초록 ▼

A chair system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs, a back, and a flexible back support element rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support element comprising a flex zone, the flex zone

A chair system according to embodiments of the present invention includes a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs, a back, and a flexible back support element rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support element comprising a flex zone, the flex zone comprising one or more notches, wherein the back is reclinable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein the one or more notches are configured to narrow as the back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position, and wherein the one or more notches are open in the upright position and closed in the reclined position.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A chair system comprising: a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs;a back reclinable from an upright position to a reclined position; anda flexible back support member rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support member comprising a flex zone, th

1. A chair system comprising: a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs;a back reclinable from an upright position to a reclined position; anda flexible back support member rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support member comprising a flex zone, the flex zone comprising: a beam section, the beam section comprising: a top beam section extending continuously along the flex zone, two or more bottom beam sections integrally formed with the top beam section, wherein each of the two or more bottom beam sections has an external surface and wherein the external surfaces of the two or more bottom beam sections are separated from each other longitudinally by one or more gaps;an insert section coupled to the beam section, the insert section comprising: one or more bottom inserts each positioned within one of the one or more gaps, wherein one or more notches are formed between the one or more bottom inserts and a longitudinally adjacent bottom beam section of the two or more bottom beam sections, wherein the one or more notches are configured to narrow as the back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position, and wherein the one or more notches are open in the upright position and closed in the reclined position. 2. The chair system of claim 1, wherein a minimum area moment of inertia longitudinally along the flex zone in the upright position is smaller than a minimum area moment of inertia longitudinally along the flex zone in the reclined position. 3. The chair system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more notches has a substantially uniform width in the upright position. 4. The chair system of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional shape of each of the two or more bottom beam sections is substantially similar to a cross-sectional shape of each of the one or more bottom inserts. 5. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the beam section further comprises a metal wire extending at least partially along the flex zone. 6. The chair system of claim 5, wherein the metal wire is an insert molded steel spring wire. 7. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the insert section further comprises a crosspiece coupled to the one or more bottom inserts, and wherein the insert section is removably coupled to the beam section via the crosspiece. 8. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the beam section further comprises a first lateral interlock element in a first gap of the one or more gaps, and wherein the insert section comprises a second lateral interlock element that interlocks with the first lateral interlock element when the insert section is removably coupled to the beam section. 9. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the two or more bottom beam sections is five bottom beam sections, wherein the one or more gaps is four gaps, and wherein the one or more bottom inserts is four bottom inserts. 10. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the flexible back support member is a first flexible back support member, wherein the flex zone is a first flex zone, and wherein the one or more notches is a first set of one or more notches, the chair system further comprising: a second flexible back support member rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the second flexible back support member comprising a second flex zone, the second flex zone comprising a second set of one or more notches, wherein the second set of one or more notches are configured to narrow as the back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position, and wherein the second set of one or more notches are open in the upright position and closed in the reclined position. 11. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the beam section and the insert section are each molded as a single unit. 12. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the flexible back support member comprises a substantially homogeneous and isotropic modulus of elasticity. 13. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the beam section is formed of a molded polymer. 14. The chair system of claim 13, wherein the insert section is formed of the molded polymer. 15. The chair system of claim 1, wherein the insert section is a first insert section, wherein the one or more bottom inserts is a first set of one or more bottom inserts, wherein the one or more notches is a first set of one or more notches, the chair system further comprising: a second insert section configured to be removably coupled to the beam section, the second insert section comprising: a second set of one or more bottom inserts each configured to be positioned within one of the one or more gaps, wherein each of a second set of one or more notches is formed between the second set of one or more bottom inserts and a longitudinally adjacent bottom beam section of the two or more bottom beam sections, wherein each notch of the first set of one or more notches is narrower in the upright position than each notch of the second set of one or more notches in the upright position. 16. A chair system comprising: a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs;a back; anda flexible back support member rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support member comprising a flex zone, the flex zone comprising: two or more notches, wherein the back is reclinable from an upright position to a reclined position, wherein the two or more notches are configured to narrow as the back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position, and wherein the two or more notches are open in the upright position and closed in the reclined position;wherein a cross-sectional shape of the flexible back support member between the two or more notches is substantially I-shaped, and wherein the cross-sectional shape at the two or more notches is substantially T-shaped; anda beam section, the beam section comprising: a top beam section extending continuously along the flex zone, andtwo or more bottom beam sections integrally formed with the top beam section, wherein the two or more bottom beam sections are separated from each other longitudinally by one or more gaps; andan insert section removably coupled to the beam section, the insert section comprising: one or more bottom inserts each positioned within one of the one or more gaps, wherein each of the two or more notches is formed between the one or more bottom inserts and a longitudinally adjacent bottom beam section of the two or more bottom beam sections. 17. The chair system of claim 16, wherein a minimum area moment of inertia longitudinally along the flex zone in the upright position is smaller than a minimum area moment of inertia longitudinally along the flex zone in the reclined position. 18. The chair system of claim 16, wherein the beam section further comprises a metal wire extending at least partially along the flex zone. 19. The chair system of claim 18, wherein the metal wire is an insert molded steel spring wire. 20. The chair system of claim 16, wherein the insert section further comprises a crosspiece coupled to the one or more bottom inserts, and wherein the insert section is removably coupled to the beam section via the crosspiece. 21. The chair system of claim 16, wherein the beam section further comprises a first lateral interlock element in a first gap of the one or more gaps, and wherein the insert section comprises a second lateral interlock element that interlocks with the first lateral interlock element when the insert section is removably coupled to the beam section. 22. The chair system of claim 16, wherein the two or more bottom beam sections is five bottom beam sections, wherein the one or more gaps is four gaps, and wherein the one or more bottom inserts is four bottom inserts. 23. The chair system of claim 16, wherein the beam section is formed of a molded polymer. 24. The chair system of claim 23, wherein the insert section is formed of the molded polymer. 25. A chair system comprising: a base comprising a seat for a user and one or more support legs;a back that is reclinable from an upright position to a reclined position; anda flexible back support member rigidly coupled to the back and to the base, the flexible back support member comprising: a beam section that includes a top beam section and two or more bottom beam sections extending from the top beam section, wherein the top beam section and the bottom beam sections are unitarily formed as a single piece and wherein the two or more bottom beam section are separated from each other longitudinally by one or more gaps; andan insert section coupled to the beam section, the insert section comprising: one or more bottom inserts each positioned within one of the one or more gaps,wherein one or more notches are formed between the one or more bottom inserts and a longitudinally adjacent bottom beam section of the two or more bottom beam sections;wherein the one or more notches are open in the upright position and closed in the reclined position; andwherein the one or more notches are configured to narrow as the back reclines from the upright position to the reclined position. 26. The chair system of claim 25, wherein a width of one of the one or more bottom inserts substantially matches a width of a longitudinally adjacent bottom beam section. 27. The chair system of claim 25, wherein the top beam section is formed of a continuous material and includes three or more bottom beam sections extending from the top beam section.