| abstract |
A tilt control mechanism for an office chair includes a spring arrangement which permits forward and rearward tilting of the chair while also urging the chair to a normal upright position. The spring arrangement includes front and rear springs which act in combination such that the upward acting forces acting on the chair can be varied during use. The forces being applied by the front spring are adjusted by a side-actuated tension adjustment mechanism which incorporates a wedge block for adjusting the spring forces. Further, the rear springs provide a variable spring force such that the spring force is maximized when in the normal position but is decreased substantially once the chair is fully reclined. This reduction in spring force allows a user to maintain the chair in the fully reclined position with significantly less force than was required to tilt the chair rearwardly while a sufficient spring force continues to be applied by the front spring to urge the chair to the normal position. |