FURNITURE MEMBER POWER MECHANISM WITH SELECTABLE LIFT MOVEMENT AND ZERO GRAVITY POSITION

• US 20150076891A1
• Filed: 03/27/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Inventors: LaPointe, Larry P., Harwood, Eric B., Hegedus, Alexander M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,358,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/85.M
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/029 by changing the length or the inclination of the legs varying the height of a seat by inclining the legs A47C3/36
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03211 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0355 actuated by linkages, e.g. lazy-tongs mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/008 Use of remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/14 Standing-up or sitting-down aids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20341 Power elements as controlling elements

Abstract

A furniture member has a base frame including first and second frame members each having a first or second frame support tube. A mechanism includes a motor connected to the base frame and a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and the motor. A stiffening tube assembly has first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube. Multiple rotation links include a first set connected to the first frame support tube and the first side stiffening tube, and a second set connected to the second frame support tube and the second side stiffening tube. The rotation links allow mechanism rotation to a forward lift position by motor operation displacing the torque tube and thereby forwardly rotating and lifting the side stiffening tubes.

Claims

1. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:

a base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto;

a mechanism connected to the base frame including;

a motor connected to the base frame; and

a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and to the motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube; and

multiple rotation links including a first set rotatably connected to the first frame support tube and to the first side stiffening tube, and a second set rotatably connected to the second frame support tube and to the second side stiffening tube, the multiple rotation links allowing rotation of the mechanism to at least a forward lift position by operation of the motor acting to displace the torque tube and thereby to forwardly rotate and lift the first and second side stiffening tubes.

2. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1, wherein the first set of rotation links includes first and second rotation links rotationally connected at opposite ends of the first frame support tube, and the second set of rotation links includes third and fourth rotation links rotationally connected at opposite ends of the second frame support tube.

3. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 2, wherein the first and second frame support tubes each include an upward bend at a rear facing end elevating a position of a rotational fastener positioned at the rear facing end above a rotational fastener positioned at a front facing end.

4. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 3, wherein:

the first and third rotation links are rotatably connected to the rotational fastener at the front facing end; and

the second and fourth rotation links are rotatably connected to the rotational fastener at the rear facing end.

5. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 3, wherein the rotational fastener at the front facing end of each the first and second frame support tubes is positioned at approximately a mid-span of the first and second frame members.

6. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 2, further including:

a first tube member fixed to the first side stiffening tube, the third and fourth rotation links rotatably connected to the first tube member; and

a second tube member fixed to the second side stiffening tube, the first and second rotation links rotatably connected to the second tube member.

7. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1, wherein the frame support tube of each of the first and second frame members is fixedly connected to an upward directed face of the first and second frame members.

8. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1, further including:

an extension shaft positioned in a shaft housing, the shaft housing connected to the motor, the extension shaft extensible from the shaft housing by operation of the motor; and

a coupling bracket fixed to the torque tube and rotatably connected to the extension shaft.

9. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1, further including a motor mount bracket fixedly connected to a frame member of the base frame, and a clevis pin rotatably connecting the motor to the motor mount bracket allowing the motor to rotate during operation.

10. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 1, further including a second mechanism supported by the stiffening tube assembly, the second mechanism having a second motor actuated to displace each of a leg rest mechanism and a seat back of the furniture member.

11. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:

a base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto, each of the first and second frame support tubes having an upward directed bend at a rear facing end thereof;

a mechanism connected to the base frame including;

a motor; and

a torque tube connected to first and second support brackets and to the motor such that the torque tube is displaced by operation of the motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube; and

a first rotation link rotatably connected to a front facing end of the first frame support tube and a second rotation link rotatably connected to the upward directed bend of the first frame support tube;

a third rotation link rotatably connected to a front facing end of the second frame support tube and a fourth rotation link rotatably connected to the upward directed bend of the second frame support tube;

the multiple rotation links allowing rotation of the mechanism to at least a forward lift position by operation of the motor acting to displace the torque tube and thereby to displace the first and second side stiffening tubes.

12. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 11, wherein the first and third rotational links are shorter than the second and fourth rotational links.

13. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 12, further including a first rotational fastener at a forward facing end of each of the first and second frame support tubes rotationally connecting the first and third rotational links to one of the first and second frame support tubes.

14. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 13, wherein the first rotational fastener is positioned at approximately a mid-span in a front-to-back orientation of the first and second frame members.

15. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 13, further including a second rotational fastener positioned rearward of the first rotational fastener at a rearward facing end of the upward directed bend of the first and second frame support tubes rotationally connecting one of the second and fourth rotational links to one of the first and second frame support tubes.

16. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 13, wherein the first and second frame members and the first and second frame support tubes are rectangular shaped and each of the first and second frame support tubes is fixedly connected to an upward directed face of one of the first and second frame members.

17. A furniture member having an occupant lift position, comprising:

a base frame supporting the furniture member on a floor surface, the base frame including a first frame member having a first frame support tube fixed thereto and a second frame member having a second frame support tube fixed thereto, each of the first and second frame support tubes having an upward directed bend at a rear facing end thereof;

a first mechanism, including;

a first motor rotatably connected to the base frame; and

a torque tube displaced by operation of the first motor;

a stiffening tube assembly having first and second side stiffening tubes, the first frame support tube connected to the first side stiffening tube and the second frame support tube connected to the second side stiffening tube;

a second mechanism supported by the stiffening tube assembly, the second mechanism having a second motor; and

multiple rotation links including a first set rotatably connected to the first frame support tube and to the first side stiffening tube, and a second set rotatably connected to the second frame support tube and to the second side stiffening tube, the multiple rotation links allowing rotation of the mechanism to at least a forward lift position by operation of the first motor acting to displace the torque tube and thereby to forwardly rotate and lift the first and second side stiffening tubes.

18. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 17, further including:

the multiple rotation links including first and second rotation links each rotatably connected to a forward end of one of the first or second frame support tubes; and

a support tube fixedly and non-rotationally connected at opposite ends to each of first and second rotation links.

19. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 18, further including a rotational fastener rotatably connecting each of the first and second rotation links to one of the first and second support brackets such that the first and second support brackets are displaced when the first and second rotation links rotate during operation of the first motor.

20. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 17, wherein the multiple rotation links further include third and fourth rotation links each rotatably connected to the bend of one of the first or second frame support tubes such that the third and fourth rotation links are positioned rearward of the first and second rotation links.

21. The furniture member having an occupant lift position of claim 17, further including:

a drive housing connected to the first motor;

a shaft housing directly connected to the drive housing;

an extension shaft positioned in the shaft housing, the extension shaft extensible from the shaft housing by operation of the first motor; and

the first motor acting in only a first powered direction to axially extend the extension shaft, the extension shaft self-returning into the shaft housing.

22. A lift recliner chair that moves away from a wall surface during a recline motion, comprising:

a base frame supported on a floor surface;

a moveable seat section attached to the base frame having an attached seat upholstery section;

a back rest section moveably connected to the seat section and having an attached back rest upholstery section;

an ottoman section connected to and extendable from the seat section; and

a chair body section including each of the seat section, the back rest section, and the ottoman, the chair body section tilting during ottoman extension, tilting during recline of the back rest section, and both raising and tilting during a lift operation to a chair lift position by actuation of an actuator means having first and second individual actuators.

23. The lift recliner chair of claim 22, wherein in the first actuator has a first range of movement operating to lift and tilt the seat section and the chair body section to an occupant preferred position of egress wherein a maximum seat angle measured from the seat frame upholstery section to the floor surface is approximately 12°

, and a minimum amount of lift as measured from an intersection between the rear seat upholstery section and the back upholstery section at a chair rest position and at an intersection of the rear seat upholstery section and the back upholstery section at the chair lift position is 12 inches.

24. The lift recliner chair of claim 23, wherein the first actuator cannot operate until the second actuator reaches a fully retracted condition.

25. The lift recliner chair of claim 24, wherein each of the first and second actuators can be stopped at any point in the range of movement.

26. The lift recliner chair of claim 23, wherein the second actuator cannot operate until the first actuator reaches a fully retracted condition.

27. The lift recliner chair of claim 22, wherein an initial operation of the second actuator provides a range of movement of the chair back section from a fully reclined position to an upright position, and simultaneously moves the seat section and the chair body section towards a wall surface, and subsequent operation of the second actuator moves the extendable ottoman section and simultaneously de-angles each of the seat section, the chair body section, and the back section, thereby providing a wall proximity position when fully retracted of a maximum of 6 inches measured from a top rear edge of the back frame to the wall surface.

28. The lift recliner chair of claim 27, wherein the extendable ottoman section extends forward of the seat section a minimum of 19 inches measured from a front of the seat section to a furthest forward position of the ottoman section, and above the seat section a minimum of 2 inches measured from a top of the seat section and a top edge of the extendable ottoman section.

29. The lift recliner chair of claim 27, wherein the seat section, chair body section and back section tilt a minimum of 4.5°

when the ottoman section is fully extended.

30. The lift recliner chair of claim 22, wherein the first actuator has a range of movement that lowers and de-angles the seat section and the chair body section to an occupant selected sitting position and wherein a pitch of the seat frame section measured with respect to the floor surface ranges between approximately 6°

to 10°

rearward tilt.

31. The lift recliner chair of claim 22, wherein the second actuator has a range of movement including an initial displacement of the chair back section from a fully reclined to an upright position, and which simultaneously displaces the seat section and the chair body section towards the wall surface, and includes a subsequent movement that displaces the extendable ottoman section and simultaneously de-angles the seat section, the chair body section, and the back section, thereby providing a wall proximity position of the lift recliner chair at a fully retracted position having a maximum of 6 inches measured from a top rear edge of the back frame to the wall surface.