Reclining chair

• US 6,607,244 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2001
• Issued: 08/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bruce Burness, Edward L. Stulik
• Original Assignee: Bruce Burness, Edward L. Stulik
• Inventors: Burness, Bruce, Stulik, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barfield, Anthony D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRIS, STEPHANIE N
• Application Number:
  US09/824,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 297/302.4, 297/303.4, 297/301.4, 297/300.5, 248/597, 248/550, 267/177
• US Class Current: 297/302.4
• 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 1/03272 with coil springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs

Abstract

A reclining chair including a support base, a chair seat rotatably coupled at its forward portion to the support base, a substantially vertically disposed coil spring provided adjacent the forward portion of the seat and between the seat and the support base such that the coil spring is pivotally coupled to the seat portion and the support base at its ends, an apparatus for pivoting one end of the coil spring about another end of the coil spring and an offset crank for driving said apparatus.

Claims

1. A reclining chair comprising:

a support base;

a char comprising at least a seat portion;

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

at least one coil spring provided adjacent said forward portion of said scat portion and between said seat portion and said support base;

a means for coupling ends of said coil spring pivotally to said seat portion arid said support base;

a means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about another end of said coil spring; and

an offset crank means for driving said means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about another end thereof;

wherein said means for pivoting said one end of said coil spring about another end thereof comprises a boomerang shaped bell crank rotatably coupled to said support base at a center thereof with a long arm thereof being driven by said offset crank means and a short arm thereof coupled to said one end of said coil spring for pivoting said one end;

whereby by pivoting said one end of said coil spring about another end of said coil spring an effective force per unit distance of said coil spring is varied and reclining chair is made equally comfortable to sit and recline in throughout the entire range of heavy to lightweight persons.

2. The reclining chair according to claim 1 wherein said means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about said another end of said coil spring simultaneously varies a preload and said force per unit distance of said coil spring.

5. The reclining chair according to claim 1 wherein said another end of said coil spring is pivotally fixed to said seat portion.

3. A reclining chair comprising:

a support base;

a chair comprising at least a seat portion;

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

at least one coil spring provided adjacent said forward portion of said seat portion and between said seat portion and said support base;

a means for coupling ends of said coil spring pivotally to said seat portion and said support base, said means for coupling ends of said coil spring pivotally to said seat portion and support base comprise;

a first spring cup engaging one end of said coil spring, said first spring cup further comprising at least one arm extending longitudinally from said first spring cup along said coil spring with an extending end pivotally coupled to said support base; and

a second spring cup engaging said another end of said coil spring, said second spring cup pivotally coupled to said seat portion;

a means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about another end of said coil spring;

an offset crank means for driving said means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about another end thereof; and

wherein said means for pivoting one end of said coil spring about said another end thereof comprises a boomerang shaped bell crank rotatably coupled to said support base at a center thereof with a long arm thereof being driven by said offset crank means and a short arm thereof coupled to said another end of said coil spring for pivoting said one end;

whereby by pivoting said one end of said coil spring about another end of said coil spring an effective force per unit distance of said coil spring is varied and the reclining chair is made equally comfortable to sit and recline in throughout the entire range of heavy to lightweight persons.

4. The reclining chair according to claim 3 wherein said means for pivoting said one end of said coil spring about said another end of said coil spring comprises a means for moving said first spring cup.