Recliner lift chair with power lift and reclining units

• US 7,766,421 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2007
• Issued: 08/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated), Omega Motion, LLC
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lawson, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US11/954,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 297/DIG.10, 297/85.R, 297/85.M
• US Class Current: 297/85.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/0355 actuated by linkages, e.g. lazy-tongs mechanisms

Abstract

A lift chair includes: a base; a seat; a backrest; at least one ottoman; a lift-reclining mechanism attached to the base and to the seat; a backrest reclining mechanism coupled with the lift-reclining mechanism and attached to the seat, the backrest and the ottoman; a lift power unit attached to the base and to the lift-reclining mechanism; and a backrest reclining power unit attached to the base and to the backrest reclining mechanism. The lift-reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between an upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed and positioned above the base at a first height and at a first pitch angle that is positive relative to horizontal, the backrest is generally upright, and the ottoman is positioned below the seat, and a lifted position, in which the seat is raised to a second height that is higher than the first height and at a second pitch angle that is negative relative to horizontal. The lift-backrest reclining mechanism is further configured to move the chair from the upright position to a TV position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat, and to a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is reclined relative to the seat. The backrest reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between the TV and fully reclined positions.

Claims

1. A lift chair, comprising:

a base;

a seat;

a backrest;

at least one ottoman;

a lift-reclining mechanism attached to the base and to the seat;

a backrest reclining mechanism coupled with the lift-reclining mechanism and attached to the seat, the backrest and the ottoman;

a lift power unit attached to the base and to the lift-reclining mechanism; and

a backrest reclining power unit attached to the base and to the backrest reclining mechanism;

wherein the lift-reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between an upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed and positioned above the base at a first height and at a first pitch angle that is positive relative to horizontal, the backrest is generally upright, and the ottoman is positioned below the seat, and a lifted position, in which the seat is raised to a second height that is higher than the first height and at a second pitch angle that is negative relative to horizontal;

wherein the lift-reclining mechanism is further configured to move the chair from the upright position to a TV position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat; and

wherein the backrest reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between the TV position and a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is reclined relative to the seat.

2. The lift chair defined in claim 1, wherein the backrest includes a backpost assembly that is fixed to the backrest, and wherein the backrest reclining mechanism is pivotally interconnected to the backpost assembly.

3. The lift chair defined in claim 1, wherein the base includes a fixed base bracket, and wherein the lift-reclining mechanism includes (a) upper and lower swing links that are pivotally interconnected with the base bracket and (b) a seat base bracket assembly fixed relative to the seat that is pivotally interconnected with the upper and lower swing links.

4. The lift chair defined in claim 3, wherein the seat base bracket assembly rests upon the base when the chair is in the upright position.

5. The lift chair defined in claim 4, wherein the seat base bracket assembly also rests on the base bracket when the chair is in the upright position.

6. The lift chair defined in claim 1, wherein a seat base bracket is fixed relative to the seat, and wherein an ottoman-extending linkage is pivotally interconnected with the seat base bracket and with the ottoman.

7. The lift chair defined in claim 6, wherein the lift-reclining mechanism includes a transition member that is pivotally attached to the seat base bracket, a connecting link that is pivotally attached to the transition member, and an ottoman drive link that is pivotally attached to the connecting link and to the ottoman-extending linkage.

8. The lift chair defined in claim 7, wherein the transition member has a pin that is received in a slot in the seat base bracket, and wherein the pin is located at one end of the slot when the chair is in the lift and upright positions and at the other end of the slot when the chair is in the TV and fully reclined positions.

9. The lift chair defined in claim 7, wherein the transition member is pivotally attached with the lift power unit.

10. The lift chair defined in claim 1, further including front and rear sets of wheels.

11. The lift chair defined in claim 10, wherein the lift-reclining mechanism includes a seat base bracket, and wherein the front wheels are attached to the seat base bracket, such that the front wheels are lifted from the ground when the chair moves to the lift position.

12. A lift chair, comprising:

a base;

a seat;

a backrest;

at least one ottoman;

a lift-reclining mechanism attached to the base and to the seat;

a backrest reclining mechanism coupled to the lift-reclining mechanism and attached to the seat, the backrest and the ottoman;

a lift power unit attached to the base and to the lift-reclining mechanism; and

a backrest reclining power unit attached to the base and to the backrest reclining mechanism;

wherein the lift-reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between an upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed and positioned above the base at a first height and at a first pitch angle that is positive relative to horizontal, the backrest is generally upright, and the ottoman is positioned below the seat, and a lifted position, in which the seat is raised to a second height that is higher than the first height and at a second pitch angle that is negative relative to horizontal;

wherein the lift-reclining mechanism is further configured to move the chair from the upright position to a TV position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat;

wherein the backrest reclining mechanism is configured to move the chair between the TV position and a fully reclined position, in which the backrest is reclined relative to the seat;

wherein the chair includes front and rear sets of wheels;

wherein the lift-reclining mechanism includes a seat base bracket fixed relative to the seat, and wherein the front wheels are attached to the seat base bracket, such that the front wheels are lifted from the ground when the chair moves to the lift position; and

wherein the seat base bracket unit rests upon the base when the chair is in the upright position.