Apparatus for Raising Seat of Chair

The present invention relates to an apparatus for raising a seat of a chair and more particularly to an apparatus for raising a seat of a chair wherein a number of chairs arranged in a side-by-side relation are automatically raised under the effect of resilient force of spring means to provide a wide transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs when they are not in use.

Generally, to accommodate audiences as many as possible in a theater, public hall or the like, a number of chairs are connected to one another in the side-by-side relation in the transverse direction. Further, to assure that audiences walk easily, the chairs are divided into plural blocks each of which is defined by longitudinal passages extending toward a stage and transverse passages extending in the transverse direction at a right angle relative to the aforesaid longitudinal direction. However, the transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs in each of the blocks are usual narrow. So as to allow audiences to easily walk in the transverse direction to leave the theater, public hall or the like after a certain performance is over, conventional chairs are so constructed that they assume a completely raised position when they are not in use.

Since each of the chairs is constructed in the above-described manner, a conventional apparatus for raising a seat of a chair has the following problems.

Specifically, to assure that audiences easily walk on the transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs to leave a theater after completion of a performance, each of the seats of the chairs is so constructed that they assume a completely raised position when they are not in use. Thus, when audiences sit on chairs to enjoy a performance, it is necessary to turn the seats from the completely raised state to the seated state against resilient force of spring means by a long angular distance. This means that a high intensity of labor power is required, accompanied by troublesome operation.

The present invention has been made with the foregoing background in mind and its object resides in providing an apparatus for raising a seat of a chair which assures that a seated state is easily obtained with a small amount of labor power by a short angular distance before a performance is practiced and moreover a wide transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs is obtained merely by slightly turning a seat in the backward direction after the performance is over.

To accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an apparatus for raising a seat of a chair comprising a pair of arms having a L-shaped cross-sectional form, the arms being disposed on both sides of the seat to serve as skeleton therefor, a stationary shaft extending between both legs of the chair to be fixedly secured thereto, a position determining sleeve turnably mounted on the stationary shaft, the position determining sleeve being composed of a first sleeve portion disposed by the vertical portion of one of the arms, a second sleeve portion disposed remote from the vertical portion of the same and an intermediate portion located between the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion, first spring means fitted onto the first sleeve portion and the second sleeve portion, first spring means fitted onto the first sleeve portion of the position determining sleeve to normally urge the seat in such a direction that the seat is raised up, one end of the first spring means being engaged to the stationary shaft and other end of the same being engaged to the position determining sleeve, and second spring means fitted on the second sleeve portion of the position determining sleeve to normally urge the seat toward the neutral position in the opposite direction to the first spring means, the second spring means having a lower intensity of resilient force than that of the first spring means, one end of the second spring means being engaged to a part of the first spring means and other end of the same being engaged to a part of the arm.

Both ends of the stationary shaft are formed to have a square cross-sectional shape so that it is fixedly secured to the legs of the chair.

Preferably, the first spring means comprises a first coil spring which is produced by coiling a steel wire and of which turns are arranged one after another in a closely contacted state. One end of the first coil spring is bent to form a ring through which a reference bolt is inserted so as to allow the one end of the first coil spring to be fixed to the stationary shaft in cooperation with a nut, while other end of the first coil springs extends linearly in parallel with the stationary shaft so that it is inserted through one of a plurality of spring holes which are provided in the intermediate portion of the position determining sleeve in order that it is engaged to the latter.

Similarly, the second spring means comprises a second coil spring which is produced by coiling a steel wire and of which turns are arranged one after another in a closely contacted state. One end of the second coil spring is bent in the form of a hook so as to allow the one end of the second coil spring to be engaged to the linear end of the first coil spring, while other end of the same is bent in the form of a hook so as to allow the other end of the second coil spring to be engaged to an arm pin which extends from the vertical portion of the arm.

The intermediate portion of the position determining sleeve includes a first raised part and a second raised part. The first raised part is adapted to abut against the arm pin so as to limit turning movement of the arm, while the second raised portion is formed with a plurality of spring holes through which the linear end of the first coil spring is selectively inserted to adjust an intensity of resilient force of the first coil spring.

Further, the second sleeve portion of the position determining sleeve is formed with an opposed pair of tongues so that a range of turning movement of the arm is determined by a remote angle between the tongues while the reference bolt extends in the space as defined between the tongues.

Since the apparatus of the invention is constructed in the above-described manner, when the chair is not used, the seal can be held in an immovable state at the intermediate position located before a completely raised state under the effect of resilient supporting force of the first coil spring which has a higher intensity of resilient force than that of the second coil spring and of which twisting movement is limited by means of the position determining sleeve. At this moment, resilient supporting force of the first coil spring is kept in proper balance with resilient supporting force of the second coil spring.

Next, when an audience sits on the seat, the latter is turned forwardly against resilient supporting force of the first coil spring by depressing operation, causing the seat to turn within a range of turning movement as defined by means of the position determining sleeve. Thus, the seat which has assumed the original neutral position is shifted to the seated state with a little amount of labor force and by short turning operation. At this moment, the first coil spring is loaded with the highest level of resilient restorative force. Accordingly, when the seated state is interrupted after completion of usage of the seat, the seat is caused to automatically return to the original neutral position easily and quickly under the effect of resilient supporting force of the first spring.

Next, when the audience walks on the passage between the adjacent arrays of seats after the seat returns to the original neutral position, he slightly pushes the seat rearwardly against resilient supporting force of the second coil spring whereby the seat is turned further from the neutral position to the completely raised position without any influence caused by resilient supporting force of the first spring. Consequently, he can walk on a wide transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from reading of the following description which has been made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The present invention will be illustrated in the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for raising a seat of a chair in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, shown in a disassembled state,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus in FIG. 1, illustrating an assembled state thereof,

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus as seen from arrow marks III in FIG. 2 on the assumption that an arm is represented by a chain line, particularly illustrating that main components constituting the apparatus assume a neutral state.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus as seen from the arrow marks III in FIG. 2 on the assumption that the arm is illustrated by a chain line, particularly illustrating that the main components assume a seated state, and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus as seen from the arrow marks III in FIG. 2 on the assumption that the arm is represented by a chain line, particularly illustrating that the main components assume a completely raised state.

Now, the present invention will be described in a greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a rod-shaped stationary shaft 1 of which both ends have a square cross-sectional form is extended between both legs of a chair which is not shown in the drawings. A bolt hole 1a through which a reference bolt 6 to be described later is inserted is formed at the position in the vicinity of the shaft end 1b having a square cross-sectional shape. The chair is firmly built by fixedly fitting the shaft ends 1b into the corresponding square holes of the chair legs.

An arm 2 having a L-shaped cross-sectional form to serve as skeleton for a seat 2X on both sides of the latter is turnably fitted to the stationary shaft 1 by means of a bearing 2a at the position in the vicinity of the shaft end 1b. The bearing 2a is secured to a vertical portion of the arm 2 and the stationary shaft 1 is projected through the bearing 2a. Further, an arm pin 2b is extended inwardly in parallel with the stationary shaft 1 at the position located above the bearing 2a so that it abuts against a raised portion 3c of a position determining sleeve 3 to be described later and a free end 5b of a second coil spring 5 is engaged to the arm pin 2b.

The position determining sleeve 3 is rotatably mounted on the stationary shaft 1 so as to turn within a predetermined angular range. Specifically, the position determining sleeve 3 is constructed in the following manner. As shown in FIG. 1, the position determining sleeve 3 is formed with a shaft hole through which the stationary shaft 1 is loosely fitted and its one side (located close to the central part of the seat 2X) constitutes a larger diameter sleeve portion 3a on which a first coil spring 4 having a high intensity of resilient force is fitted, while its other side (located close to the arm 2) constitutes a smaller diameter sleeve portion 3b on which a second spring 5 having a lower intensity of resilient force than that of the first spring 4 is fitted. The raised portion 3c of which one side comes in engagement with the arm pin 2b and of which other side is formed with a plurality of spring holes 3f is disposed between both the sleeve portions 3a and 3b. Consequently, the position determining sleeve 3 is composed of the larger diameter sleeve portion 3a, smaller diameter sleeve portion 3b and raised portion 3c located between the larger diameter sleeve portion 3a and the smaller diameter sleeve portion 3b. It should be noted that the fore end side of the larger diameter sleeve portion 3a is formed with an opposed pair of tongues 3d and 3e by cutting operation. The position determining sleeve 3 as constructed in the above-described manner is turnably mounted on the stationary shaft 1 at the position in the vicinity of the bolt hole 1a. Further, it should be noted that the position determining sleeve 3 is turnably mounted to turn within a range of compression angle M of the first spring 4 while the reference bolt 6 is inserted through the cutout area between the tongues 3d and 3e. Accordingly, the limitative range of turning movement of the position determining sleeve 3 is determined by engagement of the tongues 3d and 3e to the reference bolt 6 (see FIG. 4).

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one free end 4a of the first spring 4 which is produced by coiling a steel wire having a large diameter and of which turns are arranged one after another in a closely contacted state is firmly engaged to the reference bolt 6 on the larger diameter sleeve portion 3a corresponding to the right-hand side of the position determining sleeve 3 by fitting a ring portion of the free end 4a onto a part of the reference bolt 6 projected outwardly of the stationary shaft 1 with a spring washer 7 interposed therebetween and then tightening a nut 8. Further, a linear part of other free end 4b of the first spring 4 is selectively inserted through one of the spring holes 3f. The reason why a plurality of spring holes 3f are formed consists in that an intensity of resilient supporting force of the first spring 4 can be adjusted as required by selecting one of them. Thus, the first spring 4 is normally urged in such a direction that the seat 2X is raised up so that resilient supporting force effective in the clockwise direction is accumulated in an area between the position where the reference bolt 6 assumes (a) point and the position where the spring hole 3f assumes (b) point as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Accordingly, when the seat 2X is not in use, the apparatus has a first spring neutral angle L which makes it possible that the seat 2X is automatically raised up to the neutral position shown in FIG. 3 which corresponds to the position located before the seat 2 is fully raised up. Namely, since the position of the spring hole 3f is caused to shift from (b) point in the original state to (d) point when the seat 2X is turned forwardly to the seated state as shown in FIG. 4, resilient supporting force is increased by a first spring compression angle M ranging from (b) point to (d) point, whereby the seat 2X is automatically raised up to the neutral position as shown in FIG. 3 under the effect of restorative resilient force corresponding to the first spring compression angle M.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hook part of one free end 5a of a second coil spring 5 which is produced by coiling a steel wire having a smaller diameter than that of the first spring 4 and of which turns are arranged one after another in a closely contacted state is engaged to the linear fore end 4b of the first spring 4 which has been extended through the spring hole 3f of the position determining sleeve 3, at the smaller diameter sleeve portion 3b corresponding to the left-hand side of the position determining sleeve 3. Further, a hook part of other free end 5b of the second spring 5 is engaged to the arm pin 2b of the arm 2 which serves as skelton for the seat 2X. Thus, the second spring 5 is normally urged to assume the neutral state of the seat 2X in the opposite direction to the first spring 4 whereby resilient supporting force is accumulated in the anticlockwise direction in an area between the position where the spring hole 3f assumes (b) point and the position where the arm pin 2b assumes (c) point, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. Accordingly, when the seat 2X is not in use, the apparatus has a second spring neutral angle S against resilient supporting force of the first spring 4 until the neutral position as shown in FIG. 3 corresponding to the position located before the completely raised state of the seat 2X is assumed. Namely, as the seat 2X is slightly pushed against resilient supporting force of the second spring 5 when it assumes the neutral position as shown in FIG. 3, the arm pin 2b which has assumed (c) point in the original state is caused to shift to (e) point. Thus, resilient supporting force is increased by a second spring compression angle T ranging from (c) point to (e) point whereby the seat 2X is automatically returned from the completely raised position shown in FIG. 5 to the neutral position shown in FIG. 3 under the effect of resilient restorative force corresponding to the second spring compression angle T.

Since an intensity of resilient force of the first spring 4 for supporting the seat 2X is higher than that of the second spring 5 and the turning movement of the position determing sleeve 3 is limited within the range determined by remote angle (first spring compression angle M) between the tongues 3d and 3e of the position determining sleeve 3, it is assured that the seat 2X is maintained under the effect of resilient supporting force of the first spring 4 in an immovable state at the neutral position located before the completely raised state is assumed, as shown in FIG. 3.

Next, as the seat 2X is turned forwardly in the anticlockwise direction as shown in FIG. 4 against resilient supporting force of the first spring 4 when the seat 2X which has assumed the neutral position is seated, it is caused to turn within the limitative turning range determined by the position determining sleeve 3 (the range corresponding to the first spring compression angle M derived from the remote angle between the tongues 3d and 3e) with the result that the seat 2X which has assumed the neutral position in the original state can be shifted to a seated state with a small amount of labor force and by short turning movement.

At this moment, the first spring 4 is loaded with the highest resilient restorative force within the first spring compression angle M shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly, when usage of the chair is completed and the seated state is interrupted, the seat 2X can automatically return to the neutral position in the original state as shown in FIG. 3 easily and quickly under the effect of resilient supporting force of the first spring 4.

When the audiences walk on a passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs after the seat 2X returns to the original state automatically, the seat 2X which is held at the neutral position is slightly pushed in the rearward direction against resilient supporting force of the second spring 5. Thus, the seat 2X is raised up further from the neutral position to the completely raised position by slight pushing operation without any influence caused by the first spring 4. Consequently, a wide transverse passage between the adjacent arrays of chairs can be obtained easily and thereby audiences can walk without any hindrance encountered.

As is apparent from the above description, the apparatus of the invention is substantially characterized in that a position determining sleeve is turnably mounted on a stationary shaft at the position located inwardly of an arm, a first coil spring is disposed on one side of the position determining sleeve so as to urge a seat in such a direction that the seat is raised up, one end of the first coil spring being engaged to the stationary shaft and other end of the same being engaged to the position determining sleeve, and a second coil spring is disposed on other side of the position determining sleeve so as to urge the seat toward a neutral state in the opposite direction to the first spring, one end of the second spring being engaged to a part of the first coil spring and other end of the same being engaged to the arm. Owing to the construction of the apparatus made in that way, when chairs in a theater, public hall or the like are used to enjoy a performance, a seated state can be obtained smoothly and easily with a small amount of labor force and by short turning movement of the chairs. Further, a wide transverse passage can be easily obtained merely by slightly pushing the chairs in the rearward direction after completion of the performance. Thus, audiences can enjoy a comfortable feeling of usage of seats as well as a smooth feeling of walking on a transverse passage.

While the present invention has been described above only with respect to a single preferred embodiment, it should of course be understood that it should not be limited only to this but various changes or modifications may be made in a suitable manner without any departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.