Patent Application
20050067867
The present invention relates to a rocker reclining chair and a mechanism for such a chair, and especially to a rocker reclining chair and mechanism which provides a greater degree of comfort to a user, provides enhanced stability, particularly when the ottoman of the chair is extended, provides enhanced ease of operation, and which may require a reduced number of parts to manufacture.
Reclining chairs may be more comfortable if the chair's ottoman (also known as a leg rest or footrest) can be elevated and extended while the back of the chair is tilted rearward to allow the user to comfortably recline with his or her feet raised. A higher degree of elevation (or pitch) of the ottoman may provide a higher degree of comfort. However, a reclining chair that includes a rocker arrangement may become unstable when the ottoman is elevated and extended, unless a locking mechanism is provided to prevent rocking movement of the chair when the ottoman is in the extended position. Typical examples of prior art rocking reclining chairs that include locking mechanisms are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,000,745 and 4,601,513. Such mechanisms, which are typically handle-operated can be complex and include many parts in their linkages. A complex mechanism may be more difficult to manufacture and assemble, and may also require the user to apply an undesirable amount of force to the handle to operate the mechanism.
A need exists, therefore, for improved rocking reclining chair mechanisms that securely lock the chair to prevent rocking motion when the ottoman is in the extended position, while permitting the ottoman to reach a greater height for enhanced comfort. A need also exists for a rocking reclining chair that requires a reduced number of parts, so that manufacturing is more efficient and economical. A need also exists for a rocking reclining chair mechanism that can be operated easily by the user in comfort.
A recliner mechanism for a rocking chair provides stability while reclined at an increased pitch, may be economically manufactured, and provides ease of operation by the user, by having a rocker locking linkage to lock the chair against rocking motion when the ottoman of the chair is extended. The rocker locking linkage preferably includes a drive link slidingly connected to a drive element for driving a locking element to lock the chair against rocking motion. The main drive link may also be slidingly connected to a rocker cam assembly, and may drive two locking elements. The mechanism preferably includes an ottoman linkage having a guide link slidingly connected to the ottoman linkage. The mechanism also preferably includes a locking element to lock the chair against forward rocking motion by orienting pivoting locking members in a substantially aligned arrangement.
The principles of the invention will be further discussed with reference to the drawings in which preferred embodiments are shown. The specifics illustrated in the drawings are intended to exemplify, rather than limit, aspects of the invention as defined in the claims.
The terms “left” and “right,” “front” and rear,” and “forward” and “rearward” are used to describe the mechanism or chair from the viewpoint of a person occupying the chair. The “handle side” in the preferred embodiment is the right side of the chair. The term “longitudinal” is used to denote the front to rear direction, and the term “transverse” is used to denote the left-to-right direction.
The chair 10, as seen in
A right-side rocking reclining mechanism 20 is shown in
In the manufacturing of reclining chairs, it is efficient to provide left and right sides of the base 22 and operating mechanism 20 as corresponding elements of prefabricated mirror image (left and right) subassemblies often known as side linkages, certain corresponding elements of which are then integrated together by transverse interconnecting elements. In
The right and left base members 22 are connected by transverse members 28, which can be made of wood or metal or other suitable material. Lower spring mounting blocks 30 are mounted on each base member 22 by nut and bolt sets, or other appropriate fasting method. A pair of springs 32 have their lower ends mounted in lower spring mounting blocks 30, and the upper ends of the springs 32 are mounted in upper spring mounting blocks 34, which are in turn fastened to rocker cam 23 by nut and bolt sets, or other appropriate fastening arrangement. The right and left rocker cams 23 are interconnected to each other by transverse members 36, which can be made of wood, metal or other suitable material as desired.
When the chair 10 is in its upright position as shown in
A support plate 38 is mounted atop each of the rocker cams 23 by machine bolts or other appropriate fastening method. Each support plate 38 is mounted in a fixed position relative to its corresponding rocker cam 23.
Each seat and arm mounting plate 24 is supported by one of the support plates 38 through a forward swing link 40 and a v-shaped link 42. The forward swing link 40 is pivotally connected to the support plate 38 by a pivot joint 44 as seen in, for example,
As seen in
The upholstered ottoman 16 is mounted on left and right pantograph ottoman linkage sets 54, which form respective parts of the left and right side mechanisms 20. Each of these ottoman linkage sets 54 includes a crank link 56 that is fixedly connected to the torque tube extension 49, so that motion of the handle 68 may drive the ottoman linkage 54 for a movement between its extended and retracted positions. Each of the ottoman linkage sets 54 includes forward, middle and rear first links 58, 60 and 62, and forward and rear second links 64 and 66. Describing one side, the upper, forward ends of the links 58 and 60 are connected by pivot joints 68 to the vertical, longitudinal flange of a primary ottoman mounting bracket 70, which also includes a transverse flange to which the ottoman 16 is secured.
The crank link 56, which as noted is fixedly connected to the torque tube extension 49, is pivotally connected to the link 62 by a pivot joint 72 at the rearward end of the link 62. The link 66 is connected to the seat and arm mounting plate 24 by pivot joint 74. The links 62 and 66 cross each other in scissors-like fashion at intermediate portions of each of these respective links, and are pivotally interconnected by a pivot joint 76. A stop 78 on the link acts to restrict travel of the ottoman linkage 46, as seen in, for example,
A guide link 88 is pivotally connected by the pivot joint 84 to the intersection of the links 66 and 60. The guide link 88 also includes a slot 90 that forms two camming surfaces 92 and 94. A pin 96 is received in the slot 90 and connected to the link 64. The pin 96 is formed of nylon or other self-lubricating material where it contacts either camming surface 92 or 94 of the guide link 88. At the upper end of the guide link 88, a medially directed flange 98 is formed, and a respective end of a second member (not shown) of the ottoman 16 may be mounted thereon.
Turning again to the rear portion of the mechanism 20, a chair back mounting link 100 is pivotally connected to the seat and arm mounting plate 24 by pivot joint 102, and the chair back mounting link 100 is also pivotally connected to the connecting link 50 by pivot joint 104. As previously described, the lower end of the connecting link 50 is connected to the v-shaped link 42 by a pivot joint 106, while the v-shaped link 42 is pivotally connected to the seat and arm mounting plate 24 by pivot joint 48 and to the support plate 38 by a pivot joint. A stop 108 is formed on the connecting link 50 to limit the forward (clockwise as seen in
A rocker locking assembly 110 is provided as part of the operating mechanism 20 to advantageously prevent rocking motion of the chair 10 when the ottoman linkage 54 is extended, thereby enhancing the stability of the chair. The rocker locking assembly 110 includes a crank element 112 that is fixedly connected to the torque tube 51 and pivotally connected to a main drive link 114 by a pivot joint 116. The main drive link 114, in its preferred embodiment, has two slots formed therein:
(a) a first slot 118 in which a pin 120 attached to a longitudinal drive element 122 is received so that the pin 120 is capable of sliding movement along the slot 118. The pin 120 has a contacting surface of nylon or other self-lubricating material. As seen in the detail view of
The longitudinal drive element 122 is pivotally mounted at an intermediate location along its length to the support plate 38 by a pivot joint 136. As described above, the forward end of the longitudinal drive element 122 is attached to a pin 138 that is received in the first slot 118. The rearward end of the longitudinal drive element 122 it is pivotally connected to a connecting link 140 by a pivot joint 142. At a location rearward of the pivot joint 142, the longitudinal drive element 122 is pivotally connected to the upper forward end of the v-shaped link 42 by the pivot joint 143 (as best seen in
The connecting link 140 is in turn pivotally connected to a pivot link 144 by pivot joint 146 for the purpose of driving the pivot link 144 through a range of motion to lock the chair 10 from rearward rocking motion, and to release the lock. The pivot link 144 is pivotally mounted on the support plate 38 at an intermediate location along the pivot link 144's length by a pivot joint 148 (as seen in
The pivot joint 146 which as described earlier connects the pivot link 144 to the connecting link 140, is located at an intermediate location along the length of the pivot link 144, somewhat below and rearward of the pivot joint 148 in the position of
At its uppermost end, the pivot link 144 is pivotally connected to a first locking link 152 by pivot joint 154. The first locking link 152 is, at its lower end, pivotally connected to a second locking link 156 by a pivot joint 158. The second locking link 156 is connected at its lower end to a fixed locking link 160 by a pivot joint 162, while the fixed locking link 160 is fixedly connected to the base member 22 by threaded fasteners or other appropriate arrangement.
The pivot joint 158 connecting the first locking link 152 and second locking link 156 is located at an intermediate portion along the length of the second locking link 156. The upper end of the second locking link 156 has a locking profile 164 with a notched profile forming a shoulder or “duck bill” shape. The locking profile 164 is shaped to engage a stop 166 formed on the first locking link 152 to restrict the motion of the second locking link 156.
As seen in
As best seen in
To operate the mechanism 20 of the chair 10, the user assumes a comfortable seating position and pulls the handle 18 rearwardly (in a counterclockwise direction from the perspective of
As motion of the handle 118 reaches the end of its rearward (or counterclockwise as seen in
Full rotation of the handle 18 also brings the rocker locking assembly 110 into its locking position. As seen in
The downward motion of the rearward end of the longitudinal drive element 122 (caused by operating the handle as described) also applies downward force on the v-shaped link 42 through the pivot link 143. This pushes the rearward end of the arm and seat mounting plate 24 downwardly and causes the seat and arm mounting plate 24 to swing forwardly and upwardly on the forward swing link 40 and the v-shaped link 42, causing the upholstered seat and arm 12 of the chair to adopt a more reclined orientation. In this way, full extension of the ottoman linkage 54 by operating the handle 18 causes reclining of the chair, as well as locking of the rocker locking assembly 110. The resulting position, as shown in
The chair 10 may be brought in a Full Recline position, as shown in
The slots 118, 128 of the main drive link 114 facilitate full reclining of the chair 10 while maintaining its stability. As the seat and arm mounting plate 24 swings forwardly and upwardly, the main drive link is also moved forwardly and upwardly by its connection to the torque tube 51 (which is journaled in the seat and arm mounting plate 24). The slot 118 permits the pin 120 to slide along the slot 118 and to otherwise remain generally stationary as the main drive link 114 moves, thus maintaining the longitudinal drive element 122 in a generally stationary position and leaving the rocker locking assembly 110 in the locked position. The slot 128 permits the pin 130 to slide along the length of the slot 128 as the main drive link 114 moves, without exerting a substantial force on the main drive link 114. In this way, the main drive link 114 does not move substantially with respect to the torque tube 51, and the torque tube 51 is not rotated so as to cause a change in the extension/retraction of the ottoman linkage set 54. It will be understood that the shape of the slots 118, 128 can be varied so as to create desirable operating characteristics in this regard.
The mechanism of the chair of the present invention achieves several advantageous benefits. A greater pitch or degree of recline is achieved, while maintaining the chair in a position locked against either forward or rearward rocking motion. The slots 118, 128 provided in the main drive link 114, and the resulting camming surfaces formed in those slots, allows smooth and efficient operation of the mechanism of the chair, while reducing the number of parts required. Likewise, the slot 90 and camming surfaces formed in the guide link 88 also permit the ottoman to be extended easily and efficiently, while requiring fewer parts.
The upholstered elements of the chair can be provided in a wide range of styles and designs, as desired. The mechanism of the chair is preferably made of conventional materials, e.g., steel plate, punched, bent, bored and painted flat black; steel pins; self-lubricated plastic washer-like bushings for joints and contact surfaces, steel rivet-type pivot joints, and other appropriate materials, attention being given to thickness and strength given that the chair is preferably for use by a wide variety of people, including tall and heavy users.
The principles of the invention have been shown and explained in relation to a free-standing, single seat rocking chair having two arms. However, the principles of the invention can be applied to motion seating furniture in which the upholstered seat and arm frame is one-armed (as in a recliner unit for an end of a multiple seat sectional sofa having one arm), or is replaced by an armless upholstered seat frame (as in a recliner unit for an armless end of a multiple seat sectional sofa).
It should be apparent that the rocker recliner chair and mechanism as described herein possesses the attributes set forth in this specification. Because the invention can be modified to some extent without departing from its principles as they have been outlined and explained in the specification, the present invention should be understood as encompassing all such modifications as are within the spirit ad scope of the following claims.
