Recliner assist apparatus

Abstract: A reclining modular seating section having a recliner assist apparatus for initiating reclining movement of the seating section and extending movement of a leg rest assembly thereof. The release assist apparatus includes an insert member (346) fixedly secured to a drive rod (324) of a recliner mechanism of the seating unit. A drive bracket (326) is fixedly secured to the insert member (346) and pivotally coupled to an L-shaped coupling bracket (328). The L-shaped coupling bracket (328) is in turn coupled to a biasing spring (330) which exerts a tensioning force to drive the drive bracket (326) and drive rod (324), to thereby cause the seating section to assume a reclined position with its leg rest member in an extended position when the drive bracket reaches an over center position. A release assist bracket (322) is disposed coaxially about the insert member (346) and has an end thereof coupled to a handle member (316) which is graspable by an occupant of the seating unit. By pulling on the handle member (316), the release assist bracket (322) urges the drive bracket (326) to an over center position, thereby enabling the biasing (330) spring to continue driving the drive rod (324) so as to extend a leg rest assembly and simultaneously recline a seatback portion of the seating unit.

Description: The present invention relates to a seating unit having a release assist apparatus for articles of furniture such as chairs, sofas and loveseats. Conventionally, recliner type seating units (i.e. chairs, sofas, loveseats and the like), generally require a predetermined distance between an adjacent wall surface and the seatback to avoid contact therebetween during reclined operation. In addition, loose seat cushions are not generally used in most recliner type seating units due to the height requirements associated with operably supporting the mechanical recliner mechanism under the seat. Reclining mechanisms typically generate a relatively large amount of frictional drag which must be overcome for smooth movement between an "upright" and a "tilted" position. In particular, lighter weight seat occupants must normally exert a deliberate leveraged thrust or force, in addition to pulling the actuator lever, for completely extending the leg rest and moving the seat section to its "tilted" position. Moreover, it is often difficult for the seat occupant to return to the upright position from the "tilted" or a fully "reclined" position due to the height and the upward angular tilt of the seat relative to the reclined seatback. As such, the occupant must exert a relatively large and deliberate leveraged force to return the reclined seat section to the full upright position. Another drawback associated with recliners is that the leg rest assembly cannot be retracted to its stowed position from an extended elevated position until after the seat occupant has completely returned the seat section to its fully upright position. As is known, virtually all traditional recliner type seating units require the seat occupant to either forcibly urge a portion of the seating section forwardly (i.e. by pulling on an arm portion of the chair), or manually move some type of actuating lever to initiate movement of the leg rest assembly from a retracted position toward an extended and elevated position. While most recliner type seating units have proven to be generally successful, it nevertheless would be desirable to permit the seat occupant to deliberately initiate movement of the leg rest assembly toward its extended position with virtually no physical effort. Such a leg rest release arrangement would be particularly advantageous for elderly or handicapped persons who typically have difficulty, because of lack of strength, in using conventional release means (i.e. movement of levers or gripping an arm portion of a recliner chair) to initiate the extending action of a leg rest assembly and/or tilting action of the seat assembly. The above described traditional means for initiating reclining movement present additional problems when used with a seating section intended for use in a modular seating unit such as a modular sofa. If the seating section is not one of the corner sections but rather a center section of the seating unit, the seating unit is disposed between outer seating sections thus preventing the use of any graspable lever member on the side of the seating section. Since the center seating section has no arms, the occupant cannot initiate extension of a leg rest member thereof by simply pushing on the arm members. Accordingly, the use of center seating sections having extendable leg rests present particular problems with regard to initiating extending movement of the leg rest assembly conveniently and with a minimum amount of effort on the part of the occupant. DE-A-4 225 913, upon which the preamble of claim 1 is based, discloses a recliner mechanism incorporating an apparatus for initiating movement of a leg rest assembly from a retracted position to an extended position. A pair of C-shaped toggle links are fixedly coupled to a drive rod and each include coil springs, the coil springs further being coupled to an adjustable tensioning mechanism thereby to enable the tension of both coil springs to be adjusted. A pair of tracks is provided for enabling a portion of the recliner mechanism to move forwardly upon actuation of an assist apparatus. An adjustable stop bracket is provided for limiting the forward movement of the recliner mechanism along the tracks to thereby adjustably control the height and inclination angle of the leg rest member. US-A-4 367 895 discloses a chair having a chair body pivoted on a carriage. A reclining back on the chair body operates a linkage to move the carriage on a base and to tilt the chair body with respect to the carriage. A hand lever operates a leg rest mounted on the chair body and, at the same time, operates through a linkage to tilt the chair body on the carriage. US-A-3 099 487 discloses a chair having a leg rest which is held in a lower, retracted position or a raised leg-supporting position by a pantograph mechanism and actuating means including a rotatable shaft. According to the present invention there is provided a seating unit having a release assist apparatus, said seating unit being adapted for use in an article of furniture of the type having a frame section within which said seating unit is secured, said seating unit comprising: (a) a seat member; (b) a leg rest assembly supported for movement between a retracted position and an extended position; (c) drive means; (d) a manually engagable release member; and (e) biasing means; characterised in that: said drive means includes tubular drive rod for urging said leg rest assembly into said extended position, said drive means being movable between a locked position wherein said leg rest assembly is releasably retained in said retracted position and a release position wherein said leg rest assembly is permitted to move toward said extended position; said manually engagable release member is adapted to be grasped by an occupant of said seating unit and pulled outwardly away from said seat member of said seating unit by said occupant; said seating unit further comprises: (f) a release assist bracket having an inner end portion and an outer end portion and being disposed coaxially with said drive rod and movable rotationally relative to said drive rod; (g) an insert member coupleable to said tubular drive rod; (h) a drive bracket having an inner end portion and an outer end portion, said inner end portion being fixedly secured to said insert member, said drive bracket further having a fixed post member extending transversely therefrom; (i) an L-shaped coupling bracket having an inner end and an outer end, said outer end being pivotally coupled to said outer end portion of said drive bracket; and (j) a flexible cable coupled to said outer end portion of said release assist bracket and to said release member for causing said release assist bracket to be moved rotationally in response to movement of said release member; said biasing means has a first end and a second end, said first end being secured to a portion of said seating unit and said second end being secured to said inner end of said L-shaped coupling bracket; and said outer end portion of said release assist bracket is disposed in general lateral alignment with said fixed post member such that engagement of said release member by said seat occupant causes said outer end portion to abuttingly engage with said fixed post member, thereby urging said fixed post member rotationally into an over center position whereby said biasing means and said L-shaped coupling bracket cause said drive bracket to be driven rapidly rotationally to thereby cause said leg rest assembly to be urged into said extended position. The hereinafter described and illustrated embodiment of release assist apparatus is well adapted for use with modular armless reclining seating sections intended to be positioned between one or more corner seating sections, thus to enable an occupant easily to initiate reclining movement of the seating section by simply manually engaging a portion of the release assist apparatus readily accessible to the occupant while the occupant is seated in the seating section. The described and illustrated embodiment of assist apparatus can be quickly and easily retrofitted to a wide variety of recliner mechanisms which allow a seat occupant to initiate reclining movement of the mechanism without the need to push on an arm portion of the chair, and without the need to rotate a lever or other like component disposed on the side of the chair. An embodiment of apparatus in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an elevational view of a modular sofa having a center seating section which tilts and reclines; Figure 2 is a view of the sofa of Figure 1 showing the center seating section in a fully tilted and reclined position; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of a conventional two-way recliner mechanism incorporating the recliner assist apparatus of the present invention; Figure 4 is a top, fragmentary, elevational view of the recliner mechanism of Figure 3 incorporating the apparatus of the present invention; Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the component parts of the recliner assist apparatus; Figure 6 is a side cross sectional view of the insert member of the recliner assist apparatus in accordance with section line 17-17 in Figure 3; Figure 7 is an end elevational view of the insert member shown in Figure 5; Figure 8 is an assembly view of the recliner assist apparatus showing the apparatus in a first or a locked position it assumes when a leg rest assembly of the recliner mechanism is fully retracted; Figure 9 is a view of the recliner assist apparatus of Figure 8 showing the apparatus in a position just over center at the instant just before the biasing spring causes the drive rod to be rapidly driven rotationally to extend the leg rest assembly and to cause reclining movement of the seatback portion of the chair; and Figure 10 is a view of the recliner assist apparatus of Figure 9 showing the apparatus in a resting position after the biasing spring has caused the drive rod to be rotationally driven to completely extend the leg rest assembly. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a modular sofa 300 incorporating the recliner assist apparatus of the present invention. The sofa 300 may be either a conventional sofa or of the modular type having independent seating sections releasably secured together to form a modular sofa. In either form, the sofa 300 comprises two outer seating sections 300a and 300b which each have an arm portion 302a and 302b, and a center seating section 300c. With reference to Figure 2, the center seating section 300c includes a reclinable seatback portion 304 and a seat member 306. A recliner mechanism 308 including an extendable leg rest assembly 310 is disposed concealably underneath the seat member 306 for facilitating reclining movement of the seatback portion 304 in addition to extending and retracting operation of the leg rest assembly 310. Fixedly secured to a portion of the leg rest assembly 310 is a leg rest support member 312 which supports the lower legs of an occupant of the seating section 300c when the leg rest assembly 310 is in its extended position. From Figures 1 and 2, it will be appreciated that the center seating section 300c, by not having any arm portions associated with it or user access to a lower side portion thereof, would otherwise, if not for the preferred embodiments of the present invention as described herein, present problems with allowing an operator to initiate reclining movement of the recliner mechanism 308 therein. By the present invention, a unique but simple apparatus is provided by which reclining action of the center seating section 300c may be initiated without the use of arm portions or manually engagable levers positioned on a lower side portion of the seating section 300c. Referring now to Figure 3, a side elevational view of the recliner mechanism 308 is provided showing a recliner assist apparatus 314 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated immediately that the recliner mechanism 308 is a two-way recliner mechanism available under model numbers 8361 and 8290 from the Legget and Platt Company of Carthage, Missouri. It should also be appreciated, as will become more apparent from the following description, that the recliner assist apparatus 314 may be used with virtually any recliner mechanism incorporating a conventional drive rod and biasing spring which makes use of an over-center drive principle to cause reclining movement of a seatback portion of a chair and/or extending movement of a leg rest assembly. Accordingly, the entire teaching and disclosure of CA-A-2 074 917 is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application just as if same were set forth literally herein. With further reference to Figure 3, the recliner assist apparatus 314 includes a manually engagable release member in the form of a manually graspable handle 316 which is mounted for slidable movement by a mounting bracket 316a secured to a frame member 317 of the seating section 300c. The handle member 316 is secured to a flexible cable 318 which is held in position by a second mounting bracket 316b secured to the frame member 317. The flexible cable 318 is in turn coupled by a slotted connecting bracket 320 to a release assist bracket 322. The release assist bracket 322 is positioned for rotation concentrically about a tubular drive rod 324 (best seen in Figure 4) of the recliner mechanism 308. A spring 319 helps bias the release asist bracket 322, and thus the handle member 316, downwardly into a retracted position. The recliner assist apparatus 314 further includes a drive bracket 326 which is fixedly secured to the drive rod 324. An L-shaped coupling bracket 328 is pivotally coupled to the drive bracket 326 and also to a conventional biasing spring 330 of the recliner mechanism 308. While the recliner mechanism 308 itself is a well known two-way mechanism, a brief description of some of the major components thereof, which operate in connection with the recliner assist apparatus 314, will now be provided to gain a fuller appreciation as to how the apparatus 314 operates to initiate movement of the various components of the mechanism 308. Initially, the leg rest assembly 310 includes a well known pantograph linkage assembly 332. The pantograph linkage assembly 332 is operationally coupled to the drive rod 324 and is movable from a first, or retracted, position to a second, or extended position. In the retracted position, as shown in Figure 3, the pantograph linkage assembly 332 maintains the leg rest member 312 in a vertical position relative to a floor supporting the seating section 300c. When the seating section 300c is in its reclined position (as shown in Figure 2), the pantograph linkage assembly 332 is in its extended position placing the leg rest member 312 in a horizontal position relative to the floor. With continued reference to Figures 3 and 4, a support bracket 336 having a corner end portion 338 is included with an aperture 340 for securing a portion of the biasing spring 330 thereat. A second frame member 342 (only one of which is shown in Figures 3 and 4) helps support the linkage mechanism 308 above the floor via a plurality of support brackets 344. Referring now to Figures 5-7, the individual components of the recliner assist apparatus 314 are shown. The recliner assist bracket 322 includes an inner end portion 322a having a generally circular opening 322b and an outer end portion 322c having a relatively small aperture 322d. The inner end portion 322a is positioned for rotation via the circular opening 322b about a first shoulder portion 346b of an insert member 346 having a head portion 346a. With specific reference to Figure 5, the release assist bracket 322 is held over the first shoulder portion 346b of the insert member 346 in part by a bushing 348 which is adapted to slide over a shaft portion 346c of the insert member 346. An additional bushing 350 also is adapted to slide over a portion of the shaft portion 346c to help maintain the release assist bracket 322 over the first shoulder portion 346b of the insert member 346. The slotted connecting bracket 320 includes an elongated, slotted portion 320a which is adapted to be pivotally secured to the outer end portion 322c of the release assist bracket 322 via a threaded screw 352. The threaded screw 352 extends through the elongated opening 320a and the aperture 322d. It will be appreciated that a rivet or any other conventional means of securing the slotted connecting bracket 320 to the release assist bracket 322 may be used, such as pop rivets, provided same allows some degree of pivotal movement between the brackets 320 and 322. The drive bracket 326 includes an inner end portion 326a having a square shaped aperture 326b and an outer end portion 326c having a generally circular aperture 326d. A fixed post member 326e extends transversely toward the L-shaped coupling bracket 328. A spacer 354 is fixedly secured over the post 326c to extend the length of the post 326e. It will be readily appreciated, however, that a longer post 326e may be used to eliminate the need for the spacer 354 if so desired. The outer end portion 326c of the drive bracket 326 is secured to an outer end portion 328a of the L-shaped coupling bracket 328 via a rivet 356 and washer 358. Again, a partially threaded screw may be used in lieu of rivet 356 to secure the drive bracket 326 and L-shaped coupling bracket 328 pivotally together. The drive bracket 326 is further secured fixedly to the insert member 346 by engagement of a square shaped shoulder portion 346d thereof within the square shaped aperture 326b. A threaded locking screw 360 threadably insertable into a threaded aperture 346e and washer 362 prevent the drive bracket 326 from becoming uncoupled from the insert member 346 during operation of the recliner assist apparatus 314. With further reference to Figure 5, the L-shaped coupling bracket 328 further includes an inner end portion 328b and a cut-out portion 328c. The inner end portion 328b includes a small aperture 328d for allowing a first end 330a of the biasing spring 330 to be coupled thereto. A second end 330b of the biasing spring 330 may then be coupled to the support bracket 338 (Figure 3) to enable the biasing spring 330 to exert a tensioning force on the L-shaped coupling bracket 328. The cut-out portion 328c allows the L-shaped coupling bracket 328 to be positioned generally over the head portion 346a of the insert member 346 without any interference therebetween. The insert member 346 is secured to the drive rod 324 by inserting the shaft portion 346c within the drive rod 324. An aperture 346f in the shaft portion 346c allows a threaded screw or other like securing implement such as a rivet to be used to secure the insert member 346 securely to the drive rod 324. A shoulder portion 346g keeps the L-shaped coupling bracket 328 from being returned back too far during retraction of the pantograph linkage 332. This feature will be discussed more fully momentarily in connection with Figure 8. With brief reference to Figure 6, a cross sectional view of the recliner assist apparatus 314 is shown illustrating the compactness with which the components thereof fit together. From Figure 6 it can be seen that the recliner assist apparatus 314 forms a very compact assembly which is extremely well adapted for use with a center recliner section of a modular sofa which does not incorporate any arm portions by which reclining movement may be initiated, and where occupant access to a lever mounted on a lower side portion thereof is not possible. The overall compactness of the recliner assist apparatus 314 relative the recliner mechanism 308 is further apparent from the drawing of Figure 15. It should be appreciated that the insert member 346 also provides a significant advantage in that it enables the recliner assist apparatus 314 to be retroactively fitted to virtually any recliner mechanism incorporating a tubular drive rod and an over center drive mechanism. It should also be appreciated that the recliner assist apparatus 314 could just as well be used in lieu of a conventional side mounted lever which is adapted to be rotated by a seat occupant to initiate reclining movement of a recliner chair. The apparatus 314 may even be used in connection with recliner chairs having arm portions to provide an auxiliary means for initiating reclining operation. In such cases it is expected that those individuals with limited arm strength or elderly individuals might prefer to initiate reclining movement of a recliner chair via the recliner assist apparatus 314 rather than by pushing on the arm portions of the chair or by forcibly rotating a lever disposed on a side portion of the chair. Referring now to Figures 8-10, a description of operation of the apparatus 314 will be provided. Referring initially to Figure 8, the recliner assist apparatus 314 is shown in the position which it assumes when the pantograph linkage assembly 332 (Figure 3) is in a retracted position. At this point the handle member 316 will be biased into a retracted position as shown in Figure 8 by the biasing force of the spring 319. From Figure 8 it can also be seen that the outer end portion 326c of the drive bracket is slightly "under" center, as indicated by center line 364. Thus, the biasing spring 330 exerts a tensioning force which maintains the drive bracket 326 in the orientation shown in Figure 19, and thus the pantograph linkage assembly 332 (Figure 3) in its retracted position. It will also be noted that a portion of the L-shaped coupling bracket 328 abuts the shoulder portion 346g of the insert member 346 to limit the amount of "under" center travel of the drive bracket 326 to a predetermined amount. If not for this abutting engagement, the drive bracket 326 might be driven under center slightly too far, thus making the initial assist action of the release assist bracket 322 slightly difficult. Referring to Figure 9, as the occupant pulls upwardly on the handle member 316, the release assist bracket 322 rotates about the insert member 346 in a counter clockwise direction such that the outer end portion 322c abuttingly engages the spacer 354 secured to the fixed post member 326e of the drive bracket 326. As the handle member 316 is pulled outwardly relative to the seat member 306, the outer end portion 326c of the drive bracket 326 is urged by the release assist bracket 322 into a position where the outer end portion 326c is slightly "over" center or, put differently, over the center line 364 as shown in Figure 9. At the instant the outer end portion 326c of the drive bracket 326 crosses the center line 364 during its counter clockwise rotational movement, the tensioning force applied by the biasing spring 330 causes the drive bracket to be rapidly driven rotationally in a counter clockwise direction to a position as shown in Figure 10. During its counter clockwise rotational movement, the drive bracket 326, being fixed securely to the drive rod 324, causes the drive rod 324 to be driven in a counter clockwise manner concurrently therewith. The counter clockwise rotational movement of the drive rod 324 in turn causes the pantograph linkage 332 to be urged into its extended position to place the leg rest member 312 in a horizontal position relative to the floor while the seatback 304 of the seating section 300c is urged into a reclined position. After the biasing spring 330 takes over to drive the pantograph linkage 332 to its extended position, the occupant may release the handle member 316. The biasing force of the spring 319 then causes the outer end portion 322c of the release assist bracket 322 to be driven downwardly in a clockwise direction to its original or resting position. This simultaneously causes the handle member 316 to be withdrawn to its rest position as shown in Figure 8. When the pantograph linkage 332 is retracted by a downward force applied by the lower legs of the occupant on the leg rest member 312, the drive bracket 326 is urged in a clockwise direction concurrently with clockwise rotational movement of the drive rod 324 as the pantograph linkage 322 is retracted. When the pantograph linkage 332 is fully retracted, the drive bracket 326 reassumes the position shown in Figure 8.

Claims: A seating unit (300c) having a release assist apparatus (314), said seating unit being adapted for use in an article of furniture of the type having a frame section within which said seating unit is secured, said seating unit comprising: (a) a seat member (306); (b) a leg rest assembly (310) supported for movement between a retracted position and an extended position; (c) drive means; (d) a manually engagable release member (316); and (e) biasing means (330); characterised in that: said drive means includes tubular drive rod (324) for urging said leg rest assembly (310) into said extended position, said drive means being movable between a locked position wherein said leg rest assembly (310) is releasably retained in said retracted position and a release position wherein said leg rest assembly (310) is permitted to move toward said extended position; said manually engagable release member (316) is adapted to be grasped by an occupant of said seating unit and pulled outwardly away from said seat member (306) of said seating unit by said occupant; said seating unit further comprises: (f) a release assist bracket (322) having an inner end portion (322a) and an outer end portion (322c) and being disposed coaxially with said drive rod (324) and movable rotationally relative to said drive rod (324); (g) an insert member (346) coupleable to said tubular drive rod (324); (h) a drive bracket (326) having an inner end portion (326a) and an outer end portion (326c), said inner end portion (326a) being fixedly secured to said insert member (346), said drive bracket (326) further having a fixed post member (326e) extending transversely therefrom; (i) an L-shaped coupling bracket (328) having an inner end (328b) and an outer end (328a), said outer end (328a) being pivotally coupled to said outer end portion (326c) of said drive bracket (326); and (j) a flexible cable (318) coupled to said outer end portion (322c) of said release assist bracket (322) and to said release member (316) for causing said release assist bracket (322) to be moved rotationally in response to movement of said release member (316); said biasing means (330) has a first end (330a) and a second end (330b), said first end (330a) being secured to a portion of said seating unit and said second end (330b) being secured to said inner end (328b) of said L-shaped coupling bracket (328); and said outer end portion (322c) of said release assist bracket (322) is disposed in general lateral alignment with said fixed post member (326e) such that engagement of said release member (316) by said seat occupant causes said outer end portion (322c) to abuttingly engage with said fixed post member (326e), thereby urging said fixed post member (326e) rotationally into an over center position whereby said biasing means (330) and said L-shaped coupling bracket (328) cause said drive bracket (326) to be driven rapidly rotationally to thereby cause said leg rest assembly (310) to be urged into said extended position. The seating unit (300c) of claim 1, wherein said biasing means (330) is operably coupled to said drive bracket means (326) and a portion of said seating unit (300c) for urging said drive bracket means (326) towards said locked position after a predetermined degree of travel of said leg rest assembly (310) as said leg rest assembly (310) is urged into said retracted position. The seating unit (300c) of claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a slotted connecting bracket (320) fixedly secured to said flexible cable (318) for pivotally coupling with said release assist bracket (322) and a return spring (319) operationally associated with said flexible cable (318) to cause said handle member (316) to be urged continuously into a retracted position when said handle member (316) is not being engaged by said occupant.

Inventors: KOMOROWSKI KARL JOSEPH, LAPOINTE LARRY PATRICK, SAUL JONATHAN ROBERT, KOMOROWSKI, KARL JOSEPH, LAPOINTE, LARRY PATRICK, SAUL, JONATHAN ROBERT
Applicants: LA Z BOY CHAIR CO, LA-Z-BOY CHAIR COMPANY
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A47C1
IPC codes: A47C1