Reclining chair with enhanced adjustability

• US 8,297,701 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HNI Technologies Inc. (HNI Corporation)
• Inventors: Machael, Jay R., Koch, John, Koepke, Marcus C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abraham, Tania
• Application Number:
  US12/907,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20110031793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 742 Days
• Field of Search: 297/300.1, 297/300.2, 2973005-3006, 297/303.1
• US Class Current: 297/303.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/023 the parts being horizontally-adjustable seats ; Expandable seats or the like, e.g. seats with horizontally adjustable parts
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 1/03238 by means of peg-and-notch or pawl-and-ratchet mechanism
• 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 1/03277 with bar or leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 3/30 with vertically-acting fluid cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/46 with special, e.g. adjustable , lumbar region support profile; "Ackerblom" profile chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/48 of freely-rotatable type

Abstract

An adjustable reclining chair including a seat configured to support a user, a chair back, a base and a control mechanism mounted on the base. The control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user'"'"'s back when the user is seated upon the seat. The control mechanism including a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back in order to move the chair back rearward from an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism activated by the weight of the user when seated in the chair, such that easy adjustment of the resistance is facilitated with the chair in an upright position. The resistance adjustment mechanism including a resilient member placed under a load during reclining of the chair to provide resistance to the reclining force.

Claims

1. A reclining chair comprising:

a seat configured to support a user;

a chair back;

a base; and

a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user'"'"'s back when the user is seated upon the seat, wherein the control mechanism comprises;

a first resilient member including a block of resilient material placed under a load when a reclining force is applied to the chair back, the first resilient member configured to resist the reclining force as the first resilient member is compressed;

a downwardly protruding element having an end positioned over the first resilient member and configured to engage with the first resilient member when a reclining force is applied to the chair back such that the first resilient member deforms around the end of the protruding element as the first resilient member is compressed;

a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying resistance of the first resilient member, wherein a weight of the user biases the chair back toward an upright position absent the reclining force, wherein easy operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism is facilitated with the chair in the upright position, and wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism further comprises a stop engaged when the user is seated in the upright position, the stop generally minimizing placement of the load on the first resilient member so as to facilitate easy operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism; and

a second resilient member configured to return the chair back to the upright position upon removal of the reclining force.

2. The chair of claim 1, wherein the first resilient member comprises a varying resistance to compression, and wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism utilizes the varying resistance to compression of the first resilient member in order to vary the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force.

3. The chair of claim 2, wherein operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism moves the first resilient member with respect to the downwardly protruding element, or moves the downwardly protruding element with respect to the first resilient member, thereby presenting a different resistance to compression of the first resilient member to the downwardly protruding element resulting in a different amount of resistance to the reclining force.

4. The chair of claim 2, wherein the block of resilient material has a changing geometry in order to vary the resistance to compression.

5. The chair of claim 2, wherein the block of resilient material has varying compressive characteristics in order to vary the resistance to compression.

6. The chair of claim 1, wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism comprises a first movable member and a second member, the second member generally fixed with respect to the first movable member in at least one direction, and wherein movement by the user of the first movable member relative to the second member changes the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force.

7. The chair of claim 1, wherein the chair further comprises a sliding mechanism coupling the seat to the control mechanism, such that the seat is slidably moveable with respect to the control mechanism.

8. The chair of claim 7, wherein the sliding mechanism further comprises a sliding lock for operation by the user, the sliding lock prohibiting sliding movement of the seat in a first configuration and allowing sliding movement of the seat in a second configuration.

9. The chair of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a tilt lock configured to prohibit reclining movement of the chair back from the upright position.

10. The chair of claim 9, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a ground member coupled to the seat, wherein the chair back comprises a back upright member and a back support element, wherein the back support element is coupled to the back upright member, wherein the back upright member is pivotally coupled to the ground member, and wherein the tilt lock prohibits pivotal movement of the back upright member with respect to the ground member.

11. The chair of claim 1, wherein the chair back comprises a back upright member and a back support element, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a ground member pivotally attached to the back upright member, with the back upright member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back joint, the back joint including a pre-loaded resilient member that facilitates a continuous engagement of the back support element and the user'"'"'s back during recline of the chair.

12. The chair of claim 11, wherein the chair further comprises a pair of spaced apart back joints positioned with respect to the control mechanism to substantially reduce shear forces on the user'"'"'s back during reclining of the chair.

13. The chair of claim 1, wherein the chair back further comprises a back support adjustment mechanism, the back support adjustment mechanism configured to modify a stiffness of the chair back.

14. The chair of claim 13, wherein the chair back further comprises a frame and a resilient material mounted on the frame, and wherein the back support adjustment mechanism modifies a stiffness of the resilient material.

15. The chair of claim 13, wherein the back support adjustment mechanism modifies the stiffness in a lumbar region of the chair back.

16. A reclining chair comprising:

a seat configured to support a user;

a chair back;

a base; and

a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user'"'"'s back when the user is seated upon the seat, wherein the control mechanism comprises;

a first resilient member including a block of resilient material placed under a load when a reclining force is applied to the chair back, the first resilient member configured to resist the reclining force as the first resilient member is compressed;

a downwardly protruding element having an end positioned over the first resilient member and configured to engage with the first resilient member when a reclining force is applied to the chair back such that the first resilient member deforms around the end of the protruding element as the first resilient member is compressed;

a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying resistance of the first resilient member, wherein a weight of the user biases the chair back toward an upright position absent the reclining force, and wherein easy operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism is facilitated with the chair in the upright position; and

a second resilient member configured to return the chair back to the upright position upon removal of the reclining force;

wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism comprises a first movable member and a second member, the second member generally fixed with respect to the first movable member in at least one direction, and wherein movement by the user of the first movable member relative to the second member changes the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force; and

wherein the first resilient member is coupled to the first movable member, and wherein movement of the first resilient member with respect to the second member changes the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force.

17. The chair of claim 16, wherein the first resilient member comprises a varying resistance to compression.

18. A reclining chair comprising:

a seat configured to support a user;

a chair back;

a base; and

a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user'"'"'s back when the user is seated upon the seat, wherein the control mechanism comprises;

a first resilient member including a block of resilient material placed under a load when a reclining force is applied to the chair back, the first resilient member configured to resist the reclining force as the first resilient member is compressed;

a downwardly protruding element having an end positioned over the first resilient member and configured to engage with the first resilient member when a reclining force is applied to the chair back such that the first resilient member deforms around the end of the protruding element as the first resilient member is compressed;

a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying resistance of the first resilient member wherein a weight of the user biases the chair back toward an upright position absent the reclining force, and wherein easy operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism is facilitated with the chair in the upright position; and

a second resilient member configured to return the chair back to the upright position upon removal of the reclining force;

wherein the base comprises a central axis, wherein the chair back comprises a pivot member and a back support element, and wherein the control mechanism comprises a four-bar mechanism including a ground member, the pivot member pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot, such that the reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot, with the back support element remaining generally in contact with the user'"'"'s back due to reduced shear and pull-away forces.

19. A reclining chair comprising:

a chair back comprising a back support element and a pivot member;

a seat having a front portion and a rear portion;

a base having a central column with a central axis that is substantially vertical; and

a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat,

the control mechanism configured as a four-bar mechanism including a ground member and the pivot member extending under the front and rear portions of the seat to be pivotally coupled to the ground member at a pivot point forward of the central axis, the pivot member pivotally attached to the back support element at a back pivot and coupled to the front portion of the seat at a position forward of the pivot point,

such that a reclining force applied by the user to the chair back results in the chair back moving rearward and the seat lifting, pivoting the pivot member relative to the ground member about the pivot point and the back support element about the back pivot.

20. The chair of claim 19, wherein the back support element remains substantially in contact with the user'"'"'s back as the user applies the reclining force to the chair back.

21. The chair of claim 19, wherein the seat functions as a coupler connected to the pivot member within the four-bar mechanism and wherein the control mechanism further comprises a follower connected to the seat and to the ground member, such that pivoting movement of the pivot member results in movement of the seat relative to the ground member.

22. The chair of claim 19, wherein the back pivot comprises a resilient member.

23. The chair of claim 19, wherein the control mechanism further comprises a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force applied by the user to the chair back, the resistance adjustment mechanism easily operated by the user when the chair is in an upright position.

24. The chair of claim 23, wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism comprises a first movable member and a second member, the second member generally fixed with respect to the first movable member in at least one direction, and wherein movement by the user of the first movable member relative to the second member changes the control mechanism'"'"'s resistance to the reclining force.

25. A reclining chair comprising:

a seat configured to support a user;

a chair back;

a base; and

a control mechanism mounted on the base, the control mechanism coupling the chair back to the seat with the chair back located generally adjacent to the user'"'"'s back when the user is seated upon the seat, wherein the control mechanism comprises;

a first resilient member including a block of resilient material placed under a load when a reclining force is applied to the chair back, the first resilient member configured to resist the reclining force as the first resilient member is compressed;

a downwardly protruding element having an end positioned over the first resilient member and configured to engage with the first resilient member when a reclining force is applied to the chair back such that the first resilient member deforms around the end of the protruding element as the first resilient member is compressed;

a resistance adjustment mechanism for varying resistance of the first resilient member, wherein a weight of the user biases the chair back toward an upright position absent the reclining force, and wherein easy operation of the resistance adjustment mechanism is facilitated with the chair in the upright position; and

a second resilient member configured to return the chair back to the upright position upon removal of the reclining force;

wherein the resistance adjustment mechanism is adapted to vary resistance of the first resilient member to the reclining force by altering a relative position of the first resilient member and the end of the downwardly protruding element.