Reclining chair with enhanced adjustability

A reclining chair comprising:

• a chair back comprising a back support element and a pivot member;
• a seat;
• a base having a central column with a central axis that is substantially vertical;
• and
• a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat,
• the control mechanism configured as a four-bar mechanism including a ground member and the pivot member pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot,
• such that a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward and the seat lifting, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a tilt lock interacting with the ground member and the pivot member, the tilt lock moveable between an unlocked position and a locked position, wherein the tilt lock in its locked position substantially prevents reclining of the chair back from an upright position.

A reclining chair comprising:

• a chair back comprising a back support element and a pivot member;
• a seat;
• a base having a central column with a central axis that is substantially vertical;
• and
• a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat,
• the control mechanism configured as a four-bar mechanism including a ground member and the pivot member pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot,
• such that a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward and the seat lifting, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot, wherein the chair back further comprises a back support adjustment mechanism, the back support adjustment mechanism configured to modify a stiffness of the back support element.

A reclining chair comprising:

• a chair back comprising a back support element and a pivot member;
• a seat;
• a base having a central column with a central axis that is substantially vertical;
• and
• a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat,
• the control mechanism configured as a four-bar mechanism including a ground member and the pivot member pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot,
• such that a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward and the seat lifting, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying the control mechanism's resistance to the reclining force applied by the user to the chair back, the resistance adjustment mechanism easily operated by the user when the chair is in an upright position, wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism comprises a first movable member and a second member, the second member generally fixed with respect to the first movable member in at least one direction, and wherein movement by the user of the first movable member relative to the second member changes the control mechanism's resistance to the reclining force, and wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism further comprises a resilient member having a varying resistance to compression, the resilient member coupled to the first movable member, and wherein movement of the resilient member changes the resistance to compression of the resilient member encountered by the second member, thereby changing the control mechanism's resistance to the reclining force.

A reclining chair comprising:

• a chair back comprising a back support element and a pivot member;
• a seat;
• a base having a central column with a central axis that is substantially vertical;
• and
• a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat,
• the control mechanism configured as a four-bar mechanism including a ground member and the pivot member pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot,
• such that a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward and the seat lifting, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot, and wherein the chair back further comprises a back support adjustment mechanism, the back support adjustment mechanism configured to modify a stiffness of the chair back.