It is false to give an exact definition of what an office chair is. However, it is possible to identify individual features that fit this definition. First of all, an office chair is best suited for long periods of sitting at a computer.
No matter how comfortable a soft sofa is, even a standard 9-hour working day on it exhausts your back muscles. And its long-term use as a workplace can even lead to spinal diseases.
The design of office chairs has long been thought out by engineers. Their design allows you to correctly distribute the weight and position of the body so that the person does not get tired and the back does not hurt. This effect is achieved by certain design features.
Types of office chairs
- For a manager, as a rule, such models are larger and more expensive than others, since they should not only serve as a convenient workplace, but also show the status of the owner. Leather and natural wood are often used in design. The most convenient and reliable.
- For staff - the most common chairs. They are often simply called computer chairs. Inexpensive, but no less convenient. They also prevent your back from getting tired during long periods of working at the computer. Often purchased for home use.
- Ergonomic - a separate direction of chairs that have additional options for adjusting the backrest, seat, headrest and armrests.
- Gaming chairs are another popular trend in chairs in recent years. Gamers, like office workers, spend a lot of time at the computer, so manufacturers began to produce models with a bright design that resembles the seat of a sports car.
Two more types of chairs are also office chairs, but have a simpler design, so they do not need a detailed description:
- For visitors - a simplified version of office chairs without swing, rotation and height adjustment mechanisms. They have regular legs. They are often purchased in bulk for waiting rooms.
- Conference chairs - the main difference is that these chairs are connected in several pieces. Many models have an additional table so that conference visitors or lecture participants can take down information.
Despite the large number of varieties, all chairs have common design features.
Cross with wheels
The foundation that holds the entire chair is a five-pointed cross with wheels.
Its size is determined by the size and functionality of the chair itself. In large models with the ability to lean back and turn the chair into a full-fledged chaise lounge, a larger crosspiece is needed. In smaller, simpler models you can save a little on the size of the cross. However, not so much that the chair could tip over.
The crosspiece itself is made of durable metal so that the chair can withstand heavy weight. Sometimes it is simply chromed or painted. Sometimes plastic or wood linings are installed on top. This only affects appearance.
The wheels are the most movable part of the chair; they bear the entire load, so they are most often prone to breakdowns. Manufacturers know this, so they most often provide for the possibility of easy replacement.
Repair of computer chairs: types of breakdowns and rules for their elimination
The life of a modern person is inextricably linked with computers and office equipment, work on which requires the presence of specialized interior items and a comfortable chair. The comfort of work, health and general condition of the employee depend on the computer chair. Due to the high intensity of use, this piece of furniture is subject to frequent breakdowns and technical malfunctions, which can be fixed independently or contacted in specialized workshops.
Gas lift
The mechanism responsible for shock absorption, rotation and the ability to adjust height. It is a steel cylinder filled with inert gas.
Compound:
- valve opening and closing button;
- gas valve;
- bushings and seals;
- 2 cavities. External and internal;
- passageway;
- Lifting rod;
- support bearing.
Operating principle.
In simple terms, by pulling the lever, you open the bypass valve. Gas from the outer cylinder begins to fill the space of the inner cylinder. There, the gas presses against the piston, creating pressure that causes the chair to rise. By pulling the lever while sitting on the chair, the gas passes from the inner cylinder to the outer one, thus lowering it.
Back
Ensures correct back position. May vary in height. Be straight or made in an anatomical S shape, simulating the correct position of the spine.
Depending on the design, the backrest may be attached to the seat and not be adjusted in any way relative to it. In such cases, it has an angle of slightly more than 90 degrees relative to the seat.
This allows you to relieve excess stress on the spine. The swing mechanism in such models allows the backrest to recline along with the seat. In more advanced models, the backrest reclines more than the seat, turning the chair into a chaise lounge.
In chairs where the backrest is fixed separately from the seat, it is possible to adjust its height, angle of inclination and sometimes depth.
Replacement of gas elevator
If the gas cartridge does not compress, and the device is required when using a chair, that is, fixing the device in one position is unacceptable, then a complete replacement of the mechanism is required.
To replace you need:
- prepare a certain set of tools and additional materials;
- familiarize yourself with the work flow chart.
Preparing to replace the gas lift
To replace the gas lift swing mechanism, you will need to prepare:
- new chair lift. You can purchase accessories in a specialized store. When choosing a gas elevator, you should take into account the dimensions of the equipment and the maximum load. If you can’t determine the parameters yourself, you can use the help of sales consultants;
- Phillips screwdriver for assembling and disassembling furniture;
- hammer. To ensure safety, it is better to use a hammer made of rubber. Such a tool will not damage the equipment during operation;
- ring punch;
Punch – a tool for pulling out (so-called “knocking out”) parts from holes
- vice. You can replace the gas lift without a vice, but using a bench tool will simplify the work;
- WD-40 liquid.
Mechanisms
After the gas lift, the most technologically advanced part of office chairs is the adjustment and swing mechanisms.
Piastra
The simplest mechanism is with a lever that presses the gas lift valve. Allows you to adjust the chair only in height. Sometimes it is supplemented with a simple mechanism that allows you to adjust the depth of the seat by moving the backrest.
Basic spring mechanisms
A spring hidden under a plastic cover allows you to adjust the backrest tilt. Models with such mechanisms also have the ability to adjust the backrest in height and depth.
Top Gun (Centered Swing Mechanism)
Most executive chairs are equipped with this mechanism. Allows the chair to recline in the range from 95 to 135 degrees. However, since the mechanism is centered, the seat also tilts, which forces the feet to leave the floor. This is the main disadvantage of such a mechanism. In expensive models, this is solved by shifting the axis to the edge.
Multiblock (Complex mechanisms with tilt fixation)
Multiblocks or synchronized mechanisms are placed on ergonomic chairs. They automatically change the angle of the backrest depending on the weight of the person. This provides the spine with maximum comfort.
In addition, the mechanism allows you to fix the backrest in a comfortable position.
How to reupholster chairs with your own hands: simple tips
- To remove the gas lift, you need to remove the protective casing on the leg, having previously dismantled all elements that impede access;
- There is usually a spring latch at the bottom center of the cross. It should be removed from its seat;
- Remove the bearing and other components under the retainer. Remember exactly the sequence of their location;
- Now the cross itself is removed. Thus, you open access to the gas elevator;
- Get rid of the cover. The junction between the elevator and the seat is the most difficult area. When the chair is actively used, it can be difficult to simply pull out the gas lift. Treat this area with a penetrating lubricant. WD40 works great;
- Remove the old gas lift itself, install a new one, and reassemble the entire assembly, proceeding in reverse order.
This is how you can repair your favorite computer chair at home without outside help.
Armchairs include a number of elements that usually cannot be repaired or restored. The whole point of the repair comes down to removing damaged parts and installing new parts in their place.
I think you will succeed and you will definitely succeed.
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A modern office chair is a functional and comfortable piece of furniture, equipped with a rather complex mechanism that sooner or later fails. In such a situation, there are three options for the development of events: purchase a new one, take it to a specialized workshop, or repair the office chair yourself.
As practice has shown, it is quite possible to carry out such work on your own. The only thing that is required from the master is strict adherence to the sequence of actions and implementation of the instructions that will be given in this publication.
Armrests and headrests
Armrests provide elbow support if needed. If you are sitting at a comfortable desk and do not need additional arm support, the armrests can be detached. However, in some models of executive chairs, the backrest is attached to the seat precisely through the armrests, so they perform not only a decorative function, but also a constructive one.
Armrests are made of plastic, metal and wood. The material depends on the design and price.
In ergonomic models, the armrests can be adjusted in height.
The headrest is not a mandatory element, so most chairs do not have one or it is part of the backrest. However, ergonomic chairs allow you to adjust not only the height of the headrest, but also the depth.
Common breakdowns
As noted above, an office chair is a rather complex device and any of its structural elements can fail.
Damage to the cross
The problem with this element may be destruction at the junction of the beams. The material from which the cross is made is important here.
As a rule, the base is a hollow structure into which a polypropylene pipe of suitable size and cross-section can be inserted. It, in turn, must be rigidly fixed to the base and the damaged beam.
Plastic parts cannot be spliced using glue or a soldering iron due to the large loads on the paws. There is no point in restoring the integrity of this element. The best option would be to completely replace the damaged structure with a glass-filled polyamide base.
In order to dismantle the crosspiece of an office chair, you need:
- Remove the rollers . As a rule, they do not have a rigid fixation and are quite simply removed from the mounting sockets. To illustrate the process, it is recommended to watch the video:
Note! In case of critical damage or destruction, it is impossible to knock the gas elevator out of the base. In this case, you should remove the working cylinder with the seal and bearing from the “glass”.
The process technology and dismantling device are shown in the video:
Destruction of the swing mechanism
If the chair does not hold the “horizon”, then the problem is most likely in the destruction of the swing mechanism.
Fastening to the seat is done with four screws using a shaped screwdriver. The element is dismantled as follows:
- The bolts that secure the rocking mechanism from the seat are unscrewed
- The gas lift is knocked out of the device mount.
On the subject: Lying exercises for arm muscles with dumbbells
This element is made of metal.
You can independently solve the problem of a collapsed device by completely replacing it (recommended) or using a welding machine.
It should be noted that most chairs originating from the Middle Kingdom are not suitable for domestic spare parts. This concerns, first of all, the swing mechanisms (size discrepancy).
- Chinese mechanisms: 200 x 200 mm.
- Domestic: 200 x 150 mm.
In order not to re-drill holes when replacing an element, we suggest using adapter plates. How it looks assembled can be seen in the figure below.
Air chuck failure
The pneumatic cartridge of the chair is a two-chamber structure filled with air. When you press the adjustment lever, the valve stops the flow of air between the chambers.
If, when pressing on the valve, the gas lift rod does not extend, it means that the integrity of the piston, seal, etc. is compromised.
It is important to know! The gas lift cannot be disassembled . If damaged, a complete replacement of the element is required
The dismantling process is described above. To clarify the process, watch the video about replacing the gas cartridge on office chairs:
A fairly common cause of gas lift failure is the bending of the adjustment lever, which does not allow pressing on the cartridge valve. In this case, the repair can be easily carried out independently: you need to bend the lever to its original state.
