Articulated relaxation chair

• US 4,966,413 A
• Filed: 08/17/1989
• Issued: 10/30/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Timothy D. Palarski
• Original Assignee: Timothy D. Palarski
• Inventors: Palarski, Timothy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Aschenbrenner, Peter A.
• Application Number:
  US07/394,874
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 297/330, 297/312, 297/411, 297/284, 297/408, 297/434, 297/361
• US Class Current: 297/330
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/022 having independently-adjustable supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0244 by fluid means
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03 the parts being arm-rests conversion into a bed A47C17/12
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0308 adjustable by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0342 in combination with movable backrest-seat unit or back-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/036 the parts including a head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/024 with double seats
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/38 for the head adjustable coupled to reclining or easy chairs A47C1/036
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/503 with double foot-rests or leg-rests

Abstract

A hydraulically or pneumatically operated relaxation chair has a floor engaging base, a padded seat-thigh rest member pivotally secured to the top of the base, and a padded back and head rest assembly pivotally secured to the top of the base at the rear of the seat-thigh rest. A calf rest is pivotally secured to the front of the seat-thigh rest. Padded arm rests are pivotally secured to each side of the back rest member. Controls in the arm rest control the operation of fluid rams to selectively move and position the seat-thigh rest, the calf rest, the back and head rest, and each arm rest relative to one another and to the base independently or as units. The arm rest members may have separate upper and forearm members pivotally connected and powered by fluid rams whereby the members pivot relative to one another and to the back and head rest assembly independently or as a unit. In one embodiment, the seat-thigh rest and calf rest members are a pair of laterally spaced left and right seat-thigh and calf support members pivotally connected and powered by rams whereby the calf and seat-thigh support members pivot relative to one another and as units relative to the base. The head rest may be separate from the back rest to pivot relative thereto, and the back rest may have an expandable lumbar support.

Claims

1. An articulated relaxation chair comprising;

a floor engaging base,

leg rest means pivotally secured to said base for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto including a seatthigh support member having a seat support portion at its rearward end for supporting the buttocks of the chair occupant and a thigh support portion extending forwardly therefrom for supporting the thighs of the occupant, and

a calf support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said thigh portion for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said leg rest means and said base for pivotally moving said leg rest means relative to said base,

operating means secured between said calf support member and said seat-thigh support member for pivotally moving said calf support portion relative to said thigh support portion,

back rest means pivotally secured to said base at the rearward end of said leg rest means for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said back rest means and said base for pivotally moving said back rest means relative to said leg rest means and said base,

each said operating means secured to a source of power for operating same, and

selective control means operatively connected with said operating means for selectively controlling the movement of each said operating means independently to provide the occupant with selective positioning of said calf support portion, said thigh support portion, and said back rest means relative to one another and to said base.

2. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 1 in which;

said back rest means has a back support portion for supporting the back of the occupant and a head rest portion for supporting the head of the occupant.

3. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 1 including;

left and right arm rest means pivotally secured at each lateral side of said back rest means for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said left and right arm rest means and said back rest means for pivotally moving each said arm rest means independently relative to said back rest means, and

selective control means on said arm rest means for selectively controlling the movement of each said operating means independently to provide the occupant with selective positioning of said leg rest means, said back rest means, and said left and right arm rest means relative to one another and to said base.

4. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 1 in which;

said operating means comprise one or more fluid operated cylinder and piston assemblies,

said power means comprises pressurized fluid, and

said control means comprises a series of switches for reversibly conducting said fluid under pressure to and from said cylinder and piston assemblies to extend and retract same.

5. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 4 including

fluid pump means and a fluid reservoir in said base operatively secured to said cylinder and piston assemblies and controlled by said switches to extend and retract said cylinder and piston assemblies.

6. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 1 including;

selectively adjustable lumbar support means disposed in said back rest means and operatively connected to said power means and controlled by said control means for selectively engaging the lumbar portion of the back of the chair occupant.

7. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 6 in which;

said operating means comprise one or more fluid operated cylinder and piston assemblies,

said lumbar support means comprises a fluid expandable bladder construction,

said power means comprises pressurized fluid, and

said control means comprises a series of switches for reversibly conducting said fluid under pressure to and from said cylinder and piston assemblies to extend and retract same, and to and from said lumbar support means expand or retract same.

8. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 1 in which;

said leg rest means comprises a pair of separate elongate, laterally spaced, left and right leg support members each pivotally secured at their rearward end to said base for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

said operating means is operatively secured between each said leg support member and said base for pivotally moving each said left and right leg support member independently, whereby

the occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of each said left and right leg support member relative to one another and relative to said back and head rest means, said left and right arm rest means, and said base.

9. An articulated relaxation chair comprising;

a floor engaging base,

leg rest means pivotally secured to said base for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto including a seatthigh support member having a seat support portion at its rearward end for supporting the buttocks of the chair occupant and a thigh support portion extending forwardly therefrom for supporting the thighs of the occupant, and

a calf support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said thigh portion for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said leg rest means and said base for pivotally moving said leg rest means relative to said base,

operating means secured between said calf support member and said seat-thigh support member for pivotally moving said calf support portion relative to said thigh support portion,

back and head rest means pivotally secured to said base adjacent the rearward end of said leg rest means for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said back and head rest means and said base for pivotally moving said back and head rest means relative to said leg rest means and said base,

left and right arm rest means pivotally secured at each lateral side of aid back and head rest means for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

operating means secured between said left and right arm rest means and said back and head rest means for pivotally moving each said arm rest means independently relative to said back and head rest means,

each said operating means operatively connected to a source of power for operating same, and

selective control means operatively connected with said operating means for selectively controlling the movement of each said operating means independently to provide the occupant with selective positioning of said calf support portion, said thigh support portion, said back and head rest means, and said left and right arm rest means relative to one another and to said base.

10. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

said operating means comprise one or more fluid operated cylinder and piston assemblies,

said power means comprises pressurized fluid, and

said control means comprises a series of switches for reversibly conducting said fluid under pressure to and from said cylinder and piston assemblies to extend and retract same.

11. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 10 including

fluid pump means and a fluid reservoir in said base operatively connected to said cylinder and piston assemblies and controlled by said switches to extend and retract said cylinder and piston assemblies.

12. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 including;

selectively adjustable lumbar support means disposed in said back and head rest means and operatively connected to said power means and controlled by said control means for selectively engaging the lumbar portion of the back of the chair occupant.

13. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 12 in which;

said operating means comprise one or more fluid operated cylinder and piston assemblies,

said lumbar support means comprises a fluid expandable bladder construction,

said power means comprises pressurized fluid, and

said control means comprises a series of switches for reversibly conducting said fluid under pressure to and from said cylinder and piston assemblies to extend and retract same, and to and from said lumbar support means expand or contract same.

14. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

said leg rest means comprises a pair of separate elongate, laterally spaced, left and right leg support members each pivotally secured at their rearward end to said base for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

said operating means is operatively secured between each said leg support member and said base for pivotally moving each said left and right leg support member independently, whereby

the occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of each said left and right leg support member relative to one another and relative to said back and head rest means, said left and right arm rest means, and said base.

15. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

each said left and right arm rest means comprises a generally rectangular upper arm support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to one side of said back and head rest means for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

a generally rectangular forearm support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said upper arm support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and further including

operating means secured between said forearm support member and said upper arm support member and operatively connected to said power means and said control means for pivotally moving said forearm support member relative to said upper arm support member, whereby

the chair occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of said each forearm support member relative to said upper arm support member, said back and head rest means, said leg rest means, and said base.

16. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

said back and head rest means comprises a back support member pivotally secured at its lower end to said base adjacent the rearward end of said leg rest means for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

a head support member pivotally secured at the upper end of said back support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and further including

operating means secured between said head support member and said back support member and operatively connected to said power means and said control means for pivotally moving said head support member relative to said back support member, whereby

the chair occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of said head support member relative to said back support member, said leg rest means, said left and right arm rest means, and said base.

17. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

said leg rest means comprises a pair of separate elongate, laterally spaced, left and right leg support members each pivotally secured at their rearward end to said base for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

each said left and right leg support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to said base for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

a calf support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of each leg support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and further including

operating means secured between each said left and right leg support member and said base and between each said left and right leg support member and each said calf support member and operatively connected to said power means and said control means for pivotally moving each said left and right leg support member and said calf support member relative to one another and to said base and each said calf support member relative to said each said left and right leg rest member, whereby

the occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of each said calf support member relative to each said left and right leg support member and as a unit with each said left and right leg support member relative to one another and to said back and head rest means, said left and right arm rest means, and said base.

18. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 9 in which;

said leg rest means comprises a generally rectangular seat-thigh support member having a seat support portion at its rearward end for supporting the buttocks of the chair occupant and a thigh support portion extending forwardly therefrom for supporting the thighs of the chair occupant and a calf support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said thigh support portion for vertical pivotal movement relative the thigh support portion, said seat-thigh support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to base for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto

said first stated operating means secured between said thigh support portion of said leg rest member and said base and between said thigh support portion and said calf support member for moving said seat-thigh member relative to said base and said calf support member relative to said seat-thigh support member,

said back and head rest means comprises a back support member pivotally secured at its lower end to said base adjacent the rearward end of the seat support portion of said seat-thigh support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto and a head support member pivotally secured at the upper end of said back support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

said second stated operating means secured between said back rest member and said base and between said back rest member and said head rest member for pivotally moving said back rest member relative to said seat-thigh support member and said head support member relative to said back support member,

each said arm rest means comprises a generally rectangular upper arm support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to one side of said back support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto and a generally rectangular forearm support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of said upper arm support member for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto,

said third stated operating means secured between each said upper arm support member and said back rest member and between each said forearm support member and said upper arm support member for pivotally moving said upper arm support member relative to said back rest member and said forearm support member relative to said upper arm support member,

said selective control means on said arm rest means comprises a series of switches operatively connected to said operating means and said power means for selectively controlling the movement of each said operating means independently, whereby

the occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of said leg rest means, said back and head rest means, and said left and right arm rest means each as a unit relative to one another and to said base, and

with selective independent positioning of said calf support member, said seat-thigh support member, said back support member, said head rest member, each said upper arm member, and each said forearm member each relative to one another.

19. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 18 in which;

said seat-thigh support member comprises a pair of separate laterally spaced left and right seat-thigh support members each having a seat support portion at its rearward end and a thigh support portion extending forwardly therefrom for supporting the left and right thighs of the chair occupant and each pivotally secured at their rearward end to said base for independent vertical pivotal movement relative thereto and each having a calf support member pivotally secured at its rearward end to the forward end of each said thigh portion for vertical pivotal movement relative thereto, and

said first stated operating means secured between each said seat-thigh support member and said base and between each said seat-thigh support member and each calf support member and operatively connected to said power means and said control means for pivotally moving each said left and right seat-thigh support member relative to one another and each said calf support member relative to each said seat-thigh support member, whereby

the occupant is provided with selective independent positioning of each said left and right seat-thigh support member, said back and head rest member, and said arm support members each as a unit relative to one another and to said base, and

with selective independent positioning of each said calf support member, each said seat-thigh support member, said back support member, said head rest member, each said upper arm portion, and each said forearm portion each relative to one another.

20. An articulated relaxation chair according to claim 18 including;

selectively adjustable lumbar support means disposed in said back support portion and operatively connected to said power means and controlled by said control means for selectively engaging the lumbar portion of the back of the chair occupant.