chair

Abstract

To easily achieve an attachment of a sheet material in a stretched state in a mesh-type backrest.SOLUTION: A backrest 4 is configured such that a sheet material 18 (mesh material) is stretched to the back frame 17, and in a side member 19 of the back frame 17, the sheet material 18 is rolled on a back side of the side member 19 and reaches the inner peripheral face 28. A hook 63 for temporally fastening the sheet material 18 is formed on an inner peripheral face 28 of the side member 19. The sheet material 18 has a hole 63a into which the hook 63 is fitted. In a temporally fastened state by the hook 63, the sheet material 18 is welded to the inner peripheral face 28 at a plurality of positions. Therefore, the sheet material 18 can be welded to the back frame 17 while being held in a stretched state. As a result, a backrest 4 in which the sheet material 18 is stretched can be easily achieved, and also automation of the welding process can be easily achieved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a structure in which a flexible sheet is stretched over a support like a mesh - type backrest. chair It is related to such.

Background Art

[0002] In chairs, it is widely practiced to make the backrest have a structure (mesh type) in which a mesh material is stretched over a back frame with front - and - rear openings. The same applies to the seat. A structure in which a mesh material is stretched over a seat frame with upper - and - lower openings is widely known. Mesh - type backrests and seats are excellent in terms of functions such as breathability and cushioning, and also have a neat appearance and high design evaluation.

[0003] Although mesh - type chairs have excellent advantages, the problem is how to firmly and beautifully attach the mesh material to the back frame in a state where it is tightly stretched. Regarding this point, Patent Document 1 discloses that for the backrest, while fixing a tape - shaped edge material to the outer peripheral edge of the mesh material (stretching material), a concave groove is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the back frame, and the edge material is fitted into the concave groove.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses that in the case where the back frame and the seat frame are made of synthetic resin, the back frame is molded with the mesh material fixed to the mold. That is, Patent Document 2 fixes the mesh material to the frame by an insert molding method. did

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

[0006] As described in Patent Document 2, using the insert molding method to attach the mesh material eliminates the effort required to attach the mesh material, but it is not always easy to hold the mesh material in the mold while applying tension to it. Therefore, it is difficult to say that it is easy to obtain a backrest with the mesh material taut. In addition, Patent Document 2 has the problem that the mesh material cannot be replaced.

[0007] On the other hand, in the case of Patent Document 1, although the mesh material can be held in a taut state, when attaching the mesh material to the left and right side members of the back frame, one edge material must be fitted into the groove of one side member, and then the other edge material must be fitted into the groove of the other side member while the mesh material is pulled tightly, making the attachment work of the mesh material troublesome.

[0008] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 requires edge material, which increases costs (manufacturing costs and installation costs). In addition, Patent Document 1 requires manual installation of the mesh material and cannot be installed using automated equipment, which also increases the manufacturing costs of the backrest and seat.

[0009] Therefore, in chairs, mesh-type backrests and seats, and other mesh-specific components... Therefore, there is a need for a technology that can firmly fix mesh material with a simple structure and also automate the installation process. The present invention aims to meet this need. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention can be developed in various ways, and typical configurations are specified in each claim. Of these, the invention of claim 1 is a chair to child Regarding, "The system comprises a flexible seat material that comes into contact with the body of a seated person, and a support to which the seat material is attached, wherein the seat material has numerous fixing parts along its outer edge that are fixed to the support," The sheet material and the support are provided with temporary fixing portions that hold the sheet material in a taut state before fixing it to the support." This is the basic structure.

[0011] The components included here naturally include the backrest and seat, but headrests, shoulder rests, and armrests can also be included. Furthermore, a chair has the function of a person sitting on it. Ta It broadly includes things like swivel chairs, which are often used for office work, etc. beginning This includes not only portable chairs, but also fixed chairs and vehicle seats. Furthermore, in claim 1, the seat material also includes a surface material that covers the cushioning material.

[0012] Furthermore, in the basic configuration described above, the present invention, " The temporary fastening portion consists of a hook-shaped hook formed on the support and an engagement hole formed in the sheet material into which the hook fits, and a large number of these pairs of hooks and engagement holes are formed along the circumferential direction of the sheet material. Furthermore, Each fixed part teeth The sheet material is fixed to the support by welding or a drive-in fastener, with the temporary fixing portion and the fixed portion arranged alternately in the circumferential direction. This is the structure.

[0013] The invention of claim 2 is an embodiment of claim 1, "The support is a back frame that opens in the front and rear or a seat frame that opens in the top and bottom, and the edge of the seat material is, when viewed from the direction in which the load of the seated person is applied Back frame or seat It is wrapped around the rear of the frame, and the temporary fastening portion is provided on that rear side. This is the structure.

[0014] The invention of claim 3 is an embodiment of claim 2, "The aforementioned back Fray Mu is, having a front surface facing the direction in which the load of the seated person is applied, an outer peripheral surface facing rearward from the front surface, and an inner peripheral surface facing inward from the outer peripheral surface, The inner peripheral surface of the back frame has a first surface to which the seat material is fixed, and a second surface that is located between the outer peripheral surface and the first surface and intersects the outer peripheral surface at an acute angle and intersects the first surface at an obtuse angle in a plan view. The perpendicular to the first surface faces in a direction that inclines inward toward the rear in a plan view. It has such a configuration.

[0015] The invention according to claim 4 is any one of claims 1 to 3, " The aforementioned An edge portion of the seat material including the temporary fixing portion and the fixing portion is covered with a cover." It has such a configuration.

Effect of the Invention

[0017] In the present invention, since the seat material is temporarily held on the support before being fixed to the support, the seat material can be easily fixed in a tensioned state with pins. Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved, and it can also easily cope with the automation of the attachment process. As a result, the cost of the members can be suppressed. and Both the quality can be stabilized.

[0018] <​​​​​​​​​​​

[0020] In this regard, claim 2 By wrapping the edges of the sheet material around the rear of the frame material, the tension is applied in a way that keeps the sheet material tightly attached to the frame material, significantly reducing the external force acting on the fixing points of the sheet material. As a result, even with simple fixing structures such as welding or stapling, high support strength can be ensured.

[0021] While welding and tacking require tools, when using automated equipment for fastening, the automated equipment consists of a support base (anvil, jig) for fixing the material and a drive unit that moves a tool, such as a horn, back and forth. The drive unit requires a considerable amount of space. Therefore, care must be taken to ensure that the drive unit does not interfere with the frame material.

[0022] In this regard, claim 3 By adopting this configuration, tools such as horns can be moved back and forth without contacting the frame material, thus easily automating the fixing process. This ensures cost reduction and quality stabilization through improved efficiency of the fixing process. 3 As shown, when the outer surface and the second surface intersect at an acute angle, the sheet material is significantly folded back at the joint between the outer surface and the second surface, thus exhibiting strong resistance to tension acting on the sheet material. Therefore, this further suppresses tension acting on the fixing part of the sheet material, greatly contributing to improving the support strength of the sheet material.

[0023] Various structures can be used for the temporary fastening part, The present invention By adopting a combination of hooks and holes as shown, the structure is simple and allows for easy temporary fastening without requiring any special skills. Furthermore, while the aesthetics would be spoiled if the edges or fixing parts of the sheet material were visible, the aesthetics can be maintained by using a cover as described in claim 4.

[0024] The cover needs to be attached to the support in some way, but using elastically deformable engaging claws is preferable because it allows for one-touch attachment. ru. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0025] [Figure 1] In the diagram illustrating the embodiment, (A) is a front view, (B) is a perspective view from the front, and (C) is a perspective view from the rear. [Figure 2] (A) is a rear view, (B) is a side view, (C) is a perspective view showing the upper cover and side cover separated, and (D) is a perspective view showing the upper cover and side cover in contact with each other. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view showing the separated components. [Figure 4] This is a rear view of the separated parts. [Figure 5] (A) is a separate perspective view of the back frame and auxiliary plate, and (B) is a separate perspective view of the back frame and tilting frame. [Figure 6] (A) is a front view of the lower part of the back frame, and (B) is a separated view with the tilting frame facing forward and the back frame facing backward. [Figure 7] This is a separate perspective view showing the connection between the back frame and the tilting frame. (A) is a view from the rear, and (B) is a view from the front with their orientations reversed. [Figure 8] (A) is a separate perspective view of the tilting frame and back cover, (B) is a perspective view of the back cover, and (C) is a partial perspective view of the tilting frame from the front. [Figure 9] (A) is a separated perspective view of the tilting frame and armrest from the front, and (B) is a separated perspective view of the tilting frame and armrest from the side. [Figure 10] (A) is a partially broken front view of the back frame, and (B) is a partially broken rear view of the back frame. [Figure 11] (A) is a separate perspective view of the back frame and side cover, (B) is a perspective view of the lower part of the side cover, and (C) is a partial perspective view of the tilting frame from the front. [Figure 12] (A) is a partial perspective view of the back frame seen from the rear, and (B) is a cross-sectional view from XIIB-XIIB in Figure 4. [Figure 13]Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view from XIII-XIII, where (A) is a view with the side cover omitted and (B) is a view with the side cover attached. [Figure 14] Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view from XIV-XIV, where (A) is a view with the upper cover omitted and (B) is a view with the upper cover attached. [Figure 15] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the central part of the back frame, specifically the XV-XV cross-sectional view in Figure 6(B). [Figure 16] (A) is a cross-sectional view from XVIA-XVIA in Figure 6(B), and (B) is a cross-sectional view from XVIB-XVIB in Figure 6(B). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0026] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. In the following description, the terms "front and back" and "left and right" will be used to specify directions, but these terms are based on a seated person. The front view direction is the direction opposite to the seated person, and therefore, the left and right in the front view are reversed from the left and right as seen from the seated person's perspective.

[0027] (1) Overview of the chair First, the outline of the chair will be explained, mainly with reference to Figures 1 to 4. This embodiment is applied to the backrest of a swivel chair, which is commonly used for office work, and the chair comprises a leg device 1 having leg supports made of gas cylinders, a base 2 fixed to the upper end of the leg supports, a seat 3 placed on the base 2, and a backrest 4 that a seated person can lean against.

[0028] For example, as clearly shown in Figure 3, a tilting frame 5 equipped with left and right arms 5a is connected to the base 2 so as to be able to tilt backward. Also, as shown in Figure 2(B), a seat support 6 to which the seat 3 is fixed is connected to the base 2 so as to be able to move backward, and the seat support 6 is connected to the arms 5a of the tilting frame 5 so as to be able to rotate relative to them. Therefore, the seat 3 moves backward and tilts slightly backward in conjunction with the backrest 4.

[0029] The seat 3 has a structure in which a cushion is placed on the upper surface of a resin inner shell and covered with a surface material, and the inner shell of the seat is connected either directly or via the outer shell of the seat. It is fixed to the seat support 6.

[0030] As can be seen from Figure 1, the tilting frame 5 is equipped with left and right back support columns 7 that curve upward in an arc shape, and the back support columns 7 and the base 8 are smoothly continuous so as to curve upward in a front view (and rear view). The tilting frame 5 also has an inward ridge 9, an outward ridge 10, and a rearward ridge 11, forming a roughly triangular cross-sectional shape. Therefore, the tilting frame 5 has a front surface 12 shown in Figure 3, and an inclined outer surface 13 and an inclined inner surface 13 shown in Figure 1(C), and the inclined outer surface 14 and the inclined inner surface 13 intersect in a V-shape to reach the rearward ridge 11.

[0031] Furthermore, the portion of the tilting frame 5 consisting of the base 8 and the back support 7 tapers towards both the left and right ends. As a result, the inclined outer surface 14 and the inclined inner surface 13 are widest in the middle section and narrow towards both the left and right ends. As shown in Figures 2(A) and 4, an optional armrest 15 can be attached to the outer surface of the back support 7, and if the armrest 15 is not attached, the outer surface of the back support 7 is covered by a back cover 16.

[0032] For example, as shown in Figure 3, the backrest 4 comprises a back frame 17 that opens to the front and rear, and a sheet material (mesh material) 18 stretched across its front surface. Also, as clearly shown in Figure 3, the back frame 17 is composed of vertically elongated left and right side members 19, horizontally elongated upper members 20, and a lower member 21 that overlaps the base 8 of the tilting frame 5 and the front surface of the back support column 7. The lower member 21 is curved in an upward-curving bow shape to match the shape of the tilting frame 5.

[0033] The back frame 17 is an example of the support described in the claim. Each member 19, 20, and 21 is made of synthetic resin. The tilting frame 5 is made of die-cast aluminum, but it can also be made of synthetic resin.

[0034] The side members 19 of the back frame 17 are provided with an inwardly projecting ridge 23 in the left-right direction, an outwardly projecting ridge 24 in the left-right direction, and a rearward projecting ridge 25 between the inwardly projecting ridge 23 and the outwardly projecting ridge 24. Therefore, the portion between the inwardly projecting ridge 23 and the outwardly projecting ridge 24 becomes the front surface 26, the portion between the outwardly projecting ridge 24 and the rearward projecting ridge 25 becomes the outer peripheral surface (outer surface) 27, and the portion between the rearward projecting ridge 25 and the inwardly projecting ridge 23 becomes the inner peripheral surface (inner surface) 28.

[0035] As can be seen from Figure 1, each of the ridges 23, 24, and 25 of the side member 19 and front Surfaces 26, 27, and 28 are continuous up to the upper member 20. That is, the front surface 26 of the side member 19 is continuous with the front surface 26a of the upper member 20, the outer peripheral surface 27 of the side member 19 is continuous with the outer peripheral surface 27a of the upper member 20, and the inner peripheral surface 28 of the side member 19 is continuous with the inner peripheral surface (bottom surface) 28' of the upper member 20.

[0036] On the other hand, with respect to the lower member 21, since the edges 23, 24, and 25 of the side member 19 are continuous with the edges 9, 10, and 11 of the tilting frame 5, as shown in Figure 3, the inward edge 23b of the lower member 21 is stepped down from the inward edge 23 of the side member 19, and there are no rearward edges on the lower member 21. The outward edge 24b of the lower member 21 is continuous with the outward edge 24b of the side member 19. However, the lower part of the lower member 21 is a cut-out section 21a, to which the auxiliary plate 29 is connected. Therefore, the outward edge 24b of the lower member 21 is not continuous.

[0037] Furthermore, the front surface 26b of the lower member 21 is continuous with the front surface 26 of the side member 19. However, the lower member 21 does not have surfaces corresponding to the outer circumferential surface 27 and inner circumferential surface 28 of the side member 19, and instead has a rear surface 28c (see Figure 6(C)) that is stepped down from the outer circumferential surface 27 and inner circumferential surface 28 of the side member 19.

[0038] The sheet material 18 is directly fixed to the side member 19, the upper member 20, and the upper part of the lower member 21 by ultrasonic welding. However, at the location of the lower member 21, the sheet material 18 is fixed to an auxiliary plate 29 and attached to the lower member 21 via the auxiliary plate 29.

[0039] Note that in Figures 1, 2(A), and 3, the sheet material 18 is shown as a dotted parallel diagonal line, and the front view of the back frame 17 is shown as is. However, in reality, the front view of the back frame 17 is hidden by the sheet material 18 and cannot be seen (depending on the type of sheet material 18, it may be slightly visible through it).

[0040] (2) Connection structure between the back frame and the tilting frame Next, the connection structure between the back frame 17 and the tilting frame 5 will be described. Refer mainly to Figures 5-9.

[0041] For example, as shown in Figure 5, a main recess 31 that opens forward is formed on the front surface 12 of the base 8 of the tilting frame 5, and numerous reinforcing ribs 32 extending vertically and horizontally are formed inside the main recess 31. In addition, a center recess 33 is formed in the left and right intermediate parts of the base 8 (the left and right intermediate parts of the main recess 31) for attaching the rear end of the locking gas cylinder 33a (slightly visible in Figures 2(A) and 2(B)). The center recess 33 is surrounded by ribs.

[0042] As also shown in Figure 5, a pair of positioning protrusions 34 are provided on the lower member 21 of the back frame 17, projecting backward, while a positioning hole 35 (see also Figure 16(A)) is formed in the base 8 of the tilting frame 5 into which the positioning boss 34 is fitted from the front. The positioning hole 35 is surrounded by reinforcing ribs 32. The positioning protrusions 34 have a fairly large projection, and because they fit into the positioning hole 35 with almost no clearance, the back frame 17 is attached to the tilting frame 5 in a state where it can firmly support the backward load. The positioning protrusions 34 are inclined in the same direction as the axial direction O3 of the back support column 7 (see Figure 2(B)).

[0043] Furthermore, as clearly shown in Figure 7, for example, a side recess 36 is formed at the upper end of the back support column 7 of the tilting frame 5, with openings facing forward and upward. On the other hand, side protrusions 37 are formed at the left and right upper ends of the lower member 21 of the back frame 17, which fit snugly into the side recess 36. The side protrusions 37 and the side recess 36 are fastened together with bolts 38 and nuts 39.

[0044] The side recess 36 and side projection 37 have a truncated pyramidal shape, with a side projection 37 having a lateral pocket hole 40 in which a nut 39 is held non-rotatably, while the bottom plate of the side recess 36 has a bolt insertion hole 41.

[0045] As can be seen from Figure 5, the lower part of the side recess 36 in the back support column 7 of the tilting frame 5 is a back recess 42 that opens backward, and the bolt 38 is inserted through an auxiliary recess 42a continuous with the back recess 42 to the bottom plate of the side recess 36.

[0046] The back frame 17 is positioned by the fitting of the positioning projection 34 and the positioning hole 35, so even if it is fastened with only two bolts 38 on the left and right, the tilting frame 5 In contrast, it is firmly fixed. Furthermore, since the side projection 37 and the side recess 36 are truncated square pyramidal in shape, when the bolt 38 is tightened, the side projection 37 makes a firm contact with the side recess 36. As a result, the back frame 17 is firmly fixed to the tilting frame 5 without any looseness.

[0047] (3) Mounting structure of the armrest and back cover Since the tilting frame 5 has a side recess 36 that opens forward and a back recess 42 that opens backward, when viewing the base 8 and back support 7 of the tilting frame 5 as a whole, the back recess 42 that opens backward is located between the side recess 36 that opens forward and the main recess 31.

[0048] As can be seen from Figures 8(A) and 9(B), the back recess 42 is roughly rectangular and has a tapered shape with a decreasing cross-sectional area towards the bottom, and a step portion 43 of a slight width is formed at the opening edge. The step portion 43 extends below the back recess 42.

[0049] In Figures 1 and 2, the armrest 15 is shown with the fixed armrest 15a and the movable armrest 15b superimposed. However, In this case, either one is attached. Figure 9 shows the fixed armrest 15a, and a truncated square pyramidal positioning boss 45 is formed at the base of the fixed armrest 15a, which fits into the back recess 42 of the tilting frame 5, and the fixed armrest 15a is fastened to the tilting frame 5 by a bolt 46 inserted through the positioning boss 45 from the outside. Accordingly, a tapped hole 47 into which the bolt 46 is screwed is formed at the bottom of the back recess 42 in the tilting frame 5.

[0050] As shown in Figure 9(B), the base of the fixed armrest 15a has a counterbore hole 48 that hides the head of the bolt 46. The fixed armrest 15a also has a flange plate 49 that overlaps the stepped portion 43, which is the outer surface of the back support 7, integrally formed. The movable armrest 15b has a base body fixed to the back support 7, an intermediate arm attached to the base body so as to be able to rotate vertically and horizontally, and an armrest attached to the tip of the intermediate arm so as to be able to rotate horizontally. The base of the base body has the same structure as the base of the fixed armrest 15a and is fixed to the back support 7 with the same bolt 46 as the fixed armrest 15a.

[0051] As previously described, if the armrest 15 is not attached to the tilting frame 5, the back recess 42 is covered by the back cover 16. The back cover 16 is designed to fit into the stepped portion 43 of the tilting frame 5 and is attached to the tilting frame 5 by an upward-facing first engaging claw 50, a pair of second engaging claws 51 that fit into the back recess 42 of the back support portion 7, and two third engaging claws 52 that protrude forward below the back recess 42.

[0052] Accordingly, a pair of first engagement holes 53 are formed at the upper end of the back support portion 7 into which the first engagement claw 50 fits and engages, a second engagement hole 54 is formed inside the back recess 42 of the back support portion 7 into which the second engagement claw 51 engages after elastic deformation, and a pair of third engagement holes 55 are formed in the portion below the back recess 42 into which the third engagement claw 42 engages after elastic deformation. The third engagement holes 55 are formed in the stepped portion 43.

[0053] The first engagement hole 53 is bag-shaped and opens only to the rear, and the first engagement claw 50 engages with the first engagement hole 53 by sliding upward. Therefore, the upper end of the back cover 16 is held in a position where it cannot slide upward or be raised backward. On the other hand, the second engagement hole 54 and the third engagement hole 55 open to the front and rear. The pair of second engagement claws 51 have different orientations of their hook portions and differ in the direction in which they elastically deform and bend. Therefore, they have a high anti-detachment effect. The hook portions of the pair of third engagement claws 52 are oriented in the same direction.

[0054] Furthermore, an auxiliary projection 56 is provided projecting forward below the third engaging claw 52, ​​which fits into the third engaging hole 55. Therefore, the back cover 16 is held in a position where it cannot move upward by the first engaging claw 50 and is held in a position where it cannot move downward by the auxiliary projection 56. Thus, the back cover 16 is securely attached without any looseness. In addition, the back cover 16 is fitted into the stepped portion 43 of the tilting frame 5, and the surface of the back cover 16 and the inclined outer peripheral surface 14 of the tilting frame 5 are on the same plane, resulting in a superior appearance and making it difficult to tip over.

[0055] In this embodiment, the back frame 17 is fastened to the tilting frame 5 with bolts 38, utilizing the back recess 42 for attaching the armrest 15. In other words, the back recess 42 for attaching the armrest 15 is used as a space for arranging the bolts 38 for fixing the back frame 17. Therefore, the heads of the bolts 38 are not exposed, resulting in a superior aesthetic appearance.

[0056] (4) Back frame and seat material Next, we will explain the structure of the back frame 17 and the mounting structure of the seat material 18. Refer mainly to Figures 10-16.

[0057] As previously described, the side members 19 and upper members 20 of the back frame 17 have three continuous ridges 23-25 ​​and three surfaces 26-28. Therefore, as shown in Figures 12-14, the side members 19 and upper members 20 have a roughly triangular cross-sectional shape. However, both members have numerous recesses 59 formed on their front surfaces 26 and 26a to reduce weight (it can also be seen as long grooves being formed on the front surfaces 26 and 26a with ribs placed in these grooves. In any case, the front surfaces 26 and 26a are not flat surfaces).

[0058] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, the outer circumferential surface 27 of the side member 19 is gently curved and bulges outward. In addition, a V-shaped longitudinal groove 60 is formed on the edge of the front surface 26 of the side member 19 that is close to the outward-facing ridge line 24, and a buffer edge 60a is placed in the longitudinal groove 60.

[0059] As shown in Figures 12(B) and 13, the inner circumferential surface 28 of the side member 19 has a second surface 28a that intersects the outer circumferential surface 27 in a rounded, approximately V-shape (intersecting at an acute angle) in a plan view, and a first surface 28b that intersects the second surface 28a in a V-shape (intersecting at an obtuse angle), and the sheet material 18 is fixed to the first surface 28b by welding (therefore, the welded portion is the fixing portion described in the claim, and the welded portion is indicated by reference numeral 65). As clearly shown in Figure 12(B), Side member 19 The perpendicular line O1 of the first surface 28b on the inner circumferential surface 28 is inclined diagonally inward in a plan view, facing backward and tilting inward towards the back frame 17.

[0060] As shown in Figures 12(B) and 13, In side member 19 A ridge 62 is formed along the inner edge of the inner circumferential surface 28, extending almost its entire length. Therefore, a recessed groove is formed on the inner circumferential surface 28 of the side member 19, and the edge of the sheet material 18 and hook 63 etc. but on the bottom surface of the recess arrangement It is being done.

[0061] Hook 63 is Hooked side view In It has a hollow gate-like shape. Also, as is clearly shown in Figure 13, a relief groove 63a is formed on the inside of the hook 63, due to the use of a sliding mold to form the hook 63. The ridge 62 forms a bridge portion 62a at the location of the relief groove 63a.

[0062] The sheet material 18 is wrapped around the front 26 to the rear at the side member 19, and its leading edge extends close to the protrusion 62. The sheet material 18 is then fixed to the first surface 28b at both the upper and lower sides of the hook 63 by ultrasonic welding.

[0063] In this embodiment, the sheet material 18 is welded to the back frame 17 by an automatic machine (automatic welding device). The automatic machine includes a drive unit that reciprocates the horn 66 shown in Figure 12(B), and a support base (jig, anvil) that holds the back frame 17 in place. For example, by moving the support base horizontally, rotating it horizontally, and moving the horn 66 forward and backward, each welded portion 65 is formed in sequence.

[0064] In this case, since the drive unit to which the horn 66 is attached is of a certain size, if the perpendicular line O1 on the bottom surface of the groove 61 is parallel to the front surface of the backrest 4, the drive unit may come into contact with the other side member 19 during the welding process to one side member 19, which may prevent welding from being performed.

[0065] In contrast, as in this embodiment, if the perpendicular O1 of the first surface 28b is facing backward and inclined diagonally inward, even if the drive unit is large, the sheet material 18 can be welded to the side member 19 while preventing the drive unit from hitting the back frame 17. Furthermore, since the sheet material 18 is significantly folded back at the connection point between the outer peripheral surface 27 and the second surface 28a, the transmission of tension acting on the sheet material 18 to the welded portion 65 is greatly reduced. Therefore, the support strength of the sheet material 18 can be dramatically improved.

[0066] The same applies to the upper member 20, and as shown in Figures 12(A) and 14, a number of hooks 63 are formed on the inner circumferential surface 28' of the upper member 20, and adjacent hooks 63 (Temporary fastening part) The sheet material 18 is welded to the upper member 20 in between, but the first surface is the welded surface. 28b′ If the perpendicular line is O2, then in a side view, the perpendicular line O2 is angled backward and inward, which prevents the drive unit of the automatic machine from hitting the lower member 21 while allowing welding to be performed to the upper member 20. Since the sheet material 18 is located between adjacent hooks 63, the welded portion 65, which is the fixing portion, and the hook 63, which is the temporary fixing portion, are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction.

[0067] Furthermore, in the upper member 20, the inner circumferential surface 28' is ,obtuse angle The first face intersects in a V-shape. 28b′ It has a second surface 28a', and the second surface 28a' intersects with the outer peripheral surface 27a at a rounded, roughly V-shaped, acute angle. Therefore, the tension acting on the sheet material 18 can be significantly suppressed from acting on the welded portion 65.

[0068] (5) Side cover / Upper cover The inner circumferential surface 28 of the side member 19 is covered by the vertically longitudinal side cover 70, and the inner circumferential surface 28' of the upper member 20 is covered from below by the upper cover 71. Consequently, the edges and welded portions 65 of the sheet material 18 are also covered by the covers 70 and 71.

[0069] Furthermore, as clearly shown in Figure 2(D), the side cover 70 and the upper cover 71 are continuous, while, for example, as shown in Figure 1(C), the side cover 70 and the inclined inner surface 13 of the tilting frame 5 are continuous. Therefore, the four surfaces of the inclined inner surface 13 of the tilting frame 5, the left and right side covers 70, and the upper cover 71 form a loop surface that, although there are seams, forms a single, uniform surface overall. As a result, the entire backrest has a unified design and exhibits an excellent aesthetic effect.

[0070] The basic means of attaching the covers 70 and 71 is to engage (hook) forward-projecting engaging claws 72 with engaging steps 73 formed on the side member 19 and upper member 20, as shown in Figures 11(A), 13(B), and 14(B).

[0071] In this case, the hook 63 is formed in a hollow gate shape, and the engaging step 73 is formed at the location of the hook 63, so that the engaging claw 72 is inserted into the inside of the hook 63. This has the advantage that the engaging claw 72 is positioned by the hook 63. Furthermore, the engaging claw 72 is formed in the sheet material 18. Engagement hole (temporary fixing hole) The 64 is inserted through and engages with the engaging step 73. Therefore, it is not necessary to machine a hole in the sheet material 18 to accommodate the engaging claw 72. The temporary fixing holes 64 in the sheet material 18 engage with the hooks 63.

[0072] Furthermore, as previously described, when using a mold for injection molding, the hook 63 is formed using a slide mold, and the engaging step portion 73 is also formed using a slide mold. Therefore, the temporary fastening means for the sheet material 18 and the mounting means for the covers 70 and 71 can be easily formed.

[0073] For example, as shown in Figures 11(A), 12(B), and 14(B), the side cover 70 and the upper cover 71 are provided with forward-facing inclined ribs 74 located at the locations of each engaging claw 72, thereby forming a V-shaped engaging portion 75 that sandwiches the bridge portion 62a of the protrusions on the side member 19 and the upper member 20. Therefore, even if a person places their fingertips on the inner edge of the covers 70 and 71 and pulls them backward, the covers 70 and 71 will not peel off.

[0074] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 11(B) and 11(C), a downward-facing piece 76 is provided on the inner surface of the lower end of the side cover 70, and this downward-facing piece 76 is fitted from above into the gap 77 formed between the upper end of the back support column 7 and the back frame 17 (see arrow 76a in Figures 11(B) and 11(C)). Thus, the lower end of the side cover 70 is held in a way that prevents it from moving inward.

[0075] Furthermore, as clearly shown in Figures 2(C)(D) and 4, an inward-facing portion 70a is formed at the upper end of the side cover 70, and a stepped portion 78 provided at the tip of the inward-facing portion 70a overlaps from below with stepped portions 79 formed at both the left and right ends of the upper cover 71. Therefore, the integration between the side cover 70 and the upper cover 71 is enhanced, and the upper cover 71 is held in a position where it cannot be separated downwards.

[0076] Furthermore, the overlapping of the raised portion 79 and the recessed portion 78 holds the upper end of the side cover 70 in place so that it does not shift inward. Consequently, the side cover 70 is held in place so that it does not separate in any direction (front / back, left / right, up / down), and as a result, the upper cover 71 is also held in place so that it does not separate in any direction (front / back, left / right, up / down).

[0077] (6) Auxiliary plate Next, the auxiliary plate 29 will be explained. Refer mainly to Figures 5, 6, 15, and 16.

[0078] As shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary plate 29 is narrow in the middle section on both sides and widens towards both sides, with a curved and concave upper surface. A horizontal support shaft 80 is formed on the lower member 21 at a position laterally outward from the positioning projection 34 via a bracket piece, while the auxiliary plate 29 has a catch 81 that fits onto the support shaft 80 from the front against elastic forces. Therefore, the auxiliary plate 29 is rotatable around the axis of the support shaft 80.

[0079] Furthermore, a pair of engagement holes 82 are formed on the lower end of the tilting frame 5, sandwiched between the positioning projections 34, with the holes opening downwards. On the auxiliary plate 29, engagement claws 83 are provided, which are fixedly in place to fit into the engagement holes 82, and which protrude upwards. The engagement claws 83 are U-shaped in plan view.

[0080] The auxiliary plate 29 is positioned in a generally horizontal position, and the catch 81 can be fitted onto the support shaft 80 from below, as shown by arrow 84 in Figure 5(A). Next, when it is rotated downwards, as shown by arrow 85 in Figure 5(B), the engaging claw 83 elastically deforms and fits into the engaging hole 82 from the front, as shown by arrow 86 in Figure 5(A). This maintains the position of the auxiliary plate 29.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 16(B), a pair of left and right stopper protrusions 87 are provided on the auxiliary plate 29, projecting backward, and these stopper protrusions 87 are fitted from the front into forward-facing stopper holes 88 formed by ribs in the base 8 of the tilting frame 5.

[0082] The lower part of the sheet material 18 is pre-attached to the rear surface of the auxiliary plate 29 by welding or tacking. In the welding process of the sheet material 18, the auxiliary plate 29 is connected to the support shaft 80 and rotated forward, and the peripheral edge of the sheet material 18 is engaged with the group of hooks 63. Once the temporary fastening to the hooks 63 is complete, the auxiliary plate 29 is rotated backward to insert the engaging claws 83 into the engaging holes 82. As a result, the sheet material 18 is held taut against the back frame 17. Therefore, the sheet material 18 is welded to the back frame 17 in a taut state.

[0083] (7) Summary As already mentioned, in this embodiment, the sheet material 18 can be attached to the back frame material 17 while it is taut. Therefore, the sheet material 18 can be efficiently and accurately fixed to the back frame 17 using an automatic welding device. The welding process can also be performed manually, but even in this case, the worker's hands are free, so the work can be performed efficiently.

[0084] Furthermore, because the seat material 18 is significantly curved backward relative to the side member 19 and upper member 20, even if tension is applied to the seat material 18 by the weight of a person sitting on it, that tension does not directly act on the welded portion 65, and the tensile force acting on the welded portion 65 is greatly reduced. Therefore, despite being a simple fixing method of welding, high support strength can be ensured.

[0085] Rotating auxiliary as in the embodiment plate When used in conjunction with 29, the seat material 18 is attached to the back frame 17 under strong tension, which is particularly beneficial in terms of improving quality. The same effect can be obtained even when fastening with fasteners such as a stapler.

[0086] The present invention can be further concretized in various ways beyond those described above. ru.

[0087] Furthermore, as already mentioned, the present invention can also be applied to seats, headrests, shoulder rests, and armrests. Headrests and shoulder rests are basically the same as backrests, and are constructed by overlapping a seat material from the front onto a frame material that has openings at the front and back. In this case, the outer edge of the seat material can be wrapped around the back of the frame and temporarily secured with a temporary holding part consisting of hooks and holes. The outer edge of the seat material and hooks can be covered with a cover.

[0088] In the case of elbow rests, this method can be applied to attaching the outer covering material that covers the cushioning material. Specifically, by forming a group of hooks on the underside of the board on which the cushioning material rests, and by making numerous holes in the outer covering material that fit into the hooks, the outer covering material can be temporarily held in place on the board material for fixing work such as welding.

[0089] The seat can be either a mesh type, where the load is supported by the seat material, or a cushion type, as in the embodiment. For the mesh type, hooks can be formed on the inner surface of the seat frame, and the seat material can be secured to these hooks. When welding or stapling, the fixing surface can be tilted diagonally downwards, allowing for fixing using an automated machine, similar to the backrest in the embodiment. The edges of the upholstery material can be covered from below with a cover, or, if an inner seat shell is provided, they can be hidden by the outer seat shell. When applying to a cushion-type seat where the cushioning material is covered with a surface material, the seat inner... A group of hooks can be formed on the underside of the outer circumference of the shoulder, and the outer edge of the outer material can be temporarily held in place by engaging it with the group of hooks. Then, the edge of the outer material can be fixed to the underside of the seat inner shell by welding or other means. The same method can be used when applying to a cushion-type backrest. [Industrial applicability]

[0090] The present invention can be embodied in a chair. Therefore, it can be used industrially. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0091] 4. Backrest as an example of a component 5. Tilting Frame 17 Back frame 18. Sheet material (mesh material) 19 Side Members 20 Upper Members 21 Roa Members 28,28′ Inner surface 28a,28a′ 2nd side 28b,28b′ 1st ​​page 29 Auxiliary plate 63. Hooks, which are temporary fastening parts. 64 Engagement holes (temporary fixing holes) 65 Welded part which is the fixing part 66 Horn 70 Side Cover O1 Side Member - Welding Surface line O 2. Perpendicular line of the welded surface in the upper member

Claims

1. The structure comprises a flexible seat material that comes into contact with the body of a seated person, and a support to which the seat material is attached, wherein the seat material has numerous fixing parts along its outer edge that are fixed to the support. A chair having a temporary fastening portion formed on the sheet material and the support body for holding the sheet material in a taut state before fixing it to the support body, The temporary fastening portion consists of a hook-shaped hook formed on the support and an engagement hole formed in the sheet material into which the hook fits, and a large number of these pairs of hooks and engagement holes are formed along the circumferential direction of the sheet material. Furthermore, each of the fixing parts is fixed to the support by welding or drive-in fasteners, and the temporary fixing parts and the fixed parts are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the sheet material. chair.

2. The support is a back frame that opens front and rear or a seat frame that opens top and bottom, and the edge of the seat material is wrapped around the rear side of the back frame or seat frame when viewed from the direction in which the load of the seated person is applied, and the temporary fastening portion is provided on the rear side. The chair described in claim 1.

3. The back frame has a front surface facing the direction in which the seated person's weight is applied, an outer peripheral surface extending backward from the front surface, and an inner peripheral surface extending inward from the outer peripheral surface. The inner circumferential surface of the back frame has a first surface to which the sheet material is fixed, and a second surface located between the outer circumferential surface and the first surface, which intersects the outer circumferential surface at an acute angle and the first surface at an obtuse angle in a plan view, and the perpendicular line to the first surface is oriented in a direction that slopes inward toward the rear in a plan view. The chair described in claim 2.

4. The edges of the sheet material, including the temporary fastening portion and the fixed portion, are covered with a cover. A chair as described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

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