Recliner assist apparatus

A seating unit having a recliner assist apparatus for use in an article of furniture of the type having a frame section within which said seating unit is secured, said seating unit comprising:

• a seat member;
• a leg rest assembly supported for movement between a retracted position and an extended position;
• a drive rod operatively connected to said leg rest assembly for urging said leg rest assembly into said extended position, said drive rod being movable between a locked position wherein said leg rest assembly is releasably retained in said retracted position and a released position wherein said leg rest assembly is permitted to move toward said extended position;
• a release assist bracket coaxially disposed with said drive rod and disposed for rotational movement relative to said drive rod;
• a drive bracket fixedly secured to said drive rod so as to be capable of imparting rotational movement to said drive rod;
• a release member manually engagable by an occupant of said seating unit, said release member being operationally coupled to said release assist bracket to cause said release bracket to move rotationally about said drive rod as said release member is engaged by said occupant;
• biasing means operationally coupled to said drive bracket and a portion of said seating unit for causing said drive bracket to be urged rotationally a predetermined amount in response to rotational movement of said release bracket to thereby cause said drive rod to urge said leg rest assembly into said extended position.

A seating unit having a release assist apparatus, said seating unit being adapted for use in an article of furniture of the type having a frame section within which said seating unit is secured, said seating unit comprising:

• a seat member;
• a leg rest assembly supported for movement between a retracted position and an extended position;
• drive means including a tubular drive rod for urging said leg rest assembly into said extended position, said drive means being movable between a locked position wherein said leg rest assembly is releasably retained in said retracted position and a release position wherein said leg rest assembly is permitted to move toward said extended position;
• a release assist bracket having an inner end portion and an outer end portion and being disposed coaxially with said drive rod and movable rotationally relative to said drive rod;
• an insert member coupleable to said tubular drive rod;
• a drive bracket having an inner end portion and an outer end portion, said inner end portion being fixedly secured to said insert member, said drive bracket further having a fixed post member extending transversely therefrom;
• an L-shaped coupling bracket having an inner end and an outer end, said outer end being pivotally coupled to said outer end portion of said drive bracket;
• a manually engagable release member adapted to be grasped by an occupant of said seating unit and pulled outwardly away from said seat member of said seating unit by said occupant;
• a flexible cable coupled to said outer end portion of said release assist bracket and to said release member for causing said release assist bracket to be moved rotationally in response to movement of said release member;
• biasing means having a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to a portion of said seat assembly and said second end being secured to said inner end of said L-shaped coupling bracket;
• said outer end portion of said release assist bracket further being disposed in general lateral alignment with said fixed post member such that engagement of said handle member by said seat occupant causes said outer end portion to abuttingly engage with said fixed post member, thereby urging said fixed post member rotationally into an over center position whereby said biasing means and said L-shaped coupling bracket cause said drive bracket to be driven rapidly rotationally to thereby cause said leg rest assembly to be urged into said extended position.