Chair

Abstract

A chair includes a seat, a back rest, a frame having a curved rail, and a runner moveable along the rail. The seat and back rest are carried by the runner such that the seat and back rest can be moved together along the rail, and the position of the back rest relative to the seat changes in a horizontal direction as the seat and the back rest move along the rail. Additionally, the height-adjustable seat can be folded.

1 . A chair comprising:
 a seat;   a back rest;   a frame having a curved rail; and   a runner moveable along the rail; and   the seat and back rest arc being carried by the runner such that the seat and the back rest can be moved together along the rail, and the position of the back rest relative to the seat changes in a horizontal direction as the seat and the back rest move along the rail.   
     
     
         2 . A chair according to  claim 1 , wherein movement of the seat and back rest up the rail increases the height of the seat and changes the position of the back rest rearwardly towards the back of the seat. 
     
     
         3 . A chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the rail is a pair of convex side rails. 
     
     
         4 . A chair according to  claims 1 , wherein the back rest is moveable along a track defined in the rail. 
     
     
         5 . A chair according to  claim 4 , wherein the track is shaped such that the bottom of the track is positioned towards the front of the chair and the top of the track is positioned towards the back of the chair. 
     
     
         6 . A chair according to  claim 4 , wherein the back rest is pivotally attached to a connecting means, and wherein the connecting means is moveable along the track in the rail. 
     
     
         7 . A chair according to  claim 6 , wherein the connecting means is angularly moveable to change the position of the back rest relative to the seat in a horizontal direction as the seat and the back rest move along the rail. 
     
     
         8 . A chair according to  claim 7 , wherein the tracks are shaped so as to cause the connecting means to move angularly as it travels along the rails. 
     
     
         9 . A chair according to  claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a set of fixing elements defining a range of heights at which the seat may be fixed. 
     
     
         10 . A chair according to  claim 9 , further comprising a locking device, wherein the locking device engages with the set of fixing elements to lock the seat in any one of a plurality of positions along the rail. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A chair according to  claim 3 , wherein the frame further comprises a pair of legs, each leg being pivotally connected to one side rail, such that the chair can move between an open position and a folded position through the pivotal movement between the legs and the side rails. 
     
     
         14 . A chair according to  claim 13 , wherein moving the chair into the folded position brings the seat into a position where it is generally flat with respect to the back rest. 
     
     
         15 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A foldable chair comprising
 a seat;   a frame for supporting the seat, having a side rail and a leg carried by the side rail;   the chair is being arranged to change between an open position in which the leg is extended and a folded position in which the leg is moved into a retracted position which causes the seat to be moved so as to be substantially flat with the rest of the chair.   
     
     
         34 . A foldable chair according to  claim 33 , further comprising a back rest, and wherein, when the chair is moved to its folded position, the seat is moved to be substantially flat with respect to the back rest. 
     
     
         35 . A chair according to  claim 33 , wherein the side rail and the leg constitute a side frame, and the frame includes two side frames between which the seat and the back rest are supported. 
     
     
         36 . A chair according to  claim 33 , wherein the height of the seat is adjustable. 
     
     
         37 . A chair according to  claim 36 , wherein the frame includes a series of fixing elements on each side of the frame defining a range of heights of the seat. 
     
     
         38 . A chair according to  claim 34 , further comprising a locking device mounted on the seat and arranged to engage with the fixing elements to lock the seat at any one of a number of heights corresponding to the position of the fixing elements on each side of the frame. 
     
     
         39 . A chair according to  claim 34 , wherein the frame further comprises a seat support member connected to the seat and the leg. 
     
     
         40 . A chair according to  claim 39 , wherein the leg is moveable along a track defined in the seat support member. 
     
     
         41 . A chair according to  claim 37 , wherein each fixing element includes a fixing point. 
     
     
         42 . A chair according to  claim 37 , wherein the fixing elements are on located on the support means. 
     
     
         43 . A chair according to  claim 37 , wherein each fixing element includes a pair of fixing points horizontally aligned to fix the seat at a predetermined angle with the ground. 
     
     
         44 . A chair according to  claim 43 , wherein one of the pair of fixing points is located on the seat support member. 
     
     
         45 . A chair comprising:
 a back rest;   a seat;   a frame having a pair of side rails between which the seat and the back rest is supported; and   the back rest being pivotally attached to the frame by a back rest support member, which is moveable along the side rails, such that the back rest support member is arranged to change the position of the back rest relative to the seat in a horizontal direction.   
     
     
         46 . A chair according to  claim 45 , wherein the back rest support member is angularly moveable so that, as the position of the seat is changed, the back rest support member angularly moves to change the position of the back rest relative to the seat in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         47 . A chair according to  claim 45 , wherein the side rails include tracks along which the back rest support member is moveable, the tracks being shaped so as to cause the back rest support member to move angularly as it travels along the rails.