Chair including a leaf spring in contact with a linkage to provide resistance to tilting of a backrest of the chair

Abstract

A chair, comprising, a backrest, a seat coupled with the backrest, a column coupled with the seat, a linkage statically attached to the backrest and rotatably attached below the seat, a leaf spring statically attached at one end and in direct contact with the linkage to provide a resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column. A first structure fixed to the column, where a portion of the first structure has an arc shape that includes one or more teeth, and a second structure in contact with the first structure, wherein a portion of the second structure includes one or more teeth. The chair is configured such that, when a weight is applied to the seat, the one or more teeth of the second structure, a pivot point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column, and the linkage are configured to move together.

1 . A chair, comprising:
 a backrest;   a seat coupled with the backrest;   a column coupled with the seat;   a linkage statically attached to the backrest and rotatably attached below the seat;   a leaf spring in contact with the linkage to provide a resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column; and   an adjusting assembly comprising a plurality of gears that cooperate and move relative to each other as an incident of the seat moving from a first position into a loaded position and configured to thereby increase the resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column.   
     
     
         2 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage is coupled with one or more pivot points at which the backrest is configured to tilt about, the one or more pivot points being distinct from a contact point between the linkage and the leaf spring. 
     
     
         3 . The chair of  claim 2 , wherein a respective pivot point of the one or more pivot points at which the backrest is configured to tilt about is located at a location beneath the seat. 
     
     
         4 . The chair of  claim 3 , wherein the respective pivot point is configured to be closer to the seat as compared to the contact point between the linkage and the leaf spring. 
     
     
         5 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring is hidden within a height-adjustment housing of the chair. 
     
     
         6 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage includes a first end connected to the backrest and a second end in physical contact with the leaf spring at a contact point. 
     
     
         7 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring is oriented within a same horizontal plane as the seat. 
     
     
         8 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage is configured to be in contact with an additional leaf spring, distinct from the leaf spring, the additional leaf spring configured to provide an additional resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column. 
     
     
         9 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the column is coupled with one or more wheels for moving the chair. 
     
     
         10 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the chair is configured such that, when a weight is applied to the seat, a pivot point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column and the linkage are configured to move together. 
     
     
         11 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the chair is configured such that, when a weight is applied to the seat a fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved. 
     
     
         12 . The chair of  claim 11 , wherein the chair is configured such that:
 before the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved, the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is configured to be between (i) a pivot point at one end of the linkage, the pivot point being a point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column and (ii) another end of the linkage at which the linkage connects with the backrest.   
     
     
         13 . The chair of  claim 12 , wherein the chair is configured such that:
 after the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved, the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is configured to remain between (i) the pivot point at the one end of the linkage and (ii) the other end of the linkage.   
     
     
         14 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the linkage is an integrally-formed linkage. 
     
     
         15 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring is one or both of (i) cantilevered and (ii) not coupled to a coiled spring. 
     
     
         16 . The chair of  claim 1 , including another leaf spring statically attached at one end and in contact with the linkage to provide further resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column, wherein the other leaf spring is coplanar with the leaf spring. 
     
     
         17 . The chair of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional leaf spring, and the leaf spring and the additional leaf spring are in contact with an elongate, wedge-shaped actuating component that is configured to assist in providing the resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column. 
     
     
         18 . The chair of  claim 1 , wherein the leaf spring is in direct contact with the linkage. 
     
     
         19 . The chair of  claim 18 , wherein the leaf spring is statically attached at one end. 
     
     
         20 . A process for assembling a chair, the process comprising:
 providing a backrest;   coupling a seat with the backrest;   coupling a column with the seat;   statically attaching a linkage to the backrest, the linkage being rotatably attached below the seat;   placing a leaf spring that is statically attached at one end in contact with the linkage to   provide a resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column; and   providing an adjusting assembly, wherein the adjusting assembly includes a plurality of gears that cooperate and move relative to each other as an incident of the seat moving from a first position into a loaded position and the adjusting assembly is configured to increase the resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column.   
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein the chair is configured such that, after assembly:
 before a fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved, the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is configured to be between (i) a pivot point at one end of the linkage, the pivot point being a point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column and (ii) another end of the linkage at which the linkage connects with the backrest.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 placing the leaf spring in direct contact with the linkage.   
     
     
         23 . A weight-based tilt-resistance assembly configured for use in a chair, the weight-based tilt-resistance assembly comprising:
 a linkage statically attached to a backrest of a chair, the chair also including a seat coupled with the backrest and a column coupled with the seat;   a leaf spring statically attached at one end and in contact with the linkage to provide a resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column; and   an adjusting assembly comprising a plurality of gears that cooperate and move relative to each other as an incident of the seat moving from a first position into a loaded position and configured to thereby increase the resistance to tilting of the backrest relative to the column.   
     
     
         24 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the chair is configured such that, when the weight is applied to the seat, a pivot point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column and the linkage are configured to move together. 
     
     
         25 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the chair is configured such that, when the weight is applied to the seat, a fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved. 
     
     
         26 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the chair is configured such that:
 before the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved, the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is configured to be between (i) a pivot point at one end of the linkage, the pivot point being a point at which the backrest is configured to tilt relative to the column and (ii) another end of the linkage at which the linkage connects with the backrest.   
     
     
         27 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the chair is configured such that:
 after the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is moved, the fulcrum point of the leaf spring is configured to remain between (i) the pivot point at the one end of the linkage and (ii) the other end of the linkage.   
     
     
         28 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the leaf spring is one or both of (i) cantilevered and (ii) not coupled to a coiled spring. 
     
     
         29 . The weight-based tilt-resistance assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the leaf spring is in direct contact with the linkage.