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US 5,992,931 AGranted
Modular power reclining chair
AssigneeLa-Z-Boy Incorporated
InventorsLarry P. LaPointe, Jonathon R. Saul, Dennis W. Wright
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular power reclining chair is disclosed which includes a unibody chair frame supported on a power base assembly. A power-assisted linear drive mechanism is operably coupled to an actuation mechanism of the reclining chair to provide power assistance in positioning of a leg rest assembly, a tilt control mechanism and a swing linkage mechanism for moving the reclining chair through its various ranges of motion.
Claims22
A modular power reclining chair comprising:
- a chair frame including a pair of side frames, a front cross member interconnected to a front portion of said pair of side frames, a rear cross member interconnected to a rear portion of said pair of side frames;
- a seat assembly including a seat member and a seat back supported by said chair frame;
- an actuation mechanism suspended within said chair frame, said actuation mechanism including a rotatable drive rod;
- a leg rest assembly supported from said chair frame and operatively coupled to said drive shaft for movement from a retracted position to an extended position in response to rotation of said drive rod in a first direction;
- and
- a base assembly including a stationary frame supporting said chair frame and a linear drive mechanism having a drive motor, a motor housing, a driven member coupled to said drive motor and linearly positionable along said motor housing, a cam extending from said driven member and having a cam surface formed thereon, and a follower rotatably supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said rotatable drive rod such that said cam surface engages said follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to extend said leg rest assembly.
3 more elements
A modular power reclining chair comprising:
- a chair frame including a pair of side frames, a front cross member interconnected to a front portion of said pair of side frames, a rear cross member interconnected to a rear portion of said pair of side frames;
- a seat assembly having a seat member, a seat back, and a swing link assembly pivotally interconnecting said seat back and said seat member and suspending said seat member within said chair frame to permit reclining movement of said seat assembly between an upright position and a reclined position;
- a base assembly including a stationary frame supporting said chair frame and a linear drive mechanism having a drive motor, a motor housing, a driven member linearly positionable along said motor housing, a cam extending from said driven member and having a cam surface formed thereon, and a follower rotatable supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said swing link mechanism such that said cam surface engages said follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to recline said seat assembly.
A modular power reclining chair comprising:
- a chair frame including a pair of side frames, a front cross member interconnected to a front portion of said pair of side frames, a rear cross member interconnected to a rear portion of said pair of side frames;
- a seat assembly having a seat member, a seat back, and a swing link assembly pivotally interconnecting said seat back and said seat member and suspending said seat member within said chair frame to permit reclining movement of said seat assembly between an upright position and a reclined position;
- an actuation mechanism suspended within said chair frame, said actuation mechanism including a rotatable drive rod;
- a leg rest assembly supported from said chair frame and operatively coupled to said drive rod for movement from a retracted position to an extended position in response to rotation of said drive shaft in a first direction;
- and
- a base assembly including a stationary frame supporting said chair frame and a linear drive mechanism having a drive motor, a motor housing, a driven member linearly positionable along said motor housing, a leg rest follower assembly including a first cam extending from said driven member and having a first cam surface formed thereon and a first follower rotatably supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said drive rod such that said first cam surface engages said first follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to extend said leg rest assembly, and a recliner follower assembly including a second cam extending from said driven member and having a second cam surface formed thereon and a second follower rotatable supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said swing link mechanism such that said second cam surface engages said second follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to recline said seat assembly.
3 more elements
A modular power reclining chair comprising:
- a chair frame including a pair of side frames, a front cross member interconnected to a front portion of said pair of side frames, a rear cross member interconnected to a rear portion of said pair of side frames;
- a seat assembly having a seat member, a seat back, and a swing link assembly pivotally interconnecting said seat back and said seat member and suspending said seat member within said chair frame to permit reclining movement of said seat assembly between an upright position and a reclined position;
- an actuation mechanism suspended within said chair frame, said actuation mechanism including a rotatable drive shaft;
- a leg rest assembly supported from said chair frame and operably coupled to said drive shaft for movement from a retracted position to an extended position in response to rotation of said drive shaft in a first direction;
- and
- a base assembly including a stationary frame supporting said chair frame and a linear drive mechanism having a drive motor, a motor housing, a driven member linearly positionable along said motor housing, a leg rest follower assembly operably coupled to said actuation mechanism and engageable with said driven member for selectively rotating said drive shaft to extend said leg rest assembly, and a recliner follower assembly operably coupled to said swing link mechanism and engageable with said driven member to selectively recline said seat assembly, said driven member engaging said leg rest follower assembly to fully extend said leg rest assembly prior to said driven member engaging said recliner follower assembly to recline said seat assembly.
3 more elements
A modular power reclining chair comprising:
- a chair frame including a pair of side frames, a front cross member interconnected to a front portion of said pair of side frames, a rear cross member interconnected to a rear portion of said pair of side frames;
- a seat assembly having a seat member, a seat back, and a swing link assembly pivotally interconnecting said seat back and said seat member and suspending said seat member within said chair frame to permit reclining movement of said seat assembly between an upright position and a reclined position;
- an actuation mechanism suspended within said chair frame, said actuation mechanism including a rotatable drive shaft;
- a leg rest assembly supported from said chair frame and operatively coupled to said drive shaft for movement from a retracted position to an extended position in response to rotation of said drive shaft in a first direction;
- and
- a base assembly including:
- a stationary frame having a pair of side rails, and an standoff extending from each of said pair of side rails, a pair of drive support bracket secured to said stationary frame, each of said pair of drive support bracket having an elongated slot formed therein;
- a tilt control mechanism interdisposed between said standoff and said chair frame to permit relative tilting movement therebetween;
- a linear drive mechanism having a drive motor, a motor housing and a driven member linearly positionable along said motor housing, said driven member being disposed between said pair of drive support brackets and having a guide pin extending outwardly therefrom through said elongated slot of drive support brackets;
- a leg rest follower assembly operably coupling said driven member to said actuation mechanism for selectively rotating said drive shaft to extend said leg rest assembly, said leg rest follower assembly including a first cam extending from said driven member and having a first cam surface formed thereon and a first follower rotatably supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said drive shaft such that said first cam surface engages said first follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to extend said leg rest assembly;
- and
- a recliner follower assembly operably coupling said driven member to said swing link mechanism to selectively recline said seat assembly, said recliner follower assembly comprises a second cam extending from said driven member and having a second cam surface formed thereon and a second follower rotatably supported from said base assembly and operably coupled to said swing link mechanism such that said second cam surface engages said second follower when said driven member is linearly positioned along said motor housing to recline said seat assembly.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.