Reclining chair and mechanism therefore

Claim 2

A reclining chair adapted for movement to accommodate a sitter in upright and reclining positions comprising: a chair frame; a back frame pivotally mounted relative to said chair frame about a first pivot point; a seat frame pivotally mounted relative to said chair frame about a second pivot point forward of the mid-point of said seat frame and substantially higher than the lower surface thereof; a first link having one end pivotally mounted relative to said back frame about a third pivot point lower than said first pivot point when said back frame is in the upright position and the other end pivotally mounted relative to said seat frame about a fourth pivot point lower than said third pivot point when said back frame is in the upright position and proximate the rear end of said seat frame; and said third pivot point being positioned behind a straight line between said first and fourth pivot points when said back frame is in the upright position thereby enabling the pivoting of said back frame from the upright position to a semi-reclined position to effect a pivotal movement of said seat frame about said second pivot point and a generally downward movement of the rear end of said seat frame as said back frame reclines from the upright position to the semi-reclined position.

Claim 3

The reclining chair of claim 1 wherein said third pivot point is positioned substantially on said straight line when said back frame is in the semi-reclined position thereby enabling the further pivoting of said back frame from the semi-reclined position to a reclined position to effect a pivotal movement of said seat frame about said second pivot point and a generally upward movement of the rear end of said seat frame as said back frame further reclines from the semi-reclined position to the reclined position.

Claim 4

The reclining chair of claim 1 further comprising means for providing said seat frame with a further but limited degree of freedom relative to said first link proximate said fourth pivot point, the major component of said further but limited degree of freedom being in the vertical direction.

Claim 5

The reclining chair of claim 1 further comprising a second link having one end pivotally mounted to said other end of said first link at said fourth pivot point and the other end pivotally mounted relative to said seat frame about a fifth pivot point proximate the vertical position of said fourth pivot point; and stop means for narrowly limiting the pivotal movement of said seat frame relative to said second link.

Claim 6

The reclining chair of claim 1 further comprising a pivot pin fixedly secured relative to said seat frame at said fourth pivot point and rotatably and slidingly secured in an elongate closed slot formed in said other end of said first link.

Claim 7

The reclining chair of claim 1 further comprising means for slightly resilientLy biasing said back frame toward a semi-reclined position when said back frame is between the semi-reclined position and a reclined position thereby enabling a sitter to comfortably stop the chair at any position therebetween by applying a small rearward force against said back frame.

Claim 8

The reclining chair of claim 1 wherein said first pivot point is positioned substantially above the intersection of said back frame and said seat frame.

Claim 9

The reclining chair of claim 1 further comprising: reversible electric motor means operatively connected to said back frame to automatically effect pivotal movement of said back frame relative to said chair frame.

Claim 10

For use in a reclining chair having a chair frame, a back frame, and a seat frame and adapted for movement to accommodate a sitter in upright and reclining positions, a mechanism for interconnecting the chair, back, and seat frames comprising: means for pivotally mounting the back frame relative to the chair frame about a first pivot point; means for pivotally mounting the seat frame relative to the chair frame about a second pivot point forward of the mid-point of the seat frame and substantially higher than the lower surface thereof; a first link having one end adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the back frame about a third pivot point lower than said first pivot point when the back frame is in the upright position and the other end adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the seat frame about a fourth pivot point lower than said third pivot point when the back frame is in the upright position and proximate the rear end of the seat frame; and said third pivot point being positioned behind a straight line between said first and fourth pivot points when the back frame is in the upright position thereby enabling the pivoting of the back frame from the upright position to a semi-reclined position to effect a pivotal movement of the seat frame about said second pivot point and a generally downward movement of the rear end of the seat frame as the back frame reclines from the upright position to the semi-reclined position.

Claim 11

For use in a reclining chair having a chair frame, a back frame, and a seat frame and adapted for movement to accommodate a sitter in upright and reclining positions, a mechanism for interconnecting the chair, back, and seat frames comprising: means for pivotally mounting the back frame relative to the chair frame about a first pivot point; means for pivotally mounting the seat frame relative to the chair frame about a second pivot point forward of the mid-point of the seat frame and substantially higher than the lower surface thereof; a first link having one end adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the back frame about a third pivot point lower than said first pivot point when the back frame is in the upright position and the other end adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the seat frame about a fourth pivot point lower than said third pivot point when the back frame is in the upright position and proximate the rear end of the seat frame; and said third pivot point being positioned behind a straight line between said first and fourth pivot points when the back frame is in the upright position thereby enabling the pivoting of the back frame from the upright position to a semi-reclined position to effect a pivotal movement of the seat frame about said second pivot point and a generally downward movement of the rear end of the seat frame as the back frame reclines from the upright position to the semi-reclined position.

Claim 12

The mechanism of claim 9 wherein said third pivot point is positioned substantially on said straight line when the back frame is in the semi-reclined position thereby enabling the further pivoting of the back frame from the semi-reclined position to a reclined position to effect a pivotal movement of the seat frame about said second pivot point and a generally upward movement of the rear end of the seat frame as the back frame further reclines from the semi-reclined position to the reclined position.

Claim 13

The mechanism of claim 9 further comprising means for providing the seat frame with a further but limited degree of freedom relative to said first link proximate said fourth pivot point, the major component of said further but limited degree of freedom being in the vertical direction.

Claim 14

The mechanism of claim 9 further comprising: a second link having one end pivotally mounted to said other end of said first link at said fourth pivot point and the other end adapted to be pivotally mounted relative to the seat frame about a fifth pivot point proximate the vertical position of said fourth pivot point; and stop means for narrowly limiting the pivotal movement of the seat frame relative to said second link.

Claim 15

The mechanism of claim 9 further comprising: a pivot pin adapted to be fixedly secured relative to the seat frame at said fourth pivot point and rotatably and slidingly secured in an elongate closed slot formed in said other end of said first link.

Claim 16

The mechanism of claim 9 further comprising: means for resiliently biasing the back frame toward the semi-reclined position when the back frame is between the semi-reclined position and a reclined position thereby enabling a sitter to comfortably stop the chair at any position therebetween by applying a small rearward force against the back frame.

Claim 17

The mechanisM of claim 9 wherein said first pivot point is positioned substantially above the intersection of the back frame and the seat frame.