Claims
- 1. A convertible article of furniture, comprising:a support structure; a primary cushion member stationarily supported by the support structure, wherein the primary cushion member defines a forward end and a rearward end; and a back member movably mounted to the support structure for movement between an upstanding rearward position and a lowered forward position, wherein the back member includes an inner section and a movable outer section, wherein the inner and outer sections extend upwardly from the primary cushion member toward the rearward end of the primary cushion member when the back member is in its upstanding rearward position, and wherein, when the back member is in its lowered forward position, the inner section of the back member extends forwardly from the forward end of the primary cushion member and the outer section of the back member is located below the inner section.
- 2. The convertible article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the back member is movably mounted to the support structure by means of a linkage arrangement interconnected between the back member and the support structure, wherein the linkage arrangement is operable to guide movement of the inner and outer sections of the back member as the back member is moved between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position.
- 3. The convertible article of furniture of claim 2, wherein the linkage arrangement comprises an inner link member pivotably interconnected between the support structure and the inner section of the back member, an outer link member pivotably interconnected between the inner link member and the outer section of the back member, and a control member pivotably interconnected between the support structure and the outer link member, wherein the inner link member provides movement of the inner section of the back member between the rearward and forward ends of the primary cushion member, the outer link member provides movement of the outer section of the back member relative to the inner section of the back member, and wherein the control member functions to guide movement of the outer section relative to the inner section as the back member is moved between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position.
- 4. The convertible article of furniture of claim 3, wherein the inner link member and the control member are pivotably interconnected with the support structure by means of a common pivot bracket.
- 5. The convertible article of furniture of claim 3, wherein the inner section of the back member is pivotably mounted to the inner link member at a back pivot location located toward an outer end defined by the inner link member, and wherein the outer link member is pivotably interconnected with the inner link member at an outer link pivot location located inwardly of the back pivot location.
- 6. The convertible article of furniture of claim 5, wherein the control member defines an inner end pivotably interconnected with the support structure and an outer end pivotably interconnected with the outer link member at a location outwardly of the outer link member pivot location.
- 7. The convertible article of furniture of claim 6, wherein the outer section of the back member is secured toward an outer end defined by the outer link member in a fixed angular relationship relative to the outer link member.
- 8. The convertible article of furniture of claim 6, wherein the inner section of the back member defines an outer edge located outwardly of the forward end of the primary cushion member when the back member is in its lowered forward position, and wherein the outer link member and the control member are configured so as to position the outer section of the back member below the inner section of the back member and inwardly of the outer edge defined by the inner section of the back member when the back member is in its lowered forward position.
- 9. The convertible article of furniture of claim 6, wherein the support structure and the back member are configured so as to position both the inner and outer sections of the back member forwardly of the support structure when the back member is in its lowered forward position.
- 10. The convertible article of furniture of claim 6, wherein the linkage arrangement is constructed such that the outer link member is pivotably mounted between the inner link member and the control member.
- 11. The convertible article of furniture of claim 1, wherein the back member is movable between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position by means of a first arm member pivotably interconnected between the support structure and the inner section of the back member, and wherein the outer section of the back member is movable relative to the inner section of the back member by means of a second arm member secured to the outer section of the back member and pivotably interconnected with the first arm member.
- 12. The convertible article of furniture of claim 11, further comprising a control member pivotably interconnected between the support structure and the second arm member, wherein the control member functions to control movement of the outer section of the back member relative to the inner section of the back member as the back member is moved between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position.
- 13. A convertible article of furniture, comprising:a primary support member defining a forward end and rearward end and having an upwardly facing support surface; and a secondary support member movably mounted relative to the primary support member, wherein the secondary support member includes an inner section having oppositely facing first and second support surfaces, and an outer section movably mounted to the inner section; wherein the secondary support member is movable relative to the primary support member between an upstanding rearward position wherein the first support surface of the secondary support member inner section extends upwardly from the upwardly facing support surface of the primary support member rearwardly of the forward end of the primary support-member, and a lowered forward position wherein the second support surface of the secondary support member inner section extends forwardly from the forward end of the primary support member and forms an extension of the upwardly facing support surface of the primary support member; and wherein the outer section of the secondary support member is movable relative to the inner section of the secondary support member between an operative position when the secondary support member is in its upstanding rearward position, in which the outer section extends upwardly from the inner section, and an inoperative position when the secondary support member is in its lowered forward position, in which the outer section is located below the inner section.
- 14. The convertible article of furniture of claim 13, wherein the article of furniture includes support structure for stationarily supporting the primary support member, and wherein the secondary support member is movably mounted to the support structure.
- 15. The convertible article of furniture of claim 14, wherein the secondary support member is movably mounted to the support structure by means of a pivot arm arrangement, for movement between the upstanding rearward position and the lowered forward position.
- 16. The convertible article of furniture of claim 15, wherein the pivot arm arrangement includes an inner pivot arm pivotably interconnected with the support structure, wherein the inner section of the secondary support member is carried by the inner pivot arm, and an outer pivot arm pivotably interconnected with the inner pivot arm, wherein the outer section of the secondary support member is carried by the outer pivot arm, and further comprising a control member movable with the pivot arm arrangement, wherein the control member and the outer pivot arm are configured to position the outer section of the secondary support member above the inner section of the secondary support member when the secondary support member is in its upstanding rearward position, and below the inner section of the secondary support member when the secondary support member is in its lowered forward position.
- 17. The convertible article of furniture of claim 16, wherein the control member comprises a control arm pivotably interconnected between the support structure and the outer pivot arm and movable along with the inner pivot arm upon movement of the secondary support member between its lowered forward position and its upstanding rearward position.
- 18. The convertible article of furniture of claim 17, wherein the control member is pivotably interconnected with the outer pivot arm at a location outwardly of the pivotable interconnection of the outer pivot arm with the inner pivot arm.
- 19. In a convertible article of furniture having an upwardly facing primary support surface defining a forward end and a rearward end, and a movable back cushion member which is movable between an upstanding rearward position in which the movable back cushion member extends upwardly from the primary support surface toward its rearward end, and a lowered forward position in which the movable back cushion member extends forwardly from the forward end of the primary support surface, the improvement comprising a back extension cushion movably mounted to the movable back cushion member, wherein the back extension cushion is movable between an operative position and an inoperative position in response to movement of the back cushion member between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position, wherein the back extension cushion in its operative position extends upwardly from the movable back cushion member, and in its inoperative position is located below the back cushion member.
- 20. The improvement of claim 19, wherein the movable back cushion member is interconnected with an inner pivot arm for movement between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position, and wherein the back extension cushion is movably interconnected with the inner pivot arm for movement between its operative and inoperative positions.
- 21. The improvement of claim 20, wherein the back extension cushion is interconnected with the inner pivot arm via an outer pivot arm which is pivotably interconnected with the inner pivot arm, wherein the back extension cushion is carried by the outer pivot arm.
- 22. The improvement of claim 21, further comprising a control member interconnected with the outer pivot arm for controlling the position of the back extension cushion relative to the back cushion member upon movement of the back cushion member between its upstanding rearward position and lowered forward position.
- 23. The improvement of claim 22, wherein the control member comprises a fixed-length member pivotably interconnected with the outer pivot arm.
- 24. The improvement of claim 23, wherein the inner pivot arm includes an inner end which is pivotably interconnected with a support arrangement defined by the convertible article of furniture, and wherein the control member defines an inner end pivotably interconnected with the support arrangement at a location offset from the pivotable connection of the inner pivot arm to the support arrangement, and an outer end pivotably interconnected with the outer pivot arm.
- 25. The improvement of claim 24, wherein the control member is pivotably interconnected with the outer pivot arm at a location outwardly of the pivot connection between the outer pivot arm and the inner pivot arm.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/295,127, filed Jun. 1, 2001. This application is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/378,582, filed Aug. 20, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,418.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
6347418 |
Leib |
Feb 2002 |
B1 |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/295127 |
Jun 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/378582 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
10/118269 |
|
US |