Connecting structures, load-bearing members for furniture, and armrests for chairs

Abstract

To provide a coupling structure capable of smoothly locking a first locking part and a second locking part on a mounting member side to a corresponding first engaging part and a second engaging part disposed at two separate positions of a base member, a load support member of furniture and an armrest of a chair.SOLUTION: A coupling structure includes a base member and a mounting member. The base member includes a first engaging part 57 and a second engaging part 58 at two separate positions in a covered area 52 thereof. The mounting member includes, at a cover wall 65 thereof, a first locking part 66 and a second locking part 67. A cross displacement regulating part and a sliding mechanism part are provided at a part where the cover wall 65 and the covered area 52 face each other. The cross displacement regulating part regulates cross-directional relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member. When the mounting member approaches the base member from an opposite direction, the sliding mechanism part slides along with the mating member according to the approaching displacement of the mounting member, and draws an end region of the mounting member on a side where the locking part is provided, to the side of the corresponding engaging portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a connection structure in which an attachment member is connected to a base member, a load support member of a furniture using the connection structure, and an armrest of a chair.

Background Art

[0002] As a connection structure in which an attachment member is attached to a covering portion of a base member, there is known one in which corresponding locking portions on the attachment member side are locked to respective engaging portions provided at two spaced positions of the base member from different directions (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The connection structure described in Patent Document 1 is a structure of an armrest of a chair. An armrest main body supported by a support base, a seat, etc. of the chair constitutes a base member, and a pad member (surface layer member) adhered to the upper surface side of the armrest main body constitutes an attachment member. On the upper surface of the armrest main body, a covering region covered on the upper side by the pad member is provided. At the rear end portion of the covering region, a rear wall having a first engaging portion recessed rearward is disposed. At the front end portion of the covering region, a front wall having a second engaging portion recessed forward is provided. The pad member has a longitudinally long cover wall that covers the upper side of the covering region of the armrest main body. On the lower surface of the rear end portion of the cover wall, a first locking claw (first locking portion) protruding rearward is formed, and on the lower surface of the front end portion of the cover wall, a second locking claw (second locking portion) protruding downward is formed.

[0004] When attaching the pad member to the armrest main body, first, with the front end side of the cover wall of the pad member lifted upward, the pad member is slid rearward while the first locking claw on the rear end side is locked to the first engaging portion on the rear portion side of the armrest main body. Next, after moving the pad member to the rear end position, the front end portion of the pad member is pushed downward. As a result, while the second locking claw at the front end portion of the cover wall is elastically deformed, it is locked to the second engaging portion on the front end portion side of the armrest main body. As a result, the pad member is locked to the armrest main body at each of the front and rear end portions in a state where the cover wall covers the upper side of the covering portion.

Prior Art Documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5650492 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] In the connecting structure described in Patent Document 1, when the second locking claw on the front end of the pad member is locked to the second engaging part on the armrest body after the first locking claw on the rear end of the pad member has been locked to the first engaging part on the armrest body, the second locking claw may shift significantly from its position directly above the second engaging part, preventing smooth locking between the second locking claw and the second engaging part. This phenomenon is more likely to occur when the first locking claw on the rear end of the pad member is not deeply locked to the correct position on the first engaging part on the armrest body. In other words, when the front end of the pad member is pushed downward while the first locking claw of the pad member is not deeply locked to the correct position on the first engaging part on the armrest body, the tip of the second locking claw of the pad member comes into contact with another part shifted from the second engaging part on the armrest body, thereby hindering smooth locking between the second locking claw and the second engaging part.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a connecting structure, a load-bearing member for furniture, and an armrest for a chair, which enable the corresponding first and second locking portions on the mounting member side to be smoothly locked to the first and second engaging portions, which are positioned at two spaced-apart positions on the base member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the connecting structure according to the present invention employs the following configuration. The connecting structure according to the present invention comprises a base member having a covering region and having a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion provided at two spaced-apart positions within the covering region, and a mounting member having a cover wall covering the covering region and having a first locking portion that engages with the first engaging portion and a second locking portion that engages with the second engaging portion on the cover wall, wherein when the direction in which the back surfaces of the covering region and the cover wall face each other is defined as the opposing direction, and the direction intersecting this opposing direction is defined as the intersecting direction, the parts of the cover wall and the covering region that face each other are provided with an intersecting displacement restricting portion that restricts the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the intersecting direction, and when the mounting member approaches the base member from the opposing direction while the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member is restricted by the intersecting displacement restricting portion, a sliding mechanism portion that slides with the mating member in accordance with the approach displacement of the mounting member, thereby pulling at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion.

[0009] The connecting structure according to the present invention can connect the mounting member to the base member in the following manner, for example. First, the intersecting displacement restrictor restricts the displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the intersecting direction. Next, the mounting member is pressed against the base member from the intersecting direction. At this time, due to the function of the sliding mechanism, at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion is pulled towards the corresponding engaging portion (first engaging portion or second engaging portion). As a result, the locking portion of the mounting member (at least one of the first locking portion and the second locking portion) can be easily locked in the correct position to the corresponding engaging portion (first engaging portion or second engaging portion) of the base member.

[0010] The sliding mechanism may also be configured as a cam mechanism that converts a portion of the pressing load of the mounting member into a load that pulls at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion, when the mounting member is pressed against the base member from the opposing direction, while the relative displacement in the intersecting direction of the mounting member and the base member is restricted by the intersecting displacement restricting portion.

[0011] In this case, with the displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restricting part, when the mounting member is pressed against the base member from the intersecting direction, a portion of the pressing load is converted by the cam mechanism into a load that pulls at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking part and the end region on the side with the second locking part toward the corresponding engaging part (first engaging part or second engaging part). As a result, at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking part and the end region on the side with the second locking part is pulled toward the corresponding engaging part, and is smoothly and easily locked toward the corresponding engaging part.

[0012] The sliding mechanism comprises a guide projection protruding from the cover wall toward the covered area and a contact wall provided in the covered area at a position opposite to the guide projection, and at least one of the guide projection and the contact wall may have an inclined surface that slopes toward the corresponding engaging portion toward the covered area toward the covered area toward the cover wall.

[0013] In this case, the displacement restricting portion restricts the displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the intersecting direction. When the cover wall of the mounting member is pressed in a direction approaching the covered area, the guide projection on the mounting member side contacts the contact wall on the base member side. At this time, the guide projection and the contact wall contact each other on the inclined surface formed on at least one of them, and a portion of the pressing load is converted into a load that pulls at least one of the end region on the side with the first locking portion of the mounting member and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion (first engaging portion or second engaging portion). Therefore, despite its extremely simple configuration, the locking portion of the mounting member can be pulled toward the corresponding engaging portion of the base member while simultaneously locking the locking portion of the mounting member to the corresponding engaging portion of the base member.

[0014] The guide projection may have an inclined surface that slopes toward the corresponding engaging portion from the cover wall toward the covered area, and the contact wall may be composed of reinforcing ribs that protrude from the covered area toward the cover wall and reinforce the covered area.

[0015] In this case, with the displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restrictor, when the mounting member is pressed in a direction approaching the covering area of ​​the base member, the inclined surface of the guide projection on the mounting member side comes into contact with the highly rigid reinforcing rib on the base member side. As a result, the contact portion of the inclined surface and the reinforcing rib slide against each other, and at least one of the end region on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion of the mounting member is stably pulled towards the corresponding engaging portion (first engaging portion or second engaging portion). Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the covering area of ​​the base member can be reinforced by the reinforcing rib, and when the mounting member is installed, the same highly rigid reinforcing rib can stably pull the locking portion of the mounting member towards the corresponding engaging portion.

[0016] In the vicinity of the guide projection on the cover wall, a bulge may be formed at a position further away from the locking portion than the protruding position of the guide projection, so as to bulge out in a direction away from the covering area.

[0017] In this case, with the displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restrictor, when the bulging portion of the mounting member's cover wall is pressed in a direction approaching the covered area of ​​the base member, the guide projection on the cover wall side comes into contact with the contact wall on the base member side. At this time, the bulging portion deforms by bending in the direction of pressure, and the end region of the cover wall containing the locking portion that performs the locking deforms by bending away from the covered area. If the bulging portion is pressed further in this state, the end region of the cover wall, in its bent state, displaces in the direction of the corresponding engaging portion. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the locking portion on the mounting member side can be easily locked into the corresponding engaging portion on the base member.

[0018] The mounting member may be made of a resin material having a lower modulus of elasticity than the base member.

[0019] In this case, with the displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restricting part, when the mounting member is pressed in a direction approaching the covering area of ​​the base member, the sliding mechanism causes the end region of the mounting member to move toward the corresponding engaging portion, and the cover wall to deform by bending in the elongation direction. As a result, the locking portion of the mounting member can be easily locked to the corresponding engaging portion on the base member side.

[0020] The cover wall has a first locking portion on the first end side in the extension direction connecting the two positions, and a second locking portion on the second end side in the extension direction. The first locking portion of the mounting member is locked to the first engaging portion of the base member by the displacement of the mounting member from the first end side toward the second end side, and the second locking portion of the mounting member is locked to the second engaging portion of the base member by the displacement of the mounting member approaching the base member from the intersecting direction. The first locking portion and the first engaging portion constitute the intersecting displacement restricting portion, and the sliding mechanism portion may be provided on the first end side of the mutually opposing portion of the cover wall and the covering area, rather than the locking position by the second locking portion and the second engaging portion.

[0021] In this case, the mounting member can be connected to the base member as follows. First, the first locking portion on the first end of the mounting member is locked into the first engaging portion on the first end of the base member. At this time, the second end of the mounting member is lifted away from the covering area, and in this state, the first locking portion on the first end is displaced toward the second end and locked into the first engaging portion. After this, the area of ​​the cover wall of the mounting member toward the second end is pressed in a direction that brings it closer to the covering area. At this time, the sliding mechanism pulls the mounting member toward the second end. As a result, when the mounting member is pressed further toward the covering area, the mounting member is pulled toward the second end, and the second locking portion on the second end is locked into the second engaging portion.

[0022] The load-bearing member for a fixture according to the present invention comprises a load-bearing member body that receives an input load, and a surface layer member connected to the load-bearing member body, wherein the load-bearing member body is made up of the base member, the surface layer member is made up of the mounting member, and the connecting structure between the load-bearing member body and the surface layer member is made up of any of the above-mentioned connecting structures.

[0023] The armrest of the chair according to the present invention includes an armrest main body that receives the input load, and a pad member connected to the armrest main body. The armrest main body is constituted by the base member, the pad member is constituted by the attachment member, and the connection structure between the armrest main body and the pad member is constituted by any one of the above connection structures.

Effect of the Invention

[0024] In the connection structure according to the present invention, an intersection displacement restricting portion and a sliding mechanism portion are provided at portions of the cover wall of the attachment member and the covered region of the base member that face each other. The intersection displacement restricting portion restricts the relative displacement in the intersection direction between the attachment member and the base member. The sliding mechanism portion slides with the mating member in response to the approaching displacement of the attachment member when the attachment member approaches from the facing direction to the base member while the relative displacement in the intersection direction between the attachment member and the base member is restricted. Then, the sliding mechanism portion draws at least one of the end regions on the side with the first locking portion and the end regions on the side with the second locking portion of the attachment member to the side of the corresponding engaging portion by sliding with the mating member. Therefore, in a state where the relative displacement in the intersection direction between the attachment member and the base member is restricted by the intersection displacement restricting portion, when the attachment member is pressed against the covered region side, at least one of the end regions on the side with the first locking portion and the end regions on the side with the second locking portion of the attachment member can be drawn to the side of the corresponding engaging portion by the function of the sliding mechanism portion. Therefore, when the connection structure according to the present invention is adopted, the corresponding first locking portion and the second locking portion on the attachment member side can be smoothly locked to the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion arranged at two separated positions on the base member, respectively.

[0025] Since the load support member of the furniture according to the present invention adopts the above connection structure at the connection portion between the load support main body which is the base member and the surface layer member which is the attachment member, the corresponding first locking portion and the second locking portion of the surface layer member can be smoothly locked to the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion arranged at two separated positions on the load support main body, respectively.

[0026] The chair armrest according to the present invention employs the above-described connecting structure at the connection between the armrest body, which is the base member, and the pad member, which is the mounting member. As a result, the corresponding first and second locking portions of the pad member can be smoothly locked to the first and second engaging portions, which are positioned at two spaced-apart locations on the armrest body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the chair according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest of the chair according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest pad member of the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the armrest of the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the cross-section along the VV line in Figure 2. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 5, showing the assembly process of the armrest in the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the section along line VII-VII in Figure 2. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to the section along line VIII-VIII in Figure 2. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an armrest in another embodiment, similar to Figure 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The following describes an embodiment of chair 1, which is an example of a piece of furniture. In the following description, the direction pointed to by arrow FR in the diagram, which is the front of a person seated in chair 1 in a normal posture, will be referred to as "front," and the direction opposite to that will be referred to as "back." Furthermore, "up," "down," "left," and "right" will be defined as follows: the direction pointed to by arrow UP in the diagram above a person seated in chair 1 in a normal posture will be referred to as "up," and the direction opposite to that will be referred to as "down"; the direction pointed to by arrow LH in the diagram to the left of a person seated in chair 1 in a normal posture will be referred to as "left," and the direction opposite to that will be referred to as "right."

[0029] Figure 1 is a perspective view of chair 1 of this embodiment, seen from the front. The chair 1 of this embodiment comprises a leg portion 2 placed on the floor, a box-shaped support base 3 installed at the upper end of the leg portion 2, a seat 4 on which a person sits, a seat support member 5 attached to the upper surface of the support base 3 to support the seat 4, a backrest 6 that supports the back of the person sitting on the seat 4, a backrest support member 7 that supports the backrest 6 from behind, and a pair of left and right armrests 8 that support the elbows and elbow tips of the person sitting on the seat 4.

[0030] The leg section 2 comprises a multi-legged leg 11 with casters 2a, and a leg column 12 that rises from the center of the multi-legged leg 11 and incorporates a gas spring, which is a lifting mechanism. A support base 3 is attached to the upper end of the leg column 12 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The support base 3 incorporates a lifting adjustment mechanism for the leg column 12 (not shown) and a tilt adjustment mechanism for the backrest support member 7 (not shown).

[0031] 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-shaped member that forms the skeleton of the seat body 4. The seat body 20, although not shown in detail, comprises a seat frame (not shown) attached to the outer edge of the seat plate 21, a cushioning material (not shown) made of urethane or the like that is installed on the upper surface of the seat plate 21, and a seat surface material stretched over the seat frame and covering the upper side of the cushioning material.

[0032] The backrest 6 is formed in a curved plan view shape that is convex towards the rear. The backrest 6 contacts the seater's back on the front side and receives the input load from the seater's back. The backrest support member 7 is a strength member that supports the central part of the backrest 6 in the left-right direction from behind. The backrest support member 7 is formed in a roughly L-shaped side view. The front end of the forward extension of the backrest support member 7, which extends forward from the lower rear of the seat body 4, is connected to the tilt adjustment mechanism in the support base 3. The backrest 6 is connected to the front of the upward extension of the backrest support member 7, which extends upward from the lower rear of the seat body 4. Reference numeral 13 in the figure indicates an operating knob for the tilt adjustment mechanism, which is located on the side of the support base 3. Reference numeral 14 in the figure indicates a slider for adjusting the front end of the seat body 4, which is extendable and retractable.

[0033] The left and right armrests 8 are supported on the left and right sides of the seat support member 5. The left and right armrests 8 are formed in a symmetrical shape. Each armrest 8 includes a pad member 50 (surface member) on which the seated person's elbows and elbow tips are rested, and an armrest body 51 that receives the load applied to the pad member 50. The armrest body 51 has an arm portion 51a that is substantially L-shaped in front view, with its lower end connected to the side edge of the seat support member 5, and a load-receiving block 51b integrally formed at the upper end of the arm portion 51a. The arm portion 51a extends outward in the chair width direction from the fixing part with the seat support member 5, and then extends upward inward in the chair width direction with a slight incline. The load-receiving block 51b is formed in a plan view shape that is elongated in the front-to-back direction as an oval. At least the load-receiving block 51b of the armrest body 51 is made of resin material. In this embodiment, the armrest 8 constitutes a connecting structure. The armrest body 51 constitutes the base member of the connecting structure, and the pad member 50 constitutes the mounting member of the connecting structure that is attached to the base member. Furthermore, the armrest 8 constitutes a load-bearing member in the furniture, the armrest body 51 constitutes the load-bearing member body in the furniture, and the pad member 50 constitutes the surface member in the furniture.

[0034] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the right armrest 8, showing the armrest body 51 and pad member 50 disassembled. Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pad member 50. Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the right armrest 8, showing the pad member 50 from a different direction (below) than in Figure 2. Figures 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the armrest 8 corresponding to the cross-section along line VV in Figure 2, and Figures 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the armrest 8 corresponding to the cross-section along line VII-VII and line VIII-VIII in Figure 2, respectively. The armrest body 51 has a covering area 52 on the upper surface side of the load-receiving block 51b, which is covered from above by a pad member 50. The covering area 52 is formed in a plan view with an elongated oval shape in the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the covering area 52 curves upward and downward from the outer end (one end) in the chair width direction to the inner end (the other end). A raised wall 53 is provided on the outer edge of the covering area 52, projecting in the direction opposite to the pad member 50 (diagonally upward in the chair width direction). The raised wall 53 is formed in a roughly triangular cross-sectional shape, with the cross-sectional width gradually decreasing from the base side to the tip side. In the following, the portion of the raised wall 53 located on the outer side in the chair width direction will be referred to as the "first raised wall 53u," and the portion located on the inner side in the chair width direction will be referred to as the "second raised wall 53l."

[0035] A peripheral wall 54 of approximately constant thickness is provided on the upper surface of the covering area 52, slightly separated from the raised wall 53 at the outer edge toward the center of the covering area 52. When viewed from a direction approximately perpendicular to the inclined surface of the covering area 52, the overall shape of the peripheral wall 54 is formed as an approximately oval shape, slightly smaller than the oval shape of the outer edge of the covering area 52. The peripheral wall 54 protrudes from the inclined upper surface of the covering area 52 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the inclination of the upper surface. As shown in Figure 7, the orientation of the inner surface of the raised wall 53 and the direction of protrusion of the peripheral wall 54 and longitudinal rib 56 from the covering area 52 are generally parallel. Therefore, when the armrest body 51 is molded from resin material, the molded armrest body 51 can be easily removed from the mold.

[0036] On the inclined upper surface of the covering area 52, three transverse ribs 55a, 55b, and 55c are provided, connecting opposing portions of the peripheral wall 54 in the chair width direction, and a longitudinal rib 56 is provided, connecting the three transverse ribs 55a, 55b, and 55c in the front-rear direction at approximately the center in the chair width direction. The transverse ribs 55a, 55b, and 55c and the longitudinal rib 56 protrude from the inclined upper surface of the covering area 52 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the inclination of the upper surface.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5, a first engaging portion 57 is formed at the front end of the peripheral wall 54, and a second engaging portion 58 is formed at the rear end of the peripheral wall 54. The first engaging portion 57 and the second engaging portion 58 are formed at two positions spaced apart before and after the covering area 52.

[0038] At the front end of the peripheral wall 54, a flat surface 57a facing forward and a bulging block 57b that protrudes to the rear of the flat surface 57a are formed, and a recess 57c that is recessed to the rear of the flat surface 57a is formed in the portion spanning from the flat surface 57a to the bulging block 57b. The first engaging portion 57 is composed of the recess 57c and the flat surface 57a and bulging block 57b that constitute its peripheral area.

[0039] A flat surface 58a facing directly backward is formed at the rear end of the peripheral wall 54, and a substantially rectangular engagement hole 58b is formed in the flat surface 58a that penetrates the peripheral wall 54 in the front-to-back direction. The second engagement portion 58 is composed of the engagement hole 58b and the wall portion that constitutes its periphery.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2, 4, 7, and 8, flat outer locking walls 59o (first support walls) are provided in a series of positions within the lateral region of the peripheral wall 54 on the outer side in the chair width direction, specifically at a position forward of the connection point of the front transverse rib 55a, a position backward of the connection point of the rear transverse rib 55c, and at intermediate positions between the connection points of each transverse rib 55a, 55b, and 55c, partially offset inward from the covering region 52. Each outer locking wall 59o has a horizontally elongated rectangular engagement hole 60o (engagement portion) formed therein.

[0041] Similarly, in the side region of the peripheral wall 54 on the inner side in the chair width direction, a flat inner locking wall 59i (second support wall) is provided at a position forward of the connection point of the front transverse rib 55a, a position backward of the connection point of the rear transverse rib 55c, and midway between the connection points of each transverse rib 55a, 55b, and 55c, partially offset in the direction inward of the covering region 52. Each inner locking wall 59i has a horizontally elongated rectangular engagement hole 60i (engagement portion) formed therein.

[0042] Here, of the raised walls 53 on the outermost periphery of the covering area 52, the first raised wall 53u on the outer side in the chair width direction has a triangular cross-section, and when the chair 1 with the armrests 8 attached is placed on the floor, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the outer side of the triangular cross-section extends substantially horizontally inward in the vehicle width direction, and the inner side of the triangular cross-section extends inward and upward in the vehicle width direction. In other words, the inner side of the triangular cross-section of the first raised wall 53u forms an overhang portion 61.

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, the pad member 50 comprises a surface member 62 that constitutes the outermost layer when attached to the upper end of the armrest body 51, an inner shell 63 that constitutes the innermost layer when attached to the inside of the surface member 62, and a cushioning material 64 made of urethane or the like interposed between the surface member 62 and the inner shell 63. Both the surface member 62 and the inner shell 63 are made of resin material with a predetermined hardness. The surface member 62 and the inner shell 63 (the main parts of the pad member 50, which are mounting members) are made of resin material with a lower modulus of elasticity than the load-receiving block 51b of the armrest body 51.

[0044] The outer peripheral edge of the outer skin member 62 curves downward and then bends inward by a predetermined width. The cushioning material 64 and the inner shell 63 are housed inside the lower side of the outer skin member 62. As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the cushioning material 64 and the inner shell 63 are fixed to the inside and lower side of the outer skin member 62 by the extension portion that extends downward and inward from the outer skin member 62 abutting against the lower surface of the outer peripheral edge of the inner shell 63. The outer skin member 62 and the inner shell 63 may also be further fixed to each other by screws or the like. In the following description, the pad member 50 will be explained as a unit formed by assembling the cushioning material 64 and the inner shell 63 to the outer skin member 62.

[0045] The pad member 50 is formed in a plan view shape that is almost the same as the covering area 52 of the armrest body 51. That is, the pad member 50 is formed in a plan view shape that is elongated in the front-rear direction as an oval. The pad member 50 is equipped with a cover wall 65 that covers the covering area 52 of the armrest body 51. In this embodiment, the cover wall 65 is composed of a part of the surface member 62 that is superimposed in the vertical direction, a part of the cushioning material 64, and a part of the inner shell 63. A first locking portion 66 is formed on the lower surface of the front end side (first end side in the elongated extension direction) of the inner shell 63 that constitutes the cover wall 65, which is locked into a first engaging portion 57 on the armrest body 51 side. A second locking portion 67 is formed on the lower surface of the rear end side (second end side in the elongated extension direction) of the cover wall 65, which is locked into a second engaging portion 58 on the armrest body 51 side. In this embodiment, the first locking portion 66 and the second locking portion 67 are formed in the inner shell 63, but the first locking portion 66 and the second locking portion 67 may also be formed in the outer skin member 62.

[0046] As shown in Figure 5, the outer region of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction is formed in a curved shape where the central region in the front-to-back direction is convex upwards. Also, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the upper surface of the cover wall 65 is formed in a curved shape that is convex upwards from the outer end in the chair width direction (one end in the chair width direction) to the inner end in the chair width direction (the other end in the chair width direction) and curves downwards. On the lower side of the curved portion of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction (the lower side of the inner shell 63), as shown in Figure 4, a plurality of transverse ribs 68a and longitudinal ribs 68b connecting the transverse ribs 68a are provided. The transverse ribs 68a extend along the chair width direction, and the longitudinal ribs 68b extend along the front-to-back direction. The transverse ribs 68a and longitudinal ribs 68b constitute pad-side reinforcing ribs to increase the rigidity of the curved surface of the cover wall 65.

[0047] The first locking portion 66 is composed of a locking claw block 69 that has a substantially L-shape in side view, extending downward from the lower surface of the front end of the cover wall 65, and then the claw portion 69a at the tip bends and extends rearward. The claw portion 69a of the locking claw block 69 is designed to be insertable into the recess 57c of the first engaging portion 57 on the armrest body 51 side from the front side of the flat surface 57a of the first engaging portion 57. The pad member 50 is restricted from upward and backward displacement relative to the armrest body 51 by the insertion of the claw portion 69a of the first locking portion 66 into the recess 57c of the first engaging portion 57 from the front side. However, when the claw portion 69a of the first locking portion 66 is inserted into the recess 57c of the first engaging portion 57, slight vertical rotation of the pad member 50 around the insertion engaging portion is possible (see Figures 5 and 6). In this embodiment, the first locking portion 66 on the pad member 50 side and the first engaging portion 57 on the armrest body 51 side constitute a crossing displacement restricting portion 40 that restricts the relative displacement of the mounting member (pad member 50) and the base member (armrest body 51) in the crossing direction (front-rear direction).

[0048] The second locking portion 67 is composed of a locking piece 70 that is roughly L-shaped in side view, extending downward from the lower surface of the rear end of the cover wall 65, with its tip claw portion 70a bending forward. The claw portion 70a of the locking piece 70 is designed to be insertable into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58 on the armrest body 51 side from the rear side of the flat surface 58a of the second engagement portion 58. The pad member 50's upward and forward displacement relative to the armrest body 51 is restricted by the insertion of the claw portion 70a of the second locking portion 67 into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58 from the rear side.

[0049] However, the locking piece 70 constituting the second locking portion 67 is designed to be slightly elastically deformable in the front-rear and up-down directions on the base side of the claw portion 70a when subjected to an external force. When the second locking portion 67 is positioned above the second engagement portion 58 on the armrest body 51 side, and the rear side of the pad member 50 is pushed downward, the lower surface of the claw portion 70a comes into contact with the rear corner of the upper end of the second engagement portion 58, and is elastically deformed to the rearward side in response to the contact reaction force. At this time, if the pad member 50 is pushed further, the tip side of the claw portion 70a slides along the flat surface 58a of the second engagement portion 58 and is inserted into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58. In other words, the second locking portion 67 of the pad member 50 is locked to the second engagement portion 58 by the proximity displacement of the pad member 50 facing the covering area 52 on the armrest body 51 side.

[0050] Furthermore, a guide projection 71 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover wall 65 at a position opposite the lateral rib 55c on the rear end side of the armrest body 51. The guide projection 71 is formed by a plate-like piece with a mountain-like shape that bulges downward in a side view. The guide projection 71 is positioned approximately in the center of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction. Anterior to the top of the downwardly protruding portion of the guide projection 71, an inclined surface 71a is formed that can abut against the upper end of the lateral rib 55c on the covering area 52 (the rear corner of the upper end of the lateral rib 55c). The inclined surface 71a is inclined from the cover wall 65 side toward the covering area 52 side toward the rear end side (second end side) of the pad member 50.

[0051] In this embodiment, the guide projection 71 on the pad member 50 side and the transverse rib 55c on the armrest body 51 side constitute the sliding mechanism 72. The transverse rib 55c constitutes a contact wall provided in the covered area 52 on the armrest body 51 side at a position opposite to the guide projection 71. The sliding mechanism 72, consisting of the guide projection 71 and the transverse rib 55c, is positioned in front of the locking position by the second locking portion 67 and the second engaging portion 58, among the mutually opposing portions of the cover wall 65 and the covering area 52 (towards the first end).

[0052] As shown in Figure 6, when the rear region of the pad member 50 is pushed toward the side closer to the covered region 52, i.e., downward, with the first locking portion 66 on the front end side of the pad member 50 locked to the first engaging portion 57 on the front end side of the armrest body 51, the guide projection 71 on the pad member 50 side and the transverse rib 55c on the covered region 52 side, which constitute the sliding mechanism 72, come into contact and slide against each other. At this time, the guide projection 71 on the pad member 50 side comes into contact with the rear corner of the upper end of the transverse rib 55c on its inclined surface 71a, and receives a pressing force directed toward the rear from the transverse rib 55c while sliding against the rear corner. As a result, the entire pad member 50 is pulled toward the rear. In this embodiment, the sliding mechanism 72 is configured as a cam mechanism that converts a portion of the pressing load P of the mounting member into a load Pa that pulls the end region of the mounting member on the side with the second locking portion 67 toward the second engagement portion 58 when the mounting member (pad member 50) is pressed against the base member (armrest body 51) from the opposite direction.

[0053] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the outer region of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction has a central region in the front-to-back direction that curves upward. Therefore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, a bulge 73 is formed in the vicinity of the guide projection 71 of the cover wall 65, specifically at a position forward of the protruding position of the guide projection 71 (towards the first end), bulging upward (in the direction away from the covering region 52). As shown in Figure 6, when the pad member 50 is assembled, if a pressing load P is applied from above to the bulging portion 73 of the cover wall 65, the reaction force f when the guide projection 71 is pressed against the transverse rib 55c acts to deform the rear end of the cover wall 65 upwards.

[0054] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, an engaging recess 74 is formed on the outer peripheral edge of the lower side (back side) of the cover wall 65 (pad member 50), which engages with the raised wall 53 on the outer peripheral edge of the covering area 52 on the armrest body 51 side. The engaging recess 74 is formed in an annular manner around the periphery of the covering area 52. The engaging recess 74 has a substantially V-shaped groove that engages with the raised portion 43 on the armrest body 51 side so as to enclose the entire triangular cross-section of the raised portion 43. In the following, the portion of the engaging recess 74 located on the outer side in the chair width direction will be referred to as the "first engaging recess 74u," and the portion located on the inner side in the chair width direction will be referred to as the "second engaging recess 74l." The first engaging recess 74u engages with the first raised wall 53u on the armrest body 51 side, and the second engaging recess 74l engages with the second raised wall 53l on the armrest body 51 side.

[0055] The first engaging recess 74u comprises a contact wall 75 that abuts against the outer edge of the triangular cross-section of the first raised wall 53u on the armrest body 51 side, and a locking wall 76 that abuts against the inner edge of the triangular cross-section. The contact wall 75 abuts against the upper surface of the first raised wall 53u which extends substantially horizontally. The locking wall 76 abuts against the lower surface of the overhang portion 61 of the first raised wall 53u. The locking wall 76 wraps around below the first raised wall 53u and abuts against the lower surface of the overhang portion 61, thereby restricting the displacement of the pad member 50 in the direction away from the armrest body 51. In this embodiment, the locking portion formed by the overhang portion 61 of the first raised wall 53u and the locking wall 76 of the first engaging recess 74u constitutes a locking means that restricts the displacement of the pad member 50 in the direction away from the armrest body 51.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 8, an outer locking claw 77o (first locking claw) is provided on the lower surface (back surface) of the cover wall 65 (pad member 50) at a position corresponding to the protruding position of the outer locking wall 59o (first support wall) in the covering area 52 on the armrest body 51 side. The outer locking claw 77o is provided at a position close to the inner side in the chair width direction of the first raised wall 53u on the lower surface of the cover wall 65. The tip of the outer locking claw 77o is inserted into the engagement hole 60o from the outside in the chair width direction of the outer locking wall 59o.

[0057] Similarly, on the lower surface (back surface) of the cover wall 65 (pad member 50), at a position corresponding to the protruding position of the inner locking wall 59i (second support wall) in the covering area 52 on the armrest body 51 side, an inner locking claw 77i (second locking claw) is provided, as shown in Figure 8, which is inserted into and locked into the engagement hole 60i of the inner locking wall 59i. The inner locking claw 77i is provided at a position close to the outer side in the chair width direction of the second raised wall 53l on the lower surface of the cover wall 65. The tip of the inner locking claw 77i is inserted into the engagement hole 60i from the inside in the chair width direction of the inner locking wall 59i.

[0058] The pad member 50 is restricted from moving away from the armrest body 51 by the outer locking claw 77o and inner locking claw 77i being locked to the outer locking wall 59o and inner locking wall 59i, respectively. In this embodiment, the locking portion formed by the outer locking claw 77o and the outer locking wall 59o (engagement hole 60o), and the locking portion formed by the inner locking claw 77i and the inner locking wall 59i (engagement hole 60i) also constitute locking means that restrict the displacement of the pad member 50 in the direction away from the armrest body 51. Therefore, in this embodiment, the locking means consist of a locking portion formed by the overhang portion 61 of the first raised wall 53u and the locking wall 76 of the first engagement recess 74u, a locking portion formed by the outer locking claw 77o and the outer locking wall 59o, and a locking portion formed by the inner locking claw 77i and the inner locking wall 59i. Each of these locking means is positioned inside the outer end in the chair width direction of the contact portion between the first raised wall 53u and the first engagement recess 74u, and outside the inner end in the chair width direction of the contact portion between the second raised wall 53l and the second engagement recess 74l.

[0059] In this embodiment, the armrest 8 of the chair 1 can be connected to the armrest body 51 by the pad member 50 as follows. First, as shown in Figure 6, the first locking portion 66 on the front end side of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50 is locked to the first engaging portion 57 on the front end side of the armrest body 51. At this time, the rear end side of the pad member 50 is lifted upward, and while displacing the pad member 50 backward in this state, the claw portion 69a of the first locking portion 66 is inserted into the recess 57c of the first engaging portion 57 from the front side.

[0060] Next, while pulling the pad member 50 to the rear, the rear part of the pad member 50 is pushed downward. At this time, the worker applies a pressing load P from above to the bulging portion 73 on the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50. As a result, the guide projection 71 on the lower surface of the cover wall 65 comes into contact with the upper end of the transverse rib 55c (reinforcement rib) on the covered area 52. At this time, as the inclined surface 71a of the guide projection 71 slides along the corner of the rear end of the upper end of the transverse rib 55c, a portion of the pressing load P is converted into a load Pa that pulls the pad member 50 to the rear. Furthermore, when the guide projection 71 comes into contact with the upper part of the transverse rib 55c, the rear end side of the cover wall 65 receives the contact reaction force f and deforms upward by bending.

[0061] As the rear side of the pad member 50 is pushed further downward, the claw portion 70a of the second locking portion 67 on the rear end side of the cover wall 65 undergoes elastic deformation, and is inserted from the rear into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58 on the armrest body 51 side.

[0062] Furthermore, simultaneously with the final connection operation described above, the engaging recess 74 on the outer peripheral edge of the pad member 50 is engaged with the raised wall 53 on the armrest body 51 side, and the outer locking claw 77o and inner locking claw 77i on the pad member 50 side are locked with the outer locking wall 59o and inner locking wall 59i on the armrest body 51 side. When engaging the engaging recess 74 with the raised wall 53, the locking wall 76 of the first engaging recess 74u is brought into contact with (locked with) the lower surface of the overhang portion 61 of the first raised wall 53u.

[0063] As described above, the armrest 8 (connecting structure) of this embodiment is provided with a first locking portion 66 and a first engaging portion 57, which are cross-displacement restricting portions, and a sliding mechanism portion 72 at mutually opposing portions of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50 and the covered area 52 of the armrest body 51. The first locking portion 66 and the first engaging portion 57, which are cross-displacement restricting portions, restrict the relative displacement of the pad member 50 and the armrest body 51 in the intersecting direction (front-rear and rear). The sliding mechanism portion 72 slides with the mating member in accordance with the approach displacement of the pad member 50 when the pad member 50 approaches the armrest body 51 from the opposing direction, thereby pulling the end region of the pad member 50 on the side with the second locking portion 67 toward the corresponding engaging portion (second engaging portion 58). Therefore, when assembling the pad member 50, after locking the first locking portion 66 on the front end of the pad member 50 with the first engaging portion 57 on the front end of the armrest body 51, pushing the rear side of the pad member 50 downwards will pull the pad member 50 towards the rear, allowing the second locking portion 67 to be smoothly locked into the second engaging portion 58. Therefore, when the armrest 8 of this embodiment is adopted, the corresponding first locking portion 66 and second locking portion 67 on the pad member 50 can be smoothly locked to the first engaging portion 57 and second engaging portion 58, which are positioned at two spaced-apart positions in front of and behind the armrest body 51.

[0064] In particular, in this embodiment, the sliding mechanism 72 is configured as a cam mechanism that converts a portion of the pressing load P of the pad member 50 into a load Pa that pulls the end region of the pad member 50 on the side with the second locking portion 67 toward the second engaging portion 58 when the pad member 50 is pressed against the armrest body 51 from the opposite direction. Therefore, the downward pressing load P of the pad member 50 can be effectively utilized to easily guide the rear second locking portion 67 to a position where it is properly locked to the corresponding second engaging portion 58. Thus, when this configuration is adopted, the first locking portion 66 can be locked to the first engaging portion 57, and then the second locking portion 67 can be locked to the second engaging portion 58 smoothly and easily.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the armrest 8 has a sliding mechanism 72 composed of a guide projection 71 that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50, and a transverse rib 55c (contact wall) provided on the covered area 52 of the armrest body 51 opposite the guide projection 71. The guide projection 71 has an inclined surface 71a that slopes rearward from the cover wall 65 side toward the covered area 52 side. For this reason, although the armrest 8 of this embodiment has an extremely simple structure, when assembling the pad member 50, the pad member 50 can be pulled to the rearward side, and the second locking portion 67 on the rear side of the pad member 50 can be easily locked to the second engaging portion 58 on the armrest body 51 side. In this embodiment, an inclined surface 71a is formed on the guide projection 71 on the pad member 50 side, and when the pad member 50 is assembled, the inclined surface 71a on the pad member 50 side contacts the upper end of the transverse rib on the armrest body 51 side. However, the inclined surface 71a may be provided on the armrest body 51 side instead of the pad member 50 side. Also, the inclined surface 71a may be provided on both the pad member 50 side and the armrest body 51 side.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the armrest 8 has an inclined surface 71a on a guide projection 71 that protrudes downward from the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50, and the contact wall on the armrest body 51 side that abuts against the inclined surface 71a of the guide projection 71 is made up of a reinforcing rib (lateral rib 55c) that reinforces the covered area 52 of the armrest body 51. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, the covered area 52 of the armrest body 51 can be reinforced by the lateral rib 55c, which is a reinforcing rib, and when assembling the pad member 50, the pad member 50 can be stably pulled to the rear side by using the same rigid lateral rib 55c (reinforcing rib).

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the armrest 8 has a bulging portion 73 formed on the front side of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 50, near the position of the protruding guide projection 71, which bulges upward. Therefore, with the first locking portion 66 on the front side of the pad member 50 locked to the first engaging portion 57 on the front side of the armrest body 51, the bulging portion 73 of the cover wall 65 can be pushed downward from above, causing the rear side of the cover wall 65 to bend and deform, with the contact portion between the guide projection 71 and the transverse rib 55c as the pivot point. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, when pushing the cover wall 65 downward, the claw portion 70a of the second locking portion 67 on the rear side of the cover wall 65 is slightly retracted upward and rearward, while the claw portion 70a can be smoothly moved to the position of the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58. This makes it possible to smoothly and stably lock the claw portion 70a of the second locking portion 67 on the rear side into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58 from the rear side.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the armrest 8 is constructed of a resin material with a lower modulus of elasticity than the load-receiving block 51b of the armrest body 51, with the outer skin member 62 and inner shell 63 being the main parts of the pad member 50. Therefore, by locking the first locking portion 66 on the front of the pad member 50 to the first engaging portion 57 on the front of the armrest body 51 and pushing the rear side of the cover wall 65 downward, the inclined surface 71a of the guide projection 71 can contact the transverse rib 55c, causing the front side of the cover wall 65 to bend and deform slightly in the extension direction. Therefore, when this configuration is adopted, when the cover wall 65 is pushed downward, the second locking portion 67 on the rear side of the cover wall 65 can be smoothly locked by the second engaging portion 58 on the rear side of the armrest body.

[0069] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the first engaging portion 57 and the first locking portion 66 are arranged on the front end sides of the armrest body 51 and the pad member 50, and the second engaging portion 58 and the second locking portion 67 are arranged on the rear end sides of the armrest body 51 and the pad member 50. However, the arrangement of each engaging portion and locking portion is not limited to this. The second engaging portion and the second locking portion may be arranged on the front end sides of the armrest body and the pad member, and the first engaging portion and the first locking portion may be arranged on the rear end sides of the armrest body and the pad member. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a reinforcing rib (lateral rib 55c) that reinforces the covered area 52 is used as the contact wall on the armrest body 51 side that contacts the guide projection 71 protruding from the back surface of the pad member 50. However, the contact wall on the armrest body 51 side that contacts the guide projection 71 is not limited to this. A dedicated contact wall may also be provided on the covered area 52. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the upper surface of the armrest 8 is inclined downward from the outside to the inside in the chair width direction, but the upper surface of the armrest 8 may also be inclined in the opposite direction, from the inside to the outside in the chair width direction. Furthermore, in the above embodiment, engagement holes 60o and 60i are formed in the outer locking wall 59o (first support wall) and inner locking wall 59i (second support wall) on the armrest body 51 side, with which the outer locking claw 77o (first locking claw) and inner locking claw 77i (second locking claw), which protrude from the lower surface of the pad member 50, are engaged. However, the engagement portion provided in the outer locking wall 59o (first support wall) and inner locking wall 59i (second support wall) is not limited to the engagement holes 60o and 60i. The engagement portion may also be a recess that does not completely penetrate the outer locking wall 59o (first support wall) or the inner locking wall 59i (second support wall). Furthermore, the above embodiment employs the connecting structure according to the present invention in the armrest portion of a chair. However, the application of the connecting structure according to the present invention is not limited to the armrest of a chair. The connecting structure according to the present invention can also be applied, for example, to the backrest portion of a chair or to load-bearing members of furniture other than chairs.

[0070] <Other Embodiments> Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the armrest 108 of another embodiment, similar to Figure 5. In the other embodiments described below, the same reference numerals are used for parts common to the above embodiment, and some descriptions of overlapping parts are omitted. The armrest 108 of this embodiment is used in a chair similar to the embodiment described above. The armrest 108 comprises a pad member 150 which is a surface member, and an armrest body 151 which receives the load applied to the pad member 150. A covering area 52 is provided on the upper side of the armrest body 151. The pad member 150 has a cover wall 65 that covers the upper part of the covering area 52 of the armrest body 151. The outer portion of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction has a central region in the front-to-back direction that curves upward convexly. In other words, the cover wall 65 has a bulging portion 73 in the central region in the front-to-back direction that bulges upward.

[0071] A first engaging portion 157 and a second engaging portion 58 are provided at the front and rear ends of the covered area 52 of the armrest body 151, respectively. The second engaging portion 58 at the rear end has the same structure as that of the embodiment described above. A peripheral wall 54 is projected from the outer peripheral edge of the covered area 52, and a flat surface 157a facing forward is formed at the front end of the peripheral wall. An engaging hole 157b is formed in the flat surface 157a that penetrates the peripheral wall 54 from front to back. The first engaging portion 157 is composed of the engaging hole 157b and the wall portion that constitutes its peripheral area. Furthermore, on the upper surface of the covered area 52 of the armrest body 151, three transverse ribs 55a, 55b, and 55c (reinforcement ribs) are provided, spaced apart in the front-rear direction, similar to the embodiment described above.

[0072] The lower surface of the front end of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 150 is provided with a first locking portion 166 that engages with the first engaging portion 157 on the armrest body 151 side. The lower surface of the rear end of the cover wall 65 is provided with a second locking portion 67 that engages with the second engaging portion 58 on the armrest body 151 side. The second locking portion 67 has the same structure as that of the above embodiment. The first locking portion 166 is composed of a locking piece 169 that extends downward from the lower surface of the front end of the cover wall 65, and then the claw portion 169a at the tip bends to the rear and extends, with the side view being approximately L-shaped. The claw portion 169a of the locking piece 169 is designed to be insertable into the engagement hole 157b of the first engaging portion 157 on the armrest body 151 side from the front side of the flat surface 157a of the first engaging portion 157. The pad member 150 is restricted from upward displacement relative to the armrest body 151 by the fact that the claw portion 169a of the first locking portion 166 at the front end is inserted into the engagement hole 157b of the first engagement portion 157 from the front side, and the claw portion 70b of the second locking portion 67 at the rear end is inserted into the engagement hole 58b of the second engagement portion 58 from the rear side.

[0073] A displacement-restricting projection 30 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the cover wall 65 at a position opposite the central transverse rib 55b on the armrest body 151 side (approximately the center position in the front-rear direction of the cover wall 65). The displacement-restricting projection 30 is formed by a rectangular (trapezoidal) plate-like piece that bulges downward. The displacement-restricting projection 30 is positioned approximately in the center position in the chair width direction of the cover wall 65. An engagement groove 30a extending linearly upward is formed in the center of the lower edge of the displacement-restricting projection 30. The upper end of the transverse rib 55b on the armrest body 151 side can be inserted into the engagement groove 30a. The pad member 150's displacement in the front-rear direction relative to the armrest body 151 is restricted at approximately the center position in the front-rear direction by the insertion and engagement of the transverse rib 55b into the engagement groove 30a of the displacement-restricting projection 30. In this embodiment, the engagement groove 30a and transverse rib 55b of the displacement restricting projection 30 constitute a crossing displacement restricting section 140 that restricts the relative displacement of the mounting member (pad member 150) and the base member (armrest body 151) in the intersecting direction (front-rear direction).

[0074] Furthermore, guide protrusions 71F and 71R project downward from the lower surface of the cover wall 65 at positions opposite the front and rear transverse ribs 55a and 55c of the armrest body 151. Each guide protrusion 71F and 71R is formed from a plate-like piece with a mountain-like shape that bulges downward in a side view. Each guide protrusion 71F and 71R is positioned approximately in the center of the cover wall 65 in the chair width direction.

[0075] The front guide projection 71F has an inclined surface 71Fa formed on the rear side of the top of the downwardly protruding portion, which can contact the upper end of the front transverse rib 55a on the covering area 52 (the front corner of the upper end of the transverse rib 55a). This inclined surface 71Fa is inclined toward the front end of the pad member 150 from the cover wall 65 side toward the covering area 52 (downward). The rear guide projection 71R has an inclined surface 71Ra formed in front of the top of the downwardly protruding portion, which can contact the upper end of the rear transverse rib 55c on the covering area 52 (the rear corner of the upper end of the transverse rib 55c). This inclined surface 71Ra is inclined toward the rear end of the pad member 150 from the cover wall 65 side toward the covering area 52 (downward).

[0076] In this embodiment, the armrest 108 is provided with two sets of sliding mechanisms 72F and 72R, one front and one rear, between the cover wall 65 and the covered area 52. The front sliding mechanism 72F is composed of a guide projection 71F having an inclined surface 71Fa and a front transverse rib 55a. The rear sliding mechanism 72R is composed of a guide projection 71R having an inclined surface 71Ra and a rear transverse rib 55c. The front transverse rib 55a and the rear transverse rib 55c constitute contact walls provided in the covered area 52 on the armrest body 151 side, at positions facing the respective guide projections 71F and 71R. The front sliding mechanism 72F is positioned between the locking portion formed by the engagement groove 60a of the displacement restricting projection 30 and the central transverse rib 55b, and the locking portion formed by the first locking portion 166 and the first engagement portion 157. The rear sliding mechanism 72R is positioned between the locking portion formed by the engagement groove 60a of the displacement restricting projection 30 and the central transverse rib 55b, and the locking portion formed by the second locking portion 67 and the second engagement portion 58.

[0077] The front sliding mechanism 72F is a cam mechanism that converts a portion of the pressing load P of the mounting member (pad member 150) into a load that pulls the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion 166 toward the corresponding engaging portion (first engaging portion 157) when the mounting member (pad member 150) is pressed against the base member (armrest body 151) from the opposite direction. The rear sliding mechanism 72R is a cam mechanism that converts a portion of the pressing load P of the mounting member into a load that pulls the end region of the mounting member on the side with the second locking portion 67 toward the corresponding engaging portion (second engaging portion 58) when the mounting member (pad member 150) is pressed against the base member (armrest body 151) from the opposite direction.

[0078] In this embodiment, the pad member 150 can be connected to the armrest body 151 of the armrest 108 as follows. First, the pad member 150 is positioned in the front-rear direction relative to the armrest body 151 on the upper side of the covering area 52 so that the position of the engagement groove 30a of the displacement restricting projection 30 on the lower surface of the pad member 150 coincides with the position of the central transverse rib 55b on the armrest body 151 side (see dashed line 150 in Figure 9). Next, in this state, the worker applies a pressing load P from above to the bulging portion 73 on the cover wall 65 of the pad member 150. As a result, the engagement groove 30a of the displacement restricting projection 30 on the pad member 150 side is locked onto the upper part of the central transverse rib 55b, and the inclined surfaces 71Fa and 71Ra of the front and rear guide projections 71F and 71R on the pad member 150 side come into contact with the upper ends of the front and rear transverse ribs 55a and 55c on the armrest body 151 side. At this time, the inclined surfaces 71Fa and 71Ra of the front and rear guide protrusions 71F and 71R slide against the upper corners of the corresponding transverse ribs 55a and 55c, thereby converting a portion of the pressing load P into a load that pulls the front and rear end regions of the pad member 150 forward and backward, respectively. Furthermore, when the front and rear guide protrusions 71F and 71R come into contact with the upper parts of the opposing front and rear transverse ribs 55a and 55c, the front and rear ends of the cover wall 65 are subjected to the reaction force of this contact and deform upward by bending.

[0079] As the pad member 150 is pushed further downward, the claw portion 169a of the first locking portion 166 is inserted and locked into the engagement hole 157b of the first engaging portion 157 on the armrest body 151 side from the front, and the claw portion 70a of the second locking portion 67 is inserted and locked into the engagement hole 58b of the second engaging portion 58 on the armrest body 151 side from the rear. As a result, the pad member 150 is connected to the armrest body 151.

[0080] As described above, in this embodiment, the armrest 108 (connecting structure) is provided with a crossing displacement restricting portion 140 and sliding mechanisms 72F and 72R at mutually opposing portions of the cover wall 65 of the pad member 150 and the covered area 52 of the armrest body 151. With the relative displacement of the pad member 150 and the armrest body 151 in the front-rear direction (crossing direction) restricted by the crossing displacement restricting portion 140 located approximately in the center in the front-rear direction, the front and rear sliding mechanisms 72F and 72R can be activated by pushing the pad member 150 in the direction corresponding to the covered area 52. In this embodiment, the front and rear sliding mechanisms 72F and 72R allow the front end and rear end of the pad member 150 to be pulled towards the front and rear sides of the armrest body 151, respectively. Therefore, when the armrest 108 of this embodiment is adopted, the corresponding first locking portion 166 and second locking portion 67 of the pad member 150 can be smoothly locked to the first engaging portion 157 and second engaging portion 58, which are positioned at two locations spaced apart in front of and behind the armrest body 151.

[0081] <Other Inventions> The following lists other inventions that can be derived from the above embodiments, along with their effects. Note that the reference numerals of the corresponding parts in the above embodiments are enclosed in parentheses at the end of each component name in the following appendices. [Note 1] The armrest body (51) that receives the input load, The system includes a pad member (50) that is attached to the armrest body (51) and covers the upper part of the armrest body (51), The aforementioned armrest body (51) is A covering region (52) that is covered from above by the pad member (50), A first raised wall (53u) rises from the vicinity of one end of the covering region (52) in the chair width direction in a direction opposite to the pad member (50), The covering area (52) comprises a second raised wall (53l) that rises from near the other end in the chair width direction in a direction opposite to the pad member (50), The pad member (50) is A cover wall (65) that covers the upper part of the covered area (52) of the armrest body (51), A first engaging recess (74u) is provided near one end of the cover wall (65) in the chair width direction and engages with the first raised wall (53u) so as to enclose the first raised wall (53u), The cover wall (65) is provided near the other end in the chair width direction and includes a second engaging recess (74l) that engages with the second raised wall (53l) so as to enclose the second raised wall (53l), An armrest for a chair, characterized in that a locking means is provided at a position where the contact portion between the first raised wall (53u) and the first engaging recess (74u) is located closer to the second end than the end on the one end side in the chair width direction, and closer to the first end than the end on the other end side in the chair width direction, of the contact portion between the second raised wall (53l) and the second engaging recess (74l), thereby restricting the displacement of the pad member (50) in a direction away from the armrest body (51).

[0082] According to Note 1 above, the first raised wall on one end of the armrest body in the chair width direction is covered by the first engaging recess on the pad member side, and the second raised wall on the other end of the armrest body in the chair width direction is covered by the second engaging recess on the pad member side. In this state, the pad member is locked to the armrest body by the locking means. Therefore, the locking means cannot be easily accessed from the end in the chair width direction. Accordingly, when this configuration is adopted, it is possible to prevent the pad member from being easily removed by inserting a hand or object into the gap between the armrest body and the pad member at the end in the chair width direction.

[0083] [Note 2] The first raised wall (53u) and the second raised portion (53i) are connected to each other such that their cross-sectional shapes are continuous at the front and rear ends of the covering region (52). The chair armrest according to Appendix 1, characterized in that the first engaging recess (74u) and the second engaging recess (74l) are connected to each other such that their cross-sections are continuous at the front and rear ends of the cover wall (65).

[0084] According to the above note 2, the locking mechanism will no longer be easily accessible not only from the ends in the chair's width direction, but also from the front and rear directions.

[0085] [Note 3] The covering area is inclined downward from one end to the other end in the chair width direction. The chair armrest according to Appendix 1 or 2, characterized in that the first raised wall (53u) and the second raised wall (53l) protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inclination of the covering area (52) in the chair width direction.

[0086] According to Appendix 3 above, since the first and second raised walls protrude in a direction approximately perpendicular to the slope of the covered area, it becomes possible to easily remove the first and second raised walls when molding the armrest body with resin or the like. For this reason, the moldability of the armrest body is improved when this configuration is adopted.

[0087] [Note 4] The aforementioned locking means is The overhang portion (61) of the first raised wall (53u) is formed facing the other end, The chair armrest according to Appendix 3, characterized by comprising a locking wall (76) formed in the first engagement recess (74u) and in contact with the lower surface of the overhang portion (61).

[0088] As per Appendix 4 above, since the locking mechanism is composed of the overhang portion of the first raised wall and the locking wall of the first engagement recess, the displacement of one end of the pad member, which is located at a high position and easily accessible from the outside, can be restricted in the separation direction with a simple configuration. Therefore, even if one end of the pad member is lifted by hand or an object, the displacement of that end of the pad member is reliably restricted by the contact portion between the lower surface of the overhang portion and the locking wall.

[0089] [Note 5] Near the other end of the first raised wall (53u) of the armrest body (51) and near the one end of the second raised wall (53l), there are a first support wall (59o) and a second support wall (59i) that have engaging portions (60o, 60i) consisting of holes or recesses and protrude in a direction opposite to the cover wall (65). The cover wall (65) is provided with a first locking claw (77o) that engages with the engagement portion (60o) of the first support wall (59o), and a second locking claw (77i) that engages with the engagement portion (60i) of the second support wall (59i). The chair armrest according to any one of the appendices 1 to 4, characterized in that the first locking claw (77o) and the first support wall (59o), and the second locking claw (77i) and the second support wall (59i) each constitute the locking means.

[0090] As per the above note 5, the locking means are composed of a first locking claw and a first support wall, and a second locking claw and a second support wall, respectively, which are provided close to one end and the other end in the chair width direction. Therefore, the displacement of the pad member away from the armrest body at the end in the chair width direction can be efficiently restricted. For this reason, even if one tries to lift the end of the pad member in the chair width direction with their hand or an object, the displacement of the end of the pad member is reliably restricted by the locking parts of the first locking claw and the first support wall, and the second locking claw and the second support wall.

[0091] [Note 6] The chair armrest according to Appendix 3, characterized in that reinforcing ribs (55a, 55b, 55c, 56) that receive the load from the pad member (50) are provided protruding from the covering area (52) in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inclination direction of the covering area (52).

[0092] According to Appendix 6 above, since the reinforcing ribs that receive the load from the pad member are provided projecting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inclination direction of the covered area, when the armrest body is molded with resin or the like, the reinforcing ribs can be easily removed together with the first and second raised walls. For this reason, when this configuration is adopted, the moldability of the armrest body is improved.

[0093] [Note 7] The chair armrest according to any one of the appendices 3, 4, or 6, wherein the upper surface of the cover wall (65) of the pad member (50) is formed in a curved shape that is convex upward from one end to the other end in the chair width direction and curves downward, and the lower surface of the cover wall (65) is provided with pad-side reinforcing ribs (68a, 68b) that project in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inclination of the covered area (52).

[0094] According to the above appendix 7, the curved shape of the upper surface of the cover wall makes it possible to flexibly receive loads applied from diagonally above in the chair width direction. Furthermore, excessive deformation of the curved portion of the cover wall when a load is applied can be restricted by the pad-side reinforcing ribs that protrude in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inclination of the covered area. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0095] 1…Chair (fixture) 8,108... Armrest (connecting structure) 40,140... Cross-displacement regulation section 50,150… Pad components (mounting components, surface components) 51,151…Armrest body (base component, load-bearing component body) 52... Covered area 55c... Transverse rib (contact wall) 57,157...First engaging part 58...Second engagement part 65... Cover wall 66,166…First locking section 67...Second locking part 71, 71F, 71R… Guide protrusions 71a,71Fa,71Ra…Slanted surface 72, 72F, 72R... Sliding mechanism 73...bulge

Claims

1. A base member having a covering area, with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion provided at two spaced positions within the covering area, The device has a cover wall that covers the aforementioned covering area, and the cover wall is provided with a mounting member having a first locking portion that engages with the first engaging portion and a second locking portion that engages with the second engaging portion, When the direction in which the covering area and the back surface of the cover wall face each other is defined as the opposing direction, and the direction intersecting this opposing direction is defined as the intersecting direction, In the portions of the cover wall and the covering area that face each other, A crossing displacement restricting section that restricts the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the crossing direction, With the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restricting portion, when the mounting member approaches the base member from the opposing direction, a sliding mechanism is provided which slides with the mating member in accordance with the approach displacement of the mounting member, thereby drawing at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion. The sliding mechanism comprises a cam mechanism which, when the mounting member is pressed against the base member from the opposing direction, while the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the intersecting direction is restricted by the intersecting displacement restricting portion, converts a portion of the pressing load of the mounting member into a load that pulls at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion. The sliding mechanism is a connecting structure characterized in that, in the intersecting direction, it is provided between the corresponding engaging portion and the intersecting displacement restricting portion, separately from the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion, the first locking portion, and the second locking portion.

2. A base member having a covering area, with a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion provided at two spaced positions within the covering area, The device has a cover wall that covers the aforementioned covering area, and the cover wall is provided with a mounting member having a first locking portion that engages with the first engaging portion and a second locking portion that engages with the second engaging portion, When the direction in which the covering area and the back surface of the cover wall face each other is defined as the opposing direction, and the direction intersecting this opposing direction is defined as the intersecting direction, In the portions of the cover wall and the covering area that face each other, A crossing displacement restricting section that restricts the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member in the crossing direction, With the relative displacement of the mounting member and the base member restricted in the intersecting direction by the intersecting displacement restricting portion, when the mounting member approaches the base member from the opposing direction, a sliding mechanism is provided which slides with the mating member in accordance with the approach displacement of the mounting member, thereby drawing at least one of the end region of the mounting member on the side with the first locking portion and the end region on the side with the second locking portion toward the corresponding engaging portion. The aforementioned sliding mechanism is A guide projection protruding from the cover wall toward the covered area, The covering region comprises a contact wall provided at a position opposite to the guide projection, At least one of the guide projection and the contact wall has an inclined surface that slopes toward the corresponding engaging portion from the cover wall side toward the covered area side, The sliding mechanism is a connecting structure characterized in that, in the intersecting direction, it is provided between the corresponding engaging portion and the intersecting displacement restricting portion, separately from the first engaging portion, the second engaging portion, the first locking portion, and the second locking portion.

3. The guide projection has an inclined surface that slopes toward the corresponding engaging portion toward the covering area from the cover wall, The connecting structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the contact wall is composed of reinforcing ribs that protrude from the covering area in the direction of the cover wall and reinforce the covering area.

4. The connecting structure according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a bulge is formed in the vicinity of the guide projection of the cover wall at a position that is further away from the locking portion than the protruding position of the guide projection, and that bulges out in a direction away from the covering area.

5. The connecting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the mounting member is made of a resin member having a lower modulus of elasticity than the base member.

6. The cover wall has the first locking portion on the first end side in the extending direction connecting the two positions, and the second locking portion on the second end side in the extending direction. The first locking portion of the mounting member is locked to the first engaging portion of the base member by the displacement of the mounting member from the first end side toward the second end side. The second locking portion of the mounting member is locked to the second engaging portion of the base member by the displacement of the mounting member approaching the base member from the intersecting direction. The first locking portion and the first engaging portion constitute the crossing displacement restricting portion. The connecting structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the sliding mechanism is provided on the first end side of the portion of the cover wall and the covering area that are facing each other, more so than the locking position by the second locking portion and the second engaging portion.

7. A load-bearing member body that receives the input load, The load-supporting member body comprises a surface layer member connected to the load-supporting member body, The load-supporting member body is composed of the base member, The surface layer member is formed by the mounting member, A load-bearing member for a fixture, characterized in that the connecting structure between the load-bearing member body and the surface layer member is composed of the connecting structure described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The armrest body that receives the input load, The armrest body is connected to a pad member, The armrest body is composed of the base member, The pad member is formed by the mounting member, A chair armrest characterized in that the connecting structure between the armrest body and the pad member is made of the connecting structure described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images