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The present invention relates broadly to motion upholstery furniture designed to support a user's body in an essentially seated disposition. Motion upholstery furniture includes recliners, incliners, sofas, love seats, sectionals, theater seating, traditional chairs, and chairs with a moveable seat portion, such furniture pieces being referred to herein generally as “seating units.” More particularly, the disclosure relates to an improved ottoman linkage mechanism that is configured to assist the user in closing the ottoman linkage.
Reclining seating units exist that allow a user to extend a footrest forward and to recline a backrest rearward relative to a seat. These existing seating units typically provide three basic positions (e.g., a standard, non-reclined closed position; an extended position; and a reclined position). In the closed position, the seat resides in a generally horizontal orientation and the backrest is disposed substantially upright. Additionally, the seating unit includes one or more ottomans attached with a mechanical arrangement, the mechanical arrangement is collapsed such that one or more ottomans are not extended. In the extended position, often referred to as a television (“TV”) position, the one or more ottomans are extended forward of the seat, and the backrest remains sufficiently upright to permit comfortable television viewing by an occupant of the seating unit. In the reclined position, the backrest is pivoted rearward from the extended position into an obtuse relationship with the seat for lounging or sleeping.
In non-motorized versions of modern seating units, the user manually adjusts the seating unit from the closed position to the TV position, and back, to extend and retract the ottoman or footrest. It would be helpful to ease the force required to return the ottoman from the TV position to the closed position.
Accordingly, embodiments of the mechanism pertain to an improved recliner mechanism that assists the user in moving the recliner from the TV position, with the ottoman extended, to the closed position, with the ottoman retracted.
Generally, a recliner will have two opposed recliner mechanisms, one on each side. The mechanisms typically have a rail that allows the mechanism to be affixed to the inner side of the chair base. The recliner mechanism also has a back mounting link that couples the chair back to the mechanism and a seat mounting plate that supports a seating surface between the sides of the chair. Finally, the recliner mechanism has an ottoman bracket that supports an ottoman from the chair. A number of links interconnect the back, seat, and ottoman for movement relative to the chair base. In operation, the recliner mechanisms are adapted to move between a closed position, an extended TV position, and a reclined position.
Embodiments seek to provide an improved recliner mechanism that assists the user in closing the ottoman. In an exemplary embodiment, a spring retaining link is coupled to a lock bracket. The spring retaining link is used to support, and act as the anchor point for, one end of an extension spring. The other end of the extension spring is coupled to a spring activation link, which is rotatably coupled to the ottoman lock link. A catch finger is used to selectively couple the spring activation link to the motion of a rear ottoman link. As the rear ottoman link rotates about a pivotal coupling to a seat mounting plate, the spring activation link moves with respect to the spring retaining link. When the mechanism moves from the TV position to the closed position, the relative movement of the spring activation link and the spring retaining link causes the extension spring to extend for the first part of the closing movement, and to retract during the second part of the closing movement. The retraction of the extension spring provides assistance in closing the ottoman. The overall effect of which is to enable the recliner mechanism to be returned to the closed position from the TV position with less force, making it easier for the user to return the recliner to the closed position.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and which are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views:
Generally, the linkage mechanism 10 guides the movement of a backrest, seat, and ottoman of the recliner on which it is installed. In an exemplary configuration, these movements are controlled by a pair of essentially mirror-image linkage mechanisms (one of which is shown herein and indicated by reference numeral 10), which comprise an arrangement of pivotal interconnected linkages. The linkage mechanisms are disposed in opposing-facing relation about a longitudinally extending plane that bisects the recliner between a pair of opposed sides. As such, the ensuing discussion will focus on only one of the linkage mechanisms 10, with the content being equally applied to the other complimentary linkage assembly. The mechanism 10 couples the seat, the backrest, and the ottoman together to move the seating unit between closed, TV, and fully reclined positions, as is more fully described below.
The mechanism 10 is adjustable to three basic positions: a closed position (
The rear control link 36 is coupled on one end to the rear bell crank 32. It extends upwardly and rearwardly, and is pivotally connected to a back mounting link 44 at its other end. Rear control link 36 is thus pivotally connected between rear bell crank 32 and back mounting link 44. Back mounting link 44 has a forward end that is pivotally coupled to a seat mounting plate 48. The upper end of back mounting link 44 is used to couple the backrest of the seating unit to the mechanism 10. As back mounting link 44 pivots rearwardly, the backrest is reclined.
Returning to bridge link 40, it can be seen that one end of bridge link 40 is pivotally coupled to rear bell crank 32. The opposite, forward end of bridge link 40 is pivotally coupled to an L-shaped, front lift link 58. The outer end of one leg of front lift link 58 is pivotally coupled to seat mounting plate 48. The outer end of the other leg of front lift link 58 is pivotally coupled to a front pivot link 66. Front lift link 58 is thus pivotally connected to bridge link 40, seat mounting plate 48, and front pivot link 66. As seen in
Front pivot link 66 is thus coupled on one end to the front lift link 58 and is pivotally coupled on the opposite, lower end to side rail 26. A carrier link 74 is pivotally coupled to front pivot link 66 generally mid-way along the link. Carrier link 74 extends rearwardly and is coupled on its other end to a front bell crank 78.
Front bell crank 78 has a somewhat boomerang shape, as shown. One end of front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to carrier link 74. Generally, at the mid-point, front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to seat mounting plate 48. The opposite end of front bell crank 78 is pivotally coupled to ottoman drive link 86. As best seen in
Returning to seat mounting plate 48, a lock bracket 118 is secured to a drive tube generally around the midpoint of seat mounting plate 48. Lock bracket 118 is used to secure a drive tube between both seat mounting plates 48 and to couple an actuation mechanism (not shown) to the mechanism 10. Operation of the actuation mechanism rotates bracket 118 and allows movement of the mechanism between the closed, TV, and reclined positions. The outer end of lock bracket 118 is pivotally coupled to an ottoman lock link 122. The ottoman lock link 122 extends from bracket 118 to the rear ottoman link 90, and is pivotally coupled thereto. A spring retaining link 124 is also pivotally coupled to bracket 118. Near the top of the bend section, spring retaining link 124 has a notch 128, as seen in
As best seen in
In operation, starting from the TV position of
Once in the closed position, the torsion spring 146 imparts a rotational force to catch finger 142, relative to spring activation link 132 and generally about the axis formed by bushing 144. This action “lifts” the catch finger 142 upwardly away from pin 140, effectively disengaging the catch finger 142 from the spring activation link 132. If a user then initiates opening the mechanism from the closed position to the TV position, the initial downward motion of catch finger 142 (caused by rotation of the rear ottoman link being rotated by the lock bracket 118 and the ottoman lock link 122) results in re-engagement of the curved surface 148 of catch finger 142 with the pin 140 on spring activation link 32. Through the addition of a few links, assistance is provided to the user in moving the mechanism from the TV to the closed position.
While not described in detail, those of skill in the art will recognize the mechanism shown and described will operate to also move from the TV position to the fully reclined position.
The present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope.
It will be seen from the foregoing that this invention is one well adapted to attain the ends and objects set forth above, and to attain other advantages, which are obvious and inherent in the device. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and within the scope of the claims. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not limiting.
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