US20110095591A1

US20110095591A1 - Headrest Bracket for Office Chair

Info

Publication number: US20110095591A1
Application number: US12/176,343
Authority: US
Inventors: Li-Wen JEN; Wen-Nan Chang
Original assignee: TECVIEW Co Ltd
Current assignee: TECVIEW Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-07-19
Filing date: 2008-07-19
Publication date: 2011-04-28

Abstract

A headrest bracket for office chairs includes a first bracket having a fastening surface on one side thereof for being fixed on a rear side of a seat back of an office chair, a first pivoting member disposed on a corresponding side, a second bracket whose lower end is disposed with a second pivoting member that forms an angle adjustment mechanism with the first pivoting member at different angles. While assembling the first and the second brackets to form a headrest bracket, there are various assembling models with different angles between the second bracket and the fastening surface of the first bracket formed by means of the angle adjustment mechanism so that the headrest bracket can be assembled with different types of seat back of the office chair.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a headrest bracket for office chairs, especially to a headrest bracket having an angle adjustment mechanism so as to have various assembling models with different angles that are used in combination with different seat back,
Refer to FIG. 1, an office chair 1 is disposed with a headrest set 10 that includes a headrest 11 and a bracket 12. While assembling the headrest set 10 on the office chair 1, the headrest set 10 is designed corresponding to the shape of a seat back 13 such as curves or angles of a rear side 14 of the seat back 13. Thus by fastening screws, a fastening surface 15 on a lower end of the bracket 12 of the headrest set 10 is fixed and fastened on the rear side 14 of the seat back 13 so that the headrest 11 connected on a top end of the bracket 12 is located at a certain position for users' heads to lean against. As to such kind of the headrest set 10, the angle between the headrest 11 and the bracket 12 or the fastening surface 15 of the bracket 12 is fixed. Generally, a pivoting mechanism connects the headrest 11 with the bracket 12 so that the headrest 11 can pivots a bit vertically. Thus the angle between the headrest 11 and the bracket 12 has a little flexibility. Yet the angle of the bracket 12 corresponding to the fastening surface 15 is fixed. Thus once such angle is different from the angle of the curve of the rear side 14 of the seat back 13, the position of the installed headrest 11 is deviated so that users can't lean against the headrest 11 comfortably. Therefore, once the design of the seat back 13 changes, a corresponding headrest set 10 is required. Especially the bracket 12 of the headrest set 10 and the fastening surface 15 thereof are also changed according to the shape of the seat back 13. The manufacturing cost of the headrest set 10 and the bracket 12 thereof is increased. This has negative effects on popularity of the headrest set 10. Although the headrest 11 can be adjusted to a proper position in other ways, the difficulty of the assembling is increased and this is not suitable for mass production as well as market competitiveness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a headrest bracket for office chairs that includes a first bracket having a fastening surface on one side thereof. The fastening surface is fixed on a rear side of a seat back. A first pivoting member with an angle adjustment mechanism is arranged on one side of the first bracket opposite to the side with the fastening surface. The angle adjustment mechanism formed by the first pivoting member and the second pivoting member is used to adjust and locate angles of the headrest bracket and the top end of the angle adjustment mechanism is connected to a rear side of a headrest. While assembling the first and the second brackets to form a headrest bracket, there are various assembling models with different angles between the second bracket and the fastening surface of the first bracket formed by means of the angle adjustment mechanism so that the headrest bracket can be assembled with different types of seat back of the office chair. Moreover, the headrest connected on the top end of the second bracket is on a proper position for users to lean against. Thus the shortage of conventional headrest bracket that can be assembled only with one type of the seat back is improved and the application of the headrest bracket is broader. Moreover, the manufacturing cost of the headrest bracket or the headrest set is reduced and this is good for mass production and popularity of the headrest bracket.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a headrest bracket for office chairs that includes a pad with certain thickness clipped between the fastening surface and the rear side of the seat back so that the headrest bracket can be assembled on the rear side of the seat back with irregular surface and further can be adjusted an small angle. Thus the headrest bracket is fastened on the rear side more stably and firmly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an office chair with a conventional headrest set;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention assembled with an office chair;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an explosive view of the embodiment in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing an embodiment of the present invention being assembled on a rear side of a seat back at a certain angle;

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing the embodiment in FIG. 5 being adjusted to another angle;

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing a use status of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing another use status of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic drawing showing a further use status of an embodiment according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Refer from FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, a headrest bracket 20 for office chairs according to the present invention mainly consists of a first bracket 30, a second bracket 40 and an angle adjustment mechanism 50. The headrest bracket 20 is arranged on a rear side 22 of a seat back 21 of an office chair 2 while a headrest 23 on a top end thereof is located on a certain position for users to lean against.
A fastening surface 31 is arranged on one side of the first bracket 30 and at least one fastening hole 32 is disposed on the fastening surface 31 so that the first bracket 30 is fixed on the rear side 22 of the seat back 21 by a fastening member 50 such as fastening screws. In this embodiment, a lug 36 with a fastening hole 32 is disposed on two sides of the fastening surface 31 respectively. A first pivoting member 51 of the angle adjustment mechanism 50 is arranged on one side opposite to the side disposed with the fastening surface 31. In this embodiment, the first pivoting member 51 includes at least one toothed member 33 that is arranged over an inner bottom of a U-shaped base 34 while two sides of the U-shaped base 34 are respectively disposed with a pivot hole 35. This is only embodiment of the first pivoting member 51 and the first pivoting member 51 is not limited in such structure.
A second pivoting member 52 of the angle adjustment mechanism 50 is disposed on an lower end of the second bracket 40 and is used in combination with the first pivoting member 51 so as to form the angle adjustment mechanism 50. In this embodiment, the second pivoting member 52 consists of a cylindrical member 41 that is moveable and is clipped and mounted inside the U-shaped base 34. A plurality of toothed members 42 is arranged around a circumference of the cylindrical member 41 and one of them is corresponding to and locked with the toothed member 33 of the first bracket 30. That means the toothed member 33 of the first bracket 30 can be locked into one of a plurality of toothed slots 43 on the second bracket 40. Moreover, a pivot hole 44 is disposed on the cylindrical member 41 and is corresponding to the pivot hole 35 of the U-shaped base 34. Then by a fastening member 70 such as a cap bolt inserting through the pivot holes 35, 44, the first bracket 30 and the second bracket 40 are assembled with each other. This is only an embodiment of the second pivoting member 52 and the second pivoting member 52 is not limited in such structure. Furthermore, a top end 45 of the second bracket 40 connects and supports the rear side of the headrest 23 while the connection/supporting structure between the top end 45 and the headrest 23 is not restricted.
The angle adjustment mechanism 50 is formed by the first pivoting member 51 connected with the second pivoting member 52 and is disposed between the first bracket 30 and the lower end of the second bracket 40. While the first bracket 30 being assembled with the second bracket 40 to form a headrest bracket, there are various assembling models with different angles between the second bracket 40 and the fastening surface 31 of the first bracket 30 formed by means of the angle adjustment mechanism 50, as shown in FIG. 5, FIG. 6, FIG. 7 & FIG. 8. The angles are selected by the angle adjustment mechanism 50 according to users' needs. The angle adjustment mechanism 50 in this embodiment mainly includes: a first pivoting member 51, formed by at least one toothed member 33, at least one U-shaped base 34 and at least one pivot hole 35, being disposed on the first bracket 30 and a second pivoting member 52 having a cylindrical member 41 disposed on the second bracket 40. The way of the first pivoting member 51 to be assembled with the second pivoting member 52 is as mentioned above. Moreover, the first bracket 30 and the second bracket 40 are connected with each other by the first and the second pivoting members 51, 52 of the angle adjustment mechanism 50. This embodiment is only an embodiment of the angle adjustment mechanism 50 and the angle adjustment mechanism 50 is not limited in such structure. For example, the first pivoting member 51 is arranged on the second bracket 40 while the second pivoting member 52 is changed to be replaced on the first bracket 30. Such design also achieves the same angle adjustment function.
While assembling the first bracket 30 being assembled with the second bracket 40 to form a headrest bracket 20, there are various assembling models with different angles between the second bracket 40 and the fastening surface 31 of the first bracket 30 formed by means of the angle adjustment mechanism 50. One of the assembling models is selected according to the type of the seat back. Refer to FIG. 5, the headrest bracket 20 is not adjusted yet and the headrest 23 is unable to be used normally under this assembling model. Refer to FIG. 6, by the angle adjustment mechanism 50, the headrest bracket 20 is pivoted at an angle forward or backward to the seat back 21, as the arrow A points. Thus the headrest 23 is adjusted to a proper position and now the angle between the first bracket 30 and the second bracket 40 of the headrest bracket 20 is fixed. Then start to assemble the headrest bracket 20 on a corresponding seat back 21 of the office chair 2. Refer to FIG. 7, the headrest bracket 20 can be assembled on a rear side 22 of a vertical seat back 21. Or as shown in FIG. 8, the headrest bracket 20 is installed on a rear side 22 of an arched seat back 21. Thereby, the headrest bracket 20 of the present invention can be assembled with office chairs with different types of seat back and the headrest 23 is located at a proper position for users' heads to lean against. Thus the shortage of conventional headrest bracket that can be assembled only with one type of the seat back is improved and the application of the headrest bracket 20 is broader. And the manufacturing cost of the headrest bracket 20 or the headrest set is reduced and this is good for mass production and popularity of the headrest bracket 20.
Refer to FIG. 9, a pad 80 with certain thickness is clipped between the fastening surface 31 of the first bracket 30 and the rear side 22 of the seat back of the office chair 2. There is no limit on appearance and structure of the pad 80. It can be a pad 80 a with a thick side and a thin side, as shown in FIG. 4. Or it can be the pad 80 b in FIG. 4 with a hole 81 corresponding to the fastening hole 32 on the fastening surface 31 of the first bracket 30 so that the headrest bracket 20 can be assembled on the rear side 22 of the seat back with irregular surface and further can be adjusted an small angle. Thus the headrest bracket 20 is fastened on the rear side 22 more stably and firmly.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A headrest bracket for office chairs comprising a first bracket, a second bracket and an angle adjustment mechanism; wherein

the first bracket first bracket having a fastening surface on one side thereof for being fixed on a rear side of a seat back of an office chair by a fastening member while a first pivoting member of the angle adjustment mechanism is arranged on one side opposite to the side disposed with the fastening surface;

the second bracket whose lower end is disposed with a second pivoting member that forms an angle adjustment mechanism with the first pivoting member at different angles and a top end of the second bracket connects to a rear side of a headrest for supporting;

the angle adjustment mechanism formed by the first pivoting member of the first bracket connected with the second pivoting member of the second bracket is disposed between the first bracket and the lower end of the second bracket; the first pivoting member is disposed with at least one toothed member while the second pivoting member is disposed with a plurality of toothed slots corresponding to the toothed member of the first pivoting member; when the toothed member of the first pivoting member locks into one of the toothed slots of the second pivoting member, an assembling model with a fixed angle between the second bracket and the fastening surface of the first bracket is formed;

wherein while assembling the first bracket and the second bracket to form a headrest bracket, there are various assembling models with different angles between the second bracket and the fastening surface of the first bracket formed by means of the angle adjustment mechanism.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pivoting member further comprising a U-shaped base and the toothed member is arranged over an inner bottom of the U-shaped base while two sides of the U-shaped base are respectively disposed with a pivot hole.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second pivoting member further comprising a cylindrical member that is moveable and is clipped and mounted inside the U-shaped base of the first pivoting member and the plurality of toothed slots arranged around a circumference of the cylindrical member; a pivot hole is disposed on a central axis of the cylindrical member and is corresponding to the pivot hole on two sides of the U-shaped base; thus the first pivoting member is assembled with the second pivoting member by the fastening member inserting through the pivot holes corresponding to each other.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lug with a fastening hole is disposed on two sides of the fastening surface of the first bracket and the headrest bracket is fastened on the rear side of the seat back by the fastening member inserting through the fastening hole.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pad is clipped between the fastening surface of the first bracket and the rear side of the seat back.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pad is a piece whose thickness is reduced from one side to the other side.

7. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a hole corresponding to the fastening hole on the fastening surface of the first bracket is mounted on the pad.