Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates generally as indicated to
a recline chair and more particularly to a chair in which
certain tasks may be accomplished more comfortably than at
the usual chair and desk or chair and table position.
BAC~GROUND OF T~E INVENTION
It has been indicated that people tend to
accomplish certain tasks more readily while in a
comfortable position. Thus, typically, usual chair-desk or
chair-table positions are not necessarily an ideal position
in which to accomplish tasks such as reading, writing, or
even utilizing a computer or word processor. It is
therefore desirable to provide a task chair which is really
in the form of a recline or lounge chair in which tasks
such as reading, writing or even computer operation may
readily be performed with the assistance of specialized
tables or work surfaces. Although the present invention is
designed primarily for offices, it will be appreciated that
the recline chair of the present invention may also be used
in homes or hotel rooms, for example.
SUMMARY OF T~E IN~ENTION
An arm recline chair which may be used with an
ottoman is provided which includes a reclinable seat and
back. The chair includes a frame which provides laterally
separated pivots for the back and arms at approximately the
ideal pivot location of the
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legs and back o~ the user. The back is mounted on armrests
extending rearwardly from such pivots. The seat is pivoted at the
forward portion of the frame and is suspended from links connected
through control mechanisms to such arms for movement about a
shorter radius than the back. In this manner the back reclines
substantially while the seat only reclines slightly.
A headrest is mounted on top of the back and may be
extended and retracted through an arc which is struck from the
ideal pivot point of the head and back of the user. The headrest
includes a vertically adjustable cranial support which ideally
fits beneath the back of the cranium at the nape of the neck. The
cranial support may be adjusted manually by handles or knobs from
either side of the headrest through a rack and pinion squaring
meChaniSm~
Both the headrest and the reclinable seat back and arms are
provided with actuators which include lock mechanisms actuated
from controls on the inside and at the forward end of each arm of
the chair. The weight of the user on the seat of the chair
automatically engages the lock mechanism for the headrest so that
it can only be released through the appropriate control mechanism
on the chair arm. The weight of the user on the seat of the chair
also enables the control mechanism for the back recline actuator
so that it then may be released through the respective control
which is on the inside forward edge of the opposite arm. The
actuator for the seat and back may be in the form of a gas spring
and plunger while the actuator for the headrest may simply be in
the form of a coil spring and plunger. I~hen someone leaves the
seat, if not accomplished through the controls, the seat, back,
and arms an~ headrest will move automatically to an upright or
extended position. Such functions are accomplished by seat weight
responsive interlocks in each arm of the chair.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the
invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully
described and particulary pointed out in the claims, the following
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description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail
certain illustrative embodi~ents of the invention, these being
indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the
principles of the invention may be employed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAI~IN~S
Referring now to the annexed drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of a chair
in accordance with the present invention with the seat and back in
an upright position and the headrest extended;
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the present invention
illustrating the seat and back reclined and the headrest retracted
in full line position and extended in phantom line position;
Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken
substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a similar fragmentary section through the
headrest support taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure l;
Figure 5 is an enlarged elevation of the interlock
mechanism in each arm enabling or disabling the control for the
actuators for the headrest and back~ respectively;
~ Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially from
; the line 6-6 of Figure 5; and,
Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken
substantially from the line 7-7 of Figure 1 illustrating the
adjustment mechanism for the vertically movable cranial support in
the headrest.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EllBODIIlENTS
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that
the chair of the present invention comprises two laterally spaced
side frames 10 and 11 which may be identical in form. Each
includes a front leg 12 and a rear leg 13 horizontally
interconnected at the top by frame member 1~. Each horizontal top
frame member at the center includes an upwardly projecting ear 16
which provides a pivot 17 on each lateral side of the chair for
the arms 18 and back 20. The front and rear legs of the side
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frames are interconnected by tubular elements seen at 22 and 23
and also by a tubular pivot 24 at the top of the front leg 12
which forms the pivot for the seat 25.
Tne seat 25 includes a frame 26 pivoted at its forward end
on the transverse tubular pivot 24 and at its rearward end to the
lower ends of suspension links 28 and 29 as indicated at 30 and
31.
The back 20 includes a frame shown generally at 33 rigidly
connected to each arm through the vertically spaced connections 34
and 35 so that the back and arms form a rigid obtuse angle frame
with each arm projecting forwardly of the back and laterally on
each side of the frame to the pivot points 17. As indicated, the
pivot points 17 are some~7hat above the seat and forwardly of the
back and preferably at the ideal pivot of the legs and back of the
user.
Extending downwardly and rigidly from the lower end of the
back frame are two slightly laterally spaced arcuate arms 37 to
which is pivotally connected at 38 one end of gas spring
piston-cylinder assembly 39. The piston or plunger rod 40 of such
gas spring is pivotally connected to the center of the transverse
tubular connection 22 through a bypass valve assembly 41 for such
assembly. The bypass valve assembly may be operated thr~ugh a
release mechanism thereabove, shown at 42. Such device is
actuated by the pull cable hereinafter described through a
suitable linear-to-rotary motion mechanism. When the valve is
open the gas spring is extended bringing the chair to the upright
position seen in Figure 1 as opposed to the recline position seen
in Figure 2~
A headrest indicated generally at 44 is provided above the
back 20 and may be extended and retracted through the arc shown.
In Figure 1 the headrest is shown as extended while in Figure 2 in
the full line position retracted while extended in the phantom
line position indicated at 45. The headrest includes a U-shape
frame shown generally at 46 which includes a back plate 47 and
rather widely spaced side plates 48 which are essentially quarter
round at the top and bottom edges. (See Figure 7) An upper
headrest slider 49 is secured to the lo~er ccnter of the back
plate and extends arcuately as indicated in Figure 1. The upper
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headrest slider 49 fits into a lower headrest slider 50 secured to
the back, such sliders being seen in greater detail in Figure 4.
Both are arcuate in configuration and are struck from the same
center indicated at approximately the pivot point 52 which is the
ideal pivot of the back and head o~ the user.
As indicated more clearly in Figure 4, the upper headrest
slider 49 is provided at its lateral edges with semi-circular
races seen at 52 and 53. The lower headrest slider is essentially
U-shape in configuration enclosing the upper slider and includes
arcuate legs 55 and 56 interconnected as seen at 57. Each leg is
provided with a series of tapped apertures indicated at 5g which
receive threaded stud assemblies 60 which include plastic capped
ball noses 61. Such ball noses fit within the races 52 and 53 of
the upper slide member. The lower slide member includes an
inwardly offset connecting flange seen at 64 which is secured to
the frame 33.
The lower end of the upper slide member is bifurcated to
provide room for the eye 67 of rod 68 of spring plunger assembly
69. The eye 67 may be secured to the upper headrest slider 49
through a suitable pin connection indicated at 70.
The rod 68 of the spring assembly 69 extends through a
suitable spring loaded lock plate mechanism seen at 72 in Figure 1
which is similar to a simple door closure lock mechanism which
will lock the rod against movement depending upon lts angle with
respect to the axis of the rod.
Referring now more particularly to Figure 3, it will be
seen that the spring mechanism 69 is mounted on an offset pivot 75
within cylindrical housing 76. Also as seen in Figure 3 the
offset pivot 75 is mounted on arms 77 and 78 which are welded to
back channel 79 which forms part of the frame 33. A base plate 81
is secured to the offset pivot which in turn supports the spring
housing 76 and a flapper valve 82 may be provided in the center of
the housing throuyh such base plate to enable air to enter the
spring housing as the plunger spring rod 68 extends.
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Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that each
arm 18 of the chair is a mirror image of the other, the far or
opposite side arm as seen from the position of Figures 1 and 2
being illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Each arm includes a
some~hat central vertically extending plate 85 on top of which is
provided a shelf 86 which includes a downwardly curved front 87
and and upturne~ outside flange 88. The shelf provides the
support for the armrest cushion 89 seen more clearly in Figures 1
and 2. The plate 85 also includes an outwardly projecting pin
providing pivot 17 on the base frames 10 and 11.
Projecting inwardly from each plate 85 is a generally
triangular wall 92 which generally conforms to the profile of the
plate 86 but somewhat smaller. The ~all 92 is appropriately
slotted or notched in certain areas and is provided with a cover
plate, not shown, on the side to~ard the viewer in Figure 5~ The
~all 92 and the associated cover provides a housing for the
interlock and control mechanism illustrated, it being appreciated
that there will be one such interloc~ and control mechanism in
each -a~. The control mechanism in the arm illustrated may
control the spring loaded lock mechanism 72 for the headrest 44
thro~ pull cable 94 while the mechanism in the arm nearest the
viewer may control the bypass valve 41 through the release
mechanism 42 or the gas piston-cylinder assembly 39 through the
pull cable illustrated at 95 in phantom lines. The interlock and
control mechanisms operate in essentially the same manner although
function somewhat differently as far as enabling or disabling the
respective actuators.
It will be seen that each supporting link 28 and 29 is not
pivotally connected directly to the arm 18 but is rather pivoted
at 97 to one end of a rocl;er arm 98 which is in turn generally
centrally pivoted at 99 to the plate 85. The opposite end o~ the
rocker arm indicated at 101 is secured to a tension spring 102,
the opposite end of which is anchored at 103 to the plate 85. The
spring tends to ~ove the rocker arm in a clockwise direction to
the full line position llustrated in Figure 5 and will do so
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without the weight of a user in ~he seat. Clockwise movement of
the rocker arm is limited by engagement at 105 bet~een the
upwardly offset portion 106 of the rocker arm and the top wall of
the housing. When the weight of a user is on the seat, the rocker
arm will move to the phantom line position indicated at 108
limited by engagement of the circular recess on the underside of
the arm indicated at 109 with the stop 110 also secured to the
wall.
It will be seen that the rocker arm 98 includes a third
relatively short downwardly projecting arm 112 pivoted at 113 to
inverted U-shape slider 114. The slider 11~ is mounted for
horizontal sliding movement on top pull cable guide block 115,
such cable also extending through to an aperture in end pusher
plate 116 on the end of the slider. Rocking of the arm 98 will
thus move the slider pusher plate back and forth from the full
line position seen to the phantom line position seen at 117
corresponding to the phantom line position 108 of the roc~er arm.
The pull cable includes a bead or cleat secured thereto indicated
at 118 ag-~inst which the plate 116 pushes. The cable extends
beyond the cleat 118 and is provided with a further bead or cleat
120 after ~he cable has passed through pusher plate 121 on control
lever 122. The control lever is pivoted on pin 123 and is urged
in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 5 by coil spring
124. An inwardly projecting control knob may be mounted on the
distal end of the control lever 122 seen at 126. The lever is
mounted for movement between stops 127 and 128 formed by the
housing wall.
The spacing of the beads or cleats 118 and 120 is such that
when the chair is empty the control levers 122 will be
inoperative. Pulling the cable against its spring pressure by
movement of the plate 116 to its full line position moves the bead
or cleat 120 beyond the effective movement of the plate 121. It
is only when the plate 116 is in the phantom line position that
the bead or cleat 120 will be against the plate 121 so that
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movement of the lever 122 in a clockwise direc.ion will be
effective ~o pull the respective cable. This is, of course,
accomplished by someone sitting in the chair pullin~ the links 28
and 29 downwardly against the tension of spring 102 causing the
rocker arm 98 to move in a counterclockwise direction to its
phantom line position retracting the plate 116 to the position
117.
For the headrest spring mechanism, when the chair is empty
the lock mechanism 72 will be released so that the headrest 44
will extend and may be moved manually against the pressure of the
spring mechanism. When someone sits in the chair, the lock
mechanism will then be engaged and can only be released by
operation of the associated lever. In this manner, the user may
adjust the position of the headrest either manually or by simply
moving the head back but only when the associated lever is
actuated.
I~hen the chair is empty, the gas spring 39 will be extended
to its upright position. When someone sits in the chair, the
associated control lever will be enabled and the user may readily
then recline the chair through the use of the associated lever by
simply leaning backwardly. The chair may be locked in the desired
position of recline simply by releasing the lever. When the user
desires to get out of the chair, the lever is again actuated and
the gas spring will assist the user to an upright position. If
for some reason the user gets out of the chair with the back still
reclined, the weight being removed from the seat will then urge
the bead or cleat 118 forwardly causing the chair automatically to
move to its upright position.
In the illustrated chair it is noted that as the back and
arms recline through approximately 25 of recline about the
pivot 17, the seat will recline approximately 4 to 5 about
the pivot 2~, such extent of recline for the seat belng controlled
by the relatively short radius between the pivot 17 and the
pivotal connection 97 at the upper ends of each seat suspension
link 28 or 29. The headrest may move through an arc of
approximately 32 about the pivot or center 52.
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Referring again to Figures 1 and 2 and in addition to
Figure 7, it will be seen that the headrest includes an outer
cushion or pad 130 which extends in curved fashion around the top
and bottom of the headrest as indicated as well as a semi-circular
some~hat more rigid~ though nonethless foamed, cranial support 131
which is vertically movable within the headrest. The internal
support 131 is the principal head-neck support of the headrest and
is designed to fit under the cranium or skull at the nape of the
neck. The cranial support 131 may be vertically moved manually
through the use of knobs 132 on the ends of shaft or rod 133
projecting through slots 13~ on each side of the headrest. As
seen more clearly in Figure 7, such knobs are mounted on the outer
ends of such shaft which extends completely through the headrest
with accomodating slots being provided in the forwardly projecting
portions 48 of the frame 47, and plastic fittings 137 and 138.
As seen more clearly in Figure 7, the neck roll or
principal head support 131 is mounted between two semi-circular
side plates 140 which are interconnected by transverse plates or
frame Jlr~ers 141 and 142 which are horizontally spaced to
accomodate the transverse shaft 133. A spur gear seen at 144 is
secured ~ the shaft 133 at each end and is in mesh with a rack
gear 144 which is secured to the back plate 47 of the headrest
~-shape frame. The rack and pinion mechanism at each end of the
transverse shaft 133 simply acts as a squaring mechanism so that
the shaft may be moved vertically from either end without
binding. Vertical movement of the support 131 permits the
flexible foam pad 130 to conform to the vertical position of such
principal cranial or neck support. The upper headrest slider 49
includes a plate 147 secured to the projecting end thereof which
is in turn secured by fasteners 148 to the back plate 47 of the
headrest frame 46. The outer surfaces of the headrest may be
provided with fabric or vinyl covered foam padding as seen at 150
and 151. In any event, the neck roll or principal head support
131 may readily be manually adjusted vertically within the head
s~pport to acheive the most comfortable position for the user.
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It can also be seen that both the seat and back may be
provided with shells indicated at 153 and 154, respectively to
accomodate the seat and back cushioning seen at 155 and 156.
Also, as noted in Figure 2, the chair of the present
invention is designed to be utilized with an ottoman indicated
generally at 158 which may include a frame 159 generally similar
in configuration to the frame of the chair and provided with
padding 160 to support the legs of the user in an elevated
position. It will also be appreciated that the radius arms 37 and
the gas spring assembly 39 at the bottom of the chair as well as
the fixed and movable headrest sliders at the top of the back may
be enclosed by suitable bellows having the general configuxation
shown by the dotted lines 162 in Figure 3.
It can now be seen that there is provided a recline chair
designed for use with associated furniture such as shown in
applicant's copending applications noted above in which tasks such
as reading, writing and even the use of computers may readily be
accomplished. Such chairs, although designed for use in an office
nvirGe~r~; may readily be used in the home or elsewhere.
