Reclining chair

• US 5,288,138 A
• Filed: 09/30/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bruce Burness, Edward L. Stulik
• Original Assignee: Bruce Burness, Edward L. Stulik
• Inventors: Stulik, Edward L., Burness, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): ASCHENBRENNER, PETER
• Application Number:
  US07/954,583
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 297/301, 297/353, 297/354, 297/355, 297/341, 297/300, 297/304
• US Class Current: 297/302.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03255 with a central column, e.g. rocking office chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03266 with adjustable elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs

Abstract

A reclining chair including a seat, a back and a base. The forward portion of the seat is pivotally coupled to the base such that the seat pivotally moves substantially about a knee of a person seated in the reclining chair. Also, the seat and back are coupled together such that the back portion pivotally moves substantially about a hip of the person seated in the reclining chair as the chair is reclined.

Claims

1. A reclining chair including a seat portion, a back portion and a base portion, said reclining chair comprising:

a first means for pivotally coupling a forward portion of said seat portion to said base portion such that said seat portion pivotally moves substantially about a first pivoting axis located adjacent said front portion;

a second means for coupling said seat and back portions together such that when said seat portion is pivoted about said first pivoting axis, said back portion simultaneously pivotally moves about a second pivoting axis located above said seat portion and adjacent said back portion, said second means comprising link means provided between said base and back portions; and

a single spring means coupled to said base and supporting said seat portion for applying spring force to said first means, said spring means comprising a leaf spring, a swing arm coupled to said seat portion and a roller means coupled to said base and provided between and engaging with both said swing arm and said leaf spring;

whereby a reclining chair which is comfortable for both lightweight and heavyweight people is provided.

2. A reclining chair according to claim 1, wherein said single spring means further comprises a moving means coupled between said base portion and said roller means for moving said roller means longitudinally relative to said single portion spring means whereby a force per unit distance reclined may be varied.

4. A reclining chair according to claim 1 wherein said spring means further comprises a means for presetting a position of said roller means relative to said leaf spring and said swing arm.

3. A reclining chair according to claim 3 further comprising a means for varying a position of said roller to vary said spring force of said single spring means applied to said first means whereby a force per unit distance of recline as the chair is reclined may be varied.