The present disclosure relates to furniture members having multiple rotatable seatbacks and linkage systems to control individual seatback positioning.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
Conventionally, reclining articles of furniture (i.e., sofas, loveseats, and the like), referred to hereinafter generally as reclining furniture members, utilize one or more mechanisms to bias a leg rest assembly between retracted and extended positions and separate components to allow a seatback member to rotate between an upright and a fully reclined position with respect to a seat base.
In reclining furniture members having multiple sections each adapted to support a separate occupant, each section can include its own seatback member, and each seatback member can be either of a fixed position design or a rotatable design. Due to construction tolerances and the quantity of stack-up dimensions required to operate the multiple linkages of a common reclining furniture member seatback member, the actual position of each seatback member at a nominal or upright position can vary by up to approximately 4 degrees from one or more of the other seatback members. This misalignment between seatback members can be visually noticeable to the furniture member owner and/or occupant.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
According to several aspects, a seatback member cam adjustment system includes a seat link having a first bore and a seatback link rotatably connected using a rotational fastener to the seat link. The seatback link includes: an arm portion; and a leg portion integrally connected to the arm portion. The leg portion is oriented at an angle with respect to the arm portion, and includes a second bore smaller than the first bore. A cam member has a cam body positioned in the first bore of the seat link. An obround cam surface of the cam body has oppositely facing first and second cam contact points both in direct contact with a bore inner wall of the first bore. A cam mount shaft is rotatably supported in the cam member including in the cam body and extends through the second bore of the seatback link such that the cam mount shaft is rotatably supported in the second bore. Rotation of the cam member displaces the first and second cam contact points along the bore inner wall of the first bore thereby changing an orientation angle of the arm portion with respect to the seat link and changing an orientation angle of a furniture member seatback member.
According to other aspects, a seatback member cam adjustment system includes a seat link having a first bore. A seatback link is rotatably connected using a rotational fastener to the seat link. The seatback link has a leg portion, the leg portion including a second bore smaller than the first bore. A cam member has a cam body positioned in the first bore of the seat link. An oval shaped cam surface of the cam body has oppositely facing first and second cam contact points both in direct contact with a bore inner wall of the first bore and a portion of the cam surface between the first and second cam contact points spaced away from the bore inner wall. A cam mount shaft is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the cam mount shaft in the cam body and extends through the second bore of the seatback link such that the cam member is rotatably supported by the cam mount shaft. Rotation of the cam member repositions the first and second contact points along the bore inner wall of the first bore thereby changing an orientation angle of the seatback link with respect to the seat link.
According to further aspects, a seatback member cam adjustment system includes a seat link having a first bore. A seatback link is rotatably connected using a rotational fastener to the seat link. The seatback link includes an arm portion and a leg portion integrally connected to the arm portion. The leg portion is oriented at an angle with respect to the arm portion and includes a second bore smaller than the first bore. A coupling member is fixed to a seatback member. The arm portion of the seatback link is coupled to the coupling member. The leg portion of the seatback member is connected by the rotational fastener to the seat link and further to an arcuate link. A cam member has a cam body positioned in the first bore of the seat link. An obround cam surface of the cam body has oppositely facing first and second cam contact points both in direct contact with a bore inner wall of the second bore. A cam mount shaft rotatably supported in the cam body extends through the second bore of the seatback link such that the cam mount shaft is rotatably supported in the second bore. Rotation of the cam member changes an orientation angle of the arm portion with respect to the seat link and thereby adjusts an orientation angle of a furniture member first seatback member connected to the arm portion of the seatback link.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The cam member 12 is rotatably connected to the seatback link 28 such that when the cam member 12 is manually rotated within the bore 14 of the seat link 18, the seatback link 28 is rotatably displaced in a link adjustment direction “A” from the first position shown as seatback link 28 to a second position shown as seatback link 28′, and/or oppositely rotated back to the original position of seatback link 28. According to several aspects, rotation of cam member 12 provides approximately 4 degrees of rotation for the seatback link 28 to allow for adjustment of seatback link 28. The seatback link 28 rotates with respect to second rotational fastener 24 about an axis of rotation 33 of second rotational fastener 24 which also defines one rotational axis for rotation of seat link 18 and arcuate link 26. The first rotational fastener 20 does not extend through or contact leg 32.
Referring to
Independent operation of each mechanism 40 provides for rotation of individual ones of a first, second, and third seatback member 44, 46, 48, each individually and rotatably connected to one of the first, second, or third furniture member frame sections 35, 36, 38. Each of the seatback members 44, 46, 48 includes a first seatback frame member 50 and a mirror image second seatback frame member 52. In the embodiment shown, the seatback link 28 is slidingly received in a coupling member 53 connected to first seatback frame member 50, while another seatback link 28 is similarly coupled using a second coupling member (not visible in this view) similarly connected to second seatback frame member 52. In any of the first, second, and/or third furniture member frame sections 35, 36, 38 not having a mechanism 40, such as second furniture member frame section 36 shown, the corresponding seatback member (seatback member 46) can still be provided with seatback member cam adjustment systems 10 to permit adjustment of seatback member 46 with respect to the other seatback members.
The individual positions of the first, second, and third seatback members 44, 46, 48 can vary with respect to each other based on construction and stack-up tolerances such that a seatback rear edge 56 of first seatback member 44 can be misaligned with respect to a seatback rear edge 58 of second seatback member 46 and/or with respect to a seatback rear edge 60 of third seatback member 48. For visual aesthetics, it is desirable that each of the seatback rear edges 56, 58, 60 align with respect to a common reference line 62 at the seatback upright positions shown.
Two seatback member cam adjustment systems 10 are provided with each of the first, second, and third furniture member frame sections 35, 36, 38, and allow for individual adjustment of each of the seatback rear edges 56, 58, 60 to align the seatback rear edges 56, 58, 60 on reference line 62. This alignment can be performed at the factory during assembly of the furniture member 34, or also can be performed at the point of sale of furniture member 34. The common alignment of each of the seatback rear edges 56, 58, 60 is desirable to provide an aesthetically optimal condition for furniture member 34 at a nominal or upright operating position. Each pair of seatback member cam adjustment systems 10 can therefore provide for individual adjustment of the first, second, and/or third seatback member 44, 46, 48 to provide this alignment.
Additionally or alternatively, the adjustment systems 10 of one or more of the seatback members 44, 46, 48 can be adjusted to a position that provides most comfort for a particular user or owner of the furniture member 34. For example, some users may find the furniture member 34 most comfortable with one or more of seatback members 44, 46, 48 in the forward-most position, while other users may find the furniture member 34 most comfortable with one or more of seatback members 52, 54, 56 in the nominal position or in the rearward-most position. Therefore, the adjustment systems 10 can be advantageously incorporated into articles of furniture including one or more reclining mechanisms 40 (or any other reclining mechanism) as well as articles of furniture that do not include reclining mechanisms 40 (or any other reclining mechanism) or sections of an article of furniture that do not include a reclining mechanism 40 (or any other reclining mechanism).
Referring to
It is noted that mechanism 40 is not operated to achieve the adjustment provided by seatback member cam adjustment systems 10. It is further noted that the arm rest 42 is connected only with respect to the first furniture member frame section 35 such that adjustment of the first seatback member 44, with respect to the seatback forward rotation direction “B”, only involves the motion of the first seatback member 44. It should be apparent that the first seatback member 44, as well as the remaining second and third seatback members 46, 48, can be adjusted in either the seatback forward rotation direction “B” or oppositely rotated to achieve alignment with respect to reference line 62 by operation of the cam members 12 associated with each of the first, second, or third furniture member frame sections 35, 36, 38.
Referring to
In each of the rotated positions of cam member 12, a shaft central longitudinal axis 70 of the cam mount shaft 16 is always displaced with respect to a bore center axis 72 of bore 14. It is this displacement between the shaft central longitudinal axis 70 and bore center axis 72 and subsequent rotation of the cam member 12 that allows for adjustment of the position of the individual seatback members. The cam mount shaft 16 extends transversely with respect to a first cam end face 74 such that a cam surface 76 is oriented substantially parallel with respect to the shaft central longitudinal axis 70. The cam surface 76, however, defines an obround or oval shape such that the cam surface 76 only provides a first cam contact point 78 and a second cam contact point 80 with respect to a bore inner wall 82 of the bore 14. The first and second cam contact points 78, 80 are always aligned with respect to the bore center axis 72. The obround or oval shape of the cam surface 76 therefore provides a first gap G1 which reaches a maximum gap width approximately midway between first and second cam contact points 78, 80. There is a portion of the gap G1 varying between a minimum value and the maximum gap width always present between the bore inner wall 82 and the cam surface 76 at all locations between the first and second cam contact points 78, 80.
An axis reference line 84, extending through shaft central longitudinal axis 70, is therefore displaced with respect to a reference line extending through each of the first and second cam contact points 78, 80. In addition to cam surface 76, an oppositely facing cam free wall 86 is freely positioned away from bore inner wall 82 at all locations, allowing for the free rotation of cam member 12. At the first position of cam member 12 (shown), the first cam contact point 78 contacts the bore inner wall 82 at a first cam contact position Z1. Similarly, a second cam contact point 80 contacts the bore inner wall 82 at a second cam contact position Z2. First and second cam contacts positions Z1, Z2 are positioned 180 degrees apart from each other.
Referring to
It is noted that at the second rotated position of cam member 12, a second gap G2 is maximized midway between the third and fourth cam contact positions Z3, Z4. According to several aspects, the second gap G2 is substantially equal to first gap G1 due to the circularity of bore 14. Also at this rotated position of cam member 12, the shaft central longitudinal axis 70 is displaced downwardly and to the left compared to the relative position of shaft central longitudinal axis 70 as shown in
Referring to
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Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.
Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.
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Entry |
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Robotic Mechanisms—Cam Mechanisms 51050, Jul. 21, 2013, http://www.robotpark.com/academy/robotic-mechanisms-cam-mechanisms-51050/. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150351545 A1 | Dec 2015 | US |