POWERED FURNITURE

• US 20090096255A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DewertOkin Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Robco Designs Limited
• Inventors: Robertson, Dale
• Granted Patent: US 7,699,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/85.00M
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0242 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/506 of adjustable type
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/14 Standing-up or sitting-down aids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/10 Occupant-arising assist

Abstract

A lift-recliner chair includes a base portion, a seat portion pivotally connected to the base portion, and a back portion pivotally connected to the seat portion. The chair further includes an actuator assembly for altering the configuration of the chair including a first actuator for moving the seat portion with respect to the base portion and second actuator for moving the back portion with respect to the seat portion. The actuator assembly is substantially enclosed on an underside of the chair, the first actuator is fixed in relation to the base portion, and the second actuator is fixed in relation to the seat portion.

Claims

1. A lift-recliner chair comprising:

a base portion;

a seat portion pivotally connected to the base portion;

a back portion pivotally connected to the seat portion; and

an actuator assembly for altering the configuration of the chair including a first actuator for moving the seat portion with respect to the base portion and second actuator for moving the back portion with respect to the seat portion, the actuator assembly being substantially enclosed on an underside of the chair, wherein the first actuator is fixed in relation to the base portion and the second actuator is fixed in relation to the seat portion.

2. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat portion is movable between a substantially horizontal position in which at least part of the seat portion is nested with the base portion and an inclined position in which the seat portion is telescopically extended from the base portion.

3. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat portion is nested within and extendable from the base portion.

4. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claims 1 wherein the base portion comprises a pair of substantially vertical side panels and a rear panel extending between the side panels, and the seat portion comprises a seat frame including a pair of substantially vertical side panels arranged substantially parallel with and adjacent to the respective side panels of the base portion.

5. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat portion is pivoted with respect to the base portion about a pivot axis positioned towards a front of the base portion.

6. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 4 wherein the seat portion is pivotally connected to the side panels of the base portion.

7. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 6 wherein the seat portion is at least partially supported by the side panels of the base portion.

8. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the back portion comprises a generally rectangular frame and a pair of pivot arms which extend from the frame and pivotally connect the frame to the seat portion.

9. A lift-recliner chair as claimed its claim 8 wherein the pivot arms pivotally connect the back portion to respective side panels of the seat portion.

10. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pivot arms comprise part of a bell-crank for moving the back portion about a pivot axis spaced from the rectangular frame.

11. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 8 wherein the pivot arms extend parallel with and adjacent to respective vertical side panels of the seat portion on an interior side thereof.

12. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the back portion pivots away from the seat portion when the seat portion is raised.

13. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 12 wherein the back portion is arranged to pivot away from the seat portion once the seat portion is moved during lifting to a pre-determined position between a lowered position and fully raised position.

14. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the base portion further comprises a front panel which is pivotally movable with respect to respective side and rear panels of the base portion for movement from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position to provide a retractable foot rest.

15. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 14 wherein the actuator assembly comprises a third actuator fixed in relation to the side panels of the base portion for moving the front panel about a pivot axis.

16. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 14 wherein the front panel is pivotally moveable with respect to the base portion about a pivot axis corresponding substantially to a position of a seated user'"'"'s knee joint.

17. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 16 wherein the pivot axis of the front panel is coincident with the pivot axis connecting the seat potion to the base portion.

18. A lift-recliner chair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the seat portion is pivotally connected to the base portion about a first pivot axis and pivotally connected to the back portion about a second pivot axis, and wherein the rear panel of the seat portion is curved having a center of curvature substantially coincident with the first pivot axis.