Recliner chair having a turning up and stretching out footrest mechanism

• US 7,273,257 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfor SPRL, Nv D.E. Vroe
• Original Assignee: Tomoh GmbH
• Inventors: De Vroe, Koen
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/531,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20060103218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,442 Days
• Field of Search: 297/423.24, 297/423.28, 297/423.3, 297/423.34, 297/423.35, 297/423.36, 297/69, 297/70, 297/84, 297/330
• US Class Current: 297/452.26
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/035 in combination with movably coupled seat and back-rest, i.e. the seat and back-rest being movably coupled in such a way that the extension mechanism of the foot-rest is actuated at least by the relative movements of seat and backrest

Abstract

Mechanism for simultaneously turning up and stretching out an extension part (12,112) relative to a reference part (1,101),with a telescopic sliding profile element (10,110) connected to the reference part and to the extension part, The essentially fixed sliding profile element may be connected to said reference part via a pantograph framework The invention also relates to recliner chair constructions involving such mechanism for turning up and simultaneously stretching out a footrest.

Claims

1. Mechanism for simultaneously turning up and stretching out an extension part (12,112) relative to a reference part (1,101), comprising

at least one first, linearly extending telescopic sliding profile element (10,110), having a first profile part rigidly interconnected with said reference part and a second profile part (A) pivotally interconnected with said extension part via a first swivel point (S,S′

), and

at least one hinging second, linearly extending telescopic sliding profile element, having a first profile part pivotally connected to a second swivel point (Z,Z′

), on said reference part, and a second profile part (B) rigidly interconnected with said extension part, and pivotally interconnected with said second profile part of said first, linearly extending profile element, via said first swivel point,

wherein the first linearly extending profile element moves in only minor pivoting and translational movements, which are smaller than those of said at least one hinging second linearly extending profile element, to provide smooth operation of said mechanism.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first profile parts and said second profile parts of said at least one first sliding profile element and said at least one hinging second sliding profile elements, respectively, are interconnected with each other and with said reference part so that said hinging second sliding profile element hinges in a plane parallel to sliding movements of said first sliding profile element and said hinging second sliding profile element.

3. Mechanism according to claim 1, comprising two sets of first telescopic sliding profile elements and two sets of hinging second telescopic sliding profile elements, positioned symmetrically with respect to said reference part and/or said turning up and stretching out extension part.

4. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said second profile part of said at least one hinging second sliding profile element acts as support for said extension part.

5. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said first profile part of said at least one first sliding profile element is interconnected to said reference part via a pantograph framework which modifies the direction of said first sliding profile element in function of the hinging of said hinging second sliding profile element.

6. Mechanism according to claim 5, wherein said pantograph framework comprises:

a swivel point connection between said first profile part of said first sliding profile element and said reference part,

a swivel point connection between said first profile part of said hinging second sliding profile element and a pantograph framework main part,

a swivel point connection between said first profile part of said hinging second sliding profile element and said reference part,

a lever connection between said first profile part of said first sliding profile element and said pantograph framework main part, via swivel points, and

a lever connection between said pantograph framework main part and said reference part.

7. Mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said sliding profile elements slide on ball bearing elements.

8. Recliner chair construction comprising a footrest which simultaneously turns up and stretches out relative to said chair or a chair support part comprising a mechanism according to claim 1, in which said extension part of said mechanisms constitutes said turning up and stretching out footrest.

15. Chair construction to claim 1, wherein said sliding profile elements slide on ball bearing elements.

9. Recliner chair construction comprising a footrest (12,112) which simultaneously turns up and stretches out relative to said chair (1,101), comprising

at least one first, linearly extending a telescopic sliding profile element (10,110), having a first profile part rigidly interconnected with said chair or a chair support part and a second profile part (A) pivotally interconnected with said footrest via a first swivel point (S,S′

), and

at least one hinging, second linearly extending telescopic sliding profile element, having a first profile part pivotally connected to a second swivel point (Z,Z′

), on the chair, and a second profile part rigidly interconnected with said footrest and pivotally interconnected with said second profile part of said first, linearly extending profile element, via said first swivel point,

wherein the first linearly extending profile element means moves in only minor pivoting and translation movements, which are smaller than those of said at least one hinging second linearly extending profile element, to provide smooth operation of said mechanism.

10. Chair construction according to claim 9, wherein said first profile parts and said second profile parts of said at least one first sliding profile element and said at least one hinging second sliding profile element are interconnected with each other and with the chair so that said hinging second sliding profile element hinges in a plane parallel to sliding movements of said first sliding profile element and said hinging second sliding profile element.

11. Chair construction according to claim 9, comprising two sets of first telescopic sliding profile elements and two sets of hinging second telescopic sliding profile elements, positioned symmetrically with respect to the chair and/or the turning up and stretching out footrest.

12. Chair construction according to claim 9, wherein said second profile part of said at least one hinging second sliding profile element acts as support for said footrest.

13. Chair construction according to claim 9, wherein said first profile part of said at least one first sliding profile element is interconnected to said chair via a pantograph framework which modifies the direction of said first sliding profile element in function of said hinging of the hinging second sliding profile element.

14. Chair construction according to claim 13, wherein said pantograph framework comprises:

a swivel point connection between said first profile part of the first sliding profile element and a chair frame,

a swivel point connection between said first profile part of the hinging second sliding profile and a pantograph framework main part,

said second swivel point connection between said first profile part of the hinging second sliding profile element and said footrest,

a lever connection between said first profile part of said first sliding profile element and said pantograph framework main part, via further swivel points, and

a lever connection between said pantograph framework main part and the chair frame.