Chair with occupant-assisting feature

Claim 2

An occupant-assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said seat unit including a seat and a seat base, means pivotally securing said seat to said seat base at a first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said seat in a vertical plane about the first pivot point, means pivotally securing said base to said framework at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said base and seat in a vertical plane about said second pivot point, means pivotally securing said arms to said framework, and means for pivotally swinging said arms in a vertical plane, the swinging of the two arms and the seat about the first pivot point being synchronized and simultaneously effected, the means for pivotally swinging said seat about the first pivot point comprising link means engaged directly between said arms and said seat whereby movement of the seat is effected in direct response to movement of said arms.

Claim 3

The chair of claim 1 including a footrest pivotally mounted at the upper edge thereof to the forward position of said seat unit, and means responsive to the pivotal movement of the base for selectively extending and retracting said footrest forward of said base.

Claim 4

The chair of claim 2 wherein the means for selectively extending and retracting said footrest in response to movement of the base comprises linkage means engaged pivotally between said footrest, base, and framework whereby an upward pivoting of said base effects an extension of said linkage means and a corresponding upward pivoting of said footrest, and a downward pivoting of said base effects a contraction of the linkage means and a corresponding retraction of said footrest.

Claim 5

The chair of claim 3 wherein said means for pivotally swinging said base and said seat about the second pivot point comprises a rotatably mounted control rod, link means rigid at one end with said control rod for rotation therewith and slidably engaged with said base at the other end, and power means for selectively rotating said control rod in opposite directions resulting in a corresponding rotation of the attached link means and a corresponding swinging of the base slidably engaged with the second end of the link means.

Claim 6

The chair of claim 4 wherein said back is rigid with the rear edge portion of said seat base and pivotally movable therewith about the second pivot point.

Claim 7

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said seat unit including a seat and a seat base, means pivotally securing said seat to said seat base at a first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said seat in a vertical plane about the first pivot point, means pivotally securing said base to said framework at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said base and seat in a vertical plane about said second pivot point, means pivotally securing said arms to said framework, and means for pivotally swinging said arms in a vertical plane, the swinging oF the two arms and the seat about the first pivot point being synchronized and simultaneously effected, said back being rigid with the rear edge portion of said seat base and pivotally movable therewith about the second pivot point.

Claim 8

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said seat unit including a seat and a seat base, means pivotally securing said seat to said seat base at a first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said seat in a vertical plane about the first pivot point, means pivotally securing said base to said framework at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, means for pivotally swinging said base and seat in a vertical plane about said second pivot point, means pivotally securing said arms to said framework, and means for pivotally swinging said arms in a vertical plane, the swinging oF the two arms and the seat about the first pivot point being synchronized and simultaneously effected, said back being rigid with the rear edge portion of said seat base and pivotally movable therewith about the second pivot point.

Claim 9

The chair of claim 6 wherein said means for pivotally swinging said base and said seat about the second pivot point comprises a rotatably mounted control rod, link means rigid at open end with said control rod for rotation therewith and slidably engaged with said base at the other end, and power means for selectively rotating said control rod in opposite directions resulting in a corresponding rotation of the attached link means and a corresponding swinging of the base slidably engaged with the second end of the link means.

Claim 10

The chair of claim 6 wherein the means for pivotally swinging said arms in a vertical plane comprises a hydraulic ram engaged between each arm and an arm underlying portion of the framework.

Claim 11

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said arms being pivotally secured to said framework for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, power means engaged between said framework and said arms for effecting a selective pivotal adjustment of said arms, said seat unit including a seat pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, and means for enabling a synchronized vertically pivoting adjustment of said seat in conjunction with the power means adjustment of said arms between the first and second positions of said arms and said seat, the means enabling a synchronized adjustment of the seat comprising lift link means including a link engaged between each arm and the seat, and a stabilizer link pivotally secured at one end thereof to each lift link and having the second end thereof slidably engaged with the corresponding side edge of the seat for movement therealong in response to an angular adjustment of the corresponding lift link resulting from the pivotal swinging of the arms and seat.

Claim 12

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said arms being pivotally secured to said framework for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, power means engaged between said framework and said arms for effecting a selective pivotal adjustment of said arms, said seat unit including a seat pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, and means for enabling a synchronized vertically pivoting adjustment of said seat in conjunction with the power means adjustment of said arms between the first and second positions of said arms and said seat, the means enabling a synchronized adjustment of the seat comprising lift link means including a link engaged between each arm and the seat, and a stabilizer link pivotally secured at one end thereof to each lift link and having the second end thereof slidably engaged with the corresponding side edge of the seat for movement therealong in response to an angular adjustment of the corresponding lift link resulting from the pivotal swinging of the arms and seat.

Claim 13

The chair of claim 9 wherein each arm includes, toward the rear end thereof, an adjustable arm support selectively movable between a first position generally recessed within the arm and a second position projecting perpendicularly upward therefrom.

Claim 14

The chair of claim 9 wherein said seat unit includes a base rigid with said back, said base and said back, at the approximate juncture therebetween, being pivotally secured at said framework for a rearward swinging thereof relative to said arms and said framework.

Claim 15

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said arms being pivotally secured to said framework for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, power means engaged between said framework and said arms for effecting a selective pivotal adjustment of said arms, said seat unit including a seat pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, and means for enabling a synchronized vertically pivoting adjustment of said seat in conjunction with the power means adjustment of said arms between the first and second positions of said arms and said seat, said seat unit including a base rigid with said back, said base and said back, at the approximate juncture therebetween, being pivotally secured to said framework for a rearward swinging thereof relative to said arms and said framework.

Claim 16

An occupant assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, a back, and a pair of laterally spaced arms, said arms being pivotally secured to said framework for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, power means engaged between said framework and said arms for effecting a selective pivotal adjustment of said arms, said seat unit including a seat pivotally mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane between a first generally horizontal position and a second generally vertical position, and means for enabling a synchronized vertically pivoting adjustment of said seat in conjunction with the power means adjustment of said arms between the first and second positions of said arms and said seat, said seat unit including a base rigid with said back, said base and said back, at the approximate juncture therebetween, being pivotally secured to said framework for a rearward swinging thereof relative to said arms and said framework.

Claim 17

An occupant-assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, and a back, said seat unit including a seat and a seat base, means pivotally securing said seat to said seat base at a first pivoT point, means for pivotally swinging said seat in a vertical plane about the first pivot point, means pivotally securing said base to said framework at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, and means for pivotally swinging said base and seat in a vertical plane about said second pivot point, said back being rigid with the rear edge portion of said seat base and pivotally movable therewith about the second pivot point, said seat being separate from said back and pivotally swingable about the first pivot point independent of said back.

Claim 18

An occupant-assisting chair comprising a supporting framework, a seat unit, and a back, said seat unit including a seat and a seat base, means pivotally securing said seat to said seat base at a first pivoT point, means for pivotally swinging said seat in a vertical plane about the first pivot point, means pivotally securing said base to said framework at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point, and means for pivotally swinging said base and seat in a vertical plane about said second pivot point, said back being rigid with the rear edge portion of said seat base and pivotally movable therewith about the second pivot point, said seat being separate from said back and pivotally swingable about the first pivot point independent of said back.

Claim 19

The chair of the claim 13 wherein said second pivot point is located approximately at the juncture between the back and the seat base. 15 The chair of claim 13 including a pair of laterally spaced arms pivotally secured to said framework for swinging movement in conjunction with said seat, each arm including, toward the rear end thereof, an adjustable arm support selectively movable between a first position generally recessed within the arm and a second position projecting perpendicularly upward therefrom.