Title of Invention	MESH CHAIR COMPONENT
Abstract	A mesh chair component having contours that support a user appropriately can be made by combining a plurality of mesh panels to form the component. For instance, in a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, three performed mesh panels are combined to form the back rest of a chair that provides its user with lumbar support without the necessity of additional structural support. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, mesh panels are used in combination with a beneficially contoured frame to provide a chair seat with a waterfall front.

Title of Invention

MESH CHAIR COMPONENT

Abstract

A mesh chair component having contours that support a user appropriately can be made by combining a plurality of mesh panels to form the component. For instance, in a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, three performed mesh panels are combined to form the back rest of a chair that provides its user with lumbar support without the necessity of additional structural support. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, mesh panels are used in combination with a beneficially contoured frame to provide a chair seat with a waterfall front.

Full Text	MESH CHAIR COMPONENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to chairs that include a mesh support surface, and more particularly, to the back rest, armrest, head rest, or seat of such a chair. BACKGROUND Chairs with backs comprising a mesh supporting surface forming a yieldable resilient surface that deforms when sat on have been previously known. It is believed that such structures provide the chair with greater comfort than chairs having backs or seats of a solid construction. One example of a mesh-type chair is found in United States Patent No. 6,059,368 to Stumpf et al Because the mesh used to cover seats and seat backs has been made of a single expanse of fabric stretched across a frame, seats and seat backs made from mesh have been limited to being substantially flat. A flat seat and back rest geometry, however, does not provide the user with the appropriate and adequate ergonomic support that a chair needs to provide. For instance, heretofore, mesh back rests have not provided users with lumbar support without the addition of some type of solid support structure. Similarly, heretofore, mesh seats have not provided users with a seat front that tapers down, commonly referred to as a waterfall, without the addition of some type of solid support structure. (See e.g., U.S. Patent No. 6,604,784 to Bosman, et al.) Consequently, chair manufacturers have not previously been able to provide the benefits of a mesh seat, arm rest, head rest, or back rest in a chair that provides the user with the appropriate ergonomic support. The missing ergonomic support in conventional mesh chairs is recognized, but attempts to solve the problem have centered on providing a solid structural component. For example, there is a product sold separately (under the name PostureFittm) to add lumbar support structure to the chair described in the Stumpf et al. '638 patent. The lack of appropriate ergonomic support in conventional mesh chairs is further illustrated by their inability to provide adequate support to the various shapes of users' bodies because of the uncontrolled stretch ability of the mesh. Mesh chairs were believed to provide superior comfort arising from the ability of the mesh to stretch to conform to the shape of the user's body. Such belief failed to recognize, however, that the uncontrolled stretch of the mesh also conformed to unhealthy seating conformations arising from, for example, poor posture, and failed to provide beneficial support where necessary, such as the lumbar area. In the non-analogous dressmaking art, it is known to use darts, eases, and other assists in order to create contours. Such contours are coordinated with the seam lines. For example, United States Patent No. 3,939,565 to Bush describes such arrangements. However, until now, it has not been known that darts, eases and other assists could be employed to obtain desirable and beneficial contours in a mesh chair component. Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a chair having a mesh support surface where the mesh has a contour that adapts to the user's body. It would be further advantageous to provide such a chair in coordination with a contoured frame for the relevant portion of the chair. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a chair having at least one component comprising at least one membranous panel, wherein said component is beneficially contoured to support a user. Said contour can be provided by a component frame supporting said at least one membranous panel or by combining a plurality of panels to form the component. According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a chair component comprising at least one membranous panel capable of displacement for accommodation of various body shapes. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chair component, for example, the seat, arm rest, head rest, or back rest, is comprised of a plurality of panels. Typically, the chair component comprises three or more panels. It is preferred that the chair component of the present invention has no more than ten panels. In one embodiment of the present invention, each panel is cut, or otherwise formed, in a shape so that when the several panels are combined, together they form a chair component, such as a seat, back rest, or headrest that is capable of beneficially adapting to the user's shape. The several panels are capable of being combined in a conventional fashion. For example, the panels can be combined by sewing the panels together, by welding them together (such as by sonic welding), or by using an adhesive to bind the panels together. Typically, the chair component surface of the present invention has at least two straight or curvilinear seams. In a preferred embodiment, the seams are curvilinear. It is preferred that the chair component surface of the present invention has fewer than ten seams between panels. When the several panels are combined, such as in a back rest embodiment, they form a back rest that provides support to the seat user's back. For instance, a back rest made according to the present invention provides a mesh back rest having lumbar support without the necessity of an additional solid structure. Thus, a mesh back rest according to the present invention can have contours without a pad applying pressure to the mesh to achieve beneficial contours. As used herein, the term "panel contour" refers to a three dimensional shape of a chair component that results from the combination of a plurality of membranous panels. The "panel contour" differs from the three dimensional shape produced by a contoured frame. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chair component comprises a single mesh panel covering a contoured component frame. According to this embodiment, the chair component is particularly useful as a chair seat. The seat is thus particularly adapted to be substantially contoured to the various users' body shapes and distribute pressure of the user's lower body. According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the chair component comprises a head rest. According to this embodiment, the head rest comprises at least one mesh panel that is contoured to substantially conform to the shape of the user's head. Preferentially, the head rest comprises one or more panels. According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a chair component, such as a seat, arm rest, back rest or head rest, is formed from a plurality of panels from a membranous material using a contoured component frame. In some embodiments of the present invention, mesh chair components are combined with other parts to form a chair. For example, a mesh seat according to the invention could be combined with a back rest and a plurality of legs to form a chair. In this embodiment of the invention, one or more components of the chair can be a mesh component according to the invention. According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a chair comprising a chair pedestal, a base mounted on the pedestal, a seat mounted on the base, and a back rest attached to the base. Preferably, the pedestal contains a height adjustment mechanism such as a gas spring. Additionally, the back rest could be pivotally connected to the base. In one such embodiment, the back rest is pivotally connected to the base at a point roughly corresponding to the lumbar region of a user's back. Obviously, such a base would require an upward extension so at to form the pivot connection in that area. Preferably, the back rest comprises at least three membranous panels. Further, the seat can also comprise one or more membranous panels. The present invention also encompasses further embodiments wherein there is provided a chair having at least one component comprising a contoured mesh panel. In one embodiment, the chair is a swivel chair comprising a base pivotally supporting a seat, optionally including a back, arms, and a head rest, wherein at least one of said seat, back, arms, and headrest is comprised of at least one contoured mesh panel. In another embodiment, the chair comprises four legs stationarily attached to a seat, optionally including a back and arms, wherein at least one of the seat, back, and arms comprise at least one contoured mesh panel. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a front view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a rear view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a right side view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a left side view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 6 is a front view of the top portion of a mesh back rest according to the present invention; Figure 7 is a rear view of the top portion of a back rest according to the present invention; Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a mesh seat according to the present invention; Figure 9 is a left side view of a mesh seat according to the present invention; Figure 10 is a front perspective view of a mesh head rest according to the present invention; Figure 11 is a rear view of a mesh head rest according to the present invention; Figure 11A is a side view of the mesh head rest of the invention shown in Figure 11 along line A-A of Figure 11; Figure 1 IB is a top view of the mesh head rest of the invention shown in Figure 11 along line B-B of Figure 11; and Figure 12 is a front perspective view of a mesh component chair according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. The present invention provides chair components, and chair made using the components, wherein the chair components include a mesh portion. The mesh chair components, such as chair seats, back rests, head rests, and chair arms, are particularly advantageous in that the mesh is beneficially contoured to provide ergonomic support to the user. Furthermore, the mesh chair components are particularly designed to be adaptable to the various body shapes of multiple users while still providing ergonomic support. The mesh chair components of the invention are particularly useful in that they can be incorporated into a number of various embodiments. For example, one or more of the mesh components of the invention can be incorporated into an office chair (such as including casters), a standard four-leg chair, household seating, public seating facilities (such as stadium seating, movie theatre seating, arena seating, and the like), public transportation seating (such as airplane seating, train seating, bus seating, and the like), professional service seating (such as a dental exam chair), and other similar or related seating apparatuses. The mesh chair components of the invention can also be incorporated into other types of vehicle seating, such as automobile seating. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses all of the various seating embodiments described above incorporating at least one mesh component as described herein. Figure 1 shows a chair back rest 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The periphery of the chair back rest 100 is a component frame 110, which includes an aperture 115. In one embodiment of the present invention, the aperture 115 is capable of receiving a pin, thereby allowing connection the chair back rest 100 to additional chair components, such as to an arm extending from a chair base (not shown). In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 1, the mesh back rest is made from three mesh panels, namely right panel 120, center panel 130, and left panel 140. Right panel 120 and left panel 140 are substantially mirror images of one another; however, in further embodiments of the invention, this is not necessarily required. Center panel 130 has a shape that is substantially different from that of either right panel 120 or left panel 140. Preferably, center panel 130 is encouraged into an appropriate vertical contour by tension exerted by right panel 120 and left panel 140, to which center panel 130 is joined. According to this embodiment of the invention, the various panels, 120,130, and 140, can be adapted to form beneficial contours for receiving various users' body shapes. For example, where a raised contour is desired, as in the lumbar area, the width of right panel 120 and left panel 140, in proportion to center panel 130, is such that the tension on the panels from the force provided by the component frame 110 lifts center panel 130 to the correct contour. In areas of the back rest 100 where it is beneficial to have contours that are less pronounced, such as, for example, in the area of the back rest 100 adaptable for receiving the shoulder area of a user, less tensile force is required. Accordingly, for such areas, right panel 120 and left panel 140 are narrower and center panel 130 is wider. This effect is illustrated in Figure 1, where center panel 130 is narrower in the lower area of the back rest 100 adaptable to the lumbar area of a user, and becomes wider in the upper area of the back rest 100 adaptable to the shoulder area of a user. As provided by the above description, it is therefore possible, according to the invention, to prepare a mesh chair component, such as a back rest, having beneficial contours in desirable areas of the component. Accordingly, the invention allows for preparation of specialized components that are beneficially contoured for special needs users. Additionally, the chair components can be made to have contours in positions, such as generally in the lumbar region, that are beneficial for a wide range of users. The panels used to make the chair components of the invention, such as the back rest of the embodiment described above, can be made from any conventional membranous fabric. The panels are especially useful as a mesh fabric, such as nylon, polyester, or other synthetic or natural fibers or skins. For example, the panels can be made from leather that has been selectively perforated to substantially emulate a mesh-type material. As such, the perforations could be patterned or unpattemed to impart additional desirable qualities to the panels. Alternatively, the mesh fabric could be comprised of a blend of materials, such as a polyester/nylon blend. Desirably, each of the panels is made from the same type of fabric. In one particular embodiment of the invention, each of the panels is made from a polyester weave mesh. It is preferable that the material used in preparing the mesh component according to the present invention have a limited stretch ability. Accordingly, the material should have a stretch ability of less than about 10%, preferably less than about 8%, more preferably less than about 6%. It is generally preferred for the material to have a stretch ability on the order of about 5%. Such limited stretch allows for the most effective use of the contours generated according to the invention. The limited stretch allows for maintenance of the support generated by the contours while still providing the comfort of the mesh. One method of measuring the stretch ability of a membranous material is to take an about two by about twelve inch piece of the membranous material and hang the material vertically. An about twenty pound weight is attached to the bottom of the membranous material. After the weight/material combination has come to equilibrium (for example, after about a half hour), the length of the "stretched" material is measured and compared to the length of the material before the weight was applied. As used herein, a material is of limited stretch ability if the ratio of the length of the "stretched" material to the initial length is less than about 1.10, preferably less than about 1.08, more preferably less than about 1.06. A material of limited stretch ability particularly useful according to the invention has a ratio of around 1.05. It is further desirable that the membranous material not be pulled too tightly within the outer component frame. Given the benefits provided by the limited stretch ability of the material used in the invention, it is desirable to limit the stretching of the material during manufacture of the chair component, including insertion of the mesh into the outer component frame. In other words, pre-stretching of the material is not required since the limited stretch ability of the material in connection with the contouring of the panels provides sufficient tension without the need for pre- stretching. Generally speaking, in accordance with aback rest embodiment of the invention, the vertical radius at the lumbar area should be within the range of about 9 inches to about 15 inches. Additionally, the horizontal radius at the lumbar area should be within the range of about 13 inches to about 16 inches and should be within the range of about 22 inches to about 26 inches at the shoulder area of the back rest. The use of limited stretch material is advantageous over the use of material having a greater stretch ability as it allows for displacement of the material, rather than stretching, which is more accommodative. Mesh material with a stretch ability that is not limited allows the material to conform to the position of the user, which facilitates, or even promotes, poor posture and ergonomically unsound seating. By use of limited stretch material, undesirable positions of the body are not possible as they would be with material having a greater stretch ability. Use of a material having limited stretch ability with modest tension across the component frame, as described above, allows for displacement of the material that accommodates the differing body shapes of various users while maintaining beneficial support. For example, a lumbar contour in a mesh back rest according to the present invention can adjust to the individual back shape and size of various users because the contour can be displaced to correspond to the area of the natural lumbar contour of the user, but the supportive contour of the mesh is maintained, thereby providing support, rather than just stretching without providing needed support. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, right panel 120 is joined to center panel 130 by right seam 125 and center panel 130 is joined to left panel 140 by left seam 135. Seams 125 and 135 can be made by any conventional method of joining the mesh fabric including, but not limited to, sewing, welding, and gluing. In one particular embodiment, the seams are joined by ultrasonic welding. The membranous material can be attached to the component frame by any conventional method. One preferred method is by attaching the material, such as by welding or gluing, to a flexible strip, such as a spline, and fitting the combination into a grove formed in the component frame. In one particular embodiment, the membranous material is sewn to a spline. The combination is generally fitted into the groove at a right angle to the direction of the tension on the material. The flexible strip used in attaching the material to the component frame can be made from any material commonly known for such uses, and is desirably a plastic-type extrusion, such as polyethylene or an equivalent. Figure 2 shows another view of the mesh component back rest according to the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Again, about the periphery of the back rest 100 is component frame 110, and within the component frame are right panel 120, center panel 130, and left panel 140. As in Figure 1, right panel 120 is joined to center panel 130 by right seam 125, and center panel 130 is joined to left panel 140 by left seam 135. Figure 3 shows back rest 100 of Figure 2 from the obverse view. Figure 3 provides a more detailed view of the component frame 110 according to one embodiment of the invention. Figures 4 and 5 show one embodiment of the back rest 100 from the right and left sides. From these views, it can be seen that in this particular embodiment of the present invention, the component frame 110 has a curvature that provides additional contour to the back rest 100 so as to provide further support for the user. The curvature shown in these figures can be referred to as a side view curvature. As seen in each of these figures, this side view curvature begins at the bottom of the component frame. From the bottom, the frame goes, or curves, forward (shown as curvature 150). Subsequently, for example from about the lumbar region (which is about a quarter of the way up the chair back), the side view curvature inverts and heads backward (shown as curvature 160). Figures 6 and 7 provide top perspective views of the back rest 100 from the front and back. From these views, it can be seen that in this particular embodiment of the present invention, the component frame 110 has a top view curvature that provides further contour to the back rest 100 so as to provide additional support for the user. For instance, both the top and the bottom edges of the component frame 110 have a concave shape (170, and 180, respectively). The concave shape 180 of the bottom edge of the component frame 110 is not visible in Figure 6 due to the forward curvature of the component frame 110 discussed above. While the foregoing discussion has mainly described the invention in terms of a back rest, the present invention also lends itself to additional chair components. Accordingly, chairs could be made, according to the invention, having mesh components comprising further chair parts, such as, for example, a chair seat, a chair arm, or a head rest. Figure 8 provides a front perspective view of a chair seat 200 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The periphery of the chair seat 200 is a component frame 210, which encompasses only three sides of the chair seat 200, thus having a substantially U-shaped conformation. The front edge 230 of the chair seat 200 is devoid of framing in order to avoid a hardened area whereby pressure could be applied to the user's body. In this manner, a more comfortable seating arrangement is provided since the comfort of the mesh component extends through the front portion of the chair seat 200 without the need of an additional structural component that could act as a pressure point on the body of the user. According to this embodiment, the chair seat 200 is comprised of a single membranous panel 220. Figure 9 provides a side view of the chair seat 200. As seen in this embodiment, the component frame 210 maybe contoured (i.e. have a side view curvature) to improve the effect of the membranous panel 220 to distribute pressure of the user's lower body. Accordingly, the chair seat 200 preferably has an upward curvature 240 toward the front portion of seat 200 and preferably has a downward curvature 250 toward the middle and back of seat 200. Such curvatures can be advantageously designed to receive the lower body of a user in an ergonomically correct sitting position, evenly and comfortably distributing the pressure of the user's lower body. Preferentially, the curvatures of the chair seat 200 are designed for encouraging an ergonomically correct upright posture by the user. According to this embodiment, the panel 220 is stretched side-to-side across component frame 210 with a tension that, preferentially, is greater than the tension applied to the panels of a back rest according to the present invention. A greater tension is preferred in the chair seat embodiment over the back rest embodiment as the chair seat must support the weight of the user. Further, the chair seat generally relies on the particular contouring of the component frame, while in the back rest embodiment, support is also provided by the contours formed by the multi-panel construction. It is also preferred that the front edge 230 of the chair seat 200 have a "waterfall" effect. This effect can be achieved by appropriate contouring of the front edges of the side portions of component frame 210. For example, it is desirable that the side portions of component frame 210 be radiused downward about 1 to about 1.5 inches at the front portions. While the foregoing discussion describes the invention in terms of individual chair components, one or more of the components can be incorporated into a chair according to the invention. A chair according to the present invention can include a mesh seat according to the above embodiment. Alternatively, a chair according to the present invention can include a seat comprising a standard cushion and upholstery. Either seat embodiment could be included in a chair comprising a back rest comprising contoured mesh panels as described herein. Figure 10 provides a front perspective view of a head rest 300 according to the present invention. The periphery of the head rest 300 is a component frame 310. Preferentially, the component frame 310 is contoured to improve the effect of the panel 320 in receiving the head of the user. According to the embodiment of Figure 10, the component frame 310 has a forward curvature 350 along the horizontal axis. The head rest, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 10, can have a single mesh panel 320 attached to component frame 310. Alternately, the head rest can have a plurality of panels, such as in the back rest embodiment described above. Desirably, when the head rest is comprised of a plurality of panels, the panels are attached such that when they are combined, they are contoured for substantially conforming to the head of a user. For example, a head rest according to this embodiment may be contoured such that it provides support at the base of the head of the user in the neck region while also receiving the more rounded back portion of the user's head. In further embodiments, the component frame of the head rest component can also have a curvature varied from the embodiment of Figure 10 but beneficial for receiving the contoured, multi-panel mesh. The head rest of the present invention is further illustrated in Figure 11, which provides a front view of the head rest. Accordingly, this view illustrates a single mesh panel 320 stretched across the component frame 310. A side view of the head rest 300 along lines A-A is provided in Figure 11 A, which further illustrates the forward curvature 350 of the component frame 310 in this embodiment of the invention. Also shown according to Figure 11 A, the head rest 300 further comprises apertures 315 and 317 for receiving pins for attachment to supports (not shown). A top view of the head rest 300 along lines B-B of Figure 11 is provided in Figure 11B, which illustrates optional additional backward curvature 360 along the vertical axis. The additional curvature allows for maximizing the contouring ability of the head rest for receiving the head of a user and providing beneficial support. Figure 12 illustrates one embodiment of a chair according to the present invention. According to Figure 12, there is provided a chair 400 having a front support piece 410 and two rear support pieces 420 and 422. According to the embodiment shown, the front support 410 is a single shaped piece acting as two front leg pieces and as a frame support for attachment of the seat frame 430. In alternate embodiments, the front support 410 could comprise two separate members as front leg pieces. As shown in Figure 12, the seat frame 430 is substantially U-shaped having no support member along the front edge of the seat frame 430, which is beneficially contoured for supporting a user's body and covered by mesh 440. The rear support pieces 420 and 422 function as two rear leg pieces and are preferentially attached to the front support piece 410 for added stability. In the present embodiment, the rear support pieces 420 and 422 are further adapted for use as arm supports 450 and 452. The rear support pieces 420 and 422 are also useful as supports for the back rest 460. The back rest 460 is preferentially designed to be interchangeable between different chair embodiments. Thus, the back rest 460 is preferentially made according to the embodiments previously described according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, the back rest 460 comprises only a single mesh piece. However, the invention preferentially encompasses embodiments wherein the back rest 460 comprises multiple mesh pieces as described herein. Various modifications to the chair according to Figure 12 could be made and are envisioned by the present invention. For example, in another embodiment, chair 400 could be made without the arms 450 and 452. In such embodiment, rear support pieces 420 and 422 would preferentially terminate at some point along seat back 460. In yet another embodiment, the back rest could be a mesh component according to the present invention and the chair seat could be a conventional seat, such as a hard surface covered by foam or other padded cushioning. Additional chair embodiments are also envisioned by the present invention. For example, a chair according to the invention could comprise a pedestal, such as one having a plurality of outwardly extending support arms. Such support arms could further comprise components for facilitating movement of the chair, such as casters. Preferentially, the pedestal includes a height adjustment mechanism. In one particular embodiment, the height adjustment mechanism is a gas spring. The pedestal could further comprise a base attached thereto capable of supporting and having attached thereto additional chair components. For example, a back rest according to the present invention could be pivotally connected to the base, such as through a pivot connecting member extending upward from the base. In a particular embodiment, the back rest is pivotally connected to the base at a point roughly corresponding to the lumbar region of a user's back. Further, the base could support a chair seat. In one embodiment, the chair seat is a mesh chair seat according to the present invention. In another embodiment, the chair seat is a conventional chair seat. The present invention also encompasses further embodiments wherein there is provided a chair having at least one component comprising a contoured mesh panel. In one embodiment, the chair is a swivel chair comprising a base pivotally supporting a seat. The chair can optionally include a back rest, arms, and a head rest, wherein at least one of the chair seat, back rest, arms, and headrest is comprised of at least one contoured mesh panel. Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. WE CLAIM 1. A chair comprising: [[a.]] a back rest having: [[b.]] at least three sub-panels interconnected by at least two curvilinear seams to form a single panel having a three-dimensional contour, wherein said at least three sub-panels are each cut or otherwise formed into individual shapes such that, when they are attached together along curvilinear seams to form the single panel, those individual shapes and the curvilinear seams combine to cause the resultant single panel to have a three-dimensional panel contour, and wherein said single panel has said three-dimensional panel contour at least in the absence of an external force; and [[c.]] a component frame about at least a portion of the periphery of said back rest; said single panel being secured around at least a portion of its periphery to said component frame. 2. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub- panels has a non-rectangular shape. 3. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contour provides support for a user's lumbar region. 4. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a curved shape from side to side and from top to bottom. 5. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a side view curvature that curves forward, in a direction toward a seat of the chair, at a bottom portion of the frame and backward, in a direction away from the seat of the chair, near a top portion of the frame. 6. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub- panels has a stretch ability of less than about 6%. 7. The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising a head rest, the head rest and the back rest comprising separate components of the chair. 8. The chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein said head rest comprises one or more membranous panels. 9. The chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein said head rest comprises a plurality of panels. lO.The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising arms. 11.The chair as claimed in claim 10, wherein said arms are attached to said back rest. 12.The chair as claimed in claim 10, wherein said arms adjust independently of one another. 13.The chair as claimed in claim 1 optionally comprising a seat. 14. A contoured chair component comprising: [[a.]] a peripheral component frame having a three-dimensional shape and an attachment mechanism for attaching said peripheral component frame to a chair; and [[b.]] at least three sub-panels interconnected by at least two seams to form a single panel having a three-dimensional contour, wherein the single panel is secured within said peripheral component frame and support for said single panel is provided primarily by said peripheral component frame, and wherein said three-dimensional contour of said single panel differs from the three- dimensional shape of said peripheral component frame. 15.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-panels has a shape that is non-rectangular. 16.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-panels has a shape that is not a parallelogram. 17.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said three-dimensional contour of the single panel provides a lumbar support. 18.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said peripheral component frame has a side view curvature that curves forward in a first direction at a bottom portion of the peripheral frame and backward in a second direction near a top portion of the peripheral component frame. 19.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least two seams comprise at least two curvilinear seams. 20.The chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least three sub-panels are comprised of synthetic or natural material. 21. The chair component as claimed in claim 20, wherein said at least three sub- panels comprise a polyester weave mesh. 22.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-panels has a limited stretch ability. 23.The chair component as claimed in claim 22, wherein said stretch ability is less than or equal to about 5%. 24.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said sub-panels are attached to one another by a method selected from the group consisting of sewing, welding, and gluing. 25.The chair component as claimed in claim 24, wherein said sub-panels are attached by sonic welding. 26.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said peripheral component frame optionally comprises a groove for receiving said at least three sub-panels. 27.The chair as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seat comprises one or more mesh panels. 28.The chair as claimed in claim 27, wherein the seat optionally comprises a U- shaped component frame comprising a front terminus portion which radiuses downward to create a side view curvature in the front region of said seat that resembles that of a waterfall and wherein the one or more mesh panels is secured on three sides by said component frame. 29.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least three sub- panels comprises mesh. 30.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein cushioning for a user is provided primarily by said single panel. 31.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for said single panel is provided primarily by said component frame. 32.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for said single panel is provided solely by said component frame. 33.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for a user is provided primarily by tension between said single panel and said component frame. 34.The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising a void through said component frame. 35.The chair as claimed in claim 34, wherein said single panel extends across said void. 36.The chair as claimed in claim 34, wherein said component frame is a hoop. 37.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub- panels has a stretch ability of less than about 10%. 38.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the single panel is tensioned by the component frame. 39.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a three- dimensional shape and the three-dimensional contour of said single panel differs from the three-dimensional shape of said component frame. 40.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single panel provides lumbar support for a user without the necessity of a pad applying pressure to the single panel to achieve the three-dimensional contour. 41.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame is about the entire periphery of said back rest; and said single panel is secured around its entire periphery to said component frame. 42.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame forms a closed loop. 43.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single panel provides lumbar support for a user without the necessity of an additional support member to achieve a three-dimensional contour. ABSTRACT MESH CHAIR COMPONENT A mesh chair component having contours that support a user appropriately can be made by combining a plurality of mesh panels to form the component. For instance, in a preferred embodiment of the present inventions, three performed mesh panels are combined to form the back rest of a chair that provides its user with lumbar support without the necessity of additional structural support. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, mesh panels are used in combination with a beneficially contoured frame to provide a chair seat with a waterfall front.

Full Text

MESH CHAIR COMPONENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to chairs that include a mesh support surface, and
more particularly, to the back rest, armrest, head rest, or seat of such a chair.
BACKGROUND
Chairs with backs comprising a mesh supporting surface forming a yieldable
resilient surface that deforms when sat on have been previously known. It is believed
that such structures provide the chair with greater comfort than chairs having backs or
seats of a solid construction. One example of a mesh-type chair is found in United
States Patent No. 6,059,368 to Stumpf et al
Because the mesh used to cover seats and seat backs has been made of a single
expanse of fabric stretched across a frame, seats and seat backs made from mesh have
been limited to being substantially flat. A flat seat and back rest geometry, however,
does not provide the user with the appropriate and adequate ergonomic support that a
chair needs to provide. For instance, heretofore, mesh back rests have not provided
users with lumbar support without the addition of some type of solid support
structure. Similarly, heretofore, mesh seats have not provided users with a seat front
that tapers down, commonly referred to as a waterfall, without the addition of some
type of solid support structure. (See e.g., U.S. Patent No. 6,604,784 to Bosman, et al.)
Consequently, chair manufacturers have not previously been able to provide the
benefits of a mesh seat, arm rest, head rest, or back rest in a chair that provides the
user with the appropriate ergonomic support.
The missing ergonomic support in conventional mesh chairs is recognized, but
attempts to solve the problem have centered on providing a solid structural
component. For example, there is a product sold separately (under the name
PostureFittm) to add lumbar support structure to the chair described in the Stumpf et
al. '638 patent.
The lack of appropriate ergonomic support in conventional mesh chairs is
further illustrated by their inability to provide adequate support to the various shapes

of users' bodies because of the uncontrolled stretch ability of the mesh. Mesh chairs
were believed to provide superior comfort arising from the ability of the mesh to
stretch to conform to the shape of the user's body. Such belief failed to recognize,
however, that the uncontrolled stretch of the mesh also conformed to unhealthy
seating conformations arising from, for example, poor posture, and failed to provide
beneficial support where necessary, such as the lumbar area.
In the non-analogous dressmaking art, it is known to use darts, eases, and
other assists in order to create contours. Such contours are coordinated with the seam
lines. For example, United States Patent No. 3,939,565 to Bush describes such
arrangements. However, until now, it has not been known that darts, eases and other
assists could be employed to obtain desirable and beneficial contours in a mesh chair
component.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a chair having a mesh
support surface where the mesh has a contour that adapts to the user's body. It would
be further advantageous to provide such a chair in coordination with a contoured
frame for the relevant portion of the chair.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a chair having at least
one component comprising at least one membranous panel, wherein said component
is beneficially contoured to support a user. Said contour can be provided by a
component frame supporting said at least one membranous panel or by combining a
plurality of panels to form the component.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a
chair component comprising at least one membranous panel capable of displacement
for accommodation of various body shapes.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chair
component, for example, the seat, arm rest, head rest, or back rest, is comprised of a
plurality of panels. Typically, the chair component comprises three or more panels.
It is preferred that the chair component of the present invention has no more than ten
panels.

In one embodiment of the present invention, each panel is cut, or otherwise
formed, in a shape so that when the several panels are combined, together they form a
chair component, such as a seat, back rest, or headrest that is capable of beneficially
adapting to the user's shape.
The several panels are capable of being combined in a conventional fashion.
For example, the panels can be combined by sewing the panels together, by welding
them together (such as by sonic welding), or by using an adhesive to bind the panels
together. Typically, the chair component surface of the present invention has at least
two straight or curvilinear seams. In a preferred embodiment, the seams are
curvilinear. It is preferred that the chair component surface of the present invention
has fewer than ten seams between panels.
When the several panels are combined, such as in a back rest embodiment,
they form a back rest that provides support to the seat user's back. For instance, a
back rest made according to the present invention provides a mesh back rest having
lumbar support without the necessity of an additional solid structure. Thus, a mesh
back rest according to the present invention can have contours without a pad applying
pressure to the mesh to achieve beneficial contours.
As used herein, the term "panel contour" refers to a three dimensional shape of
a chair component that results from the combination of a plurality of membranous
panels. The "panel contour" differs from the three dimensional shape produced by a
contoured frame.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the chair
component comprises a single mesh panel covering a contoured component frame.
According to this embodiment, the chair component is particularly useful as a chair
seat. The seat is thus particularly adapted to be substantially contoured to the various
users' body shapes and distribute pressure of the user's lower body.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the chair
component comprises a head rest. According to this embodiment, the head rest
comprises at least one mesh panel that is contoured to substantially conform to the
shape of the user's head. Preferentially, the head rest comprises one or more panels.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a chair
component, such as a seat, arm rest, back rest or head rest, is formed from a plurality
of panels from a membranous material using a contoured component frame.
In some embodiments of the present invention, mesh chair components are
combined with other parts to form a chair. For example, a mesh seat according to the
invention could be combined with a back rest and a plurality of legs to form a chair.
In this embodiment of the invention, one or more components of the chair can be a
mesh component according to the invention.
According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a chair
comprising a chair pedestal, a base mounted on the pedestal, a seat mounted on the
base, and a back rest attached to the base. Preferably, the pedestal contains a height
adjustment mechanism such as a gas spring. Additionally, the back rest could be
pivotally connected to the base. In one such embodiment, the back rest is pivotally
connected to the base at a point roughly corresponding to the lumbar region of a
user's back. Obviously, such a base would require an upward extension so at to form
the pivot connection in that area. Preferably, the back rest comprises at least three
membranous panels. Further, the seat can also comprise one or more membranous
panels.
The present invention also encompasses further embodiments wherein there is
provided a chair having at least one component comprising a contoured mesh panel.
In one embodiment, the chair is a swivel chair comprising a base pivotally supporting
a seat, optionally including a back, arms, and a head rest, wherein at least one of said
seat, back, arms, and headrest is comprised of at least one contoured mesh panel. In
another embodiment, the chair comprises four legs stationarily attached to a seat,
optionally including a back and arms, wherein at least one of the seat, back, and arms
comprise at least one contoured mesh panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be
made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and
wherein:
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a mesh back rest according to the
present invention;
Figure 2 is a front view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention;
Figure 3 is a rear view of a mesh back rest according to the present invention;
Figure 4 is a right side view of a mesh back rest according to the present
invention;
Figure 5 is a left side view of a mesh back rest according to the present
invention;
Figure 6 is a front view of the top portion of a mesh back rest according to the
present invention;
Figure 7 is a rear view of the top portion of a back rest according to the
present invention;
Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a mesh seat according to the present
invention;
Figure 9 is a left side view of a mesh seat according to the present invention;
Figure 10 is a front perspective view of a mesh head rest according to the
present invention;
Figure 11 is a rear view of a mesh head rest according to the present invention;
Figure 11A is a side view of the mesh head rest of the invention shown in
Figure 11 along line A-A of Figure 11;
Figure 1 IB is a top view of the mesh head rest of the invention shown in
Figure 11 along line B-B of Figure 11; and
Figure 12 is a front perspective view of a mesh component chair according to
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of

the invention are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different
forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein;
rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable
legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
The present invention provides chair components, and chair made using the
components, wherein the chair components include a mesh portion. The mesh chair
components, such as chair seats, back rests, head rests, and chair arms, are particularly
advantageous in that the mesh is beneficially contoured to provide ergonomic support
to the user. Furthermore, the mesh chair components are particularly designed to be
adaptable to the various body shapes of multiple users while still providing ergonomic
support. The mesh chair components of the invention are particularly useful in that
they can be incorporated into a number of various embodiments. For example, one or
more of the mesh components of the invention can be incorporated into an office chair
(such as including casters), a standard four-leg chair, household seating, public
seating facilities (such as stadium seating, movie theatre seating, arena seating, and
the like), public transportation seating (such as airplane seating, train seating, bus
seating, and the like), professional service seating (such as a dental exam chair), and
other similar or related seating apparatuses. The mesh chair components of the
invention can also be incorporated into other types of vehicle seating, such as
automobile seating. Accordingly, the present invention also encompasses all of the
various seating embodiments described above incorporating at least one mesh
component as described herein.
Figure 1 shows a chair back rest 100 according to one embodiment of the
present invention. The periphery of the chair back rest 100 is a component frame 110,
which includes an aperture 115. In one embodiment of the present invention, the
aperture 115 is capable of receiving a pin, thereby allowing connection the chair back
rest 100 to additional chair components, such as to an arm extending from a chair base
(not shown).
In one embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 1, the mesh back rest
is made from three mesh panels, namely right panel 120, center panel 130, and left
panel 140. Right panel 120 and left panel 140 are substantially mirror images of one
another; however, in further embodiments of the invention, this is not necessarily

required. Center panel 130 has a shape that is substantially different from that of
either right panel 120 or left panel 140. Preferably, center panel 130 is encouraged
into an appropriate vertical contour by tension exerted by right panel 120 and left
panel 140, to which center panel 130 is joined.
According to this embodiment of the invention, the various panels, 120,130,
and 140, can be adapted to form beneficial contours for receiving various users' body
shapes. For example, where a raised contour is desired, as in the lumbar area, the
width of right panel 120 and left panel 140, in proportion to center panel 130, is such
that the tension on the panels from the force provided by the component frame 110
lifts center panel 130 to the correct contour. In areas of the back rest 100 where it is
beneficial to have contours that are less pronounced, such as, for example, in the area
of the back rest 100 adaptable for receiving the shoulder area of a user, less tensile
force is required. Accordingly, for such areas, right panel 120 and left panel 140 are
narrower and center panel 130 is wider. This effect is illustrated in Figure 1, where
center panel 130 is narrower in the lower area of the back rest 100 adaptable to the
lumbar area of a user, and becomes wider in the upper area of the back rest 100
adaptable to the shoulder area of a user.
As provided by the above description, it is therefore possible, according to the
invention, to prepare a mesh chair component, such as a back rest, having beneficial
contours in desirable areas of the component. Accordingly, the invention allows for
preparation of specialized components that are beneficially contoured for special
needs users. Additionally, the chair components can be made to have contours in
positions, such as generally in the lumbar region, that are beneficial for a wide range
of users.
The panels used to make the chair components of the invention, such as the
back rest of the embodiment described above, can be made from any conventional
membranous fabric. The panels are especially useful as a mesh fabric, such as nylon,
polyester, or other synthetic or natural fibers or skins. For example, the panels can be
made from leather that has been selectively perforated to substantially emulate a
mesh-type material. As such, the perforations could be patterned or unpattemed to
impart additional desirable qualities to the panels. Alternatively, the mesh fabric
could be comprised of a blend of materials, such as a polyester/nylon blend.

Desirably, each of the panels is made from the same type of fabric. In one particular
embodiment of the invention, each of the panels is made from a polyester weave
mesh.
It is preferable that the material used in preparing the mesh component
according to the present invention have a limited stretch ability. Accordingly, the
material should have a stretch ability of less than about 10%, preferably less than
about 8%, more preferably less than about 6%. It is generally preferred for the
material to have a stretch ability on the order of about 5%. Such limited stretch
allows for the most effective use of the contours generated according to the invention.
The limited stretch allows for maintenance of the support generated by the contours
while still providing the comfort of the mesh.
One method of measuring the stretch ability of a membranous material is to
take an about two by about twelve inch piece of the membranous material and hang
the material vertically. An about twenty pound weight is attached to the bottom of the
membranous material. After the weight/material combination has come to
equilibrium (for example, after about a half hour), the length of the "stretched"
material is measured and compared to the length of the material before the weight was
applied. As used herein, a material is of limited stretch ability if the ratio of the
length of the "stretched" material to the initial length is less than about 1.10,
preferably less than about 1.08, more preferably less than about 1.06. A material of
limited stretch ability particularly useful according to the invention has a ratio of
around 1.05.
It is further desirable that the membranous material not be pulled too tightly
within the outer component frame. Given the benefits provided by the limited stretch
ability of the material used in the invention, it is desirable to limit the stretching of the
material during manufacture of the chair component, including insertion of the mesh
into the outer component frame. In other words, pre-stretching of the material is not
required since the limited stretch ability of the material in connection with the
contouring of the panels provides sufficient tension without the need for pre-
stretching.
Generally speaking, in accordance with aback rest embodiment of the
invention, the vertical radius at the lumbar area should be within the range of about 9

inches to about 15 inches. Additionally, the horizontal radius at the lumbar area
should be within the range of about 13 inches to about 16 inches and should be within
the range of about 22 inches to about 26 inches at the shoulder area of the back rest.
The use of limited stretch material is advantageous over the use of material
having a greater stretch ability as it allows for displacement of the material, rather
than stretching, which is more accommodative. Mesh material with a stretch ability
that is not limited allows the material to conform to the position of the user, which
facilitates, or even promotes, poor posture and ergonomically unsound seating. By
use of limited stretch material, undesirable positions of the body are not possible as
they would be with material having a greater stretch ability. Use of a material having
limited stretch ability with modest tension across the component frame, as described
above, allows for displacement of the material that accommodates the differing body
shapes of various users while maintaining beneficial support. For example, a lumbar
contour in a mesh back rest according to the present invention can adjust to the
individual back shape and size of various users because the contour can be displaced
to correspond to the area of the natural lumbar contour of the user, but the supportive
contour of the mesh is maintained, thereby providing support, rather than just
stretching without providing needed support.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, right panel 120 is joined to center panel
130 by right seam 125 and center panel 130 is joined to left panel 140 by left seam
135. Seams 125 and 135 can be made by any conventional method of joining the
mesh fabric including, but not limited to, sewing, welding, and gluing. In one
particular embodiment, the seams are joined by ultrasonic welding.
The membranous material can be attached to the component frame by any
conventional method. One preferred method is by attaching the material, such as by
welding or gluing, to a flexible strip, such as a spline, and fitting the combination into
a grove formed in the component frame. In one particular embodiment, the
membranous material is sewn to a spline. The combination is generally fitted into the
groove at a right angle to the direction of the tension on the material. The flexible
strip used in attaching the material to the component frame can be made from any
material commonly known for such uses, and is desirably a plastic-type extrusion,
such as polyethylene or an equivalent.

Figure 2 shows another view of the mesh component back rest according to
the embodiment shown in Figure 1. Again, about the periphery of the back rest 100 is
component frame 110, and within the component frame are right panel 120, center
panel 130, and left panel 140. As in Figure 1, right panel 120 is joined to center panel
130 by right seam 125, and center panel 130 is joined to left panel 140 by left seam
135.
Figure 3 shows back rest 100 of Figure 2 from the obverse view. Figure 3
provides a more detailed view of the component frame 110 according to one
embodiment of the invention.
Figures 4 and 5 show one embodiment of the back rest 100 from the right and
left sides. From these views, it can be seen that in this particular embodiment of the
present invention, the component frame 110 has a curvature that provides additional
contour to the back rest 100 so as to provide further support for the user. The
curvature shown in these figures can be referred to as a side view curvature. As seen
in each of these figures, this side view curvature begins at the bottom of the
component frame. From the bottom, the frame goes, or curves, forward (shown as
curvature 150). Subsequently, for example from about the lumbar region (which is
about a quarter of the way up the chair back), the side view curvature inverts and
heads backward (shown as curvature 160).
Figures 6 and 7 provide top perspective views of the back rest 100 from the
front and back. From these views, it can be seen that in this particular embodiment of
the present invention, the component frame 110 has a top view curvature that provides
further contour to the back rest 100 so as to provide additional support for the user.
For instance, both the top and the bottom edges of the component frame 110 have a
concave shape (170, and 180, respectively). The concave shape 180 of the bottom
edge of the component frame 110 is not visible in Figure 6 due to the forward
curvature of the component frame 110 discussed above.
While the foregoing discussion has mainly described the invention in terms of
a back rest, the present invention also lends itself to additional chair components.
Accordingly, chairs could be made, according to the invention, having mesh
components comprising further chair parts, such as, for example, a chair seat, a chair
arm, or a head rest.

Figure 8 provides a front perspective view of a chair seat 200 according to one
embodiment of the present invention. The periphery of the chair seat 200 is a
component frame 210, which encompasses only three sides of the chair seat 200, thus
having a substantially U-shaped conformation. The front edge 230 of the chair seat
200 is devoid of framing in order to avoid a hardened area whereby pressure could be
applied to the user's body. In this manner, a more comfortable seating arrangement is
provided since the comfort of the mesh component extends through the front portion
of the chair seat 200 without the need of an additional structural component that could
act as a pressure point on the body of the user. According to this embodiment, the
chair seat 200 is comprised of a single membranous panel 220.
Figure 9 provides a side view of the chair seat 200. As seen in this
embodiment, the component frame 210 maybe contoured (i.e. have a side view
curvature) to improve the effect of the membranous panel 220 to distribute pressure of
the user's lower body. Accordingly, the chair seat 200 preferably has an upward
curvature 240 toward the front portion of seat 200 and preferably has a downward
curvature 250 toward the middle and back of seat 200. Such curvatures can be
advantageously designed to receive the lower body of a user in an ergonomically
correct sitting position, evenly and comfortably distributing the pressure of the user's
lower body. Preferentially, the curvatures of the chair seat 200 are designed for
encouraging an ergonomically correct upright posture by the user.
According to this embodiment, the panel 220 is stretched side-to-side across
component frame 210 with a tension that, preferentially, is greater than the tension
applied to the panels of a back rest according to the present invention. A greater
tension is preferred in the chair seat embodiment over the back rest embodiment as
the chair seat must support the weight of the user. Further, the chair seat generally
relies on the particular contouring of the component frame, while in the back rest
embodiment, support is also provided by the contours formed by the multi-panel
construction.
It is also preferred that the front edge 230 of the chair seat 200 have a
"waterfall" effect. This effect can be achieved by appropriate contouring of the front
edges of the side portions of component frame 210. For example, it is desirable that

the side portions of component frame 210 be radiused downward about 1 to about 1.5
inches at the front portions.
While the foregoing discussion describes the invention in terms of individual
chair components, one or more of the components can be incorporated into a chair
according to the invention. A chair according to the present invention can include a
mesh seat according to the above embodiment. Alternatively, a chair according to the
present invention can include a seat comprising a standard cushion and upholstery.
Either seat embodiment could be included in a chair comprising a back rest
comprising contoured mesh panels as described herein.
Figure 10 provides a front perspective view of a head rest 300 according to the
present invention. The periphery of the head rest 300 is a component frame 310.
Preferentially, the component frame 310 is contoured to improve the effect of the
panel 320 in receiving the head of the user. According to the embodiment of Figure
10, the component frame 310 has a forward curvature 350 along the horizontal axis.
The head rest, as shown in the embodiment of Figure 10, can have a single mesh
panel 320 attached to component frame 310. Alternately, the head rest can have a
plurality of panels, such as in the back rest embodiment described above. Desirably,
when the head rest is comprised of a plurality of panels, the panels are attached such
that when they are combined, they are contoured for substantially conforming to the
head of a user. For example, a head rest according to this embodiment may be
contoured such that it provides support at the base of the head of the user in the neck
region while also receiving the more rounded back portion of the user's head. In
further embodiments, the component frame of the head rest component can also have
a curvature varied from the embodiment of Figure 10 but beneficial for receiving the
contoured, multi-panel mesh.
The head rest of the present invention is further illustrated in Figure 11, which
provides a front view of the head rest. Accordingly, this view illustrates a single
mesh panel 320 stretched across the component frame 310. A side view of the head
rest 300 along lines A-A is provided in Figure 11 A, which further illustrates the
forward curvature 350 of the component frame 310 in this embodiment of the
invention. Also shown according to Figure 11 A, the head rest 300 further comprises
apertures 315 and 317 for receiving pins for attachment to supports (not shown). A

top view of the head rest 300 along lines B-B of Figure 11 is provided in Figure 11B,
which illustrates optional additional backward curvature 360 along the vertical axis.
The additional curvature allows for maximizing the contouring ability of the head rest
for receiving the head of a user and providing beneficial support.
Figure 12 illustrates one embodiment of a chair according to the present
invention. According to Figure 12, there is provided a chair 400 having a front
support piece 410 and two rear support pieces 420 and 422. According to the
embodiment shown, the front support 410 is a single shaped piece acting as two front
leg pieces and as a frame support for attachment of the seat frame 430. In alternate
embodiments, the front support 410 could comprise two separate members as front
leg pieces. As shown in Figure 12, the seat frame 430 is substantially U-shaped
having no support member along the front edge of the seat frame 430, which is
beneficially contoured for supporting a user's body and covered by mesh 440.
The rear support pieces 420 and 422 function as two rear leg pieces and are
preferentially attached to the front support piece 410 for added stability. In the
present embodiment, the rear support pieces 420 and 422 are further adapted for use
as arm supports 450 and 452. The rear support pieces 420 and 422 are also useful as
supports for the back rest 460. The back rest 460 is preferentially designed to be
interchangeable between different chair embodiments. Thus, the back rest 460 is
preferentially made according to the embodiments previously described according to
the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, the back rest 460 comprises only a
single mesh piece. However, the invention preferentially encompasses embodiments
wherein the back rest 460 comprises multiple mesh pieces as described herein.
Various modifications to the chair according to Figure 12 could be made and
are envisioned by the present invention. For example, in another embodiment, chair
400 could be made without the arms 450 and 452. In such embodiment, rear support
pieces 420 and 422 would preferentially terminate at some point along seat back 460.
In yet another embodiment, the back rest could be a mesh component according to the
present invention and the chair seat could be a conventional seat, such as a hard
surface covered by foam or other padded cushioning.
Additional chair embodiments are also envisioned by the present invention.
For example, a chair according to the invention could comprise a pedestal, such as

one having a plurality of outwardly extending support arms. Such support arms could
further comprise components for facilitating movement of the chair, such as casters.
Preferentially, the pedestal includes a height adjustment mechanism. In one particular
embodiment, the height adjustment mechanism is a gas spring. The pedestal could
further comprise a base attached thereto capable of supporting and having attached
thereto additional chair components. For example, a back rest according to the
present invention could be pivotally connected to the base, such as through a pivot
connecting member extending upward from the base. In a particular embodiment, the
back rest is pivotally connected to the base at a point roughly corresponding to the
lumbar region of a user's back. Further, the base could support a chair seat. In one
embodiment, the chair seat is a mesh chair seat according to the present invention. In
another embodiment, the chair seat is a conventional chair seat.
The present invention also encompasses further embodiments wherein there is
provided a chair having at least one component comprising a contoured mesh panel.
In one embodiment, the chair is a swivel chair comprising a base pivotally supporting
a seat. The chair can optionally include a back rest, arms, and a head rest, wherein at
least one of the chair seat, back rest, arms, and headrest is comprised of at least one
contoured mesh panel.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein
will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having
the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated
drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to
the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are
intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific
terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and
not for purposes of limitation.

WE CLAIM
1. A chair comprising:
[[a.]] a back rest having:
[[b.]] at least three sub-panels interconnected by at least two curvilinear
seams to form a single panel having a three-dimensional contour, wherein
said at least three sub-panels are each cut or otherwise formed into individual
shapes such that, when they are attached together along curvilinear seams to
form the single panel, those individual shapes and the curvilinear seams
combine to cause the resultant single panel to have a three-dimensional
panel contour, and wherein said single panel has said three-dimensional
panel contour at least in the absence of an external force; and
[[c.]] a component frame about at least a portion of the periphery of said
back rest; said single panel being secured around at least a portion of its
periphery to said component frame.
2. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-
panels has a non-rectangular shape.
3. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said contour provides support for a
user's lumbar region.
4. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a curved
shape from side to side and from top to bottom.

5. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a side view
curvature that curves forward, in a direction toward a seat of the chair, at a
bottom portion of the frame and backward, in a direction away from the seat of
the chair, near a top portion of the frame.
6. The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-
panels has a stretch ability of less than about 6%.
7. The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising a head rest, the head rest
and the back rest comprising separate components of the chair.
8. The chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein said head rest comprises one or more
membranous panels.
9. The chair as claimed in claim 7, wherein said head rest comprises a plurality of
panels.
lO.The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising arms.
11.The chair as claimed in claim 10, wherein said arms are attached to said back
rest.
12.The chair as claimed in claim 10, wherein said arms adjust independently of one
another.

13.The chair as claimed in claim 1 optionally comprising a seat.
14. A contoured chair component comprising:
[[a.]] a peripheral component frame having a three-dimensional shape and
an attachment mechanism for attaching said peripheral component frame to
a chair; and
[[b.]] at least three sub-panels interconnected by at least two seams to form
a single panel having a three-dimensional contour, wherein the single panel is
secured within said peripheral component frame and support for said single
panel is provided primarily by said peripheral component frame, and wherein
said three-dimensional contour of said single panel differs from the three-
dimensional shape of said peripheral component frame.
15.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least
three sub-panels has a shape that is non-rectangular.
16.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least
three sub-panels has a shape that is not a parallelogram.
17.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said three-dimensional
contour of the single panel provides a lumbar support.
18.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said peripheral component
frame has a side view curvature that curves forward in a first direction at a

bottom portion of the peripheral frame and backward in a second direction near
a top portion of the peripheral component frame.
19.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least two seams
comprise at least two curvilinear seams.
20.The chair as claimed in claim 14, wherein said at least three sub-panels are
comprised of synthetic or natural material.
21. The chair component as claimed in claim 20, wherein said at least three sub-
panels comprise a polyester weave mesh.
22.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least one of said at least
three sub-panels has a limited stretch ability.
23.The chair component as claimed in claim 22, wherein said stretch ability is less
than or equal to about 5%.
24.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said sub-panels are
attached to one another by a method selected from the group consisting of
sewing, welding, and gluing.
25.The chair component as claimed in claim 24, wherein said sub-panels are
attached by sonic welding.

26.The chair component as claimed in claim 14, wherein said peripheral component
frame optionally comprises a groove for receiving said at least three sub-panels.
27.The chair as claimed in claim 13, wherein the seat comprises one or more mesh
panels.
28.The chair as claimed in claim 27, wherein the seat optionally comprises a U-
shaped component frame comprising a front terminus portion which radiuses
downward to create a side view curvature in the front region of said seat that
resembles that of a waterfall and wherein the one or more mesh panels is
secured on three sides by said component frame.
29.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said at least three sub-
panels comprises mesh.
30.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein cushioning for a user is provided
primarily by said single panel.
31.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for said single panel is provided
primarily by said component frame.
32.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for said single panel is provided
solely by said component frame.

33.The chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein support for a user is provided primarily
by tension between said single panel and said component frame.
34.The chair as claimed in claim 1, optionally comprising a void through said
component frame.
35.The chair as claimed in claim 34, wherein said single panel extends across said
void.
36.The chair as claimed in claim 34, wherein said component frame is a hoop.
37.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said at least three sub-
panels has a stretch ability of less than about 10%.
38.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the single panel is tensioned by the
component frame.
39.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame has a three-
dimensional shape and the three-dimensional contour of said single panel differs
from the three-dimensional shape of said component frame.
40.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single panel provides lumbar
support for a user without the necessity of a pad applying pressure to the single
panel to achieve the three-dimensional contour.

41.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame is about the
entire periphery of said back rest; and said single panel is secured around its
entire periphery to said component frame.
42.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said component frame forms a closed
loop.
43.The chair as claimed in claim 1, wherein said single panel provides lumbar
support for a user without the necessity of an additional support member to
achieve a three-dimensional contour.

ABSTRACT

MESH CHAIR COMPONENT
A mesh chair component having contours that support a user appropriately can be made by
combining a plurality of mesh panels to form the component. For instance, in a preferred
embodiment of the present inventions, three performed mesh panels are combined to form
the back rest of a chair that provides its user with lumbar support without the necessity of
additional structural support. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, mesh
panels are used in combination with a beneficially contoured frame to provide a chair seat
with a waterfall front.

MESH CHAIR COMPONENT

Documents:

Inventors:

PCT Conventions: