Adjustable chair

• US 6,015,189 A
• Filed: 06/13/1994
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Invacare Canada, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Genus Medical, Inc. (Invacare Corporation)
• Inventors: Bentley, Brian, Ma, Son, Cimachowski, Czeslaw, Pang, Nelson, Krommenhoek, Joe, Broadhead, Douglas, Harding, David, Eakins, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US08/258,854
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 297/61, 297/284.1, 297/326-328, 297/353, 297/284.7
• US Class Current: 297/353
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/74 for anti-shear when adjusting furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/04 motor-driven A61G5/06 takes precedence; motor-operated rests A61G5/12; for vehicles with handlebars, equipped with three or more wheels B62K5/003, B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1054 Large wheels, e.g. higher than the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1067 adjusting the backrest relative to the seat portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1075 tilting the whole seat backwards tilting forwards for standing-up or sitting-down aids A61G5/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1089 Anti-tip devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/12 Rests specially adapted therefor, e.g. for the head or the feet

Abstract

The present assembly relates to a link assembly for a chair. The assembly includes a frame link for connecting to a frame of the chair and a back support link for connecting to a back support of the chair. The frame link and the back support link are pivotably connected in order to facilitate displacement of the back support according to movement of a back frame of the chair. An adjustable pivot point is located on one of the links for selectively adjusting the extent of displacement of the back support relative to the back frame.

Claims

1. A link assembly for use in a chair having a back frame that reclines relative to a seat frame, said chair including a back support that is mounted to said back frame for linear displacement relative thereto, said assembly comprising;

a frame link apparatus having a first member and a second member, said members being adapted to be connected at first and second pivot points respectively to the seat frame;

a back support link apparatus that is adapted to be connected at a third pivot point to the displaceable back support;

said first member and said second member connecting at fourth and fifth pivot points respectively to said back support link apparatus to facilitate linear displacement of said back support according to radial movement of said back frame relative to said seat frame; and

adjustment means located on at least one of said link apparati for selectively adjusting the distance from one of said fourth or fifth pivot points to one of said first, second or third pivot points, said adjustment means facilitating adjustment of the extent of linear displacement of said back support relative to said movement of said back frame.

2. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second members are positioned generally parallel to one another.

3. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustment means comprises a plurality of spaced holes defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second members.

4. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustment means comprises a slot defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second members.

5. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said back support link apparatus comprises a third member and a fourth member, said third and fourth members being connected to one another at a sixth pivot point, said third member also being connected at said fourth and fifth pivot points to said frame link apparatus, and said fourth member also being adapted to be connected at said third pivot point to said displaceable back support.

6. A link assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adjustment means comprises a plurality of spaced holes defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second members.

7. A link assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adjustment means comprises a slot defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second frame links.

8. A link assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said adjustment means comprises a plurality of spaced holes defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotable connection point of one of said third and fourth members.

9. A link assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adjustment means comprises a slot defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said third and fourth members.

10. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said links includes an arm for receiving a pushrod, said arm facilitating translation of said back frame movement to other elements of said chair.

11. A link assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second members are connected to said back support link apparatus at spaced pivot points.

12. A chair comprising:

a base frame;

a seat frame connected to the base frame;

a back frame pivotably connected to the seat frame;

a displaceable back support carried by said back frame;

means disposed between said back frame support and said seat frame for moving said back frame relative to said seat frame,

a link assembly connected to said back support and to said seat frame for displacing said back support relative to said back frame according to movement of said back frame relative to said seat frame;

said link assembly including a frame link apparatus having a first member and a second member, said members being connected at first and second pivot points respectively to the seat frame, and a back support link apparatus that is connected at a third pivot point to the displaceable back support;

said first member and said second member connecting at fourth and fifth pivot points to said back support link apparatus to facilitate said displacement of said back support according to said movement of said back frame; and

adjustment means located on said link assembly for selectively adjusting the distance from one of said fourth or fifth pivot points to one of said first, second or third pivot points, said adjustment means facilitating adjustment of the extent of displacement of said back support relative to said movement of said back frame.

13. A chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein said adjustment means comprises a plurality of spaced holes defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second members.

14. A chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein said adjustment means comprises a slot defined in said back support link apparatus for selectively adjusting the pivotal connection point of one of said first and second members.

15. A chair as claimed in claim 12, wherein said link assembly includes an arm for receiving a pushrod, said arm facilitating translation of said back frame movement to other elements of said chair.

16. A chair as claimed in claim 13, wherein said first and second members are connected to said back support link apparatus at spaced pivot points.