Reinforced flexible backrest assembly for a chair

Abstract

A chair including a seat assembly having depending leg members and a hollow support frame having at least two open ends terminating beneath the seat assembly and a pair of upstanding, spaced apart hollow frame members arranged to provide a backrest frame part for the chair having at least two open ends extending beneath the seat assembly and in registry with the ends of the support frame, and flexible spring members secured between each pair of members to provide an articulated, flexible spring backrest for the chair beneath the seat assembly. Each flexible spring member includes an elongated, flat or blade spring member having its opposite ends secured within a holder member which is closed at one end and open at its opposite end for inserting the spring into the holder. The open ends of each holder having stop flange formations protruding outwardly thereon which, when the holders are spaced apart at their open ends with a slight gap therebetween, effect limitation of the angle of flexure of the spring by engagement of the flanges one with the other. Each open end of the support frame can include hollow frame segments secured adjacent thereto for registry with complementary hollow frame segments secured adjacent the open ends of the backrest frame members which include like spring members secured therebetween where the segments and spring members are contained beneath the seat assembly.