Locking unit for rocking-reclining seating unit with power actuator

A rocking and reclining seating unit, comprising:

• a base unit;
• a generally horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base unit;
• a generally upright backrest positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the seat;
• an extendable ottoman;
• a reclining mechanism attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links, the reclining mechanism configured to move the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally vertically disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle between the backrest and the seat increases;
• a power actuating unit attached to the reclining mechanism;
• a rocker mechanism attached with the base unit and the reclining mechanism, the rocker mechanism configured to enable the seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to experience a longitudinally-directed rocking motion relative to the base unit;
• and
• a locking unit coupled to the reclining mechanism that allows the seating unit to rock while in the upright position but prevents rocking of the seating unit while in the TV and fully reclined positions, the locking unit comprising:
• a locking link pivotally attached with the reclining mechanism;
• and
• a capture member fixed to the base, the capture member having an upright segment extending upwardly from the base and a horizontal segment fixed to the upright segment, wherein a corner section is formed at the intersection of the upright and horizontal segments;
• wherein the capture member and the locking link are configured such that the locking link resides in the corner section of the capture member when the seating unit is in the TV and fully reclined positions.

A rocking and reclining seating unit, comprising:

• a base unit;
• a generally horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base unit;
• a generally upright backrest positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the seat;
• an extendable ottoman;
• a reclining mechanism attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links, the reclining mechanism configured to move the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally vertically disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle between the backrest and the seat increases;
• a longitudinally-directed reciprocating mechanism attached with the base unit and the reclining mechanism, the reciprocating mechanism configured to enable the seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to experience a longitudinally-directed reciprocating motion relative to the base unit;
• and
• a locking unit coupled to the reclining mechanism that allows the seating unit to reciprocate while in the upright position but prevents reciprocating of the seating unit while in the TV and fully reclined positions, the locking unit comprising:
• a locking link pivotally attached with the reclining mechanism;
• and
• a capture member fixed to the base the capture member having an upright segment extending upwardly from the base and a horizontal segment fixed to the upright segment, wherein a corner section is formed at the intersection of the upright and horizontal segments;
• wherein the locking link engages both the base and the capture member at the corner section when the seating unit is in the TV and fully reclined positions.