Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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MULTI-POSITION RECLINER CHAIR
Background of the Invention
This application is directed to a chair that is
preferably used as (I) a standard chair, (ii) a recliner in
which a seat back pivots relative to a seat, (iii) a tilt
chair where the seat and seat back pivot as an integral unit
relative to the frame, or (iv) a chair that includes both
tilt and recline functions. These various types of chairs
are desired for use in an institutional setting such as a
health care facility, nursing home, or the like. The chair
typically includes small diameter caster wheels that allow
the occupant to remain seated in the chair while being
transported from one location to another.
An increasing emphasis on rising health care costs
demands that these chairs be manufactured and sold with a
variety of options and at a low cost. Thus, continuing
development seeks a less expensive chair that still offers
all of the comforts and benefits of prior arrangements, or
additional advantages that allow the chair to be manufactured
in a variety of styles by using a large number of identical
structural components.
Comfort to the user/patient is a primary concern.
The user often spends extended periods of time in these
chairs so that the chair must be adapted to different uses
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and long-term comfort. Although the prior art has presented
a number of different chair configurations, there is still a
demand for a simple, economical product that is easily
serviced or maintained, is durable, offers a wide variety of
options, and is comfortable to use.
The present invention is deemed to meet all of
these objectives by providing a new and improved chair that
can recline, tilt, include an ottoman or leg rest, and be
easily transported -- all in an economical manner.
Summary of the Invention
According to a more limited aspect of the
invention, a seat back of the chair has an open-center,
generally U-shaped frame over which a breathable liner
extends for supporting the user.
According to another aspect of the invention, the
liner may be adjusted for altering the tension. In a
preferred embodiment, straps secure the liner to the chair
and the straps may be individually adjusted by through a
closable opening in the upholstery.
According to another aspect of the invention, the
seat includes a rigid pan adapted to receive a custom cushion
beneath the upholstery.
According to another aspect of the invention,
guards are provided beneath the arm rests, which may be
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adjustable, and the guards aid in supporting the user in a
lateral direction and prevent clothing from interfering with
the reclining and tilt mechanisms.
A principal advantage of the invention is the
provision of a comfortable recliner that is easily and
economically manufactured and provides a number of beneficial
features.
Yet another advantage is the breathability of the
chair material which provides ventilation to the user.
Still another advantage of the invention resides in
the adjustability of the chair to the individual user.
Still other advantages and benefits of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art
upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed
description.
srief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred
embodiment.
Figure 2 is an elevational view of the chair in an
upright position with the ottoman extended and tilt and
recline positions of the chair being illustrated in phantom.
Figures 3A-3D are partial elevational views
illustrating closed to full open posltions of the leg rest.
Figure 4A is an exploded perspective view of the
individual components of the seat back.
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Figure 4s is a perspective view of an alternative
tensioned liner that may be used in the seat back.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the seat and leg
rest, with a leg rest liner shown in a disassembled position.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of an arm rest
particularly showing the adjustable nature thereof.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the chair showing
the use of various bolsters with the chair.
Figure 8 is a view of a rear of the seat back
illustrating the mounting assembly for storing the tray.
.Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Reference may be made to the drawings, the showings
of which are for illustrating preferred embodiments of the
invention only and not intended to limit the scope of the
invention. More particularly, the Figures show a chair A
that may selectively reclined or tilted and a leg rest
selectively extended as desired. Other models of this chair,
though, do not employ all of these features and instead may
include only selected ones.
Turning first to Figures 1 and 2, the chair A
includes a seat 10 and a seat back 12 received on a generally
rigid frame 14. The frame, for example, is a metal tubular
construction defined by a pair of mirror-image side frame
assemblies 16, 18 that are interconnected by cross members
20. Front and rear portions of the side frame assemblies
include small diameter wheels, preferably caster wheels 30,
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32, that can rotate through 360~. In a preferred
arrangement, the front caster wheels 30 include a steering
locking member 34 so that the casters can be locked against
rotation about a vertical axis. The rear caster wheels 32,
on the other hand, preferably have a brake locking member 36
associated therewith so that an attendant can use his foot to
selectively depress member 36 and lock the rear wheels
against rotation. It will be appreciated, however, that the
invention is not limited to wheels that may be selectively
locked for braking or steering purposes.
Arm rests 40 extend from the side frame assemblies
on opposite sides of the seat 10. As will be appreciated,
the arm rests are identical in structure so that description
of one is applicable to the other, unless particularly noted
otherwise. In one embodiment (not shown), the arm rests are
fixed structures that form an integral part of the side frame
assemblies. In the embodiment illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, each arm rest includes a pair of posts
42 that are telescopically received within upstanding sleeves
formed on the side frame assemblies 16, 18. With additional
reference to Figure 6, it is evident that each post 42
includes a series of spaced openings 44 that advantageously
allow for selective height adjustment of the arm rest
relative to the frame. An arm rest release lever 46 is
provided on one of the sleeves of each side frame assembly
and the lever extends through one of the adjustment openings
44 in the post to lock the arm rest at a desired height. By
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releasing the lever, the height of the arm rest can be
selectively raised and lowered as desired.
Figure 2 illustrates the reclining and tilt
features associated with the chair. As will become more
evident below, the tilt and recline features may be provided
as options to a standard chair (i.e. one in which the seat
and seat back are in a fixed, upright relationship) either
individually or in combination. Particularly, a pair of
release handles 50a, 50b are mounted on a push bar 52 secured
to the seat back 12. The push bar 52 is a separate component
bolted on to the seat back frame that allows an attendant to
easily push and maneuver the chair, a feature that is notably
lacking in many prior art arrangements. Associated with each
handle 50 is a cable or wire that extends to an expansible
chamber device, such as a gas cylinder 54, 56, disposed
beneath the seat. The cylinders are of conventional
structure and are schematically represented in Figure 2.
The.first cylinder 54 is used with the reclining
function of the chair. Particularly, a first end 54a of the
cylinder is mounted to a bracket associated with a lower end
of the seat back 12. A second end 54b of the cylinder is
secured to a bracket preferably located underneath the seat
10 adjacent the front edge thereof. The cylinder
counterbalances the weight associated with the occupant so
that an attendant can easily recline the seat back relative
to the seat merely by actuating the handle 50a.
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The second cylinder 56 includes a first end 56a
secured to a bracket that extends from underneath a rear
portion of the seat 10. A second end 56b is secured to a
bracket associated with the frame, for example, a cross
member 20. By operating the release handle 50b associated
with the tilt mechanism, the combined seat and seat back are
free to tilt as a unit relative to the frame to a desired
position. As will be understood, the recline position, i.e.,
the relative position between the seat back and seat, may
remain fixed during the tilting action. By providing
separate release handles for the recline and tilt features,
an attendant can position the seated occupant in any one of
a number of comfortable positions. Thus, the chair is
available in different models that have no tilt nor recline
operations, only one of these functions, or both.
Figures 3A-3D illustrate operation of a leg rest or
ottoman 60 associated with the chair. The leg rest 60 is
pivotally connected to a bracket 62 depending downwardly from
and disposed under a front edge of the seat. By securing the
leg rest to the bracket 62, the leg rest travels with the
seat throughout its range of tilting movement. A series of
links work together as a scissors-type assembly 64 to
selectively extend and retract the leg rest between a storage
position (Fig. 3A), a one-quarter open position (Fig. 3B), a
three-quarter open position (Fig. 3C), and a fully open
position (Fig. 3D). The scissors-type geometry of the
linkage assembly effects a constant chord length across the
ottoman that keeps the upholstery tensioned, i.e., the
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upholstery does not sag, when the mechanism is selectively
extended. Reference may also be made to Figure 5 which
illustrates the linkage assembly 64 in greater detail. It
includes a ratchet-type slot 66 at an end of the linkage
assembly opposite that of actuating handle 68 to provide
discrete, selective extension to the positions shown in
Figures 3A-3D.
Figure 4A shows the preferred seat back
construction in which a generally U-shaped frame 80 having an
open center is used. Particularly, the rigid frame 80
includes first and second side portions 82, 84 that are
interconnected at a first or upper end by upper frame portion
86. Preferably, the frame portions are integrally formed
from a single component that is bent in the designed
configuration. Alternatively, structural separate elements
could be secured together to define, in combination, a
generally U-shaped rigid frame that has an open center. The
frame 80 is also preferably closed at its second or lower end
by a cross member 88 for strength purposes. Moreover, as
best illustrated in Figure 4, the U-shaped member has a
contoured portion that provides an angle or slope to the seat
back for comfort.
Received over the rigid frame is a tensioned, open
pore or mesh liner 92. The liner has a generally planar
first or front portion and a second or rear portion that are
interconnected along three peripheral edges of the
rectangular conformation to define a pocket structure. This
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pocket structure permits the liner to be easily slid over the
frame and straps in a direction from the frame portion 86
toward the cross member 88. Hand straps 94 are provided
adjacent the open base of the liner to facilitate advancing
the liner over the seat back frame.
The liner provides breathability to the chair,
allowing air circulation to the user in a manner akin to a
rope hammock. The breathable nature of the liner is
particularly desired when used in conjunction with a
breathable upholstery, since it adds an additional aspect of
comfort heretofore unavailable in chairs of this type. The
tensioned liner, though, still provides a comfortable surface
without using foam that distributes the weight of the user
over the entire surface and eliminates pressure points. In
an alternative configuration, the liner includes straps 96
that may be individually adjusted to alter the tension of
the liner (Figure 4B).
An upholstery portion 98 has a similar
configuration to that of the liner. That is, planar front
and rear portions are connected along three edges to define
a pocket configuration that is easily slid over the top of
the frame and urged toward the cross member 88. Any suitable
upholstery material can be used and it is preferably formed
of a breathable material to take advantage of the breathable
tensioned liner. Alternatively, the upholstery includes
padding incorporated into the front portion to provide a
cushioning effect for the user.
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- 10
The upholstered member 98 also includes a closable
opening 100 that can be used in conjunction with the
alternative liner of Figure 4B. The opening 100 provides
selective access to the straps for desired adjustment, i.e.,
tightening or loosening of the individual straps, to alter
the firmness at selected locations along the seat back
without having to remove the seat back from the chair.
A pair of openings 102a, 102b are also provided in
the rear face of the upholstery. The openings 102a, 102b
receive cables associated with the tilt and recline
cylinders. That is, the individual wires extend from the
actuating handles 50a, 50b, through the openings 102a, 102b,
respectively, beneath the remainder of the upholstery and
exit the open base end of the upholstery before proceeding to
the cylinders mounted beneath the seat.
Details of the seat are shown in Figure 5. The
seat includes a rigid pan, such as a planar metal pan 110
having upturned edges, that defines a shallow cavity. The
cavity is adapted to receive a custom cushion 112, such as
described in U.S. Patent No. 5,513,899. Because an occupant
may spend extended periods of time in the chair,
incorporating a custom cushion into the chair is preferred.
Moreover, with this structural arrangement, the upholstery
for the seat and leg rest is easily received over the cushion
112 and leg rest 60 as one continuous piece 114. Thus, the
upholstery can be quickly removed from the seat and a
different cushion placed on the pan 110.
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Just as the seat back has a breathable liner, the
leg rest also includes a tensioned open pore or mesh liner
116. The liner is received over a generally U-shaped leg
rest frame 118 prior to positioning the upholstery over the
seat and leg rest. The tensioned nature of the liner
provides sufficient support for the open center leg rest
frame and the breathable material used for the liner and the
upholstery provides a comfortable chair for the user.
Occasionally, users of these types of chairs
require additional, specialized pads or supports. As
mentioned above, the custom seat cushion accommodates some of
these concerns. However, there is also a need for additional
pads or bolsters with some chair users. Representative
bolsters are shown in Figure 7, such as a head bolster 120
that may be filled with a foam or styrene bead material.
Straps 122 secure the head bolster to the seat back.
Similarly, a body bolster 124 includes straps 126 that uses
a hook and loop-type fastener to secure the body bolster to
the seat back. In addition, pelvic bolsters 128 may be
required for other users. These bolsters are typically
situated adjacent rear portions of the arm rests. Thus, and
for reasons to be described further below, a guard is
provided beneath each arm rest to maintain adequate support
for the bolsters.
The guards or clothing guards 130 are preferably
secured to the underside of the adjustable arm rests and
extend in a vertical plane between the seat and side frame
assemblies. As will be appreciated, the guards may be formed
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of a material such as plastic sheet that prevents the user's
clothing from falling beneath the seat and inadvertently
becoming tangled in the recline and tilt mechanism. Since
the guards are secured to the underside of the adjustable arm
rests, the clothing guard must be sized to accommodate the
various heights of the arm rests. It is also envisioned that
the guards extend rearwardly a sufficient amount so that if
the seat back is reclined or the seat is tilted relative to
the frame in the different styles of chairs, clothing still
is maintained inboard of the seat and cannot pass between the
seat/seat back and the clothing guard.
Figure 8 illustrates a mounting assembly for
storing a tray. Trays are typically provided with these
types of chairs, again, for the convenience of the user. The
details of the tray and its connection to the underside of
the arm rests is well known in the art so that further
discussion is deemed unnecessary. The mounting assembly
includes a bracket 140 secured to cross member 88 of the seat
back frame. The bracket has a free end 142 that pivots
outwardly so that the tray is received between the bracket
and the seat back. Additionally, an adjustable support strap
144 having an adjustable buckle 146 is provided adjacent the
push handle to secure an upper portion of the tray against
the seat back.
Still another feature associated with the chair is
the swaged ends 150 of the push handle. The handle ends have
a reduced cross-section that allows a conventional grip to be
pushed onto the handle from either end. This eliminates the
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need to provide a telescoping assembly defined by cooperating
tubular portions that is often used for the push handle.
Moreover, the individual grips have an ergonomic effect of
suggesting proper placement of the hands on the grip, as
opposed to a grip that extends over the entire length of the
push handle.
The invention has been described with reference to
the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and
alterations will occur to others upon a reading and
understanding of the specification. It is intended to
include all such modifications and alterations insofar as
they come within the scope of the appended claims and the
equivalents thereof.
