Chair with power seat

• US 5,735,573 A
• Filed: 08/20/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jon D. Vredevoogd
• Original Assignee: Jon D. Vredevoogd
• Inventors: Vredevoogd, Jon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US08/699,771
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 297/257, 297/232, 297/344.1, 297/330, 297/188.14, 297/188.19, 297/188.04, 297/452.18, 297/451.9, 297/188.01
• US Class Current: 297/257
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0242 by electric motors

Abstract

A home seating furnishing having one or more power driven adjustable seats, where each seat offers movement independent from all other seats in the furnishing is disclosed. The furnishing includes an armrest lid which is moveable between open and closed positions while remaining horizontal at all times, thereby allowing exposure of the interior of the arm rest.

Claims

1. An article of furniture comprising:

a base;

two armrest pedestals attached to and extending upwardly from opposite ends of the base;

a power unit mounted on the base; and

a seat attached to the power unit, the power unit providing selective, independent forward and rearward movement of said seat relative to the base and armrest pedestals, providing independent angular movement about a horizontal axis near a rear of the seat and providing independent angular movement about a horizontal axis near a front of the seat.

2. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the article of furniture includes a plurality of seats and a plurality of power units, each of the power units being mounted on the base, each of the seats being mounted on a corresponding one of the power units.

3. An article of furniture according to claim 2 wherein the plurality of seats each provide movement independent from movement of other seats in the same article of furniture.

4. An article of furniture according to claim 1 further comprising a back supported on at least one of the armrest pedestals.

5. An article of furniture according to claim 4, wherein the seat is moveable independent of the back.

6. An article of furniture according to claim 1 further comprising a back connected to the seat, whereby movement of the back is dependent on movement of the seat.

7. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the article of furniture includes at least one throwbar supported by and structurally stabilizing the armrest pedestals.

8. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the armrest pedestals includes a pocket.

9. An article of furniture according to claim 1 wherein the base includes at least two longitudinal members extending between and supporting the armrest pedestals.

10. An article of furniture comprising:

a base;

at least one back;

at least one seat; and

two or more armrest pedestals vertically mounted to a top of the base, the armrest pedestals including attached horizontal lids, the horizontal lids being movable from a first horizontal closed position to a second horizontal open position while the lids remain at all times horizontal.

11. An article of furniture according to claim 10 wherein the attached lids are held horizontal during movement by two or more pivot hinges.

12. An article of furniture according to claim 11 wherein the armrest pedestals include a hollow interior, the hollow interior being exposed by movement of the attached lids.

13. The article of furniture according to claim 11 wherein the attached lid is at an elevation in the open position which is substantially the same as its elevation in the closed position.

14. An article of furniture for home or office use comprising:

a base configured to support a power seating unit above a floor of a building;

a power seating unit mounted on the base; and

a seat mounted on and wholly supported by the power seating unit, the power seating unit providing selective, independent forward and rearward movement of the seat, selective, independent upward and downward movement of the seat, selective, independent movement of the seat about a horizontal axis, and any combination thereof.

15. The article of furniture of claim 14 further comprising two armrest pedestals mounted on and wholly supported by the base at opposite ends thereof.

16. The article of furniture of claim 15, wherein the base is comprised of a plurality of longitudinally extending members and a plurality of transverse members attached to the longitudinal members, and wherein the power seating unit and pedestals are mounted directly to at least one of the longitudinal or transverse members.