US4700920A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Glider support assembly
Assignee: Leggett and Platt Inc
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Filing: 1987-02-06
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Granted: 1987-10-20
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Expires: 2007-02-06
Abstract
Abstract A glider support assembly (10, 10') for a chair (12) or other similar article of furniture includes a lower floor base (14, 14'), an upper frame (18) for attaching the chair, suspension links (20) that support the chair frame (18) on the base (14, 14') for forward and rearward gliding movement, and stops (26, 28) preferably on the suspension links and supports (34) of the base in order to position the chair in a reclined position without any latch mechanism. Detachable connections (22, 24) of the suspension links (20) permit the support assembly to be stored, shipped, and sold disassembled in a knockdown fashion. Stops (30, 32) are also provided to limit excessive forward movement of the chair on the support assembly. In one embodiment of the support assembly (10), the supports (34) are constructed as bent metal brackets that project upwardly. In another embodiment of the support assembly (10'), the supports (34) are constructed as tubular metal support beams (116) from which front and rear legs (122, 124) project downwardly.
Inventors
- 👤 John Horn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 13:17
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47C; A47C3/00; A47C3/02; A47C3/025; A47C3/0255
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
315 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other similar article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of laterally spaced supports that project upwardly; each support having downwardly facing front and rear base stop portions that respectively provide front and rear base stops; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced elongated members that extend horizontally so as to be attachable to the chair; the upper frame also including front and rear legs portions projecting downwardly from each elongated member in a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting supports of the floor base on the outboard sides of the supports; a pair of laterally spaced front suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the pair of supports of the floor base to the adjacent front leg portions of the upper frame and have pivotal connections thereto; a pair of laterally spaced rear suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the pair of supports of the floor base to the adjacent rear leg portions of the upper frame and have pivotal connections thereto to cooperate with the front links in supporting the upper frame and chair attached thereto for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; a front rod that extends between the pair of front suspension links and has opposite end portions providing front suspension link stop portions which provide front suspension link stops that are forced against the front base stops of the supports in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; and a rear rod that extends between the pair of rear suspension links and has opposite end portions providing rear suspension link stop portions which provide rear suspension link stops that are forced against the rear base stops of the supports to limit forward tilting movement.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
315 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other similar article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of laterally spaced supports that project upwardly; each support having downwardly facing front and rear base stop portions that respectively provide front and rear base stops; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced elongated members that extend horizontally so as to be attachable to the chair; the upper frame also including front and rear legs portions projecting downwardly from each elongated member in a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting supports of the floor base on the outboard sides of the supports; a pair of laterally spaced front suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the pair of supports of the floor base to the adjacent front leg portions of the upper frame and have pivotal connections thereto; a pair of laterally spaced rear suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the pair of supports of the floor base to the adjacent rear leg portions of the upper frame and have pivotal connections thereto to cooperate with the front links in supporting the upper frame and chair attached thereto for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; a front rod that extends between the pair of front suspension links and has opposite end portions providing front suspension link stop portions which provide front suspension link stops that are forced against the front base stops of the supports in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; and a rear rod that extends between the pair of rear suspension links and has opposite end portions providing rear suspension link stop portions which provide rear suspension link stops that are forced against the rear base stops of the supports to limit forward tilting movement.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
80 words
An assembly as in claim 1 wherein each support of the base comprises a bracket having a forward projection on which the associated front suspension link is mounted, each support bracket having a stop portion that functions as the base stop in cooperation with the base stop portion of the other bracket, and each front suspension link having a stop portion that functions as the suspension link stop in cooperation with the stop portion of the other front suspension link.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
An assembly as in claim 2 wherein the forward projection of each support bracket has a rearward portion with a lower side at which the base stop portion thereof is located and engaged by the link stop portion on the adjacent end of the rod.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An assembly as in claim 3 wherein each support bracket also includes a rearward projection having a rearward poriton on which the associated rear suspension link is mounted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An assembly as in claim 4 wherein the rearward projection of each bracket has a forward portion with a lower side at which the rear base stop portion thereof is located.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An assembly as in claim 1 wherein the supports of the base include a pair of generally horizontally extending support beams having front and rear ends including downwardly extending legs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
An assembly as in claim 6 wherein the support beam and legs of each support are made from a unitary tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An assembly as in claim 1, 5, or 7 wherein each suspension link has detachable connections to the base and the upper frame such that the support assembly can be stored, shipped, and sold disassembled.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
An assembly as in claim 8 wherein each detachable connection includes an antifriction bearing and threaded connectors that connect the associated suspension link to the base or the frame.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
An assembly as in claim 9 wherein the suspension links have opposite ends, each link end including tangs unitary therewith and deformable to secure the antifriction bearing of the associated connection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An assembly as in claim 8 wherein the base includes detachable connections and separable components secured thereby such that the components of the base can be stored, shipped, and sold disassembled.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
285 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of upwardly projecting support brackets; each bracket having forward and rearward projections; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced elongated members that extend horizotnally so as to be attachable to the chair; the upper frame also including front and rear leg portions projecting downwardly from each elongated member in a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting brackets; front and rear pairs of suspension links that repsectively extend downwardly from the forward and rearward projections of each bracket to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame; threaded pivotal connections that connect the suspension links to the projections of the brackets and to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame to support the frame for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; the forward projection of each bracket having a rearward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; a front rod that extends between the front suspension links and has ends that function as stops that are forced against the stops on the forward projections of the brackets in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; the rearward projection of each bracket having a forward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; and a rear rod that extends between the rear suspension links and has ends that function as stops that engage the stops on the rearward projections of the brackets to limit forward movement of the frame and the attached chair.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
285 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of upwardly projecting support brackets; each bracket having forward and rearward projections; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced elongated members that extend horizotnally so as to be attachable to the chair; the upper frame also including front and rear leg portions projecting downwardly from each elongated member in a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting brackets; front and rear pairs of suspension links that repsectively extend downwardly from the forward and rearward projections of each bracket to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame; threaded pivotal connections that connect the suspension links to the projections of the brackets and to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame to support the frame for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; the forward projection of each bracket having a rearward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; a front rod that extends between the front suspension links and has ends that function as stops that are forced against the stops on the forward projections of the brackets in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; the rearward projection of each bracket having a forward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; and a rear rod that extends between the rear suspension links and has ends that function as stops that engage the stops on the rearward projections of the brackets to limit forward movement of the frame and the attached chair.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
51 words
A glider support assembly as in claim 1 or 12 wherein the upper frame comprises a pair of unitary metal members each of which has an upper horizontal flange that defines the elongated member, and each unitary metal member having a vertical flange that defines the front and rear leg portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
313 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of upwardly projecting support brackets; each bracket having forward and rearward projections; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced stamped metal members each of which is unitary and includes a horizontal flange that defines an elongated member that is attachable to the chair; each stamped metal member also having a downwardly projecting vertical flange including front and rear leg portions that have a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting brackets; the vertical flange of each stamped metal member having stamped ribs for providing strengthening thereof; front and rear pairs of suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the forward and rearward projections of each bracket to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame; threaded pivotal connections that connect the susupension links to the projections of the brackets and to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame to support the frame for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; the forward projection of each bracket having a rearward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; a front rod that extends between the front suspension links and has ends that function as stops that are forced against the stops on the forward projections of the brackets in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; the rearward projection of each bracket having a forward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; and a rear rod that extends between the rear suspension links and has ends that function as stops that engage the stops on the rearward projections of the brackets to limit forward movement of the frame and the attached chair.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
313 words
A glider support assembly for a chair or other article of furniture, comprising: a lower floor base including a pair of upwardly projecting support brackets; each bracket having forward and rearward projections; an upper frame including a pair of laterally spaced stamped metal members each of which is unitary and includes a horizontal flange that defines an elongated member that is attachable to the chair; each stamped metal member also having a downwardly projecting vertical flange including front and rear leg portions that have a vertically overlapping relationship with the upwardly projecting brackets; the vertical flange of each stamped metal member having stamped ribs for providing strengthening thereof; front and rear pairs of suspension links that respectively extend downwardly from the forward and rearward projections of each bracket to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame; threaded pivotal connections that connect the susupension links to the projections of the brackets and to the front and rear leg portions of the upper frame to support the frame for forward and rearward gliding movement and for positioning in a reclined position; the forward projection of each bracket having a rearward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; a front rod that extends between the front suspension links and has ends that function as stops that are forced against the stops on the forward projections of the brackets in the reclined position by the rearwardly inclined weight of the chair and its occupant to hold the chair in the reclined position; the rearward projection of each bracket having a forward portion with a lower side that functions as a stop; and a rear rod that extends between the rear suspension links and has ends that function as stops that engage the stops on the rearward projections of the brackets to limit forward movement of the frame and the attached chair.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-10-19 | 1991-04-20 | 1991-10-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-10-19 | 1995-04-20 | 1995-10-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-10-19 | 1999-04-20 | 1999-10-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |