Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
RECLINING CONTROL SYSTEM FOR A CHAIR
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The application relates generally to chairs and, more particularly to
the ability to
control the reclining action of a chair back relative to the chair seat.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Reclining chairs have mechanism or assemblies which allow a user to
recline or
lean back while their back remains supported. Typical reclining or tilting
controls for
chairs are mechanical devices, which are usually mounted beneath the seat of a
chair
to control the tilting of a chair when a user leans back in the chair. The
control
mechanism usually includes a spring, which controls the rate at which the user
can tilt
the chair rearwardly and which returns the chair to its upright at-rest
position when the
user stops leaning backward.
[0003] Many of these controls result in the tilting of the chair backwards
with very little
force, but raises the front of the chair seat, creating pressure on the user's
legs. These
chair controls also require the user to exert considerable force through an
extension of
the leg and foot to maintain a tilted position for this type of chair. The
result is not
relaxing to the user.
[0004] Some types of seating have attempted to achieve the right support by
including
flexible portions in the front or back of the seat to alleviate undesirable
pressure on the
thighs of the user while allowing a flexing action to lean back. This type of
action is
often an uncontrolled action as well.
[0005] One-piece seat-and-back supports for chairs are also known. Although
these
types of chairs provide flexible seat-and-back support, the seat support
itself is not
flexible. Typically while the back support is often designed to deflect
downwardly and
backwardly relative to the seat support in response to an occupant's weight,
the seat
support is not adjustable. As such these types of designs do not provide the
necessary
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comfort for users especially in work environments when occupied for extended
periods
of time.
[0006] As such it is desirable to have a reclining chair that controls the
movement of
the both the seat assembly and backrest in a measured fashion as determined by
the
user.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one aspect, there is provided a reclining control system for a chair
having a
back and a seat a rigid seat member with a bottom surface. The reclining
control
system further includes a first rigid link having a first end and a second
end, wherein the
first end of the first rigid link is adapted to engage the back, and the
second end of the
first rigid link is positioned proximally adjacent to the bottom surface of
the rigid seat
member.
[0008] The reclining control system may further include a second rigid link
with a first
end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second rigid link engages
the back
of the chair at an engagement point. The second end of rigid link may further
engage
the second end of the first rigid link in an aft position.
[0009] A pivoting link may be present having a first end and a second end. The
first end
of the pivoting link may engage the back of the chair at the engagement point
and the
second end of the pivoting link may engage the second end of the first rigid
link in a fore
position. The second rigid link may move the rigid seat member from a non-
reclining
position to a reclining position.
[0010] In another aspect, there is provided a reclining control system for a
chair having
a back and a seat. The reclining control system may include a rigid seat
member having
a bottom surface and a first rigid link having a first end and second end. The
first end of
the first rigid link may be adapted to engage the back and the second end of
the first
rigid link may be positioned proximally adjacent to the bottom surface of the
rigid seat
member.
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[0011] The reclining control system for a chair may further include a rigid
link with a first
end and a second end. The first end of the rigid link may engage the bottom
surface of
the rigid seat member at an engagement point. The second end of rigid link may
engage the second end of the first rigid link in an aft position.
[0012] Finally the reclining control system for a chair may further include a
pivoting link
having a first end and a second end. The first end of the pivoting link may
engage the
bottom surface of the rigid seat member at the engagement point and the second
end
of the pivoting link may engage the second end of the first rigid link in a
fore position.
[0013] Preferably the rigid link may move the rigid seat member and the back
from a
non-reclining position to a reclining position.
[0014] Furthermore the reclining control system for a chair may further
include a
flexible member that may be C-shaped and adapted to engage the front portion
of the
bottom surface of the rigid seat member.
[0015] Preferably the bottom surface of the reclining control system for a
chair may be
further defined as having a front portion and a back portion.
[0016] In another embodiment the reclining control system for a chair may
include a
rigid pivoting connecting member and a rigid controlling member which may be
connected at the engagement point that can be positioned at the back portion
of the
rigid seat member thereby forming a triangular linkage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which:
[0018] Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the reclining control system for
a chair;
[0019] Figure 2A is a front perspective view of the reclining control system
for a chair of
Figure 1.
[0020] Figure 2B is a rear perspective view of the reclining control system
for a chair
shown in Figure 1.
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[0021] Figure 3A is a side elevational view of the reclining control system
for a chair of
Figure 1.
[0022] Figure 3B is a side elevational view of the reclining control system
for a chair
shown in Figure 1.
[0023] Figure 3C is a side elevational view of the reclining control system
for a chair of
Figure 1.
[0024] Figure 3D is a side elevational view of the reclining control system
for a chair of
Figure 1.
[0025] Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the reclining control system for
a chair of
Figure 1.
[0026] Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the reclining control system for a
chair of
Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Referring to Figure 5 there is illustrated in accordance with a
preferred
embodiment, a reclining control system 10 for a chair 12 having a back 14 and
a seat
16. The reclining control system 10 may include a rigid seat member 18 having
a
bottom surface 20 and a first rigid link 22 having a first end 24 and second
end 26. The
first end 24 of the first rigid link 22 may be adapted to engage the back 14.
The second
end 26 of the first rigid link 22 may be positioned proximally adjacent to the
bottom
surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18.
[0028] The reclining control system 10 for a chair 12 may further include a
second rigid
link 28 with a first end 30 and a second end 32. The first end 30 of the
second rigid link
28 may be adapted to engage the back 14 at an engagement point 34. The second
end 32 of second rigid link 28 may engage the second end 26 of the first rigid
link 22 in
an aft position 36.
[0029] The reclining control system 10 for a chair may further include a
pivoting link 38
having a first end 40 and a second end 42. The first end 40 of the pivoting
link 38 may
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engage the back 14 at the engagement point 34 and the second end 42 of the
pivoting
link 38 may engage the second end 26 of the first rigid link 22 in a fore
position 44.
[0030] The second rigid link 28 may move the rigid seat member 18 and back 14
from
a non-reclining position to a reclining position.
[0031] Referring to Figures 1-4 in another embodiment of the present invention
there is
provided a reclining control system 10 for a chair 12 having a back 14 and a
seat 16.
The reclining control system 10 may include a rigid seat member 18 having a
bottom
surface 20 and a first rigid link 22 having a first end 24 and second end 26.
The first end
24 of the first rigid link 22 may be adapted to engage the back 14. The second
end 26
of the first rigid link 22 may be positioned proximally adjacent to the bottom
surface 20
of the rigid seat member 18.
[0032] The reclining control system 10 for a chair 12 may further include a
second rigid
link 28 with a first end 30 and a second end 32. The first end 30 of the
second rigid link
28 may engage the bottom surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18 at an
engagement
point 34. The second end 32 of second rigid link 28 may engage the second end
26 of
the first rigid link 22 in an aft position 36.
[0033] The reclining control system 10 for a chair may further include a
pivoting link 38
having a first end 40 and a second end 42. The first end 40 of the pivoting
link 38 may
engage the bottom surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18 at the engagement
point 34
and the second end 42 of the pivoting link 38 may engage the second end 26 of
the first
rigid link 22 in a fore position 44. The second rigid link 28 may move the
rigid seat
member 18 and the back 14 from a non-reclining position to a reclining
position.
[0034] In all embodiments, the bottom surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18
may be
further defined as having a front portion 46 and a back portion 48. The
reclining control
system 10 may further include a flexible member 50. The flexible member may be
C-
shaped and adapted to engage the front portion 46 of the bottom surface 20 of
the rigid
seat member 18. The C-shaped flexible member 50 may be integrally formed to
the
rigid seat member 18 whereby the C-shaped flexible member 50 is positioned at
the far
end of the front portion 46 or forms a front edge 52 of the of the rigid seat
member 18.
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[0035] The C-shaped flexible member 50 may extend proximally and adjacent to
the
bottom surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18. Furthermore the second end 26
of the
first rigid link 22 may extend proximally adjacent to then integrally connect
with the C-
shaped flexible member 50.
[0036] Referring to Figures 3C and 3D, the C-shaped flexible member 50 may be
positioned in a compressed position (Figure 3C) when the rigid seat member 18
is in
the non-reclining or sitting position and a user is seated on the seat 16. The
seat is
therefore primed or loaded by the weight of the user. The C-shaped flexible
member 50
may move to an expanded or flexed position (Figure 3D) when the rigid seat
member
18 and the back 14 move to the reclining position.
[0037] More specifically the C-shaped flexible member includes at least two
arms 62.
When the C-shaped flexible member is compressed when the user is sitting on
the seat
16 in a non-reclined position, the arms 62 of the C-shaped flexible member 62
move
closer toward each other. When the weight of the user moves towards a
reclining
position, the arms 62 of the C-shaped flexible member 50 expand away from each
other
and exert a biasing force.
[0038] The shape, material, and/or configuration of the flexible member 50 may
vary to
achieve the functionality disclosed herein. More specifically the C-shaped
flexible
member 50 may be constructed from a resilient material that allows the C-
shaped
flexible member 50 to flex up or expand lifting the user's legs that engage
the front edge
52 of the of the rigid seat member 18.
[0039] Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, the second rigid link 28 may be further
defined
as a rigid connecting member 28 that is adapted to engage at either the back
14 or the
back portion 48 of the rigid seat member 18, extending towards the aft
position 36 of
the second end 26 of the first rigid link 22. As noted above, the first end 30
of the
second rigid connecting member 28 may engage either the back 14 or the bottom
surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18 at an engagement point 34.
[0040] The engagement point 34 may be further defined as a first pivot point
54. The
second end 32 of second rigid connecting member 28 may engage the second end
26
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of the first rigid link 22 in an aft position 36 at a second pivot point 56.
The second pivot
point 56 is a fixed position with respect to the rigid seat member 18. In
operation, when
the user moves to the reclining position, the second pivot 56 does not
displace the back
14 or rigid seat member 18, and therefore the back portion 48 of the rigid
seat member
18 and the back 14 are reclined by the second rigid connecting member 28.
[0041] Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, the pivoting link 38 may be furthered
defined as
a rigid pivoting controlling member 38 that is adapted to engage between back
portion
48 of the rigid seat member 18 and the fore position 44 of the second end 26
of the first
rigid link 22. As noted above, the first end 40 of the rigid pivoting
controlling member 38
may engage the bottom surface 20 of the rigid seat member 18 at the engagement
point 34 or the first pivot point 54. The second end 42 of the rigid pivoting
controlling
member 38 may engage the second end 26 of the first rigid link 22 in the fore
position
44 at a third pivot point 58.
[0042] In operation, the back 14 and first end 24 of the first rigid link 22
may recline
when the rigid pivoting controlling member 38 pivots about the third pivot
point 58 at the
fore position 44. Specifically rigid pivoting controlling member 38 is
rotatable about a
pivot axis defined by the third pivot point 58.
[0043] As such, both the second rigid connecting member 28 and the rigid
pivoting
controlling member 38 are connected at the engagement point 34 or the first
pivot point
54 positioned at either the back 14 or the back portion 48 of the rigid seat
member 18
and the second end 26 of the first rigid link 22, thereby forming a triangular
linkage 60.
[0044] Specifically, when the triangular linkage 60 is moving between the non-
reclining
and the reclining position, the second end 32 of the second rigid connecting
member 28
and the second end 42 of the rigid pivoting controlling member 38 move away
from
each other or are spread apart from one another. As such the triangular
linkage 60
provides support in both static positions and during movement.
[0045] Moreover, the pivoting action of the rigid pivoting controlling member
38
contributes to the controlling of the movement of the back 14 and the back
portion 48 of
the rigid seat member 18 as it is reclined by the rigid connecting member 28
thereby
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providing additional stability and control to the reclining action. The
triangular linkage 60
therefore helps to form a reclining control system 10 for the chair 12 that is
responsive
to shifts in the weight of the user, such that the motion of the back 14 and
of the seat 16
are linked.
[0046] In operation, the user sits in a non-reclining position on the seat 16
and the
weight of the user will compress the C-shaped flexible member 50 and
specifically the
arms 62 of the C-shaped flexible member 50. The weight of the user acts
against the
triangular linkage 60, namely the second end 26 of the first rigid link 22,
the second
rigid connecting member 28 and the rigid pivoting controlling member 38
thereby
preventing the rotation of the rigid pivoting controlling member 38 about the
third pivot
point 58.
[0047] When the user wishes to recline in the chair 10, the user shifts their
weight
towards a reclining position against the back 14 of the chair 12. This weight
shift causes
the rigid pivoting controlling member 38 to pivot downwardly about the pivot
axis
defined by the third pivot point 58. However during this movement the second
pivot 56
does not displace the back 14 or the rigid seat member 18. The second rigid
connecting
member 28 therefore engages either the back 14 or the back portion 48 of the
rigid seat
member 18 and actuates the reclining motion.
[0048] Since the user has less weight at the front portion 46 or front edge 52
of the rigid
seat member 18, the arms 62 of C-shaped flexible member expands providing
lift. The
seat 16 therefore assumes a slanted or inclined orientation when the back 14
is
reclined, where the back portion 48 of the rigid seat 18 is lower than the
front portion 46
of the rigid seat member 18.
[0049] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in
the art
will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without
departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Still other modifications
which fall
within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art, in
light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to
fall within the
appended claims.
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