Delayed gas spring chair

Abstract

The invention provides a gas spring adapted for automatically re-adjusting to a predetermined position, the gas spring incorporating a delay mechanism so that the automatic re-adjustment is delayed by a predetermined amount of time. In one embodiment, the delay mechanism comprises a delay valve that. The invention further provides articles incorporating such a delay gas spring, such as a height adjustable chair.

1 . A height adjustable chair comprising: 
 a) a gas spring comprising an upper end and a lower end and further comprising a release button operably movable between a locked position where the gas spring is locked and non-height adjustable, and an actuated position where the gas spring is released and height adjustable;    b) a pedestal comprising: 
 i. a substantially vertical elongate tubular casing having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end of said tubular casing being associated with said lower end of said gas spring;  
 ii. a plurality of arms radiating out from said lower end of said tubular casing; and  
 iii. a plurality of castors, said castors mounted at the end of said radiating arms;  
   c) a seat including a control housing supported on said pedestal and connected to said upper end of said gas spring for assisted vertical height adjustment, said seat including an actuator constructed to selectively move the release button of said gas spring from the locked position to the actuated position;    d) a first piston slidably received within said gas spring;    e) a second piston slidably received within said gas spring;    f) a check valve disposed within said first piston; and    g) a delay valve disposed within said first piston, said delay valve being adapted to meter flow of a fluid within said gas spring at a rate sufficient to automatically re-adjust said chair to a predetermined height after a time of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.    
   
   
       2 . A height adjustable chair comprising: 
 a gas spring being manually length adjustable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position; and    a delay mechanism associated with said gas spring, said delay mechanism being adapted for causing said gas spring to automatically re-adjust to a predetermined position after a predetermined interval.    
   
   
       3 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said chair further comprises a pedestal attached to a lower end of said gas spring.  
   
   
       4 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said chair further comprises a seat attached to an upper end of said gas spring.  
   
   
       5 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 4 , wherein said chair further comprises a backrest.  
   
   
       6 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said delay mechanism comprises a delay valve.  
   
   
       7 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 6 , wherein said gas spring comprises a first piston and a second piston, and wherein said delay valve is disposed within said first piston.  
   
   
       8 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 7 , wherein said delay valve comprises a valve chamber having an open end and a closed end and a cylindrical body moveable within said valve chamber.  
   
   
       9 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 8 , wherein said gas spring comprises a gas chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 9 , wherein said gas chamber houses a compressible gas.  
   
   
       11 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 10 , wherein said compressible gas is nitrogen gas.  
   
   
       12 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 8 , wherein said gas spring comprises a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber housing a fluid, said first and second chambers being in sealable fluid connection through said delay valve.  
   
   
       13 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 12 , wherein said first and second fluid chambers house a fluid that is non-compressible.  
   
   
       14 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 13 , wherein said non-compressible fluid comprises a hydraulic oil.  
   
   
       15 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 12 , wherein said cylindrical body is adapted for movement within said valve chamber between a closed position, wherein said cylindrical body is adjacent said closed end of said valve chamber and flow of said fluid from said first fluid chamber to said second fluid chamber is prevented, and an open position, wherein said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber and flow of said fluid from said first fluid chamber to said second fluid chamber is allowed.  
   
   
       16 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 15 , wherein said cylindrical body has a defined passage therethrough such that when said cylindrical body is in said open position within said valve chamber, said first and second fluid chambers are in fluid connection through said defined passage.  
   
   
       17 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 16 , wherein said defined passage comprises a plurality of holes in said cylindrical body.  
   
   
       18 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 12 , wherein said delay valve further comprises a metering orifice for controllably allowing passage of fluid from said first fluid chamber into said closed end of said valve chamber, thereby positioning said cylindrical body away from said closed end of said valve chamber.  
   
   
       19 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 18 , wherein said metering orifice is formed for allowing fluid passage into said closed end of said valve chamber at a rate such that said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber after a time of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
   
   
       20 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 18 , wherein said metering orifice is formed for allowing fluid passage into said closed end of said valve chamber at a rate such that said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber after a time of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.  
   
   
       21 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 6 , wherein a single valve comprises a valve for adjusting the length of said gas spring and further comprises the delay valve used for re-adjusting said gas spring to said predetermined position.  
   
   
       22 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 7 , wherein said gas spring further comprises a check valve positioned in said first piston.  
   
   
       23 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said delay mechanism comprises a timer adapted for being activated by the removal of a downward force from said gas spring.  
   
   
       24 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said delay mechanism further comprises a delay valve.  
   
   
       25 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said delay mechanism further comprises a gas spring release.  
   
   
       26 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said timer comprises an electronic timer.  
   
   
       27 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 26 , wherein said electronic timer comprises a battery powered timer.  
   
   
       28 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said timer comprises a mechanical timer.  
   
   
       29 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 28 , wherein said mechanical timer comprises a cam.  
   
   
       30 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said timer, once activated, provides a delay of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes before said gas spring automatically re-adjusts to said predetermined position.  
   
   
       31 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said timer, once activated, provides a delay of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes before said gas spring automatically re-adjusts to said predetermined position.  
   
   
       32 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 23 , wherein said timer, once activated, is capable of being reset by re-application of said downward force on said gas spring.  
   
   
       33 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said delay mechanism comprises a lever assembly having a lever moveable between a locked position where said gas spring maintains its position and an actuated position where said gas spring automatically re-adjusts to a predetermined position, wherein said lever is adapted to be released from said locked position by removal of a downward force on said gas spring.  
   
   
       34 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said delay mechanism further comprises a delay valve.  
   
   
       35 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said delay mechanism further comprises a gas spring release.  
   
   
       36 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said lever assembly is formed such that, once said lever is released from said locked position, movement of said lever from said locked position to said actuated position occurs over a time of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
   
   
       37 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said lever assembly is formed such that, once said lever is released from said locked position, movement of said lever from said locked position to said actuated position occurs over a time of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.  
   
   
       38 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said lever assembly further comprises a friction inducing component.  
   
   
       39 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 33 , wherein said lever assembly further comprises one or more springs.  
   
   
       40 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 2 , wherein said delay mechanism comprises an actuator adapted to be engaged by removal of a downward force on said gas spring, and further comprises a bleed valve adapted to be opened by said engagement of said actuator.  
   
   
       41 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 40 , wherein said bleed valve is formed to allow a gradual transfer of a fluid between a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber in said gas spring.  
   
   
       42 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 41 , wherein said gradual transfer of said fluid occurs over a time of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
   
   
       43 . The height adjustable chair according to  claim 41 , wherein said gradual transfer of said fluid occurs over a time of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.  
   
   
       44 . An automatically re-adjustable gas spring comprising: 
 a) a casing having a first end and a second end;    b) a piston rod axially disposed in said casing and protruding from said first end of said casing;    c) a first piston attached to said piston rod, said first piston being slidably moveable within said casing between said first end and said second end of said casing;    d) a second piston slidably moveable within said casing between said first piston and said second end of said casing;    e) a first fluid chamber disposed between said first end of said casing and said first piston;    f) a second fluid chamber disposed between said first piston and said second piston;    g) a gas chamber disposed between said second piston and said second end of said casing;    h) a check valve assembly disposed within said first piston, said check valve being adapted for allowing one-way flow of a fluid from said second fluid chamber to said first fluid chamber; and    i) a delay valve assembly disposed within said first piston, said delay valve being adapted for allowing controlled flow of said fluid from said first fluid chamber to said second fluid chamber.    
   
   
       45 . The gas spring according to  claim 44 , wherein said delay valve comprises a valve chamber having an open end and a closed end and a cylindrical body moveable within said valve chamber.  
   
   
       46 . The gas spring according to  claim 45 , wherein said cylindrical body is adapted for movement within said valve chamber between a closed position, wherein said cylindrical body is adjacent said closed end of said valve chamber and flow of said fluid from said first fluid chamber to said second fluid chamber is prevented, and an open position, wherein said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber and flow of said fluid from said first fluid chamber to said second fluid chamber is allowed.  
   
   
       47 . The gas spring according to  claim 46 , wherein said cylindrical body has a defined passage therethrough such that when said cylindrical body is in said open position within said valve chamber, said first and second fluid chambers are in fluid connection through said defined passage.  
   
   
       48 . The gas spring according to  claim 45 , wherein said delay valve further comprises a metering orifice for controllably allowing passage of fluid from said first fluid chamber into said closed end of said valve chamber, thereby positioning said cylindrical body away from said closed end of said valve chamber.  
   
   
       49 . The gas spring according to  claim 48 , wherein said metering orifice is formed for allowing fluid passage into said closed end of said valve chamber at a rate such that said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber after a time of about 5 minutes to about 60 minutes.  
   
   
       50 . The gas spring according to  claim 48 , wherein said metering orifice is formed for allowing fluid passage into said closed end of said valve chamber at a rate such that said cylindrical body is positioned away from said closed end of said valve chamber after a time of about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.