Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C3/00—Chairs characterised by structural features; Chairs or stools with rotatable or vertically-adjustable seats
  • A47C3/02—Rocking chairs
  • A47C3/025—Rocking chairs with seat, or seat and back-rest unit elastically or pivotally mounted in a rigid base frame
  • A47C3/0255—Rocking chairs with seat, or seat and back-rest unit elastically or pivotally mounted in a rigid base frame pivotally mounted in the base frame, e.g. swings
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47C—CHAIRS; SOFAS; BEDS
  • A47C3/00—Chairs characterised by structural features; Chairs or stools with rotatable or vertically-adjustable seats
  • A47C3/02—Rocking chairs
  • A47C3/03—Locking members

Definitions

• the present invention relates a suspension device for use in reclinable seating, particularly seating in which the reclinable unit comprises a back rest and seat portion formed in fixed relation to one another e.g. as an integral unit.
• This reclinable unit may also comprise a leg support or footrest portion.
• FIGS. 2 and 3 of the l 599 patent show such an arrangement in the upright and fully reclined states, respectively.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe present application schematically correspond to those drawings in the patent.
• the present invention provides a recliner chair comprising a linkage mechanism by which a reclinable unit is suspended from a base unit, the linkage mechanism comprising at least three members pivotally connected in series, two outer members ofthe series being pivotally secured to the base unit, the reclining unit being affixed, preferably rigidly, to an intermediate member of the series, rotation of the intermediate member between the two outer members of the series allowing movement ofthe reclinable unit between an upright and a fully reclined position about a pivotal axis.
• the pivotal axis preferably moves during movement ofthe reclinable unit between upright and fully reclined positions, this movement including a vertical component such that the combined center of gravity of the reclinable unit and any occupant remains at a substantially constant height.
• the reclinable unit is connected to the base unit by at least one. and preferably two linkage mechanisms one on each side of the unit.
• the present invention provides a suspension device for a reclinable seating comprising a linkage mechanism by which a reclinable unit is suspended from a base unit, the linkage mechanism comprising at least three members pivotally connected in series, two outer members of the series being pivotally securable to the base unit, an intermediate member of the series being securable, preferably rigidly, to the reclinable unit, the intermediate member being rotatable between the two outer members of the series, about a pivotal axis, to permit movement ofthe reclinable unit between an upright and a fully reclined position.
• the linkage mechanism comprises three members pivotally connected in series.
• the intermediate member of the series is formed in a T-shape.
• two arms ofthe T being pivotally linked to other members of the series, the third arm of the T being rigidly securable to the reclinable unit.
• the relative lengths and proportions ofthe members ofthe linkage mechanism are substantially as shown in the accompanying FIGS. 4-8.
• a reclinable seating unit in which the axis of rotation of the reclinable element is lowered relative to a base unit as the reclinable element moves from a fully reclined to an intermediate position or from an upright to an intermediate position, and the axis is raised as the reclinable unit moves from an intermediate position to an upright position.
• This combined vertical (raising and lowering) and rotational movement of the axis of rotation and also of the reclinable unit itself is permitted by the right attachment ofthe reclinable element to an intermediate member of a pivoting linkage mechanism, rotation of the intermediate member between two outer members of the mechanism leading to rotation ofthe reclinable element about moving axis, the movement of that axis having both horizontal and vertical components.
• the intermediate position may be the most stable position ofthe reclinable element, at least when the seating is unoccupied, however in other embodiments no one position of the reclinable element is significantly more or less stable than another.
• the energy required for rotation of the reclinable element between the upright and an intermediate or between the fully reclined and the intermediate position is substantially equal to the energy gained by the lowering ofthe rotational axis ofthe reclinable unit, i.e. the torque of rotation multiplied by the increment of the rotational angle is substantially equal to the combined weight ofthe reclinable unit and the occupant multiplied by the distance through which the reclinable element is lowered during rotation through said angle increment from the upright to the intermediate or from the fully reclined to the intermediate position.
• FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows an occupied well-known prior art reclining armchair in the fully upright position
• FIG. 2 shows the prior art armchair of FIG. 1 in a fully reclined position
• FIQ. 3 diagrammatically shows the movement ofthe combined centre of gravity of the reclining element and occupant during movement ofthe known armchair between the positions of FIG. 2 and FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 4 shows a side view of an armchair incorporating a linkage mechanism according to the present invention
• FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the armchair of FIG. 4;
• FIG. 6 diagrammatically shows the position ofthe linkage mechanism ofthe present invention when the armchair of FIG. 4 is in the fully upright position;
• FIG. 7 diagrammatically shows the position ofthe linkage mechanism ofthe present invention when the armchair of FIG. 4 is in the intermediate position
• FIG. 8 diagrammatically shows the position of the linkage mechanism of the present invention when the armchair of FIG. 4 is in the fully reclined position
• FIG. 9 diagrammatically shows the linkage mechanism of FIG. 4 incorporating a locking member to hold the armchair in the upright position
• FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing another embodiment of a locking member
• FIG. 1 1 is a detail view of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 10;
• FIGS. 12 and 13 are diagrammatic views of a portion of the locking mechanism showing it in the unlocked and locked positions, respectively.
• a reclinable armchair incorporating the present invention may comprise a base unit 1 and a reclinable unit 2 incorporating a backrest section, a seat section and a footrest section in fixed structural relationship to one another.
• the base unit 1 inco ⁇ orates two side members, the reclinable element being suspended between the side members by means of two linkage mechanisms according to the present invention.
• the centre of gravity leveling effect provided by the present invention can be achieved by linkage arrangement of four rigid members (links) in which two downwardly converging swing links 15, 16 are pivoted from pivots 22 and 23. respectively, which are attached to the upper part of base structure 1, pivot 23 being behind pivot 22 in the feet-to-head direction.
• the other end of said links 15, 16 are pivotally connected to the ends of a further link or rigid 14 at pivots 20, 21.
• the pivot . 20 and 21 are closer together than pivot 22 and 23.
• a downwardly extending member 13 is rigidly attached.
• the lower end of member 13 is rigidly attached to the reclinable seating element 2.
• the links 14, 15 and 16 with the base 1 between the pivots 22 and 23 form a four-bar linkage.
• the link 14 is generally disposed below the level of the pivots 22 and 23.
• FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show the position ofthe linkage mechanism members (links) 14-16 in the upright, partially reclined (intermediate) and fully reclined positions, respectively.
• the typical range of reclining movement is 30° - 60°.
• this arrangement leads to the movement ofthe centre of gravity 5 remaining approximately horizontal, as opposed to its movement as shown in FIG. 3 which shows the result of suspending the seating element 2 from a single fixed pivot axis 4, as in the armchair known from U.S. Patent No. 4,790,599 and shown in FIGS. 1-3.
• This effect arises because the pivot axis is (inevitably) lower than the centre of gravity.
• the present invention cannot totally guarantee an absolutely horizontal movement ofthe centre of gravity 5 for ail users, mainly because of differences in body build.
• the small amount of friction inevitably present in the system covers small residual imbalances and also a user will be able to optimize the balance ofthe chair by altering the position of his body in the chair, e.g. moving a centimeter or so forwards or backwards.
• the small effort required on the user ' s part to rotate the reclinable element 2 between its various positions is not only acceptable but actually beneficial, as it allows the position to be changed only when desired.
• An occupant can move the reclining armchair between positions by shifting his bodyweight e.g. by moving his arms, or by exerting a force on the base unit 1 e.g. by pushing or pulling on arms ofthe chair (not shown) which may be affixed thereto.
• FIG. 9 One way in which this may be achieved in chairs inco ⁇ orating the mechanism of the present invention is shown in FIG. 9, where a rigid arm 34 is pivotally connected to the base 1 at 35. In the locked state, the arm 34 is rotated over pivot 35 so as to rest against a point 33 (preferably an outwardly projecting element) on member 13. To unlock the chair, arm 35 is lifted clear (34a) of projecting element 34.
• FIG. 10 Another possible locking method involves the use of one or more oval or other non- circular cross-section members 43 affixed to and movable with the reclinable unit 2 and running in a guide trough or between guide rails 40. 41 (FIG. 10).
• Rotation of the members 43 within the trough or between the rails e.g. by means of handle 44 moves the member(s) from a position in which the chair is free to move (FIG. 12) and a locking position (FIG. 13).
• the short axis ofthe oval 43 lies in the direction ofthe rails 40.41.
• the long axis of the oval 43 lies in the direction of the rails 40, 41.
• This mechanism allows the chair to be locked in any position and only 1/4 turn of handle 44 is required to lock and release the chair.
• the supporting member and links 13-16 of the linkage mechanism may be formed from any suitable material, but they must be strong enough to bear the weight of the reclinable element 2 and an occupant. Steel is a possible manufacturing material.

Landscapes

• Chairs For Special Purposes, Such As Reclining Chairs (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (3)

Family

ID=10792256

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1996
  • 1996-04-18 GB GBGB9608012.2A patent/GB9608012D0/en active Pending
• 1997
  • 1997-04-18 WO PCT/US1997/006557 patent/WO1997038608A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1997-04-18 DE DE69731639T patent/DE69731639T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1997-04-18 EP EP97922355A patent/EP0918480B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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