US 12,648,650 B2Granted

Theater chair or seat with a flip-up/flip-down seat member, a reclining back member, and an automatic return

AssigneeHiddenlake 822 LLC

InventorsTerry Dale Johnson, Stephen R. Lake

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A theater chair comprises a flip-up/flip-down seat, a reclining backrest, and a reclining seat. An actuator is operatively connected to the reclining backrest for moving the backrest and seat from a normal or default upright position to any one of a multitude of reclined positions. The flip-up/flip-down seat is provided with a spring for returning the seat to its upright position when the seat is unoccupied. A sensor is operatively associated with the seat so as to effectively monitor the orientation of the seat. When the seat is vacated, the sensor will detect movement of the seat and send an appropriate signal to a control circuit which is operatively connected to the actuator. After a predetermined period of time, the actuator will be actuated so as to return the backrest from the reclined position to the default upright position.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A chair, comprising:

a chair framework;
a backrest framework;
a pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates integrally connected to said backrest framework and having a seat framework pivotally mounted upon said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates such that said seat framework is movable between a first seat-up position and a second seat-down position, and wherein said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates are movably mounted upon said chair framework so as to be movable between a first rear position, at which said backrest framework is disposed at a rear, upright position, and said seat framework, when disposed at said second seat-down position, is likewise disposed at a rear upright position at which said seat framework is disposed within a substantially horizontally plane, and a second forward position at which both said backrest framework and said seat framework are disposed at forward reclined positions;
a first forward pair of oppositely disposed slotted housings defined within one of a forward portion of said chair framework or forward portions of said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates;
a first forward pair of oppositely disposed pins/rods integrally connected to one of forward portions of said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates or said forward portion of said chair framework;
a second rearward pair of oppositely disposed slotted housings defined within one of a rearward portion of said chair framework or said pair of oppositely disposed portions of said backrest framework;
a second rearward pair of oppositely disposed pins/rods are integrally connected to one of said pair of oppositely disposed portions of said backrest framework or a rearward portion of said chair framework;
and
an actuator operatively connected to said chair framework and to said backrest framework for moving said backrest framework, said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates, and said seat framework between said first rear upright position and said second forward reclined position.

6 more elements

A chair, comprising:

a chair framework;
a backrest framework;
a pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates integrally connected to said backrest framework and having a seat framework pivotally mounted upon said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates such that said seat framework is movable between a first seat-up position and a second seat-down position, and wherein said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates are movably mounted upon said chair framework so as to be movable between a first rear position, at which said backrest framework is disposed at a rear, upright position, and said seat framework, when disposed at said second seat-down position, is likewise disposed at a rear upright position at which said seat framework is disposed within a substantially horizontally plane, and a second forward position at which both said backrest framework and said seat framework are disposed at forward reclined positions;
an actuator operatively connected to said chair framework and to said backrest framework for moving said backrest framework, said pair of oppositely disposed seat carrier chassis plates, and said seat framework between said first rear upright position and said second forward reclined position;
said seat framework is normally biased toward said first seat-up position such that first seat-up position comprises a default position;
and
a proximity sensor operatively associated with said seat framework for sensing the disposition of said seat framework and said movement of said seat framework between said first seat-up position and said second seat-down position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/612,643Filed 21 Mar 2024
Published: US 2025/0295236 A125 Sep 2025
Granted: 9 Jun 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A47C 7/563
Parts or details of tipping-up chairs, e.g. of theatre chairs: provided with a back-rest moving with the seat
A47C 1/121
Theatre, auditorium or similar chairs: having tipping-up seats
A47C 1/03211
Having adjustable and lockable inclination: by electric motors
A47C 1/03216
Having adjustable and lockable inclination: by fluid means