of its front part is connected to the tilt adjustment mechanism inside the support base 3. Note that reference numeral 15 shown in Fig. 5, which will be described later, is a pivot shaft for the backrest support member 7 on the support base 3. Reference numeral 13 is an operating knob for the tilt adjustment mechanism that protrudes from the side of the support base 3. Reference numeral 14 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is a slider that extends the front end of the seat body 4 forward when it is in the folded-out position.

[0021] The armrest 8 comprises an armrest 50 that rests against the elbow of the seated occupant, and an armrest rod 51 that supports the armrest 50. The armrest 50 extends in the front-to-rear direction and is tilted inward in the left-to-right direction. The armrest rod 51 is L-shaped, extending downward from the center of the armrest 50 in the front-to-rear direction and bending inward in the left-to-right direction, and is attached to the seat support member 5 via an outer fitting portion 52. The mounting structure of the armrest 8 will be described below with reference to FIGS.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mounting structure for the armrest 8 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the mounting structure for the armrest 8 with the cover member 9 shown in FIG. 3 removed. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows V-V in FIG. 3. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the seat receiving member 5 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the top side. FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the seat receiving member 5 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the top side. FIG. 8 is a right side view of the seat receiving member 5 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the cover member 9 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the bottom side. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the mounting structure for the armrest 8 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the bottom side. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows XI-XI in FIG. 3.

[0023] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the seat support member 5 includes a main body 30A having a rectangular shape in a plan view and armrest attachment portions 30B extending outward in the left-right direction from left-right side portions 30A1 of the main body 30A. The seat support member 5 slides rearward together with the seat support 4 relative to the base 3 in response to the rearward tilt of the backrest support member 7 relative to the base 3. The seat support member 5 is a resilient member made of a metal material such as drawn sheet metal or aluminum die-cast, and has a saucer shape that is open at the top in the vertical direction. The seat support member 5 may also be molded from injection-molded synthetic resin, in which case it may have a shape other than a saucer shape that is open at the top in the vertical direction.

[0024] Specifically, the seat receiving member 5 has a bottom wall portion 31 and a side wall portion 32 that stands upright from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall portion 31. An outwardly extending flange 33 is provided at the upper end of the side wall portion 32. A fixing hole 30B1 is formed in the bottom wall portion 31 of the armrest mounting portion 30B of the seat receiving member 5. A nut member (not shown) is disposed directly above the fixing hole 30B1 so that the armrest 8 can be screwed in from below. From the perspective of ease of mounting the armrest 8, it is desirable that the armrest mounting portion 30B extend outward beyond the outer lateral edges of the support base 3 in a plan view.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 4, the armrest 8 has an outer fitting portion 52 that fits onto the armrest mounting portion 30B. The outer fitting portion 52 has a pair of first contact portions 52A that contact the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from both sides in the front-to-rear direction, and as shown in Fig. 10, a second contact portion 52B that contacts the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from below in the up-down direction.

[0026] The second contact portion 52B has a communication hole 53 that communicates with the fixing hole 30B1. The area around the communication hole 53 on the underside of the second contact portion 52B is recessed upward to prevent the fixing screw (not shown) from protruding from the underside of the second contact portion 52B. The outer fitting portion 52 has a shape in which the lower ends of the pair of first contact portions 52A are connected to each other in the front-rear direction via the second contact portion 52B.

[0027] That is, the outer fitting portion 52 is formed in a U-shape in the vertical cross section shown in Fig. 11 (a cross section including an axis extending in the front-rear direction and an axis extending in the up-down direction). The armrest attachment portion 30B disposed inside the outer fitting portion 52 is also formed in a U-shape in the vertical cross section. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B are open on the upper side in the vertical direction. The openings of the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B are shielded by the shielding portion 42 of the cover member 9.

[0028] The first contact portion 52A rotates around a portion where the armrest mounting portion 30B is fixed by a bolt (not shown) and contacts the bottom wall portion 31 of the armrest mounting portion 30B. At this time, the armrest mounting portion 30B itself is bent to form an upward opening, so it can withstand the moment from the first contact portion 52A. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, a load input to the tip end 8A of the armrest 8 generates a moment (indicated by the outline arrow in FIG. 3) that twists the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest mounting portion 30B together. At this time, the armrest mounting portion 30B, including its base portion (indicated by reference symbol 30B2), is bent to form an upward U-shape in cross section, so it can withstand this moment.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the upper side of the armrest attachment portion 30B is covered by the seat body 4. A vertical space 100 is formed between the seat body 4 and the armrest attachment portion 30B, which allows the seat body 4 to move downward. In this embodiment, the armrest attachment portion 30B extends approximately horizontally in the left-right direction, while the seat body 4 (seat panel 21) is curved upward as it extends outward in the left-right direction. In other words, the space 100 expands vertically as it extends outward in the left-right direction.

[0030] The shielding portion 42 shields at least the opening of the armrest mounting portion 30B that extends into the space 100. The shielding portion 42 is placed on the flange 33 of the armrest mounting portion 30B. The shielding portion 42 and the upper surface 52a of the outer fitting portion 52 are continuous. In other words, as shown in Figure 4, the armrest mounting portion 30B and its opening cannot be seen from the outside, and the shielding portion 42 and the upper surface 52a of the outer fitting portion 52 are continuous, maintaining a good external appearance.

[0031] As shown in Figure 7, a cover member 9 is attached to the armrest mounting portion 30B of the seat receiving member 5. The cover member 9 has a cover main body 40 with a through hole 41 formed therein, into which the armrest mounting portion 30B is inserted. The cover main body 40 is formed in the shape of a plate that extends in the front-rear direction and is thick in the left-right direction. The through hole 41 is formed as an elongated hole that extends in the front-rear direction according to the shape of the armrest mounting portion 30B, and a slit-like engagement groove 41a that extends in the front-rear direction is formed at the upper end of the through hole 41. As shown in Figure 8, the flange 33 of the armrest mounting portion 30B is inserted into the engagement groove 41a.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 9 , a shielding portion 42 extending outward in the left-right direction like a canopy is provided above the through hole 41 in the cover main body 40. The shielding portion 42 is formed as a plate extending in the left-right direction and having a thickness in the up-down direction. As shown in FIG. 8 , the outer shape of the shielding portion 42 is formed slightly larger than the flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B and is placed on the flange 33. In addition, the shielding portion 42 is engaged with a pair of first abutment portions 52A of the outer fitting portion 52 in a concave-convex manner in the plan view shown in FIG. 3 . In other words, the shielding portion 42 shields the opening of the outer fitting portion 52 located on the upper side of the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B, which are open and communicate with each other in the up-down direction. Note that the outer peripheral edge of the shielding portion 42 may be bent downward and shaped to engage with the outer surface of the flange 33 or both the outer surface and the lower surface of the flange 33.

[0033] 9, an insertion portion 43 extending diagonally inward in the left-right direction is provided at the lower end of the cover main body 40. The lower end of the insertion portion 43 is inserted into the left-right inner side of the cover portion 71 that covers the pivot shaft 15 of the backrest support member 7, as shown in FIG. 5. In other words, the lower end of the insertion portion 43 is inserted into the gap between the base 3 and the backrest support member 7.

[0034] As shown in Figure 9, the cover body 40 has a filling portion 44 extending outward in the left-right direction at the periphery of the through-hole 41, excluding the shielding portion 42. As shown in Figure 5, the filling portion 44 fills the step 101 between the outer surface of the seat receiving member 5 and the outer fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 that fits onto the armrest mounting portion 30B, and has a shape that is continuous with the outer surface of the outer fitting portion 52. The inside of the filling portion 44 may be hollowed out as long as the external appearance is maintained.

[0035] The cover body 40, the shielding portion 42, the insertion portion 43, and the filling portion 44 configured as described above are integrally molded by resin molding. Note that some or all of the cover body 40, the shielding portion 42, the insertion portion 43, and the filling portion 44 may be separate parts.

[0036] According to the chair 1 having the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

[0037] The chair 1 of this embodiment comprises a support structure including legs 2 and bases 3 installed at the upper ends of the legs 2, a seat support member 5 supported by the support structure and having armrest mounting portions 30B, armrests 8 attached to the armrest mounting portions 30B, and a seat body 4 supported by the seat support member 5 and covering the upper part of the armrest mounting portions 30B.As shown in Figure 5, a vertical space 100 is formed between the seat body 4 and the armrest mounting portions 30B to allow downward displacement of the seat body 4.

[0038] According to this configuration, the armrest attachment portion 30B is provided on the seat support member 5, which is a strength member that supports the seat body 4, so that the armrest 8 can be firmly fixed, resulting in a robust structure. Furthermore, by fixing the armrest 8 to the seat support member 5, the seat body 4 (specifically, the seat panel 21) can be made thin and flexible, providing flexibility that gives the seated occupant a comfortable fit. Here, a vertical space 100 that allows downward displacement of the seat body 4 is formed between the armrest attachment portions 30B extending to the left and right of the seat support member 5 and the seat body 4 that covers the armrest attachment portions 30B. This means that the armrest attachment portions 30B do not hinder the flexibility of the seat body 4, and the seated occupant does not feel the hardness of the armrest attachment portions 30B.

[0039] In this embodiment, the armrest attachment portion 30B is located outside the support base 3 of the support structure when viewed from the top to bottom. With this configuration, the armrest attachment portion 30B is located outside the support base 3 when viewed from the top to bottom, so the support base 3 does not interfere with the attachment of the armrest 8.

[0040] In this embodiment, the armrest attachment portion 30B extends in the left-right direction of the seat receiving member 5. This configuration makes it easier to see the armrest attachment portion 30B from the side, facilitating the attachment of the armrest 8.

[0041] In this embodiment, the space 100 expands vertically as it moves outward in the left-right direction. With this configuration, the amount of downward deflection that the seat body 4 can tolerate increases as it moves outward in the left-right direction of the seat body 4, so even for a seated occupant with a large build or large buttocks, the seat body 4 can bend significantly outward in the left-right direction to provide a comfortable fit.

[0042] In this embodiment, the seat support member 5 has a saucer shape with an opening at the top in the vertical direction, and this opening extends to the armrest attachment portion 30B disposed in the space 100. The seat support member 5 is provided with a shielding portion 42 that shields the opening in the armrest attachment portion 30B. With this configuration, the shielding portion 42 shields the opening in the armrest attachment portion 30B, making the opening of the armrest attachment portion 30B invisible from the space 100 between the seat support 4 and the armrest attachment portion 30B, thereby improving the appearance. Furthermore, by arranging the shielding portion 42 above the armrest attachment portion 30B, the armrest attachment portion 30B is covered by the shielding portion 42. Even if the seat support 4 is displaced significantly downward, the armrest attachment portion 30B will abut against the shielding portion 42 before abutting against the armrest attachment portion 30B, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the seat support 4.

[0043] In this embodiment, the periphery of the opening in the armrest attachment portion 30B is provided with a flange 33 (replacement portion) on which the shielding portion 42 is placed. According to this configuration, by providing the flange 33 on the periphery of the opening of the seat receiving member 5, the rigidity of the seat receiving member 5 can be increased, and by utilizing the flange 33 on the armrest attachment portion 30B of the seat receiving member 5, the shielding portion 42 can be stably placed.

[0044] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a cover member 9 having a through hole 41 formed therein into which the armrest attachment portion 30B is inserted, and the shielding portion 42 extends like an eave from the upper part of the through hole 41 in the cover member 9. With this configuration, the through hole 41 into which the armrest attachment portion 30B is inserted is formed, and by having the shielding portion 42 extend like an eave from the cover member 9 which is positioned relative to the armrest attachment portion 30B, it becomes easy to position the shielding portion 42 relative to the opening of the armrest attachment portion 30B.

[0045] In this embodiment, the armrest 8 is fitted onto the armrest attachment portion 30B that extends from the through-hole 41 of the cover member 9. With this configuration, the armrest 8 is fitted onto the armrest attachment portion 30B from the outside with the cover member 9 inserted into the armrest attachment portion 30B, and therefore the cover member 9 can be fixed to the seat receiving member 5 without any fixing parts for the cover member 9, improving assembly ease.

[0046] In addition, the present embodiment provides the following advantageous effects.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5, the chair 1 of this embodiment comprises a seat body 4 on which an occupant sits, a main body portion 30A that supports the seat body 4, a seat support member 5 having an armrest attachment portion 30B extending in the left-right direction from the main body portion 30A, and an armrest 8 having an external fitting portion 52 that fits externally onto the armrest attachment portion 30B.

[0048] According to this configuration, by fitting the armrest 8 onto the armrest mounting portion 30B of the seat support member 5, the fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 is made larger than the armrest mounting portion 30B, thereby increasing the strength of the armrest 8 against the armrest load. On the other hand, the step 101 between the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B and the fitting portion 52, which occurs when the fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 is made larger than the armrest mounting portion 30B, is filled with the filling portion 44, preventing a deterioration in the appearance.

[0049] In this embodiment, the outer fitting portion 52 abuts against the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from both front and rear sides. With this configuration, even if a moment load is generated in the front and rear direction on the armrest 8 due to the armrest load, the outer fitting portion 52, which is larger than the armrest mounting portion 30B, abuts against the armrest mounting portion 30B from both front and rear sides, so that the moment load can be dispersed and transmitted to the armrest mounting portion 30B, which is a strength member.

[0050] In this embodiment, the outer fitting portion 52 abuts against the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from both front-to-rear directions and from the bottom in the up-down direction. With this configuration, even if a moment load is generated on the armrest 8 not only in the front-to-rear direction but also in the left-to-right direction due to the armrest load, the outer fitting portion 52, which is larger than the armrest mounting portion 30B, abuts against the armrest mounting portion 30B from the bottom in the up-down direction, so that the moment load can be dispersed and transmitted to the armrest mounting portion 30B, which is a strength member.

[0051] In this embodiment, the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B have openings that communicate with each other at the upper sides in the vertical direction, and include a shielding portion 42 that shields the upper opening of the outer fitting portion 52. According to this configuration, by shielding the upper opening of the outer fitting portion 52 out of the openings that communicate with each other in the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B, the openings of the outer fitting portion 52 and the armrest attachment portion 30B become invisible, thereby improving the external appearance.

[0052] In this embodiment, the shielding portion 42 and the upper surface 52a of the outer fitting portion 52 are continuously connected. According to this configuration, the shielding portion 42 and the upper surface 52a of the outer fitting portion 52 are continuously connected, which improves the appearance.

[0053] In this embodiment, the shielding portion 42 and the filling portion 44 are integrally formed. With this configuration, the shielding portion 42 and the filling portion 44 are integrally formed, which reduces the number of parts and enables efficient assembly to the seat receiving member 5.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the armrests 8 are attached to the seat receiving member 5, the chair 1 can be obtained in which the strength of the attachment of the armrests 8 is ensured while maintaining the appearance.

[0055] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the description of the same or equivalent configuration as the above-described embodiment will be simplified or omitted.

[0056] Fig. 12 is a plan view of the mounting structure of an armrest 8 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows XIII-XIII in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along arrows XIV-XIV in Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a seat receiving member 5 according to the second embodiment, viewed from the top side. Fig. 16 is an exploded perspective view of a seat receiving member 5 according to the second embodiment, viewed from the top side. Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a cover member 10 according to the second embodiment, viewed from the bottom side. Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the mounting structure of an armrest 8 according to the second embodiment, viewed from the bottom side.

[0057] As shown in Figure 16, the seat support member 5 of the second embodiment includes a main body 30A that is rectangular in plan view and an armrest attachment portion 30B that extends outward in the left-right direction from a left-right side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A. The seat support member 5 has a bottom wall 31 and a side wall 32 that stands upright from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall 31. An outward-extending flange 33 is provided at the upper end of the side wall 32. A fixing hole 30B1 is formed in the bottom wall 31 of the armrest attachment portion 30B of the seat support member 5. A nut member 82 (see Figure 13) is disposed directly above the fixing hole 30B1, allowing the armrest 8 to be fastened from below with a fixing screw 81.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 12, the armrest 8 has an outer fitting portion 52 that fits onto the armrest mounting portion 30B. The outer fitting portion 52 has a pair of first contact portions 52A that contact the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from both sides in the front-to-rear direction, and as shown in Fig. 18, a second contact portion 52B that contacts the outer surface of the armrest mounting portion 30B from below in the up-down direction.

[0059] The second contact portion 52B has a communication hole 53 that communicates with the fixing hole 30B1. The area around the communication hole 53 on the underside of the second contact portion 52B is recessed in an upwardly convex shape so that the fixing screw 81 does not protrude from the underside of the second contact portion 52B. The outer fitting portion 52 has a U-shape in which the lower ends of the pair of first contact portions 52A are connected to each other in the front-to-rear direction via the second contact portion 52B.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 13 , a gap 102 is formed in the left-right direction between the external fitting portion 52 (second abutment portion 52B) of the armrest 8 and the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A. It is difficult to achieve a gap-free abutment between the external fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 and the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A from the standpoint of precision and technology. Therefore, it is desirable to create the gap 102, but in that case, there is a risk that a hand may come into contact with the seat-receiving member 5 exposed through the gap 102. For this reason, the cover member 10 is provided to prevent this. Without the cover member 10, there is a possibility that a hand may enter through the gap 102 and come into contact with the seat-receiving member 5. Therefore, the surface of the seat-receiving member 5 must be deburred, inspected, and fully coated to smooth the surface.

[0061] 16 and 17, the cover member 10 includes a side shielding portion 60, an upper shielding portion 62, a lower shielding portion 63, and an engaging recess 64. The side shielding portion 60, the upper shielding portion 62, the lower shielding portion 63, and the engaging recess 64 are integrally molded by resin molding. Note that some or all of the side shielding portion 60, the upper shielding portion 62, the lower shielding portion 63, and the engaging recess 64 may be separate parts.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 15, the side shielding portion 60 shields the outer surface of the side portion 30A1 of the main body portion 30A facing outward in the left-right direction. The side shielding portion 60 is formed in the shape of a plate that extends in the front-rear direction and has a thickness in the left-right direction. The side shielding portion 60 has a through-hole 61 formed therein, through which the armrest attachment portion 30B passes. As shown in FIG. 16, the through-hole 61 is formed in the shape of an elongated hole that extends in the front-rear direction according to the shape of the armrest attachment portion 30B, and at its upper end is formed a slit-shaped engagement groove 61a that also extends in the front-rear direction. The flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B is inserted into the engagement groove 61a.

[0063] As shown in Figure 17, the upper shielding portion 62 extends outward in the left-right direction from above the through-hole 61 in the side shielding portion 60 in a eaves-like shape. The upper shielding portion 62 has a top panel portion 62A that extends left-right and has a thickness in the up-down direction, and a peripheral wall portion 62B that hangs downward from the periphery of the top panel and surrounds the flange 33 of the armrest mounting portion 30B. The top panel portion 62A shields the openings on the upper and lower sides of the armrest mounting portion 30B. An engagement portion 62a, a guide portion 62b, and a base portion 62c are formed on the underside of the top panel portion 62A.

[0064] The base portion 62c rests on the flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B and is formed in a U-shape (horseshoe shape) in plan view along the corner between the top plate portion 62A and the peripheral wall portion 62B. The engagement portion 62a sandwiches the flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B between itself and the base portion 62c in the vertical direction, and protrudes inward in the horizontal direction from the lower end of the peripheral wall portion 62B on the outer side in the horizontal direction. The guide portion 62b guides the tip of the flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B into the gap between the base portion 62c and the engagement portion 62a and forms an inclined base on the underside of the top plate portion 62A.

[0065] Specifically, in the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 13, the guide portion 62b is positioned more inward in the left-right direction than the base portion 62c and the engagement portion 62a. The lower surface of the guide portion 62b is inclined relative to the upper surface of the tabletop portion 62A so that it moves away from the top surface of the tabletop portion 62A in the vertical direction (increasing in thickness) as it moves outward in the left-right direction. The outer end of the lower surface of the guide portion 62b in the left-right direction is located at approximately the same position as the lower surface of the base portion 62c in the vertical direction. This allows the tip of the flange 33 of the armrest attachment portion 30B to be guided into the gap between the base portion 62c and the engagement portion 62a.

[0066] As shown in Figures 16 and 17, the lower shielding portion 63 extends diagonally from the lower end of the side shielding portion 60 toward the inside in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 13, the lower shielding portion 63 shields the left-right gap 102 between the outer fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 and the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A from the bottom in the up-down direction. As shown in Figure 18, this lower shielding portion 63 has a notch 63a. The operation knob 13 shown in Figure 1 and other figures is disposed to pass through the notch 63a. As such, the operation knob 13 and other parts are disposed on the bottom of the seat support member 5 in the up-down direction, and there is a high possibility that a person's hand will reach into the gap 102. Therefore, it is necessary to use the lower shielding portion 63 to prevent a hand from reaching into the gap 102.

[0067] 15 and 16, the engagement recesses 64 bend inward in the left-right direction from the front and rear ends of the side shielding portions 60, respectively, and engage with the front and rear flanges 33 of the main body portion 30A. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, the engagement recesses 64 have groove shapes that face the upper surface, outer surface, and lower surface of the flanges 33. The groove shapes of the engagement recesses 64 extend in the left-right direction, and as shown in FIG. 16, they can engage with the flanges 33 of the main body portion 30 during a series of attachment operations in which the armrest attachment portions 30B are passed through the through holes 61 of the side shielding portions 60.

[0068] According to the chair 1 having the above configuration, the following effects can be obtained.

[0069] In the chair 1 according to the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13 , a gap 102 is formed in the left-right direction between the outer fitting portion 52 and the left-right side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A, from which the armrest attachment portion 30B extends, and a cover member 10 is provided to shield the gap 102 from below in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the gap 102 in the left-right direction between the outer fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 and the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A can be shielded from below in the vertical direction by the cover member 10. Because it is difficult in terms of precision and technology to abut the outer fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 with the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A without any gap 102, it is desirable to set the gap 102 so that it is formed. However, in that case, there is a risk that the seat support member 5 exposed through the gap 102 may come into contact with the hand. For this reason, the cover member 10 is provided to prevent this.

[0070] In the second embodiment, the cover member 10 includes a lower shielding portion 63 that shields the gap 102 from below in the vertical direction, and a side shielding portion 60 that is integrally formed with the lower shielding portion 63 and shields the outer surface of the side portion 30A1. As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 , the side shielding portion 60 has a through-hole 61 through which the armrest attachment portion 30B is disposed. With this configuration, the lower shielding portion 63 shields the left-right gap 102 between the outer fitting portion 52 of the armrest 8 and the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A, and the side shielding portion 60 shields the outer surface of the side portion 30A1 of the main body 30A. This more reliably prevents hands from touching the seat receiving member 5. Furthermore, the side shielding portion 60 has a through-hole 61 that passes through the armrest attachment portion 30B, allowing the cover member 10 to be easily attached to the seat receiving member 5.

[0071] 13, the armrest attachment portion 30B is open at the top in the vertical direction, and the cover member 10 is formed integrally with the side shielding portion 60 and includes an upper shielding portion 62 that shields the opening from above in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the openings on the upper and lower sides of the armrest attachment portion 30B can be shielded by the upper shielding portion 62, preventing hands from reaching through the opening in the armrest attachment portion 30B. Furthermore, because the upper shielding portion 62 is formed integrally with the side shielding portion 60, the number of parts can be reduced and assembly to the seat receiving member 5 can be performed efficiently.

[0072] In this embodiment, the main body 30A has a flange 33 extending outward on its periphery, and the cover member 10 has an engaging recess 64 that vertically sandwiches the flange 33, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. According to this configuration, by providing the engaging recess 64 in the cover member 10 and vertically sandwiching the flange 33 provided on the periphery of the main body 30A, it is possible to prevent the cover member 10 from falling off the seat receiving member 5 or from being attached in an inclined state.

[0073] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. The shapes and combinations of the components shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples, and various modifications can be made based on design requirements, etc., without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0074] For example, in this embodiment, the armrest attachment portion 30B extends in the left-right direction of the seat receiving member 5. However, if the seat receiving member 5 is rectangular in plan view, the armrest attachment portion 30B may not extend outward in the left-right direction from the main body 30A of the seat receiving member 5. Even in this case, it is desirable that the armrest attachment portion 30B be located outward of the support base 3 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1 chair 4 Seat 5 Seat support member 8 armrests 9 Cover member 30B Armrest mounting part 33 flange 41 Through hole 42 Shielding part 44 Filling section 52 External fitting part 52a Top side 100 space

Claims

1. A seat body on which a seated person sits, a seat support member having a main body portion supporting the seat body and an armrest attachment portion extending in the left-right direction from the main body portion; an armrest having an external fitting portion that fits externally to the armrest mounting portion, A gap is formed in the left-right direction between the left-right side portion of the main body from which the armrest attachment portion extends and the outer fitting portion, a cover member that shields the gap from below in the vertical direction, The cover member is a lower shielding portion that shields the gap from the lower side in the vertical direction; a side shielding portion integrally formed with the lower shielding portion and shielding an outer surface of the side portion, The chair has a through hole formed in the side shielding portion, through which the armrest mounting portion is disposed.

2. The armrest attachment portion is open at the top in the vertical direction, The chair according to claim 1 , wherein the cover member includes an upper shielding portion that is formed integrally with the side shielding portion and that shields the opening from above in the vertical direction.

3. The main body has a peripheral edge provided with a flange extending outward, The chair according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover member has an engaging recess that sandwiches the flange in the vertical direction.

4. A seat body on which a seated person sits, a seat support member having a main body portion supporting the seat body and an armrest attachment portion extending in the left-right direction from the main body portion; an armrest having an external fitting portion that fits externally to the armrest mounting portion; a cover member having side shielding portions that shield outer surfaces of the left and right sides of the main body portion, The chair has a through hole formed in the side shielding portion, through which the armrest mounting portion is disposed.

5. A seat body on which a seated person sits, a seat support member having a main body portion supporting the seat body and an armrest attachment portion extending in the left-right direction from the main body portion; a cover member having a through hole formed therein through which the armrest attachment portion is disposed; an armrest having an external fitting portion that fits externally to the armrest mounting portion extending from the through hole, The cover member has an upper shielding portion that shields the upper side of the armrest mounting portion in the vertical direction.

6. A seat body on which a seated person sits, a seat support member having a main body portion supporting the seat body and an armrest attachment portion extending in the left-right direction from the main body portion; a cover member having a through hole formed therein through which the armrest attachment portion is disposed; an armrest having an external fitting portion that fits externally to the armrest mounting portion extending from the through hole, An opening is formed in the armrest attachment portion, The cover member has a shielding portion that shields the opening of the armrest attachment portion.

7. The chair according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer fitting portion abuts against the outer surface of the armrest attachment portion from both sides in the front-rear direction.

8. The chair according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the outer fitting portion abuts against the outer surface of the armrest attachment portion from both sides in the front-rear direction and from below in the up-down direction.

Images