GB2281197A

GB2281197A - A reclining chair mechanism

Info

Publication number: GB2281197A
Application number: GB9315387A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard John Hale
Original assignee: SEMINAR COMPONENTS
Current assignee: SEMINAR COMPONENTS
Priority date: 1993-07-24
Filing date: 1993-07-24
Publication date: 1995-03-01
Also published as: GB9315387D0

Abstract

The mechanism includes two side portion 10 each having a first element 11 for mounting on a chair frame 12 and a second element 13 for mounting on a seat fame 14. A resilient body 19 is mounted on the second element 13, but in a laterally displaced position so that its point of engagement 20 on the chair frame 12 is substantially central of chair frame element (21, Fig. 3). A wear strip (23) of low friction material may be provided on the frame element 21 for engagement by the body 19. <IMAGE>

Description

A Reclinina Chair Mechanism This invention relates to reclining chair mechanisms.

Existing reclining chair mechanisms provide three positions: a seated position, a first reclined position and a fully reclined position. In at least nearly all of cases as the chair moves from its fully reclined position to its first reclined position the mechanisms have a short uncontrolled vertical descent giving the user a sudden bump.

As well be explained in more detail below, proposals have been made to cushion this bump by using resilient bodies mounted on the chair frames but these have been quickly damaged and become ineffective.

From one aspect the invention consists in a reclining chair mechanism having a first element connectable to a seat frame, a second element connectable to a chair frame and means for hingingly engaging the two elements so that they can move relative to one another to define positions corresponding to a seated position, a first reclined position and a fully reclined position when mounted in a chair, the mechanism further including a resilient body mounted on the first element and offset therefrom for engaging the chair seat frame, in use, to cushion movement between the fully reclined position and the first reclined position.

The resilient body may be mounted on the first element by a generally L-shaped bracket which depends therefrom.

Preferably, the body is bulb-shaped and made of rubber or artificial rubber.

From another aspect the invention consists in a reclining chair incorporating a mechanism as defined above and having a seat frame and chair frame.

In this case, the centre line of the body is generally preferably aligned with the edge of the seat frame and hence will strike the chair frame near the central section. A wear plate, strip or coating may be mounted on or provided on the chair frame in the area of engagement by the body.

From a still further aspect the invention consists in a reclining chair having a resilient body mounted on the seat frame thereof to engage the chair frame during movement from the fully reclined position.

Although the invention has been defined above it is to be understood it includes any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and a specific embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a partial side view of a mechanism for a reclining chair mounted on a chair, with a prior art arrangement indicated in chain line; Figure 2 is a view on the arrow Y showing the prior art arrangement; and Figure 3 is a section along the line Z-Z in Figure 1.

Reclining chair mechanisms are well-known and in general are based on variations of a four-bar linkage.

Their construction and operation will not be described in detail, but reference can be made to our co-pending Application filed on 23rd July, 1993 to the extent that the prior art is described in that document.

Such mechanisms include two side portions one of which is partially illustrated in the drawings. Thus, a side portion 10 of a reclining chair mechanism includes a first element 11 for mounting on the chair frame 12 and a second element 13 for mounting on a seat frame 14; the two elements being interconnected by an arrangement of levers, one of which is indicated at 15.

As has been explained above, such mechanisms experience a sudden drop when moving from their fully reclined to their first reclined position and to cushion this a resilient stop 16 has been provided on the chair frame 12. This arrangement is well shown in Figure 2, but it has proved most unsatisfactory because the edges 17, 18 of the seat frame 14 and second element 13 progressively laterally displace and cut into the resilient stop 16 with the result that it ceases to function properly.

The Applicants have realised that this problem can be overcome surprisingly easily by mounting an equivalent body 19 on the second element 13, but in a laterally displaced position so that its point of engagement 20 on the chair frame 12 is substantially central of the chair frame element 21 and so no damage takes place.

This offset is achieved by mounting the body 19 on a generally L-shaped bracket 22 which depends from the second element. Preferably the body 19 is centrally aligned with the edge of the seat frame 14, because this will already be dimensioned to locate on the chair frame 12 in such a position.

A wear strip 23 may be provided on the chair frame element 21. It may, for example, be a low friction material such as PTFE or PVC and indeed could be a coating on the chair frame.

It will be noted in Figure 1 that the body 19 is considerably displaced from the position of the existing stop. On mechanisms of the type illustrated, the optimum position for the body 19 is slightly to the right of the point which is equi-distant between the pivots 24 and 25.

Claims

1. A reclining chair mechanism having a first element connectable to a seat frame, a second element connectable to a chair frame and means for hingingly engaging the two elements so that they can move relative to one another to define positions corresponding to a seated position, a first reclined position and a fully reclined position when mounted in a chair, the mechanism further including a resilient body mounted on the first element and offset therefrom for engaging the chair seat frame, in use, to cushion movement between the fully reclined position and the first reclined position.

2. A mechanism wherein the resilient body is mounted on the first element by a generally L-shaped bracket which depends therefrom.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body is bulb shaped.

4. A mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A reclining chair incorporated a mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and having a seat frame and a chair frame.

6. A chair as claimed in claim 5 wherein the centre line if the body is generally aligned with the edge of the seat frame.

7. A chair as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 having a metal plate mounted on the chair frame in the area engaged by the body.

8. A reclining chair having a resilient body mounted on the seat frame thereof to engage the chair frames during movement from a fully reclined position.